My 2002 2.7 Pearl Sport A6, 6 spd, 70K had developed a fuel leak L/H side when filled up and dripped wet fuel on garage floor in addition to the fuel vapor smell. Both went away after 3 gallons were consumed. Then I got the recall notice and took her in to the dealer. I told the dealer that gas spotted on the floor and had the odor and he wrote that on the work order. the tank was near empty when I took it in and the same when I picked it up, thus indicating they did not verify the problem, just performed the recall. After the "recall Fix", filled her up and no wetting on the floor, but still got the odor.

Took her back to the dealer today (about 4 weeks later, their schedule) and they called to tell me that the tank had a crack at the top and was not related to the roll over nipple recall, and therefor not under warrantee. The fix I was told was to replace the tank for $2883 plus tax. They had no explanation as to how the tank could have cracked and confirmed there was no other damage and no evidence of collision damage.

Continued discusion went as follows; I asked if they could see the crack and they said no it can't be seen. They are baseing it on the fuel drip stains on the outside of the tank. I said those stains where there when they did the recall and had the tank partially dropped and why didn't they confirm then with no reason given other than they assumed that the recall fix would take care of it.

Any one heard of this situation and any recommendations to challange AUDI?
thanks in advance

 

I am guessing this is your recall:

http://http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/relatedDefectsSummary.cfm?RCL_ID=08V157000&defectI dlist=PE08008&ModuleType=Vehicles&type=VEHICLE

If you are still getting a leak and the dealer does not want to do anything about it tell them you will file a complaint with NHSTA. If they still do not want to deal with you ask them for the number of the regional Audi warranty/service representative. If that doesn't fly file a complaint:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm

The odds you have a crack in the fuel tank without the car ever being in an accident, slim. If the above actually was your recall the fix they propose seems to be open to some variability (i.e. the mechanic probably screwed up and the dealership is cover his/her a$$).

 

Yes, it was the JY saftey recall : Reinforce fuel tank rollover valve nipple.

Thanks for the links and recommendations and also technical concurance

 

I just had the same leak with my car. I got the smell but no drip on the floor. I fortunatly have an extended warenty that covers it but yea it costs that much. I'm sorry to hear that you have a similar problem. Did your warenty run out, and that's why they won't cover it. I know that if it's Quattro it's about $1600 just to remove the tank.

 

I do not have an extended coverage. The Audi dealer quoted ~$1600 for the tank ans ~$1200 labor. Interesting that the value of the recall to reinforce the roll over nipple was shown on the invoice as $509.

I am not convinced of the dealers statement that the alledged tank crack is unrelated to the recall fix or area of the tank. Since the leak is reduced after the recall such that it does not appear on the garage floor, they must have affected it. He also stated (admitted) that they did not see a crack.

So I am hopeing that even w/o warrantee, since the NTSB involvement and Audi recall are so recent (2008) and the dealer has made some unsubstantiated and errored statements to me, if I make official complaints to Audi and/or NTSB, I might get no cost action.

Thanks for your reply

 

Yeah, good luck with everything, hope it works in your favor.