Audi Q3 Injector Problem at Just 47,000 km — The Case for Goodwill Repair

When the Engine Warning Light Illuminates on an Almost New Car

Recently, a close acquaintance approached me with a concerning situation: the engine warning light had illuminated on their 2020 Audi Q3 with a 1.5 TFSI engine, despite the car having only 47,000 kilometers on the odometer. For a modern premium vehicle that is barely four years old with such low mileage, this was both surprising and disappointing.

My acquaintance had taken excellent care of their vehicle, adhering to all recommended service intervals at the official Audi dealership. The car had been regularly maintained, and there were no other signs of problems before the warning light appeared. Like any responsible owner, they immediately contacted the Audi service center to address the issue.

This is where the story took an unfortunate turn. The service center informed them that the standard warranty period for their vehicle was only 4 years, not the 5 years they had assumed. They had registered for the MyAudi program and believed this had extended their warranty period. The service center firmly maintained that the car was outside the warranty period and that they would have to bear the full cost of repairs.

Diagnostic Results and Initial Repair Quote

After the diagnostic examination, the service center determined that the problem was related to a faulty fuel injector in the 1.5 TFSI engine. They provided a repair quote including the following items:

• Replacement of the affected injector
• Additional related parts that might have been affected by the problem
• Diagnostic fees and labor
• Software updates and system calibration

The total estimated amount was significant, especially considering the vehicle's relatively young age and low mileage. My acquaintance was understandably distressed by this news, particularly since they had specifically purchased an Audi for its quality and reliability reputation.

It was at this point that they remembered my experiences with Audi repairs and approached me for advice. Having gone through several repair situations with my own Audi vehicles, I immediately recognized an opportunity that could potentially significantly reduce their costs.

The Undisclosed Option: Audi's Goodwill Repair Program

Based on my previous experience, I informed my acquaintance about Audi's goodwill repair program. This program is not widely advertised, but it allows Audi to cover a significant portion of repair costs for certain issues, even if vehicles are outside the standard warranty period. This is particularly applicable when:

• The vehicle has relatively low mileage (under approximately 200,000 km) for its age
• The failed part should reasonably have a longer lifespan
• The owner has properly maintained the vehicle at official service centers
• The failure suggests a manufacturing or design issue rather than owner negligence

In my acquaintance's case, all these criteria were met. A premium vehicle's fuel injector should not fail at just 47,000 kilometers, especially with proper maintenance. This was clearly a case where goodwill consideration was warranted.

Taking Action: How to Request Goodwill Consideration

I suggested the following steps to my acquaintance for requesting goodwill consideration for the repair:

1. Contact the service manager directly, not just the service advisor they had been dealing with
2. Specifically request goodwill consideration, using the term "goodwill repair"
3. Highlight the vehicle's low mileage and young age relative to the expected lifespan of fuel injectors
4. Provide documentation of all regular maintenance performed at official Audi service centers
5. Mention that you are aware that Audi offers goodwill repairs in such cases
6. If necessary, escalate the request to importer level (in Hungary, for Audi this is Porsche Hungaria)

I emphasized that they should be polite but firm in their request, framing it as a reasonable expectation from a premium brand, not as a demand. I also suggested mentioning that they would like to remain an Audi customer in the future, but this experience would influence their brand loyalty.

Armed with this knowledge, my acquaintance returned to the service center with a new approach. Instead of accepting the full repair cost, they now knew to specifically request consideration under the goodwill program.

Results and Broader Implications for Audi Owners