1996 Audi A4 complaints

WHILE TRAVLEING AT 20-25 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, CRASHED INTO A WALL. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAS CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY WILL INSPECT VEHICLE. *AK

WET BRAKING PROBLEMS. EXTREMELY LONG TIME FOR BRAKE TO ENGAGE WHEN WET. CAUSES UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION AS BRAKE DO NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN WET. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND CAUSED STARTER TO GO. VEHICLE WOULDN'T START AT ALL. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *JB

RECALL 00V317000; PLASTIC IGNITION SWITCH HOUSING HAS FRACTURED AT RETURN ANCHOR POINT, VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED EXACT SYMPTOMS LISTED IN RECALL(00V317) SUMMARY. VEHICLE NOT SELECTED FOR RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SLC

CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES HAVE FAILED AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

OVER THIS PAST YEAR, I HAVE REPLACED 3 CONTROL ARMS, DEALER POINTS TO DESIGN FLAW. *AK

CONTACTED LOCAL DEALER AND AUDI USA ABOUT PROBLEM AND INFORMED THEM ABOUT THE RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO. 00V317000). I WAS INFORM THAT MY CARS VIN WAS NOT ON THEIR LIST TO BE REPAIR FOR THIS RECALL. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO THEM MY CAR WAS BUILT IN 5/1996 AND WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, WHEN DRIVING IN VERY WET CONDITIONS, THERE IS A VERY NOTICEABLE DELAY BEFORE THE BRAKES HAVE ANY EFFECT. THIS CAN BE UP TO 2 SECONDS OR SO, AND DEPENDING ON DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO ME YET, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS DEFECT. *AK

MANY OTHER AUDI A-4 OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT PREMATURE WEAR OF TIE RODS AND CONTROL ARMS IN VERMONT. AUDI OF AMERICA AND LOCAL DEALER REFUSED TO COVER PROBLEM ALTHOUGH VOLUNTARY RECALL IN EFFECT FOR NEWER AUDIS. *AK

PROBLEMS IS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/ SUSPENSION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS. *AK

IN 1998, WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AUDI WAS ADVISED OF A PROBLEM WHICH BEGAN WITH A NOISE IN THE CAR. THIS WAS EVENTUALLY DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED IN 2/2000 AT NO COST TO MYSELF AS AUDI ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A "DEFECT" IN THAT MODEL YEAR. 2 WEEKS AGO, I DISCOVERD THAT THE LOWER CONTROLS ARMS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THEM TOGETHER. I AGAIN REPORTED THIS TO AUDI OF AMERICA AND WAS AGAIN TOLD THAT THEY HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL AND TO TAKE IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER. I WAS INSTRUCTED AUDI AND MY MECHANIC THAT THE I COULD LOSE THE STEERING AT ANY POINT. UPON INSPECTION BY AUDI THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CARE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND THAT THESE UPPER CONTROL ARMS MUST BE REPLACED. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS WITH THEM, THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE AND RUDE AND HAVE AGREED TO PAY HALF OF THE PARTS, BUT I MUST PAY ALL OF THE LABOR AT THEIR PREMIUM PRICES. SINCE THE CAR IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE I DO NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE IT TO A REASONABLY PRICED AUTO SHOP. AUDI HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR TWO YEAS, AS I WAS TOLD BY AN AUDI MECHANIC THAT THEY HAD CONSIDERED A RECALL. AUDI IS PUTTING THEIR CUSTOMERS IN GREAT DANGER AND WILL DO NOTHING UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED.

FRONT SUSPENSION RATTLES AND THUNKS OVER BUMPS, AND MAKES CREAKING NOISE WHEN ENTERING VEHICLE, AND WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS *AK

IGNITION SWITCH WAS STILL ON WHEN CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE. ALSO, STARTER DIDN'T RETURN BACK WHEN ENGAGED FROM THE SWITCH, AND AIR CONDITIONER WAS BLOWING SLOWY AND THERE WAS A SMELL COMING FRON THE AIR CONDITIONER. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD CONSSUMER THAT HE NEEDED AN EVAPORATOR , AND IT WAS LEAKING COOLANT.*AK

INNER TIE RODS WERE LOOSE AND WORN OUT WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING. RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED. *AK *ML

WHEN GETTING IN AND OUT OF VEHICLE OR GOING OVER BUMPS FRONT END MAKES A LOUD NOISE. CONTACTED DEALER , AND THEY REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

BRAKES ARE MUCH LESS EFFECTIVE DURING WET WEATHER. *AK

THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH PREMATURE WEARING OF THE SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING THE CONTROL ARMS AS WELL AS THE STABILIZER LINKS. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE WET, THEY DO NOT WORK UNTIL THE BRAKES ARE HELD FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS. A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN 5 SECONDS. *AK

AFTER STARTING MY VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON MY HEADLIGHTS (INCIDENT OCCURED APPROX. 8:00 PM), I NOTICED THAT MY HEADLIGHTS, AND TAIL LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. I ALSO NOTIICED THAT MY CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS (LIGHTS DURING NORMAL START-UP), OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE GAUGE, DOOR LOCKS, AND MY TURN SIGNALS WERE ALL INOPERABLE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF MY ENGINE TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE PROBLEMS WHEN I FOUND THAT I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION (TO THE OFF POSITION). I VERIFIED THAT MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION SHIFTER WAS IN PARK "P". THE ENGINE WAS FINALLY SHUT (1.5 HRS LATER) DOWN BY PULLING FUEL PUMP FUZE. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH (# VWN 4AO 905 849 B), THIS CORRECTED ALL PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY SIMULAR TO THE 1994/1995 AUDI 90 RECALL (ID #96V017000) OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN FEB. 1996 WHICH IS TWO MONTHS FOLLOWING THE LAST RECALLED AUDI 90 (MFD. RECALL JAN 94 TO DEC 95). AUDI INC . WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS REPAIR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE: THIS PART (IGNITION SWITCH FOR THE 90 AND A4 APPEAR TO BE THE SAME: I VERIFIED THIS AT ONE DEALER) CAUSES VERY SIMILIAR MALFUNCTIONS IN THE A4 AS THE AUDI 90 HAD IN 1994/1995 VEHICLES. NOTE: SOME AUDI A4 OWNERS MAY NOT HAVE REPORTED TO NHTSA BECAUSE WARRANTY COVERS PART UP TO 50,000 MILES. PLEASE VERIFY HOW MANY IGNITION SWITCHES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE A4 VIA DEALERS. IF THIS ISSUE PROMPTED A RECALL OF THE AUDI 90 (RECALL: 1996) , MY VEHICLE AND POSSIB

WHEN HITTING A BUMP VEHICLE'S CONTROL ARM MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND CAUSES A SLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL . DLR HAS REPLACED BROKEN CONTROL ARM BEFORE. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH DID NOT RETURN FROM STARTER ENGAGED POSITION, STARTER STAYED ENGAGED WHICH LEAD TO ITS FAILURE AFTER PROBLEM OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND A/C SYSTEM DID NOT WORK. APPARENTLY OTHER MODELS OF AUDIS WERE SUBJECT TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY NOT THE A4? REPAIR COST: $800.00.

WHEN SHIFTING INTO FOURTH GEAR,ENGINE FUMBLES CAUSING THE CAR TO VIBRATE....ON COLD STARTS,ANY RELEASE OF THE THROTTLE AND THE FRONT END MAKES LOUD CLICKING,DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE THOUGH HAPPENS EVERY DAY....UNDER ACCELERATION WHEN COLD ,EXHAUST RATTLES,SOUNDS LIKE HEAT SHIELD RAPPING AGAINST SOMETHING.

AUDI APPARENTLY WILL COVER REPLACEMENT, EVEN THOUGH PAST WARRANTEE ($1200 PARTS AND LABOR)

THERE IS A DELAYED SHIFTING PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE WILL SLAM INTO GEAR AND SOMETIMES SURGE FORWARD SUDDENLY CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

EQUIPMENT:BICYCLE CARRIER BROKE. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAD ACTIVATED AND VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO ACCELERATE WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ALTHOUGH PROBLEM WA SSPORADIC, THE SAME SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, AN EFFORT TO ACCELERATE WOULD CAUSE ENGINE TO RACE UP TO 4 RPMS. VEHICLE COASTED ON RESIDUAL MOMENTUM, HAVING ONLY BRAKING AND STEERING ABILITY AS ENGINE STRUGGLED TO RECOVER. CONSUMER BROUGH VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO SUGGESTED THAT VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK

(1) SUSPENSION: FRONT END GROANS AND CREAKS OVER BUMPS (EVEN SMALL BUMPS), AS WELL AS WHEN PEOPLE ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE, EXTENT OF DANGER UNKNOWN -- AUDI HAS "DIAGNOSED" IT AS A "CONTROL ARM" PROBLEM; (2) SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY OPENS ON ITS OWN WHILE VEHICLE IN OPERATION WITH NO HUMAN INVOLVEMENT, CAUSING MAJOR DISTRACTION AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION -- AUDI HAS DIAGNOSEDIT AS AN ELECTRICAL "SWITCH" PROBLEM. AUDI SERVICE REPS HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THESE TWO DEFECTS OCCURRING ON MY CAR ARE REOCCURRING PROBLEMS IN A4S, AND NOT JUST ON THE 1996 MODEL YEAR, BUT ON SUBSEQUENT YEARS (1997, 1998 AND 1999) AS WELL. DESPITE THE WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THE PROBLEMS, AUDI REFUSES TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEMS WHEN THEY ARISE ON VEHICLES THAT ARE OUT OF WARRANTY (LIKE MINE). *AK

SERVICE MANUAL FOR 96 AND 97 AUDI A4 DO NOT INDICATE THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING BELT AT 90,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER ADMITS THE FAILURE BUT REFUSES TO UPDATE MANUALS FOR OWNERS. THIS CAR HAS AN INTERFERENCE ENGINE WHICH WILL CAUSE SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IF THE TIMING BELT FAILS. I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL THE SERVICE MANUALS AND INFORM OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL COSTLY AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IF THE TIMING BELT FAILS. THE 98 AND NEWER MANUALS INDICATE THE TIMING BELT NEED, BUT THE 96 AND 97 MAKE NO MENTION. I CONTACTED AUDI IN 3/99 BUT THEY REFUSED TO UPDATE THE MANUALS.

WHILE DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER OR IF THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WARMED UP, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE GEARS NOT TO ENGAGE. MAY STAY IN ONE GEAR FOR ABOUT A MILE. THIS MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

TIRE JACK BENT UNDER THE VEHICLE'S WEIGHT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FALL.

CONSUMER STATES THAT A RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED IN OCTOBER OF 97. OWNER SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE (97V-175). *AK

VENTILLATION SYSTEM DESIGN IS DIFFICULT TO USE WITHOUT BEING DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING.

RADIO FAILED.

THE SUN ROOF WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING.

DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED THREE TIMES.

DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT; PARKED IN GARAGE, SHIFTED TO PARK; PARKING BRAKES APPLIED; VEHICLE STILL RUNNING; AIRBAG DEPLOYED AS DRIVER WAS EXITING VEHICLE; NO WARNING. *AK

ENGINE BURNS 1 QUART OF OIL PER 1,000 MILES.