What Should I Do Now?
02-24-2010, 12:22 PM
#11
Hey everyone,
I need some advice...
I had the vibration/shimmy on my A5 3.2 since the day I got it (May 2009), I brought it to audi right away after I noticed the vibration and they told me that they have to replace a tire.
So they replaced a tire under warranty, didn't fix anything. They then told me that two of my rims are slightly bent, and it shouldn't affect my ride at all, but they can't proceed with their investigation unless those rims are fixed.
They quoted me 450$ for each rim + tax. Thats 900$+tax for replacing the rims that I know ARE NOT the problem.
I asked them if, when I put on my winter rims and tires, they could progress. They said ok sure, come back with your winter rims/tires.
I took my car to the dealership last week with my winter rims and tires and dropped it off for the shimmy... they called me and told me that they can't roadforce balance my winter wheels, and that audi told them not to proceed with the investigation unless the stock 19'' rims are put back on.
So pretty much, either I pay 900$+ tax to fix these two "bent" rims, or swallow up this whole shimmy idea.
I don't know what to do... I called audi with the part numbers for the control arm fix, and they quoted me 750+ tax for the conversion kit if I was to buy it myself.
What does everyone recommend I do? Should I call audi and complain? They told me that they would be able to proceed with my winter rims and tires but that was obviously a lie...
Thanks.
I need some advice...
I had the vibration/shimmy on my A5 3.2 since the day I got it (May 2009), I brought it to audi right away after I noticed the vibration and they told me that they have to replace a tire.
So they replaced a tire under warranty, didn't fix anything. They then told me that two of my rims are slightly bent, and it shouldn't affect my ride at all, but they can't proceed with their investigation unless those rims are fixed.
They quoted me 450$ for each rim + tax. Thats 900$+tax for replacing the rims that I know ARE NOT the problem.
I asked them if, when I put on my winter rims and tires, they could progress. They said ok sure, come back with your winter rims/tires.
I took my car to the dealership last week with my winter rims and tires and dropped it off for the shimmy... they called me and told me that they can't roadforce balance my winter wheels, and that audi told them not to proceed with the investigation unless the stock 19'' rims are put back on.
So pretty much, either I pay 900$+ tax to fix these two "bent" rims, or swallow up this whole shimmy idea.
I don't know what to do... I called audi with the part numbers for the control arm fix, and they quoted me 750+ tax for the conversion kit if I was to buy it myself.
What does everyone recommend I do? Should I call audi and complain? They told me that they would be able to proceed with my winter rims and tires but that was obviously a lie...
Thanks.
Sorry to hear about it. I have been there myself.
My case took 4 months + multiple Dealer visits + absurd theories from several service staff personnel ( bent rims, deformed tires, simply bad tires, pothole theories, etc-etc ) + tons of crosswords, anger, disappointment.. yet they refused to order nothing claiming Audi Customer Care wasn't aware of any issue and that they would take steps ( road-force balancing, etc etc ).
Unable to come to a conclusion I went online and found this great Forum, did research and found a TSB bulletin for the vibration issue. I printed out and brought it to John Holtz Service Manager attention and also sent it to Audi Care "Specialist".
AudiCare failed to take any actions and Service Manager at John Holtz in Rochester NY refused to do nothing unless I got 2 new rims+tires after road-balancing and any other theory failed to fix vibration.
I ended up buying those worth $1400 at my own expense. Parts arrived and were mounted in vehicle and we tested it.. vibration was gone!
After testing.. Service manager calls AudiCare and I am put in a looooong waiting list of A5 owners worldwide that appeared out of nowhere for control arms replacement???
New tires+rims were never removed from my vehicle after concluding control arms were the fix! I now have the original set siting in my garage.
As of today Feb 23 of 2010, I find myself waiting on compensation.
My advice to you: Don't take any ****!! bring car to dealer, drop keys, ask for a loaner under warranty and do not return until your vehicle is fixed wit control arms and of course.. under warranty.
In this forum there is at least 500 pages of owners out there abused by "AudiCare" as well as dealership personnel. Print it all out and shove it to your service manager when you drop those keys. Do not make another extra mile in your vehicle or else they will think you bent those.
02-24-2010, 12:56 PM
#14
AudiWorld Member
It really depends on your dealer. Mine, Audi North Scottsdale, was awesome. They didn't BS me and got me new arms within 2 weeks. I'm truly in amazed at how poorly some other dealerships have acted...but spaniardone is right...DO NOT BACK DOWN!! BTW spaniardone it looks like we have the same rig!
Last edited by AZAudiFan; 02-24-2010 at 01:17 PM. Reason: correction
02-24-2010, 01:20 PM
#15
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Just a heads up on this issue - I dropped my 2010 S5 at Audi N Scottsdale today for its first oil change. I asked about the arms and their svc manager said that they have stopped replacing them. They did it to a bunch of cars and found that it only solved the problem ~50% of the time. They had engineers from Germany come over to that dealer and test,test,test and could not conclusively prove that the arms are the problem. I have a VERY slight vibe at about 65-75 mph, barely noticeable. He just called me and says I have one tire/wheel that will not balance, so they are putting a new one on there and re-balancing it today. He also says my arms are the newer style...
Whassup AZAudiFan - let's go race sometime!!!???
Whassup AZAudiFan - let's go race sometime!!!???
02-24-2010, 01:30 PM
#16
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Just a heads up on this issue - I dropped my 2010 S5 at Audi N Scottsdale today for its first oil change. I asked about the arms and their svc manager said that they have stopped replacing them. They did it to a bunch of cars and found that it only solved the problem ~50% of the time. They had engineers from Germany come over to that dealer and test,test,test and could not conclusively prove that the arms are the problem. I have a VERY slight vibe at about 65-75 mph, barely noticeable. He just called me and says I have one tire/wheel that will not balance, so they are putting a new one on there and re-balancing it today. He also says my arms are the newer style...
Whassup AZAudiFan - let's go race sometime!!!???
Whassup AZAudiFan - let's go race sometime!!!???
How else do you explain the fact that my buddies at Consumer Reports, JD Power and Associates and True Delta rate most Audi models and model years (except for the dreaded 1985 to 1990 and 1998 to 2004 models and model years) so highly?
As the Peanuts kids would say, GOOD GRIEF!!!!!
02-24-2010, 01:52 PM
#18
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AudiS5TC - you may very well be right, I guess I will find out tomorrow when I get my car back. I took my B5 s4 to them a few times and was alwayd dealt with well, never lied to, etc. I trust their svc manager to shoot straight with me. He said they had some of the newer arms laying around, so if mine needed them, why would he lie and not replace them?
02-24-2010, 04:14 PM
#19
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My only issue right now is that they told me to put on winter rims and tires for them to fix the issue and when I did... they still didnt fix the issue.
When i bought the car, it came from germany without a front license plate holder, I had to fight with them for 2 weeks before they put one on... I told them it was illegal that they sell me a car without a front license plate.
I have never, EVER, gotten a loaner from them. They never have available, or so they claim. They would not even give me a taxi voucher, they said they would call me a taxi but they had no voucher?
Audi toronto would drop an A5 loaner at my house, and pick up my a5, service it, and bring it back to me when they were done. Some service compared to this piece of crap dealership.
When i bought the car, it came from germany without a front license plate holder, I had to fight with them for 2 weeks before they put one on... I told them it was illegal that they sell me a car without a front license plate.
I have never, EVER, gotten a loaner from them. They never have available, or so they claim. They would not even give me a taxi voucher, they said they would call me a taxi but they had no voucher?
Audi toronto would drop an A5 loaner at my house, and pick up my a5, service it, and bring it back to me when they were done. Some service compared to this piece of crap dealership.
02-24-2010, 05:32 PM
#20
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My only issue right now is that they told me to put on winter rims and tires for them to fix the issue and when I did... they still didnt fix the issue.
When i bought the car, it came from germany without a front license plate holder, I had to fight with them for 2 weeks before they put one on... I told them it was illegal that they sell me a car without a front license plate.
I have never, EVER, gotten a loaner from them. They never have available, or so they claim. They would not even give me a taxi voucher, they said they would call me a taxi but they had no voucher?
Audi toronto would drop an A5 loaner at my house, and pick up my a5, service it, and bring it back to me when they were done. Some service compared to this piece of crap dealership.
When i bought the car, it came from germany without a front license plate holder, I had to fight with them for 2 weeks before they put one on... I told them it was illegal that they sell me a car without a front license plate.
I have never, EVER, gotten a loaner from them. They never have available, or so they claim. They would not even give me a taxi voucher, they said they would call me a taxi but they had no voucher?
Audi toronto would drop an A5 loaner at my house, and pick up my a5, service it, and bring it back to me when they were done. Some service compared to this piece of crap dealership.