My 2001 A8 was in the shop for six weeks having collision work done. It was not too serious but affected the front bumper and most of the drivers side. I had the work done at one of Audi's approved collsion shops for the A8.

When I finally went to pick the car up after I was told it was ready, the shop had a mechanic with the driver's side armrest apart trying to fix the power mirrors. I also discovered that the seat belt retractors would not work on both driver and passenger side. I don't know how the seat belts could both fail, but the shoulder strap height adjustment was all the way down with a gap showing at the top. They told me to take it to a nearby dealer who would fix the mirrors and the seat belts.

I thought it would be a one day job but at the end of the first day, last Friday, the dealer asked if I had been having problems starting the car. I said I had not had any problems. They could not start the car even with a jump so it had to stay there over the weekend. It has been there a week and now I am told that the collision shop will not cover the cost of the mirror problem because it is due to a bad switch which is a "wearable" item.

My patience is wearing a little thin and I find it very questionable that the switch just happened to wear out while it was sitting in their lot waiting for parts or during the few times one of the collision techs needed to adjust the mirrors. The collision shop admits it was dropped off with the mirrors working. I have so far refused to pay for the repair. The rep has come back and said they would split it with me. To me that means they will give me an inflated part cost and then have me pay half which will probably be more than the real cost. He said he will not know the cost until tomorrow but one price list he has shows $126.00.

Any idea how they managed to screw up the mirror switch? What would you do? Thanks.

Greg

 

It sounds like you have an electrical problem in that circuit, why do you think the battery drained? Or is it an immobilizer circuit problem?

When you say it won't start, give symptoms.

I would have to say it is something to do with the repairs the shop did.

This is not the first time something like this has happened.

 

The non-starting happened while it was at the dealership but after I was gone. They said it would not respond to a jump but did not give me any other details. When I asked yesterday what the problem was, they just said it was a loose connection. I will have to ask for more details about that.

Once before, months earlier, the car went totally dead just after I pulled up to the service door of another dealership. It was still under warranty at that time but it did respond to a jump and they could not offer any explanation or fix other than to charge up the battery.

So far starting has never been a problem for me but it seems that it is just a matter of time.

I assume you mean that the switch doesn't sound like the only problem.

Greg

 

If the car is dead as a door **** and won't turn the engine over, that's either a dead battery or bad connection on the battery.

If it turns over, but doesn't start, that can be an immobilizer issue.

Heck, if the mirror switch is the only problem, I would just bit the bullet and get it fixed. Especially if somebody is going to pay half. Not worth the hassle otherwise.

 

... after checking the wiring diagram. Though if the steering column position adjustment or any adjustment on either front seat weren't working, I'd look for a common fault. On the other hand, it should be possible to prove with a test light that the mirror switch either is or isn't okay.

And both your seatbelts are stuck down? Does it look like the interior B pillar trim was misassembled? It shouldn't be possible to see a gap. Could you hear the mechanism try to move when you pushed the switch?

Tom

 

The seat belt height adjusters went up and down but the retractors did not work. It just appeared unusual and perhaps related to the retractor problem that the adjusters were all the way down and showing a gap. The retractors have been fixed. I haven't received a clear answer on what was wrong with the seat belts but it seems separate from the mirror switch.

I took Paul's advice and just agreed to pay $55.00 as half the cost of a new switch. There is very little doubt in my mind that the collision shop damaged the switch somehow but it is not worth fighting over after 7 weeks without the A8.

The collision shop rep told me today that this is only the 3rd A8 they have worked on. One of the other two is still there after 4 months. Best not to get in an accident.

 

I just changed it a few months ago and it is acting funny again. It is not broken, but the key part can't push the center pin in far enough. It does not crank, but the ignition is on. If I push a screw driver behind the switch by the turn signal stalk to pry on the switch it cranks.