Bomb replaced = new steering feel + a Good dealer in MI (long)

["Geoff Jenkins" <jenkinsg@pilot.msu.edu>]

Finally got a new bomb installed in the S4 yesterday. BTW: AoA dealers
apparently want to hear "pressure accumulator" and react strangely when you
go in and ask for a new Bomb. Almost an Inspector Clouseau sketch:

Me: "I need a new bomb for the S4"
Tech: "What sort of 'Bomb'?"
Me: "Zee exploding kind, you fool!"

Anyway, this has had a great impact on the steering feel, most notably under
hard cornering. Previously (servotronic is disabled) I'd have light steering
entering many turns, and then _suddenly_ it would firm up, in a single slug,
not progressively. Now, it's a much more progressive firming, and hence much
more communicative back to the driver.

While testing this (high-speed 8's in a bank parking lot) there was a sudden
"spang" from the engine bay, the red brake light came on, and I rapidly lost
_all_ power steering. Lo and behold, yellowy-green foaming liquid was
trailing from the engine bay. Note: you quickly get an idea of how heavy
3800 lbs is when the PS goes.

Well, I was pretty close to the local Audi dealer (Williams Autoworld,
Lansing, MI), and as I'd just parted with nearly $1k to them (new bomb, 15k
service, new SS brake line install, repl. of one solid brake line, various
sundry items), I thought I'd leave the key in their mailbox attached to a
"Car not fixed. Fix car." note.

They were long since closed, but I noticed noise from the repair bays. All
the mechanics were in, working on their own cars. I noticed my mechanic, and
he noticed me peering through the window [Note: it's Freudian Slip Friday, I
just had to re-type "peering" twice so as to get the 'r' in]. To cut it
short, in an hour I was away with new PS hoses, clamps etc, new fluid, plus
a check on all the other PS connectors (and replacing a couple of other
clamps), all gratis, and w/o the mechanic (Paul Barks) taking a cent from
Williams or me for the trouble.

However, having filled it back with PS fluid, we tried to make the sodding
red brake light go out. As that evil thing has so far indicated (at
different times in six months) the need for:

adjustment of parking brake
new rear caliper
new bomb

I no longer view it as a 'friendly' warning light, and I wanted to get the
bloody thing to go out. We tried pumping the brake. Light stays on. We tried
turning the wheel back and forth. Light stays on. We tried checking for new
leaks. Light stays on. We tried adding more fluid. Light stays on. We tried
running the engine up and down. Light stays on. An "Oh sh*t" expression is
just crossing Paul's face, when realization dawns. We try
_releasing_the_hand_brake_. Light goes off.

Now, I know it's de rigeur to be down on dealers, and of the others I've
encountered that'd be fair, but Williams has always been _very_ friendly,
reasonable and competent. They've also given me assorted free service,
advice, and on a bad day minor parts. They aren't as knowledgeable as the
combined intelligence of the list, but who is? Anyway, for service and so
on, if you're in Michigan, you could do a _lot_ worse.

Geoff