Audi Care Select

Planning to keep your Audi for the long haul? The Audi Care Plus Maintenance Plan is an excellent choice for drivers who have bought their vehicle outright, or who are planning to buy out their Audi vehicle lease. These packages can be purchased for Audi MY 2009 and newer vehicles that have been sold or leased in the US (if they meet age and mileage criteria). You can opt for a variety of packages that cover 35K services, 45K, 55K, 65L, 75K, and 85K services to help keep your Audi performing optimally--without needing to go over budget at your local service centers.

Even if you don't opt for Audi Care Select when you purchase your used or Certified Pre-Owned Audi from a dealership, this package can be purchased, individually, at any time for a one-time payment as long as the vehicle in question falls into the acceptable requirements for age and mileage. If you choose a Certified Pre-Owned model with a MY of 2009 or newer, you can even bundle packages to purchase Audi Care and Audi Care Select together.

Maintaining an older-model-year vehicle can be costly--with this package, you can be confident in exactly how much you'll pay for scheduled services over the years.

Audi Care Select services are provided in these ranges:

• MY 2016 and older: coverage from 35,000 through 85,000 miles
• MY 2017 and newer: coverage from 40,000 through 90,000 miles

Contact Audi Northlake to learn more about Audi Care Select packages.

Audi Term Care Select

Are you planning to rent or lease your Audi? The Term Care Select Maintenance Plan might be just the coverage and peace of mind that you're looking for.

This service package specifically offers coverage for unexpected needs apart from the routine service menu, with protection for products or components that your manufacturer's warranty might not necessarily cover--like brake pads, batteries, headlamps, windshield wiper blades, belts, hoses, electrical components, wheel alignment, and more.

Unlike the other Audi Care packages--which can estimate exactly what work will be done over a time period--Term Care Select offers general insurance against life's unexpected twists and turns.

There are some exceptions to Audi Term Care Select: this package does not cover brake drums and rotors, solar powered devices, glass, lenses, body parts/panels, trim, moldings, tires, wheels, upholstery, paint, bright metal, audio/security or other non-factory-installed systems, wheel balancing, cellular phones, radar detectors, appliances, and vinyl and convertible tops. Some mechanical breakdowns, caused by misuse, abuse, or other avoidable factors, are also excluded from coverage.

Contact Audi Northlake to learn more about Term Care Select packages.

Oil Change

Many experts agree engine oil can be a miracle elixir for the long-term health of your vehicle--and that routine oil changes are one of the fastest, easiest, and most affordable ways to maintain your Audi's unique quality and sport performance. You can consult your Audi service menu to find the exact oil change interval for your model and year, or contact the service center at Audi Northlake to get assistance.

Why is it so important to keep up with this schedule? Clean, high-quality, and viscous engine oil regulates the temperature of engine components both when they are cold and when they are hot; it lubricates moving parts, avoiding unnecessary friction and heat and cutting down on wear and tear; by moving oil continuously through a filter, it also removes dirt and debris, which can significantly reduce the chance of sludge accumulation and corrosion; it can even help you see better fuel economy by providing an efficient working environment for your engine.

The typical Audi oil change interval for newer models is every 10,000 miles or 12 months--whichever comes first--and may vary based on model-year, mileage, driving conditions, or other factors. And, of course, it's important to use a high-quality, full-synthetic engine oil for optimal performance and efficiency.

Approved engine oil types for Audi MY 2005 and newer:

• Audi oil standard VW 502 00 (gas)
• Audi oil standard VW 507 00 (diesel)

Tire Center, Sales & Service

When is it time to replace your vehicle's tires? And do they truly need to replaced, or simply repaired? The common retirement age for modern tires is a maximum of 10 years after the manufacturing date, because that is as long as the rubber compound that makes up this essential piece of equipment can feasibly last. However, since many long-distance commuters or weekend warriors go through a set of tires in far less time, a basic mileage estimate suggests getting new tires every 30,000 to 50,000 miles depending on a variety of factors. Fortunately, the tire center at Audi Northlake can help you diagnose tire issues, repair problems, and purchase new tire sets that will be the perfect fit for your unique needs, from brands like Michelin, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Pirelli, and more.

The best way to tell if your tires need to be replaced is by looking at the tread. Brand-new tires typically have a depth of 10/32" to 11/32", while "legally worn out" tires typically have about 2/32" of depth--that's not a lot of traction on the road, so it's highly recommended that you don't go beyond that point.

You can check your tire tread depth at home by using The Penny Test, or by bringing your vehicle to our tire center for an expert opinion. You can also schedule appointments for services like tire rotation, balancing and alignment, puncture repair, inflation, tire mounting, new tire or seasonal tire installation, and pressure checks, and purchase equipment like tires, wheels, rims, and custom accessories, all in one convenient place.

Tire safety is one of the most important factors in car care--and nobody knows your Audi's tires like we do. We always have the right products, the expertise, and the right recommendations.

Brake Service & Repair

Your Audi was made to run and ride like a performance vehicle--and that means your brakes were designed to be able to handle and stop like a performance vehicle. But without routine maintenance and reasonable repairs, your braking system simply can't do its job. Let the experts at Audi Northlake help to keep your stopping power strong, and your cornering abilities sharp.

A simple, visual brake system inspection is recommended at every service visit to check thickness of brake pads, level of brake fluid, and condition of brake discs, and to check for any damage or leaks. Brake repair or replacement has no specific mileage or age requirement, and is only recommended as needed; however, technicians will suggest that you replace brake fluid every two years, regardless of mileage.

What are some warning signs that maybe your brakes do need to be repaired, replaced, or checked out by a professional? Keep an eye out for these red flags, and give our brake service center a call if youy notice any number of them:

• ABS warning light
• Glowing brake dashboard light
• Spongy brake pedal; slow to respond
• Grinding or squealing noises while braking
• A burning, acrid smell when braking

Contact Audi Northlake for more information about Audi brake service cost, condition of your brakes, and when to schedule your next appointment.

Air Filter Info

What keeps you--and your engine--breathing easy in the somewhat chaotic world of dirt, pollen, and particles? That would be the air filters carefully placed within your vehicle. Both the cabin air filter and engine air filter work hard to remove the microscopic bits of sand or dust that could otherwise plague your personal comfort or the performance of your engine. It's recommended that you change air filters about every 15,000 miles.

Why is it so important to change out old or dirty air filters? Along with protecting delicate components in your engine, it also protects you and your lungs from contaminants--any filter left for too long loses its effectiveness and can even start to harbor bacteria or even mold. In some cases, it can cause your engine to use more oil. If you're not sure of your last air filter change, mention it to an Audi Northlake service technician at your next visit. We can easily check the condition and replace it if necessary.

Now that's a breath of fresh air.

State Inspections

Vehicle inspections as required by the state of North Carolina are comprised of two very important parts: a safety inspection and emissions inspection. The safety inspection checks parts and components like headlights, accessory lights, directional signals, foot brake, parking brake, steering and windshield wipers to ensure that everything is up to code and will not endanger you or other drivers on the road. The emissions inspection is a simple check of the computerized equipment installed on all vehicles produced after 1996, and ensures that your vehicle meets modern emissions standards.

North Carolina state inspections are required whenever you renew your vehicle registration, or once every 12 months; you must complete both registration renewal and inspection within 90 days of your vehicle's current registration expiration date.

Audi Northlake is an official state inspection station. Schedule your appointment today.

Check Engine Light

This seemingly simple warning light, located on your Audi's dashboard, can have implications ranging from non-concerning to critical; the former being a slightly unsecured fuel cap, the latter being a total failure of an engine component. And since check engine light codes don't always tell you exactly what you need to know right away, it's incredibly important to take this flashing or solid warning light seriously.

The service center at Audi Northlake offers check engine light diagnostics to help give you comfort and peace of mind about your engine performance. Using only the latest technology and tools, we can determine the exact issue that your vehicle is having, whether it's something simple like a faulty O2 sensor or a burned-out spark plug, or something more critical like a blown gasket or a cracked/broken hose.

Sometimes all it takes is a quick tune-up to get that engine light back to basic, but you should never gamble on the cause of the warning light. Schedule your appointment with Audi Northlake as soon as possible after you see your check engine light come on.