Audi 3.0 TFSI V6 Supercharged Common Faults & 7 Speed DSG – S4 S5 Q5 A6 SQ5 Q7 A7 A8

If you’ve got an Audi S4, S5, SQ5, or A6 A7 A8 or Q5 Q7 with Audi’s 3L V6 Supercharged engine, what should you be on the look out to replace? What are the common faults and repairs? Lets walk you through them, starting with the maintenance schedule, then the common issues.

• Maintenance schedule
  • Oil – once per year
  • Cabin filter – every other year
  • DSG service – every 35K miles
  • Spark Plugs – After 55K miles, after 115K miles
  • Engine air filter – 55K, 115K
  • Supercharger Belt – 55K, 115K
• Coolant leaks
  • Thermostat – B8 more common failure than B8.5, either leaks or can stick open/closed – 80-100K miles
  • Water Pump – B8 more common than B8.5, has drip hole built in as bearings start to fail and makes it easy to know coolant dripping. 80-100K miles
• PCV
  • B8 (especially earlier ones) have known bad part, needs replacing. If you have the newer version (B8.5s should have it)
• Ignition system
  • Coils can fail, simple to replace
  • Valve cover can leak onto them – check when replacing spark plugs
• Secondary Air System – specialist cleaning required
• Engine Mounts
  • They are hydraulic and electronically monitored so may get a code, can physically fail by leaking purple oil. Pain to replace.