Re[2]: Audi dealer has broken my car

[awoolhouse@zetex.com]

     Thanks for your response Daniel. My view is that you're right - 
     especially since there is no catastrophic failure - just what appears 
     to be a re-calibration of a single instrument.
     
     Last night when I went to pick the car up I suggested to the service 
     manager that the dashboard control electronics would be pretty 
     standard in terms of the hardware (I'm no expert but I understand 
     electronics). I put it to him that new, incorrect software had very 
     likely been downloaded into the system's EEPROM. He denied that this 
     could be possible but I really have no confidence that he was capable 
     of understanding the difference between a cracked windscreen and a 
     punctured tyre, never mind what an EEPROM is (I'm guessing that it's 
     an EEPROM - would make sense) was so I don't believe him.  Anyway. I'm 
     annoyed that the so called expert seems able to screw around with my 
     car, insult my intelligence with bullshit, offer no apology or 
     immediate cure and threaten to potentially land me with an invoice for 
     œ1000+. I shouldn't have to seek the advice of guys with real 
     experience like you to have a problem fixed which was caused by some 
     tenth rate 'engineer' who's just charged me œ200 for putting some oil 
     in my car.
     
     Anyway, thanks. I'll bear this in mind when I go to court to argue the 
     toss with the dealer.
     
     Al
     '95 2.6 A6
     '85 Q-UR1


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Audi dealer has broken my car
Author:  Daniel Jones <captaudi@ma.ultranet.com> at internet
Date:    04-09-98 12-25


 I can't believe the dealer is having problems with this.  The cluster has
a coding entered into it that specifies engine type and size,  market 
place(uk,us,germany etc) as well as several other functions.  It sounds 
like they changed the coding by accident with the 1551.  On the a4 we had 
problems with incorrect coding from the factory and the tach would read as 
yours.  If it's coded for a 4cyl or diesel etc,  the idle will read about 
1200.  Have them recode the cluster by the book,  and all should be well. 
Good luck.
     
Daniel Jones 86 4kcsq 261k
     
At 09:12 AM 9/4/98 GMT, you wrote:
>     
>     If you know anything at all about the rev counter on a '94 2.6 litre 
>     A6 then I need your help. It seems to me that even if you only have 
>     the intelligence of an mentally challenged amoeba and you had recently 
>     fallen out of a tree onto your head, you're probably still 1000 times 
>     more intelligent than the average Audi dealer in the UK. This is 
>     probably unfair to all the dealers with whom I have no experience but 
>     the three dealers where I have in the past had work done have all 
>     disappointed. I really have very little confidence in their ability 
>     but because the majority of the car buying public have misplaced trust 
>     in the franchised dealer network we are obliged to use them for a 
>     service so that we get that all important stamp in the book. In any 
>     case, what could possibly go wrong while you're changing the oil, 
>     filters and plugs? Well the dashboard electronics for one... 
>     
>     After 80K mile service the rev counter is registering too high an 
>     engine speed. The problem is with the counter, not the engine. The 
>     engine is NOT revving too high. Tickover is measured at 1200 - should 
>     be a little under 800. 70mph is measured at 5200rpm, should be about 
>     3200rpm. And so on.
>     
>     The dealer has now had the car for two days and cannot find the 
>     problem. It has NEVER happened before, only after this service. It is 
>     not an intermittent fault - the rev counter appears to have been 
>     permanently recalibrated. After being assured that 'it had nothing to 
>     do with the service because no electrical system was touched' I asked 
>     the dealer how come the trip & odometer was now reading in km and not 
>     miles. He explained that this was due to the dealer's diagnostic 
>     computer 'interrogating the dashboard electronics'. Hmmmm. Difficult 
>     to reconcile 'electrical system not touched' and 'interrogation of  
>     dashboard electronics'.
>     
>     The dealer looked at the car for another day. On picking up the car 
>     last night the airbag warning light is now illuminated. For every day 
>     the dealer has my car another fault appears to be created. He did 
>     reset the airbag warning light when it was pointed out to him however 
>     (but why should I be expected to have to point this out to him - 
>     whatever happened to pre-delivery inspection? It's a whacking great 
>     warning light after all, easy to spot!!!).
>     
>     I must emphasise that the car was in mint, faultless condition before 
>     the service and there's no way I can accept the dealer's assertion 
>     that these problems can happen randomly. Never had this, or any other 
>     problem in the last four years.
>     
>     Does anyone have any clue as to how the rev counter has come to be 
>     reading the engine speed incorrectly? I really would appreciate any 
>     advice because the dealer is talking about fitting a new ECU (very 
>     likely at my expense).
>     
>     Please help, the car is about to be taken back in to the dealer for 
>     more 'investigation'. Probably come back with no wheels and I'll be 
>     told that this is to be expected on a car that's done 80K miles.
>     
>     Thanks
>     
>     Al
>     95 2.6 A6
>     85 Q-UR1
>
>