Posted 12 April 2018 - 10:27 PM
- Replace Gear Mechatron unit twice - once was free as it was during warranty period, and once 2 months ago at cost of about $4K plus (ouch!).
- Replace car battery 3 times - I'm now into the 4th battery. First battery died 9 months after i bought it. I have a small front facing garmin camera facing forward but agent tested and said it was not causing any electricity bleed/leak.
- Repair the engine mounting
- Repair the fuel flap lock as it stopped working all of a sudden
not all Audis are that mechanically/electronically unstable. you must choose the correct model with the most reliable engine and transmission.
let me elaborate on each point.
1. The DSG 7-speed "dry clutch" DQ200 mechatronics (i.e. the transmission's "brain") issue has not been totally resolved yet. Only the 6-speed "wet clutch" DQ250 and DQ500 have proven to be the more durable transmission units.
2. This is an engine bay design flaw by VW/Audi. the battery is placed just beside the exhaust manifold of the engine and the extreme heat causes degradation of the battery. VW/Audi models with its battery situated in the boot/trunk will not have battery longevity issues.
3. Engine mountings are recommended to be replaced every 5 years or 100,000km (major servicing interval; for VW/Audi, it would be 120,000km). However it is not a "must do" replacement. You can get along with the increased vibrations coming from the engine area and the vibes won't be that pronounced. There is no point "repairing" any engine mounting because once worn it cannot "regenerate" itself. Just treat it as a wear-and-tear item.
4. The fuel flap actuator's solenoid has failed. Just need to press the key fob's unlock button twice and it should work. workaround would be to manually pull the red cord from the boot/trunk. permanent fix would be to replace the actuator for 30 bucks.