2013 A4 manual transmission - warranty help

[geforce]

Hey all, new to the community! Just bought a second-hand 2013 A4 a few months ago. Looking for some help in dealing with the warranty and the dealership.

My car is still covered under the original 3 year warranty. It's only got around 12,000 miles on it.

I've read some posts here where some people have had manual transmission problems similar to mine and were successful in claiming it through warranty. I brought my car into my dealership and asked them to check out my transmission issues (clutch shudders when engaging in first gear). Before they even looked at my car, the service advisor said that the transmission is a wear item, so it's not covered under warranty.

I tried to explain that my car only had 12,000 miles on it so it shouldn't even be close to the point where the transmission should normally be worn down. The advisor said (a little arrogantly, I might add) that it doesn't matter, even if the car only had 1,200 miles or 120 miles, it still wouldn't be covered because it's a wear item. I tried debating the issue a bit more, but he wasn't budging on his stance.

I ended up just leaving because he wanted to charge me just to inspect the transmission because out-of-warranty inspections also would cost me money.

My question is - should I even bother arguing further? Am I stuck having to pay for the repair myself?

[Tim R.]

Welcome to Audi service! Not an unusual experience. The local Audi service dept here is terrible. Luckily I have an awesome Audi shop to do my work.

He is likely referring to the clutch which is a wear item and can be badly abused in short time. I would search these forums for the word shudder to see if anyone else has had this experience.

Also cannot hurt to call AoA to see what can be done.

[jmeenach]

Welcome to Audi service! Not an unusual experience. The local Audi service dept here is terrible. Luckily I have an awesome Audi shop to do my work.

He is likely referring to the clutch which is a wear item and can be badly abused in short time. I would search these forums for the word shudder to see if anyone else has had this experience.

Also cannot hurt to call AoA to see what can be done.

+1

[Project Quattro]

It isn't uncommon, based on browsing the forum since I got my 6MT. This specific transmission seems a little more finicky than other manuals I've owned and driven, and mine shuddered occasionally when I was new to it but that went away as I got used to the car and it got used to my driving style.

[AllroadCorbin]

It isn't uncommon, based on browsing the forum since I got my 6MT. This specific transmission seems a little more finicky than other manuals I've owned and driven, and mine shuddered occasionally when I was new to it but that went away as I got used to the car and it got used to my driving style.

If you want finicky try driving a Saab MT haha


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[JeriQo]

i would report that dealership to AoA.
your cars still under factory warranty.
they didnt even bother checking your cars VIN?? thats ridiculous.

[petraman]

Blip the throttle more and let the clutch out quicker. Fixed the shudder for me. Still rears its head from time to time, but it's nowhere near as apparent.

AoA gave me the same shit... Even though I noticed it the first day I brought the car home. Certified my ass...

[elscotto80]

Thats some terrible service. I had mine in (2010) for the grainy/squeaky clutch pedal which requires the trans to be dropped to replace the pivot arm and a few other things associated with the clutch. There is a TSB for it and mine was covered under the factory warranty. It did take a few visits to the dealer to finally get them to diagnose it right. Good luck, try another dealer.

[petraman]

This issue feels more like a warped flywheel than a grainy feeling. Unlike a warped flywheel, it comes and goes

[geforce]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I ended up calling Audi of Canada (I'm Canadian :)

I got a similar response from them as I got from the dealership - transmission (not just the clutch, I asked) is a wearable part, so it's not covered no matter how little mileage, unless it's proven that it was caused by a defect. I asked how I can prove it's a defect, and their response was for transmissions, there's no way to tell for sure unless it's taken apart. So essentially, the dealership could take the transmission apart and if they found a defect in any of the parts, they would cover everything. If no defect was found, I would have to pay for everything.

Sounds like an expensive gamble to me...

I guess I'm stuck with what I got until the tranny completely goes. Not a good start to owning this car :(

[jmeenach]

That's bullsh*t. Per Audi's website, here is what has been listed under covered items:

Manual transmission - gearshift lever, gearshift block, gearshift cable, transmission housing, transmission mounts, internal shift rods, internal shift forks, main shaft, all internal bearings and bushings, all synchronizers, all gear sets.

Doesn't list clutch, but that makes sense, as you could wear one out fast if you don't know what you're doing.

[rob_23]

I had my clutch and transmission replaced under warranty free of charge.

They put a scope in and inspected the clutch disc for wear. There was none.

I then had them drain the transmission fluid and it had metal shavings in it.

They concluded that the gear forks must be causing some issues because the clutch disk was fine and not contributing to the metal shavings that were found.

This course of action might help you prove a manufacturer defect.