Service Flap jammed

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Annie0712

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Last week my service flap jammed so couldn't add windscreen fluid or oil. Crawley audi managed to free it but say that the cable between the flap and the release thingy inside the car is stretched and cannot be adjusted anymore - needs replacing at a fitted cost of about £70. HAs anyone else had this and did they yhave it repaired by audi ?

Can it be done elsewhere or is it poss to do for a competent DIY 'er ?
 
Had ours fixed under warranty. Though in our case I think they just adjusted it.

There are two adjustmenst that can be made. The small plastic tongue on the drop down flap can be adjusts in and out - this basically controls at what angle the flap will latch, the other part being the metal finger on the end of the cable which appears to have very little adjustment. In our case the finger at the end of the cable was just not being pulled back enough (and in fact had been bad since new).

Its a good idea to release the flap (if you still can) and then get an assistant to pull the release from inside the car and then view how much movement you have on the finger part as its pulled in/out. If there is some movement then you could attempt to file down the plastic tongue - rather than replace the cable.

Dave

1.6SE
 
Thanks guys - my A2 is 3 years and 2 months old - so out of warranty
 
Annie
Doesn't necessarily mean they can wash their hands of it. The bonnet (or flap in the A2's case) is an important part of the car-how else can you fill your washer bottle, which is a UK legal requirement to have water in the windscreen washer or face a fine.

You could argue that if the cable has been stretching since day one of ownership, the problem existed before the warranty 'expired' and Audi should look at your case very sympathetically.

Good luck as a lot of Audi staff lack any form of sympathy......

Actually, the more I think about it, the more annoyed this case makes me. The dealer admits that the problem is a stretched cable that they can no longer do anything with! What is this cable for-halling a huge latch with immense tension? No, it it to unlatch a plastic flap. For goodness sake, it has to be a design fault if you can not open a 3 year old cars bonnet (flap, I know, but you get my drift).

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
I agree wholeheartedly with the runboy's principle, but in practice I always find that these dealer discussions raise my blood pressure to unhealthy levels. I find coughing up the money is better for my health even if it's worse for my wallet!

Best of luck with either course of action
 
This same happened to 53 reg A2 I was given while mine is with the dealer. The handle came off the next bit( wire?) and even after reconecting it`s only 30% chance that it will open first time.
Very tight.
 
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