Audi A4 Engine Problems

For a start, don’t drive the vehicle any farther or even start the engine. The car is trying to tell you that it has insufficient oil pressure to properly protect the engine, and continuing to run it will quickly destroy it (if it hasn’t already).

There are many reasons for a car to suffer from low oil pressure, including a too-low oil level, the wrong grade or type of oil, a failed oil pump or a blocked oil filter. Even an overheated engine can cause the oil to become too thin for the oil pump to be able to supply the required oil pressure.

It’s also important not to confuse oil pressure with oil level. The amount of oil in the sump can be perfectly correct, but the engine may still lack oil pressure. Have the car towed to a workshop and have the problem properly diagnosed.

Audi A4 engine oil changes are a critical part of life for this car, as its high-tech engine is complex and precise and will not tolerate dirty or old oil. But even though the engine is sophisticated, as long as you know how to change the oil correctly, it’s a great DIY way to save money for the home mechanic (oil changes are a major income source for the average service centre) and will empower you to tackle more maintenance jobs including, perhaps, a full service. The best advice is to buy a workshop manual and follow exactly the steps as laid out, but essentially, you’ll need to drain the old oil, replace the oil filter, renew the oil and dispose of the old oil in an environmentally acceptable way (many councils operate oil recycling stations). While not a challenging job for a mechanic, the Audi is a complicated machine with lots of components competing for space, so it’s possibly not a job for the completely uninitiated.

There are several things you need to know before even reaching for a spanner. Those include the type of Audi A4 oil you need, the specifications of the Audi A4 oil filter that will be changed as part of the process, and how often to change oil (often referred to as the oil-change interval). You also need to know precisely what year your car is as Audi varied specifications as the years rolled by. A 2007 A4, for instance, may have different specifications compared with one from 2010, or 2013. Even a 2011 and a 2012 Audi A4 had differences under the bonnet, so be very specific when it comes time to buying the oil and replacement filter. Don’t forget, too, that the A4 has used extensively both 1.8 and 2.0 size engines and, of course, a diesel option which has its own set of specific requirements when it comes to servicing. Again, the workshop manual and the parts interpreter where you buy your oil and filter are your friends. Knowing your car’s VIN can also be a big help in identifying what specific parts you need.

The correct Audi A4 oil type is (for petrol and diesel engines) a fully synthetic 5W30. You’ll need five litres for a diesel oil change and 5.2 litres for the petrol engine-A4. The correct replacement oil filter is a Ryco (or equivalent) R2748K for the petrol engine and an R2740P for the turbo-diesel.

I’d go for a fully synthetic engine oil with a viscosity rating of 5W-40. The turbocharged 1.8-litre engine in that model is a pretty hard-working unit and quite a complex engine, so frequent oil changes are critical to its longevity. The brand of oil is not so important, provided you use a quality brand and not the Brand-X stuff sold at supermarkets and some online clearing houses. Don’t forget to change the oil filter at the same time; putting clean, fresh oil through an old, dirty filter makes no sense at all.

At 1 litre per 1000 km your engine was already consuming too much oil, at double that rate of consumption it is way too much. VW/Audi engines have a reputation for using oil and need to be checked regularly to ensure you don't inadvertently cause damage by letting it run low. You could try appealing to their sense of goodwill and ask Audi to cover part of the cost of repairs, but as your car is seven years old I don't believe you have much chance of success.

It's possible that the chain broke due a loss of oil, but there are a number of possible reasons it could have happened. You won't know until it's pulled down and a mechanic can assess the damage and determine the cause. VW engines, that means Audi, are renowned for using some oil, but to determine if it is excessive you need to do a proper consumption test, which was about to be done when the engine failed. Your best option is to work with the dealer as they investigate the problem and take note of anything you're told by the dealer that might help you later on when you try to claim against Audi for the cost of repairs.

That's no great distance so it's fine for a while yet. If you feel like a change — but to the same size and style of car — take a test drive in the latest Mercedes-Benz C200. It's our current Car of the Year and a great choice.

No, I don't think it is asking too much given its age and low kays. What Audi has done by covering part of the cost is pretty much industry practice, but it's hard to swallow in some case when there has been such a catastrophic failure like yours. I would press your case, even consider taking it to the consumer affairs people in your state.

VW/Audi engines are known to use oil from new, but they usually settle down once the engine is run in. The rate of oil usage Audi has quoted you is about what you would expect. A litre per 1000 km is too much, however, and it would seem Audi accepts as much given they are prepared to do some rework on the engine. Have the work done as the company recommends and keep track of what oil is used after the rework.

It’s most unusual for a fuel-injected car to flood, but if it is flooding as you say I would check the fuel injectors, one or more could be worn and leaking.

The dealer is in the best position to determine the cause of the problem and rectify it. I wouldn’t be too concerned, even brand new cars can have problems, and hopefully yours will run reliably again once it’s repaired.