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Is a loss of power in my Audi A3 a symptom of the emissions fix?
Since my Audi A3 had it's emissions fix it has had problems with the engine management system light flashing intermittently and the engine losing power. I've taken it to the Audi garage today and they're charging me £90 diagnostic fee, but having read your website I think it's likely to be a fault caused by the emissions fix.
Asked on 15 March 2017 by tamsin venton
Answered by
Honest John
I had a meeting with engineers from Wolfsburg on March 1. The fix for the EA189 1.6 TDI engines was not approved by the KBA until 13 December 2016, so no 1.6 TDI could be fixed until after then. Basically the fix involves reducing NOx without any effect on power, torque, fuel economy or CO2. But reducing NOx means increasing soot, which has to be burned off in the DPF and requires additional fuel. To do this without affecting power, torque, fuel economy or CO2 the software changes the injection pattern, so fuel is now pre-injected, followed by a main injection, followed by a second main injection. Obviously, for this to work, the injectors have to be in tip top condition and the EGR valve stem must not be worn. Problems have arisen when injectors were old, dirty or worn and where the EGR valve stem was worn. But, out of 480,000 fixes applied so far, there have only been 3,600 complaints and out of them 60 per cent were noise related and 35 per cent were complaints about poorer fuel economy and EGR problems. VAG says only 150 cases of problems after the fix remain outstanding. But a lot are still rolling in to me. About ten a day.
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