q7-cold start noise
 

Hi there

hope you guys are well.

Having a nightmare with an Audi Dealer (London area) over the last few months, still having on going issues. Even after most recent repairs (door trims at bottom of door loose and not sure why they had to be painted and re fitted, re pads changed, inter cooler not switching off, cold start noise, Audi dealer stealing items from my vehicle), I have not really been given a written report on the outcome.

More insulting is that they are telling me that they wont sell me another car and question my trust in them. In addition, the 2 free services that were part of the promotion on purchase still have not been attached to my vehicle.

The question I have for you guys, is that when starting the Q7 from cold start or after several hours (3 Diesel Tdi 3.0 V6) as soon as the vehicle fires up, there is a noise that lasts about one second or 2, like a rattle/ticking noise. As if its like oil is delayed reaching the top of the engine. Its been with the Audi dealer for a week/2 weeks and they tell me its normal, even though I question oil levels and prove to them that it needed topping up after the alleged 145 point check.

Are there any common faults with this model or characteristic? Vehicle has only done 23k miles and is a 2010 model.

Your help will be much appreciated as don't know where to turn to.


Many thanks in advance

Regards
Nick

I guess this is the replacement car after the first one you bought had a noise which was never traced/cured?

Does lightning strike twice?

The 3.0 V6 tdi is a pretty reliable engine. Some of the earlier ones - BUG code, had issues with the flaps in the inlet manifold failing and also there were some oil starvation issues affecting the crankshaft bearings, but I think these were all cured by the 2010 model you have.

I suspect you may be in a difficult position because of the history you have with the dealer and if you have now got suspicions they have removed items from your car without your permission, that cannot help.

I think you need an independent assessment of the engine - maybe a local VW/Audi specialist rather than a main dealer. That engine has been produced in many thousands and is fitted in everything from Skoda's to Porche's, so it is well known and any specialist should be familiar with it.

Hi there

Thank you for the reply

Yes this is the second one and relationship with dealer is totally lost as comparing the vehicles from the first one, on cold start there was never this noise.

Its purely on start up for the initial second. How damaging is this and will it get worse if its the crankshaft bearings?

Audi making this very difficult and really cant believe my luck.

The items stolen from my car:

My own tyre compressor
few cleaning products from Auto Glym and Maguires


They gave me a cheque and some items but the trust is hard to be restored. Plus that at the same time, I have questioned the oil levels and took three readings and took pictures. All suggesting it needed topping up after an alleged 145 check.

More insulting I have the dealer telling me that they wont sell me another car!!

Not all my doing.

Any help and advise will be much appreciated if there any common faults with a 2010 model.

Regards

I think that any oil related issues were resolved a long time before your car was manufactured.

Overall the 3.0 v6 tdi is a very sound engine and I don't know of any real problems with it, especially the later ones.

I think you should try to get the option of a good independent mechanic.

Very concerned. and hate feeling like this.

Audi ignoring me as usual and seem to adds to my frustration. Hate chasing all the time.

The noise is not all the time. Like today on cold start, did not do it as vehicle was left for 2 days with out being fired up. Seem to get the noise more when vehicle used daily.

Vehicle only down 23k miles, so timing chain?

Your help will be much appreciated

The noise could be the water pump bearings - they did have a lot of failures in Q5's built in late 2009 and 2010 but I think it was a fairly sudden loss of coolant caused by bearing/seal failures.

If your car makes a noise when first started especially after a couple of days not used, then that is what I would suspect. Is it loosing any coolant?

Hi there

When the car is not used for a few days, no noise. If used daily, then get the the noise. No sign of coolant issue.. starter motor?

I think you need to see someone with experience with that engine - any good VW/Audi specialist should know what they are looking for.

Hi there

just an update.

took the q7 to another main dealer today. They started another 3 q7's and all of them did not do the same noise.

i then left mine for 30 mins and turned it on in front of the service manager and their head technician. First thing they said was it sounds like the start of a chain problem.


I now have to take the vehicle back for them to do cold start check on the chain and tensioners.

what and how can this be done?

also, relunctant to use the vehicle as will this cause damage? Or because it's been reported back I December would of this cause damage? Cam?

Nightmare of an experience. Worth giving it back and running? Having to take several days off work now to sort out. Comparing this to mercedes I would of had the vehicle picked up and a courtesy car given with in the day.

I would think it is safe to drive and apart from a minute possibility that the chain could break or jump, it will not do any harm to the camshafts or any other components.

I am surprised that the chain tensioner is failing at such a low mileage.