1998 AUDI A4 Complaints

THE PASSENGER SIDE ARBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING ALONG AT 40-45MPH ON A SECONDARY ROAD. THERE WAS NO COLLISION AT THE TIME AND NO EVIDENCE OF POTHOLES OR ROAD DEBRIS. THE DEALER SCANNED THE COMPUTER AND RETRIEVED "CRASH DATA" AND CLAIMED THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WORKED AS EXPECTED. THEY NOTED A SMALL DENT UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR COLUMN OF THE CAR WHICH THEY CLAIMED WAS CAUSED BY ROAD DEBRIS AND TRIGGERED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THEY REFERRED ME TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ADJUSTER EXAMINED THE CAR AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A COLLISION - NO DENT OR OTHER DAMAGE THAT WOULD CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. AS A RESULT, THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SAFETY SYSTEM IN THE CAR IS DISABLED. *LA

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD OFFER ANY ADVICE. I HAVE A 1998 AUDI A4 THAT WAS PURCHASED IN JULY, 1997 AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000 ROAD MILES. IT HAS HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THROUGH THE YEARS, THE MOST RECENT OF WHICH WAS A BROKEN (NOT WORN) CLUTCH THAT WAS REPAIRED LAST MONTH. I CONTACTED AUDI USA AND REQUESTED THAT THEY HELP PAY FOR THIS VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THEY REFUSED, STATING THAT THE CAR IS WELL OUTSIDE THEIR 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARANTY PERIOD. I GRANT THEM THAT, BUT A NUMBER OF OTHER MANUFACTURERS HAVE 7 OR EVEN 10 YEAR POWERTRAIN WARRANTIES. MY OVERALL SATISFACTION WITH THIS VEHICLE IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW. ADDITIONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT A BROKEN CLUTCH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS PERSONAL HARM IF IT WERE TO RESULT IN TOTAL CLUTCH FAILURE WHILE ON THE ROAD AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL (MY CLUTCH APPARENTLY FAILED "PARTIALLY" ALLOWING ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUDI REPAIR FACILITY). ARE THERE ANY OPTIONS FOR FURTHER PURSUIT OF THIS ISSUE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ROBERT A. WEATHERLY, MD

IN MARCH 2003, THE OIL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER DIAGNOSED A FAULTY SENSOR THAT WAS REPLACED FOR $300. IN JUNE 2003, THE OIL WARNING LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON. THIS TIME IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY OIL PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED AT $900. IN SEPTEMBER 2003 THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. DIAGNOSIS: FAULTY THERMOSTAT AND SENSOR. REPLACEMENT COST $750. ALSO, WASHER FLUID CONTAINER CRACKED AND HAND BRAKE LEVER HANDLE CRACKED (AT DIFFERENT TIMES) -- BOTH MADE OF CHEAP QUALTIY PLASTIC.*AK

MULTITUDE OF PROBS. W/ ALMOST EVERY ASPECT (BRAKES, ENGINE VALVES, OIL LIGHT STAYS ON, RAIN LEAKS, BAD WHEEL BEARINGS, ETC.) OF THIS CAR. MOST FRUSTRATING HAS BEEN RUDE AND INCOMPETENT SERVICE BY AUDI DEALER. AFTER AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS THE DEALER SAID THAT ALTHOUGH NOT ALL THE NOISE WAS GONE, THE CAR WAS SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE TO CALIF.,(WE LIVE IN NJ). WE DID NOT BELIEVE THE DEALER BECAUSE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE REMAINED AND TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP WHERE BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS WERE FOUND TO BE DAMAGED. WE WERE ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DO SO . *AK

DASH LIGHTS COME ON WITH EITHER THE IGNITION OR PHOTO SENSOR. *PH THIS DESIGN MAKES THE CONSUMER THINK THAT THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS ARE ON ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT. *NM

THE CONTROL ARMS (CAR HAS: 4 UPPER AND 4 LOWER IN TOTAL) HAVE FAILED 3X IN 2 YEARS. THESE ARE DEFECTIVE AND AUDI KNOWS IT. THE ARMS CONTAIN A BUSHING THAT WEARS OUT CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO MAKE CREAKING AND RATTLING NOISES.*AK

AUDI A4 1.8T Q TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILED AT 75,000 CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. SERVICE INTERVAL PUBLISHED BY AUDI IS NO EARLIER THAN 90,000MI. TENSIONER FAILURE IS KNOWN DEFECT AND HAS BEEN REDESIGNED BY AUDI, YET AUDI WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECT. AUDI CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY NOR HAVE THEY PUBLISHED ANY TSB ALERTING PEOPLE TO HAVE THIS PART REPLACED EARLY. *AK

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1998 AUDI A4 1.8T CAR. MY COMPLAINT IS MY TIMING BELT GAVE OUT ON THE VEHICLE AT 48,643 MLS. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT THE BELT SHOULD BE GOOD FOR 90,000 MLS. MY SECOND COMLAINT IS THAT THE TIE RODS ON THE FRONT END. *AK OF THE VEHICLE NEED TO BE REPLACED. THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT BE GIVING OUT ON A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTICES ABOUT ANY RECALLS.

TERRIBLE WET BRAKING PERFORMANCE, THE FIRST 1 OR 2 PEDAL APPLICATIONS IN THE RAIN CAUSE NO SLOWING DOWN. THE PEDAL NEEDS TO BE PUMPED TO DRY THE ROTOR. I WENT THROUGH SEVERAL BRAKE PAD COMPOUNDS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. OF ALL THE AUDIS THAT I OWNED, THE A4 BRAKES ARE THE WORST. HELL, THESE BRAKES ARE THE WORST OF ALL THE CARS THAT I OWNED! *NLM

1998 AUDI A4 1.8 LITER QUATTRO. EXPERIENCING REDUCED BRAKING CAPABILITY WHEN BRAKES ARE WET. THIS IS THE EXACT COMPLAINT BEING INVESTIGATED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE00016. THE BRAKES WORK FINE WHEN DRY, BUT EFFECTIVENESS IS GREATLY REDUCED WHEN WET, AND STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY, CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN. *NLM