I recently bought an 06 audi a4 from Northtown from their “pre-auction lot”. After owning the car for two days the CEL came on,; so before I went to the dealer I had it scanned, the code was a p2181. I then took it back to northtown where they told me it was the thermostat causing the issue and that it is not covered under the crappy warranty that came with the car… The labor for the thermostat was covered by northtown and I picked my car up two days later. Drove about 60 miles and all of a sudden noticed that I had little to no heat at low rpms, called northtown and they told me to bring it in, before I even got out of the car the service writer was sure it was air in the system. The tech. Bled the system and said it worked great (probably because it was in the heated garage)I then left and went right to work about 5 minutes away so I was unable to make sure the heat was blowing as the car sat outside for a half hr after they fixed it. After work, I used the car starter and waited twenty minutes, when I got into the car it was ice cold and I thought maybe the starter didn’t work but after I started it I noticed the car was reading the right temp and was running when I started it. I called northtown and they took the car once again after having it for 6 hrs they told me to take it to audi and they would cover the cost for the diag. Audi called after two hrs and said that it was the heater core and it was going to cost me 600$ cause once again it’s not covered. After calling the used car sales manager twice to tell him I’m bringing the car back it’s a lemon he agreed to pay for parts and labor for heater core… drove the car about 40 miles today was just on my way to work and boom it happens again I’m on the thru way I have great heat , I get off at nf blvd hit three lights and I have cold air again… I’m leaning towards it needs a water pump of I am also beginning to think the head gasket is shot, I haven’t even put enough miles on it to notice if the coolant is leaking… it does have 82, xxl on it but I have no idea what the issue could be … any help would be appreciated because at this point I’m going to end up eating a ton of money on the car in a trade in which I cannot afford or northtown is going to take the car and keep it…THANKS
Worst car to flush the heater core or bleed the cooling system. Grab both heater core lines while the car is running are they both hot?
I’m not sure I will try that this morning the heater core is brand new and audi did the work, you would think they would be sure it is done correct
The car was at temp and the lines were warm not hot but warm
If they diagnosed it as the heater core (likely issue), and replaced it, and it’s still not blowing heat, have you brought it back to them, or called them?
Word up, this seems like the logical first step.
Yes I finally got ahold of someone this morning and it goes back Monday
Good luck, seems like a nightmare. Keep us posted.
Thanks it’s been nothing but a nightmare esp cause the boss aka the wife told me not to buy it …lol
A non warranteed audi… she’s a smart cookie. Keep her around.
I had good luck with mine, but just because I knew the intimate history of it from day 1. It was a 98 a4 1.8tq and another member is still driving it around. If memory serves me, last I knew it was pushing 230k miles. I had it through like 190k and it was the best car I ever had.
I hope you have just as much luck with yours. Fingers crossed for you that the dealership makes it right.
I’ve got an a3 s-line right now, but CPO. I’ve already had it in their 4 times for various things. Outside of warranty scares the fuck out of me so i’ll ditch it before then.
if it makes you feel better my 06 A3 now has 160k on it with apr stg2 and all that I’ve needed to do was a thermostat and turbo at like 80k.
edit: and I did a coilpack ages ago.
PM me the VIN. I think I know this car.
I was wondering if some would of known the car or previous owner. .
The car you are thinking of has over 120k on it. I still believe it is a head gasket on that car. He is still driving it with terrible heat. On a side note that cars cam follower wore completely through but got super lucky and the cam and the pump were ok.
Just got off the phone with audi they said it is the coolant flange and that northtown is picking the tab up, also spoke to northtown and after blowing my gasket they want me to come in aND sit down and try to figure out how to get me out of the vehicle and into something else… I’ll keep everyone updated what happens from here on out… thanks!
Run away. Get out clean if you can and never look back!!!
this
Haha I’m trying trust me even if I have to eat a couple grand, audi just called they said they did the flange but the heat still is not working and they think someone put radiator stop leak in it and that’s what clogged the heater core and they thing more of it is now in the heater core… but I’m pretty sure that with doing a thermostat and a heater core most of that shit would be out by correct? I am gonna flip my shit. They are flushing the coolant now but I’m almost certain it’s not going to fix it
Either stop leak or coolant was mixed at some point in the past. We run into this quite a bit, but it’s not an overly complicated deal (both heater core, and flushing).
I have had to do the heater core on my 01 passat since amherst radiator broke the inlet and outlet. I Still can’t find the time.