Awful Audi Maintenance Service!!!

[Primo]

Hi, just wanted to share this story with you guys, hoping you won't be stabbed in the back like I was.

As most of you know, I live in Sweden. It was time for a service, so I went to my local Audi dealer in Karlstad, Sweden, to have this done.

What was supposed to be done:
Oil change, oil filter change, rear wipermotor change, brakefluid check, trans oil check and sparkplug change.


Shouldn't take long I figured. I delivered my car around 9am in hope to get it back in the ned of the day. An hour before they close the dealership, the mechanic calls, tells me they wanna keep the car over night. And the end of next day, they call me back up, and tell me to come get my car, as they were finished with the car. In overexcitement and joy, I went straight to the dealership to pick my up car. I really missed the car, as I was driving around in a A4 Avant diesel (0-100km/h in a weekend) while my car was at maintenance. I went inside, traded keys, signed some papers, went through the service protocol (What they've done to the car) and went outside to fire the beast up.

As I fire the beast up, I notice there's something wrong. It just doesn't sound right, and it's not running on the correct rpm. And somehow, it sounded like it was gonna choke or drown in fuel. Basically, at standstill and gear in Park, the car runs at 900 rpm normally. It did now too, but it wasn't running smoothly like it did before. The rpm went down do about 500 for a few seconds and then the engine somehow overcompensates and shoots it up to 1200 rpm and then back to 900. This lasts for about 3-5 seconds and it happens every 2 minutes or so. So I called out the mechanic, telling him that there's something wrong with the car, it's not running smoothly. He gets in the car, revs it up to somewhere near 7000 rpm (on a cold engine, really smart), he slams the hood shut like he ws trying to kill someone, and he says: "It's fine. There's nothing wrong with your car, it's supposed to be like this. If there's something wrong with your car, it's not something we've done to it. It must have been something that have happened before." And then he went back inside. He didn't even listen to the engine and in my opinion, he was being a fucking prick! Pardon the french.

I went back inside to talk to the costumer handler, and I told her the car ain't the same as it used to be. She wrote down what was wrong, and they wanted to take the car back in the morning. I said ok, and went home. It's about a 30km drive, and half way there the yellow engine faulty lamp lights up and the engine sounds like it's gonna drown or choke again. I make it back home and called a friend of mine in Norway who used to be a Audi mech. He was totally devastated, and he said there's have to be something going on with the air supply. A hose ain't fitted, the airflowmeter (?) or a valve is broken. What do you think?

Anyways, I'm going back there this morning, and I'm telling you, THIS IS GETTING POSTAL!!!

[Primo]

Basically, what's pissing me off is:

- The car is in worse shape after the maintenance service than it was before.
- The mechanic totally ignores me, treats the car like it was a fucking wreck and then lies to my face.
- I paid bloody 15.000 SEK (2325 USD or 1443 GBP) for the maintenance, a big months salary for a normal swede.
- The parts cost about 4000 SEK, so they charged 11.000 SEK for letting a totally retarded amateur asshole loose on my car for 1,5 day.

What would you do?


Edit: I'm really sorry for using such colorful language, please understand that I'm really annoyed and it's not to scare you or anything.

[V8weight]

It sounds like either the airbox is not properly seated into the mass airflow sesnsors, or they inadvertently tore a vacuum line... there's no excuse for that kind of treatment.. as a tech myself, I swear there is no one left who takes any pride in their work anymore..

[Primo]

So it's most definately air related? Thank you for reading my long and boring text, by the way, I apprecaite all replies.

I'm a mechanic myself, and I'm doing it myself next time. I'd probably do all that in 2-3 hours, not 17.

[V8weight]

So it's most definately air related? Thank you for reading my long and boring text, by the way, I apprecaite all replies.

I'm a mechanic myself, and I'm doing it myself next time. I'd probably do all that in 2-3 hours, not 17.

Yes, all of the above is about 2 hours worth of work. If you have time, maybe just go out and give the airbox a downward shove towards the rear/ center...

[MaxRS6]

Jeeez- That story hurts. I hope you get it resolved soon.

[DHall1]

Never take it back.

Get a second opinion

Get it checked asap

Call that service mgr with the results.

Hwy robbery at those prices.

It costs 600 in parts to do the full 35k service. Gee

Bring it over to Az next weekend and let Pat work on it

[Primo]

Yes, all of the above is about 2 hours worth of work. If you have time, maybe just go out and give the airbox a downward shove towards the rear/ center...

I've tried that, but no luck unfortunately. Still get the engine error.



Jeeez- That story hurts. I hope you get it resolved soon.

Thank you, fine Sir.

[Primo]

Bring it over to Az next weekend and let Pat work on it

I would love to, but shipping it to USA for a possible airhose rapture, don't think so! ;)
But thanks for the tip anyway!

I second the statement regarding Highway Robbery. Because it is.

[mik15]

over 2k USD for a simple oil change and wiper motor is way too much, the other tasks were anyway peanuts....i think so too that it is a problem related with the airbox, check it and make sure it is properly sited, check also the MAF connectors...don't you have a VCDS? would save you a lot of trouble! The way that mechanic treated you is outrageous, you should file a complain against him to the Service Manager or even to a higher level, either way they should've checked the car before handing it over to the client and you shouldn't have taken the car in its condition!

[Primo]

I fully agree with you mik15. I will file a complain indeed, that's not the way you treat customers. Obviously, they had a test drive in the car, I'm sure they had much fun. Bastards.

[Brav]

Yep, airleak. Just hope and pray its the airbox, and not the Suction Jet Pump.. its probably not, if your brakes are working fine.

[Primo]

Yep, airleak. Just hope and pray its the airbox, and not the Suction Jet Pump.. its probably not, if your brakes are working fine.

Section Jet Pump, sounds expensive as the way you put it...

Brakes seem normal to me!

[Brav]

Section Jet Pump, sounds expensive as the way you put it...

Brakes seem normal to me!

Part itself is super cheap.. its just a vacuum booster for the brakes. But extreme surgery required to get to it.. under the intake manifold. If your brakes are good and not going out, you are probably clear of that disaster. Your dealer would probably charge you 4 times what you just paid to fix it.

[Ruergard]

Sad to see this. A lot of Audi dealerships in Sweden doesn't have a clue about customer service at all anymore.

I hope this sorts out for you asap!

[Primo]

Pfff, I'd rather buy the part and do it myself then, Brav.


Thanks Ruergard, I hope so too!

[Primo]

Case resolved.

Turns one of the new spark plugs was defect. This wasn't the main reason though.
Quite pathetic - The high performance air filters was swapped out with standard Audi ones, and these didn't let enough air through and that made the computer think that the engine was recieving too much fuel.
I was present during the whole operation today, and the mechanic from yesterday didn't believe me when I told him to change the air filters back to the old ones. We put the airbox back together with the old HP filters, and guess what, problem resolved. Happiness! :D

Thanks to everyone for contributing with thoughts and comments! :)

[mdegracia]

Just curious, who are the HP airfilters made by?

I recall seeming a post of flow results comparing K&N's to the stock filters and the stockers out flowed the K&N's.

Glad you got everything resolved!

[ttboost]

Lesson learned: Don't EVER bring your car to an Audi dealer!

[Primo]

Lesson learned: Don't EVER bring your car to an Audi dealer!
+1


I'm sorry, I forgot to check who the manufacturer was, I really don't want to open the airbox again to check! :P
However, I'm sure Google is your friend! ;)

By the way, I also found out that the beast is chiptuned, which the previous owner didn't say anything about, haha!

[Bigglezworth]

Easy to spot a bad plug. A quick check by listening to things as the exhaust exits will hint at it. You comment about the stock air filters not allowing sufficient flow is disconcerting. There is no reason a stock air filter wouldn't work. Irrespective of either, good to hear you got it running well.

[lswing]

Glad its fixed, that stuff happens sometimes, just sucks when you get overcharged to boot.

Word has always been use stock air filters. They probably just sealed stuff up right when replacing...

[Joker]

Lesson learned: Don't EVER bring your car to an Audi dealer!

They're not all bad, personally I only let my local's head mechanic on my cars asking for him in person and all the jobs I have had done were perfect.

[4.2Crew]

Word has always been use stock air filters. They probably just sealed stuff up right when replacing...

+1 Agreed!

[4everRS]

Just curious, who are the HP airfilters made by?

I recall seeming a post of flow results comparing K&N's to the stock filters and the stockers out flowed the K&N's.

Glad you got everything resolved!ive testest this and reported findings in a thread. No flow difference between stock and K&N. Data logged runs within an hour of each other. Stock paper flows the same and filters better.

A good seal around the MAF's is critical.

[dab]

I have had a very negative experience from a local audi dealer. From the having to drive a rental hyundai because AOA won't provide another audi unless you purchased from the dealer to having to bring my car back in because they forgot to put bolts back on. Once the warranty expired it was off to other places.

[Primo]

ive testest this and reported findings in a thread. No flow difference between stock and K&N.

Who said it was K&N? The seal was sufficient, there wasn't any leaks in the airbox. And one sparkplug doesn't choke the car like that.
So I guess it have to be the airfilters afterall, huh?

[lswing]

Who said it was K&N? The seal was sufficient, there wasn't any leaks in the airbox. And one sparkplug doesn't choke the car like that.
So I guess it have to be the airfilters afterall, huh?

K&N's were discussed earlier, it's good info, and how do you know the seal was sufficient when you didn't know what was wrong with the car in the first place. I'd be much happier to get info from folks on here myself, even it's not spot on...

What's the tune and turbos you're running to need all this extra air? Full boost on stock turbos with stock filters for me, it's a rocket!

[Primo]

Because I did a quick leaktest on the airbox. I do pressure testing for a living and have done for the last 7 years, so yes, I know that the airbox wasn't leaking.

[lswing]

Interesting, well glad it's sorted! I could see a plug messing with the ecu, not sure the extent. It just seems that even filters with reduced flow wouldn't affect the car until under boost...

[Primo]

I wouldn't think so either, but obviously it does :D

And yeah, glad it's sorted!

[Bigglezworth]

OEM filters work just fine on high boost. There is no airflow concerns with OEM whatsoever. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[gregoryindiana]

They're not all bad, personally I only let my local's head mechanic on my cars asking for him in person and all the jobs I have had done were perfect.

Exactly what I do as well. The lead Audi tech, 27+ years, has the same standards for the car that I do. Does the work on all my cars, if he's unavailable, I drive another until he's back from vacation.

[4.2Crew]

Because I did a quick leaktest on the airbox. I do pressure testing for a living and have done for the last 7 years, so yes, I know that the airbox wasn't leaking.

Glad to hear it is all sorted...

Could you elaborate on the "quick leak test on the airbox"? Thanks.