hey guys
a couple of questions:
I went to the stealership for the Ignition switch recall for my 97 Audi. They checked my car and told me a few things [:@]...
1. they say there is a crack in my brake oil reservoir and also need to change the brake oil... but I cant see any crack although the brake fluid needs to be changed. (How much brake fluid I need for my 1.8T 97 FWD A4? and are there any pics where I can see bleeders so that I knw wat I am doing?-- this ll be my first brake fluid job..thats why)
2. Coolant replacement (I can handle that happily)
3. Rear wheel bearings are loose (Should i just tighten them or wat?--never dealth with these before as well)

Once more thing

Plz help!

Thanx

Bix

 

Bleeder valves are installed on all of the brake calipers. Look up a DIY on how to do it. You need as much fluid as it takes until the brake fluid runs clear out of all of your bleeder valves. Just go pick up a big ole bottle of it.

I thought the wheel bearings were pressed in. Even if they aren't, I don't think they are something that you can jsut tighten up. Its a replacement deal. There are DIYs on this too. Bust out the SEARCH.

 

1. Never heard of a brake fluid reservoir cracking. Are you sure you dont have a crack in the coolant reservoir. Thats fairly common.
3. Do you have a fwd? If thats the case, i guess the locknut that holds on the rear wheel bearing could have loosened but thats not likly. Most likly they think the bearing has failed, but if it did you would hear a rumble or growl from the affected wheel.

 

Stealerships tend to pathologically lie. They may just want to put a clean new one in and charge you for it. As a general rule I ALWAYS put them on the spot.Have them physically show you where it is cracked, and don't leave and don't pay until they do.

Typically you talk to the service advisor of which most are salesmen.

I have this type of thing happen to me a couple times where they told me I needed things done that were just recently done. In other words upsell/and CYA. Put them on the spot and if what they are saying isn't true make them take it off the computerprintout receipt.

This for a couple reasons, first if you keep records it's not good to have that sort of thing on there for future resale andif something goeswrong with the work they did, they then have an excuse. Or even worst, if an accident occurs where there isinjury etc. it can become an out for them (liability).

 

Thanx guys....
I was totally wasted for the last few days...
Got my senses back now....
Will have a look at the brakes..
Also, One more thing// my CHECK LIGHT keeps coming up on and off... I looked up few places and only way to diagnose the problem is with Computer cable with special software... Is there any place I could get it cheap? or possibly free!!

Happy New Year guys...

Enjoy

 

Check the sticky posts - I remember seeing somewhere there's a list of guys with vag-com. You can take a look there and see if someone is near you and is willing to take a little time to plug in and read/clear your code(s).

 

Thanx.. What are sticky posts?

 

http://www.steve-hall.com/cgi-bin/VAG-Locator.pl

 

Hey Thanx a million!

 

I had a crack in my brake fluid reservoir. It was one of the hottest days in summer and I was on the this parkway thats really twisty for a good ten miles. Having fun "racing" my friend's TSX so I was going real fast and braking hard. Finally came to a stop light and I could smell my brakes baking. Decided to just cruise and let em cool off, a few miles down the road I heard something like a rock chip hitting the windshield and saw a small stream off oil on it. Pulled over, looked at the reservoir and there was a 1in crack in it. Luckily I had some silicone sealant so coated it and its been fine ever since. There is a pressure valve somewhere in the system but apparently it didn't work.