How to Replace the Timing Belt on a 2003 Audi A4


1. Park the Audi A4 in a garage. Drive it up onto car ramps or use a car lift to raise the vehicle onto axle stands to keep the front end at an incline for working space. Ensure the parking brake is set and chock the back wheels to make sure the car isn't going anywhere.
2. Locate the washer fluid hose running to the lower grille on the driver's side of the vehicle and place the drip pan/bucket underneath it to catch the fluid. Pull gently on the hose to detach it from the headlight washers and catch the fluid as it comes out, so you can put it back in later. Leave the hose free.
3. Unclip or detach any further hoses, cables or wiring between you and the timing belt cover if you desire, or push them aside while you work. Unclip the timing belt cover and unscrew the bolts keeping the fan in place using an Allen wrench. Remove the fan.
4. Remove the damper pulley under the fan. Unbolt the bolts with a wrench or socket, and then remove the bolts from the lower timing belt cover in the same fashion. Follow the lines on the cam sprocket and the valve cover to line up the crankshaft, and turn them clockwise until they all line up. Turn the crankshaft with a sprocket tool. Remove the tensioner for the timing belt by unbolting it and remove the old timing belt.
5. Install the new timing belt over the guide pulley and tensioner pulleys within the timing belt case. Remove the bolt on the guide pulley to install the belt, and then slide the belt over the sprockets. Use an Allen wrench to turn the guide pulley and bolt the tensioner back in place.
6. Reverse the entire process to reassemble the car. Ensure the lines on the crankshaft and cam sprocket line up with the valve cover and reassemble the cover. Bolt the damper pulley back in place and reattach the fan. Reclip any wires and plug the hose back in to the headlight washers. Fill the washer fluid container and close the hood.