A little over a week ago when I was attempting to pass a slow moving truck my TT (a 2001 model with the 225 horsepower motor) made a terrible grinding noise when shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear. I never made it into 3rd gear... the shifter seemed extremely stiff and heavy. I am not really sure what gear I was in when my car quit on me, possibly between 2nd and 3rd gear. Car would not start at all after that incident.

I had my car immediately towed to Audi of Charlotte, a reputable dealership. They diagnosed my car and determined that my car has a blown cylinder that blew pieces all over the engine, a broken spark something or other, and the rest of the engine is scorched. Basically, I need a engine rebuild.

The bad news is that despite my car being a CPO with a warranty Audi refuses to cover the cost of fixing it, which is atleast $7,000 possibly in the range of over $10,000. The reason is that their computer (ECU) says I blew the motor through an overev caused by a misshift, and the CPO warranty only covers mechanical defects not driver error. Also they said that the engine has been tampered with through the fuel injection system, but I have never tampered with my car. It is stock to my knowledge. The service department also said that the car has been raced. However, I have never raced my car with anyone unless what they mean by race is occassionally flooring the car to get around another vehicle or get a quick take off to 50 mph. Lastly, their records are showing that there was no service performed on my car over a year before I bought it. So they should be held liable for selling me a car, especially a CPO, with no routine maintenance completed long before I bought the vehicle. I guess I understand the overrev rationale for voiding a warranty, but it just seems like I didn't misshift.... the gear refused to go in to 3rd. It's also hard me to fathom that only one misshift can lead to this much damage and no dealer can help you with the tremendous costs.

Anyway, I have never been in a predicament like this before. I just don't have that kind of money to dish out $10,000 just like that, as I am a college student with a tight budget already paying $600 per month on this car, not including insurance. I am not sure whether to just let the car go and get something cheaper, tow the car to an independent mechanic to get a lower price quote, or keep fighting with Audi over the warranty claims.

Tomorrow I plan to talk with the manager at Audi of Charlotte, and some people from Audi are coming out to inspect at my car.

Please let me know if you have any ideas. Has anyone ever went through an ordeal similiar to this? If so let me know what you did.

 

wow man, im really sorry to hear about you entire situation. Its annoying for me to come on these forums and only read about bad things happening to this car, i love mine but i dont love having to worry that something is going to go wrong all of the time. I hope everything works out for you in the end and you can get this whole thing resolved one way or another.

 

Ouch thats terrible news.

Strange you blew it. The 1.8L turbo motor is really a strong engine it's used in tons of cars and there still using it. you motor must have had a terrible life before you.

As far as a rebuild. an engine is an engine they all come part the same way. you should be able to find a mechanic that can rebuild it.
Or you your good with cars rebuild it your self.
I've done turbo Eclipse motors and there not that much different.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck

LOOK
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VW-Vo...spagenameZWDVW

There is a 1.8L turbo motor for under 2 grand.
an engine swap is about a 12 hour project.

 

Here are some more

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-...spagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ENGIN...38522845QQrdZ1

 

What I would want to kow and would ask Audi is how did the car over rev when there is a rev limiter in the ECU? Has the car been chipped? If not then it shouldnt have over rev'd, it should have backed off once it was in the red. At least on the 180's its that way. And how can they tell the car was raced? Just because the fuel line was messed with? I would keep bugging them about it and maybe even write the main Audi place. Good luck.

Be tough and consistant with them especially if they sold you the car without updating its maintenance record. When you buy a used car from the dealer even when they say As IS the dealer is still responsible for certain things like inspections and fixing things. Thats why you dont get as much money when you buy and sell a car to the dealer cuz they are expected to put some cash into it to get to a certin level. You might want to call the better business burow and see if they can tell you what a dealer is responsible for when selling cars.

 

There isn't a REV limiter in the ECU, there is a speed limiter (unless you have been chipped). It is possible to over-rev on a missed shift. IMHO Audi is not going to provide warranty for a driver error. Their reasons may be a little lame...raced... but the result is the same, you are SOL for a free engine.

 

There is a rev limiter stock, and chipped (though being chipped it is raised to 7200 RPM compaired to stock 6700).

However the car cannot stop an overrev from a mishift, like shifting from the top of third accedentaly into second! = Mad revv's!


Hope this helps.

I live in charlotte and am a college student as well. Let me know if i can help at all.

Broke college students with audi's UNITE!! lol

 

I would Talk with a attorney.

I have worked for franchised dealers for 15 years. Call the Attorney General BBB and etc... Make alot of noise i mean alot. I have seen similar situations not Audi but similar and they sometimes will pay. Each case is different. But i wouldnt stop.

Where did you buy it? Did you sign anything that stated the car was inspected from Audi Service when purchased to be in the CPO program. Let me know if i can help in any way. I happen to have a Audi Franchise in our Group 2 actually. I dont want to give names as i dont think i can advertise here. I work at a POrsche Store Sales manager and i drive 2000 TT Quattro 1.8 great car.

Jewbin

 

I have Audi USA customer service on speed dial in my cell. 800-822-2834

Been fighting with a couple diff. Audi dealers in the area to get my radio unlocked. I think the radio was replaced but a new SAFE code wasn't supplied (I have a code, it just doesn't work). Now they won't look up the code w/o me forking over some money. I don't plan on doing that, not for their screwup. I have one more option to try before I go into a dealer, tell them again what the deal is, and when they refuse, I'm gonig to call customer service right there in front of them and get it straightened out. Hopefully that'll provoke some sort of response.

 

Here is the deal now, I had to pay over $500 today to the service department for them just to cut into my motor to analyze what has happened. Once they throughly look over my engine, the verdict will be decided. One possibility is that all work will be covered under the warranty, and I will only have to pay $50. The other scenario is that they decide the damages are my fault, and I must pay all charges to fix the car. I am crossing my fingers, so to speak, on this. I am fretting over the fact that they may deem that my warranty does not cover this..... thus an additional $500 wasted. Not sure what my chances are either.