2007 A6 3.2 common issue? - potential buyer
 

I am looking at a 2007 A6 3.2 quattro with 62k miles, I like it tbh. however, I want to be ready for common problems of the model.I have searched the forum, and found 3.2 is prone to carbon buildups, other than the 3.2 carbon buildup issue, are there any other common issue I should be aware of ?

I have owned several AVG products before, Jetta, CC. a boxster s(if its counted as VAG in 2003 :) , I'd say I am quite mechanically inclined and I have always done my own maintenance and repairs except warranty work. I am ready to face issues, but I dont like to face issues too frequently tho, say every month.

please share your opinion and maybe some tricks when checking and test driving the car. thanks!

My '06 A6 Avant now has ~60K miles on it, and no major issues (not even the carbon buildup problem yet). I also do all of the maintenance on my vehicles (e.g., oil & filter changes, brakes, wipers, engine repair, belts, replacement of body parts, etc.). IMHO, the '07 is the best year of the C6 platform. After that year, A of A started deleting interior items, e.g., stroage trays under the front seats, close-up/normal mirrors in sunvisor, etc.) to "save $$s". To hopefully prevent the carbon builup issue, I do the following:

* Use only top tier premium gasoline (e.g. Chevron, Shell)
* Use only oil that is rated VW 502.00 or VW 505.00 (Modbil 0W-40 Euro)
* Occassionally do the "Italian tune-up" (aka WOT to redline)
* Use BG 44K fule treament annually

From your description, that '07 A6 sounds like a keeper. Go for it!

I spoke with a very smart mechanic and his opinion is that doing the "Italian tune-up" is more likely to speed up the carbon build up issue. You cannot get the engine hot enough to burn off oil vapors (as some seem to think) and to do so your engine would burst into flames. His thought process is backed up somewhat by the fact that RS4 owners had this issue a lot and I suspect owners of those cars push them pretty hard. BG44K will do NOTHING to help with the carbon issue as it never reaches the intake area since these are direct injection engines. For what it's worth a very good buddy of mine has had an 05 A6 3.2 since brand new and now has 135,000 miles on it and has never had the carbon cleaning done. He does not push the car hard at all!!!

You'd have to be pretty unlucky to have an issue a month. I've been putting on over 3,000 a month and go months between issues, and they've been small issues.

125,000 miles and no carbon trouble. There's probably carbon in there, but it isn't making a noticeable difference in power or MPG. My mom just got an 07 3.2 with 40,000 and I compared it to mine because I've been wondering if I'm slowly losing power to carbon, and I can't tell her car from mine.

In fact, I'm amazed at how identical her 40,000 mile car is to mine at 125,000. I think the suspension feels a bit tighter, but I really have to focus to notice any difference.

I'm not recommending you do as I do, but I do not use top tier gas, or VW approved oil, or even 91 octane. 89 is working fine. With regular 87 though the power loss is noticeable. I'm using Shell Rotella 6 oil because it's synthetic, the right weight, and cheap. Changing every 8,000 or so.

I had to clean the throttle around 100,000, which was a simple job.

I had an issue where the side vents blew hot air when they shouldn't. Easy fix with the picture step-by-step on here. Just cleaning an easily accessible part.

Had squealing speakers. Disconnected the battery for a minute. Problem solved. Only happened once.

Mine has been very low-maintenance. Mostly highway miles though.

capn

I put German Mann filters on but you can use WIX/Napa gold..good filters are critical on DI's. I like shell Ultra syn oil @ 8K..very low carbon and formulated for DI engine, I think I get piece of mind using it.
Change fuel filter (near pass rear wheel every 50k or so. For a few cents I use the higher octain for several reasons..mainly more compression before detonating.
Have you done the transmission? There's a link by Turkeybaster you might read, the Tiptronic likes this.

You'll beat that 3.2 eventually :)

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=2847213 there's one issue. I have 2007 Audi A6 3.2L Quattro and I got it at 59K at 62K the intake Manifold control runner went out the car was giving me 5mpg littealy one dollar a freaking mile. That Costed $1600. Other then that watch out for pinch bolt and check the suspension at 75K I had tie rods and sway bar links put in flushed all fluids and did all brake and rotors. It's at 91K now just need struts. Other than that its pretty solid car no major issues just one with the intake manifold control runner. I'm at 91K trying get this bolt out today!

Hi saifxnyc,

Was you work done at a dealer? Deal they replace the entire intake manifold? If so, did they tell you the runner flap inside the intake ports were jammed or not moving properly?

$1600 is what I was quoted to have the entire manifold replaced at my dealer. Seems crazy that wouldn't comp owners because of their faulty design.

Thanks for your response.

Newbie123

Some responsibly use Seafoam to take care of the intake. Personally, I did the intake on my last four Audis and did not lose any O2 sensors during the process. All those, ended up with a smoother idle. There is a anti-Seafoam crowd out there; but logical people embrace the practical and ignore opinions based on their own criteria. Not selling anything; just providing 1st hand testimony with outcomes on multiple experiments. It does produce a lot of white smoke that would be scary to some other owners, though. :)

Hi AUJ,

How exactly does Seafoam responsibly take care of the intake? The issue that I am dealing with is the intake runner control flap wearing out the pivot points within the plastic runner itself. Then the flap gets miss aligned/stuck and causes the error codes.

Can it prevent this from happening?

The O.P. (Original Poster) wrote "I have searched the forum, and found 3.2 is prone to carbon buildups"..........

As you know, Seafoam, or a carbon cleaning from the dealer will not help your issue at all. Good use of bandwidth. :)