# 99 a6 avant 2.8l, great car but what are common issues?



## Mr. VWswagg Sir (Aug 30, 2010)

Just got an 99 a6 avant, 2.8l has 108k miles

So far love it, my girl loves it, it rides smooth, etc.

Today my check engine light just came on.. 

Want to know what are the common issue the 99-2002 A6 2.8l has?

What should I be aware of at my mileage point of time?


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## Snowhere (Jul 27, 2007)

The 2.8 is a good, but somewhat boring engine. Not much can be done to it, but they are pretty sound engines. With 108K on the clock, the timing belt should of been done but if it has not, do it immediately! It should be changed about every 70K or every 5 to 7 years. They are interference engines, so if a timing belt breaks, your heads are toast and for most people, that means a new engine. We bought ours with 89K on it and I immediately did the timing belt and water pump drill.

Change the waterpump every time you change the timing belt too.

Check your tierod ends and control joints for play as they are wear items. I just replaced one tierod end at 136K because it was loose, but my control arms were still tight. 

The 2.8s love to leak oil from valve cover gaskets and the cam seals. I fix mine and fix mine until I give up and live with a little oil leak! 

Oh and if the tranny fluid has not been changed, change it. Audi wants us to believe it is lifetime fluid, but what that means is the fluid has a lifetime, after which it is dead. I changed mine as soon as I got ours too. Your slushbox will last longer with fresh fluid every once and a while. Now if you are lucky enough to have a 5speed in your 99, you are lucky indeed as I think that is the only year you can find a standard tranny.


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## Mr. VWswagg Sir (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks alot man, who did you have to change your timing belt and pulleys, the Audi in Alexandra want $1900, I ask the guy did he just get out of rehab!

NGP said $1300 for the timing belt and pulleys.

What about your torque converter, still move good? are those known for wear..

my suspension feels a little bumper on small cracks in road, maybe i should look into the balljoints and control arm bushings!!


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## mithril (Feb 6, 2003)

Mr. VWswagg Sir said:


> the Audi in Alexandra want $1900, I ask the guy did he just get out of rehab!


Why? $1500 - $2000 is pretty much the standard price for that job. You may find it a little cheaper at an indy shop but not much. If you're not already, I'd learn to get handy with a wrench if you think that's a big bill....

PS: the control arms will also cost about $1500 to replace, the torque converter (if going) will also be closer to $2000.


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## JoeSpaz (May 26, 2010)

*Not the Torque Converter*



mithril said:


> ...the torque converter (if going) will also be closer to $2000.


A buddy of mine has a 2002 A6 2.7T and the trans. was acting weird when engaging from a stop, ie. when the torque converter was engaging, and throwing torque converter codes when scanned. I popped the vag-com on it, got it warmed up, and checked the Trans. Fluid level by opening the filler in the bottom of the pan, WAY overfilled. After we let the excess fluid out of the system the torque converter codes stopped and the awkward trans. engaging from stand still went away completely.

Audi's "Lifetime Trans. Fluid" claims are ridiculous :screwy: CHANGE YOUR TRANS. FLUID, and make sure it's filled to spec. :laugh:


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## mithril (Feb 6, 2003)

JoeSpaz said:


> A buddy of mine has a 2002 A6 2.7T and the trans. was acting weird when engaging from a stop, ie. when the torque converter was engaging, and throwing torque converter codes when scanned. I popped the vag-com on it, got it warmed up, and checked the Trans. Fluid level by opening the filler in the bottom of the pan, WAY overfilled. After we let the excess fluid out of the system the torque converter codes stopped and the awkward trans. engaging from stand still went away completely.


That's either a lucky fix or a temporary one, typically once the TC starts to act up you'd better bank on replacing it in the not too distant future. _Replacing_ the TC, which is what I was referring too, will be approx. $2000. It's a $500 part and the transmission has to be dropped, never cheap.



JoeSpaz said:


> Audi's "Lifetime Trans. Fluid" claims are ridiculous :screwy: CHANGE YOUR TRANS. FLUID, and make sure it's filled to spec. :laugh:


Audi's "lifetime" rating on the tranny oil is actually 80,000 miles. The media and dealer marketing ended up becoming very confused which lead to the perception that it was mean to be a lifetime fill from factory.


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## eurotrash8611 (Sep 6, 2011)

Mr. VWswagg Sir said:


> Just got an 99 a6 avant, 2.8l has 108k miles
> 
> So far love it, my girl loves it, it rides smooth, etc.
> 
> ...


Lower balljoints a.k.a. control arms. Balljoints are non-serviceable so you have to buy the whole arm. They wear fast (40k to 60k) but that's true for all Audis.

The 2.8 is one of Audis better engines....you take care if it, it will take care of you. Timely oil changes please with a quality oil and an OE filter. Do not skimp and go to the nearest Jiffylube or if you want to do it yourself, do not get that $2 oil filter off the shelf. Buy quality products.


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