Jas0n

To say I'm a little frustrated would be a grand understatement. Last Tuesday, while driving from a meeting to my home, my motor developed a rather sudden loss of power. It's hard to explain, but initially, it felt as if I was hitting the rev limiter with a very sudden and sharp cut of power. The odd thing is, it occurred at 4k rpm; nowhere near our motor's 7k redline. After continuing to drive the car (no CEL), the motor kept hitting this "rev limit" at a lower and lower rpm until it literally lost all power as I crossed the Tappan Zee bridge. One moment I was doing 60mph in 6th, and the next the car started to slow (the rev's dropped even though I pressed the accelerator more and more). It got to the point that I was flooring the accelerator with zero response from the motor.

Fast forward a bit: I had the car towed to the dealer from whom I bough this 2004 S4 two years ago. It was a CPO car with only 21k, but now it has just under 50k on the clock. After looking the car over, I received a call on Wednesday saying the car was ready to go. All that hassle was caused by two broken connector pins. Frustrating, but understandable knowing just how electronic dependent our drive my wire cars are. Driving back to my home (I now live 35 miles from the dealership), the problem replicated itself rather suddenly. I took the exit ramp near my home at a good clip (its a great "s" turn that I love to take at 65mph or so), and going into the second set of turns, I got back on the throttle (2nd gear from about 50mph at this point) and at 4.5k or so the power cut again - very suddenly. It was as if I stomped on the brakes midturn, and as a result, the rear end floated around slightly. I called the dealership very frustrated, and brought the car back the next morning (Friday). I made sure to keep the car running when I got there to replicate the problem for the service writer. After she got in my car and showed her the symptoms, I was fairly confident they could figure it out. I explained it happens most noticeably under heavy throttle, but that it will loose complete power when on the highway if you drive the car for enough.

I was told on Friday afternoon that the car was ready, but that they wanted to keep it until Saturday to make sure it was truly fixed; the couldn't replicate the problem despite numerous test drives. According to their shop foreman, they could not find anything wrong (not injectors, as I postulated, nor coil packs; those we're replaced 2k ago!!). Instead, they updated the ECU per a TSB for cold start issues (after I explicitly mentioned this was an issue AFTER you've been driving the car for a while!!).

Being busy with work this week, I haven't driven my car at all. This morning I left early for an appointment in NJ 60 miles or so from my home. 40 miles into the drive (all highway, very sedate driving), the problems starts up again. I called the dealership very frustrated, and they suggested that I drive the car up ... again. I made sure they had an Audi loaner for me after I was left driving a Suzuki SUV all weekend. I hate to be a pre-Modonna, but I don't think that's alot to ask when you've had to deal with a repeat problem, and the inconvenience of having to drive back and forth to a dealership for the same problem THREE times.

When I arrived at the dealership, I made sure the foreman came with me this time. With my gf and my puppy in the back seat, I took him through 1st-3rd gears, shifting at 5k or so. Hard driving, but not flogging. I was really hoping to show him how violently the power cuts. And of course, it did, as requested.

The dealership hooked me up with a loaner, and because I didn't have a copy of my license with me (I lost my wallet a few weeks ago, and a new copy takes several weeks to arrive), I had my girlfriend present hers. We singed for the loaner and drove home, only to get a call from the dealership ten minutes later that they needed my license for me to drive. I explained to the receptionist that I understood, and that my girlfriend was driving. She hung up. Another 2 minutes later, the service writer calls telling me I have to bring the car back; since my gf doesn't own the car, she can't drive the car. I suggested that because I was amazingly inconvenienced at this point, if it is truly such an issue hey can pick up the car at my home, as I just want to get home (I was midway home at this point, but I understand how litigious our society is). At this point, it was just as far to go home as it was to go back to the stealership!! She said she would call me back. 5 minutes later the owner calls yelling and screaming that if I didn't turn around right now, he would call the police department. I couldn't believe I was being yelled at by someone whom my family has bought three cars from in the last 6 years. And to be threatened with a call to the police no less ... while driving a car that we signed for!!

Needless to say I drove back to the dealership and returned the car. I promptly took my keys, and limped my car back home, not able to do more than 50mph on the highway with a CEL glaring at me the whole time. I certainly wasn't going to risk leaving the car there, and after this experience, I will never go back. I couldn't call for Audi Roadside, as the other local dealers had already closed without evening drop off as an option.

I'm bringing the car to another dealer tomorrow, but I'm shocked at how I was treated. I have been and will continue to be a life long Audi fan, but I will never again bring my car to Mohegan Lake Motors, and I certainly will not be shopping there as I consider my first RS4.

Has anyone had similar motor issues? I don't really care too much about the dealership issue; I'm convinced their business manners, or lack thereof, will be self prophesizing in the long run. But I want my car fixed!!

Thanks for letting me vent ...

Kenny

They were a bunch of fvcktards and very rude, I never went back.. I guess things haven't changed much since..

They were horrible..

I take my B7 S4 to Fairfield Audi...

ub2slw

sounds like a fuel pump/clogged fuel filter issue...set you a pm as well