15 Oil leak from the cylinder head - 2.9 and 3.0TFSI only
15 20 35 2053278/4 October 8, 2020. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 15 number 20-34 dated April
28, 2020 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

All

2017 - 2021

All

3.0 TFSI

All

2019 - 2021

All

2.9 TFSI

Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision

Date

Purpose

4

-

Revised header (Added engines)

3

04/28/2020

Revised header (Corrected Elsa display issue)
Revised Service (Added DOC-IT note)

2

02/05/2019

Revised Warranty (Added and updated Labor Operations)

Customer statement:
• Oil loss in area around the engine compartment, front end, and underbody.
• Oil level warning (too low).
• Smell from engine compartment.
Workshop findings:
• Leak in area around the cylinder head cover, valve cover, and cylinder head.
• Leak in area around the injector.
• Leak in area around the Audi valvelift system actuator.

Technical Background
Metal shavings produced during manufacture in sealing groove between cylinder head cover and the cylinder
head.

Production Solution
Improved production processes.

Page 1 of 7
© 2020 Audi of America, Inc.
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.

Service
As the oil loss in the area of the cylinder head cover may involve two different issues, proceed as follows to
clearly determine the source of the leak.
1. Remove the engine compartment cover and the heat shield below it.
2. Remove the upper noise insulation
of the affected cylinder bank
(Figure 1).

Figure 1. Removing the upper noise insulation.

Page 2 of 7
© 2020 Audi of America, Inc.
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.

3. Remove the Audi valvelift system
actuator of the affected cylinder.
A. If there is a substantial quantity
of oil below the Audi valvelift
system actuator (illustration), the
cause of the leak is the O ring of
the Audi valvelift system actuator.
Replace the Audi valvelift system
actuator with O ring, clean the
engine compartment and if
necessary replace the noise
insulation (if it is full of oil) (Figure
2).
B. If there is no substantial quantity
of oil below the Audi valvelift
system actuator continue with Step
4!

Figure 2. Oil in the Audi valvelift system.
4. Remove the lower noise insulation.
5. Locate the affected cylinder. Here
oil should have gathered in the
area of the injector (Figure 3) and
the noise insulation should also be
full of oil.

Figure 3. Locating the affected cylinder.

Page 3 of 7
© 2020 Audi of America, Inc.
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.

6. Remove the cylinder head cover
and the seal (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Remove the cylinder head cover.
7. Inspect the seal groove in the
cylinder head cover and remove
any cast metal debris (Figure 5).
The debris can be removed with a
small flat screwdriver (Figure 6).

Figure 5. Before the repair.

Note:
Make sure not to damage the seal
groove!
For vehicles with a production
date starting 10/01/2018, please
take a picture of the metal
casting debris before filing, and
upload to DOC-IT with the
corresponding VIN of the vehicle.

Figure 6. After the repair.
8. Install a new seal, re-assemble camshaft cover, clean the engine compartment, and if necessary replace the
noise insulation (if it is full of oil).

Page 4 of 7
© 2020 Audi of America, Inc.
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.

Warranty
Claim Type:

 110 up to 48 Months/50,000 Miles.
 G10 for CPO Covered Vehicles – Verify Owner.


Service Number:

If vehicle is outside any warranty, this Technical Service Bulletin is informational
only.

 1580 (Leak on injector)
 1551 (Leak on Audi valvelift system actuator)

Damage Code:

 0050 (1580 only)
 0010 (1551 only)

Labor Operations:

For 3.0L engines
Adjusting mechanism for Valvelift system
remove + reinstall (if AVS leak location)

1551 2043 (left)

Camshaft adjusters remove + reinstall (if
injector leak location)

1584 1943 (left)

Camshaft housing remove + reinstall (if injector
leak location)

1503 1993 (left)
1503 1994 (right)

See SRT with
associated
operations

Clean engine cover, heat shield, upper and
engine

1083 9999

40 TU

Radar sensor adjust (if applicable)

9163 1650

See SRT with
associated
operations

1551 2044 (right)

1584 1944 (right)

Or
9163 1550

See SRT with
associated
operations
See SRT with
associated
operations

Preparation Driver Assist Calibration (if
applicable)

9092 0050

See SRT with
associated
operations

Vehicle front + rear check (if applicable)

4495 0100

See SRT with
associated
operations

Page 5 of 7
© 2020 Audi of America, Inc.
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.

Overhead view camera adjusted (if applicable)

9083 1500

See SRT with
associated
operations

Adjusting mechanism for Valvelift system
remove + reinstall (if AVS leak location)

1551 1945 (left)

See SRT with
associated
operations

Front bumper cover remove + reinstall (if
injector leak location)

6329 1900

See SRT with
associated
operations

Front bumper remove + reinstall (if injector leak
location)

6310 1950

See SRT with
associated
operations

Radiator remove + reinstall (if injector leak
location)

1970 1995

See SRT with
associated
operations

Camshaft adjusters remove + reinstall (if
injector leak location)

1584 1995 (left)

See SRT with
associated
operations

Camshaft housing remove + reinstall (if injector
leak location)

1503 1995 (left)
1503 1996 (right)

See SRT with
associated
operations

Clean engine cover, heat shield, upper and
engine

1083 9999

40 TU

Overhead view camera adjusted (if applicable)

9083 1500

See SRT with
associated
operations

Radar sensor adjust (if applicable)

9163 1650

See SRT with
associated
operations

Preparation Driver Assist Calibration (if
applicable)

9092 0050

See SRT with
associated
operations

For 2.9L engines (RS models)

1551 1946 (right)

1584 1996 (right)

Page 6 of 7
© 2020 Audi of America, Inc.
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.

Diagnostic Time:

Claim Comment:

Vehicle front + rear check (if applicable)

4495 0100

See SRT with
associated
operations

GFF (if applicable)

0150 0000

Time stated on the
diagnostic
protocol (Max 50
TU)

Road test prior to service procedure

No allowance

0 TU

Road test after service procedure

0121 0004

10 TU

As per TSB #2053278/4

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.

Required Parts and Tools
Always check with your Parts Department and/or ETKA for the latest information and parts bulletins.
Part Number

Part Description

Quantity

See ETKA

Fasteners, Bolts, Nuts and Screws as needed per the
Repair Manual

See ETKA/ELSA

06M906048F

Solenoid valve (if applicable)

01

06M103650D

Gasket Cylinders 1-3 (if applicable)

01

06M103649D

Gasket Cylinders 4-6 (if applicable)

01

G 12E100M2

Coolant concentrate 1.5L (if applicable)

04

Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2053278) are subject to change and/or removal.
©2020 Audi of America, Inc. 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.

Page 7 of 7
© 2020 Audi of America, Inc.
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.