Common 3.0 V6 A4 porblems

[B5 Quattro]

Hi guys I have been doing some recon for my brother on this engine. I told him if anyone would know about this it would be the people that drive them.
Any info would help me to get him into an Audi. :)
What are the things to look for with this engine?? or over all.
I have a 2000 and know that wheel bearings are a prob.

He is looking at a 2003 A4 3.0 V6.


Help.

[jsantiago17]

I have a 2004 A4 3.0 Quattro and it is a solid engine. Great daily driver; not many "go fast" mods, besides a supercharger, but otherwise, a strong engine that should last you a long time. Keep up with your regular maintenance, make sure the timing belt is done every 75,000 miles and you should be good to go. I haven't had any major problems, just little annoying things, like bulbs going out often, broken glove box, etc, which are common on most B6's (not just the 3.0).

[rollerton]

Same. All Audi engines have a few minor components that seem like they're prone to failure- but for a DIY type person the repairs are usually really cheap and pretty easy. The 3.0 is less likely to have an oil leak like the other engines though, since it has different cam timing engineering (no chain or chain tensioner seals to leak!).
Things that might need attention; Vacuum lines, Secondary Air pump and lines, other smog junk like the combi valves. The only real danger specific to the 3.0 that has somewhat shown itself is the cam-lobe wear problem. Mostly isolated to the 02's , but a few others had it- if you hear any odd ticking from under the valve covers have it checked out.
From my experience it seems the same if not possibly more reliable that any other Audi. In 3 years I haven't had a single 'engine related' issue that bothered me. I've replaced one combi valve, did the timing belt service, one coolant temp sensor, and had one leaky valve cover.

[imnuts]

Cam-lobe wear is the biggest issue, it starts off as ticking and eventually gets to a really loud, not great sound. Just make sure that the timing belt has been changed at least once at this point. There are very few mechanical issues that are engine specific as rollerton stated. The PCV system can also get clogged up and cause issues, but really, it is fairly reliable. I just hit 161k mi on my 2003 3.0 and the biggest issue I have had so far was a failed tensioner on the accessory belt.

[LucinTiger]

I have a 2003 3.0. Its a great car, I've had it for 10 years. The cats go sooner or later and the O2 sensors need replacing. Also check all the hoses, mine are starting to crack and I'm getting air leaks.

[$teady$upreme]

wow great thread, i been looking at some 3.0 avant lately. Great thread, keep the common problems coming.

Also, is there a DIY article for doing the timing belt?

[amansoor]

2002 A4 at 195K kms. Catalytic converters die, coil packs cry, timing belt issue (nightmare to change, Audi was quoting $3000), glove box breaks, interior paint fades off, the crankcase breather gets clogged up, i am on my 3rd MAF (seems uncommon though), coolant temperature sensor died, rear diff leaks, wheel bearings get shot, dynamic headlight control always complains for one reason or the other on the dash lcd, charcoal canister gets clogged (becomes hard to fill up gas). and now the clutch is toast but that is likely 100% my fault.
I bought the car 6 months ago and had this many issues, and the previous owner seemed pretty careless. However, i still love it and i dont think any of the problems mentioned above actually stopped the car from running. the car is amazing to drive, the flow of power is nice and smooth and i love the handling especially. If i could go back in time and have another try? i would buy this car again.

[flir67]

depends how much you want to spend on it when you get it. YOU have to do constant maintaince on these cars to own one.. its not a toyota or nissan that you just let go...
such as every 6 months you have to jack it up grease the suspension/ check or clean the brakes parts, check drains.. change the oil every 3-5 thousand miles not 10,000 at this age...

I have had mine for almost two years now. no documented service records at all. did the timing belt/waterpump,etc.. 1400.00 since it was northern car. front end tie rods froze up and couldn't align it.. 600.00 for both inner and outer pieces.. got 1 O2 sensor going out.. and got some valve chatter from sludge I need to do a engine flush manually not power flush it.

beside that... never had a problem with the engine quit, died or fail on me in that time. quattro system is rock solid...

snow/ice/sleet is easy in these cars just like driving normal just a lot slower...LOT slower..

if you buy one and can't pay it off in 2 years , I'd say its not worth it... because maintaince will get you in the end... I bought mine as a project car

if ethanol is goes to 12-15% in the gas, it will be a problem keeping the engine light off..

[ltooz_audis]

I've owned an 04 cabriolet 3.0 30V for 2 years and 25k miles driven - great gas mileage - just did a 96k miles tune up. Timing belt is still intact.

Cheers,

Louis

[imnuts]

depends how much you want to spend on it when you get it. YOU have to do constant maintaince on these cars to own one.. its not a toyota or nissan that you just let go...
such as every 6 months you have to jack it up grease the suspension/ check or clean the brakes parts, check drains.. change the oil every 3-5 thousand miles not 10,000 at this age...

You could go without constant maintenance, but that's just asking for things to break all at once. Honestly, I don't think any car will take zero maintenance and still be dependable or reliable. Just that when something does happen, it may be easier or cheaper to repair than a luxury German auto.

Also, I change my oil every 10k miles. Even got an oil report from Blackstone and they said that the oil could have had another 1-2k miles on it. I believed I was ok, but it was nice to have the oil analysis to confirm. I also do almost all highway driving, and use Motul 8100 X-Cess oil, so using a quality oil without harsh driving conditions (city/stop-go) probably helps. There is nothing wrong with extended OCIs, but you should get a used oil analysis to verify the oil still has some life in it.

[Charlie B]

I have a 2004 A4 Avant Quatro 6 speed manual 3.0. I bought it with 111,000 miles 4 years ago. I had to put Cats in right away. It must have been why the guy sold it. I did it on the cheap at Rayco for $1300 rather than the dealer for $3K+. They haven't gone bad in 4 years. Next was the MAF sensor which was not expensive but to date was the only thing that left me stranded in 4 years. Fuel pump about 130000 miles for $600. I had the Clutch and DM Flywheel replaced at 145000 miles after I felt some shake. That was $1500. I bought the parts and took them to a good trans guy. Im now dealing with the valve covers which leak oil and are not mandatory but kind of annoying. Tires, Brakes, Front end control arms, diff service, etc are typical repairs. Oil change at my guy is $120 but I feel good that he does other stuff like sun roof grease etc. I figure 2-3K a year in overall cost. I do oil every 5K and need to add 1-2 Quarts in that 4 month time. Probably because of my Valve covers. Its been getting worse. Great car all in all which is why i put money in to it. 80MPH on the highway is quiet and smooth. Drove 16 hrs in two days about 6 months ago no prob. Now at 175000 miles.

[$teady$upreme]

Just bought a 04 3.0 avant with 132000km (82500miles), temp gauge doesn't work at all after 15mins of driving. But AC blows cold and heat works.

Coolant temp sensor going bad?

[SJorge3442]

Just bought a 04 3.0 avant with 132000km (82500miles), temp gauge doesn't work at all after 15mins of driving. But AC blows cold and heat works.

Coolant temp sensor going bad?

replace the green coolant temperature sensor. Its located near the throttle body, under the intake tube towards the battery firewall.

[$teady$upreme]

replace the green coolant temperature sensor. Its located near the throttle body, under the intake tube towards the battery firewall.

Thank you very much. Will be on it tmr and report back.

[SJorge3442]

Thank you very much. Will be on it tmr and report back.

You're gonna wanna make sure you get the matching o-ring and securing clip too. The clip is known to break. All those years of heat really destroys plastic. This link has the sensor, clip and o-ring on it.

[$teady$upreme]

I have the oring already, i should have those c clip laying around. Thanks for the advice

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[19jdog]

Don't forget about the vacuum actuator. Mine went out, I just removed it. I know ill loose top end though...

[19jdog]

Thanks for the lashing. I ended up buying the vacuum actuator. It'll be here on Wednesday

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[pwheeler1021]

My 2004 3.0 Cabrio just turn 200K miles, I do all scheduled maintenance, cats went a couple of years ago. Two timing belts, one at 90K and one at 180K. Its a strong motor and i get 24-28MPG on avg. no mods or tunes at this time. I own 3 more Audi's, best car I have ever owned. Wish they made a truck.

[Cxcardinal]

I just bought a 02 A4 3.0 auto. With 90,000. Engine starts great and idle is perfectly smooth. No issues for about a week.... Then trans started going into limp mode. 1 every 7 times I started it. Started getting more frequent. Now the check engine light and on yesterday. Code: trans range sensor 17090. Any advice? TCM maybe?


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[SJorge3442]

I just bought a 02 A4 3.0 auto. With 90,000. Engine starts great and idle is perfectly smooth. No issues for about a week.... Then trans started going into limp mode. 1 every 7 times I started it. Started getting more frequent. Now the check engine light and on yesterday. Code: trans range sensor 17090. Any advice? TCM maybe?


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FWD or Quattro? Also, you're better off posting in the main forum. No one ever comes up here.

[bigab24]

Hello guys I am new to the forum but I need some urgent help so.....

MY car: Audi A4 B6 3.0 convertible Quattro 5-speed auto 2005

I am still a newbie so please bear with me. I have noticed that both the radiator fan and AC fan of my car currently don't work, even if I put the AC on full blast they won't spin. I have noticed the AC stays on ECON mode even if i press the button to turn it off. I checked the fuses in my car and the all seem to be fine i checked all the ones labend as "5". So I ordered a whole set of new fans and control module, but before putting it in is there anything else that might cause my fans not to spin and also did i not find a specific guide for this task on the convertible model.

Also have i noticed that my temp gauge never goes over the middle mark but my engine does run very very hot.

Anyways thanks for reading and I really hope you guys can help me thanks a lot.

[S5Buzz]

Great thread!!

So I just picked up an 04 A4 3.0 Avant with 120k on it. So far a great car. The only issues I've noticed so far with the car is the passenger window regulator seems to be bad (window only rolls partially down) and I hear a little humming noise coming from the front (sounds like a flute). Other than that I had the engine light come on with the 02 sensor code and a 0741 code which stated it was a clutch solenoid. But as of now the car rides and shifts fine.

BTW I also own a 2012 S5 so I'm a huge audi fan, great looking cars!!

[Cxcardinal]

Thanks SJorge.


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[ronjdeo]

2004 Audi A4 V6 Cabriolet - Original Price one owner car $43,000
118K miles today. I bought the car with 94K.
Issues I had with my car:
1. I live in Florida so my dash is cracked. Resolution: I purchase a dash cover and it works great, so I do not have to look at the cracks anymore
2. Timing belt, oil change and reprogram ECU - $3,900
2. Front secondary air injector and relay - $1, 500
3. Glove box broken
4. Interior buttons faded especially ESP and useless box for coins/cigarettes/ cup holder( it is a joke)
5. Only one key left. Replacement keys - $ 350 at the Audi dealership
6. Both front axles replaced - $ 800,00
7. Brakes - I replaced all four disks and brake pads - $250.00
8. Warning on the LCD about brakes every time I place the car in reverse? VCDS does not see any issues. Perhaps the non-OEM brake pads I placed are not compatible even though they have the wire connectors and the car stops well. Anyone have seen this? I will research on the forum
Audi issues.... I could have bought a newer car with all the expenses I had, but lesson was learned. Audi no more. Running this beast untill the Engine Seizes. BTW, I calibrated my Audi with VCDS and since that, my mileage has improve 10 20-26 Miles/gallon.

[SJorge3442]

2004 Audi A4 V6 Cabriolet - Original Price one owner car $43,000
118K miles today. I bought the car with 94K.
Issues I had with my car:
1. I live in Florida so my dash is cracked. Resolution: I purchase a dash cover and it works great, so I do not have to look at the cracks anymore
2. Timing belt, oil change and reprogram ECU - $3,900
2. Front secondary air injector and relay - $1, 500
3. Glove box broken
4. Interior buttons faded especially ESP and useless box for coins/cigarettes/ cup holder( it is a joke)
5. Only one key left. Replacement keys - $ 350 at the Audi dealership
6. Both front axles replaced - $ 800,00
7. Brakes - I replaced all four disks and brake pads - $250.00
8. Warning on the LCD about brakes every time I place the car in reverse? VCDS does not see any issues. Perhaps the non-OEM brake pads I placed are not compatible even though they have the wire connectors and the car stops well. Anyone have seen this? I will research on the forum
Audi issues.... I could have bought a newer car with all the expenses I had, but lesson was learned. Audi no more. Running this beast untill the Engine Seizes. BTW, I calibrated my Audi with VCDS and since that, my mileage has improve 10 20-26 Miles/gallon.

I have no help for the brakes, but damn. You need to start working on your own car. Those prices you've payed are too damn high. Hell almost $4000k for a timing belt job. GTFO.

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[ChicagoDave]

Not an Audi, but my 2002 VW Passat GLX 4Motion with the 2.8 V6 was a total work horse. Same engine that was in that era of A4 and A6. 202,000 miles and 14 years when I traded her in. And just a couple months prior to that I had just got back from a 4000 mile road trip to Utah. The engine purred at 100mph and ate up the miles. The engine was not fast by any means, but never gave me problems. Timing belt changed every 60,000 miles. Spark plugs every 80,000. Oil changed every 5000. A few hoses and vacuum lines over the years but never anything major.

190 hp, 30 valves, and six cylinders. So refined and lovely to drive.

[paul85]

The 2.8 was not in 2002 on. It was the B5 era, up to 2001 in the A4. Was that the VR6?

[Wheelbarrow]

I bought a 2004 3.0 A4 with 160K on it. The previous owner had taken good care of it. It currently has 180K+ on it. I've had to replace the clutch and dual-mass flywheel (I did the motor mounts at the same time) and coolant bottle. Here are some things I still need to fix:
*Fans not coming on (replaced coolant temp sensor and fan control module...still no luck
*Oil leaks (camshaft tensioner or valve covers...not sure)
*The cats will throw a code every once in a while. So those will need to be replaced at some point.

Having said that. I love my car and have missed driving it while it's been in the garage. It's not super fast but it's still tight, and fun to drive with the six speed manual.

[Jay74]

Checked all common problems on an A4 3.0 Quattro I'm about to purchase but I'm a little concerned about this ticking sound. The history says cam belt replaced at 63000 and then in last year cats have been done and also coil pack. The car is now at 93k. Can anyone say whether this ticking sound is a problem?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTs8_nPEIRA

[f0reignfeatures]

My 3.0 doesn't tick like that and it has many more miles on it.

Do a forum search on cam lobe wear on the 3.0 and see if it's related, that was a common issue for some guys. I see you're in London so I'm assuming 93k is Kms which would make it a low mileage car considering it's age. Good luck!


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