rs4phantom

I've been getting oil changes/services at Audi recommended intervals with my Audi Care package. Within 100-150 miles of the recommended service, my oil light comes on almost like clockwork.

However, at 5k since my last change, my min. oil light came on?! Since my 25k service, my driving time, distance, etc. have all DECREASED. So has the temperature, but I don't know how much effect it should have... The next scheduled service is 35k...

The 25k service was done in Rockville, MD (not my usual dealer since i was out of town) and I'm concerned as so why my consumption has jumped so dramatically (doubled) at this stage...

I don't drive the car hard... 90% are highway miles... Are other people getting similar changes in consumption after 25k? I'm actually hoping I was ripped off and the dealership failed to top off my fluids (ie gave me 4.5 quarts instead of 9 quarts of oil)... Are my concerns for some sort of leak or other problem justified by the increase in consumption?

smashtheqube

Regardless, in your case I'd check the dipstick whenever you're at the gas station instead of waiting for the light. This way you'll know what it's actually consuming.

RSIV

<ul><li><a href="http://www.audi.co.uk/audi/uk/en2/owners_area/Checklists/Winter_check.html">Winter checklist</a></li></ul>

All Wheel Driver

Did they use different oil this time?

Vijay

According to Audi you don't need to change the oil for 10,000 mile intervals after the first 5000 miles. While this may (questionably) be fine for a garden variety 3.2 V6, on an engine such as ours, it is mechanical suicide. You need to change oil every 4-5000 miles. Even with that, to be 0.5 quarts down is not unreasonable. I changed out the original oil at 1000 miles. Then at 4800 miles (6months) and now again at 8000 miles (12 months). I suspect that if you really followed the 10,000 mile guideline, you may have some real premature engine wear.

rs4phantom

Took the car into Don Rosen and they promptly topped off all my fluids as both the washer fluid and oil lights had come on...

While I was there, the head mechanic looked at my car and said they had accidentally overfilled the oil so they drained out the system/refilled correctly and I was on my way...

They said there were no signs of leaks and weren't surprised by the oil consumption... At first they were surprised that it took 4 quarts to fill the system but they never mentioned it again after realizing the system was overfilled... I guess all is well...

In any case... I'll be checking my oil more regularly...

Sorry for the false alarms...

LeeJR

I initially was going down about a liter every 3-4000 at the very beginning. Lately, at around 26,000, I've only been doing a liter every 10000. I've heard this is typical. As far as dealers are concerned, some have better reputations than others. Don Rosen ( in Philly or NJ?) should have sold enough RS4s and R8s to be familiar with the amount of oil required to fill this.

I currently reside in Tennessee and my first service was done at a dealer which subsequently lost its Audi dealership. Their service department has a decent reputation and yet they were a liter short on oil after my first service there. The low oil light came on as I was driving home. That dealer had never seen an RS4 before, and hasn't since. The dealer I go to now is a lot further (100 miles) but has sold about a dozen RS4s and they are paranoid and very detail oriented.

Good luck

daveak05

if i wasn't leasing the car, no way would i follow 10k interval...not even close. of course since oil change in the RS4 is such a PITA, and expensive to boot, i guess the temptation is there.

smashtheqube

However, read the manual on how to read the dipstick properly and how much to top it off with whenever necessary. I keep spare-quarts of oil in the mesh-netting area to the right of the trunk-area.