Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Interesting discussions with my local dealer and Audi UK yesterday concerning changing of the timing belt and water pump.

Dealer said that computer was showing that belt and pump needed changing as mileage was 76,000. However, my book states to change them at 133,000 miles and no time option.

Audi UK 'live chat' stated that technical department recommends 5 years or 140,000 for my model!

Neither could say why they both differed from the Service Schedule so what do I do? As a vehicle engineer and a driver of 45 years I am well aware of the catastrophic effects of a snapped timing belt so who/what is correct and how do I get clarification?

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - craig-pd130

Which engine does your car have?

There have been a few threads here previously which have highlighted the fact that VAG service intervals for timing belts vary from country to country, according to what VAG think the local market will put up with.

As you might expect, timing belt change intervals for US-market cars are less frequent than over here.

If you have the specific code for your engine, try searching for timing belt intervals for that engine on a couple of US forums like TDiClub. That may help clarify things.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - RobJP

As craig has said.

Also, do be aware that Audi have changed recommended intervals for different engines after your book was printed. Quite possibly as Craig has said, by working out what the local market will stand for. But also possibly because they've found that the given interval was too long, which they've found out from failures, warranty claims, etc.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - elekie&a/c doctor

I really think Audi dealers are struggling with cambelt /change intervals.A friend has an A5 2.7 tdi and got a message from his local dealer to say that his car is due a belt and waterpump.His engine is chain drive!!

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Yes, do they know their vehicles as they should?

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Thanks very much for that. You would think that they would issue amendments to their schedules because we rarely believe what dealers recommend because it's always to their advantage. For example, I was told a couple of years ago that I "needed" new tyres because they all measured about 2.8mm. When I suggested that the legal limit was 1.6" so it was at that time that I needed new tyres they said "Oh but Audi recommend changing them at 3.0mm".

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - dimdip

<snip> ... VAG service intervals for timing belts vary from country to country, according to what VAG think the local market will put up with.

Speculating, but also there will be country-to-country variation in average road congestion, which alters the distance travelled versus engine-running-time ratio.

Given that England is the most densely populated country in Europe (and certainly more so than the U.S.A.), engines will be running longer per unit distance the car covers. So belt change intervals by mileage should therefore be shorter?

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Hi, I have the 170bhp 2.0TDI. Thanks for the US information, I'll give it a try.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

170bhp, 2.0TDI. Thanks, I'll try that forum.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Big John

"Audi UK 'live chat' stated that technical department recommends 5 years or 140,000 for my model!"

Are you sure that wasn't 5 years / 40,000!! VAG revised cambelt intervals down to 40,000 a few years ago due to some premature failures. Best to change waterpump at the same time and thouroughly check the condition of the radiator

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Railroad.
The word 'recommended' could either be a clue or the dealer's get out of jail free card, and a recommendation is all it is. Unless you have a crystal ball you have no idea where or when the cambelt will fail. But one thing is certain. The longer you leave it the greater the chance of failure. And with an expensive engine that will become cheap scrap if the belt fails I wouldn't take too much notice of what the dealer recommends. I'd just get it replaced at sensible intervals.
Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Yes, agreed. And as I said earlier, I am a trained vehicle engineer trained in the '70s but the quality of the materials and their longevity is much greater than it was then. With that in mind, you rely on the manufacturer and their literature to give some sort of guidance and direction but I've used three sources of information; handbook, dealer and manufacturer and they've all come up with a different figure.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - John F

.. the quality of the materials and their longevity is much greater than it was then. With that in mind, you rely on the manufacturer and their literature to give some sort of guidance and direction but I've used three sources of information; handbook, dealer and manufacturer and they've all come up with a different figure.

This is because a cambelt, especially one that looks as robust as the one I've seen in images of this engine, will last its life if made of the latest strong materials and nothing it drives seizes. They are so strong nowadays that only slightly larger ones are used to drive powerful motorbikes, not merely one or two small camshafts and possibly a small water impeller. I am surprised they have not yet replaced messy bicycle chains, but I suppose the old internal gears are more expensive than just jumping up and down cogwheels.

The recommendations are estimated risk assessments of the odds of things failing within that time/distance. It will only break if one of the things it drives seizes - and even then should give plenty of warning (noises and smells) as the water pump is driven by the flat side. The risk is having it cack-handedly replaced with an inferior item (belts are variable in quality) with a premature failure soon afterwards.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Thanks, but no, it was a written response in 'Live Chat' and he wrote "5yrs or 140,000 whichever is sooner." I'll write to Audi UK for clarification and noting some of the helpful comments/suggestions on here.

I think the recent revelations have increased the mistrust with which customers have for dealers.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Wackyracer

Gates recommend replacement for timing belts at around 60,000miles.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

I have been contacted by telephone by Audi UK this morning to clarify the situation concerning the recommended periodicity to change the timing belt (and water pump - IF NECESSARY!) for my vehicle type.

They recommend 140,000miles or 5 years, whichever is the earlier and that the figure of 75,000 quoted by the dealer was removed some time ago.

Thank you for everyone's comments.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - RobJP

Just to say that if you are getting the belt done, then I would always get the waterpump and rollers done at the same time. The additional cost should be minimal.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Thanks RobJP. It's about £150 according to Audi fixed pricing but, whilst I understand that approach, modern materials means you shouldn't need to take that sort of precaution. However, I will consider it.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Wackyracer

Judging by the amount of VAG waterpumps where the plastic impellors have cracked and fallen off, I would think it is a good practice to change the pump.

You can't beat a metal impellor.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - craig-pd130

Interesting to know, thanks. I wonder what the cost of the water pump is as a proportion of the cambelt replacement.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - RobJP

A number of years ago, I had to get the belts, etc. done on an A6 2.5TDi. Not a cheap job, as you can imagine.

I seem to recall that getting the waterpump changed at the same time added £70 or £75 to the total bill, which was something like £500 at an independent.

Virtually the entire front of the car had to come off to do the job. The garage owner (a friend of mine) admitted it was, in his own words, a "nightmare" to do.

Audi A4 Quattro 2011 - Audi Timing Belt and water pump replacement. - Muttley04

Craig, it's about £150 in the fixed price area of the Audi UK Website.