So.....I either busted a coolant hose or my radiator. Time to upgrade?

[Deckdout2]

Got in my car after work yesterday, and proceeded to back out of my parking space. Car yells at me and tells me to park and check my coolant level with a "Red" coolant symbol appearing in the DIS display. It's low for sure, but I make it home with no other issues with overheating or drive ability. I get home and park and go change before I try to go back and diagnose the issue. About 30 mins later, I come out and there's a huge pool of coolant in front of my car, pop the hood, and I can see the vicinity from where it is leaking. Looking down between the motor and radiator looks to be in the area of a lower hose on the right side of the radiator/intercooler, but I think I'm going to have to pull the under panel off at least to see what exactly it is (either hose or radiator). I'm also thinking that to replace/repair this part if it is indeed the hose, I'm going to have to pull the front end off again.

This sucks, as the car only has 5k miles and is a 2010. Anyone every heard, seen, experience this before? Water pump and thermostat recall was done on the car, I have all the APR performance mods, I don't know what could have caused this besides heat. I'm going to find out from Audi if it's covered under warranty today. Could it have been the gains from these mods that caused this? I'm thinking not as I would have heard/read about it already if so. My consensus is this, if I have to just replace a hose then I'll do just that. If there is more damage as in the radiator or intercooler parts, then I'll upgrade to the complete APR Coolant system. However, I don't think that the APR system was created to prevent this on a modded car, but to keep temps lower in the coolant system am I correct? How much pressure is going through that lower line for this to occur?

At anyrate, wondered if anyone on the forums had any ideas on this issue.

Thanks-

-Paramy

[helix139]

Busted intercooling radiators are not uncommon and the symptoms match yours. It's not a warranty item but considered "wear and tear" (yet for some reason there is an OEM protection screen available that comes on the A7). It's like $700 to fix if I remember correctly. If that is indeed the case, it's definitely a good time to go ahead and do the APR CPS upgrade as you'll save money if you plan to do it anyways down the road.

[Deckdout2]

Busted intercooling radiators are not uncommon and the symptoms match yours. It's not a warranty item but considered "wear and tear" (yet for some reason there is an OEM protection screen available that comes on the A7). It's like $700 to fix if I remember correctly. If that is indeed the case, it's definitely a good time to go ahead and do the APR CPS upgrade as you'll save money if you plan to do it anyways down the road.

Just spoke with Audi of Charlotte, and they said that it was a warrantied part, even though they haven't looked at the car yet. Audi Roadside is getting my car towed to the dealership at the moment. I'll give a heads up on what's going on.

[Deckdout2]

Welp, they called me back and said that this wasn't a warrantied part as helix mentioned. I canceled the Roadside and will tackle this myself. I hope it's a part that the APR kit replaces as if so, I will go ahead and perform the upgrade.

[Dr GP]

Busted intercooling radiators are not uncommon and the symptoms match yours. It's not a warranty item but considered "wear and tear" (yet for some reason there is an OEM protection screen available that comes on the A7). It's like $700 to fix if I remember correctly. If that is indeed the case, it's definitely a good time to go ahead and do the APR CPS upgrade as you'll save money if you plan to do it anyways down the road.

Dealer replaced mine for $450 + tax.

[Kandiru]

Build yourself meshwire grilles for upper, lower, and behind left foglight housing radiators.

There are plenty of DYIs on this here, still cannot believe Audi won't cover.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/368337-DIY-Protection-screen-for-intercooling-radiator

[GTSurgery]

Welp, they called me back and said that this wasn't a warrantied part as helix mentioned. I canceled the Roadside and will tackle this myself. I hope it's a part that the APR kit replaces as if so, I will go ahead and perform the upgrade.

The radiator is replaced with the APR kit. I would definitely install the DIY wire mesh screen after getting the APR kit.