yaromac

Took my 2013 Q5 Hybrid in for 60k service, where they also fixed two open recalls for the auxiliary heater and the fuel flange.

Shortly afterwards CEL came on and my Carista showed an error code, P2681. Drove straight to dealer and told it was engine coolant valve, no issues with continuing to drive it since they couldn't fit me in to get it properly diagnosed and fixed for a month (yes, a month....) Drove car, no over-heating, no performance issues.

Back to the dealer today for the long awaited appointment. As an aside, the check-in/loaner car person kept me standing at the counter while answering two phone calls right in front of me, "Hello, Audi Service, can I help you" each of which took a good ten minutes. Hello I said (politely) when she went to answer her phone a 3rd time, I'm standing right here and I'm now late for work. Please check me in and then get the phone? Mucho attitude on her part after that. Half inclined to wonder if she told her mechanic pal to screw me over... Really bad feeling there.

Anyway, I am now looking down the barrel of a $1300 repair. They claim they need to replace two valves: n82 and n482.

And, despite them saying nothing after the 60k repair, they now say I need three new tires, 3 windscreen wipers and alignment. I'm ok with this sort of maintenance BUT why not tell me a month ago right after the 60K

Sanity check required? Anyone know:
(1) Could anything they did at the 60k mile repair or 2 recalls have caused the P2681 error? It seems so odd to have a perfectly working car, a service/repair, and a $1300 error with no other symptoms
(2) Anyone know anything about this error in relation to hybrids? No handy-dandy TSBs I can find? (I've looked...) I'm 7k out of the warranty miles but the hybrid has a better warranty, as I've been told by extremely helpful guy on this forum,
(3) I'm nuts to think the check-in/loaner persons side eye at me while with her mechanic bud could have meant anything here, right?

Thanks guys!

Bob Petruska

So you go to the dealer without any CEL DTC codes, they disassemble part of the center dash to replace the heater grid in the recall. Then you immediately get a CEL error. HELLO!!!

I would contact AoA right now, and tell them what happened, get a case number started, and tell them that you believe that the dealer caused this during the recall.

The N82 is a real valve, but I can't find a N482. Maybe it is a N422? N488?

The N82 valve is soooo easy to replace that anyone can do it. Costs less than $150

There is a TSB ……….

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...53889-6593.pdf


Seems like they are taking you over.

gk1

This might be the extreme version of what is failing but has not impacted your CEL or sent you into limp but it does mention one of the valves they recommended replacing.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...53889-6593.pdf

MP4.2+6.0

From the private messages, yes I still have the Q5 hybrid. But, no I have no idea what these are, or honestly what is even being discussed in the thread beyond something in the cooling system. I don't know if it is a problem with Carista, but FWIW I tend to not pay too much attention to posts referencing it. I doubt anyone (with a life...) seriously memorizes P codes other than one they personally seriously sweated, so it really helps get some responses if you describe exactly what the code says. Does Carista not tell you what they mean? VCDS always tells you with the code what the basic description is. Same problem with generic OBDII scanners--besides that they only read the ECU and not the myriad other Audi modules. Ditto on not knowing the valve references. When I have run into those on other Audi's, I often go back to the SSP (self study program--the training stuff for Audi techs and enthusiasts) for the given motor and look at the cooling flow diagrams.

Meantime, I suspect your issue is really a "2.0T" issue rather than a "Hybrid" issue. Just try a Google search like "p2681 audi (ross-tech, vcds)" or more simply "p2681 audi." The VCDS version was to try to zoom in on folks who may have more diagnostic skills--there are a couple of hits for 2.0T's, one actually a Hybrid. The more generic search string opens it way up but may still yield some info.

apoelistas

Yeap this is what I fear when I go to an Audi dealer. The aftermath.

yaromac

Thanks so much guys, to be a bit more specific, the error code thrown up was: P2681 - Engine Coolant Bypass Valve Control Circuit/Open

below is the description from a search after the previous poster suggested I think of it as Q5 rather than Hybrid specific. I am feeling is there smoke without fire? As the first person to reply notes, they do a recall repair of the heater, then the first line of the descriptions references the passenger compartment heater.

Update is that the service guy knew I was questioning a CEL that came on right after their repair, and says he's called Audi and they've offered to cover 50% of the cost... And he will throw in another coupon for 10%. That's if I buy four new tires, alignment, and wipers from them, so I'm looking at a total of 1800 for these things and my "half" of the repair, amounting now to about 600. What would you do, eat it, or call Audi myself? The service guy does seem to be trying to work with me, and I don't want to point a finger where it's not warranted...

Description: The passenger compartment heater coolant control valve regulates the engine coolant flow into the cabin heater loop depending on engine coolant temperature and ambient temperature conditions. The passenger compartment heater coolant control valve has two positions: ByPass or Link. In the ByPass position, the coolant in the engine loop and heater loop are separated and in the link position the coolant circulates through both loops. The valve movement is controlled by a PWM signal. A 50% duty cycle is a normal duty cycle. A 75% duty cycle represents a valve commanded to the link position. A 25% duty cycle represents a valve commanded to the ByPass position. The passenger compartment heater coolant control valve uses an internal position sensor that sends a signal to the hybrid powertrain control module to determine the valve position.When the engine coolant temperature heats up, a valve learn procedure takes place. The hybrid powertrain control module 2 commands the valve to the link position and records the voltage coming back from the position sensor. Then the hybrid powertrain control module 2 commands the valve back to the bypass position and records the voltage coming back from the position sensor. The voltage values in both the link and bypass positions must fall within calibrated ranges.

Bob Petruska

yaromac

Thanks so much to all. Bob especially. I was emboldened to tell the Dealer I would call Audi after reading about the repair they did in your message and the proximity to one of the valves. Before I could do this, the dealer then found a TSB and confirmed the whole thing would be covered as long as I paid their prices for the tires etc. This I was ok to do, since a HUGE relief not to be on the hook for $1300 especially knowing they'd been working in the area right beforehand. They have the car, I have their loaner. I know they're over-charging for the tires, alignment and wipers, but it's much easier to bite that bullet now I know, thanks to this forum and Bob, I'm not in the hole for the 1300.

Happy Ending for this one!

Bob Petruska

Just to clarify the recall work under the dash the dealer tech did was not in the valve area, the wiring was in that area that goes to the valve in the engine compartment. He could have disturbed the wiring and connectors.

Glad it worked out for you.

Redd

Four new tires...yeah, 60,000 miles is time for the second or third set? My OEM's lasted 15,000 miles, less than a third of what I normally get. The dealership was SO far above market prices, even when I told him that I could do far better, that I went elsewhere. OTOH sometimes Audi (and some front end/tire shops) will give you an alignment bundle, either "lifetime" re-alignments, or a 2-3 year period of free alignment checks & resets as needed. I took a dealer bundle on "lifetime" free alignment, because I know how long my new Michelins should last and little does the dealer know, I'm the kind of guy that wants that checked every year anyway. Lost a set of good tires to an alignment issue once a long time ago, don't plan on letting that happen again.

Funny thing, when I was in for the sunroof/airbag recall a couple of months after warranty ran out, all of a sudden my car "needed" the new tires and about two grand in other work. Eh, not so much, not really. I'm surprised they didn't send a salesman out to make me a trade-in offer.(G)