Warranty Claim
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 262
Likes: 3
From: Hanover Park Illinois
St. Jude Donor '12, '14
Warranty Claim
I recently put a bassani cat back exhaust, vararam, and a custom tune on my 06 A6. My car now jerks in the morning and reads engine drag control active, I smell something burning from around the catalytic converter but can't find wear it's coming from, and the control in my power seats to move it back and forth won't work anymore. I want to bring to the dealership but my greatest concern is that they will void my warranty and I'll be sol. What do you guys think?
Pro
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 667
Likes: 0
From: Marysville WA
Check to make sure when you installed the catback you didn't leave any wires hanging on any pipes. You shouldn't have as t hey probably did not need to be touched to do the catback. The smell burning could be the catback itself - mine did that for a little while before it settled, however, since your power seat is not working, I would say you obviously have another issue.
I would put the tune back to stock, but wouldn't worry too much about the VRAM and Catback.
I would put the tune back to stock, but wouldn't worry too much about the VRAM and Catback.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 18,396
Likes: 169
If your car goes to a dealer, the first thing they will probably do is hook it up to their computer, and, I think, it will automatically download any updates to your software and replace your tune with the original properties. If you tell them to not download upgrades, that will probably trigger the question as to why not. Computer reprograming can void your warrenty. Have the stock tune reinstalled before taking it to the dealer. Honestly, my opinion on tuning a basically stock engine for increased performance is money thrown down the toilet. The computer will compensate for the VaraRam and the exhaust over a period of the first 100 miles or so. Your computer is designed to run the car in extremes from -35 to 140 degrees, and from sea level to 12,000'. I think that whatever cool air delivered by the CAI, the computer can handle. And the exhaust (mufflers only) is for your enjoyment. No real performance gains there. Good luck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,208
Likes: 1
Or they could wipe it and your $$ out with an update. PS has nothing to do with anything that I can imagine. Some exhausts do give a burning smell for a few miles until they coat with carbon or whatever. My SLP on my '97 T/A did for about 50 miles, then was fine. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,611
Likes: 5
From: Thousand Oaks California
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
Are you guys posting from experience or just making a guess? I just got my car back from the dealer and it was 100% covered under warranty. Its modded with Kooks headers Xpipe, Hi-Flo Cats, Corsa Sport, AFR Heads, modified cam, Halltech and a tune. I brought it in for the crank pulley failure and they did not say a peep about any of my mods. They even kept the car an extra week to pull the crank to inspect it for damage, so I know the mechanic had to know the car was not stock. The tune was also never reset as the car still idles and runs perfectly and the skip shift is still elimimated, so assuming they will update or reset your software is bogus. Your problem does sound like it could be a bad tune, so keep that in mind if the dealer cannot figure out the problem.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 36,473
Likes: 8
From: FLA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
-read all posts
-flash your tune
-see regional forums and find mod friendly dealers in your area
- call out of state service departments and ask alot of questions b4 bringing car in to your local mod friendly.
-buy a code reader
-flash your tune
-see regional forums and find mod friendly dealers in your area
- call out of state service departments and ask alot of questions b4 bringing car in to your local mod friendly.
-buy a code reader
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 22,136
Likes: 23
From: In the woods looking for my thrown putter.
St. Jude Donor '13, '15
Are you guys posting from experience or just making a guess? I just got my car back from the dealer and it was 100% covered under warranty. Its modded with Kooks headers Xpipe, Hi-Flo Cats, Corsa Sport, AFR Heads, modified cam, Halltech and a tune. I brought it in for the crank pulley failure and they did not say a peep about any of my mods. They even kept the car an extra week to pull the crank to inspect it for damage, so I know the mechanic had to know the car was not stock. The tune was also never reset as the car still idles and runs perfectly and the skip shift is still elimimated, so assuming they will update or reset your software is bogus. Your problem does sound like it could be a bad tune, so keep that in mind if the dealer cannot figure out the problem.
Because the crank pully failure probably would have happened with or without your mods. Throw a rod, have the diff fail, trans fail, clutch....etc. and I bet it isn't covered under warranty. If it is you have the coolest dealer in the country.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 57,408
Likes: 164
From: queensbury ny
CRANK PULLEY HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE EARLY 05'S.Magnussen-Moss act says they have to prove your mods caused the failure in order to void the Warranty.Sounds like all the stuff you did still wouldn't cause the seat to not work.The burning smell is true of all new exhausts in the first few hundred miles.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,647
Likes: 1
From: Objects in your mirror are losing , Long Island, NY
St. Jude Donor '08
Are you guys posting from experience or just making a guess? I just got my car back from the dealer and it was 100% covered under warranty. Its modded with Kooks headers Xpipe, Hi-Flo Cats, Corsa Sport, AFR Heads, modified cam, Halltech and a tune. I brought it in for the crank pulley failure and they did not say a peep about any of my mods. They even kept the car an extra week to pull the crank to inspect it for damage, so I know the mechanic had to know the car was not stock. The tune was also never reset as the car still idles and runs perfectly and the skip shift is still elimimated, so assuming they will update or reset your software is bogus. Your problem does sound like it could be a bad tune, so keep that in mind if the dealer cannot figure out the problem.