Common Golf R/Audi S3 issues… what to look for?

We often get asked questions about specific vehicles, their common issues and problems to look out for. Customers get a new vehicle and the first thing they want to do is know exactly what potential issues they could face, and rightly so! If you know what to look out for you can spot problems before they properly develop and potentially cause other issues in the vehicle!

We thought it would be a good idea to blog each month a case study of a different popular vehicle! This way you can easily find information from us regarding specific models within the VAG.

So what am I looking for?

This month’s blog we are going to focus on the Golf R and the Audi S3. Both have the EA888 engine which means they carry the same niggly issues. The most common problem people have is with the Haldex, mainly because people do not know it needs to be serviced. Off the back of the Haldex not being serviced the 4WD becomes non-existent and the vehicle essentially becomes FWD. The rear Diff then could need replacing, which would be a much more costly repair! This could be avoided by just having your Haldex serviced at the correct intervals. We recommend Gen 1&2 every 38,000 miles and Gen 4&5 every 20,000 miles.

The next issue we come across is the IS38 Turbo charger having issues. This turbo employs a ‘zero tolerance’ compressor design. There is virtually no clearance between the compressor wheel and housing. Improving efficiency and contributing to the incredible performance of the turbo. The compressor housing is lined with a Teflon insert, as the compressor wheel meets it in normal operation.

The issue is that batches of the turbo have not been balanced properly.  Several turbos have been stripped and examined, only to find the balancing is out by a very large margin on a few turbos.  This causes the compressor wheel to move off centre slightly.  On a “normal” turbo this would not be an issue, but on the IS38 the compressor wheel is hitting the Teflon insert. Digging in and snapping the shaft instantly. Therefore, we would advise before tuning (if that is a route you would want to go down) having an inspection to try reducing the likelihood of it failing.

Clutch Issues

The Clutches in the manual gearboxes also show some issues. The clutches are weak and show signs of slipping early on in age and miles! You will notice your clutch slipping if you are having trouble changing gears, the clutch pedal sticking, vibrating or appearing to feel spongey or loose; or Momentary loss of acceleration caused by a feeling of a ‘slipping’ clutch. The main problem with the clutches is that they are the same that are used in the Golf GTI’s. It has around 70HP less and is only 2WD. With the added traction of the Golf R and the added horsepower this then massively reduces the lifespan. Anybody tuning their car even at stage 1 level would have to consider replacing the clutch for reliability.

To ensure you get the most out of the vehicle make sure you keep up with your regular servicing intervals and keep an eye on the quality of your driving. Harsh acceleration and lots of start stop driving will do the clutch no favours.

What else?

Other common issues on the EA888 engines include piston and piston ring issues and Water pump issues. Squeaking front suspension arms is another concern. Golf R owners also complain of a defunct battery which needs replacing within the first two years of the vehicle’s life.

Hopefully, this gives you a quick overview of what to look out for if you are a Golf R/Audi S3 owner. Or if you are considering buying one in the future you can look at the pros and the con’s, every car has them! You can get in touch with us on 01642 613852 if you are wanting vehicle inspection. We carry out a full report on the vehicle which you can also keep for your records!

You can also get in touch via the contact page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ or our facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/northeastautotech/

What’s the difference between Petrol RON?

We’ve been having a lot of enquiries recently regarding REVO re-mapping which is great! However, a few customers have been running their petrol vehicles on 95 RON. A low RON petrol shouldn’t be used on high performance vehicles, you should be using a Petrol RON of 97+.

Many people may not know the difference between the Petrol types and what it means by using a higher-grade. RON refers to the octane rating. This is a measure of how easily the fuel will ignite within the engine of a car. The higher the octane rating is, the harder it is for the fuel to ignite because the fuel requires greater compression in order to do so. However, because high octane fuel burns much hotter, it can burn more efficiently, and therefore performs better for higher-performance car engines that require it.

Your vehicle manual will advise you on which grade you should be using, you can also find the information on the inside of your filler cap.

Using a higher RON petrol offers benefits such as:

Improved lubrication throughout the pistons and Higher performance/slightly more power.

When REVO carry out their on the road testing, they actually specify the gains based on 99+ petrol. Therefore, you cant expect the same sort of gains if your not running the right Petrol.

Whether your vehicle is high performance or standard please make sure you are running the correct fuel for your vehicle.

If you are wanting some performance related information, whether it be REVO software or hardware parts you can find out more here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/performance-and-tuning/

To buy any Performance hardware, go to our sister company: https://www.vag-performance.co.uk/ Here you can find parts from Superpro performance, Racingline, Revo and more. For advise on parts or software call the office on 01642 613852.

Dealership or Independent – Which one?

In a recent survey it was found that 70% of consumers use independent garages and the rest still use dealerships. This made us question why some people prefer to use the dealerships. What do they think they are getting, that we can’t provide. The facts are, nothing. So Dealership or Independent -Which one?

One of the most common reasons customers prefer to go to dealerships is because of their specialist knowledge about the make/model of the vehicle. We regain our custom because not only are we VW/Audi group specialists but customers are able to speak direct to a mechanic if needs be and can pass over information direct. We have a simple structure with our reception being in direct contact with the workshop. Coming to us will also NOT make your warranty invalid, because we use genuine parts therefore your warranty on the vehicle still applies!

Dealerships are perceived to have better knowledge, equipment and ability to fix vehicles. Independent garages like ours are just as qualified and we regularly update our equipment. Our technicians are frequently (When not in a pandemic) attending courses to make sure our knowledge is advancing with the times.

Other reasons are increased likelihood to stock car parts and offer courtesy cars. We use genuine and only OEM rated parts. We also have 4 courtesy cars available free of charge for our customers to use, to make life just that bit easier! So you can go about your day as normal!

Dealership or Independent – Which one?

We are a member of various associations including the Independent Garage Association http://www.independentgarageassociation.co.uk/. The Retail Motor Industry https://www.rmif.co.uk/ which is also approved by trading standards.

Where do you prefer to take your vehicle and why?

To book in your vehicle with our trusted technicians, call us or use our contact form here https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/