I'm hoping I can get some advice or opinions about a few problems I have been having with my car. It's a 2003 Audi TT Quattro, 98k miles. I took my car to a highly recommended transmission shop to have the clutch replaced. I have had my car back for about two weeks now and it is just not the same. I have already returned it to them once because my car was making a loud air leak noise. Turns out they did not put the clamp on the boost hose on tight enough. Not a huge deal - except that because the hose came loose while I was on the freeway, my car threw an EPC code and cut power to my engine and I had to have it towed off the freeway and back to their shop. Aside from that and more importantly, the day I picked up my car from having the clutch replaced, I noticed right away when I started my car in their parking lot, my car started up very differently then from before I had taken it to the shop. Even on very cold days, my car would start right up - And now there is someway of delay. It's a little difficult for me to explain.. It just sounds like it cranks up a lot more slowly than before, and sounds as though there's a chance it wont start at all - Almost like it's not getting enough fuel? Last night I could not get my car to start. It tries to crank but nothing happens now. The battery is fine. I notice now there is that EPC light on once again. Another difference I have noticed since taking it to the shop is that whenever I turn my heater off, it makes a clicking noise after turning the heat off - It never did that before. I'm extremely frustrated because I have just spent $1300 on a repair and my car was returned to me with weird issues it did not have before. I do not want to falsely accuse the transmission shop for these problems - But is there a possibility that things were not put back together correctly? I just do not know what to do at this point. Any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

unfortunately unless you can do some of the work yourself youll need to take it in to get it looked at. i would recommend a different shop this time though. you have to give them the benefit of the doubt but it sounds like the shop messed up

 

Thanks for your help. May I ask why you don't recommend taking it back to the transmission shop? I can only assume it's because you think they will probably be reluctant to help me and not admit fault?

 

That and the simple fact that its better to have another set of eyes look at it rather than the person/s that installed it. If the shops that does something wrong most of the time doesn't know any thing is wrong. Having another person who didn't do the work look at it might be able to pick out something the other shop overlooked.

Then I would go back to the other shop with the information. This way at least you have hard evidence on a estimate or write up of what is wrong if they try to deny you.

Good luck!

Jason