Napalm

Hi ppl, this is my first post so bear with me

about 6 monhts ago I bought a3 1.8T (150hp)'99...I bought it at 34900 km, now it has almost 50 000km...and I've had already 2 burned motors from the electric windows (replaced), squeeking noises at the front of my car (some sort of 'silent blocks' were replaced), noise when decelerating ( replaced 'deleceration valve'). Now I have a noise when cold starting my car...AND a whistling when i put my airco between +1 and +3, when put higher the noise of air is to large to hear the wisteling.

The starting noises are only on cold starts, its like the startmotor keeps turning for a few seconds. Airco noise is always there, but even worse when engine is cold.

I'm just thinking is this normal for a car this young with this small amount of usage? It's my first car (lucky me) but i'm just not happy with the fact that it has so many troubles...

Can anyone share any advice or experience with me? And btw what will a new starting engine and a/c reperation probably cost?

Thanks in advance and sorry for the bad English...

Tom

Phat_Rims

but i had new 2002 A3 1.8T 150hp too for about 6 months and i also got myself tiny squeeking in the door when going in to slow side bumps

Napalm

Hi,

well I went to the dealer and here's the sad result:
-new starter engine
-new ventilator
for the amount of 550euro

I'm getting pretty tired of this s*** and I wander w hat's coming up next

Levent

Other than this , I'm really very happy with the car especially after driving on very potholed pavements at these 60K.

Drillslinger

Naplam,
How loud was the starter noise, and can you desciribe it a bit for me? Just this morning (-8C) my starter kind of "rattled". Never heard this before, and made me think of you having to replace your starter. My 01 A3 has just under 70k kms, and haven't had any major problems with it other than the central locking compressor going out.

Any help is appreciated, thx,

bk1

I have had starter noise for the last few months - it sounded something like:
<turn key>..<normal start noise><extra noise>
where the extra noise was like hearing a fast-spinning gear slow rapidly, but it sounded nasty - like it was rubbing on something.

Basically it sounded like the starter was staying engaged too long, and you'd get this angry noise (mainly when starting the engine from cold). The noise lasts about a second, but gets worse and more frequent with time.

I had it checked at two places - independent Audi place and with Audi franchise - both said the fix is a new starter motor. That's what I thought, based on posts on this forum about starters, Bendix gears and knackered solenoids in the starter.

I got mine replaced yesterday (under warranty, with no fighting with Audi this time, which was nice), and it seems to have solved the problem. Will know for sure over the next few days when I've made sure that starting up doesn't give the nasty whirring sound.

I got an estimate on the cost to get it done with the independent guy and he reckoned 100 pounds (UK sterling) for the starter, and he was going to charge 30 pounds for the labour (based on his hourly rates this means he's saying it'll take just under an hour).

Hope that helps.

Drillslinger

Yeah it helps, hurts too as my warranty ran out in Sep

But at least I now have an idea as to what's up, and know that it's serious enough to have looked at.

Thx,

AJ Turbo

Based on a sample of one (my A3 1.8T, purchased brand new in South Africa in 1999), Audi is terribly unreliable. I had the following problems:

1. Central locking failure (multiple times)
2. Radio problems - crackling, squeaking - never resolved
3. Gearbox had to be replaced after less than 1000km - apparently one of the gears came off and wrecked the entire box.
4. Clutch failed twice within the first year.
5. Two unexplained breakdowns which left me stranded on the freeway; in both cases the car had to be towed.
6. Knocking sound from engine after the car went in for a routine service; I took it back and the dealer initially denied anything was wrong. I convinced him to send a technician in the car with me. He conceded there was a problem, and concluded that "something hadn't been tightened properly." Apparently they had left a bolt somewhere undone. They were unapologetic and not particularly concerned.
7. Shortly after that incident, brake failure which led to a major accident.

Audi denied responsibility for all of these issues.

I had driven a reliable and safe Toyota for a number of years before this, without incident.

I will never trust an Audi again, and strongly advise others not to do so. It could be a matter of life and death.

Be careful

Regards

AJ