# 2012 Audi quattro - Needs pistons **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** audi\ **Created:** [October 25, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208 "2021-10-25T14:54:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EddieGrier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b38774/32.png) [@EddieGrier](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EddieGrier)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/1 "2021-10-25T14:54:42Z")
Pistons need to be replaced ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/2 "2021-10-25T15:28:50Z")
are you asking or telling us? ---
**Author:** ![SteveCBT](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevecbt/32/3192_2.png) [@SteveCBT](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveCBT)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/3 "2021-10-25T19:35:18Z")
OK thanks for letting us know. How did you come to determine it needed new pistons? When will you take it to a shop to get if fixed? ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/4 "2021-10-25T19:35:21Z")
> [@EddieGrier](#): > > Pistons need to be replaced That’s too bad it’s going to be expensive. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/5 "2021-10-25T19:37:08Z")
How do you know? ---
**Author:** ![EddieGrier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b38774/32.png) [@EddieGrier](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EddieGrier)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/6 "2021-10-25T20:01:59Z")
after spending $3,000.00 for bad oil leak and and new timing chain! Our oil light came on 4 days later.The dealership said they just needed top off the oil it must have been missed after repair. However less than 300 miles later the engine was 2 quarts low and it would require new pistons and rings? From what i can find Audi has known about these problems and just want to sweep it under the rug! ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/7 "2021-10-25T20:16:47Z")
Ok, 9 year old car with how many miles? And unknown maintenance history? With an unknown model and engine option. My 2014 Audi doesn’t use a drop of oil and it has never given us a moment of trouble. You came to vent. OK. Fine. There is nothing we can do for you but vent away, just keep it civil. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/8 "2021-10-25T20:19:27Z")
call corporate office. its in your manual. the squeaky wheel sometimes gets the oil. ---
**Author:** ![EddieGrier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b38774/32.png) [@EddieGrier](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EddieGrier)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/9 "2021-10-25T20:23:53Z")
2012 Audi Q5 86,000 miles bought from same dealership that has preformed all service work from day one. Thanks for the number i appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/10 "2021-10-25T20:38:59Z")
There is more to it than just dropping in a new set of pistons and rings. There are also questions. What kind of oil change regimen has this car seen both as to time and miles? Based on low miles for the year I assume a lot of short hops. How often do you raise the hood to check the oil level? Oil usage due to rings is almost always caused by extended oil changes, running the engine chronically low on oil, or overheating. Regarding the piston situation I mentioned initially this should be considered. If the cylinders are out of spec both as to egg and taper then new pistons/rings may not work well because that would be putting round parts in oblong holes. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/11 "2021-10-25T21:14:19Z")
Yeah, this is definitely a situation warranting slowing down, and getting a 2nd or even 3rd opinion on. If the engine has been damaged due to neglect (infrequent oil changes, etc.), then that needs to be considered as well. I’d even go as far as saying… what is the price of oil vs repairing/replacing the engine? Meaning, it may be cheaper just to keep the oil topped off. And for what it’s worth…no manufacturer is going to “help” you much on a 10 year old with oil usage problems. Again, I’d get another opinion or two before doing major engine work. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/12 "2021-10-25T21:59:50Z")
Bad oil leak could be rear main seal. Remove trans to fix it? Replace timing chain? might have been better to pull motor to fix rear seal and timing chain. And pull head to replace pistons. Now, you get to do a major job again? I say bad karma. Sell it. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/13 "2021-10-25T22:05:09Z")
> [@EddieGrier](#): > > The dealership said they just needed top off the oil it must have been missed after repair. This could damage the engine. What did the offer for the repair? are they going to do it at their cost? Continue having a civil conversation with dealer management and try to get them to pay for the repair. There is likely not much Audi corporate can do for you in this case. For a job this expensive, you might need a lawyer. Don’t threaten the dealer though. That will shut them up completely. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2012-audi-quattro-needs-pistons/180208/14 "2021-10-25T23:22:29Z")
If the engine was ever run with the oil 2 quarts or more down, even for just a few miles, that could indeed damage the pistons. Newer cars seem to use oil at a pretty high rate, like one quart per 750 miles. That means the oil should be checked at least every 750 miles, which isn’t what most owners do. Checking every 2 or 3 thousand miles used to work ok, when cars used oil at appx that rate. But that isn’t sufficient on many newer cars. It’s hard to blame the manufacturer if the oil is checked as frequently as it should be.