Audi A4 timing belt replacement - letter from dealer

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gmickflyer - 15 Aug 2006 16:00 GMT

I have an 02 reg Audi A4 Quattro 1.9 diesel. I recently received a
letter from my dealer stating that Audi are changing the recommended
timing belt replacement from 60,000 miles to 4 years (for diesels) for
new Audis and therefore I should get my timing belt replacement done
now , and basically they won't be responsible for the consequences if I
don't. My car has only done 44,000 so this is obviously an additional
expense I hadn't accounted for. Has anyone else had a similar letter.
Should I replace the belt now, wait till the next service (probably
about 6 months/6000mls) or leave it until 60000 as stated in the
maintenance schedule for my car? It seems a bit harsh to indicate that
a part probably won't last as long as designed and nottake
responsibility for the cost of early replacment. Is this really what
Audi are saying or is my dealer just trying it on?

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News Reader - 15 Aug 2006 16:16 GMT

> I have an 02 reg Audi A4 Quattro 1.9 diesel. I recently received a
> letter from my dealer stating that Audi are changing the recommended
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> responsibility for the cost of early replacment. Is this really what
> Audi are saying or is my dealer just trying it on?

I also received a similar Letter from the local dealer saying that Audi UK
recommend changing the timing belt on all Audi's at 4 years. It is not clear
if the belt should be changed earlier if the mileage warrants it. This
letter should have been sent out by Audi UK if they had done things
properly. My belt was changed earlier than the 80,000 miles recommended for
the 2.5 TDI as they had the engine in bits to replace the injection pump!!!.
But it was over 5 years old by then.

Peter

---------------------------------------------------------------
For independent Help with all matters Pipex
www.pipexsanctuary.co.uk/

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Peter Bell - 15 Aug 2006 19:40 GMT

> I have an 02 reg Audi A4 Quattro 1.9 diesel. I recently received a
> letter from my dealer stating that Audi are changing the recommended
> timing belt replacement from 60,000 miles to 4 years

[Snip]

> Is this really what Audi are saying or is my dealer just trying it on?

Yes, Audi UK (and I presume that this advice has come from the factory
in Germany) have declared that the timing belt on all cars should be
changed at 60k miles, or every four years, whichever comes sooner.

The only car that doesn't apply to, I believe, is the RS6! I was
required to pay £1100 to have the belt changed on my car at 3 years,
with only 26k miles on the clock!

Signature

Peter Bell - peter@bellfamily.org.uk

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jamr - 23 Jan 2008 22:02 GMT

i worked for audi as a senior technician for a lot of years and m
experiance with the pd 1.9 engines is the belt should be changed with i
the five years or 60,000 miles, due to the extra strain on belt
nowadays i have seen them starting to split within this period. i am no
a mobile mechanic and still enforce this belief, i also recomend th
water pump to be changed at the same time, again with experiance wit
audi and also other manufactures, the strain with a new belt puts adde
strain on the bearing and within 20,000 miles the pump will have to b
replaced which means the belt will have to be rmoved again in which cas
costing you a considerable sum off money. your audi dealler are onl
thinking of your wellfair and pocket and i must praise them fo
contacting you and letting you know, as not all do and customers end u
with snapped belt

--
jam

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veedubin69 - 03 Feb 2008 17:52 GMT

jamr;59164 Wrote:

> i worked for audi as a senior technician for a lot of years and m
> experiance with the pd 1.9 engines is the belt should be changed with i
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> contacting you and letting you know, as not all do and customers end u
> with snapped belts

I couldn't agree more, I have 2002 A4 with 76,000kms and the belt wa
cracked at70,000kms. Yes the service is expensive but so is a ne
enginge. These are interference motors, I'd rather stretch the servic
bill than buy a new car. I've seen the service done before, I'd imagin
the diesel motors are similar to petrol, the front clip needs to com
off & down for the service position, and if you can afford a water pump
do it cause it's right there, the plastic impellar on the factor
installed water pump usally fail over time, upgrade to a metal impella
water pump, it's even cheaper than the OEM factory pump

--
veedubin6

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