2013 Audi A3 DPF EGR warranty repair taking a long time.

[loukytdi]

Hi TDI folks--

I dropped off my 2013 A3 recently for a new DPF and EGR at a local Audi dealership. The check engine light kept coming on signaling Glow Plug 3, DPF and EGR. Since this is warranty territory I set an appointment with Audi. On the first trip to the dealership their techs took the day to confirm that my diagnosis was correct and wanted to keep the car, order the parts, and get it fixed. I only have one car and they couldn't offer me a loaner, so I took the A3 back and waited for the parts to get there. When they did, I brought the car back and they let it sit in the shop without working on it for another day, I expressed my displeasure about this and they told me they had been inundated with some A6 recall and would need to keep the car for awhile and work it in as soon as they could. After a lot of wrangling I was able to get a loaner (a 2022 Q5, not a bad car) for the time they have the car, but they've had it for three weeks now. Seems like a long time.

I'm pretty sure the parts are not that hard to get and the job shouldn't take more than a day. Am I wrong about this?

I think they are required to offer a loaner, but is there some limitation on how long they can keep a car without repairing it?

I do most maintenance myself, and I've been a diesel VW owner for the past 25 years so this is the first time I've dealt with an Audi dealership. They also want $200 an hour for shop labor, which is why I'll only use them for warranty stuff.

Any thoughts from the gathered wisdom of the tdiclub?

David Dillard
Louisville, KY

 

[tjg]

DPF and EGR is a few hours even for someone who's never done it before.
I've used the louisville Audi dealer before and they're not bad... I brought my A3 in back in 2020 for a weird stumble (via dieselgate warranty) and they gave me an A6 loaner for the few days it took to track down the cause.

 

[oilhammer]

Well they either had the parts or they didn't. Which is it?

They are supposed to provide a loaner, but as we've seen this has been spotty as dealers do not have an infinite supply of them.

I couldn't sleep at night if the only car I had to rely on was a 2009+ TDI. Warranty or not.

FWIW, I would not do a CBEA DPF while someone waited, either. Too big of a job, and it isn't like you can start on it just after it got driven in, either.

 

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

Warranty work Over 24 hr. VW is legally obligated to supply a loaner

 

[loukytdi]

I miss my ALH cars. Sometimes I miss the '79 and the '82 NAs, but they would rattle my fillings out. Not to mention the car would fall apart around the engine. All those disintegrated plastic trim pieces!

The Q5 loaner is nice, but I can't believe it's saving them money to put my repair off while I rack up a bunch of miles on one of their new cars.

Pretty sure they have the parts. I'm guessing they just had a bunch of higher priority stuff in front of me. I left the car overnight both times.

 

[oilhammer]

I love my ALHs. And my BHWs. And now my BEW. No warranty or loaner worries for me. I am fortunate that I have a place in the country to park everything (there are also a couple Transporters, a couple Ford trucks, because Missouri, and a smattering of other dubs in various states of resurrection, and my one trusty 1.8t Passat).