1998 AUDI A4 QUATTRO TIMING BELT BROKE CAUSING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO ENGINE. *NM
1998 Audi A4 complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
I HAVE A 1998 AUDI A4 AVANT, 2.8 V6, MANUAL TRANSMISSION. AFTER 45K MILES THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE ("BRAIN") FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 91K MILES THE ABS BRAIN FAILED. WAS THERE, OR WILL THERE BE, A RECALL ON THESE ITEMS?
ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT STARTED UP ON THE DASH, CHECKED THE OWNERS BOOK AND IT TOLD YOU TO CANTACT THE AUDI DEALER. CONATACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT COSTS A LOT ON MONEY, QUOTE FOR THE PART WAS $2711.00, NOT INSTALLED. WENT TO THE WEB AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A BIG ISSUE, AND THAT THERE IS NO RECALL. POOR DESIGN AND A VERY EXPENSIVE PART, WHO IS MAKING MONEY OUT OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. MILES ON THE CAR 82K
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI A4. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE BRAKE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS. *NM
NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, NO MODIFICATIONS TO VEHICLE, AT 80K MILES THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE MODULE FAILS AND THE ABS NO LONGER WORKS. THE BRAKES ARE PRONE TO LOCKING UP. THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE VEHICLE WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY IS $1200. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE UNTIL I CAN SAVE FOR THE REPAIR. ADDITIONALLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING OUT OF THE BLUE AT 55K MILES. THIS MODULE HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED EITHER DUE TO COST.
ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE ABS CONTROLLER. DEALER WANTED $2600 FOR PARTS PLUS $450 (3 HRS) TO REPLACE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 51000 MILES!
ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND ABS SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. ABS SYSTEM ALSO USED IN ELECTRONIC DIFFERENTIAL CONTROL. AUDI DEALER DIAGNOSED AS A ABS CONTROL UNIT FAILURE WITH PART COST OF $2600 PLUS LABOR AND WAS REPAIRED BY AUDI DEALER. CONTACTED AUDI CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THIS IS A VERY REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND BASED ON INTERNET SEARCHES HAS AFFECTED HUNDREDS OF AUDI AND VW VEHICLES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FAULTY DESIGN OF A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT AND WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
I OWN AN AUDI A4, AND HAVE OBSERVED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR TARNISHES SEVERALY. I HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THIS SAFETY HAZARD AND HAVE OBSERVED MANY OTHER AUDI VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR DEFECTIVE MIRRORS. RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THIS GET LOOKED INTO AND A RECALL NOTICE BE ISSUED FOR REPLACEMENT MIRRORS.
ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED OWNER'S MANUAL WHICH INDICATED LOSS OF ABS, BUT FULL CONVENTIONAL BRAKE POWER. BLINKING LIGHTS WENT OFF BY THEMSELVES AFTER FEW MINUTES. SINCE THE WARNING, I AM EXPERIENCING SLIGHT RESISTANCE FROM BRAKE PEDAL OCCASIONALLY. JUDGING BY POSTINGS ON AUDI WORLD.COM, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE. WAITING TO GET APPOINTMENT FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND PART REPLACEMENT IF NECESSARY.*AK
ABS LIGHT AND BLINKING BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY AFTER 55800 MILES. DIAGNOSED AS (POSSIBLY) A BAD ABS CONTROL MODULE. ALSO TOLD IT COULD BE A BAD INSTRUMENT PANEL. COST OF $2200 QUOTED FOR ABS CONTROL MODULE REPLACEMENT WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AS A RESULT ABS CONTROL MODULE NOT REPLACED REDUCING SAFETY OF VEHICLE.*AK
THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. THE UPPER, LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS AND THE TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS A SEVERE OIL LEAKAGE OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE DURING ACCELERATION. OIL WAS FOUND IN THE SPARK PLUG CAVITIES AND THE SPARK PLUG WIRES PROTECTIVE SLEEVE WAS BRITTLE DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE. *AK *SC *JB
ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WH INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ABS BRAKE MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
EXTREME DIFFICULTYFUELING CAR - PUMP SHUTS OFF CONTINUOUSLY AND FORUMSSEEM TO INDICATE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM ABD HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER CARS. HAVE BEEN TO DEALER AND ONLY ADVICE IS TO REPLACE FUELD TANK AT A COST OF SOME $2,000 - CAR HAS 45,000 MILES
ABS CONTROL UNIT ON MY 1998 AUDI A4 FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE RESULTED, IN WHICH I WAS ONLY ABLE TO STOP VIA THE TRIPTRONIC TRANSMISSION WHICH ALLOWED ME TO DOWNSHIFT, AND FINALLY USING THE EBRAKE...CALLED AUDI OF AMERICA, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEIR SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN TOTAL BRAKE LOSS IF THE ABS UNIT FAILED, WHICH MADE NO SENSE SINCE THE PUMP WAS SPEWING BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER MY ENGINE...I ASSURED THEM THAT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND THAT AUDI SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS REPAIR, WHICH RUNS IN THE RANGE OF $2500...THEY TOLD ME THAT THAT SHOULDNT HAVE HAPPENED, AND BECAUSE OF THE HIGH MILEAGE ON MY CAR, THEY WERENT OBLIGATED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THOUSANDS OF AUDI OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM...I BELIEVE AUDI SHOULD BE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS MECHANICAL DEFECT, AND ISSUE A RECALL ASAP, BEFORE OTHER AUDI OWNERS EXPERIENCE THE SAME SCARY ORDEAL I DID ON THE HIGHWAY...THANK YOU.*AK
CAR: 1998 A4 AUDI AVANT QUATTRO, BOUGHT NEW. ABS CONTROLLER MODULE FAILED IN 2004, AUDI SHOULD DO A RECALL FOR SAFETY REASONS. NO THERE WERE NO DEATHS OR INJURIES, IS THIS A REASON TO HAVE A RECALL WHEN PEOPLE DIE?? *NM
THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE ,AND STAYED ON UNTIL VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
(1) FAULTY DESIGN OF ABS CONTROLLER, 2) FAILURE OF SAID ABS CONTROLLER, (3) ABS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD.*AK
1998 AUDI A4 2.8 QUATTRO- MY ABS SENSOR HAS FAILED. ABS LIGHT IS ON. *JB
ABS CONTROL UNIT HAS FAILED ON 1998 AUDI A4 QUATTRO 2.8. THIS ~$2000 PART RAISES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE, AS ITS FAILURE RESULTS IN LOSS OF ABS BRAKING AND TRACTION CONTROL.*AK
1. AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT DISPLAYED 2. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE DETERMINES THE AIRBAG SENSOR IS NOT WORKING 3. DEALER ESTIMATES AIRBAG REPLACEMENT WILL COST $1,700, BUT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY SINCE ITS FAILURE IS DUE TO MILEAGE AND WEAR. *JB
PROBLEMS WITH THE 1998 AUDI A4 ACCELERATING SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING DURING SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR *NM
THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA AROUND 11:40AM THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS TWO DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. I WAS DRIVING MY 98 AUDI A4 2.8 QUATTRO NORTH ON A TWO LANE CITY STREET WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 35MPH. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR TWENTY MINUTES AND SMELLED A VERY POWERFUL GAS SMELL SINCE I STARTED DRIVING. MY FOOT WAS ON THE GAS AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE ACCELERATION OF MY CAR INCREASED TO 45MPH. I TRIED BREAKING TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN AND THE BREAK PEDAL RESISTED MY EFFORT. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW TO 40MPH BUT NO LOWER. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK THE CAR ACCELERATED GREATLY. DESPITE BREAKING, THE SPEED KEPT INCREASING. I FELT I HAD NO CONTROL OVER MY CAR. I WAS TRAVELING FOR OVER A MILE AT SPEEDS REACHING 60MPH ON A 35MPH SPEED LIMIT. I APPROACHED A RED LIGHT, LUCKILY IT TURNED GREEN THE MINUTE I WENT UNDER IT. HAD IT NOT, I WOULD HAVE RUN THE RED LIGHT AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. MY CAR REACHED SPEEDS TOO DANGEROUS FOR THE ROAD I WAS ON. I MOVED INTO THE CENTER LANE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, FEARING I WOULD HIT THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME. WHILE DRIVING OVER A MILE UNABLE TO CONTROL MY SPEED I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO PULL OFF AND GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. WHEN I DID PULL INTO THE CENTER LANE I WAS ABLE TO TURN INTO A PARKING LOT AT 50MPH. I PUSHED THE BREAKS WITH ALL MY MIGHT; IT DID NOT STOP THE CAR, SO I PUT IT IN PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. HAD I NOT FOUND THAT PARKING LOT, I WOULD'VE RUN INTO A SNOW EMBANKMENT OR HIT A BUILDING. THERE WAS NO CHANCE MY CAR WAS STOPP
AFTER ONLY 65000 MILES ON MY 1998 AUDI A4 I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REPLACE MAJOR ABS COMPONENTS BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS FAILURES. THE ABS SYSTEM WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, AND THERE IS NO INDICATION OF WHEN IT WILL FAIL. A BRAKE LIGHT WILL COME ON, THEN GO OFF, INDICATING THERE IS TROUBLE, BUT AT TIMES THE LIGHT WILL BE OFF AND IT IS NOT UNTIL YOU BEGIN TO BRAKE THAT YOU REALIZE THE ABS IS NON-FUNCTIONAL. AUDI HAS BEEN VERY SLOW TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, REQUIRING A 2 WEEK WAIT JUST TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. THEN REQUIRING $2300 TO MAKE A 6 YEAR OLD CAR SAFE TO DRIVE.*AK
ABS UNIT FAILED ON 1998 AUDI A4 2.8L QUATTRO. REPAIR COST IS > $2000 FOR A RARELY USED ELECTRONIC MODULE. *AK
AFTER LESS THAT 70K MILES, THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS (SPECIFICALLY THE BUSHINGS THAT PROTECT THE CONTROL ARMS' JOINTS) ON MY AUDI A4 HAVE PROVED DEFECTIVE. ACCORDING TO MY TECHNICIAN, THE CONTROL ARMS ARE THE PART OF THE CAR THAT MAKE STEERING POSSIBLE; THEREFORE, FAULTY CONTROL ARMS CREATE AN ENORMOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND A LIABILITY. AUDI HAS ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS -- DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS ARE MORE DEFECTIVE. EVERY AUDI TECHNICIAN THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO ABOUT THIS DEFECT HAS ADMITTED THAT AUDI IS DUCKING THE PROBLEM, AND AS A CONSUMER I FEEL CHEATED. AUDI IS NOT OPERATING ON GOOD FAITH. THIS IS BAD BUSINESS THAT LEAVES UNASSUMING CONSUMERS BEARING THE BURDEN NOT ONLY OF COSTLY REPAIRS BUT ALSO OF HAZARDOUS MECHANICAL FAILURES. *JB
I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY 1998 AUDI A-4 FOR A PROBLEM WITH BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS. WHEN I TOOK IT IN THE DEALER SAID THESE WERE OKAY, BUT THE UPPER FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS WERE BAD, AND ALSO THE STEERING TIE-RODS.*AK WHEN I CALLED AUDI THAT IT WAS THE UPPER NOT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS THAT WERE BAD THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS FOR THE LOWER. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR TECHNITIAN TO CONFIRM, WHICH HE DID. HE ALSO SAID IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE TIE RODS IN SUCH BAD CONDITION. REPAIR COSTS ARE ABOUT $500. BECAUSE THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE BOTH PART OF THE SAME UNIT AND THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE HIGH MILEAGE (59,000 MILES) I DO NOT FEEL IT IS RIGHT FOR ME TO HAVE BEAR THIS COST.
I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON MY 1998 AUDI A4. I CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE THE SERVICE. THEY ARE GOING TO INSPECT MY CONTROL ARMS. IF THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED I MUST PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE I CAN PROVE THAT I HAD AN AUDI TECHNICIAN LOOK AT THE CONTROL ARMS AT THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED INTERVALS. THIS SEEMS VERY UNSAFE SEEING HOW IT AFFECTS THE STEERING OF THE CAR. IT ALSO SEEMS UNUSUAL AN INSPECTION OF THE CONTROL ARMS WOULD PREVENT A FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARMS.*AK
CONTROL ARMS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HAVE GONE BAD IN THE LAST YEAR. I DONT THINK THAT IS RIGHT FOR THE PARTS TO FAIL LIKE THAT.. I BOUGHT THE AUDI CAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A SAFE AND RELIABLE CAR, WHEN ALL IT HAS BEEN FOR ME IS A MONEY TRAP. *AK
ONCE VEHICLE WARMS ABS LIGHT COMES ON ,AND THE SYSTEM IS INOPERABLE. CONSUMER HAD NOT SERVICED THE VEHICLE. *AK
MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT INITIALLY CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY, THEN BEGAN TO OCCUR MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY. NOW IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME THAT I GET INTO THE CAR. MY ABS DOES NOT WORK. A LOCA AUDI DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR OF CAR. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW ABS CONTROL MODULE ($1100.00) AND THREE HOURS OF LABOR AT $78.00 AN HOUR.*AK
SIDE IMPACT AT 30 MPH FRONT SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
I HAVE AN 1998 AUDI A4 TURBO. WHILE DRIVING IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR THE CAR JUST STOPPED. I TOOK IT TO AUDI AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD SNAPPED AND BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION PISTONS AND VALVES WERE DAMAGED. THE ESTIMATE OF REAPAIR WAS OVER $6200.00 THE SCHEDULED REPLACEMENT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL IS FOR 115,000 MILES, THIS OCCURED AT 76,000 MILES. I WAS MADE AWARE THAT AUDI IS NOW RECOMMENDING REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER AT 80,000. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS, THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED NOR PLAN TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY WILL NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR AND THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. *AK
THIS CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL 99V244000. THE TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY. DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB
I HAVE A 1998.5 AUDI A4 QUATTRO V6 WITH THE SPORTS PACKAGE. MANY HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT CONTROL ARMS FAILING AND THERE HAS EVEN BEEN NEWS OF AUDI/VW HAVING A RECALL FOR THEM IN EUROPE, BUT NOT THE U.S. MANY HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT WHEELS FALLING OFF DUE TO BAD CONTROL ARMS AND MINE HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO NOISE AND TORN WORN OUT CONTROL ARMS. THEY FAILED AT 77,000 MILES AND HAD TO HAVE ALL OF THEM REPLACED (ABOUT $900 W/LABOR). MY VIN# IS WAUED28D8WA35854. MY CURRENT CONTROL ARMS ARE STARTING TO MAKE NOISE AGAIN AND I REALLY FEEL UNSAFE AFTER HEARING ABOUT WHEELS FALLING OFF DUE TO BAD CONTROL ARMS. *AK
IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER THROTTLE MAY UNEXPECTEDLY FAIL TO RETURN TO IDLE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR. *AK
WHILE TURNING LEFT AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. SUDDENLY THE PASSENGER LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE CONSUMER WILL GET IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED 14 TIMES.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT HE SOME HOW DAMAGED THE CONNECTORS. *JB
TIE RODS FAILED JUST AS IN RECALL CAMPAIN, BUT I WAS TOLD MY CAR FELL 1 MONTH OUTSIDE OF RECALL DATE, NOTHING DONE. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE. CURRENTLY MANUFACTURER RECALLED VEHICLES WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 1998 AUDI 1.8 T ALONG HIGHWAY WHEN TIMING BELT FAILED, WITHOUT WARNING, WRECKING ENGINE. CAR HAD ONLY 58K MILES, AND OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT RECOMMEND REPLACING TIMING BELT UNTIL 90K MILES. THERE IS NO TSB FOR THE BELT BUT AUDI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND REQUIRES ALL NEW TIMING BELTS TO BE INSTALLED IN A NEW CONFIGURATION. *AK
AUDI A4 QUATTRO, 1998, 2.8L ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. ABS LIGHT AND BLINKING BREAK LIGHT DISPLAYED ON DASH WARNING LIGHTS. CARRERA MOTORS OF BEND, OR DEFINED THE PROBLEM AS NO COMMUNICATION/FAULTY ABS CONTROL MODULE /N #8E0 614 111M . *AK
I HAVE 1998 AUDI A4 2.8 QUATRO. ABS AND BREAK LIGHTS IS ON. WORD ON THE VW/AUDI TECH CIRCLE IS THAT THE BOSCH 5.3 MODULE IS MALFUNCTIONING AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE. PLEASE MAKE A RECALL ON THIS PART.*AK
MY 1998 AUDI A4 TQM HAS 85K MILES ONIT. I JUST HAD ALL THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED FOR A SECOND TIME (FIRST TIEM DONE UNDER RECALL) BECAUS EIT WAS CREAKING AND GROWNING. BOTH TIE RODSENDS AND ONE UPPER CONTROL ARM WERE FOUND TO HAVE FAILED AS WELL. AUDI ADVISES THESE ARE "WEAR ITEMS" EVEN THOUGH THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WER EORIGINALLY REPLACED UNDER RECALL, AND HAVE ONLY 45000 MILES ON THEM! *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE TIMING BELT FAILED. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE, GOES INTO NON-ANTILOCK MODE. THE FAILURE IS CONSTANT, IT FAILS EVERYTIME THE CAR IS STARTED.*AK
WITHOUT WARNING, THE TIMING BELT ON MY 1998 AUDI A4 FAILED, RESULTING IN SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE AND LEAVING MY FAMILY STRANDED IN THE MOUNTAINS. AUDI HAS KNOW ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE TIMING BELT PROBLEM FOR YEARS, AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR NOTIFY CUSTOMERS. MAZDA HAD A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THEIR TIMING BELTS (SEE NHTSA RECALL NO. 00V134/MAZDA RECALL NO. 92007); WHY HASN'T AUDI RECALLED THE CARS AND FIXED THIS PROBLEM??*AK
WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A RED LIGHT WHEN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED AT THE BALL JOINT. WAS PROBABLY TRAVELING 10-15 MPH IN TRAFFIC ON A 50MPH ROAD. THE FRONT LEFT HIT THE GROUND AND THE CAR STOPPED QUICKLY. THE WHEEL WAS PUSHED BACK INTO THE WHEEL WELL CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FENDER. THE CONTROL ARM HAS BEEN REPLACED. *AK
TURNING OF THE IGNITION KEY - THE KEY DOES NOT RETURN TO ITS NEUTRAL POSITION THEREBY NOT ACTIVATING KEY ESSENTIAL ELECTRICAL DRIVING COMPONENTS SUCH AS LIGHTS AND WIPERS, ETC. *AK
I HAVE HAD A RECENT DISCUSSION WITH AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE, FILE #40182122. THIS IS REGARDING A DEFECT IN MY MODEL YEAR 1998 AUDI A4 2.8. OR AUDI A4 2.8 MANUFACTURED JULY OF 1997. I RESEARCHED THE WEB AND SAW HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. MY IGNITION SWITCH GOT STUCK IN BOTH THE RUN AND LATER START POSITION. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF. ALSO IT CAUSED THE CLIMATE CONTROL NOT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY BY NOT TURNING ON, THE SCREEN WAS BLACK. UPON RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I SAW MANY OTHER 1998 AUDI OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. EVEN MORE SIMILIAR WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAD A 1998 MODEL YEAR CAR THAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1997. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN # LE (00V-317) IS A LITTLE AMBIGOUS STATING MODEL YEARS AND MANUFACTURE DATES. MY CAR FALLS WITHIN THE MANUFACTURE DATE BUT NOT THE RECALL DATE. IT IS OBVIOUS TO ANY PRUDENT AND REASONABLE PERSON THAT CARS MANUFACTURED PRIOR TO AUGUST OF 1997 EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE MODEL YEAR 1998 HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I SAW SOME RESPONES TO OTHER OWNERS REGARDING THIS SITUATION AND A RESOLVEMENT IN THE MATTER WITH AUDI INCLUDING US POOR OWNERS WHO BOUGHT A CAR IN THE SWITCH OF MODEL YEARS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW I CAN RESOLVE THIS MATTER AS WELL. HOW CAN MY CAR GET INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW TO PROCEED. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRE AT TOM WILLIAMS AUDI IN BIRMINGHAM, AL (205) 397-2700. *AK
ABS CONTROLLER IS DEFECTIVE, COST $1000 TO REPLACE, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY INDEPENDENT AUDI MEHCANIC AND SAID THERE ARE A LOT OF THE CONTROLLERS GOING OUT ON MY YEAR CAR WHICH IS A 1998.5. *AK
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Audi A4 → · Every A4 year → · How the figures are calculated →