I just pulled my car out of 9 months in storage - had it completely
checked out with the oil changed etc. and then drove it cross country
about 3000km (1,800 miles) and then had the 120,000km (75,000 mile)
service done.

I then drove back across country another 2000 km (1,250 miles) and 2
weeks later have a grinding noise when I turn the tires - (diagnosed as
tire end rods that needed to be replaced) OK...

Then the dealership tells me that the noise I am also hearing is due to
the water pump. And that it needed to be replaced. They want to
change the timing belt too while they are in there.

Because, I said money was an issue, I did not want things changed if
they were OK. I don't hear anything from them and then everything has
been done, timing belt was changed....I asked for it to be put in my
car and I see no wear or tear on this belt. I bought this car with
65,000 km (40,391 miles) and they had completed the major service.

What are the signs of a faulty water pump, my car was running great
after the service (there were no temperature problems, any thing to
indicate coolant was not flowing properly)

Am I missing something?

$1,500 is a big bill to pay when you just spent money on a complete
service 2 weeks prior.

Dana

 

You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
(60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.

Dan D
'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
Central NJ USA

 

You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
(60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.

Dan D
'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
Central NJ USA

 

You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
(60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.

Dan D
'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
Central NJ USA

 

You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
(60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.

Dan D
'04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
Central NJ USA

 

"Dano58" <dan.dibiase@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1131981148.596086.110190@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
> are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
> which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
> (60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
> a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
> something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.
>
> Dan D
> '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
> Central NJ USA

Dan is right. With the mileage on your car, the TB is due for replacement
and it's not unusual to have the water pump begin to die near 80,000 miles -
if the water pump was making noise and/or leaking, it had already begun to
fail and needed prompt replacement. Replacement of both components at the
same time is sensible since both require essentially the same extensive
(read expensive) labor of disassembly/reassembly to get at them. Hopefully,
your dealer also replaced TB tensioners and the thermostat while he was at
it. TB wear is not the only thing that can lead to its failure - tensioner
and/or water pump failure can damage the TB and cause it to also fail. And
one thing you don't want on an A4 is timing belt failure! So I don't think
your dealer was ripping you off but it does sound as if communication could
have been better.

 

"Dano58" <dan.dibiase@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1131981148.596086.110190@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
> are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
> which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
> (60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
> a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
> something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.
>
> Dan D
> '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
> Central NJ USA

Dan is right. With the mileage on your car, the TB is due for replacement
and it's not unusual to have the water pump begin to die near 80,000 miles -
if the water pump was making noise and/or leaking, it had already begun to
fail and needed prompt replacement. Replacement of both components at the
same time is sensible since both require essentially the same extensive
(read expensive) labor of disassembly/reassembly to get at them. Hopefully,
your dealer also replaced TB tensioners and the thermostat while he was at
it. TB wear is not the only thing that can lead to its failure - tensioner
and/or water pump failure can damage the TB and cause it to also fail. And
one thing you don't want on an A4 is timing belt failure! So I don't think
your dealer was ripping you off but it does sound as if communication could
have been better.

 

"Dano58" <dan.dibiase@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1131981148.596086.110190@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
> are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
> which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
> (60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
> a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
> something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.
>
> Dan D
> '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
> Central NJ USA

Dan is right. With the mileage on your car, the TB is due for replacement
and it's not unusual to have the water pump begin to die near 80,000 miles -
if the water pump was making noise and/or leaking, it had already begun to
fail and needed prompt replacement. Replacement of both components at the
same time is sensible since both require essentially the same extensive
(read expensive) labor of disassembly/reassembly to get at them. Hopefully,
your dealer also replaced TB tensioners and the thermostat while he was at
it. TB wear is not the only thing that can lead to its failure - tensioner
and/or water pump failure can damage the TB and cause it to also fail. And
one thing you don't want on an A4 is timing belt failure! So I don't think
your dealer was ripping you off but it does sound as if communication could
have been better.

 

"Dano58" <dan.dibiase@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1131981148.596086.110190@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
> You usually replace the water pump and timing belt together, since they
> are in the same area. It appears that you're around 78,000 miles -
> which is at the upper end of the normal timing belt replacement period
> (60 - 80k miles) so you should get that done. Water pumps normally get
> a bit squeaky and sometimes leak a little bit. But it's also not
> something to mess around with, if it is indeed going bad.
>
> Dan D
> '04 A4 1.8Tq MT-6
> Central NJ USA

Dan is right. With the mileage on your car, the TB is due for replacement
and it's not unusual to have the water pump begin to die near 80,000 miles -
if the water pump was making noise and/or leaking, it had already begun to
fail and needed prompt replacement. Replacement of both components at the
same time is sensible since both require essentially the same extensive
(read expensive) labor of disassembly/reassembly to get at them. Hopefully,
your dealer also replaced TB tensioners and the thermostat while he was at
it. TB wear is not the only thing that can lead to its failure - tensioner
and/or water pump failure can damage the TB and cause it to also fail. And
one thing you don't want on an A4 is timing belt failure! So I don't think
your dealer was ripping you off but it does sound as if communication could
have been better.

 

"Dana" <pperrd@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1131947200.322375.273590@g49g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
>I just pulled my car out of 9 months in storage - had it completely
> checked out with the oil changed etc. and then drove it cross country
> about 3000km (1,800 miles) and then had the 120,000km (75,000 mile)
> service done.
>
> I then drove back across country another 2000 km (1,250 miles) and 2
> weeks later have a grinding noise when I turn the tires - (diagnosed as
> tire end rods that needed to be replaced) OK...
>
> Then the dealership tells me that the noise I am also hearing is due to
> the water pump. And that it needed to be replaced. They want to
> change the timing belt too while they are in there.
>
> Because, I said money was an issue, I did not want things changed if
> they were OK. I don't hear anything from them and then everything has
> been done, timing belt was changed....I asked for it to be put in my
> car and I see no wear or tear on this belt. I bought this car with
> 65,000 km (40,391 miles) and they had completed the major service.
>
> What are the signs of a faulty water pump, my car was running great
> after the service (there were no temperature problems, any thing to
> indicate coolant was not flowing properly)
>
> Am I missing something?
>
> $1,500 is a big bill to pay when you just spent money on a complete
> service 2 weeks prior.
>
> Dana
>

120k km is the major service to replace the toothed belt according to my
Audi schedule, that's on the 2.8 V6 model.

I magine you went to an independant to get the 120k service done, and they
did not know the Audi service intervals.