I'm driving an Audi Q7 2010 4.2l V8 and for quite sometime, I have noticed that every morning during my initial start, black smoke is coming out of my exhaust.

Youtube video can be seen under Titel: Es wird immer schlimmer

I have brought this up with my local Audi Dealership. However, even after a few attempts trying to have this problem rectified, I'm still left with the black smoke.

Audi's technician's explanation is that it's not the car but rather the gasoline I'm using. Audi is in the car manufacturing business and not in the petrol business. Therefore, Audi can't be made responsible, if the pumped gasoline, creates such an excessive dark discharge. I'm pumping Shell premium with 91 octane.

Please let me know if anyone else has ever encountered this problem, and if so, how was it rectified.

Thanks for your attention to this matter.

 

To help rule out if it's a gasoline issue, try a different Shell station; a different octane, or; a different company (e.g. Esso, PetroCan etc.)
hope this helps.

 

Thank you for your suggestion. That was one of the possibilities Audi has mentioned to me as well. I'll try, and in a few weeks time, I'll see if it will make a difference. It's just funny,.... my wife drives an Audi A4 2009 3.2l and she has no issue with the gasoline she puts in her car. I used PetroCan before but thought that with Shell, not having the Ethanol additive, the engine would benefit with better performance and fuel consumption from it. But maybe 94 octane with up to 5% ethanol are better then 91 octane and no ethanol. I'll switch back to PertroCan, and maybe it will prove that Audi is right with their explanation to my problem. I'll keep you posted.
Thank again for taking the time answering my question.

 

Almost a Year later,..... smoke is still present. What I did noticed is, that during the cooled winter month the smoke is more evident, then during the warmer climate in the summer month. Would that indicate that the temperature control sensor is maybe sending the wrong signals to the engine management unite? Still no idea or help from Audi dealer. The changing of gas companies was no help. Doesn't matter which company I'm using. Smoke will appear regardless.

 

see above

 

straight honest answer don't worry about the black smoke on start up its nothing bad or to wherry about all it means its that your running rich on start up its not bad for the engine. Alot of high performance or big engines make black smoke on start up.