Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

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leadfoot
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Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by leadfoot » Tue Oct 11, 2016 6:04 pm

Has anyone tried pressing the defect in the way the bottom of our doors are constructed? Technically these are referred to as “door blades”… from my point of view a continuation of the outer door skin…. And from Audi’s point of view, they describe the piece as “trim” and not part of the actual door. Since they refer to it as “trim” it is not covered by the same warranty as the door, and “trim” is only covered for 1 year from new.

I have seen many forum posts on the issue, and believe this is actually a manufacturing flaw, and that is most definitely part of the door and not trim.

Has anyone pressed the issue with Audi, to have them cover the repair?

I know warranty coverage varies on country (I am in Canada)… but I am thinking very seriously about pressing the issue... and spending a few thousand dollars to take the issue to our small claims court… as I think all Audi Canada is doing is the same as an insurance company with the claim “deny, deny, deny”… and hope I go away.

Anyway, I would appreciate any suggestions or feedback….

Mark

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MikeFish
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by MikeFish » Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:41 pm

Aren't they made of plastic? And bolted onto the door? I thought it was the door itself that rusted not the blade (which I believe is plastic anyway)?

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MB2
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by MB2 » Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:46 pm

I think the bits of trim that have failed are the strips along the middle of the door. There is metal inside them and that goes but the door doesn't fail so Audi don't want to know.

Good luck with Audi - in the UK we have the smalls claim court but the problem is you are claiming against a warranty and I expect a court would see 10 years as reasonable - especially for a piece of the car that is non structural.

Harris.
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by Harris. » Tue Oct 11, 2016 9:01 pm

At nearly 10 years old will Audi act on this ?

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harding
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by harding » Tue Oct 11, 2016 10:44 pm

I have some clear varnish loosen up on the upper side of my mid-door trim. Also when i look closely i see some oxidating going on under the trim.
I talked to audi regarding this, but since i take my car to mr cap every spring for a resealant ( http://www.mrcap.com/service-program/resealant/) and/or a master treatment ( http://www.mrcap.com/service-program/mastertreatment/ ) audi blamed Mr Cap for not properly doing the job (by not taking the trims off).

I got to Mr Cap, and they blamed audi because its the clear varnish that is peeling of from beneath the trim (and if i wanted them to cover the treatments under the trim, i needed to tell them.. :x ).

So neither Audi Sweden nor Mr Cap takes responsibility for the issue, even tho me and previous owners followed the caretaking by the book... (Mr Cap treatments for 3000euros over the years)...

As someone stated, its hard to get audi to cover the costs because the car is 10 years old.
Audi RS4 Avant
[2014]: blacked out wheels & grill: center res delete : flaps open
[2015]: brembo & yellowstuff : michelin pss : h&r spacers
[2016]: sachs performance clutch : decoked : led there be light : black window trim
[2017]: stertman stage 1 : black headlights & clear corner mod : gruppe m air intake : gutted resonators

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RS04YOB
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by RS04YOB » Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:17 am

I replaced mine last year

leadfoot
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by leadfoot » Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:50 pm

It is not the rubber "trim" it is literally part of the bottom of the door... there is a screw on the inside of the door, and it slides off, towards the back of the door. If you didn't know any better you'd think it was the door, and not a separate metal piece.

Yes its 10 years old, but I have 2 previous reports when the car was still under warranty when the issue could first be seen, it is just now that I had to spend ~ 1400 CAD (~850 pounds) to replace them.

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RS04YOB
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by RS04YOB » Fri Oct 14, 2016 5:47 pm

leadfoot wrote:It is not the rubber "trim" it is literally part of the bottom of the door... there is a screw on the inside of the door, and it slides off, towards the back of the door. If you didn't know any better you'd think it was the door, and not a separate metal piece.

Yes its 10 years old, but I have 2 previous reports when the car was still under warranty when the issue could first be seen, it is just now that I had to spend ~ 1400 CAD (~850 pounds) to replace them.
Jesus thats expensive I bout just the one and got it sparyed

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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by yorkie » Fri Oct 14, 2016 8:06 pm

They are definitely not part of the door although they look like it. They are plastic with a steel backing which rusts and causes them to "blow". Had both my fronts done, cost about £65 each and Audi sprayed them for nothing as a gesture of goodwill so how you had to pay £850 is beyond me. They are literally held on by a screw (or 2) and some tabs welded to the door skin. Undo the screw(s) and they just slide off.

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RS04YOB
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Re: Rusting door blades: Me vs Audi

Post by RS04YOB » Sat Oct 15, 2016 9:16 am

yorkie wrote:They are definitely not part of the door although they look like it. They are plastic with a steel backing which rusts and causes them to "blow". Had both my fronts done, cost about £65 each and Audi sprayed them for nothing as a gesture of goodwill so how you had to pay £850 is beyond me. They are literally held on by a screw (or 2) and some tabs welded to the door skin. Undo the screw(s) and they just slide off.
The surface is made from Aluminium so the bloke told me who sprayed them

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