Captain Tuttle

Today, debris punctured the intercooler radiator and all the coolant dumped out of the system. Warning message came on immediately and I pulled off the interstate. Temp gauge never went above normal even when maneuvering the car on/off the flatbed.

I knew about the following DIY thread and even have the mesh sitting in the garage but did not install it previously.

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...errerid=164787

Thoughts:

• New S4 owners: don't delay; do this mod - this WILL happen to you.
• Audi roadside assistance is First Class. The whole process was seamless. One call to the 800 number and the flatbed was there within 30 mins. Drove me and my car 70 miles from NJ to my dealer in PA.
• Knopf Audi in Allentown handled the situation professionally and went above and beyond to ensure my complete satisfaction.
• My car is under repair and will be ready by Friday. Until then, brand new Q5 as a loaner.
• I am having the OEM screen installed by the dealer.
• Then I am installing the DIY mesh mod for good measure.

Audi should include the OEM screen from the factory with such an open design. The design is actually flawed as is.

Anyway, lesson learned - and a warning to anyone that has not done this yet.

aris4n

Sorry to hear about the damage

Where on the intercooler radiator was the damage?

The Audi made intercooler radiator protection piece only covers the bottom and I wanted to know if it would have possibly stopped the damage to your S4.

DrGP

Had the same problem last May. Happened in Valley Forge. Unfortunately, my experience with the towing company that Audi employed was not so good. BTW, my car was also towed to Knopf. They had the car repaired in a day. $460 out of my pocket.

Captain Tuttle

Inside of the trapezoid shaped grill opening, below the horizontal cross beam, driver side. Hard to explain but if you look at your grill from the front, you'll see what I mean.

It was a tiny ding. Not like a crater or anything. I don't think it takes much to cause damage. Re: the Audi OEM screen, if the debris is small enough and hits between the plastic ribs, I suspect you could still have catastrophic failure. That's why I am doing the DIY mesh mod as an extra measure. Even then, there is a chance it could happen again. Not much you can do more than that.

But the fluid evacuated fast and completely. Makes a mess of the lower engine compartment.

I just had the car detailed two weeks ago too.

helix139

What are you talking about "only covers the bottom?" It clips directly to the forward face of the ICR and covers the whole thing. The intercooling radiator is only in the bottom half of the grill. There is another behind the driver's side fog light but thus far nobody seems to have had a puncture of that one.

If the debris is small enough to fit between the OEM screen ribs, It's highly unlikely to have enough mass or velocity to cause catastrophic damage.

zulujams

Not sure if true, but someone posted here or on AZ that the ribs of the screen as you call them cover the tubing inside the intercooler that contain the coolant. If so, exposed areas would only be the fins.

Captain, sorry to hear. I'm glad that you're taking the added steps now.

EF99

That would make some sense since covering the fins defeats the purpose of the fins. Still, seems the snap-on factory cover blocks a lot more cooling air than the DIY screen method.

When I did mine, I used 2 layers of 1/4 screen, offset and screwed together so that it is effectively 1/8" screen (I couldn't find 1/8" screen at local stores).

ilspazzaneve

Not to add anything constructive, but at this point, having read so many threads on this, I'm quite embarrassed I haven't done either the OEM nor the DIY mesh yet. I'm surprised you even posted about it, I'd feel too stupid at this point to post if it punctured.

Anyone reading this should also be just as embarrassed if they, too, haven't yet done it.

Why isn't the DIY thread a sticky?

Captain Tuttle

I got lucky that it happened in broad daylight, 30 seconds from the off ramp to my office and Audi/Knopf are handling it better than I could have expected.

KSYC

Is this an issue for the 2013 MY?