Audi Car Rejection

ohnohedidnt

Hi All,

I'm looking for advice on a car rejection. I bought a new car from Audi last year, an A3 8Y, the car has been in a few times for various issues, but one issue can't be resolved. The parking aid system stops working almost daily and throws up a fault when the car starts, "Parking aid fault obstacles cannot be detected".

Audi's position is, we can't fix it because we don't know why it's happening, we cant replace the car because there's a shortage, and they will refund 35K of the 41K paid.

This problem was highlighted after only a few months and they've been ducking and dodging the issue since. Now to suggest that we should take a 6K hit on the value of the car seems ridiculous.

I don't really want a partial refund, or even a full refund to be honest. I can't get a new car immeditaley and don't really want a second hand car. Has anybody got any experience/advice with this. The fault is quite minor, but will become an issue if I ever try to sell the car. So ideally I just want it fixed.

Atlantic Dawn

Have you talked to Audi themselves or just the dealer? Is it a known issue where other motorists have reported problems?

BorneTobyWilde

Have you tried turning the parking aid on and off , is there a switch for this. Could also be water behind sensor, vacuum them

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118758615#Comment_118758615

Couldnt get a number for Audi Ireland, but filled out forms and sent them which they just completley ignored

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118758660#Comment_118758660

Restarting the car clears the fault, like I said it's quite minor, but hard to sell to somebody with that happening.

sky18

I have my A3 for a year seen it twice but it hasn't come back. There should be a software update its a known problem for a while now.

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/parking-sensor-warning.423738/

PaulJoseph22

The new version of the A3 in comparison to it’s predecessor is truly awful. The old one had a classy interior, the new one is cheap and plastic.

Different car/brand I know, this time last yr my less than a year old Landrover Discovery had been in the garage three times with electrical problems that they just couldn’t seem to sort. I told them I wasn’t taking it back after the third attempt to sort them. They gave me almost full value against another car. So stick to your guns, if they can’t sort it, it’s a dud and you deserve either a replacement or near full value as you have had use of the car for a yr.

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118759141#Comment_118759141

Thanks for that link. Audi are making it sound like it's unique to me, good info to have. Not my first rodeo with Audi, they always act like you're the first to have a fault. I went in before with an old A5, looking for window regulator parts, the sales guy told me it wasnt a known fault, I knew it was, and funnily enough he had all the parts required to fix it right there.

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118759158#Comment_118759158

From what I've been reading abouit the new A3 it's almost criminal that they continued to sell it despite the huge number of electrical problems it had.

wandererz

Have you tried a different dealer to try to diagnose & repair?

Gorteen

I'd be inclined to get some legal advice. You have rights and Audi will probably mess you about unless they know you're serious about this issue being resolved to your satisfaction. Take this advice from someone who will never buy another new Audi....

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118759482#Comment_118759482

A different audi dealership? Never thought of that, assumed they'd just use the same diag equipment, so same results. So far they've not tried any troubleshooting, no parking sensor replacements, no module replacements, the most helpful they've been so far is to offer 6k below what we paid to take it back.

wandererz

Comes down to the mechanics they have and their experience and love of the job I.e can they be bovvered or not.

Toyotafanboi

The first tip for a successful rejection would be to stop using the car.

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118759545#Comment_118759545

The ideal solution would be that they just fixed the issue. Even a full refund means no car for probably a year or overpay for a 2nd hand. Parking sensors are not new technology at this stage, its almost embarassing that they can't them right.

sky18

I think when you book it in they plug in the laptop shows no faults and hand it back maybe ask a direct question to see if there is an update and ask them to ring the technical section. I think its 18 months now for a new one and of course the price has gone up.

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118759628#Comment_118759628

They said no software update and they can't confirm one is even planned to address is. They did create some sort of technical paper, a TPI I think.

kirving

Can the car park itself automatically via the sensors, or are they just an aid? Is there a camera?

"Parking aid" systems are now no longer just beepers, and are interlinked to almost every over system on the car, from wheel speed, to steering angle sensors to suspension height sensor.

My money is on the car giving an error code, related to another system, which the mechanic doesn't know about and so ignores or dismisses it.

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118758812#Comment_118758812

Sounds like water or dirt, vacuum them, and clean them, and dry them, the sensors on the bumper

CH3OH

I think you need to engage the services of a solicitor who can draft a letter rejecting the car as Audi seem incapable of repairing the car.

I would be requesting a full refund and compensation.

A relative of mine had a similar issue with a Nissan and was being fobbed off by everyone.

Got their attention when a solicitor friend became involved.

Car was replaced with a new car.

Henry Ford III

Have you asked Audi where did the €6k figure come from?

ohnohedidnt

Seems like we might need to go down that route alright. Thanks

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118760878#Comment_118760878

They said the use of the car for the last 7 months. Seems a bit rich, the car was hassle during that time, and they'e been ignoring the issue for the last 3/4 months. But they expect me to just take a 6K loss for their incompetence, and they're calling it a good will gesture hahaha.

Then they re-sell the car, and make a few quid for themselves from their "Goodwill gesture".

MacDanger

Something like this surely falls under consumer legislation - item was faulty; you've given them a chance to repair and they've been unable to do so; they have to either refund you or replace it

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762631#Comment_118762631

It does, they can't repair, they say they can't replace, but there is a thing called rescission where they can deduct money for use of the car from the refund and it's unregulated so they can pull a number from their bum, and Audi have decided that the use of an A3 costs about a grand a month, hahaha.

Casati

I'd be looking for a refund or replacement if they can't repair it - and by their own admission they can't repair it, and can't replace it so refund is the only option. As others have said parking systems are linked in with other systems on the car so I would be concerned of potential safety issue. Write to them formally now looking for full refund, and if they come back with the 6k less offer in writing then its time to engage a solicitor to write the next letter. V disappointing service to get buying a new premium brand car.

Henry Ford III

I think you need to go legal on this OP.

Document everything, formally reject the car, and tell them a full refund is required. Get a competent Solicitor.

MarkR

Negotiate the 7 months down to when the issue was reported, as you haven't been "enjoying the use" of it since then.

Henry Ford III

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118763096#Comment_118763096

I reckon the car isn't of merchantable quality (as they can't fix it) and he's therefore entitled to a 100% refund.

wandererz

Do a check of what the guaranteed fair market value is and work back from there to 1 year or whatever it is. See if that is less.

ohnohedidnt

Audi are now saying that the issue is not even a fault, "it's a characteristic of the car."

So for anybody buying a new Audi, don't worry if you get warnings on the dash and features of your car that you paid for stop working, rest assured it's not a fault, it's just a characteristic and Audi will be no help.

They surely have a bigger legal team working on the new A3 than a manufacturing team at this point after the heated seats characteristic, the MMI reboot characteristic, the SOS characteristic, the Parking Aid characteristic.......

wandererz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118767524#Comment_118767524

Is it the dealership or Audi Ireland saying this?

Would you ask them to explain in writing the nature of this characteristic, how it functions and how it supports the driver / owner.

shanec1928

As someone who has been in a similar situation, this will be a drawn out process, i took the money and ran, couldn't be bothered dealing with it long term, that and the fact that the manufacturer ignored several correspondences from my solicitor. they are under the VAG brand group also. by the time the car was 6 or 7 months old it had already spent a month in the dealers. quickly takes the shine off a new car and fairly sours the experience esp when you've specked something exactly how you wanted it..

Water2626262

I think you need to keep pushing. Solicitors letter etc. Is it on finance too? No harm contacting the finance company. You have rights on hire purchase if the asset is faulty.

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118767610#Comment_118767610

The dealership, Audi Ireland don't respond to anything.

They're saying it makes no difference to the car, it's just a warning light.

The fact that the parking aid system stops functioning, right when you want it most, is an inconvenient fact for them, so they just keep ignoring that bit. They're painful to deal with, they talk to you like your an idiot, but they seem to struggling to understand the basic functions of their own product.

wandererz

Hit up some of the Audi fan club type forums on Facebook for Ireland & UK to see if others have experienced the problem.

FGR

Just for anyone in the same situation -

Contact Audi Ireland

Audi Ireland

Block C,

Liffey Valley Office Campus

Liffey Valley,

Dublin 22

Ireland

Telephone

1800 813 760

Opening Times: 8am - 6pm (Mon - Fri)

It's always worth contacting them directly as they can feign ignorance as they hadn't been notified by the customer when it reaches a far more advanced stage.

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118779273#Comment_118779273

Thanks for that. I'll do that

muirsheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118759469#Comment_118759469

Totally agree..had unreal problems with my 221 a3. Too many to mention all electrical

muirsheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118762631#Comment_118762631

Easier said than done! had massive and I mean massive problems with an A3 to the point driving the car was becoming dangerous... All fell on deaf ears.

muirsheen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118767524#Comment_118767524

Where did you buy it do you mind me asking. you can message me if you wish, have had serious problems with an A3

donkey balls

Lad in work got an ID4 brand new and from day one had nothing but problems with it, After a few times in and out of the garage they eventually gave him all his money back.

ohnohedidnt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120644211#Comment_120644211

North Dublin