AUDI A3 8P - COMMON PROBLEMS *BUYERS GUIDE *
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- čas přidán 6. 01. 2021
- If you are in the market for an Audi A3, this video will show you what to look out for before parting with your cash. I run through some of the main problems that this generation of A3 suffers with and some of the ways that you can go about fixing them.
All cars have problems so don't let this guide put you off buying one, but make sure to use it when the time comes to fix it!.
Comment down below any problems you've had or that I have missed to help everyone looking to buy one!
FOLLOW MY INSTA FOR UPDATES: mati_mcfetridge - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I live in Ireland and bought a A3 TDI two litre 3 door back in 2011. Still running great with 148k miles, and uses almost zero oil. Manual gearbox and the sport pack edition I think they call it. Its got the 17 inch 225/ 45/17 wheels. Wonderful driveability with that motor and handling and brakes are terrific.
Had mine 10 years, no issues what so ever except the rear wiper broke off due to my own fault and a couple of light bulbs. My last car before it, was also an Audi A3, but gas and not diesel. Sturdy cars both of them. I will stick to A3 forever :)
not quite no issues here coming up to 10 years but had a EGR error which audi fixed for free a few years back, but more recently had to replace 3 ABS sensors... to be fair living by the sea doesn't help as corrosion of wheel hubs was the culprit. But those asaide... been going solid as a rock, and that's with a TDI and mostly short journeys... just gotta stretch those legs every week or so
Other than expensive gas & breaklight leaks, I've had no problems.... Damn good car I've had it 2½ years.Bought it at 150,000 MI
Still runs like a champ....
I hope i will get my audi a3 in near futur , hope gods gives me capability amen
@@BirdFromYakiVegas is this the diesel audi a3 2.0 170 bhp
@@richj1629 no...2006 AUDI A3 2.0T fsi AWD 8P/BPY 6 SPEED
I've had my 2007 8P S Line DSG FWD for 13 years with 206K on the odo and still running strong. a few problems here and there but nothing major. The AC was always a problem but fixed that by replacing the compressor. Latch for the panoramic shade gets brittle overtime and always break. Having a catch can helps a lot with the carbon buildup. Overall, very happy with the 8P, reason why I still have it, and plan on keeping it as long as I can.
what is having a catch mean?
Hey Mati, I have a 2.0 TDI 170 sportback sport quatro. unused for 2 years after the dpf became fully plugged. I love the car and am starting to sort out all the jobs to get it back on the road, great Audi series you have created. New subscriber. Keep up the great videos!
Brilliant cars I've had mine 6 years with only maintenance costs
When you were talking about the arches, the camera angle made the car look absolutely stunning. Thinking about buying a 2005 A3 soon. Thanks for the video!
+FrickinDave haha cheers mate, they’re re good looking cars full stop, definitely don’t t look their age 👍🏼
Ive had a Misano red S3 Black Edition as my daily for nearly 2 years and it's pretty much the perfect daily car. For long journeys, its nice and quiet with a really comfortable interior, is has enough power for the odd cheeky blast on a B road, its a lovely looking car in red with anthracite alloys..Mine has the same wheels as the car in the video.
In the time Ive had the car, the only fault has been an ignition coil packed up, and occassionly one of the rear number place LED bulbs drops voltage, triggering a dashboard warning.
Other than that, it has been brilliant with absolutely no faults.
I’ve got a 57 plate a3 sline diesel model just had it remapped and even with 205 k miles is a bloody beast now absolutely love it apart from the rear arm motor seizing never had a problem with it it’s now pushing 208bhp
Turning 25 in may, think I'm going pick one up as my first "nice car" I've always had old fiestas and golfs so this will be a nice upgrade in my eyes
Cool video! Thanks for sharing. I love my manual 09 Audi A3 2.0T convenience package with Bose sound system and open sky panoramic sunroof. Greeting from California 🤙
Just bought one love it but your tips are extremely helpful and set my mind at ease mate 😊
Great vid mati...still awesome looking model of a3👍👍
I do think they have aged quite well!
Thanks ive just watched one of ur vids as im about to buy one of these from a dealership.
A3 with 2 doors, such a great car...Independent of the engine, this car has a very robust structure and an excellent chassis which gives it exceptional road qualities and handling...A stunning car destined to become a classic highly sought after...!
Hi mate the cluster chucking up fault lights easy sorted Sent mine to ECU tuning derby £129 rebuild the cluster & give you lifetime warranty. Fantastic company never had any issues since. Sent Monday got it back Wednesday. Hope this helps. 👍👍
I have an 08 1.8TFSI turbo sport 70k. In 13k miles I have had to replace the High Pressure Fuel Pump due to Solenoid failure. Clutch Master Cylinder and lastly a stuck open fuel injector. She is still my fave car in 34 years of driving.
good video and thanks bro, lf more videos about the car *got the 1.8 TSI
gl with the channel~
Thanks for watching mate, glad you enjoyed 👌🏼
I've upgraded to a 2008 Audi A3 2.0 Deisel S-line from a 2018 Seat Leon FR. It's a 170 auto and its so much fun 🤣 all jokes aside, my seat feels so plastic and I can hear rattles everywhere compared to the audi. Thanks for the videos I'll be following along.
how much fuel city consumption ?
Good vid mate, I couldn't believe the little faults you mentioned!! Like the rear wiper & the driver's door wiring being linked to me back window not working, mirror the same!! I'm happy A.F with my 4 door silver little bargain I picked up about 3 weeks ago.
I think it's had SOME work on remap/engine coz it gives a nice whistling sound at a certain RPM, I know ALL turbo cars whistle, but Av not heard it like this on a 2tdi deisel.
Nothing in paperwork, but I'll find out when it's plugged in no doubt.
Nice one again for the vids mate. 👍👌
Thanks for watching mate, glad you enjoyed! Cant beat the value for money on these cars at the moment, lots of people seem to be getting bargains on them!
I had my turbo and EGR replaced after 3 years of owning an A3 8P sline 2009, and I got it back from the garage and now there is a faint whistle when accelerating and changing gear. Iv'e come to like the noise but it was a worry when I got it back from the garage. Never used to whistle though
@@eddiegoldsack4339 I get that on mine too, but intermittently. I was worried at first but after some reading it looks like you don't need to start worrying till it sounds like a police siren. Apparently even then they still function just fine for many miles.
I have an 8P which I have had since 2 years old and 20k miles. Now on 180k miles. Not had any of these faults. Common issues I am aware of are the rear wiper motor failing as they do on Golf Mk 5s. Brake ABS units fail. Door locks failing but not due to wiring issues. Common on all versions of this platform, golf, octavia and A3. I must have driven 750,000 miles in various versions of this platform all with similar issues. Serviced on the button. Never had an A/C issue on any and never even re-gassed any. Regular servicing, oil and all filters, timing belt kits, occasional driveshaft rubbers, alternator clutch pulleys, occasional springs. DMF/clutch eventually go, mileage depends on how it is driven but I have fitted solid mass conversions when they do. Suspension parts do fail at higher mileages, ARB ends and bushes, suspension arm bushes, track rod ends and steering arms wear, rear bump stops go around 150-200k. Never had any issues with brakes, never changed a caliper. Always decent pads and disc and clean callipers, replace any dust rubbers when they fail. I have had driver side window winder gear fail at 200-250k depending on usage. I have got rid of cars with 300-350k where the engines still pull well and reliable. I have had issues with the door seals failing on the A3. They get caught and damaged over time. Rear hatch microswitch can become a problem to open the boot common VAG issue. It is not the lock but a simple microswitch in the handle pain to replace. They need to be serviced well. Once bought a golf plus with 90k miles with service history. Found it had never been done right and had to strip all the callipers down, I think it had the wrong engine oil at some point and turbo failed. Once I replaced it dealt with the other issues it was fine and a great car.
Subbed as I've not long changed from a mk5 105bhp golf to a 170bhp 8p and seen you on Facebook lol
Nice one mate! Hope you have better luck with your 170 that I have haha
Hey Mati, thanks for a great video! To the point and concise.
I wanted to ask: I live in South Africa, and have a chance to buy a 2012 1.8T (it doesn't seem to be a TFSI): it has 168 000 kilometers (we're metric down here!), and is in great nick. Any advice beyond what you've mentioned here?
Great vid..any problems with the engine so far?
My rear wiper messed up too apart from that absolutely brilliant
Deserve way more subs !!
Another good vid 😁 The rear wiper tends to stops working completely on A3's because the washer pipe splits and leaks into the motor. Also the front clip on the armrest always breaks and EGR valves are another weak point on them 👍
thanks for the comment, my armrest clip is just about holding on... dont know about the egr valve though!
Yup🤣🤣👍
yes to armrest clip
@@raccs600 yes to clip...also now rear wiper🤣👍
Got a new top of armrest from eBay for £10 for my A3. Made in China, defo not as good as OEM but a cheap fix.
Hi there Matt
Did know that you have a fog light out.
I am just about to fit a rear view mirror dash cam c/w a rear camera.
Where do you suggest fitting the rear camera.
I am now subscribing
Tony
hi i hope your ok and family ok,its great info and help matt m8 i enjoy all your you tube videos ,i like the one you got rid of rear wipers best ,1st a3 mod is dead rear wiper,water gets in motor so useless ,i hate rear wipers on mine pal.dead em all.i love my 2010 se 1,6tdi audi a3 bought it 2 weeks ago fell in love with the looks and cherry red colour its 5 door ,75mpg ,20 quid tax was 5k got it for 4,500,,,keep them coming ,,great car for money,take care buddy,,,
Thanks for watching mate, glad you enjoy!
Hi, thanks for sharing interesting info on a3 models. Iam about to buy a Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI quattro Ambition 2006. Is it anything of interest that should look out for that could give me serious problems? Is it a problem car overall? Thanks for sharing.
I have no single issue which u talking about in this video. Br0 u just need to constantly fix problems and u ll have a good car for 3-4 years. Cheers.
Tell me more about Audi a3 8p sportback 2005/2007 🙏🏻
Hey mate! Great video. Could you maybe tell something about a 2006 A3 2.0 FSI? I am thinking of getting one in the next few days/weeks. The one I looked at has around 200k km in it.
I have just bought my first A3 8p, previously always owned Golfs. Anyway, every A3 I looked at for sale had a slumped rear wiper. At first I couldn't understand what was going on but after a while of car hunting and all of them having the same fault, I began to think they were meant to be like that and it was just poor design. I suppose that shows you just how common that fault is!
Literally every single one has a dodgy wiper, makes me feel ill looking at £20 RS3’s and the wipers dropped and scrubbed the paint off 🤣
I bought one a month ago. I did research before I bought it and with in a week I ordered Graf metal waterpump, r8 coils, RS7 plugs, O2 sensors, did a carbon clean, replaced the PCV(will order a catch can soon) and did oil change and DSG service with Liqui-Moly and Pentosin fluids. I love it! The 2.0t pulls everywhere! It was only 3800.
Ive got problems with 02 sensors what you reckon? 8P diesel
@@albertgjoka6714 I dont know enough about TDI's. I would assume the OEM O2 would be the best option unless you have Mods. Darkside Developments may be the best resource. I like the TDI 8p's just not common around me, same with the 3.2 8p's. I have the 2.0t DSG.
Did the r8 coils or rs7 plugs increase performance?
@@hanzalamehmood2991 just reliability, since these engines are prone to misfires.
@@charltonmoore452us the 2.0t a reliable engine
Nice car, full of little problems, but still want another 8p
I've had my 2 litre tfsi s line for 3 and a half years best car I've ever had. Brilliant car
How many miles?
Thanks for the vid.
It’s interesting to me that the later 1.9 tdi had a dpt yet that won’t help it get free into ULEZ
Good video mate, I’ve had hundreds of issues with my Vw golf tdi so I’m thinking about an Audi for my next car.
Audi is part of VW group, same engines, same owner. You will not get much with audi
I've got the fsi version and mine had the engine light on when I bought it. It was a first car I got off my aunty so it had been used for a long time before passing on to me. The car however runs normally, no problems really, I do occasionally get the pull sensor warning on starting up the car but I guess I do need one of these code scanner things to really see what's up.
Just bought an 06 for a run around, great video.
I want to buy one tommorow, 2.0 tdi bkd, can u share you experience so far, that would be lovely, same year too.
@@snag.8404 so far it running great, but It did get a new alternator and clutch last year, but its on 128,000mile and still driving good. Back window wiper is hit and miss.
The drivers window is a bit slow, but apart from that, it's the best £700 I've spent 😁
Mine is a 2.0 TDI
@@kennethsmith296 cheers mate
Turbos are a real issues with these, specially the petrol ones. Also oil leaks various places. Most common being crank seal. PCV is also an issue with petrol models so just keep in mind. But awesome video thanks for the tips
I'm in the States and have the gas 2013 A3 8p 2.0 fwd sline with a dsg transmission and it's a lot of fun to drive these cars are very reliable but maintenance is key. most Audi's after 60 to 100 thousand miles will need a timing chain replacement i only know gas and there very reliable if taken care of. I can hear my timing chain tensioner sometimes on starr up so I know it needs replacement after that like brand new.
I no longer drive that far in my A3 and I've come across the blocking problems you mentioned. Got any advice? I've been thinking of selling it and buying a petrol version.
Thanks for the helpful video, I'm looking at a 2004 3.2 Quattro VR6 Manual (might be S-line) is that a problem clutch and gearbox? Or any other things I should check?
im considering them for my first car hopefully get the facelift but budget will be under 1500
Hi mat
I have a mk5 golf gt tdi,
I have an abs issue, i dont know if audi suffer this problem, love your videos
Can you do a buyers guide for mk2f and maybe also include for the pre face lift as im looking for one at the moment
+Joe once mine is back on the road I can do that no problem mate!
Love the content av recently got a smell of smoke inside and a fault code come up p1038 I recently bought this and it's in need of service just thought ad say any ideas tha
I’ve had mine for nearly 12 years 90k miles manual petrol. But wiper motor broke and had a new a battery but still going strong
Have the a3 AP 2008 Cabrio and lately I had to replace the instrument cluster, intake manifold, coolant container, clutch, back window becoming unglued, water seeping into the rear lights causing them to be completely changed, and now the whole roof is starting to leak...just been a constant pain -
Good video cheers. Mines got a rusty drivers side wing, cba change it though, sanding it down and using filler, dont love the car that much haha
get a wing from ebay mate, I got one for about 90 quid!
What are the best headlights for my 09 audi a3 1.9 tdi 3door as the standard bulbs are rubbish 🤔🤔
What about the clutch biting point? I am about to buy one and it has relatively high biting point (above 50% of the travel)
i had my jag f-type stolen... got this to "replace" it and it's actually surprising how this car feels JUST AS FUN and obviously astronomically more economical than the Jag.
hi mate is it a good first car like the 1.4 s line petrol model will that be a good first car and good on insurance. also r these the same problems for the sport back one as well?
We have the same issue @2.45 ... “double click” noise when as the passenger door closes ... my drivers door doesn’t do it. Any idea what is the cause?
Hi what led bulbs must I put in my 8p that won't gave me an warning on the dashboard?
Thank you for sharing! I'm thinking about buying one of these. Would you recommend a certain engine over the others? Currently debating between a 2007 3.2L V6 AWD with 120,000 miles or a 2011 2.0T AWD with 137,000 miles (gas engine)
I’ve had both and I’d definitely recommend the 2.0T over the 3.2 V6!! Miles better power delivery and less fuel!
I get the break fault error only on a cold start and clears after turning off and back on. Is there a way to fix this or do I have to live with it?
Nice!
Cheers mate. Be sure to check out the other videos too!
Iv got a a3 53 plate and Iv had major drama with stiff steering it’s in a garage costing me a fortune with trying to code different steering modules anyone shed any light ?
Why is my a3 1600 petrol cutting out when warm any advice please as i have changed the throttle bodies
My "common probs",...
Breaklight housing leaks: I go through five brake lights a year no matter what. I replaced the housing units & still get leaks that cause shorts
...wires are fried to a crisp
🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️
on mine i had the common bkd engine problems where the intercooler hoses explode 🤣 also limp mode due to a dirty turbo
+Dart 8 my cat haha nightmare mate, good cars when they’re behaving.. but that doesn’t seem to be often 😂
@@matimcfetridge oh yeah awesome when it wants to be but then halfway up the motorway it just decides it wants a nap 🤣 doing a 70mph bump start 🤣🤣
5:20 exact same with my Golf 6. Christmas tree😂
Big up viewy
Is the A3 2004 with an automatic and a 2.0 TDI reliable as well ?
Please help, my rear speakers stopped working on my 2004 A3 tdi. The car was parked for 2months and when i got around to driving it all of a sudden my rear speakers including the sub stop working.
Bought a 1.6 fsi about a year ago with 200.000 km on the clock (215.000 km now) and it had timing chain issues ever since but the only thing that left me stranded once was my stupidity. I left the lights on over night
After years of selling Audi parts, some other common issues...
-Glove box damper breaking (glove box drops when opened)
-Armrest lid catch breaking
-Water ingress in to rear light bulb holders
-Front seats not sliding after folding forward for access to rear seats (3-door only)
-Exterior b-pillar trims peeling
-Window regulator cables corroding and snapping
I'll second the window regulators, well known faults on all Audi's
One of my B Pillar trims had bubbled paint when I bought it. I was going to remove and repaint but noticed that they were riveted on. Instead, I just masked off, sanded and repainted with a slightly textured sating black paint. Two years later and they still look better than factory.
Don't forget door lock mechanisms, headliners peeling in hot climate, rear seat belt covers breaking, and flashing/not working gauge cluster when car sits in the sun for periods of time
Glove box damper breaking (glove box drops when opened) - it eventually come off completely when going over a bump
-Armrest lid catch breaking
-Water ingress in to rear light bulb holders - I think this is the reason I had some issues with the whole of the dash not coming on after a hard frost, car ran and drove fine though!
had these 3 on A3 8P
Looking to buy a 2011 Audi a3 does have 166k miles on it should I buy it or nah?
What's the gearbox like in the A3? currently drive a powershift Focus and i'm lucky to get 25mpg on short trips but for my next car want an Audi A3 as the A1 looks too small but obviously never owning a Audi before i have no idea what the automatic gearbox is like? i.e smooth etc? also what sort of MPG can you expect on short trips and long trips in diesel and petrol? cheers.
gearbox is smooth and silky yet pretty fast at what it does. I can get 55 mpg on a run at 50/60 mph and it won't ever drop below 45 for short journeys/motorway speeds etc
I have just brought a a3 tdi 2007, and the reverse lights don’t work, any ideas??
Mine is an A3 1.6TDI 2012, engine mass fywheel, EGR valve, injectors, plastic on central console is delayered (upper layer is pealing off like a young potatto) and rear windscreen wiper issue... Evrything else is OK for now.
The 1. 6 is terrible
Fender rust. Cheap tires causes it to shake in back. Pressure sensor shorts out ac stuck on econ only warm air.
I have an Audi A1 and I had to change the motor for my rear wiper cause the wiper liquid was leaking in. Cost me £80. Reasonable since I did it and not Audi.
I have ended up taking mine off and fitting a wiper delete kit! check out the latest vieo!
I had mine 08 plate tdi nearly 7 years I have not serviced it once and its still going
is 1800 quid cheap for a rough bodywork one with 145k
The door panel trim on black edition is meant to look like that, its not faded.
I just bought the S3 👌
I do fancy an 8P s3 at some point!
@@matimcfetridge I pick mine up Tuesday or Friday just waiting for them to prep it. It's fucking lovely but 12 k for a 2012 is crazy 😂
My 2011 a3 black edition cost me just shy of 4k last year...
The common problems are the clutch assembly failing. A way to tell will be a rattling noise when you take your foot off your clutch...the clutch isn't too expensive but mine ate a hole through my gearbox so yea.... £3975 final bill for recon gearbox...new clutch...mot and major service...
To be fair I haven't had anything else go wrong apart from a strange ticking noise from inside the dash when the heater was on...I had the heater blowers reset via the VCDS and its fine now....I do like the car but I will never buy another audi and I don't care if someone says there not all bad but when you spend that amount on a 10k car you really are put off for life.
Mine blew a hole through gear box aswell! £1300 to fix.. engine ticks for 4 seconds on start up.. changed timing chain was good for a month.. regular oil changes calms it down.. lovely car but to much agg
Hei man, there was no airbag light at 4:50.
My 3 years of owning a 2006 A3 BKD DSG, owned it for 60k km and now has 250k.
Vacuum solenoid block
Maf sensor
Tandem pump
Injector 1
Spark plug x 8
Injector wiring loom
Egr
Turbo + gaskets + tubes
Speed/rpm sensor inside of dsg (car would die while driving)
Some coolant housing
Cooling fans by radiator
Brake pads x6
All brake rotors
2 brake pistons
Abs master cylinder
Dual mass flywheel and double clutch
Aux heater z35
The wiring loom that goes through the door
The lock on the boot
Rear wipper water housing
100% i'm forgeting stuff.
I paid more on repairs and consumables than what i paid for the car. Honestly get a gas car from east asia. I'm done with europeean cars. My other car is a DS4 2.0Hdi... so yeah i like life on hard.
Hi how do I change the headlamp please ?
Do you know what type dip light goes in I have the exact headlights thanks
I believe its D3s bulbs but make sure to check online to find out which one it is for your car!
More polo episodes, please, I'm waiting. Greetings from Poland :)
+Tomasz Szamel next week mate! They are coming!!
In between a '08 A3 and a MK5 '08 Golf, my head is wrecked lol
I want to buy a 2019 audi a3 s tronic with 67k miles must I go for it?
My A3 alternator belt just broke and got lodged in the timing belt, killing the engine. Garage realigned the timing belt but its a non-starter now suggesting that at least a few valves impacted the pistons. Do you have any sense whether this is likely to be fairly/completely fatal for the engine?
It's generally considered fatal.
Pull the valve cover off. Inspect cams and components in there.
A shop would remove the head and check out pistons and block and valves.
It's a mess but sometimes they can be saved
Audi A3 2005
1. Coil light on so cruise control not working (recent)
2. Rear wiper broken off but washer fluid still ejects
3. Engine light on since 5 years ago
4. Updated bulbs to LED; no issues
5. Headlight plastic hazed; needs a decent buff out?
6. Window electrics slow at times but works
Good vid mate, thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
only use b7 diesel they don’t like b9 the 8p 2.0 tdi with DPF
Hav got A3 8p never had problem 3 years running sweet
+Yoonus Khalid haha love it mate, mine has got a few miles on so presuming a few problems are down to that. Thanks for watching!
Here the same mate 😂😂😂😂 2 years 150k 1.9tdi no light must to been fixed before I bought it 😸😸😸😸😸😸
@@vladimirmoravec 1.9 tdi never die :)))
@@catalinpce9928 I've just sold my A4 ,it was from 2002 1.9 TDI. It has done almost 215 000 miles. The clutch was almost gone, driver window won't work. The front archers had a bit of rust but the rest of the car was free from rust.
Problem whit erorr left and right light back its all working fine
has anyone had problems with outside noise inside ?? i’m thinking it’s the seals , has anyone changed theirs ??
Only problem i had was the rear wiper motor breaking so i done a rear wiper delete and stuck a cap in the hole lol
Would a 2012 A3 s line 1.6 TDI be a good idea for a first car for an 18 y old male? I’ve seen people say that the insurance prices range from £300-£500 per month
Super little car with amazing fuel economy. Your Insurance quotes sound totally nuts even for an 18 year old.
Yes. My first car when I was 18 was an a3 1.4 TSI from 2011 I believe and it was amazing. Despite the fact that it required quite a lot of fuel, between 8-9l/100km in the winter, all was fine. You'll have the diesel, though, so no worries at all. I recomend the car, it's like a golf, reliable, compact and modest, but posher.
I'm 22 and my first car is a3 1.8, I pay 200 euro's in the netherlands
Did you ever end up doing a vid on the faulty dual zone heating motor mati?
I didnt mate, will be coming shortly though as I have the part already and we are fast approaching the colder weather 😂
@@matimcfetridge haha nice one that's what's got me thinking about it... not worth the moaning from the mrs is it👀🤙
Haha nah, mrs with cold feet is a recipe for disaster 😂
Hey, would you say an A3 2.0T with 134K would be reliable? Seems like previous owners took care of it fairly well.... maybe, hopefully!
Mileages nowadays aren’t what they used to be in my opinion, everyones doing more miles so I always just look at the history rather than the number on the clock!
Hmm...just put a deposit on a 2014 2ltr TDI s-tronic...not sure now if I should buy it...
Which year is this a3 from?
sorry got my ABS sorted in cannock, they had it a week and it cost 235 plus vat, with lifetime guarantee