Hi guys,

I need help, I drive a 2010 Audi A3 1.4TSI (92kw - Petrol), the car is now 15 months old with 26 000km on the clock. Up to 23 000km - no issues, but then the car started to accelerate in a jerking motion, would lose power and sometime, I wouldn't even be able to get it to 120km/h on a level road. Went to Audi several times, after changing everything but the turbo, they finally resorted to do that. I had the car back for a week and everything was fine.

Since last week, on cold start (I live out in South Africa, so cold start is around 15 Celsius) the car struggles to idle and when I tap the accellerator peddle, I can here forced pressure release from the turbo. This stops after a few seconds, but the car continues to idle loudly with a GRRRRRRRR noise. This later dies down after some driving.

Since yesterday, I have also noticed grey/white smoke from the exhaust on cold starts. Hitting the accelerator generates a puff of smoke. This also goes away after some highway driving.

This can certainly not be normal, why would the car do it all of a sudden now after the turbo replacement...this started within 100miles of driving after new turbo. I drive the car every day and with the high cost of motoring repairs in SA, I am very tuned in to pick up abnormalities or changes in my car.

Audi SA is no help, they keep on referring me to the same dealership, who took 9 days to replace the turbo, returned the car to me "fixed" on three occassions, only to have me back there the next morning. I have lost faith in the dealership and have a strong suspicion that the problems I am experiencing now is some how linked to the previous work done/issues experienced.

Can anybody shed some light on a diagnosis? If I ask Audi, they hook the car up to the VAS system and says that there are no faults reported. That doesnt mean the the car is in 100% condition. A new car shouldn't struggle to start and idle like that...much less produce puffs of exhaust smoke!

Any Ideas would be greatly appreciated.