— Audi turbocharger failures are under investigation by federal safety regulators after dozens of owners of these Audi vehicles complained their vehicles stalled while driving.
- 2013-2016 Audi A8
- 2013-2016 Audi S6
- 2013-2016 Audi S7
- 2013-2016 Audi S8
- 2013-2016 Audi RS7
Owners complain they had no warning before their 4-liter twin-turbocharged vehicles stalled, and many owners said the turbochargers were starved of oil because the oil strainers were clogged.
Several Audi owners say they couldn't get the vehicles to restart once the engines stalled.
Audi customers also say working on the vehicles is a pain because the oil strainer in the turbocharger oil supply line is in the inner valley of the engine.
Audi turbocharger technical service bulletin (TSB) 2044640 has been issued to dealers in several versions to inform technicians about the correct way to replace the turbochargers if they have failed or are close to failing.
According to Audi turbocharger TSB 2044640, customers complain about engines that make abnormal noise when accelerating, engines that lack power, and engines that have trouble starting or won't start at all.
Audi dealers often report finding damaged turbocharger impeller fins and busted impeller shafts. However, Audi says the damage is rarely caused by a failed turbocharger, so dealerships are warned to thoroughly inspect the vehicle to find the root cause of the problems.
The bulletin also says multiple problems can cause a damaged turbocharger, including not following recommended service intervals, an oil filter element not fitted correctly, and leaks in the intake tract allowing outside unfiltered air and debris into the turbocharger.
But the biggest problem seems to be the oil strainers that block the flow of oil to the turbochargers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says Audi turbocharger failures will be investigated to determine if a safety recall is necessary.
CarComplaints.com will update our website with results of the Audi turbocharger failure investigation.
