Saloon Drive system malfunction!

Spinstorm said:
So this issue isn’t resolved but I am feeling annoyed so I feel good time to vent.

This story features special guest star @DJAlix

On my way to get my BlackVue cameras reinstalled into my RS3 I get a drive system malfunction; RPM limited to 4400. The first time I assumed it was just a gremlin. Turned the car off and then on again and all okay.

Except it happened another 4 times after that. I get to DJAlix and he scans it and it appears there is an issue with the fuel getting to the engine or rail sensor (not exactly clear). We call Audi Assist (AA) the guy says he think it’s because I only had 35 Miles of fuel in the car so that caused an error. He won’t recover it to the dealer.

So now I had to drive it back to the dealer and hope I get back before they close so they can check my brand new car... and of course that assumes that the car doesn’t do it again. As it almost didn’t start the last time I turned it off. I could get stuck and wait another 2 hours for recovery.

(This post is subject to change in case I misunderstood or missed any details out as I am currently having a drink in a joe and the juice and left the AA guy and DJAlix together as he is still installing my cameras.)
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So I pick up my 2018 rs3 3 weeks ago. I have about 800km on the car. Today is the second time me droppng the car off at the dealer for drive system malfuncion. My experience of the fault seems very similar to most, the 1st time it happened I had been driving the car for about 45min, then ended runnng Into some slow traffic, bumper to bumper for about 15min and the first alert popped up. The car was restricted to 4400 rpm. On my way to the dealer I made a stop, when I started the car I noticed shorty after the faut came up again this time along with the C.E.L. When the tech looked over the car, they said that the computer didn't store the fault code, but they have hard of similar situations happening to the rs3 models and that there's a ecu patch that's gonna be released shortly. A day later of me picking up the car. I was driving home from work, and stopped off in a parking lot at idol for about 15min. Turned off the car and then on again shortly after. As I moved off from parked 10yrds the fault came up again. I've been a Vw guy my entire life owning mk2, mk3, mk4, and mk6 models and though that this rs3 would have been an aweome awesome upgrade from my previous Vw models. Which has now quickly turned out to be a very disappointing experience. And that Audi have a big talk about the rs3 models are built In their top facility. For what it' worth they should cut costs and manufacture in Mexico this being the case.. like 800km from new? Along with my rims being curbed at the dealership, that no one wants to fess up to.. fml! ...
 
audi upgrades
Sorry to hear the unfolding disaster the car is starting to be - are you in the UK?
 
I had the problem appear again a couple of weeks ago while parking. I went off had dinner and came back and the fault didn’t reoccur.

I took it to the dealer they found the fault but said they needed time with it and needed to drive it around to recreate it.

I don’t agree with that as they have the fault message and it should be obvious to an expert what the cause of the problem is - the particular fault I had p0087 - low fuel rail pressure is down to a faulty sensor, fuel pump or issues with the fuel feed according to research I did online but the mechanics don’t have common sense.

I complained to Audi UK about my steering wheel (which is now being replaced as it had some issues with the alcantara) but was told they have to follow the Audi procedures. Reluctantly I’m going to have to just let them have the car for a couple of days when the replacement wheel arrives and hope they resolve it.

But my expectation is they won’t - I really think that car dealers hire the most useless mechanics and sales people they can find. I am right now of the opinion (assuming they are useless and won’t fix it) that it may just be an intermittent fault I have to accept or I’ll just end up stressed about how useless they are. Currently the issue is so intermittent that it isn’t a concern.

What I don’t want is them driving my car around trying to replicate the issue when it isn’t happening to me and I’ve done 3k miles in about 6 weeks.
 
Spinstorm said:
I had the problem appear again a couple of weeks ago while parking. I went off had dinner and came back and the fault didn’t reoccur.

I took it to the dealer they found the fault but said they needed time with it and needed to drive it around to recreate it.

I don’t agree with that as they have the fault message and it should be obvious to an expert what the cause of the problem is - the particular fault I had p0087 - low fuel rail pressure is down to a faulty sensor, fuel pump or issues with the fuel feed according to research I did online but the mechanics don’t have common sense.

I complained to Audi UK about my steering wheel (which is now being replaced as it had some issues with the alcantara) but was told they have to follow the Audi procedures. Reluctantly I’m going to have to just let them have the car for a couple of days when the replacement wheel arrives and hope they resolve it.

But my expectation is they won’t - I really think that car dealers hire the most useless mechanics and sales people they can find. I am right now of the opinion (assuming they are useless and won’t fix it) that it may just be an intermittent fault I have to accept or I’ll just end up stressed about how useless they are. Currently the issue is so intermittent that it isn’t a concern.

What I don’t want is them driving my car around trying to replicate the issue when it isn’t happening to me and I’ve done 3k miles in about 6 weeks.
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Audi UK need to read these posts, they should be ashamed... I don’t think there is one happy person on here! Audi Centres tell us to not go off of forums because you get a negative vibe, they are the ones that ruin our ownership.

I’d be careful giving Audi permission to drive your car how they want to replicate it. I certainly wouldn’t be, I’d be out on test with them......
 
It's really a shame, I was so excited for my car when it arrived, I've had ppf installed and had the car ceramic coated, I haven't even made my first payment come out of my account to have issues like this at this point of ownership is unacceptable. With less then 600miles on the car. They can keep it until it' fixed.
 
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From my experience I would be really worried about letting them keep it for an extended period........
 
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@wheelsmove_us rs3 said:
It's really a shame, I was so excited for my car when it arrived, I've had ppf installed and had the car ceramic coated, I haven't even made my first payment come out of my account to have issues like this at this point of ownership is unacceptable. With less then 600miles on the car. They can keep it until it' fixed.
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I’m in Toronto too and mine’s been at the dealer since first week of Feb. First encountered the same issue under same conditions in December during a traffic jam in a snow storm. (Took delivery end of Nov). And it came up again so I dropped it off. It’s been at the dealer longer than in my garage, I’ve been told the fix is trickling down to Canada. I also PPF+ceramic’d it. Share in your pain buddy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
They stacked it in their yard. Anyway, all ended well - I am enjoying the new one!
 
Spinstorm you don’t have to accept it as an intermittent fault it’s a 50k car if they don’t resolve it reject it

Just like evildiesel did
 
lee_fr200 said:
Spinstorm you don’t have to accept it as an intermittent fault it’s a 50k car if they don’t resolve it reject it

Just like evildiesel did
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It’s happened twice in 8 weeks. They are going to have a look at it when my replacement wheel comes in (which had to be ordered from Germany).

We will see if they can resolve it first.
 
You make it sound simple......

If you go down this route, be advised, it is anything but simple. Overall, you have to be reasonable - after 30 days you have to give the dealer the opportunity to correct the fault - it is only then that you can embark on a crusade.

My issue was with the brakes - a major problem with a car with this level of performance subsequently compounded by the panel damage. I would never have gone through what I have in the past month or so for a repairable fault - even more so if it is software related.
 
I know that reply wasn’t to me but my car is very specific with lots of features that are not normally specced and to be honest the issue is so intermittent that at this time I don’t even want to give them the car to investigate it as I love driving it and the noise!
 
That's the attitude! These cars are effing great - a massively difficult decision I had to make going down the route I did although I always emphasised that I loved the car and meant it. That is probably what resulted in their moving mountains to sort me out - and I really appreciate all of the efforts made.

Just keep going out for a hoon now that I have confidence in the brakes again - I just think that we may have picked up the last of the golden generation of cars - going forward from here you are looking at quiet, hybrid and boring.

I am starting to think that this motor might just be a keeper until the last petrol station shuts.
 
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So good news! yesterday I picked up my rs3 after being at the dealership for over a month, I spoke with one of the senior techs about what had caused this to happen to my car, and why other cars didn't experience the same problem. The tech said that the VAP sensor was responsible for the limp-mode and CEL, apparently the car may have been running hotter then average, and with the winter cold to somehow cause the perfect conditions for the sensor to vault and set off the limp-mode. I asked the tech how the new flash would prevent this from happening again, he said that the new flash extends the perimeters of which the sensor operates, and that audi is 110% positive that this wouldn't happen again.


I was satisfied with his explanation and signed off on the work order...... and they fixed my curbed rim. i'll pay attention and keep you guys up to date if anything happens hereon.

I'M BACKKK!!:grin::grin::grin::grin:
 
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My car is going in tomorrow where they will change the steering wheel (I hope they checked it doesn't have the same problem!) and test the car for the problem that has still only happened twice in 5k miles. The car VW/Audi CS are providing me is a Golf R. I could have had an A5 but a Golf R is way more fun and closer to the RS3. I used to have a 16 plate R so I am actually looking forward to a few days with it to see how a new FL R compares to the FL RS3.
 
Spinstorm said:
My car is going in tomorrow where they will change the steering wheel (I hope they checked it doesn't have the same problem!) and test the car for the problem that has still only happened twice in 5k miles. The car VW/Audi CS are providing me is a Golf R. I could have had an A5 but a Golf R is way more fun and closer to the RS3. I used to have a 16 plate R so I am actually looking forward to a few days with it to see how a new FL R compares to the FL RS3.
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Think your steering wheel is definitely faulty so new one should be fine, mine is

By the way anyone else noticed the indentation at 2 o click on the steering wheel boss, it’s on all the steering wheel bosses I’ve looked at, apparently it’s the moulding required for the airbag
 
Quick update - new wheel fitted. It doesn’t have the same issues as the previous; although there does seem to be an indentation on the back of the wheel I think I will be able to live with that as its not something that I can see like the previous one.

The drive fault apparently cleared itself and there was nothing to be done - I don’t believe this for one second but its been 2k miles since it last happened so I will just have to wait and see. Also asked them to check the squeaking breaks - and because it was hot the breaks of course didn’t sqeak. Annoyingly.
 
I had squealing brakes for the first 400 miles,nothing since
 
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You need to get properly 'on it' on some twisties for 20 minutes. I have had no issues with squeal on 2 cars now.
 
For the last few thousand miles I haven’t had any squeal, phew. It didn’t bother me when I did because 90% of the time I was in a place where I could apply some firm pressure to get rid of it in seconds.

Started off jet washing my discs but they are built right up with brake dust now and it’s working a treat that way.
 
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