I have an Audi A4 with 68,000 miles on it. I recently brought it in to the Audi service center with a complaint of hearing a mild ‘throttling like’ sound every time I lift my foot from the accelerator. It is not very loud and tends to be heard more obviously at low speeds, perhaps because the engine sound is not as loud at lower speeds.
I was told that I need a new turbo assy estimated cost - $1300.00. The service manager said that it sounds as though a peice of carbon that broke off from the exhaust may be banging around in there and has probably caused some damage. Therefore the turbo needs to be replaced.
Any thoughts?
On the offchance this is a misdiagnosis you might consider the possibility of a heat shield rattle on the exhaust. These kind of rattles can vary greatly in intensity, range at which they occur, and may even come and go at times.
I’m having a hard time seeing a piece of carbon banging around in there but I could see a damaged turbocharger impeller if this were to happen. At 1300 dollars I’d want a guess to be at least somewhat accurate.
At this point, my feeling is that the diagnosis is a bit shaky but without car in hand it’s impossible to say.
I am gong to guess the intake is getting carboned up and may need cleaning.
In any case I suggest you stop by the tdiclub.com and tell us and them what year A4 you have. They may even have a trusted Mechanic in your area. This is the place for all things TDI.
Don’t commit to that repair without checking it out first.
Find a VW and or Audi specialist independent shop get a 2nd opinion.
The turbo should be inspected before jumping to full replacement. It is obvious by hand when something is wrong with them. Your sound description could be a (slight) leak in the plumbing however it really vague.
Thank you so much for your reply and valuable input re: my 2004 audi A4. I will definitely seek a second opinion somewhere. We live in a rather remote area where there is only one audi dealer, however, it will be worth it to travel a few hours away to do this to eliminate any uncertainties. Thank you again…
Thank you so much for your reply and valuable input re: my 2004 audi A4. I will go to the tdiclub.com and post the same to thm. It would be great to know if there are other mechanics in my area that know audi’s. We only have one dealer in our area (a great service department but I still feel the need to be certain about this before I commit to $1300 especially since they really do not seem to know for sure that it is the turbo because they cannot get into in until it is actually removed I guess.) I so appreciate your help!!!
Thank you so much for your reply and valuable input re: my 2004 audi A4. We only have one audi dealer in our area and I have been pleased with the service department but I appreciate and now agree with your assessment that I need to be certain about this before I commit to $1300 … Especially since it sounds like they really do not seem to know for sure that it is the turbo because they cannot get into in until it is actually removed. I so appreciate your help!!! We live in a rather remote area but it will be worth a long drive to try to find another mechanic that works with audis. I was also told that at bout 75,000 miles I will need a timing belt at the cost of $1000.00. I have had a good run with my Audi but now am thinking “should I keep this car or trade it in while I have relatively low mileage?” I love this car but perhaps my luck is running out!!!
I would add that heat shield rattles are common with many makes of cars. It’s not an Audi specific thing and you do not have to have this done by an Audi dealer.
Have a good independent muffler shop look it over first. Sometimes this can be detected when the car is on the lift by whacking the exhaust in various places with a rubber mallet or even a fist wrapped with a heavy rag. Any heat shield problem that may be present will often show up when this is done.
Thank you again ck!! It is good to know that I can to go to a local mechanic or muffler shop at least for starters. I will also share what you have noted about the heat shield possibility. The rattling sound is only as I lift my foot from the accelerator. Can a mechanic accelerate and listen to it while it is up oj the lift? I hope so because I do not think audi took it out on the road to listen for it. This so much great information in steering me and I appreciate your help!
If you sell it before the timing belt is replaced, the buyer will want the cost of the replacement deducted from the price. The buyer might want a 10% to 20% premium for the repair as compensation for his time and inconvenience. If you pay for the replacement, you might want to keep it since it won’t need another one until 150,000 miles. You are going to pay for it either way, so why not just keep the car if you like it? A timing belt is a maintenance item. I suggest that you don’t make this decision on the basis of maintenance.
Thank you for your thoughts. I do like the car, it has always run well, I was just concerned now that it is paid for, I will spend a ton of money just to keep it running. If replacement of the timing belt is a “given” for all audis at about 75,000 miles, I suppose it does not mean there is a problem with the car itself. Your input makes a lot of sense. Thx again.