I don't understand this settlement at all. It seems that Audi dealerships cannot possibly be objective during the timing belt inspections - it would decrease their liability for reimbursing costs of wrecked engines due to timing belt failures if they simply told everyone at the newly mandated inspections that they need new belts. That is what they did to me. I have a 2001 Audi with only 23,500 miles on it. I've been told I need a new timing belt due the age of the vehicle. Has anyone else received this advice on a car with similarly low mileage? Should I really pay up to have a new belt installed? Any chance that a different dealership will give me a different opinion? I obviously hate to shell out this money if it is unnecessary. Thanks.

 

this is a post for the A4 B5 section.
i would not have it done at the dealership, find a reputable euro garage or something. someone that seems to specialize but- not a dealership. youll pay half the price for the same work that way.
id replace em every 40-60k. it really depends on if this car was sitting and not moving for ever.

 

Thanks for your response. What if the car was sitting and not moving for about 1.5 years? Is that a reason to replace the timing belt at 23,500 miles?

 

i totally agree

 

yeah what he said

 

I'm a tech at an Audi dealership and the "recall" is mainly for the belt tensioning system, not the belt itself. From my understanding, the tensioner can cause the belt to ride off track and rub and causing belt damage. To be honest, I'm not sure what the whole legal or liability thing is (my job is to repair the cars) but we've only found a couple that actually had damage caused by the tensioner. We have come across maybe half a dozen cars that were a disaster waiting to happen. The belts were severly cracked and dry rotted, but every one of them was close to or past due for a belt anyways (100,000 miles give or take a couple thousand miles). What I mean to say is, a reputable dealer with honest techs would never recommend belt replacemnet unless it is really needed, whether it's mileage or the belt is dry rotted. I always hate when I hear about dealers that basically scam the customers for work that isn't really needed. Maybe I'm lucky to work for an honest dealer with honest techs. If you have it done at an independent shop, please check them out before having them work on your car. We've re-fixed more than one Audi that was just worked on by a local so called "German Car Expert" shop.

 

I have a 2001 TT 1.8T with 68,000 mi and took it to dealer about a month ago for check. They inspected it and said all was fine-no problem. For whatever it is worth, I have always had great service and complete trust in my Audi dealer. Actuall much more so than any dealer and most non dealers that any I have ever dealt with. Having said that, I can easily see where you are coming from and certainly would not expect the timing belt to need repalced at 22K+ miles--try another dealer?