Transmission oil change
I own a 2015 Audi Q3 2.0 TDI with the engine code CUVC1 and an 8U chassis, which has four-wheel drive. My mileage is around 20,000 miles.
I have been reading about the oil change intervals on the rear Haldex gearbox. It seems that the oil should be changed at 20,000-mile intervals and the filter every 40,000 miles. According to what I have read, a special socket tool and arm are required to remove the filter.
Having had the car up on a ramp to look at the set-up of the Haldex system, I have looked around the housing and there does not seem to be a filter. I have been told that, after a certain year, Audi did away with the filter – if this is true, surely it’s not a good idea? I have heard horror stories about people not changing the oil and filter, which has led to the unit being goosed.
Can you confirm if Audi has done away with the filter assembly and tell me how to find the fill and drain plugs for the Haldex system, as there are a few around the housing assembly? Also, what kind of oil should I use and what’s the quantity required? I take it that the front gearbox uses a long-life oil and this is not necessary to change until a high mileage has been completed – ditto the differential gearbox at the rear?
John Hynd
The fifth-generation Haldex system in your Q3 is quite different to earlier versions and does not have an accumulator, solenoid valve or filter. Its complexity is quite reduced from the earlier systems and it has its own integrated ECU.
The service recommendation for the Haldex coupling on your Audi is for the oil to be changed every 36 months, regardless of mileage. The oil quantity is 0.85 litres and the Audi part number is G 060 175; this retails at £48 per litre.
The filler for the Haldex coupling is near the top at the very back of the unit. You will need an Allen key to undo it and, when retightening, it should be torqued up to 15Nm. The drain is at the rear lower nearside corner. This also requires an Allen key to remove it and, when refitted, it should be tightened to 30Nm.