tomdunlap

2006 A8L as been at the dealer for 4 visits in 12 months for bumper catching anything I park close to, curb, stop, whatever. This time, the car took the stop with us and ripped the bumber apart. Service writer says, regardless of the auto lift, it is my 2K+ problem again, Suggested I make an insurance claim....as thought I ran into something. Can this be right>

EHLO

If you park close to something there shouldn't be a problem, but parking against or on something is a problem.
The latter would be user error and wouldn't be the fault of the car.
I'm not aware of auto lift, mine has a lift setting which needs to be manually selected.

Mister Bally

A couple of questions before I answer, Factory wheels, tire size and air suspension settings? Also, does your car have the Parktronic system?

MikeNSX

Acura NSX, Porsche 928, Lotus Elise, even Acura CL, and certainly my A8 with factory wheels/tires on sport setting. When I park, (not parallel park) I stop well before the curb or concrete wheel stop goes under the bumper. Sure my car sticks out a little, but that's better than damage. Most low cards are damaged by parking over curbs. It's not a fault of the car. You need to adjust how you park. Let the SUV's and trucks put their wheels on the curb and take up half the sidewalk with their overhanging front ends.

Just my two cents.
MikeC

williebone

Looks like Audi needs to Design a Parking Sensor for your Lower Bumper Card! Maybe they'll Calibrate it to 6" so that you are not Parking ontop of the Curb Stops. In all seriousness there isn't an Auto Lift for Parking, it's only for Driving in Automatic Mode and it doesn't Lift, it Lowers at a Certain Speed. I would suggest that you leave the Car in Lift or Comfort Mode if you are that worried about Parking or just remember to Activate Lift when Parking at Curb Stops. I have Scrapes on My Card, but I am not that worried about repairing it anymore since it's just a way of Life an most of us tend to scrape it every now and then. Turn in the Claim, pay your Deductable and pay a little more on your Premium if it bothers you that much, but know that it will happen again if you are not ProActive in either Lifting the Car or Parking further away from the Stops. Good luck and laters,

FlyTyinFool

I gotta pile on with MikeNSX and williebone on this one.

I scraped the front a little after I first purchased the car. I think it took 2 times, then the lesson was learned.

Now I just don't pull all the way up to the curb stop. Or, if I don't want the *** hanging out in the street, I raise the car with the Lift setting in the MMI, so I can hang my front bumper halfway onto the sidewalk like my SUV, as mentioned in a previous post.

This isn't a design flaw. If the oven keeps burning your fingers, stop touching it! (Or, don't get quite so close, as the case may be...)

I suppose you could try pleading with Audi's engineering department about the shortcomings of their design. I'm sure they would understand completely and modify the A8 to better accommodate the weakness in your finger that prevents you from pushing the necessary buttons to raise the car, or in your foot because it can't stop the car.

Get real...

williebone

Amen!

MikeNSX

You have to remember to turn it on first by pressing the button. Parking sensors only come on automatically when you put it in reverse. When pulling straight into a space, press the parking button and turn it on manually. When you hear the beeps STOP! and you'll save your bumper.

Another way is to look at your left side mirror. For my seat position, when the curb or wheel stop is lined up with my outside mirror.. I stop and my bumper will be about a foot away from the curb. Your alignment may vary depending on your seat position, but you'll get the idea.

Mister Bally

I just look at the parking block/curb (I use my eyes as there is no built in device in the car that determines height) Then I always turn on the Parktronic thingy. As I approach the curb/block s*l*o*w*l*y; I stop right when the tone goes full on.

In the past five years, there have been exactly *two* times that I determined the block was so tall, I changes the suspension setting to "lift" mode, waited the 12 or so seconds for the car to lift and then parked.

I had a 1980 VW Scirocco S which had a really low spoiler. I did a big epoxy repair (marine epoxy pour jobs removing the spoiler) which all required repaint work and one full spoiler replacement. I learned from that-look first. This was pre electronic assist days.

williebone

It doesn't seem as if the Sensors would Pick Up something that close to the Ground below the Bumper sinse they positioned much higher than the Curb Stops. However, I do recall Backing Into a Parking Spot which I often do and the Sensors going off to warn me, but there was No Wall just a Curb Stop! I'll have test this out now the next time I'm parking and try it Pulling In and Backing In! Laters,

P.S. Without looking, maybe the Sensors are on a Slight Angle!