Who has been successful with timing belt recall?

**Killerteve** · 09-09-2008 02:14 AM

As we all know by now, certain year B6's are eligible for free timing belt inspections and replacement by Audi. My car is sitting in the shop right now with a blown K04 awaiting the GT71r elim sitting by my desk when I realized, Audi is not going to want to replace my timing belt for free with a big turbo sitting on there. So now I ask, has anyone been successful so far in getting their timing belt done under recall? What mods do you have and did you reflash your ecu to stock etc? Did the dealer give you a hard time? I'm assuming it will work like other warranty issues where the failure has to be related to the modded part(which I'm assuming they say a chip would), but what about other bolt-ons like exhaust/tp and intake? I'm sure any answers to this thread will help more than just me. Thanks

-Trevor

**MikTip** · 09-09-2008 03:04 AM

Roll up into you local dealership, with your GT2871r!

The service manager will poop his pants!

As for the timing belt, its a scam by Audi to suck more money out of you!

They "know" you cannot simply change the timing belt alone.

All rotating components associated with the timing belt need to be changed as well.

Otherwise you risk a broken timing belt when one of the rotating components fails...

New timing belt requires a new tensioner. Guess who's paying for the new tensioner?

**Papachristou** · 09-09-2008 07:48 AM

mike has them figured out... plus a lot of people have taken them in and they offer to "try" to warranty it for you, but then they cant and have to charge you $400 to put your car back together so you can take it somewhere reasonable for since its already apart, they generously offer to replace the TB at a paltry $1500 and since you are already into them for $400+,,, you are effed

**dougyfresh** · 09-09-2008 07:56 AM

Errr... You're installing a 2871R Elim right now. The front end of your car is probably off. Spend the extra $300 for the timing belt hardware and be done with it. The added labor to do the timing belt now is negligble [compared to doing from the ground-up] since your car is apart.

From what I read in that TB documentation that came in the mail, its going to be very painful and difficult to get Audi to warranty any timing belt stuff since most people probably do their own work after 50k and will have a hard time producing receipts that Audi will deem acceptable.

At least I'm now in good terms with my dealer after all the work they did to fix my wheels and tires. The head service manager knows me and my car now and takes care of me. We had a good 15min conversation shooting the schit about cars and stuff. Both having come up through 1960's muscle cars. They take care of me now when I need stuff that is beyond my abilities (alignment, tire mounting, etc..).

**mxrz** · 09-09-2008 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Killerteve

Audi is not going to want to replace my timing belt for free with a big turbo sitting on there.

You seem to be misinformed; they will not change the tb for free period. Only the inspection is free. If they find out it needs to be changed, they'll be looking to you for payment, unless you get it done elsewhere/yourself. The only "work" Audi will do for free, other than the inspection is if they tell you it doesn't need to be changed, and it fails within the warranty period anyway. But the chances of that happening are slim to none. This is not a recall.

**AudiA4Turbo22** · 09-09-2008 08:51 AM

i sent my request in to cover my costs.

**Papachristou** · 09-09-2008 10:03 AM

dont hold your breath on that one!

**dougyfresh** · 09-09-2008 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by AudiA4Turbo22

i sent my request in to cover my costs.

Costs of what?

**Killerteve** · 09-09-2008 02:19 PM

Well this is all shitty to hear, especially since my tb was supposedly done at 70k before I bought the car, it wasn't... Anyway, Doug you're probably right about having it done during the BT/FMIC install but I don't know if I'll be having the shop do that, it depends if they let me help with the work for a lower price, I've already installed a turbo so that's not a problem and I wouldn't mind taking a stab at the timing belt, but where I live now I don't have a garage, not even a driveway, so there's not much I can do. I might have to take up CO_Avant on his "Doing all mechanic work in CO for half the price"!

**A4Dit** · 09-09-2008 02:41 PM

I don't know if I'll be having the shop do that, it depends if they let me help with the work for a lower price

Chances of that are slim to none. My father runs an auto shop and due to liability issues no one is even allowed past the service counter while work is being conducted.

**CyberPMG** · 09-09-2008 02:48 PM

Simple solution is to ignore this free timing belt gimmick. Countless of discussion threads here and on other Audi forums. For the 1.8T, it's best to have the full timing belt kit (timing belt, tensioner, water pump w/ metal blades) done every 60k to 70k miles. The 3.0 engine can have the job done every 70k to 80k miles (less stress on the belt).

**dougyfresh** · 09-09-2008 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Killerteve

Well this is all shitty to hear, especially since my tb was supposedly done at 70k before I bought the car, it wasn't... Anyway, Doug you're probably right about having it done during the BT/FMIC install but I don't know if I'll be having the shop do that, it depends if they let me help with the work for a lower price, I've already installed a turbo so that's not a problem and I wouldn't mind taking a stab at the timing belt, but where I live now I don't have a garage, not even a driveway, so there's not much I can do. I might have to take up CO_Avant on his "Doing all mechanic work in CO for half the price"!

Oh, I didn't realize you've got a few items installed yourself. I was under the assumption that the shop your car is at is doing all the work to install the 2871R Elim kit. I mentioned having them do it because when ASP installed my GT28RS kit last winter I had them throw in a timing belt kit (I was at 120k) while they had the front end off. Mark & Frank at ASP worked out a good deal for me (parts plus almost no labor) since they were already in at the engine.

Timing belt is easy, just time consuming to get to (have to pull the whole front end off). If you're over 70k and haven't replaced the original and are stepping up in the power game I highly recommend PMing Jordan and he'll treat you right. FTC isn't too far from Boulder. Just gotta drive your car up to his house.