Audi A8 2015 used non approved oil

Good afternoon all, and I hope I'm in the right forum. This has to do with my Audi A8, TDI, 2015. After the first 4 or 5 services, all of which were paid for at the time the vehicle was purchased, came time for the first "non covered" 55,000/mile service. Not enamored with the anticipated cost of having this done at the dealer I... I'm so embarrassed.. but I had it done at a fast oil change service. I presumed their software would have detailed what oil is required (507), but no. I have no idea what oil they put in it. But after about 1,000 miles the valves clicked and clacked, making me suspicious. So I want to the manual which is very specific in that "if absolutely essential, no more that 1 quart of a "regular diesel oil" (I don't have it in front of me and I don't remember the exact wording) can be added to top up." I have been informed that warranty can be voided it the correct oil is not used. So after some 5,000 with the "wrong oil" in the car, I had the dealer do an oil change (to be certain correct oil was used). Another 5,000 miles later, to be sure I had gotten every vestige of "wrong oil" out of the car, I had the dealer do another oil change. It has been a while now, and all valve tapping has stopped. Car runs great with 67,000 miles. Engine sounds great. Doesn't burn oil. My question. Has damage been done to the engine? I have an extended warranty up to 100,000 miles, and I would appreciate opinions so I can decide if I should keep it beyond that when it will be totally out of warranty or sell it before it gets to 100,00 miles.
Thanks.

Nah, no way any damage was done on 1 single oil change with the wrong oil.

Thanks, Xadzer.

I'm surprised that you kept driving on the mystery oil for 4k miles after getting valvetrain noises. You're probably fine, hopefully it wasn't some 0w20 they used at the quicklube place.

^^lol
i dont think a Xw-20 oil is a usual oil to use. looking in a store i still see an occasional quart of conv 5w-20. not many used any more.
probably a std brand of a gasoline 5w-30 grade oil.

so i have a question, cause the first time i read your post, and you say @~1k miles you heard valve clacking noise, and you left oil in till ~5k in total, whats up with that??? why didnt you run and change out that oil and put in stuff that would work??

by the way, if you happen to have a problem like this, or make a mistake like this. i know i have good engine oil flush. i cannt say whats regular engine oil flush sold at stores, its just i like higher-grade stuff. but to say, get a good engine oil flush, with engine already warmed up, at the place you want to change out the oil, put in flush, and let motor run, usually it calls for about 20mins. i vary revs(some) idle and varying revs to 2k for the time. then dump that oil. (change filter at the same time).
^you dont drive the car after you put a oil flush in.

He wouldn't need a flush in a car that new. The residual flush treatment would be counterproductive by thinning out the new oil. You're right that the OP likely got some cheapo conventional 5w30 at the lube place. But, we'll never know. Xw20 are also VERY common oils these days.

First mistake was going to the kwiki lube.

Second was going to the dealer to get it changed. Now Audi has documentation that the wrong oil was likely used.

If the heater or a rear wheel bearing goes out they'll probably deny the claim.

^yea i was reading his post, and he says the dealer warranty may be void for using wrong oil, then i see he brings same problem to dealer to change. i thought it was kind of funny. they didnt let you know if they documented the possible warranty violation?
its like id do the oil change myself to avoid the dealer knowing. but then you d have to use the right oil and a filter thats acceptable.

turbobrick240 said:

Xw20 are also VERY common oils these days.

Click to expand...

yea, lately i ve seen 0w-20 synthetic oils on the high-grade market. i donno may be more std/common brands in stores. industry engineers getting more and more advanced. and a 0w-20 is bound to have certain superior aspects to even a 5w30 oil, syn. what they are turning out on the market is bound to be more complex than a few years ago, and much tighter tolerances.
i ve seen a diesel oil 15w40 thats a synthetic, high-grade brand. i didnt look at the product information, as im not running a diesel that will take that weight. im sure its quite superior. ie operates ok in cold, very cold weather.

Misfueling, using the wrong oil and such should be handled as much as possible outside of the dealer network by knowledgeable mechanics. Maybe even using generic terms to describe what was done. Drained and cleaned fuel tank instead of filled with gasoline and drained and filled with diesel and such. Oil change instead of customer used the wrong oil and replaced. These things also tend to show up online now such as carfax and such. Think then act.

To all, thanks for all the comments (even though some were not complimentary). For clarification purposes, I have no idea what oil Jiffy whoever used. I had presumed it was correct, but as to what went in, no idea. I heard slight clatter of valves after a while, but wasn't sure it hadn't been there before. That's why I didn't change oil sooner. It's only after reading that Audi was very specific about the required oil, that I put two and two (jiffy oil and clattering valves) together. And as to the dealer having documentation that the wrong oil was used - no way. I'd have to be a fool to tell them. The manual states that if right oil is not used it can void warranty. So I knew. I just went in for an oil change. They have no idea. Anyway, I guess we are done, and thanks to all that helped.

i think the *contributors are all knowledgeable and trying to be helpful. some will get straight to the point.
i think some of us as diesel owners and have been in diesels for years, can be maybe possessive about what we re doing here. its really rather basic, kwiki lubes arent usually good, and especially for diesels.
i dont think a kwik oil service or even jiffy use 'spec sheets' or software, you d be lucky if they are even interested in the correct oil for your car, not to say, they have little or no aptitude in diesels.<*.
if you happen to go, or need to go to an oil change place. i dont know what to tell you. but to say you bring your own oil and filter as well. that doesnt mean they put your stuff in. before you leave the shop check that its your filter they put in, harder to tell about the oil.

or just do your own oil change, takes less than 20 minutes. I have some wooden ramps that are about 8 or 10 inches tall that I drive up onto, then its just a matter of sliding under the car with a drain pan and loosening the bolt. May as well grease your joints while you're under there too. I know that everyone likes their different oils but I buy amsoil euro synthetic for vw 505.00 spec.

iluvmydiesels said:

before you leave the shop check that its your filter they put in, harder to tell about the oil.

Click to expand...

The oil filter in my 2015 is upside down, accessed from the bottom of the car. No idea about the Audi, but imagine it's more similar than different.

z14ben said:

I know that everyone likes their different oils but I buy amsoil euro synthetic for vw 505.00 spec.

Click to expand...

That's the correct spec for some of our older TDIs, but isn't sufficient for the newer ones like the person who started this thread owns. While you probably know that, it strikes me that others reading it as advice might not so it bears mentioning, imo.

bizzle said:

The oil filter in my 2015 is upside down, accessed from the bottom of the car. No idea about the Audi, but imagine it's more similar than different.

Click to expand...

dooh!(need a banging head against a wall)
im soo into my old cars!!, oil filter goes in up from bottom, you can see with hood open. good point.

You guys are all great and thanks to all. Right now car is running like a top. 5,000 into last oil change, and according to electronic gauge, down a smidgeon. No clattering of valves. Car has a few miles short of 70,000. I'll report back when we approach 100,000. Thanks again.

There's a reason I generiacly call oil change places / non TDI places "Iffy Lube".... Just saying...

bizzle said:

The oil filter in my 2015 is upside down, accessed from the bottom of the car. No idea about the Audi, but imagine it's more similar than different.
That's the correct spec for some of our older TDIs, but isn't sufficient for the newer ones like the person who started this thread owns. While you probably know that, it strikes me that others reading it as advice might not so it bears mentioning, imo.

Click to expand...

If z14Ben is putting that into the 2000 Jetta , it's fine. If he is putting it into a CR 2.0L TDI from 2009 and newer - it isn't - the newer ones specifically need the VW507 (Vw shops have been known to call it VW504 on invoices - which is usually fine, since they are usually listed as Vw 504/507).

The correct oil to use in the '15 TDI is to protect the DPF from clogging. It has nothing to do with the internals of the engine, flushing will not fix the damage done, if any.