2009 b8 lower suspension arms need replacing

craigbeal

craigbeal

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So I've heard them making a noise for a while, the car has been into Audi today for its service and the have marked it them down and needing doing urgent. They have quoted £430 for the two of them to be replaced. Does anyone have an idea if they can be bought else where and maybe have them fitted at a local garage or is this about the right price for this work regardless of where I get it done.

thanks :)
 
It depends how much time you have to stand the car while you refurbish the arms. You may be able to source just the metalastic bushes once its all apart.
 
Humm sounds like a pain to do that & like you said can't have the car stood with it being my daily driver. My just have to bite the bullet and get it done at audi :/
 
I think my front left is knackered! I'm booked in for my annual service next week but I expect it's the lower arms/bushes. Was yours making a dry creaking noise at low speeds and when turning the wheel?

I can see the service costing over a 1000. New front and rear disks and pads required plus service plus possible suspension. Happy Easter!
Let us know how you get on, all the best.
 
just take it to an indi
 
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If you cant do it yourself, get quotes from an independent VAG specialist and a couple of Audi dealers. Its just nuts and bolts so easy to get a fixed price repair.
 
These cars seem to be a bit young to have these problems, I had a VW Passat B5 2.8 V6 4Motion for 13 years and it only ever needed new front springs as one snapped - surely these failures on a similar set-up will only happen if you drop the suspension?
 
I'm not being funny but you have to remember it's an audi and they don't just use any crappy parts.. Most of the suspension setup are light weight aluminum which is not cheap!

So most of that price will be the genuine audi parts unless this is without parts then I would tell audi to go do one lol !
 
Mine is a 2009. I've just had them repaired on warranty. Apparently audi have released a bulletin to all audi service centres stating that the ball joints fitting in 2009 were defective from the factory and uprated parts are recommended. With this in mine it might be worth trying to get them to do it for free seeing as it's a known fault
 
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kanecullen89 said:
Mine is a 2009. I've just had them repaired on warranty. Apparently audi have released a bulletin to all audi service centres stating that the ball joints fitting in 2009 were defective from the factory and uprated parts are recommended. With this in mine it might be worth trying to get them to do it for free seeing as it's a known fault
Click to expand...

This is the benefit of a forum like audi-sport. Go to the dealers and say you understand Audi are repairing the 09 models as there is a known problem.

Well worth the subscription fee ;)
 
Zafi said:
This is the benefit of a forum like audi-sport. Go to the dealers and say you understand Audi are repairing the 09 models as there is a known problem.

Well worth the subscription fee ;)
Click to expand...

Ive already tried my luck with this when i was in Audi yesterday getting it serviced. I said to them its a known issue and was on a recall as i understood it, the problem i have is the car was bought private, has only had a few main audi dealership services and the rest have been carried out by a VW specialist and all was done up north before i bought the car. If the car was from them or all main Audi dealership then i could try and push for it but the didn't seem very keen on the idea as you can imagine.

Has anyone got the part numbers for these 2 arms for me to order or at least price up?
 
Mine were done under warranty last year, but as far as I know, the ball joints can be purchased separate from the arm, thats what it looked like on mine, I would look into it a bit more, they don’t cost that much to buy, and remember Audi charge around £145 an hr, at least, mine does, hence an extended warranty.
 
Mine was in today for its service, however audi couldn't replicate the noise. I took a tech out and the car didn't make any noise at all. Soon as I get home onto the drive the noise is back. Techs said lower arms are fine. What symptoms were you guys getting? Mine appears to be on compression of the front passenger side and when steering at slow speeds under compression, ie onto ramps drop curbs etc...Otherwise it's fine, several people looked at it and can't see any worn items. It's the noise that bothering me more than anything.

Thanks in advance.
 
GoSvDCu.jpg
 
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A4B8Sline said:
Mine was in today for its service, however audi couldn't replicate the noise. I took a tech out and the car didn't make any noise at all. Soon as I get home onto the drive the noise is back. Techs said lower arms are fine. What symptoms were you guys getting? Mine appears to be on compression of the front passenger side and when steering at slow speeds under compression, ie onto ramps drop curbs etc...Otherwise it's fine, several people looked at it and can't see any worn items. It's the noise that bothering me more than anything.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I found the easiest way for me to replicate it was to have the engine on and handbrake on. Then go to nearly full lock and just wiggle the steering from left to right and that would create the squeak quite loud on mine
 
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kanecullen89 said:
I found the easiest way for me to replicate it was to have the engine on and handbrake on. Then go to nearly full lock and just wiggle the steering from left to right and that would create the squeak quite loud on mine
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response. I've tried your suggestion but can't get the noise there. I can only get it now if I put the left wheel on a curb and then wiggle the wheel. I'm thinking it's the top mounts that has failed now.( spring fully compressed) Problem I have is when the car is on a ramp all the springs are relaxed hence why I can't replicate the noise. Any body know if the fault with arms on 09 cars effected the top mounts aswell?

Thanks.
 
I wouldn't know mate, but you could go inspect them to see if there's any wear. Go under the engine bay and above where the suspension is there are some black covers which you can pop out, you'll then be able to see all the top bushes and mount.
 
Audi Toby! said:
I wouldn't know mate, but you could go inspect them to see if there's any wear. Go under the engine bay and above where the suspension is there are some black covers which you can pop out, you'll then be able to see all the top bushes and mount.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply, when the rain stops I'll check it out. I know the covers you described. Hopefully I can iron this out soon. I'm worried I'll start changing parts and still have the noise. Therefore I need to be sure what's causing the noise.
 
I have this exact noise from just the drivers side, again its only when at slow speeds and usually when turning almost full lock.
Very noticeable when parking up. My indi seems to think it is the upper arms/ball joints but he found it hard to replicate in the workshop.
He suggested I leave it until it gets worse and then take it back as it will be easier for them to locate the noise.

Has anyone attempted to change the ball joints themselves? I am thinking of investing in a Haynes manual and doing it myself. (especially after just spending £1700 after my chain tensioner went)
 
mancdan, are you sure that a Haynes book is now available? I don't think there is one yet for the B8s, though I don't mind being proved wrong!
 
I'd reckon that you could guess when a Haynes book for B8 is due by checking when the B7 one was launched, but that is no good for right now! Bentley stuff is expensive as they are the only source of manuals for these cars in USA, I thought that there were manuals in digital form being sold legally on the internet at reasonable prices - essentially the dealer level stuff but without updating support - but I've always doubted if that was actually true. Haynes has always worked for me, and also USA versions of Haynes for VAG four wheel drive and bigger engines. I got a B5 A4/Passat 4Motion one quite soon after getting new car 3 years into production run and the UK one arrived a bit later, 9N Polo one took a bit longer as I bought car 1 year into production run, but survived okay by buying a Fabia Haynes book.
 
kanecullen89 said:
Mine is a 2009. I've just had them repaired on warranty. Apparently audi have released a bulletin to all audi service centres stating that the ball joints fitting in 2009 were defective from the factory and uprated parts are recommended. With this in mine it might be worth trying to get them to do it for free seeing as it's a known fault
Click to expand...
Anymore details in this bulletin, I found one from 2010, but guess it would've been sorted by now unless it's a new one they've raised?
I get some creaking...
 
razza1 said:
Anymore details in this bulletin, I found one from 2010, but guess it would've been sorted by now unless it's a new one they've raised?
I get some creaking...
Click to expand...

There's a video of my squeak here:

To be honest I don't have any more info on the bulletin. This was just the info I was given by Audi when I took it in for the warranty work. The 2010 bulletin that you found is probably the relevant one.

They don't treat the bulletins as a recall. They only use them as a guide of what might be wrong and what updated parts to use if the car is displaying those symptoms so yours wouldn't have automatically been done.

Mine only started squeaking about a year ago, when the car was 5 years old so can take a few years for the problem part to fail and manifest itself
 
Mine sounds the same as in the video but not as often. Seems to be mainly when parking up and on uneven ground, and mostly on full lock but not all the time.
Any link to the technical bulletin?
 
Oh I had this noise on my old B8 SE (Apr 2008 build) wondered what the hell it was
 
kanecullen89 said:
There's a video of my squeak here:

To be honest I don't have any more info on the bulletin. This was just the info I was given by Audi when I took it in for the warranty work. The 2010 bulletin that you found is probably the relevant one.

They don't treat the bulletins as a recall. They only use them as a guide of what might be wrong and what updated parts to use if the car is displaying those symptoms so yours wouldn't have automatically been done.

Mine only started squeaking about a year ago, when the car was 5 years old so can take a few years for the problem part to fail and manifest itself
Click to expand...


Did you manage to fix this issue?
Mine is making the exact same noise.

Chris
 
audi upgrades
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