Audi want Money for warranty work

[Caveman]

Hi All

I recently had the 2nd gear crunching sound on my 2007 rs4, so i took it to audi under warranty. They stripped the gearbox and couldnt find the problem.
So they decided to replace the gear box after 3 & 1/2 weeks later while i drove around in their customer car. They said i would have to pay a surcharge of £1600 because one of fins on the gear box caseing was broken.
I explained i had no idea about this and that this was their to protect the gearbox in the first place and had nothing to do with the 2nd gear crunching.
They then said they will have to replace the gearbox caseing to give it back to audi headquaters to get the new gearbox in exchange or they will have to pay the surcharge.
I disagreed and said why dont they just replace the syncro etc. They said there was a backlog of parts and this was the only way forward.
So now i have to pay for the gearbox casing and labour to switch the parts around costing me over £700

This cant be how things work or is it?

[booski]

sounds wrong to me too!

[ArthurPE]

breaking a fin off would imply something was hit: a large rock, bump, something...
the impact (probably substantial if it broke off a piece) may have caused internal damage...
so they are probably related...
and replacing the case may be prudent...it may be warped/bent/etc. and causing the root problem

the fin is not intended to protect the gearbox, but rather to aid in cooling...
warranties generally don't cover damage caused by impacts, etc.

[no_RS]

Unfortunately paying the money seems to be the most pragmatic approach, how much would a gearbox replacement cost? Had one replaced in an old A4 quattro some years back and the warranty bill was £5.5k.

If they send it back with the damage Audi will not honour the warranty, any excuse to wriggle out of it and would you really trust the dealer to change the syncro - not me!

[lynchy]

sounds wrong to me too!

sounds typical audi dealers to me

[chemical-ali]

Sounds wrong to me also.

You can go round in circles with the arguements regarding whose responsibility it was for the bit to be snapped off and whether this may have damaged the gearbox. But I would find it hard to think it would stand up in court that a missing chunk would partially void a warranty. Are they claiming that the gearbox overheated and that caused the damage? It doesn't sound like it in you post. I know where ArthurPE is coming from, but it is only relevant if that is the cause, either directly or as a contributory factor, to the damage to the gear. The damage is presumably an internal part and separate from any usualbumps and grazes which would reasonably be expected if the car were used normally.

It sounds like the dealer wants to help but can only do so much. I would, if I were in your position, discuss the issue further up the chain and see what they say.

[ArthurPE]

trannies are very complex...the Audi more so because of the AWD function, sort of a tranny/diff/xfer box hybrid
not only must they be built to very tight tolerances, they must handle a lot of torque/power...
they are a marvel of engineering...but not human proof, lol
the Audis are amazing, very tight, sweet gear changes...as good as I've felt...'snicks' right into gear...smoooooth

the case holds/supports the gear shafts, so it must be strong and perfectly aligned...
I could see a good crack knocking it out of 'whack'
even more so if it was under heavy load at the time...
especially one strong enough to rip a piece off a alloy case, no just gouge it, but bust a chunk off...

most dealers I know would try to foist the whole bill on you claiming the damage was caused by abuse...and a busted case is a pretty strong supporting arguement...

[crispy]

Hmmm, don't forget the dealer could have damaged the gearbox removing it from the car.

Was the damage reported when they started work, or once the gearbox was removed?

I have had a quick look under my car, and in my opinion to break a fin during normal road use must have taken some serious abuse. I sits higher than all the surrounding area just behind the undertray (if that is the gearbox casing and not the back of the sump) and I would expect to see serious signs of collision damage in the surrounding area.

The only other way I could see damaging this, is using it as a jacking point....

[Caveman]

Hi all thanks for the post, the Audi garage admitted there was no connection between the 2nd gear crunching and the gearbox fin being damaged. So they put on a new casing and gave me a new gearbox fitted under warranty. They charged me £225 for the labour changing the gearbox casing. Cant argue with that.
Ill be picking it up today, so ill give you guys my opinion on the new gearbox soon.

[chemical-ali]

Hi all thanks for the post, the Audi garage admitted there was no connection between the 2nd gear crunching and the gearbox fin being damaged. So they put on a new casing and gave me a new gearbox fitted under warranty. They charged me £225 for the labour changing the gearbox casing. Cant argue with that.
Ill be picking it up today, so ill give you guys my opinion on the new gearbox soon.

If there is no connection, it is covered under warranty. If it is covered under warranty, you pay nothing. If you pay nothing, how come you are paying something?

Can't argue with that? You could. But £225 - is it worth it?

[Caveman]

They charged for labour to recoup some of the cost that was not covered under warranty, all parts were replaced under warranty, all labour connected to the job was under warranty. The additional cost of labour was not connected to the gearbox fault hence why i paid it.
The car now runs smooth without any problem

[booski]

trannies are very complex...

i think they prefer to be called Transsexuals or Transgender.....

[Caveman]

The gears in the car no longer want to go into position now, only 2 weeks after anew gearbox, i can only put it into gear when engine is off. I took it back to Audi
and they are blaming the clutch. But they are so wrong as i had a new clutch fitted 3months ago.
If it was the clutch why didnt the check it before they put on a new gearbox, i didnt abuse my car and it picks up speed perfectly with no slip. Sounds like a leak in the hydro pipe.
Lets see what they come up with now......