Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,018
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From: The Usual Suspects Yorba Linda Chapter
Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem?
I discovered fluid (looks fairly clear) dripping onto the garage floor at the differential. Looks fairly recent....actually since I dynoed the car a week ago.
Has anyone had this problem? Looks like a trip to the dealer (very scary).
Has anyone had this problem? Looks like a trip to the dealer (very scary).
Intermediate
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Re: Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem? (RDVT4ME)
I have an 02/A4 w/2.73 gears & leaking fresh off the lot from purchase. It took three attempts, but after I found the right tech, the problem was solved & hasn't appeared. Knock Knock Knock...
Being type A, leaks just drive me batty...therapy & xanax can be effective while staring at a leaking rear end. Did I just say that?
There seems to be multiple places for the leak, is yours coming from the left seal or right? Can you tell? My tech indicated the probable causes are:
poorly installed gaskets from the factory(this explains my case), the machined surfaces have been found to be burred & need deburred & re-sealed, & other posts have found the vent tube can be both a cause & source. My leak was was a puddle about the size of a 45 which over a week grew to a 33 rpm. Talk about reaching for a sedative...
Until you get the car racked & determine where & what the problem is, this is best guessing. It's common & appears in posts back to the '99 model. Finding the very best tech & developing a personal relationship with him so that when you periodically need advice or his services, you won't be just another suit off the street...which is nothing you don't already know.
Good luck, it can be fixed. :cheers:
Being type A, leaks just drive me batty...therapy & xanax can be effective while staring at a leaking rear end. Did I just say that?
There seems to be multiple places for the leak, is yours coming from the left seal or right? Can you tell? My tech indicated the probable causes are:
poorly installed gaskets from the factory(this explains my case), the machined surfaces have been found to be burred & need deburred & re-sealed, & other posts have found the vent tube can be both a cause & source. My leak was was a puddle about the size of a 45 which over a week grew to a 33 rpm. Talk about reaching for a sedative...
Until you get the car racked & determine where & what the problem is, this is best guessing. It's common & appears in posts back to the '99 model. Finding the very best tech & developing a personal relationship with him so that when you periodically need advice or his services, you won't be just another suit off the street...which is nothing you don't already know.
Good luck, it can be fixed. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 0
From: The Usual Suspects Yorba Linda Chapter
Re: Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem? (Alpharetta Dave)
Alpharette Dave
The leak looks to be coming from the drivers side. It is kind of difficult to tell. But the leakage on the floor is to the drivers side of center. It is not a lot. Looks like a drop or two a day for a few days. I'll clean up the area and see if it continues to drip.
The leak looks to be coming from the drivers side. It is kind of difficult to tell. But the leakage on the floor is to the drivers side of center. It is not a lot. Looks like a drop or two a day for a few days. I'll clean up the area and see if it continues to drip.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Re: Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem? (RDVT4ME)
If it's left of center coming from the left seal, that's encouraging & might be a $8.00 gasket & a day in the garage. When you take it in, the dealer might be inclined to replace both sides in which case you'll need to decide if it ain't broke, do you invite the opportunity by fixing it anyway? I let mine do both sides & the failed gasket literally looked as though a bite was missing. My tech said the problem is primarily found on 2.73's which is curious.
Sooner you get it racked, the sooner the problem goes away. Good luck. :cheers:
Sooner you get it racked, the sooner the problem goes away. Good luck. :cheers:
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Team Owner
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From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Re: Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem? (BLUECOUPE)
or it could simply be fluid dripping out of the vent. If it's coming out of the vent, then don't worry about it. Some have reported this after some spirited driving and you mention a dyno run.
I concluded that the carrier was overfilled at the factory, and it took "X" amount of drips to get the level back down into the normal range.
[Modified by Mike Mercury, 7:18 PM 7/22/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,202
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From: Plano TX
Re: Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem? (Mike Mercury)
....That was what I think was causing this with my 2002 A4. It started almost immediately after taking delivery. Would only drop one or two drips... then wouldn't do it again until I drove it the next time. But it finally tapered off and stopped altogether at about 2000 miles.
I concluded that the carrier was overfilled at the factory, and it took "X" amount of drips to get the level back down into the normal range.
I concluded that the carrier was overfilled at the factory, and it took "X" amount of drips to get the level back down into the normal range.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 8,133
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From: Ex-SF Bay Area; now happily Denver area
Re: Fluid drip from rear end- 2002 A4 - anyone had this problem? (TooManyIDs)
Yep, just had the rearend seal replaced a couple weeks ago...took care of the problem. However, I also had a leak about 15K miles ago and they had to fix that one too.
