Audi A3 ESP/ABS fault

ademorris1979
ademorris1979 Posts: 4 Newbie
in Motoring
My 4 year old Audi A3 has developed a fault with the ESP. The light on the dash is on permanently. It has been diagnosed at the local Audi dealership and apparently i need a new ABS pump at a total repair cost of £1200. Having now done some research i can see this is a very common fault in VW's but i'm trying to gauge how many other Audi owners are out there with this same problem. Audi have offered me 50% 'goodwill' which i've refused and am pursuing full recompense. Has anyone had much success in getting compensation from Audi? Regardless of how i fair i will not buy another Audi just based on their customer service - it's shocking to say the least.
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Comments

  • darich
    darich Posts: 2,145 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Not that this is much help but ABS pump failed on my VW polo a few years ago when it was less than 40k miles and around 3.5years old.
    I got nothing from VW despite letters to head office so your 50% from Audi isn't too bad.

    Keen photographer with sales in the UK and abroad.
    Willing to offer advice on camera equipment and photography if i can!
  • neilmcl
    neilmcl Posts: 19,460 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    BMW's suffer from the same common problem, a failure in the DSC/ABS Hydro Unit, often just outside warranty at a replacement cost of over £1700, although there is now a fix rather than a replacement which has brought the price down. Generally if you had you car regularly serviced within the BMW dealer network, BMW have been willing to make a goodwill gesture of the cost of parts.
  • sassy_one
    sassy_one Posts: 2,685 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    OP, I would get a second option, simply as at the current times, garages tend to 'try' things on with customers that they think may not know much.

    Take the car to any widely known garage that does Bosch testing, get them to plug it into there computer and see where the fault code leads.

    It may be a simply case of a broken/loose wire or a sensor down, it's worth the extra £30-£40 for the code read when it may be a simple fix such as a wire or sensor compared to a £1200 bill.

    Good luck ;)
  • missile
    missile Posts: 11,684 Forumite
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Post Combo Breaker
    I have owned several Audi's and never had that problem.

    50% refund seems generous (to me) and I would suggest few manufacturer's would do that. I don't understand your, never buy another Audi comment unless there is more to your story?

    Replacing the ABS pump is a simple job and £1200 sounds a lot. You might want to get a quote from another garagre. Non-franchised garages might be cheaper.
    "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
    Ride hard or stay home :iloveyou:
  • hewhoisnotintheknow
    hewhoisnotintheknow Posts: 3,162 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    typical vag junk, very common


    get it sorted by them FOC and then vote with your feet
  • darich
    darich Posts: 2,145 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »
    typical vag junk, very common

    you may not like VAG cars but I don't think "junk" is an adjective you could use to describe them.

    hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »
    get it sorted by them FOC and then vote with your feet

    Great help.
    How does the OP manage this?
    I'm pretty sure there has already been a discussion and possibly even some written correspondence hence the 50% offer.
    Your advice would be most helpful on many boards where people are in dispute with companies - "get them to do it for nothing".

    Genius.

    Keen photographer with sales in the UK and abroad.
    Willing to offer advice on camera equipment and photography if i can!
  • neilmcl
    neilmcl Posts: 19,460 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    OP, can I suggest having a look on the many Audi forums out there. If it is indeed a common fault then you'll probably get better information than here on what the issue is and the best way to proceed. BTW, where you in contact with Audi direct when you got their "offer" or did it come from the dealership, also they would take your mileage into account as well as your service history.
  • Lavendyr
    Lavendyr Posts: 2,584 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    My OH had exactly the same problem with his 5-year old Audi A3 and it seems to be a fairly 'known issue' so I don't think they are trying to pull one over on you (although you may be able to get it fixed for less at a Bosch garage rather than an Audi dealer). His was under a warranty so was fixed for free under that, but from his experience looking into it, Audi tended to be more generous where there was a full Audi service history. Audi haven't admitted it as a manufacturing fault, but it seems to be pretty widely known that all Golf-based cars within a certain time period (not sure the exact details) potentially have this fault.

    Here is a precedent in case you want to wave it at your Audi dealer: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/caradvice/honestjohn/6936331/Honest-John-VAG-pays-towards-VW-Touran-ABS-control-unit-faults.html

    Specifically: "If car has been VAG maintained, VAG will meet 100 per cent of replacement cost. If not VAG will still help towards £1,500 cost of replacement."

    Hope that helps :)
  • ademorris1979
    ademorris1979 Posts: 4 Newbie
    Having done more research the defective ABS pump was only fitted to Audi A3's (04-08) out of the Audi range of vehicles. However it was also installed in VW Golf MK5's and Touran's, BMW 1&3 Series, Volvos, Mazdas just to name a few.

    To some a 50% 'goodwill' gesture may seem generous but i find it quite insulting. The sheer fact they offered that straight away acknowledges they are at fault by putting sub-standard parts in their so called 'high quality' cars. Whats more insulting is how they flatly deny this is a common fault despite the fact i've found at least 2 national newspaper articles on the subject.

    All my servicing and MOT's have been done by Audi and the car has only done 50,000 miles. That they say is the reason why i'm getting 'goodwill'. £700 out of my pocket doesn't equate to 'goodwill' in my eyes. 'Goodwill' would be sorting out their mistake at zero cost to me. My local Audi dealership have been a nightmare every time i have gone there; whether that has been to have a MOT or get other defects rectified under the warranty. There customer service is next to none existent and both my wife and I have had a gut full of being treated like mud. So combine v bad customer service with insulting my intelligence and add into the mix lack of faith in build quality. Unsurprisingly the end result is i will not be buying another Audi or probably any other VW related product. For me that is hard to say aswell because i genuinely do love my car and also many other Audi vehicles.

    Still awaiting a response from Audi UK on whether they will offer anymore
  • nitap2
    nitap2 Posts: 1 Newbie
    I have just had my audi serviced inc air conditioning and gearbox oil change. Now its making intemitant flapping noise on the passenger side. The dealer said they would charge me for a diagnostic test to try and find the problem. what can I do? they not willing to admit they could be at fault.
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