SB-10043562-7138

Technical Service Bulletin
34, 37 Grinding or wheel bearing type noises from front when accelerating or at constant speed
34 12 08 2028650/1 February 21, 2012/
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

S4 and S5

2010 – 2011

A4, A4
Cabriolet,
A5, A5
Cabriolet

2009 – 2011

A5, S5

2008 – 2011

All with Manual Transmission

A4, S4
Cabriolet

2009 – 2011

All with Manual Transmission

All with DSG Transmission

All with CVT Transmission
All

Condition
Customer statement: Constant howling, droning, or scraping noises from the front of the vehicle when accelerating
lightly.

Technical Background
The ball bearing for the left flange shaft spins in the gearbox housing because of a gap between the outer bearing
ring and the support bracket.
Tip: The affected ball bearings are only fitted on the left side; therefore, the complaints do not occur on the
right side.

Figure 1. Grinding marks and swarf in gearbox housing, on flange housing, outer race of the bearing and support
bracket.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Note:
After a removal of the bolts to check for this condition, the bolts must always be replaced by new parts (new part
number: N 912 088 01).

Production Solution
Not applicable.

Service
Try to reproduce the customer complaint so that it can be clearly assigned to this TSB by
removing the support bracket and checking for wear marks. If wear marks are present as
shown in Figure 1 above, follow checks and repair instructions below.
Repair instructions/procedure:
On V6 and V8 engines:
1. Remove the gearbox according to the repair manual.
2. Loosen the support bracket of the left final drive (if not yet happened) and pull the left flange
shaft out of the gearbox according to the repair manual, taking care not to damage the shaft
seal.
3. Also, perform Checks section below.
On all models with 4 cylinder engines:
1. Remove the left drive shaft according to the repair manual.
2. Remove the brake caliper and hang caliper off to the side without stressing the brake hose.
3. Detach the suspension strut from the lower control arm, and the suspension strut from the
sway arm link. (Loosen upper bolts for the strut if needed to allow for more clearance.)
4. If necessary for bearing housing clearance, remove the upper control arm bolt and allow
bearing housing to swing out of the way.
5. Remove any shielding from the axle opening.
6. Pull the left flange shaft out of the gearbox (according to the repair manual). Support the
flange shaft through the lower opening on the gearbox (service flap) to avoid damaging the
oil seal between differential and gearbox housing.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Note:
After a removal, the bolts must always be replaced by new parts (new part number: N 912
088 01).

Figure 2. Supporting the flange shaft.

Figure 3. Pulling out the flange shaft.

7. After removing the flange shaft visually check the oil seal between differential and gearbox
housing with a lamp through the lower gearbox opening (service flap) for damage.
Note:
Remove bearing and bearing bracket from axle and discard. Use new bearing for
measurements.
8. Also, perform checks section below

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Checks section:
1. Determine how many shims must be
fitted between bearing and gearbox
housing to make the bearing extend out
from the case a minimum of 0.5mm to
0.8 mm; each shim is 0.30mm in
thickness.

Figure 4. Bearing example.
Tip: Bearing in Figure 4 is only for demonstration purposes, ALWAYS measure using
a new bearing.
Determine the number of shims to be fitted:
1. Remove any corrosion or dirt on the gearbox flange surface. Use size 600 grit sandpaper.
Do not clean the bearing carrier.
2. Measure whether the gap between bearing and gearbox housing is flush or extended from
case.
3. Use a straightedge on two different
positions on the bearing and on the
gearbox housing (this leads to four
measuring positions).

Figure 5. Apply straightedge on gearbox
housing/bearing.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
4. Determine the value with a feeler gauge
on four different points (in an extreme
case: gap).
Tip: Bearing in Figure 6 is only for
demonstration purposes, ALWAYS
measure using new bearing.

Figure 6. Measuring gap
5. After the measuring, calculate how many shims must be fitted between bearing housing
and bearing. Examples:
Below flush gap:
1. Measured values: Top 0.10 mm, bottom
0.15 mm, left 0.15 mm, right 0.10 mm
Biggest measured value: 0.15 mm
For the calculation the value must be
given a negative algebraic sign.
- 0.15 mm
+

0.30 mm

=

0.15 mm

+

0.30 mm

=

0.45 mm

+

0.30 mm

thickness of 1st shim
thickness of 2nd shim
thickness of 3rd shim

= 0.75 mm minimum is reached
(0.5- 0.8 mm)
Figure 7. Determine the below flush value.
Three shims are needed.
Note:
Although the bearing may extend from the case as shown, the distance may not be enough
to hold the bearing tight. Measure as follows to determine and correct.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Extended from case gap:
1. Measured values: Top 0.10 mm, bottom
0.15 mm, left 0.10 mm, right 0.10 mm
Smallest measured value:
0.10 mm
+

0.30 mm

=

0.40 mm

+

0.30 mm

1st shim
2nd shim

= 0.70 mm minimum is reached
(0.5- 0.8 mm)
Two shims are needed.
Figure 8. Determine the extended value.
Reassembly:
1. Install new support bracket and bearing onto the shaft per repair manual being sure the part
number of the support bracket is pointing outward.
Tip: When fitting the support bracket the part number must point to the outside.
2. Clean the flange shaft with a fluff-free cloth and slightly lube the shaft at the seal contact
area using G 052 128 A1.
3. Install the shims as shown below and feed the shaft back through the opening of the lower
gearbox side with appropriate support taking care not to damage the seal.
4. Be sure to replace the support bracket
bolts.

Figure 9. Position of shims.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Note:
Because the bearing turns, it may have taken material off of the bearing carrier in axial and
radial direction. The resulting free play can be ignored, as a turning of the outer bearing ring
is prevented by the axial clamping force of the support bracket.

Warning:
Any bolts or fasteners that were removed or loosened to that are “one time use” must be
replaced per ELSA instructions.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Warranty
Claim Type:

Use applicable claim type. If vehicle is outside any warranty, this Technical Service Bulletin
is informational only.

Service Number:

3437 Manual
3737 Automatic

Damage Code:

0010

Labor Operations: Remove and install drive shaft
4Cylinder Manual
Check gearbox
transmission

4Cylinder
Automatic
Transmission

6 and 8 Cylinder
Manual /DSG
Transmission

Diagnostic Time:

4041 1900

90 TU

3435 0199

20 TU

Repair gearbox housing

3437 4199

90 TU

Remove and install drive shaft

4041 1900

90 TU

Check automatic gearbox

3735 0199

20 TU

Repair gearbox housing

3737 4199

90 TU

Remove and install gearbox

3435 19XX

Use labor operation
for appropriate
model/transmission.

Check gearbox

3435 0199

20 TU

Repair gearbox housing

3437 4199

50 TU

GFF

No allowance

0 TU

Road test prior to service procedure

0121 0002

10 TU

Road test after service procedure

0121 0004

10 TU

Technical diagnosis at dealer’s discretion
(Refer to Section 2.2.1.2 and Audi Warranty Online for DADP allowance details)
Claim Comment:

As per TSB #2028650/1

All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures
Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

Page 8 of 9

All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Required Parts and Tools
Tip: For customer satisfaction to reduce time down, it is recommended to pre-order 4 shims (0B4 409 227)
as most vehicles will require 1 to 4 shims. Return all un-used portions.
Part Number

Part Description

Quantity

0B4 409 294 D

Deep-groove ball bearing

1

0B4 409 175 C

0B4 409 175 D

Support bracket (flange for final drive)
0AW and 0B2
Support bracket (flange for final drive)
0B5 and 0B4

1

1

0B4 409 227

Shims

As needed.

0B4 409 297

CIRCLIP

1

N 912 088 01

M8 bolts

3

G 052 128 A1

Grease for radial oil seal

.25

Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB are subject to change and/or removal. Always check with
your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.

© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.