[matty779blue]

Hi.

 

I needs some help please.

 

Ive had my RS3 since new (2011) and have done 55,000 miles. The car gets 'driven' and I am comfortable with its capabilities, how it handles etc etc. Three days ago it became almost undriveable unless toodling around. The front wheels light up at the slightist wiff of putting the pedal down. Pulling out of any junction, the traction control light goes mental and power is cut, if you plant your foot in a straight line the car pulls left to right as the fronts wheels argue with each other for grip (the TC light comes on). If you take the TC off the fronts will spin. Put some power into a corner and the fronts spin up and understeer towards the curb.

 

Obvs. taking the TC off partially or fully emphaises these traits exponentially!

 

Given the conditions are almost perfect at the moment being dry, something is very wrong. To me it feels like there is zero power being pushed to the back wheels and the front wheels are doing all the work, hence they are not handling it.

 

Tyres are Goodyear Eagle F1 Assy 2's. I have used this make of tyre since the first set of conti's came off and they have ample tread on them. Fronts are six months old, rears were new a month ago.

 

If there was something wrong with the tyres (maybe they have a nasty residu on them) surely the quattro system would push power to the rears if the front cant grip and wouldnt allow the fronts to light up?

 

I have no warning lights on at all.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

Matt

 

 

 

[45bvtc]

"I have no warning lights on at all"  - that needs investigating if the front wheels/tyres are lighting up...

 

Soooo much said about tyres but F1's is good rubber - but then I had no issues with the original Continentals - but am on MPSS now

 

Whatever rubber you're on the fronts should NOT be 'lighting-up' - even on the white stuff: mine don't.

[Uncle Fester]

Hi.

 

I needs some help please.

 

Ive had my RS3 since new (2011) and have done 55,000 miles. The car gets 'driven' and I am comfortable with its capabilities, how it handles etc etc. Three days ago it became almost undriveable unless toodling around. The front wheels light up at the slightist wiff of putting the pedal down. Pulling out of any junction, the traction control light goes mental and power is cut, if you plant your foot in a straight line the car pulls left to right as the fronts wheels argue with each other for grip (the TC light comes on). If you take the TC off the fronts will spin. Put some power into a corner and the fronts spin up and understeer towards the curb.

 

Obvs. taking the TC off partially or fully emphaises these traits exponentially!

 

Given the conditions are almost perfect at the moment being dry, something is very wrong. To me it feels like there is zero power being pushed to the back wheels and the front wheels are doing all the work, hence they are not handling it.

 

Tyres are Goodyear Eagle F1 Assy 2's. I have used this make of tyre since the first set of conti's came off and they have ample tread on them. Fronts are six months old, rears were new a month ago.

 

If there was something wrong with the tyres (maybe they have a nasty residu on them) surely the quattro system would push power to the rears if the front cant grip and wouldnt allow the fronts to light up?

 

I have no warning lights on at all.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thanks

 

Matt

Ive read about symptoms like this before on this forum and it turned out to be the haldex control unit.

Edited by Uncle Fester, 29 June 2015 - 03:54 PM.

[MacD]

As above I've read about other people having the same issue and it was as Ben says.

[T-800]

I had this.......
The car started wheel spinning at every opportunity
When I plugged vcds into it turns out the Haldex clutch pump had failed.

It doesn't bring on any warning light either.

Except as you say the TC light flashing as soon as you give it some.......

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Edited by veneergod, 29 June 2015 - 08:18 PM.

[PopGun]

It sounds very similar to what I went through.
My problem was on the gear box.
The transfer box I think they called it. Something in there broke.
g box replaced to fix it.

If vcds doesn't pick up an error. Lift the car up on a ramp. Turn the prop/drive shaft to see the rear wheels still spin, that should tell you it's the transfer box upfront on the gbox

Edited by PopGun, 29 June 2015 - 07:47 PM.

[Jmcnamee98]

After throwing cv joint driveshaft and transfer box on the Nurburgring I could hardly get the car to move.

I'd bet transfer box as otherwise it should shift power to rear.

[matty779blue]

Yeah I've been getting some weird gear changes with it jolting so I reckon transfer box. Thank god for extended warranty!!!!!

[Jmcnamee98]

Transfer box is not nearly as expensive as you might dread and seemingly a standard same day delivery part in Germany must be same across a number of VAG models.

[Muzza80]

You're not going to believe this but I'm almost certain I have the same issue.

 

I noticed it first a few weeks back oddly when I switched to MPSS from winter rubber, one day not long after that I noticed the TC flashing a lot more just like you describe, I put it down to release compound on new tyres and expected it to pass within a few hundred miles.

 

Well it hasn't and tonight just to confirm I've gone down a dead quiet road and tried launch control twice, It's lighting up the front tyres, certianly not engaging the rears at all.

 

No lights on the dash, just about to go and scan the car with my diagnostic interface, dont have VCDS but this tool does a lot of the stuff anyway.

 

Not liking the sound of replacing the transfer box!  

[PopGun]

I don't think you can replace only the transfer box. This was my understanding. Unlike like a B7 RS4. You have to get a whole new gbox. It looked like the RS3'S transfer box was part of the casing of the gbox. Not an attachment.
I could be wrong. If someone cam check the diagrams/schematics.
My fix was not cheap.

[T-800]

Just out of interest have your cars had the uprated cardan shaft bolts fitted ?


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[PopGun]

Mine has stock bolts but my bolts have broken. You will def hear aweful sounds underneath when they snap.

[matty779blue]

Just out of interest have your cars had the uprated cardan shaft bolts fitted ?


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No mine has stock bolts

[matty779blue]

Thanks for all your help guys. Weird thing is that

 

You're not going to believe this but I'm almost certain I have the same issue.

 

I noticed it first a few weeks back oddly when I switched to MPSS from winter rubber, one day not long after that I noticed the TC flashing a lot more just like you describe, I put it down to release compound on new tyres and expected it to pass within a few hundred miles.

 

Well it hasn't and tonight just to confirm I've gone down a dead quiet road and tried launch control twice, It's lighting up the front tyres, certianly not engaging the rears at all.

 

No lights on the dash, just about to go and scan the car with my diagnostic interface, dont have VCDS but this tool does a lot of the stuff anyway.

 

Not liking the sound of replacing the transfer box!  

 

Wierd thing is I had this problem about three months ago and it went away after a week or so.

This time it seems to be staying put! Would be interested to know what sort of money it is going to be

Hoping my extended warranty covers me.

[Jmcnamee98]

I don't think you can replace only the transfer box. This was my understanding. Unlike like a B7 RS4. You have to get a whole new gbox. It looked like the RS3'S transfer box was part of the casing of the gbox. Not an attachment.
I could be wrong. If someone cam check the diagrams/schematics.
My fix was not cheap.

From memory O/S CV joint driveshaft and transfer box was €2500 in Germany I'll check and edit if much different.

Assume you can replace just the transfer box as pretty sure this was what was replaced on mine however the garage spoke little English and referred to the part as the 'little gearbox'.

[Muzza80]

My car has the uprated bolts, yes.

Hoping it's this

Www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311386798999

Seems a fairly common part to go and I'd have to assume if the transfer box went you would more symptoms than just loss of drive to the rear??

Edited by Muzza80, 30 June 2015 - 08:45 AM.

[AudiRS3]

Either way..warranty or no warranty...if they want you to fork out for it always give Audi UK a call and complain that how an RS car can suffer such problems...you never know you might get a discount...

 

Certainly came in handy when I needed new brakes 6 months in thats for sure!

[Muzza80]

Looks like my Haldex pump had failed/is failing

 

 

 

 

That's good news as far as I'm concerned!       I can live with £150 for the part plus fitting, don't fancy forking out £2k+ for a transfer box lol

[T-800]

I thought you had warranty ?


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