omar1956

Now it does it at least once a day. Engine was out to get a ticking noise fixed, turned out to be lifters, and that was another fiasco. Took it to dealer and they couldn't do anything about the new noise. I didn't know it was the timing chain, news to me. I guess it isn't that bad.

ESFO

Sounds like the same noise...

BrianG

With the staggering number of complicated engineering feats in the design of this car that are 100% perfect, I'm amazed they let this one go.... I find it hard to believe that they never heard this sound. Overall, its not a big deal, but it sounds kind of bad to people outside the car when it happens. Makes the car sound like a Kia or something....

dr.audios[the OG]

you'll be wondering wtf happened, it sucked..

Car went in on June 21, and I didn't have it until July 29..

ESFO

Agreed. That's the same thing I thought. Please let us know what happens at the dealer...

audifanboy

I was recently faced with exactly the same problem. I've spoke with many audi owner about this. It appears to be extremely typical of Audi's. I personally know six different Audi A6 owners that all have had timing chain/hydraulic tensioner issues below 80k miles in the last 2 years. I owned a 2005 Audi a6 and at 80k miles I was faced with a 7,500 repair job to pull the engine and replace the timing chain, chain guides, and a hydraulic tensioner. This is not a repair that can be done with the engine in the car. Despite what you might read elsewhere you have to pull the engine to affect this repair. Unfortunately, at this mileage the car isn't worth a heck of a lot, and 7500 is about 2/3rd's the total trade in value of the car. As of the writing of this article a 2005 A6 is only worth about 12k.

If you want an Audi get accustomed to some very basic facts. Audi's are expensive to buy new, expensive to repair, and as a result of the expensive repair costs, have very little residual trade in value. No one wants to buy a used car for 12k-14k and then have to throw 10k in repairs within the first year just to keep in running. Anyone who says otherwise is a dealer or audi rep that is posting defensive posts on the site.

I've owned three audi's and two of them had chain/tensioner problems. The third Audi basically fell apart while I was driving it. The front lower control arms just fell out of the car while I was just driving down the highway. In short, for all the extra costs Audi's are not higher quality. They are no better than any other car, they just look a heck of lot nicer.

You really have to be fanboy to buy and keep one. That said, if you have lots of extra money to throw away; they are a great looking hunk of junk and ride terrific for the short periods of time between ridiculously expensive repairs.

audifanboy

Oh, as a follow up, it makes this noise when the car first starts up, because the oil pressure hasn't come up yet, as soon as the car's oil pressure comes up it will stop. That's why you only hear it when the car first starts. You can ignore it for quite some time, but eventually, the engine's timing will be effected, and fail. So if you want to keep the car, you'll need to get it fixed. Welcome to the Audi Money Pit.

audi4life_s4

i have 05 audi s4.and it makes same d a m n noise expesially when its cold weather .last about 2-3 sec. and then goes away.i only have 50k miles .i dont even pay attention to it any more . i took it to audi mechanick we check the car for evrything used vag tool .and it doesnt show anything .no missfires no plugs problems no maf problems . no banks probles . so its just ho crapy they build the engine . i have another knoking noise on low rpms when cars is worm . so its just a crap engine . i had 02 s4 prior to this one and engine was unbelivble strong (stg 2+ )and i had no probles with tht engine .

Peter Badore

Wow with all the 4.2l V8 timing chain issues it makes changing the timing belt and water pump on my 2.7l biturbo a "blessing in disguise". When I read the new service intro booklet for the S4 4.2 V8 showing 4 chains and all the tensioner and chain guides at the back of the engine I wondered how well tested and developed this new engine was? I guess the answer is not very well from the number of chain system failures being reported.

wild

My 05 S4 Cabrio does the same thing most of the time. Probably more often during the winter (ave -25 to 0 degrees Celsius). It sounds like the noise that a bicycle chain makes when it comes off the pedal crank and rubs against the enclosed cover that old bikes used to have decades ago. My trusted Audi Tech said that it is normal. It is the timing chain making the noise which lasts about a second or two.