So this last summer I bought an '02 A6, 2.7T. It is the second love of my life (sorry hon) and while it isn't perfect, I'm really pretty happy with it. However, there are a few small quirks that I don't believe are catastrophic, but that I would appreciate any advice on:

1) Apparently I am constantly out of windshield wiper fluid. I had a mechanic at a dealer check it out when I was getting a recall done and they told me I had a defective headlight washer unit. Quoted me around $900 to fix it. Seemed pretty exorbitant, so I turned them down. So now I just have the "add wiper fluid" idiot light on the message center on essentially permanently.

2) Speaking of the message center, it's pretty much burnt out. I can really only read the red text at night. After quite a while searching online for a replacement, I've still come up dry. I saw the comments on here about some of the places that will fix the pixel lines that form, but none of them cover sun-damaged lcd screens.

3) This last winter has been fun in the A6 thanks to the addition of some decent snow tires (the z's just weren't cutting it); however, there is a slight smell of exhaust when the defrost is turned on. I'm cautious of that, obviously, so I try to use it sparingly and open the sunroof to release the fumes.

4) Sometimes I have to muscle it into first gear (it's the 6-speed man.), both when the car is on and off. Not looking to drop several hundred into a tranny job until it's absolutely necessary, but wondering if this common.

Aside from these things, however, I couldn't love my car more. Every day driving in it is a day I feel spoiled. I had a 2300 mile roadtrip from california to indiana this last summer in the car that was the most comfortable and easy roadtrip I've ever been on. Fantastic machines.

As a side note, I'm a noob, so please be gentle. I've cruised through the board many times over the past year and appreciate how much everyone on here seems to help out each other. Kinda crazy really that there isn't tons of competition about who's car is best, it's more about admiring another's ride and showcasing you own, while learning what you can. Great stuff.

Thanks for any thoughts you have.

 

1. It's probably the motor for the headlight washers. Remove it from the windshield washer tank, toss it in the garbage, and plug the hole. An inverted tire valve stem works well. Check the module master ABS controller removal video to see how to the get the tank out.

2. All the displays fade. Module Master.

3. You probably have an oil leak. Check the usual suspects (cam adjuster seals, cam seals, cam plugs, valve cover gaskets). If you a close to doing a timing belt service, consider doing it early and doing all these seals at the same time.

4. Start by adjusting the shift linkage.

 

welcome....4d4 responded to your questions and we really don't care who's car looks best because the widebody guys know that our cars are the best looking, hands down....the turbo guys may be fastest but we're the best looking....8^)

 

Thanks for the advice guys, I appreciate it a lot.

 

Sounds to me like the headlight washer(s) are leaking. Those tubes can be sealed off.

As far as shifting, try going into 2nd and then to 1st. I do this in all my manuals and it seems to work.

 

As for the headlight washers, is there a quick way to do that? I was planning to just remove the motor from the washer fluid tank and plug it up like suggested earlier, but wouldn't mind less work for the same result.

As the gears, yeah, that's what I end up doing to, it's gotten to the point where I don't even bother to try and push directly into 1st, I just automatically drop into second then back up. Thank you for the thought though.

 

That's interesting because mine does the exact same thing...and for whatever reason I noticed that its much easier to get into first once I go to second...even when I am going to reverse...I hit second gear first. As you and I have the same car...02 2.7t. I really enjoy that thing. I have 130K on it now and it still runs like a champ...I thinks its because I am SUPER **** about oil changes...and now I will start changing my plugs ever 60K as well.