RS3 Oil Pressure Warning Signals Potential Engine Crisis

Experienced something very similar with my 2020 RS4 last year. Have some experience working on Audi engines but left this one to the professionals given the complexity. The symptoms match what I dealt with, oil pressure warning light and knocking sounds are classic signs of oil pump failure. In my case, the oil pump was not maintaining proper pressure, which caused inadequate lubrication and those worrying knock sounds. The workshop diagnosed it through pressure testing and found the oil pump was severely worn. They replaced the entire oil pump assembly and conducted a thorough inspection of engine bearings for potential damage caused by the low oil pressure condition. Total repair came to 755 Euro including parts, labor and a fresh oil change with correct viscosity oil. Before jumping to conclusions though, could you share: Current mileage on your RS3, Type of oil and when it was last changed, Whether the warning light is constant or intermittent, If you notice the knocking more during cold starts The oil pressure sensor itself could be faulty, which would be a much simpler fix. But given the knocking sounds, better to have it properly diagnosed soon to prevent serious engine damage.

Experienced something very similar with my 2020 RS4 last year. Have some experience working on Audi engines but left this one to the professionals given the complexity. The symptoms match what I dealt with, oil pressure warning light and knocking sounds are classic signs of oil pump failure. In my case, the oil pump was not maintaining proper pressure, which caused inadequate lubrication and those worrying knock sounds. The workshop diagnosed it through pressure testing and found the oil pump was severely worn. They replaced the entire oil pump assembly and conducted a thorough inspection of engine bearings for potential damage caused by the low oil pressure condition. Total repair came to 755 Euro including parts, labor and a fresh oil change with correct viscosity oil. Before jumping to conclusions though, could you share: Current mileage on your RS3, Type of oil and when it was last changed, Whether the warning light is constant or intermittent, If you notice the knocking more during cold starts The oil pressure sensor itself could be faulty, which would be a much simpler fix. But given the knocking sounds, better to have it properly diagnosed soon to prevent serious engine damage.

Thanks for the feedback. My RS3 has 59096 KM and just had its annual service last month with OEM spec oil. The warning light started appearing intermittently at first but is now constant whenever the engine is running. The knocking occurs mainly under load, not so much during cold starts. Based on what youre saying about the oil pump failure symptoms, I should probably get it checked immediately. The rapidly declining oil pressure along with bearing noise matches what youre describing. Really hoping its just the oil pressure sensor but those knocking sounds have me worried about potential engine bearing damage from low oil pressure conditions. Getting it towed to the shop tomorrow rather than risk driving it. Will update once I know more about the diagnosis.

Thanks for the feedback. My RS3 has 59096 KM and just had its annual service last month with OEM spec oil. The warning light started appearing intermittently at first but is now constant whenever the engine is running. The knocking occurs mainly under load, not so much during cold starts. Based on what youre saying about the oil pump failure symptoms, I should probably get it checked immediately. The rapidly declining oil pressure along with bearing noise matches what youre describing. Really hoping its just the oil pressure sensor but those knocking sounds have me worried about potential engine bearing damage from low oil pressure conditions. Getting it towed to the shop tomorrow rather than risk driving it. Will update once I know more about the diagnosis.

Good call on getting it towed. Those symptoms are nearly identical to what I experienced before my repair, especially the progression from intermittent to constant warning lights. The knocking under load rather than cold starts actually makes more sense for oil pump failure, thinking back. When my oil pump was failing, the pressure would drop most significantly during higher engine loads, which explains the load-related knocking you're hearing. Since you've recently had a service, we can likely rule out a clogged oil filter or incorrect oil grade. My mechanic mentioned the oil pump failure often cascades, starting with worn pump components, leading to unstable oil pressure, and eventually causing engine bearing wear if not addressed quickly. The repair costs might vary depending on whether any engine bearings were affected. In my case, catching it early meant the bearings escaped damage. You're making the right choice getting it checked immediately, the repair cost for a failed oil pump is far preferable to major engine work. Keep us posted on the diagnosis. Given the matching symptoms and similar vehicle age, I suspect you're dealing with the same oil pump issue I had.

Good call on getting it towed. Those symptoms are nearly identical to what I experienced before my repair, especially the progression from intermittent to constant warning lights. The knocking under load rather than cold starts actually makes more sense for oil pump failure, thinking back. When my oil pump was failing, the pressure would drop most significantly during higher engine loads, which explains the load-related knocking you're hearing. Since you've recently had a service, we can likely rule out a clogged oil filter or incorrect oil grade. My mechanic mentioned the oil pump failure often cascades, starting with worn pump components, leading to unstable oil pressure, and eventually causing engine bearing wear if not addressed quickly. The repair costs might vary depending on whether any engine bearings were affected. In my case, catching it early meant the bearings escaped damage. You're making the right choice getting it checked immediately, the repair cost for a failed oil pump is far preferable to major engine work. Keep us posted on the diagnosis. Given the matching symptoms and similar vehicle age, I suspect you're dealing with the same oil pump issue I had.

Thanks for the detailed response and sharing your experience. Based on everything discussed, I'm definitely making the right call getting it towed. My RS3 has 59096 KM and just had its annual service with OEM spec oil last month, so its concerning this started happening right after. The oil pressure warning was initially intermittent but has become constant during engine operation. Most worrying is the knocking under load rather than cold starts. The symptoms match the oil pump failure scenario perfectly, from the progression of warning lights to the load-dependent knocking. While I hope its just a faulty sensor, the bearing noise suggests possible oil pressure issues already affecting engine components. Getting it to the shop immediately should hopefully prevent any major engine damage if its indeed a failing oil pump. Will definitely update once I get the diagnosis. Given how closely my situation mirrors your experience, I suspect the oil pump assembly might need replacement. Really hoping we caught it early enough to avoid any engine bearing damage from the low oil pressure condition. Getting it towed tomorrow first thing. Better safe than sorry when dealing with potential oil system failures in these engines.

Thanks for the detailed response and sharing your experience. Based on everything discussed, I'm definitely making the right call getting it towed. My RS3 has 59096 KM and just had its annual service with OEM spec oil last month, so its concerning this started happening right after. The oil pressure warning was initially intermittent but has become constant during engine operation. Most worrying is the knocking under load rather than cold starts. The symptoms match the oil pump failure scenario perfectly, from the progression of warning lights to the load-dependent knocking. While I hope its just a faulty sensor, the bearing noise suggests possible oil pressure issues already affecting engine components. Getting it to the shop immediately should hopefully prevent any major engine damage if its indeed a failing oil pump. Will definitely update once I get the diagnosis. Given how closely my situation mirrors your experience, I suspect the oil pump assembly might need replacement. Really hoping we caught it early enough to avoid any engine bearing damage from the low oil pressure condition. Getting it towed tomorrow first thing. Better safe than sorry when dealing with potential oil system failures in these engines.