Sorry to bother you guyz , I need information on the reliability,durability of audi a4 -2001 model upwards, is this ride really good in nigeria??. I will appreciate urgent response

The 2001> Audi A4 (B6) is quite a reliable car.

I can't speak for how it performs in Nigeria, but here in the UK, it has consistently outsold BMW and Mercedes, and is a favourite as a fleet car.

It's currently outselling BMW at 3 to one in the company car sector.
It's especially desireable as a TDI, and one of the most frugal cars in its class.

The earlier B5 model - '95 > '01 was very reliable, and the newer B6 model has pretty much carried on from there.
Early models had issues with the climate control display losing pixels on the screen, but these have mostly been rectified under warranty, and it never affected the operation of the climate control itself.

Of course, all Audi models have been galvanised from '87>, so rust will never be an issue.
Engines will rack up starship mileage with regular maintainance - my B5 A4 Quattro Sport has covered 216,000 miles, and is still on the original engine, transmission, clutch and exhaust.

Haven't even had the cylinder heads removed to replace gaskets (it's a V6).

siena r u back its sure nice to c ya on the auto section

Lol, yes. Thanks Babs.

Sienna, Thank God you are bak!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Siena am so   can't wait for updates on your Audi B5 RS4 Sedan project

Sienna and all
Thanks for the brillant analysis, I am actually thinking of buying audi a4 2002 model for my use in nigeria. I don’t really know whether this getting this car is a wise decision, lots of pple says it comes with loads of electrical problem and that the mechanic and parts is scarce in nigeria

Eng Sienna, thank God you are back  for  real   to  da  house , missing  your  input  in the  AUTO  section since   

One  love

Soney, thanks.

@ Gaylord: The only "mechanics" that would complain about the reliability of a B6 A4, are those that have little knowledge of cars.

I specialise in Audi / VW, but it doesn't mean I can't work on any other make of car - the principle behind electronics and mechanicals remains the same, the only thing that differs is the packaging.

If these cars come with a whole load of electrical gremlins, then I must be moving within a very sheltered circle!
I have friends in Nigeria with different makes of cars, most electrical issues are generally caused by "tinkerers" that would prefer to be called engineers.
Patchwork in any electrical system is a bad idea - it may provide a short term solution, but at the very least, such bodges could lead to intermittent issues which become difficult to track down.

The worse case scenario is a barbequed car.

Parts may be less common that the average Peugeot, but on the other hand, you don't change them often.
Besides, mechanically, the Audi A4 is no different from a VW Passat of similar model year - there are quite a few Passat models driving around in Nigeria - where do they get their parts from?

All service parts - plugs, filters, brake pads, discs etc are readily available in Nigeria, you don't have to look too far to find them.

I also supply parts to some of my customer's that moved to Nigeria, and took their cars with them, not all are Audi / VW though.

Nigerians always find a way.

Siena is back! hurray!!!

@ Siena
when I first noticed your return I was overwhelmed with joy that I had to restart my laptop to confirm my eyes.
But the funniest thing  was that my laptop wanted me to exchange stand with you by refusing to come up.
But everything works out fine after some hours.
welcome back ,happy to see you back.

welcome back, Glad to see you too

hmmm finally finally the[b] nigerian son[/b]? is back

u can hide, but u cant never truly hide!

peace

Wow, thanks guys!

Siena:

Wow, thanks guys!

Welcome back Seina

am new on the auto thread and it appears i will need Siena's help as i join others to welcome him back. dont know for how long he's been missing though. i quite like the way he analysed the problems most nigerians face keeping their cars on the road esp if its not these common japanese models. i ve a audi A6 2003 model that i took for routine service for the first time since i bought it about 8 months ago. its been a load of problems ever since and now am going to tow the car to a garage in lagos. only one coil was said to be faulty and by the time it was replaced the remaining 5 were condemned and now all the replacements got burnt. can Sieena pls give me a clue before its too late. i agree audis are quite good and very strong but coping with the illterrate technicians its another kettle of fish. waiting

Klo, I think most of your issues with your Audi stem from a less than qualified mechanic.
Some guys I wouldn't even allow near a pushbike!

One bit of advice I tend to give to folk with new cars - invest in either a hand-held OBD / OBD II scanner, or better still, VAG-COM that's laptop-based.

All you need to do is buy the serial lead, and download the software from Ross-Tech.
It's the free share ware version, but does pretty much everything, bar coding certain immobilliser / key issues.

You can download the latest version here - don't let anyone try to sell it to you either, it's free:

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/index.html

One thing that does burn out coil packs is incorrect spark plugs, or correct spark plugs with incorrect gaps.
There are 2 versions of coil pack - one with the POS (Power Output Stage) built in, and the types with external POS.

The external POS are usually clipped / screwed to the air box, or mounted on the fire wall.
They are not interchangeable, and if the wrong ones are somehow "bodged" in place, they won't last long.
Make sure your mechanic is fitting OEM Audi ones, or if aftermarket, none other than BERU should be used.

Worth noting though - not all missfire's are as a result of faulty coil packs.

Thanks a million Sienna. very useful advice coming from you but am green on most of the things you talked about and i need that you throw more light. i will definetely invest in the OBD II scanner as you advised and wldnt know if u can help wt that. Although am sure my own problem was the result of wrong spark plugs, what else did you say can cause the misfiring. do you ve any idea of a good garage back here in nigeria where one can get good service for audi? hope am not too much of a bother to you. tnks again.

No worries, Klo.

Missfiring can be caused by:

1) Faulty coil pack/s
2) Incorrect or wrongly gapped spark plugs
3) Faulty POS (if external to coil pack)
4) Incorrect grade of fuel (minimum octane shouldn't be lower than 91 RON)
5) Faulty knock sensor/s (there are 2)

As for garages in Nigeria that are fairly competent to work on VAG cars, I have no idea, as haven't been in Nigeria for a while.

I would go for VAG-COM from Ross-Tech, I posted the link above.
The software's free to download, at least, the shareware version is, and it's very good.
All you'll need to buy off Ross-Tech would be the OBD II serial lead.

You can also get the leads cheaply off Ebay.

Sienna,
You are da bomb!!! Without you theres no nairaland particularly the auto section. many more thanks, however would you advise me to still go for the ride taking into account all this nigeria circumstances. Bruv your honest advise is appreciated (is it true A4 is not really complex and problematic as A6??)

Klo,
wats your honest advice having used this ride for quite sometime now??

gaylord, i must confess audi is a very good ride and i cant but agree with sienna that the problem in nigeria at least will be that of getting good hands to handle repairs which is not frequent. ve used my own a6 for about 8 months without touching a pin. am certain the a4 will be more econmical to deal with in nigeria. i also know there are garages in lagos that are quite good but for wtever reason i was told they dont work on american specs which is rather funny tho am yet to confirm. my car is now in a garage in lagos and i will let u know wtever happens. on a final note am sure you a=cant regret buying a audi given the reasons already put forward by Sienna. all the best.

Gaylord, the A4 is mechanically similar to the bigger A6.

Key to reliability, in any car, is finding the right hands to wrench spanners.

siena

nice to see you back as for anyone that wants his car diagnosed, and resides in abuja, he can pm me, and i will see what i can do bout it.

siena nice site u have but i am sure yur still working on it, cos, u know every.

for those that wanna be on the vw platform , i still reiterate VW 4 LIFE, VW 4 EVER

Sienna, pls i need your help urgently.
Remeber i said my car was towed to a garage after fake service parts esp plugs, oil and fuel filter damaged the coils. The coils that were bought as replacement were so bad they started to emit smoke less than an hour afte they were fixed.
Now the bad news is that the garage is claiming the ECU (engine control unit) is damaged as it cant transmit power to the coil and the nozzle( wtever that means) although it does to other areas.
pls i need your expert advice before more damage is done to this car. i love the car so much and i just cant imagine going thro this much stress less than a year after i bought the car. pls help,

sienna, i beg pls respond tommy last post. biko nu, i know you are busy but pls help a brother in need. tnks a million

Sorry Klo, just seen this post.

Firstly, do you know what make of coil packs were fitted as replacements?
I find id hard to believe, even the poorest quality coils would smoke once power was applied to them - I believe there's a short circuit somewhere.

If you can also get me the part number off the original coils, or at least the exact year and engine that'll help.

Though as a 2003 model, it'll have the later type coil packs, or should.
So, 3 wires:

12V+ switched (terminal 15)
Earth (terminal 31)
Signal from ECU.

If the wires are the wrong way round, as soon as the ignition's turned on, the coilpacks would burn out.
The trigger for spark and nozzles (injectors) are directly related.

So, if the drivers for the coil packs are damaged, the drivers for the injectors would go down too.

The injectors have a 12V+ feed to them once the ignition's on, the ECU feed is a negative (-) pulse.

I only hope the ECU's not been damaged, they're pricey.
I'll need the ECU part number, will be like:

*** 906 557
*** 906 559
*** 997 551

There are so many combinations. some may begin with:

4B0
8E0
4D0

They'll all end with an alphabet or 2, but I'll need the whole number.
I'm trying to determine the drivers that would be affected by wrongful connection.

If you could give me your engine code, that'll cover the lot, I know it's a V6, but is it 2,4 / 2,8 litre?

The engine code is 3 digits, all alphabet.

Sienna,
tnks so much. like i mentioned earlier the car is some miles away from where i reside now, so i cant get most of the information u requested. however its

a v6 engine. dont know if the vin no will be of any use. it is WAULT64BX3N062853. The technicians are insisting an ECU that can work wt it will be needed

to be able to determine or diagnose what the damage is. yea i know already that the ecu is quite expensive but can it not be repaired? on a last note

can i ve your email address so i can reach you quickly. wont mind paying consultancy( thats a joke of course) cos its really worth it. am better educated

than the tech people with your incisive analysis. tnks a million.

Klo, I don't charge consultancy!

Click on my website link below my posts, and follow the "contact us" link.

Hi Klo,

For your Audi A6 (WAULT64BX3N062853):
====================
Model A6 Quattro,
Engine Mfg. Audi/VW
Engine Name AVK
Fuel Type Gas
No. Cylinders 6
Type V6
Liters 3.0L
Standard Transmission 5 speed semi automatic
Drive AWD
Anti-Lock Brakes 4 Wheel Standard
Security System Pass Key
Daytime Running Lights Not Available
-----------
An appropriate ECU is 8E0 909 559R. The following may also be compatible (8E0909559D, 8E0909559E)
====================

Just some quick questions to enable me know the history of the issues that the vehicle is experiencing:

a) How many miles/Kilometers do you have on the odometer?
b) Was the "routine maintenance" done at the "garage in Lagos" - the place you towed the car to?
c) Did you service the car when the Engine Management System requested for service, or you felt it is time for service?
d) What exactly did the mechanics do as part of the "routine maintenance" This will help me to know the parts that the mechanics have touched.
e) Did they use a Synthetic Oil? or "the regular" oil that they have?
f) How soon after the "routine maintenance" did the problem start, and what alerted you that there was a problem with the car? (also list what you can remember that the mechanics say they have done to the car)
g) Did the mechanics in the Lagos-garage test the car before they started replacing parts?
h) If the mechanics in the Lagos-garage (those curently having your car) dont understand OBD II, have proper scan tool (like the VAG-COM recommended by Sienna) and proper test tools (at least a Digital multimeter and a Scope) they will be causing more damage to your car.
i) Are the coils physically burnet? Since the connector can only go-in one way, I cant see how the mechanics would have misconnected it to cause it to burn. If the coils are not physically burnet, what test was caried out before they concluded that the coil was burnet?

Note: The more information you provide to question f) the better.

I can get you the Engine control Unit (about =N= 40K), but I have three concerns:
1) Some ECU will not fire the coil and will not inject fuel if they are not getting the proper input signals; (very similar to the way you described your present ECU - [[it can't transmit power to the coil and the nozzle( wtever that means) although it does to other areas]] so your ECU may not really be bad, but i dont have much experience with Audis to make a decision remotely.
2) If the mechanics mishandled and destroyed your current-ECU, you are risking them destroying more ECUs and sensors on the car.
3) Since your car have the "Pass Key" security system, the new ECU may need to be reprogrammed. If this is case, can the service center reprogram ECUs?

Dont bother buying the OBD II Scan Tool; it is one thing to read the trouble-code, but using the code to plan the repair-steps that should be taken is another thing. Simply look for a service center that has the OBD II ScanTool, and has technicians that understand OBD II.

Remote troubleshooting is hard, but I can at least guide you not to make unnecessary expenses and mistakes.

Regards,
Kafin

Please auto expert i need your advise.I recently did a major repair on my Nissan altima 99 model engine when it wasnt starting.Since that was done oil started leaking from gods know where below the engine, and whitish smoke coming from the exhaust.The mechanic who repaired it is at aloss of wht could be wrong! i also observe the rev flunctuate sometimes.Its an AT, and when the its in drive and brake is depressed, the vehicle idle roughly. Pls what could be wrong and what can i do about it

What is your current odometer reading?
Did the mechanic tell you the exact reason why the car was not starting?
What is your current idle rev - Transmission at Park no pedal depressed?

I am assuming that "major repair" included engine-overhaul, If that is the case, the reassembly of parts in hte engine was not properly done (or the parts used were of poor quality).

Locating the oil leak is quite easy; ensure the engine body is clean, then look up from under the car - you will clearly see where the oil is leaking from.

Whitish smoke from the exhaust indicates that the coolant is getting into the combustion chamber. Most likely through miss-fitted or poor-quality head gasket, or possibly from cracked cylinder walls or head.

Rev. fluctuations could be from irregular oil flow to the crankshaft main bearings. Place the Transmission at Park, accelerate to keep the rev @ 2500 for about 5 second, then take your leg off the accelerator. Repeat this with rev @3500. If the drop in rev is not smooth, or it starts fluctuating immediately but later stops, then the oil pressure may be too low - will need to check the oil pump.

The car will need to be scanned (monitoring the appropriate sensors simultaneously) to identify why it is idling roughly.

Definitely find a good mechanic, and depending on where the oil is leaking from and if the engine was not properly reassembled, you may have to rebuild the engine (or change it if you find a good one)

I will open a thread titled "Auto Repair Advice and Parts" so that we can stop hijacking other people's threads.

thanx kafin. the odometer is 95000miles.the engine could not start then as a result of broken timing chain adjuster, so i was told to change it wit timing chain,cog,metal, oil pump.thats is wht was done on the engine i was told the engine was still very good then.But could the engine have damaged suddenly after changing this things? though the car can move and its not slugish.Without brake pedal depresed, the rev will be around 1000.

Please how can i get a good mechanic u handles nissan altima very well? If im to change the engine, which is prefarable, japanese or american?