Oil cooler leak?

[SBAudi]

So I just bought an 1998 Audi A4 1.8T two weeks ago and I love it... yet I came up to Northern California a few days ago to visit for Christmas.. and the temps dropped below 20 last night.. well this morning I started my car and it dumped all of its oil on the ground.. I had to have it towed down to a shop.. and they told me it was the oil cooler O ring had blown and its about 200 bucks to fix it.. I just wanted to know if this is a common problem on the A4's and I was wondering if the cold weather had anything to do with it because the car is usually drivin in Southern Cali where the temps rarely go below 50.

[Affinitive]

HUH

The oil cooler O-Rings typically don't just suddenly "blow out"
The do have a tendancy to start leaking over time and progressively get worse.
It's more common to see the O-Rings leak suddenyl right after an oil change as the nut that goes between the filter and cooler have a tendancy to loosen over time every time the filters are removed.

Sounds like the oil pressure switch has failed..........which is very common, more common than the Cooler O-Ring. And very often times they just suddenly "Blow Out",............especially during such a sudden and dramatic temperature change. The pressure switch is mounted right above the cooler and it looks like the O-Ring leaks when the switch fails.
Call the shop back and tell them to take a closer look. 20 bucks says the switch went bad. Also make sure they use the right "colored" switch (should be a black one.....I believe)
Does this shop know what they are doing when it comes to Audi's and VW's???????

C

[lowandslow4now]

I had the same problem when I moved from Miami to Maryland last winter the oil coloer gasket went and I had an oil leak just buy one from the dealr and pull the oil filter and unscrew the nut on the housing and it comes out then replace seal put back together and you should be good I never had a problem after I replaced it. Good luck and excuse my grammar I have had a few too many drinks

[SBAudi]

got the car back from the shop today... ran me 200 hundred to fix but I didnt have the time or tools to do the job myself.. thanks for the advice though... I got it fixed at a foriegn auto specialty shop in town they do all the work on the the porsche, BMW, Audi's in town