Extended Warranty Claim Help - Possible Denial Due to Prior Accident

[USAFS4]

All,

I currently have my 08 RS4 at a shop awaiting an extended warranty claims adjuster to show up and evaluate whether my cars A/C, which died, failed due to a prior accident. Accident was with prior owner. From pictures and repair report (done at Audi dealer), the accident was a low speed front end collision that did not intrude upon the front of the engine. They only replaced the front facia (grill/bumper), radiator, fans, and hood.

My question is: What does the adjuster need to show/prove that the condenser (claimed to be the culprit by shop) failed due to damage done by previous accident (occurred over 6 months, and +5K miles ago)?

I can't find anything on the interwebs describing the threshold needed to prove/disprove the denial of a warranty claim.

By the way the shop wants $3K to replace the condenser and evaporator. Some research I have done on here states that sometimes if there is no leak a shop may blame condenser failure, but it is the A/C door valve that fails, or possibly the pressure switch. Not sure if the shop ruled those out. My bet is they diagnosed the car without even removing the front bumper.

I'm praying the adjuster finds in my favor, but I'm preparing for the worst and trying to arm myself with knowledge.

Thanks.

[ven0m]

Some research I have done on here states that sometimes if there is no leak a shop may blame condenser failure, but it is the A/C door valve that fails, or possibly the pressure switch. Not sure if the shop ruled those out. My bet is they diagnosed the car without even removing the front bumper.

Sorry to jack your thread! I'm not from the US, so I'm not in term with your extended warranties and such.
But I have a question, if you could tell how these symptoms you described usually show? Does the AC completely stop, does the ECO light come on?

I'm asking because I had a collision last year and two AC lines were replaced at the Audi dealer. And when the guys were filling up my A/C, they put too much gas inside (instead of 400g, they filled the standard 600g for the A4). It was filled during the winter and in the summer the A/C didn't work - there was no light, no forced ECO. It just blew warm air.
I took the car back to the shop. The guys checked and there was only 135g of gas left inside, they filled it back up and added the UV colouring to check for leaks - they didn't find any leaks and for now the A/C is working.

Do our systems have any over-pressure valve, which would release the gas if the shop overfills it?

[USAFS4]

Not sure if you had A/C working after the repair, but mine did work fine for the six months after repairs. It gets hot here starting May so I've been constant using the A/C for at least 3 months.

As for the symptoms, one minute I have A/C. Then I stop for lunch, and when I restart the car I don't have A/C. The system only blows the ambient or hot air in any configuration, ECO on/off, defrost on/off, re-circulation on/off. The car had plenty of refrigerant pressure. But if I was reading the pressure gauge correctly it was showing possibly over pressured.

If the car will not be fixed by the warranty, I can only hope that the shop mechanics are either inept or trying to rip me off and the problem is truely that easy.

Can over charging the refrigerant cause any permanent damage?

[Mr Hyde]

All,
the accident was a low speed front end collision that did not intrude upon the front of the engine. They only replaced the front facia (grill/bumper), radiator, fans, and hood.

If they had to replace the radiator, and fans, in my book I would consider that more of a moderate speed collision than a low speed one. In my book, if the radiator, and fans had collision/crush damage, and not some fluke direct puncture from a protruding object, I would also say that the engine compartment was intruded upon.

If the radiator, and fans were damaged, are you sure the condenser wasn't replaced as well? There's a good chance the system may have been at least evacuated, and refilled for the repairs. These cars have issues with the pressure sensors, and I've heard of a few compressors being replaced as well. Before footing the bill for other parts, I would want to make sure those were checked as well, and parts aren't just being thrown at the problem.

[ven0m]

Not sure if you had A/C working after the repair, but mine did work fine for the six months after repairs. It gets hot here starting May so I've been constant using the A/C for at least 3 months.

As for the symptoms, one minute I have A/C. Then I stop for lunch, and when I restart the car I don't have A/C. The system only blows the ambient or hot air in any configuration, ECO on/off, defrost on/off, re-circulation on/off. The car had plenty of refrigerant pressure. But if I was reading the pressure gauge correctly it was showing possibly over pressured.

If the car will not be fixed by the warranty, I can only hope that the shop mechanics are either inept or trying to rip me off and the problem is truely that easy.

Can over charging the refrigerant cause any permanent damage?

I found this: http://www.achrnews.com/articles/910...ant-overcharge

And it concludes...

If the system is overcharged more than 10 percent, liquid can enter the suction line and get to the suction valves or crankcase. This will cause compressor damage and eventually failure.

At the time of the repairs the Audi tech overcharged my system by 50%. But when I noticed in summer that the AC isn't working it just blew ambient air. I took it back and it was refilled (the system showed the refrigerant level almost empty at 30%); it is working at the moment. So either there was/is a leak or the system somehow ventilated itself (if that's even possible?). I'm bothered by the thought of buying a new compressor from Audi, due to Audi damaging the original one.

USAFS4 can you report back how the problem was resolved, if it was just the pressure sensors or anything else?

[USAFS4]

I found this: http://www.achrnews.com/articles/910...ant-overcharge

And it concludes...




At the time of the repairs the Audi tech overcharged my system by 50%. But when I noticed in summer that the AC isn't working it just blew ambient air. I took it back and it was refilled (the system showed the refrigerant level almost empty at 30%); it is working at the moment. So either there was/is a leak or the system somehow ventilated itself (if that's even possible?). I'm bothered by the thought of buying a new compressor from Audi, due to Audi damaging the original one.

USAFS4 can you report back how the problem was resolved, if it was just the pressure sensors or anything else?

So the compressor was dead. As for why? The dealer did not elaborate on cause.

[ven0m]

So the compressor was dead. As for why? The dealer did not elaborate on cause.

That's not good. Sorry man.
Did you at least get it covered by warranty at the end?

[USAFS4]

That's not good. Sorry man.
Did you at least get it covered by warranty at the end?

Yes, but the dealer acted very shady. Service writer did not giv me any paperwork when I picked up the car. He said I do NOT get another 12mon 12k mile repairs warranty for the new compressor/work. And I have not received a survey email asking how my service experience was.

All of these facts scream that they replaced the compressor "off the books." I'm just happy it works. But they were supposed to replace the orifice tube and evaporator/dryer according to a TSB released by VAG requiring those parts be replaced. I don't know if they did it, and I have no paperwork to show if/what they did.

Very shady deal.