First impression of a fixed 3.0L TDI Gen 2

bhuizer

Well-known member
Joined
May 26, 2017
Location
Iowa
TDI
2014 Toureg TDI, 2014 Q5 TDI, Past: 2012 Touareg TDI, 2012 Jetta TDI
The Q5 is supposed to go down by 1 mpg, so I'm not surprised the Q7 goes down a bit more. The car is programmed to run at higher rpm when cold to get emissions components up to operating temps more quickly. Higher rpms would be expected to result in more fuel consumption. My Q5 has not been modified and in D mode it certainly runs at low rpms. It'll be interesting to see the rpms post mods. Interestingly, the 2016 Q5s are predicted to use less DEF after the mods.
I don't have many complaints about the fix on my Touareg, other than the way it holds onto gears like it's in sport mode when warming up. It's annoying when driving through town. Once it's warm everything is good, but I find myself putting it in manual mode if I'm driving around town and upshifting so it doesn't hold at 2500 rpm.
 

Franklosa

New member
Joined
Jul 3, 2011
Location
Virginia
TDI
2011 VW Golf TDI
Frank, to mollify those who say that the Touareg's MFD (display) cannot be relied upon to determine whether the vehicle's MPG has dropped, would you be willing to hand-calculate your post-fix mileage, either on your current tank or the next?

1st tank - 515.5 miles/22.754 gallons= 22.6 mpg
2nd tank- 532.7 miles/22.011 gallons = 24.2 mpg
3rd tank - 497.5 miles/21.619 gallons= 23.0 mpg
 

CarlUman

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2003
Location
SE Iowa
TDI
13 Touareg
13 Touareg with 70k updated 12/28

Dealer did great and filled the fuel tank too.
Best that I can tell so far (I have 30k of hand calced history) mileage hasn't changed. It's hard to say as we've had very cold temps here but I'm predicting no change or at least less than 1 MPG.

Basically the same as what other Touareg ownsers are describing on driving characteristics. If you have the Touareg, jump in and collect your money. I got the rest of my money in a few days after the appointment (it was all automatic based on the dealer doing their paperwork). I haven't seen anything from Bosch so now I need to get some info on how long that takes.

Just for informational purposes I drive about 50 miles/60 minutes twice a day and have an average of 27 MPG over the last 30k miles.
 

TouaregCryer

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
2013 Touareg Lux
That's good to hear about the mileage, especially sine we have the same make and model :) I'm pretty comfortable about it myself, although I haven't driven it all that much since the fix. Time will tell.
 

eddiek12

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Location
New York
TDI
Several..
Really bad transmission jerks

15 Q7, after the fix, I have really really bad transmission jerks around 30-50MPH, similar to the feeling of having SUPER BAD motor mounts and letting go and getting back on the throttle.
Really feels terrible for the car and makes the ridequakity crap for my passengers. It usually goes away after 10 min of driving, does anybody else have anything similar? Ive put about 5,000 miles on after the fix already so please VW, none of that "transmission will adapt itself" crap.
 

BarryT82

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2010
Location
Charleston, WV
TDI
‘12 JSW TDI
My Q5 TDI has the jerky transmission too. I feel it more in second and third gears. It was very harsh until the weather started to warm up.
 

TouaregCryer

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
2013 Touareg Lux
I agree. Although I haven't experienced your specific problem, I've had several problems fairly close to it (lurching, like it's running of fuel). I'm taking a 100 mile round trip tomorrow, a combination of expressway speeds most of the way, with country roads for a few miles. I'll report the results (including fuel mileage) as part of this thread.

And by the way, I fully agree that "it will fix itself" is growing very tiresome. I'm coming to believe that everything depends on the quality and expertise of the dealership doing the "fix". I strongly suspect that some of them aren't up to the task while others are, which might explain the varying results being reported here.

(I must say, though, that the vast majority of problems seem to be occurring with the Audis)
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
Just ran the the first tank of the 2015 A8L.

620.5 miles. 19.8 gallons. 31.32mpg. 60/40 highway/local. Didn’t know about pre-fix.

And the CEL came on and the dealer said it has a glow plug issue.
 
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MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
Just finished the first tank of the fixed 2014 Q5.

576.6 miles. 19.295 gallons. 29.88mpg. 60/40 highway/local.

Don’t know about the pre-fix number.
 
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Q5TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Location
US
TDI
Q5
Just finished the first tank of the fixed 2014 Q5.

576.6 miles. 19.295 gallons. 29.88mpg. 60/40 highway/local.

Don’t know about the pre-fix number.
That's in line with mine unfixed 2014 Q5. Going for the fix in about an hour. Will report back.
 

BikeMe

New member
Joined
Jan 8, 2018
Location
Los Altos, CA
TDI
2015 Audi Q5 TDI
Thanks MBQ. Your mileage sounds optimistic . . . any noticeable difference in performance? Engine noise? Etc?

I have a 2015 Q5 TDI and, quite frankly, I'm afraid to let Audi (VW) touch my car. :)
 

psd1

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Location
OR
TDI
2006 Jetta 2013 Passat SE 6Man
Audi/VW

1. 2014 Touareg TDI Exec 27K miles. Dropped off on Friday at 9 AM and returned repaired at 3 PM the same day. Vehicle fueled and washed and a multi point inspection completed. Nothing adverse noted upon pick up. Wife drove it 120 miles home at 73ish MPH on the interstate. Roads were wet and it was raining the whole way, no abnormalities noted. I topped the tank back up and recorded 23.7 MPG. The vehicle may have been filled prior to the repair and not certain if there was idling involved. this vehicle had averaged 27.3 MPG over the last 6K miles with a best tank of 31.2 MPG.

2. 2014 Q5 Prestige, 58K miles. Dropped off on Friday at 9:15 AM with a CEL that had previously been diagnosed as HPFP related. I was told to change fuel filter to clear CEL. SO when I dropped it off I provided them a new filter. Filter changed and CEL cleared. At 6 PM service guy comes to offer good news/bad news. Bad news is that the vehicle threw a glow plug warning light after repair and Audi wouldn't release it. Good news is that he has a 2018 Q7 waiting for me in the bay.

Still no word.
 

dyehead

Active member
Joined
May 11, 2017
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
2013 Q7 Prestige
Update: Audi has had my Q7 since last Weds.

They claim that this time an actual Audi engineer will come out to see it. I told them that the legal arbitration committee wanted to see facts and figures instead of "performs similarly" etc.

I have a '18 3.0 loaner, and my god. Going from my decimated '13 to the '18 is like a whole other class of car. This one doesn't feel like it needs to make any effort to go up any grade at all. I realize it's a lighter car but I figure the torque from my diesel should have made it similar to a more powerful gasser but it's just not even in the same ballpark. It didn't used to be this way before the fix.

I really think they messed with the fuel mappings and/or limit the power under 30mph somehow. That's where all of my issues lie.
 

Q5TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Location
US
TDI
Q5
Got my fixed Q5 TDI back last night. Zero perceptible difference in driving. My commute is about 35 miles. It was snowing here this morning, and perhaps I was not paying that close attention to the engine. Will do a hand calculation on fuel economy if I get that far. Working on various deals to sell/trade this thing and get into something new or newer.
 

2014Q5TDI

Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2018
Location
Vancouver, Washington
TDI
2014 Q5 TDI
2014 Q5 TDI Prestige S-line.
Had the fix done Thursday 1/25/18

The Good

1. Warms up much faster
2. Transmission shifts smoothly.

The Bad

1. Stays in lower gears until completely warmed up, and even then sometimes I can't use the paddle shifters. I have the gear selection enabled in the display so I know what gear it is in. Stays in 7th gear on my 8 mile trip on the freeway at 60 to 65. Maybe that will change when the weather warms up.
2. I have made this trip 5 days a week since the car was new. Always the computer would read about 33 MPG average once I get to work. Now it is 29. So it looks like I lost 1 mile per gallon off of the EPA rating PLUS the extra 3 to 4 miles per gallon that I am used to.

The only reason I had this done now is that I was at 50,000 miles and the warranty was about to end, and of course the $8800 from Volkswagen and the $1500 from Bosch.

I have a new F350 Super Duty 4X4 6.7 Power Stroke diesel pickup ordered. I was planning on keeping the Q5, as I don't want to use that as a daily driver. But now I think I'll trade it in.
 
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Q5TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Location
US
TDI
Q5
2014 Q5 TDI Prestige S-line.
Had the fix done Thursday 1/25/18

The Good

1. Warms up much faster
2. Transmission shifts smoothly.

The Bad

1. Stays in lower gears until completely warmed up, and even then sometimes I can't use the paddle shifters. I have the gear selection enabled in the display so I know what gear it is in. Stays in 7th gear on my 8 mile trip on the freeway at 60 to 65. Maybe that will change when the weather warms up.
2. I have made this trip 5 days a week since the car was new. Always the computer would read about 33 MPG average once I get to work. Now it is 29. So it looks like I lost 1 mile per gallon off of the EPA rating PLUS the extra 3 to 4 miles per gallon that I am used to.

The only reason I had this done now is that I was at 50,000 miles and the warranty was about to end, and of course the $8800 from Volkswagen and the $1500 from Bosch.

I have a new F350 Super Duty 4X4 6.7 Power Stroke diesel pickup ordered. I was planning on keeping the Q5, as I don't want to use that as a daily driver. But now I think I'll trade it in.
What are you using the F350 for?

I am actually debating getting a Chevrolet Colorado with a Duramax Diesel or a "new" 2016 Q5 TDI. My car has over 70,000 miles, so I want something with less miles for my daily drive. I am leaning towards staying in the Q5. I want/need the pickup truck functionality about 5 weekends per year, whereas I like the Q5 drive on my daily 35 mile commute each way.
 

az7000'

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
TDI
2012 Jetta TDI (gone), 2014 Passat TDI (gone), 2014 Touareg TDI (Amazing!)
1. 2014 Touareg TDI Exec 27K miles. Dropped off on Friday at 9 AM and returned repaired at 3 PM the same day. Vehicle fueled and washed and a multi point inspection completed. Nothing adverse noted upon pick up. Wife drove it 120 miles home at 73ish MPH on the interstate. Roads were wet and it was raining the whole way, no abnormalities noted. I topped the tank back up and recorded 23.7 MPG. The vehicle may have been filled prior to the repair and not certain if there was idling involved. this vehicle had averaged 27.3 MPG over the last 6K miles with a best tank of 31.2 MPG.
I would recheck after you filled it again, full on the gauge may not be the same routine you use to fill it... We bought a Sprinter Itasca Navion. The PO filled it for us but I hand calculated about 10mpg, after my fills I get 13 pretty routinely with a heavy foot and every trip involves returning to Flagstaff at 7000'. I get 16 leaving town!
I am actually debating getting a Chevrolet Colorado with a Duramax Diesel
Have you seen Chevy is coming out with a Silverado 1500 Duramax? I am looking forward to that one...
 

2014Q5TDI

Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2018
Location
Vancouver, Washington
TDI
2014 Q5 TDI
What are you using the F350 for?

I am actually debating getting a Chevrolet Colorado with a Duramax Diesel or a "new" 2016 Q5 TDI. My car has over 70,000 miles, so I want something with less miles for my daily drive. I am leaning towards staying in the Q5. I want/need the pickup truck functionality about 5 weekends per year, whereas I like the Q5 drive on my daily 35 mile commute each way.
Going to get a 5th wheel trailer and prepare for retirement in about a year or so. Plus I really miss not having a truck anymore. Should be here in about 5 weeks, so I have plenty of time to see if I can get used to the fixed Q5.Guy I work with bought the Colorado Duramax when it first came out. He likes it
 

Q5TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Location
US
TDI
Q5
Going to get a 5th wheel trailer and prepare for retirement in about a year or so. Plus I really miss not having a truck anymore. Should be here in about 5 weeks, so I have plenty of time to see if I can get used to the fixed Q5.Guy I work with bought the Colorado Duramax when it first came out. He likes it
I pulled the trigger on buying a 2016 Q5 TDI with 0 miles.
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
Thanks MBQ. Your mileage sounds optimistic . . . any noticeable difference in performance? Engine noise? Etc?

I have a 2015 Q5 TDI and, quite frankly, I'm afraid to let Audi (VW) touch my car. :)
There is noticeable louder engine noise during warming up.

The transmission map was obviously changed but the fuel peddle is still tight at least. Performance is not changed significantly to the extent of unacceptable, I'd say. The engine runs at greater RPMs(maybe 1k more) all the time.
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
1. 2014 Touareg TDI Exec 27K miles. Dropped off on Friday at 9 AM and returned repaired at 3 PM the same day. Vehicle fueled and washed and a multi point inspection completed. Nothing adverse noted upon pick up. Wife drove it 120 miles home at 73ish MPH on the interstate. Roads were wet and it was raining the whole way, no abnormalities noted. I topped the tank back up and recorded 23.7 MPG. The vehicle may have been filled prior to the repair and not certain if there was idling involved. this vehicle had averaged 27.3 MPG over the last 6K miles with a best tank of 31.2 MPG.
2. 2014 Q5 Prestige, 58K miles. Dropped off on Friday at 9:15 AM with a CEL that had previously been diagnosed as HPFP related. I was told to change fuel filter to clear CEL. SO when I dropped it off I provided them a new filter. Filter changed and CEL cleared. At 6 PM service guy comes to offer good news/bad news. Bad news is that the vehicle threw a glow plug warning light after repair and Audi wouldn't release it. Good news is that he has a 2018 Q7 waiting for me in the bay.
Still no word.
On point 2. I also have a A8L with the same CEL issue: glow plug. Service manager Text messaged me today that they'll most likely remove the cylinder head to see what is going on and Audi is heavily involved in this.

The car has been in the shop for over a month. First it was the dangerous broken floating bolt issue which waited for a long time for the brake caliper to arrive from Germany; second the emission fix; now it throws a CEL of glow plug issue.

Things are a lot slower than I expected/wished.
 

Q5TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Location
US
TDI
Q5
There is noticeable louder engine noise during warming up.

The transmission map was obviously changed but the fuel peddle is still tight at least. Performance is not changed significantly to the extent of unacceptable, I'd say. The engine runs at greater RPMs(maybe 1k more) all the time.
I am not disputing your statements. I have none of these issues. I was pleasantly surprised that my mpg readout on my commute home fir (35 miles of averaging 65-70 mph) showed mpgs of 32. y computer is not a lie-o-meter as some call it--it is generally only 1-2 mpg on the optimistic side.

I am trading my car in this weekend, and I will not have an extended opportunity to evaluate it post fix.
 

psd1

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
Location
OR
TDI
2006 Jetta 2013 Passat SE 6Man
On point 2. I also have a A8L with the same CEL issue: glow plug. Service manager Text messaged me today that they'll most likely remove the cylinder head to see what is going on and Audi is heavily involved in this.
The car has been in the shop for over a month. First it was the dangerous broken floating bolt issue which waited for a long time for the brake caliper to arrive from Germany; second the emission fix; now it throws a CEL of glow plug issue.
Things are a lot slower than I expected/wished.
Do you have a loaner, has there been any discussion on possible remedies if they can't repair it? This is a vehicle that I have chosen to sell and have an approved cash buyer. I'm not happy.

I have asked the service Manager to provide emails when he communicates with me so I have a verifiable timeline. To me, since these vehicles are under an extended warranty and they won't release them they should be eligible for Lemon law.

Maybe a new thread for folks with affected vehicles?
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
Do you have a loaner, has there been any discussion on possible remedies if they can't repair it? This is a vehicle that I have chosen to sell and have an approved cash buyer. I'm not happy.
I have asked the service Manager to provide emails when he communicates with me so I have a verifiable timeline. To me, since these vehicles are under an extended warranty and they won't release them they should be eligible for Lemon law.
Maybe a new thread for folks with affected vehicles?
My service manager would have given me a loaner if I asked. I have the other fixed A8L with a CEL in my hand.

No remedies were mentioned if they can't fix the glow plug issue. And the MPG is suffering greatly on the other A8L with the CEL on.
 
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