Help needed with Audi clutch
Discussion
Apologies beforehand if I have posted in the wrong section, or put anything stupid. I'm desperate for advice on my car.
I've got a 16 plate Audi A3 manual convertible as a company car. At 8k miles (a month ago) it went it for a service with my local audi dealership. No faults or problems noted with the car.
I drove it back to the office (5 miles away) where is stayed for a long weekend. Next trip I had to do a longer than usual journey (think two hours mainly motorway and back. On driving back it car was in 6th gear but the display was showing it flicking between 4-6 gear and when applying the accelerator on the motorway the engine was revving but the car wasn't going any faster.
Called Audi to book it in. Waited half a day for them to look at it and was then told it sounds like there's something wrong with the clutch and it was over revving maybe. They couldn't look at it then and soonest they could get it in was two weeks time were they advised they would need to take part of the car apart to see what they problem was. At no point did they say don't drive the car.
Well it's gone in after the two weeks and the clutch, clutch pads and flywheel are all gone and need replacing at £2.5k. The car is non maintained with the business lease so I'd be paying this myself. I understand a clutch is wear and tear item but surely this would be covered under warranty? The car has done under 9k miles and just over a year old. It was fine before its service. Am I correct in thinking only a fault could cause this type of wear?
As it wasn't noted in the service they have basically accused me of reckless driving those few 100 miles! They have also said if they replace it all (at my cost) and it all happens again driving of the forecourt I will be liable for £2.5k again as it's all wear and tear.
Any advise would be much appreciated!
I've got a 16 plate Audi A3 manual convertible as a company car. At 8k miles (a month ago) it went it for a service with my local audi dealership. No faults or problems noted with the car.
I drove it back to the office (5 miles away) where is stayed for a long weekend. Next trip I had to do a longer than usual journey (think two hours mainly motorway and back. On driving back it car was in 6th gear but the display was showing it flicking between 4-6 gear and when applying the accelerator on the motorway the engine was revving but the car wasn't going any faster.
Called Audi to book it in. Waited half a day for them to look at it and was then told it sounds like there's something wrong with the clutch and it was over revving maybe. They couldn't look at it then and soonest they could get it in was two weeks time were they advised they would need to take part of the car apart to see what they problem was. At no point did they say don't drive the car.
Well it's gone in after the two weeks and the clutch, clutch pads and flywheel are all gone and need replacing at £2.5k. The car is non maintained with the business lease so I'd be paying this myself. I understand a clutch is wear and tear item but surely this would be covered under warranty? The car has done under 9k miles and just over a year old. It was fine before its service. Am I correct in thinking only a fault could cause this type of wear?
As it wasn't noted in the service they have basically accused me of reckless driving those few 100 miles! They have also said if they replace it all (at my cost) and it all happens again driving of the forecourt I will be liable for £2.5k again as it's all wear and tear.
Any advise would be much appreciated!
The clutch kit and the flywheel are indeed wear and tear items.
However 9,000 miles is nowhere near acceptable.
Escalate this problem above he dealer and make a fuss until a dealership will carry out the repair under warranty or at the very least will make a significant goodwill contribution (50%?)
However 9,000 miles is nowhere near acceptable.
Escalate this problem above he dealer and make a fuss until a dealership will carry out the repair under warranty or at the very least will make a significant goodwill contribution (50%?)
HustleRussell said:
P.S There is no such thing as 'clutch pads', in instances like this it'll pay to get your lingo right.
He could have misheard "clutch packs" as fitted to b DSG models. We assume it's a manual car but could be DSG, which would make the failure even more strange as it's less influenced by driving style.cuprabob said:
HustleRussell said:
P.S There is no such thing as 'clutch pads', in instances like this it'll pay to get your lingo right.
He could have misheard "clutch packs" as fitted to b DSG models. We assume it's a manual car but could be DSG, which would make the failure even more strange as it's less influenced by driving style.^This was my comment as well, which I subsequently deleted, as the OP mentions it's a manual...
Audi86 said:
Apologies beforehand if I have posted in the wrong section, or put anything stupid. I'm desperate for advice on my car.
I've got a 16 plate Audi A3 manual convertible as a company car.
However, the following had me confused:I've got a 16 plate Audi A3 manual convertible as a company car.
Audi86 said:
On driving back it car was in 6th gear but the display was showing it flicking between 4-6 gear and when applying the accelerator on the motorway the engine was revving but the car wasn't going any faster.
Was that the gear suggestion then, or is it a DSG? In any case, you would have significant clutch slip if the engine was revving but speed was not increasing. I am surprised they didn't tell you to stop driving it. Sorry, I'm not very good with lingo- as I have zero knowledge on cars. Probably not helping my arguement with them. They have told me three things to do with the clutch need replacing, one being clutch and one flywheel, I thought they said clutch pad also but obviously got that one wrong. There was no wear and tear noted on the service done a week before. A member of staff said it looked like there had to be a fault to cause the damage as it has only happened in a few hundred miles. But the manager has said it's wear and tear and basically accused me of driving those few hundred miles recklessly, also said that Audi clutches are notoriously rubbish and that's when I asked what if it happens after it is replaced. The car is 1.6 diesel, driven mainly by myself and occasionally my husband, neither of us drive recklessly, the car has been looked after more than my personal car as I am liable for it and it goes back and inspected when its lease term is up. I was advised that it could do the same thing driving of the forecourt and would not be covered!
I have rang Audi customer service and they are going to call me back within 48 hours.
I have rang Audi customer service and they are going to call me back within 48 hours.
Simply put, 9k miles for a clutch to wear out in any car is unreasonable. That is not normal wear and tear, that is a failure. If a brand new clutch was to fail after you drive off the forecourt then it is not fit for purpose as a clutch and you would reject the car.
For the manager to say they are notoriously rubbish also stinks. Sounds like they are trying to unfairly pass the cost on to you.
For the manager to say they are notoriously rubbish also stinks. Sounds like they are trying to unfairly pass the cost on to you.
drdino said:
^This was my comment as well, which I subsequently deleted, as the OP mentions it's a manual...
Doesn't Audi have a gear indicator on the dash on manual cars too, telling driver when to change up or down? Could revs but no speed indicate the clutch not being disengaged properly or the clutch pedal being ridden?Audi86 said:
Apologies beforehand if I have posted in the wrong section, or put anything stupid. I'm desperate for advice on my car.
I've got a 16 plate Audi A3 manual convertible as a company car.
However, the following had me confused:I've got a 16 plate Audi A3 manual convertible as a company car.
Audi86 said:
On driving back it car was in 6th gear but the display was showing it flicking between 4-6 gear and when applying the accelerator on the motorway the engine was revving but the car wasn't going any faster.
Was that the gear suggestion then, or is it a DSG? In any case, you would have significant clutch slip if the engine was revving but speed was not increasing. I am surprised they didn't tell you to stop driving it. AndrewEH1 said:
Doesn't Audi have a gear indicator on the dash on manual cars too, telling driver when to change up or down? Could revs but no speed indicate the clutch not being disengaged properly or the clutch pedal being ridden?
Yeah, this is what I am referring to. The ECM probably got confused with the misalignment between engine speed and vehicle speed, which came as a result of the clutch slipping. they have stripped it down, this is when they advised on what needed replacing. If went it the end of last week. Monday they called said if I do not agree to the work doing asap then they will put the car back together and if we want the work doing after they have put it back together the bill will be higher due to taking it apart twice. I've told them I'm waiting to hear back from Audi head office. Feel like they are blackmailing me to agree to get the work done now.
This sounds distinctly fishy to me.
You can kill a clutch that fast (my grandmother used to), but you need to be a pretty awful driver to do so (she was).
Has this car always been yours? Or is it a company car that was previously run by a different employee, who may have abused it?
Seems to me far more likely it's a manufacturing fault with the clutch, or some kind of related failure, like a dodgy clutch cylinder as mentioned above.
You can kill a clutch that fast (my grandmother used to), but you need to be a pretty awful driver to do so (she was).
Has this car always been yours? Or is it a company car that was previously run by a different employee, who may have abused it?
Seems to me far more likely it's a manufacturing fault with the clutch, or some kind of related failure, like a dodgy clutch cylinder as mentioned above.
I've had the car from new. Looked after it v well, I'm super gutted as it was a treat from working so hard and a car I have wanted for years.
I've just got the Audi video of my car through. It says the following:
Removed gearbox
Flywheel has hot stops and edge hot due to friction
Release bearing all working fine
Clutch has hot spots, hot spots on friction plate and pressure plate
States all due to general wear and tear.
They then go on to say the following needs replacing:
Clutch, pressure plate, friction plate, fly wheel and release bearing. I'm concussed about the release bearing as he shows and says in the video this is fine. But as I don't know anything is this something that needs replacing even though it is fine?!
Thanks again for all the advice everyone!
I've just got the Audi video of my car through. It says the following:
Removed gearbox
Flywheel has hot stops and edge hot due to friction
Release bearing all working fine
Clutch has hot spots, hot spots on friction plate and pressure plate
States all due to general wear and tear.
They then go on to say the following needs replacing:
Clutch, pressure plate, friction plate, fly wheel and release bearing. I'm concussed about the release bearing as he shows and says in the video this is fine. But as I don't know anything is this something that needs replacing even though it is fine?!
Thanks again for all the advice everyone!
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