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Tesla21: Valet service and a promise to detail the interior.
Sweet. Woodbridge to out where you live is a good amount of valet service ! And yes, your car should be shiny inside and out after all the lost days of seat repair you've had.
Sweet. Woodbridge to out where you live is a good amount of valet service ! And yes, your car should be shiny inside and out after all the lost days of seat repair you've had.
Nah, I'm too nice. I'll let them pick it up from work which is only a few kms away. I didn't really care about the time they had the car. It was more the condition they left it in. The manager took pictures so I think it turned into one of those "coachable moments " for the techs. LOL
I am not sure how many times my car has been to the dealer since last summer/fall when I first noticed the seat problem. I think it might be four times for sure with three attempts at fixing them.
Earlier this week, I noticed that the outside passenger clip had blown again. I might have had "revision 1" clips installed a few times last year. Perhaps they are onto "revision 2" now.
My trim popped off at the top of my passenger seat about 6 months ago (I got my 2017 TTS in Aug of last year).
I wanted to get it fixed at my first service but the service manager told me today that he was reading through the technical bulletin and that there isn't a proper fix for it yet.
It said something like Audi was still working on the formulation for the plastic because it's too weak and they are hoping by the end of the year to have it fixed so for now not to fix them because they will just break again.
Not sure if others have been told anything different but for now I'm going to hold off getting mine fixed until I hear back that the service manager is confident there's a fix for it. So I don't have to drive back and forth a bunch.
Original trim broke almost immediately, "revised design" replacement set lasted about 5000 miles. Now I'm headed in next week for the 3rd set, supposedly with an 2nd "new design" along with air bag replacement. When I asked the service advisor why the air bags had to be replaced I got a blank stare....and she said the new set will have better glue to hold it in place. Ummmm...it's not glue but a clip that holds it in. I had the parts guy verify the trim is actually the right color (backordered for 2 months now) and pressed him to why the air bags were replaced, and I got a blank stare. Then I asked if all 4 pieces were being replaced or just the seat outers with the air bag and I got a blank stare. Currently just the outside trims are broke, but the first go around the inners were as well. It's so frustrating it seems some service advisors and parts specialists barely have enough technical/mechanical knowledge to even answer basic questions and I know more than they do. I'll try and ask to see the service bulletin when the work gets done. When the trim replacement is a $700+ bill to warranty, and the side bags are $410 apiece you think Audi would be motivated to get this fixed. 15 months and I still haven't got the problem fixed.
Original trim broke almost immediately, "revised design" replacement set lasted about 5000 miles. Now I'm headed in next week for the 3rd set, supposedly with an 2nd "new design" along with air bag replacement. When I asked the service advisor why the air bags had to be replaced I got a blank stare....and she said the new set will have better glue to hold it in place. Ummmm...it's not glue but a clip that holds it in. I had the parts guy verify the trim is actually the right color (backordered for 2 months now) and pressed him to why the air bags were replaced, and I got a blank stare. Then I asked if all 4 pieces were being replaced or just the seat outers with the air bag and I got a blank stare. Currently just the outside trims are broke, but the first go around the inners were as well. It's so frustrating it seems some service advisors and parts specialists barely have enough technical/mechanical knowledge to even answer basic questions and I know more than they do. I'll try and ask to see the service bulletin when the work gets done. When the trim replacement is a $700+ bill to warranty, and the side bags are $410 apiece you think Audi would be motivated to get this fixed. 15 months and I still haven't got the problem fixed.
The first round of broken clips did not include the airbags. However, I've since had 3 clips repaired over two service calls and both times the airbags were replaced. I noticed there's an "airbag" stamp at the base of the seat so it must be integrated into the seat itself and therefore they are probably required to replace once the seat is opened and they have to work near the airbag . That was my best guess and the service manager agreed.
OMG farmerjones, I have spent enough time at the dealer of this like you. I am well acquainted with their cappuccino machine.
I noticed the inner side of the passenger seat has blown open, too. Maybe once one clip goes, it's all downhill from there.
Like Fun101, I have version-1 clips and no air bag service performed but I know more next week when the car gets examined again. I expect that the trip itself will be another cappuccino run since the parts are likely backordered. At this point, it doesn't even matter to me if the replacement clips are dark grey or silver.
It's just crazy....these are the EXACT same seats used now in A4/A5/S4/S5/Q5/SQ5, and those car seems to have no problem. It is a little silly that 2018 models are shipping, and the 2016 models still can't get the seat trim fixed.
The airbags being replaced has nothing to do with "seat service". I previously worked as assistant service/parts manager at two luxury car stores (so I have quite a bit of experience in this arena)....airbags are not replaced just because seat trim is replaced. What must be happening is the trim is attaches to a mounting bracket, and the airbag is attached near this bracket. It seems probably the seat trim and a new bracket have been developed to stop the separation problem, and the airbag design had to be changed as well. This is likely due to the way the airbags mounts, sharing the space with the bracket, or because upon deployment the airbag must push out and break the seat trim, and a different airbag design was needed accommodate the stronger attachment of the trim (more force needed to break the clips perhaps, or a different inflation pattern with a changed clip mounting location of the trim).
I've never seen a company provide to "little" information as to fixes and what they are doing to repair a car. Audi seems to speak in the most general terms to describe a repair, offering no specifics. It seems crazy to me that the service advisors seem to have no technical knowledge or are incapable of detailing a repair. I'm going to press the service manager to let me speak with the tech that does the repair, and I want to see the repair bulletin from Audi the tech uses that lays out the problem and what exactly has been changed with this new airbag/trim that will solve the problem. I think it's reasonable that they can tell an owner accurately what is being done to fix a car and why.
That said.....really, this is a very minor thing. A little broken trim and a few trips to the dealership isn't the end of the world to me. Besides, when I go it gives me a change to check out the R8 they have along with the new TT RS that arrived!!! I'll keep you updated on what I find out.
Besides, when I go it gives me a change to check out the R8 they have along with the new TT RS that arrived!!! I'll keep you updated on what I find out.
Thanks for the info on the airbags and EXCELLENT idea: I will ask for a test drive to make the waiting time go faster
Brought the car in today. They took some pictures and sent them to the corporate tech people because they were aware of the TSB. It looks like there is a version 2 package and I'll be waiting a few weeks for it.
@fun101 - the package contains new airbags in this version.
The dealer had a misano red RS3 with black pack. The glossy front grille was nice. On the RS3, and also on an S4, there was a small trim piece on the rear quarter. It must be cosmetic since otherwise, it would be the world's smallest mud flap.
06-22-2017, 05:33 PM
