Audi A8 2011 4.2 litre Diesel - Transmission Coolant Valve failure

I have a 2011 Audi A8 4.2 Litre Diesel with 66,125 km on the speedo as at October of 2017.
This was a UK import with 8,136 kms when I purchased it from the Corporate Cars in May 2013. The car has been great until October 2017 when the engine started running rough, I thought I had a timing chain or valve lifter noise.

Continental Cars carried out an inspection and advised that the coolant valve on the Gearbox had leaked and the Wiring looms have had coolant injected into the wiring loom under pressure. The failure of the Coolant Valve resulted in two wiring looms being damaged and possibly the computers attached to those wiring looms.
I requested a repair quote from Continental Cars. The repair quote was for NZ $56,074.60 (2 wiring harness = $44,128 + 2 Valves = $737 + labour = $11.208 ).

This estimate is about the market value of my car.

So my luxury top of the line 6-year-old Audi A8 is now worth nothing. (ZERO Value as the repair cost is possibly more than the market value of the car.)

I have been in touch with AUDI Germany and they are still deliberating after three months.

I undertook a considerable amount of research online to try and establish if this was a one-off event or something much bigger.

1) I found reference to the issue I had on the ROSS-TECH Wiki site. Reference No. P2755,

2) This information led me to National Highway Transport Safety Authority...NHTSA ID: 16V619000, .............................a product recall on all Audi A8's manufactured between 2010 and mid-2012.
There were 9.067 cars recalled in USA and Canada in August 2016 of which 7192 cars were remedied. (google it)

Audi Germany has said via their various agents they will not consider any vehicles older than 5 years old and European Motor Distributors (NZ) has advised that the recall was only for select VIN numbers in the USA and Canadian markets.

My view is that the issues identified in the USA and Canada are exactly the same issues/symptoms that I have with my vehicle, so I fail to see how they come up with certain VIN numbers.

The NHTSA Recall Notice states that the defect rate was likely to be 100%.

My view is that I should not be responsible for the repair of a product that is damaged due to a faulty component utilised at the time of manufacture.

The recall issued in the USA and Canada should have been issued WORLDWIDE for all AUDI A8 cars manufactured between May 2010 and May 2012.

Having read in detail all the various recall notices, I suggest that this is a much bigger problem that extends to more cars in the Audi range than just the AUDI A8's.

So consider carefully whether you want to invest in a luxury high-end AUDI where the manufacturer won't support their product.

Who else has had similar problems?

WOW - I saw your VASK post late last night, and was a little shocked.

I say "a little", because ALL VW/AUDI prices in NZ shock me! - they are SUBSTANTIALLY higher than any BMW prices I've had experience with in many years of looking after our family BMWs and VW's.

I really do feel sorry for you - it's a lot of money, obviously! I also suspect a repair done through a good repair shop who aren't the dealer would be MUCH, MUCH, MUCH cheaper!! I wonder if good used looms can be found?

I know you've probably looked into this in great detail already (international forum members may not understand though) but under NZ law, I believe the seller (Corporate Cars) of the car is responsible for the car being fit for purpose and of merchantable quality etc. I'd guess this would be the avenue of best resolving the problem. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act, it should last a "reasonable amount of time"... and 4 years from purchase/6 years old total, is NOT reasonable! Sure, wear and tear/servicing, age and mileage have to be taken into account, but it's not "worn out", it's a serious failure!

I should think it'd be a Disputes Tribunal case, but it would have to be against the yard who sold it to you (who might very well be a bunch of nice guys... )

Have you contacted the yard that sold it? I know it's not their "fault", but they sold it, so take the risk in NZ law, and should have insurance to cover this type of thing.

Since the car was never imported/sold via EMD, there's nothing they have to do. If it were a claim under the Audi international warranty, you'd probably still have to pay up front, and could claim reimbursement from Audi Germany... however the new car warranty (2 years international?) has expired.

I hope somebody, somewhere can sort something for you!

Thanks your comments.

Unfortunately, we get screwed in NZ on the pricing of all sorts of European vehicles.
In 2009, I purchased brand new A6 3.0 litre from Continental Cars and paid NZD 110,000. 50,000 kms and three years later they offered me $25,000 on that vehicle as trade in for a new A6.

So not happy and purchased the A8 from Corporate Cars for less money.

The issue is not Corporate Cars but AUDI Germany, due to a fault at the point of manufacture, the fault was identified and resolved by Audi Germany in the USA and Canadian markets, and if they truly supported their product then they should resolve this matter with any other vehicles that have this issue.

I will take your comments onboard.

I have notified a consumer review group of the issue and will await their response.