grantaudi
11-18-2014, 09:19 AM
I recently took my 2007 1.8T A4 in for the following: when I got home, switched the engine off and locked the car. I immediately heard a noise which I identified coming from the starter. Soon after the noise disappeared. About an hour later I returned to the car only to hear the noise again. The following morning the battery was drained. The car was towed to Audi for repairs. They diagnosed the problem to be the bendix and that the starter had to be replaced. Now the story I got from Audi was that the bendix was corroded (?) and this was due to a coolant leak which was dripping onto the starter. The reason for the leak was that the coolant flange was 'bent' and had to be replaced. Incidentally, the flange was replaced by the same Audi dealership 12 months before but that's another separate battle! (It missed the warranty by a weekend!). The problem gets freakier from this point on.
As Audi diagnosed that the flange and starter needed replacement. While the 'corroded' bendix confused me, I authorised the replacement of both parts. I collected the car on a Friday and lo and behold, the very same noise is back on the Sunday i.e. what sounds like a spinning starter - this time from the new starter, when the car is off and parked for about 2 hours. I returned the car to Audi on the following Monday - they kept it for two days but could not find the problem. I subsequently took the replaced starter to an auto-electrician to bench test the starter, which was diagnosed as working - no mention of corrosion (and I can't see any either).
The above events occurred over a period of 10 days. This evening I returned home and lo and behold I pass the car in the garage and the noise is present once again - my son had driven the car about 5 hours earlier. After a short inspection, the noise what from what I think is coming from the starter disappeared. I say 'I think' because if it is not the starter then what other component in the same area could be the source?
While I have yet to receive a reply from Audi if the (a) checked the complete starter circuit and (b) only replaced the starter, their inability to diagnose the problem concerns me in that they either replaced a good starter in the first instance or frankly cannot fix the fault. Can anyone advise and guide me on this very confusing intermittent fault.
UPDATE: I returned the car to Audi on Wednesday and today they replied with an even more confusing reply: While they have yet to reply to my previous questions they reported that the bendix on the new starter needed 'high spot' on the bendix to be 'reworked'! I subsequently asked if they heard the spinning noise before the diagnosis - a reply has yet to be received. From my limited understanding of starters, the bendix is a mechanical gear driven in and out to mate with the flywheel - it has no electrical power other than the mechanical lever and spring connected to the solenoid. So how on earth can a mechanical defect on the bendix cause the this electro-mechanical problem of a starter suddenly running hours after the engine has been switched off. As I think this is a load of rubbish, I will be returning the replaced starter to be re-fitted for a full refund.
HELP!
As Audi diagnosed that the flange and starter needed replacement. While the 'corroded' bendix confused me, I authorised the replacement of both parts. I collected the car on a Friday and lo and behold, the very same noise is back on the Sunday i.e. what sounds like a spinning starter - this time from the new starter, when the car is off and parked for about 2 hours. I returned the car to Audi on the following Monday - they kept it for two days but could not find the problem. I subsequently took the replaced starter to an auto-electrician to bench test the starter, which was diagnosed as working - no mention of corrosion (and I can't see any either).
The above events occurred over a period of 10 days. This evening I returned home and lo and behold I pass the car in the garage and the noise is present once again - my son had driven the car about 5 hours earlier. After a short inspection, the noise what from what I think is coming from the starter disappeared. I say 'I think' because if it is not the starter then what other component in the same area could be the source?
While I have yet to receive a reply from Audi if the (a) checked the complete starter circuit and (b) only replaced the starter, their inability to diagnose the problem concerns me in that they either replaced a good starter in the first instance or frankly cannot fix the fault. Can anyone advise and guide me on this very confusing intermittent fault.
UPDATE: I returned the car to Audi on Wednesday and today they replied with an even more confusing reply: While they have yet to reply to my previous questions they reported that the bendix on the new starter needed 'high spot' on the bendix to be 'reworked'! I subsequently asked if they heard the spinning noise before the diagnosis - a reply has yet to be received. From my limited understanding of starters, the bendix is a mechanical gear driven in and out to mate with the flywheel - it has no electrical power other than the mechanical lever and spring connected to the solenoid. So how on earth can a mechanical defect on the bendix cause the this electro-mechanical problem of a starter suddenly running hours after the engine has been switched off. As I think this is a load of rubbish, I will be returning the replaced starter to be re-fitted for a full refund.
HELP!