1998 Audi A4 complaints

AUDI CURRENTLY HAS RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH/SPRING PART ON 96-97 MODEL YEAR A4'S. SUSPECT EARLY 98 MODELS HAVE SAME DEFECTIVE PART. PROBLEM IS CAR ACCESSORIES WILL NOT FUNCTION SUCH AS LIGHTS, A/C, ETC, AND ENGINE WILL SOMETIMES "SHUFF OFF" WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH OTHER EARLY 98 OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE HAD THE IGINITION SWITCH REPLACED.. REPAIR COST WAS OVER $300. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AUDI REQUEST RECALL OF 98 MODELS AND PROVIDE REFUND TO OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THIS REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 60-65 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, AND INFORMED THAT STRIKER UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE SHOWED SIGNS THAT VEHICLE RAN OVER SOMETHING. CONSUMER INSISTED THAT VEHICLE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

SUNROOF OPENS BY ITSELF. *AK

CONSUMER STATES IGNITION SWITCH HOUSING IS DEFECTIVE, THE RETURN SPRING FORCE IS INSUFFICIENT FOR RETURNING THE IGNITION KEY TO THE RUNNING POSITION AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, CONSUMER STATES THIS CAUSES ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE, DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH.*JB

IN WET WEATHER THE BRAKES NEED TO BE APPLIED MUCH HARDER OTHERWISE NO SLOWING OCCURS. *AK

MALFUNCTIONING OF HOUSING FOR BRAKES AND CLUTCH CAUSED BRAKE FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN A VEHICLE CRASH. DRIVER RECEIVED SEVERE INJURIES. *JB

EVERYTIME IT RAINS THE BRAKES SEEMS TO HAVE A .5 SEC TO 1 SECOND DELAY BEFORE IT WORKS. AUDI PLEASE RECALL THIS BRAKE SYSTEM AS IT MIGHT CAUSE ACCIDENTS. *AK

LOWER CONTROL ARM HAS WORN OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF PREMATURE FAILURE.*AK

BRAKES APPEAR INACTIVE FOR APPROX 1SEC DURING HEAVY RAIN. *AK

IN HEAVY RAIN OR SLUSH, BRAKING IS SEVERELY DEGRADED. IT APPEARS THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS AND/OR PADS ACT LIKE SPONGES IN WET WEATHER, AND CAN'T SHED WATER FAST ENOUGH DURING INITIAL BRAKING. A SCAREY 1-2 SECONDS WILL ELAPSE BEFORE THE BRAKES, UNDER HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, WILL ENGAGE. TO AVOID THE PROBLEM, YOU HAVE TO DRIVE WITH 1 FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND 1 FOOT ON THE GAS TO DRY OUT THE BRAKES, THEN REPEATEDLY CHECK FOR BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.*AK

IN SNOW AND SOMETIMES RAIN AND WHEN GOING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS THE BRAKES DO NOT RESPOND AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE ABSOLUTLEY NO BRAKES. *AK

HEATING ELEMENT FAILED, MELTING THE SEATING SURFACE AND BURNING THE DRIVER. *AK

BRAKES DO NOT RESOND FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN WET ROAD CONDITIONS

CAR ALWAYS HAS A DELAYED RESPONSE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES WHEN THEY ARE WET.*AK

CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE.DURING HIGH SPEED BRAKING CAR SHIMMIES AND HOPS. PROBLEM BEGAN AFTER SERVICED BY AUDI AS PER AUDI BRAKE RECALL. IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS MY AUDI HAS SPENT 2 MONTHS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON.*AK

DURING RAINY WEATHER THE BRAKES HAVE A VERY PRONOUNCED DELAY FROM APPLICATION TO ENGAGEMENT DUE TO WET ROTORS, THE DELAY IS BETWEEN 1 AND 2 SECONDS. THIS IS NOT AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, IT HAPPENS WHENEVER IT RAINS AT A MODERATE TO HEAVY AMOUNT. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AFTER DRIVING FOR EXTENDED DISTANCE, BRAKES FAIL ON FIRST APPLYING, BUT RETURN TO NORMAL IF PUMPED. *YH

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE BRAKES DO NOT IMMEDIATELY GRAB. THERE IS A ONE HALF TO ONE SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE BRAKES BECOME EFFECTIVE. IT IS ESPECIALLY NOTICABLE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN YOU HAVE NOT TOUCHED THE BRAKES IN SEVERAL MILES. THE ROTORS OBVIOUSLY GET WET AND ARE NOT ABLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH HEAT TO SLOW THE CAR INITIALLY. THE DEALER TAKES THE POSITION THAT THIS IS NORMAL AND, ALTHOUGH I KNOW OTHERS WITH THIS PROBLEM WHO HAVE HAD THEIR CARS INSPECTED BY AUDI, THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. I BELIEVE IT TO BE A GLARING SAFETY DEFECT ON AN OTHERWISE WELL BUILT AND SAFE CAR.*AK

BRAKING IS DELAYED 3-4 SECONDS IN RAIN AND OR SNOW CONDITIONS. ADDITIONAL PRESSURE IS REQUIRED TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY THERE WERE NO BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTOMOBILE SHOP, AND MECHANIC VERIFIED THAT WHEEL ITSELF RUBBED BRAKE LINE EVERY TIME VEHICLE WAS TURNED TO LEFT, WEARING A HOLE IN LINE, AND CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

CAR SIMPLY TURNED ITSELF OFF AT 65 MPH. EVENTUALLY RESTARTED. COMPUTER SAYS NO PROBLEM. *AK

CAR STALLED DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, LOST ALL POWER. COMPUTER REPORTS NOTHING WRONG. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN IGNITION TURNED ON A STEADY LOUD CLICKING SOUND FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT BEGINS. ENGINE WLL START BUT ONLY AFTER EXCESSIVE CRANKING. *AK

REDUCED BRAKE PERFORMANCE WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN OR WET CONDITION. ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING FOR LONG PERIODS WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKE (I.E. LONG DISTANCE HIGHWAY DRIVES) YOU NEED TO PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GET SUFFICIENT STOPPING POWER. IT'S STARTLING FOR THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO PUSH THE PEDAL DOWN THAT FAR.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WENT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. SHE HEARD A POPPYING NOISE, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. AIRBAG LIGHT WENT OFF AND THERE WAS A BAD SMELL. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, AND AIRBAG WENT OFF ON ITS OWN.*AK

CAR QUIT RUNNING. WOULD NOT RESTART. BRAKES SQUEEK AND GRIND REVEALING EXCESSIVE AND PREMATURE WEAR.

CAR QUIT RUNNING. WOULD NOT RESTART.

CAR QUIT RUNNING. WOULD NOT RESTART.

WHEN BRAKING,BRAKES WOULD GRIND AND SQUEEK EXCESSIVELY AND REVEALED PREMATURE WEAR.

BRAKES NOISEY AND SHOWING EXCESSIVE WEAR.

PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION (99V-248) IN REGARDS TO THE STEERING SYSTEM, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE FROM STEERING FLUID CONTAMINATION WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND RESULTED IN VEHICLE COLLISION, INJURIES TO CONSUMERS. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). *MJS

THERE IS A 2 SEC. DELAY FOR BRAKE RESPONSE WHEN WET. MUCH WORSE THAN ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE DRIVEN. THIS WILL CAUSE ACCIDENTS. VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP IN PUBLISHED DISTANCE WHEN BRAKES ARE WET. NEW BRAKE PAD MATERIAL IS REQUIRED . THERE ARE ALREADY MANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM IN YOUR DATA BASE.

THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM HAS BEEN REPLACED. THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURANCE AMONG A4 OWNERS. AUDI HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM AFTER IT HAD BEGUN SHOWING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. AUDIWORLD.COM LISTS WELL OVER 50 PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. I FELT YOU SHOULD BE NOTIFIED.

DURING WET WEATHER, THE BRAKES TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS TO CATCH AFTER THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THIS HAS CAUSED MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS SINCE THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT NORMAL NOR EXPECTED. DRY WEATHER BRAKING IS JUST FINE. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA AND MY DEALER. THEY DO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM YET. I NEED HELP!!

I CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON THIS AUTO, EVEN ON DRY SURFACES. IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM IS A MISALIGNED INTERFACE BETWEEN THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (QUATTRO) SYSTEM AND THE ABS. THE PROBLEM IS ONE OF SOFTWARE, NOT HARDWARE, AND AUDI NEEDS TO REPLACE THE APPROPRIATE CHIP.*AK

VEHICLE DOES NOT BRAKE PROPERLY WHEN BRAKES ARE WET. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE CONTINUES TO TRAVEL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER MANY TIMES. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED ON 2000 MODELS BY REDESIGNING BRAKES BUT NO ON EARLIER MODELS. *YH

MY CAR SUFFERS FROM THE SAME PROBLEM AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN 99V248000, BUT IS NOT COVERED AS IT WAS MFD 11/98. THE DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPAIR BUT I WANTED TO NOTIFY NHTSA THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER ALL DEFECTIVE VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

BOLT FOR CRUISE CONTROL SERVO FELL OUT RESULTING IN SERVO BECOMING WEDGED IN ENGINE AREA AND CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY. YH

AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN, WHEN BRAKES FIRST APPLIED, THE CAR ACCELERATES, THEN BRAKES AFTER 1-2 SECONDS. THIS IS VERY UNNERVING AND THE DEALER SAYS AUDI KNOWS ABOUT THIS BUT THERE IS "NO ADVISORY OR TECHNICAL BULLETIN TO FIX IT" PLEASE HELP. OTHERWISE, THIS CAR IS ONE OF THE BEST.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WET BRAKING PROBLEM - DURING RAIN BRAKE EFFICIENCY FALLS TO AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL. BRAKE SHOES SLIP ON THE DISC AND DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT BRAKING. ABS DOES NOT ACTIVATE WHICH MEANS THAT TIRES DO NOT EVEN TRY TO LOCK. THIS MAKES ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS REALLY IN THE SHOE/DISC ENGAGEMENT.

MY A4 EXHIBITS A SEVERE DELAY (3-4 SECS) IN BRAKING FORCE WHEN THE BRAKES GET WET (I.E. ANY TIME IT RAINS). THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND SEEMS QUITE HAZARDOUS. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE BRAKES GET WET, WHICH ALWAYS HAPPENS DRIVING IN RAIN (AND I DON'T MEAN DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES). DEALER'S LATEST STORY IS THAT AUDI IS AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT HAS NO FIX. SOME (NOT ALL) OWNERS OF THIS CAR MODEL HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE BRAKES DON'T GRAB AT ALL, ESPECIALLY IN THE WET. THIS HAPPENS EVEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVE FAR ENOUGH TO WARM UP THE BRAKES. *AK

BRAKES INEFFECTIVE FOR 1-2 SECONDS DURING HEAVY RAIN

MAJOR HESITATION WHEN BRAKES ARE WET. (ONE TO TWO SECOND DELAY). *AK

SINCE I HAVE OWNED TH CAR, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A DELAY OR A LACK OF BRAKING ABILITY WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. I HAVE HAD A FEW NEAR ACCIDENTS WHEN I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY AND I HAD NO RESPONSE. LUCKILY I HAD QUATRRO AND ROOM TO MOVE. NORMAL DRIVING IS O.K. ONLY BECAUISE I KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND GIVE MYSELF TIME TO STOP. THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. I NEED THE BRAKES TO WORK PROPERLY EVERY TIME AND UNDER ALL CONDITIONS. MY 87 MAXIMA HAS BEETER BRAKES NOW THAN THE AUDI. THIS NEEDS TO BE SOLVED OR I WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER SELLING MY VEHICLE FOR A SAFER BMW ESPECIALLY SINCE CHILDREN ARE ON THE WAY. NOT A SAFE VEHICLE FOR THEM. I HOPE YOU CAN REMEDY. *AK

IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITIONS, BRAKES BECOME UNRESPONSIVE FOR APPX 1-2 SECONDS, REGARDLESS OF PEDAL PRESSURE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 18 YEARS AND CAN ATTEST THAT THIS IS NOT A CASE OF NORMAL 'REDUCED EFFECTIVENESS' ASSOCIATED WITH WET CONDITIONS. IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE CAR WILL TRAVEL FOR 20-50 FEET WITHOUT ANY NOTICEABLE BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS. YES, I DO PUMP MY BRAKES FREQUENTLY UNDER THESE CONDITIONS TO CLEAR EXCESS WATER FROM THE PADS/ROTORS.

WET BRAKING PROBLEM. *AK

WET BRAKING DELAY; 15 OCCURRENCES A GUESS, BUT IS ANY HEAVY RAIN - WHEN INTIALLY HIT THE BRAKES IN HEAVY RAING, GET NO BRAKING ACTION, SOMETIMES FOR OVER A SECOND. PEDAL IS FIRM, FEELS NORMAL. AFTER ABOUT A SECOND, WATER WASHED OFF ROTORS AND BRAKING IS NORMAL. COMPLAINED TO DEALER, BUT THEY SAY HAVE TO DRIVE CAR UNDER THESE CONDITIONS BEFORE CAN TAKE ACTION - "HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS". DIFFICULT TO DO WHEN AM 1 HR AWAY FROM DEALER AND HAVE TO SUDDENLY TAKE OFF FROM WORK AND DRIVE TO THEM, HOPING THAT RAIN CONTINUES. HAVE DRIVEN/OWNED CARS SINCE 1969, HAD PREVIOUS 1990 AUDI - EXPERIENCED NO SUCH PROBLEMS ON ANY PREVIOUS VEHICLE. *AK