Shocking Service & Unfair Warranty Denial – Avoid This Dealership! Audi Bryanston and Audi South Africa

I am extremely disappointed with the service I have received from Audi Centre Bryanston and Audi South Africa regarding a gearbox issue on my 2020 Audi A3.

In 2024, I reported a concern with my gearbox while my vehicle was still under warranty and had two remaining services. The dealership at the time (Audi Centurion) informed me that they had checked and reset the gearbox, assuring me that it was fine.

Fast forward to 2025, while taking my car in for its last service, a gearbox overheating warning appeared just 2 km away from the dealership. By the time I arrived, the warning light had disappeared, but a burnt smell was still noticeable. I even took a photo of the warning message as evidence.

Before conducting any diagnostics, the service agent (Nonhlanhla) immediately suggested that the issue was due to my driving habits and that the repairs would likely be at my own expense. This was stated before even inspecting the vehicle, which raises serious concerns about their approach to diagnosing mechanical issues.

My main concerns are:

The gearbox issue was reported a year earlier, yet no proper action was taken.

The dealership failed to identify or address the problem when it was first reported under warranty.

They were quick to blame "driving habits" before even checking the car, which seems like a convenient way to avoid warranty obligations. They then blamed traffic condition then moved to wear and tear (every excuse not to cover it). The car isn't even close to 100 000 km.

The vehicle is still under warranty and motor plan, and unless they can provide clear, technical evidence of misuse or negligence (which they weren't able to provide), they should honor the warranty.

This experience has severely damaged my trust in Audi Centre Bryanston and Audi South Africa as a whole. A premium brand should provide accountability, transparency, and customer-focused service, but this dealership has failed to do so.

I strongly urge Audi SA to investigate this matter, as it reflects poorly on their brand. I strongly advise others to think twice before trusting this dealership or Audi SA—if something goes wrong, you might end up paying thousands for their manufacturing defects!