Audi didn’t get the memo…
July 24, 2007
In the 4 months that I’ve had my 2003 Audi A4 (3L) the low-oil warning has come on twice. In the prior 17 years of driving that’s never happened.
The first time it happened I suspected an oil leak or the possibility that the dealer cheaped out on the oil change and put in the bare minimum during the oil change.
Luckily my first oil change was due that week – as I was changing the oil, the oil pan and underside of the engine were strikingly clean! No way this car was leaking oil… So I just chalked it up to dealer ineptitude/cheapness.
End of story – or so I thought. When it happened again last week I concluded that I must have a faulty low-oil level sensor in there… Just to be sure I checked the oil level and sure enough it was low and sure enough, 1/2 a quart of oil made the warning go away.
I called Livermore Audi and told them what I observed… I also told them that with the 1999 A4 I never encountered this issue.
I was told that all newer Audis do consume oil and that there was nothing wrong with the car.
Did Audi engineers miss that memo on oil consumption and our environment? WTF?
So given the answer I was given and the pattern I’ve observed: 0.75-1 quart consumption per 4,000 miles driven…. has anyone else seen this on their Audi?
My airplane uses less oil than that.
I have just discovered this same thing. I was a little concerned at first too. But I just buy a little more oil at a better price and check the oil level every 5k miles.
I HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH MY 03 A4. DID THE SAME THING SEARCHING FOR A LEAK BUT FOUND NO SIGNS.
GOOD TO KNOW. I DRIVE 90% HIGHWAY AND GUESS I SHOULD KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON THE OIL.
I have owned 7 Audi’s and this is the first time I have ever heard of an oil consumption so high. I own a ‘03 A4 3.0L and indeed every 3500-4000 miles my oil light comes on. Nothing to worry about. The problem is the torque and how high the engine revs. It just seems to somehow internally burn oil. It doesn’t help that the dip sticks are these wacky dark plastic that are impossible to read where the oil is. Anyway still love my Audi’. Can’t wait for the new S5.
Yeah, that dipstick blows me away at how unusable it is!
WTF were they thinking??? Having to look for oil-level on a rounded, shiny, black, plastic dipstick with ridges… is ridiculously lame of them!
Hello everyody,
I had the same problem and Audi people told me that the car consumes more. Take care! there is a big issue regarding the sludge problem in Audi.
In my case they clean almost everything in the engine to clean the sludge and at the end the problem conitnued. Finally the issue was a part of the Turbo that eat the oil.
hope this help!
Luis
I have a 2005 A4 and experienced the same issue between purchase and 5000 and 5000 and 10000 miles. The dealer gave me the same story as everyone here. I just carry oil in the trunk and I have been changing my oil more frequently than the 10,000 they recommend. I have heard of sludge problems so I’m trying to keep an eye on it.