2003 AUDI A4 Complaints

I OWN A 2003 AUDI A4 1.8T QUATTRO. MY CAR HAS SUFFERED A FUEL PUMP FAILURE TWICE, BOTH DOCUMENTED. THE FIRST TIME AT APPROXIMATELY 20K MILES, THE SECOND TIME AT APPROX. 70K MILES WITH WHICH I PAID TO REPAIR. I NOTICED THAT MY CAR MAKE AND MODEL HAS TWO CURRENT OUTSTANDING RECALLS RELATED TO THIS SAME PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 06V017000 AND 07V375000). WHEN I CALLED AUDI SERVICE TO INQUIRE ABOUT A REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIR COSTS, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN# WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THEREFORE, A REIMBURSEMENT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. FUEL PUMP FAILURES ARE NOT TYPICAL. TWO FAILURES IN THE SAME CAR WITHIN 50K MILES OF EACH OTHER ARE EVEN LESS LIKELY AND I FEEL ARE INDICATIVE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, ESPECIALLY WHEN TWO RECALLS ALREADY EXIST FOR THE SAME PART IN THE SAME CAR. THE REPAIR WAS COSTLY, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER SO THAT I MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS THAT I FEEL WERE CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR

I HAVE AUDI A4 QUATRO 2003 MODEL. I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT PROBLEM AND SEE IF THIS IS COMMON WITH AUDI CARS. I HAVE TWO SEPARATE EPISODES OF ELECTRONIC CAR WINDOW NOT ROLLING UP. THE MOTOR THAT SUPPOSE TO HOLD WINDOW DID NOT HOLD THE WINDOW CLOSED AS WELL. EVERYTIME I DRIVE OVER BUMP ON THE ROAD THE WINDOW WILL COME DOWN. I HAD FIRST INCIDENCE ON PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDOW IN 2006 AND NOW I HAD ANOTHER INCIDENCE IN DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW IN 2008. I WONDER IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH AUDI. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AS NORMALLY THE WHOLE ROTATOR MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. IT COSTS ABOUT $1,000 TO BE FIXED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP CAUSED THE FAILURE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V375000); HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 47,000.

AUDI HAS INTENTIONALLY PUT MY FAMILY AND ME AT RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY OR WORSE BY REFUSING TO REPLACE A POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP IN MY 2003 A4 1.8L TURBO. EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME SPECIFIED IN THE FUEL PUMP RECALL CAMPAIGNS, AUDI USA TOLD ME MY CAR SHOULDN'T BE AFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM SINCE THE RECALLS DON?T INCLUDE MY CAR'S VIN. (CAMPAIGNS #06V017000 AND #07V375000) THESE RECALLS COVER A4 1.8L TURBO ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2002 TO MARCH 31, 2003. MINE WAS MANUFACTURED ON NOVEMBER 8, 2002. IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT AUDI IS PUTTING US AT RISK FOR A CRASH AND INJURY, SINCE 1) THEY USED THE SAME EXCUSE TO DENY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL 4 DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS THAT TURNED OUT NEEDING REPLACEMENT (SEE ODI #10214099); 2) MY CAR HAS ALREADY HAD SERIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS (COMPLETELY NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR BY 69,000 MILES); 3) AUDI SEEMS UNAWARE OF HOW MANY CARS ARE REALLY AFFECTED BY THIS, GIVEN THEY DIDN'T INCLUDE ENOUGH VEHICLES IN THE FIRST FUEL PUMP RECALL OF 74,000 CARS AND HAD TO ADD A SECOND ONE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 34,000; AND 4) THESE FUEL PUMPS ARE KNOWN TO FAIL AS EARLY AS 50,000 MILES, AND MY CAR HAS 70,000. IT IS FOR THESE FOUR REASONS MY FUEL PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT AUDI?S EXPENSE. AUDI NEEDS TO STOP MAKING ITS CAR OWNERS PAY FOR THEIR ENGINEERING MISTAKES. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PRACTICE THAT NEEDS TO STOP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS MY 2003 A4 (1.8T) STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AS I ACCELERATED FROM A COMPLETE STOP. EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR LOST MOST ALL OF ITS POWER AND WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER, AND WOULDN'T GET ABOVE 15 MPH. AND EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, HAVING TO COAX THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED EACH TIME TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT AN IGNITION COIL (OR TWO) HAD BLOWN. ALL 4 COIL PACKS HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A YEAR AT A COST OF OVER $900. AUDI KNOWS THEY PRODUCED CARS WITH FAULTY IGNITION COILS IN A4 CARS EQUIPPED WITH 1.8 LITER ENGINES IN THE 2001, 2002, AND EARLY PRODUCTION 2003 MODEL YEARS. IN FEBRUARY 2003 THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THESE COILS FREE OF CHARGE TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS AN EARLY PRODUCTION 2003 MODEL, AUDI USA TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS PRODUCED VERY SOON AFTER THE RANGE OF CARS COVERED IN THE REPLACEMENT. MEANING THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF ALL REPAIRS. I DO NOT BELIEVE AUDI IS CERTAIN THEIR REPLACEMENT ACTION COVERED ALL DEFECTIVE COILS, ESPECIALLY AS MY CAR WAS PRODUCED IN THE SAME TIME FRAME AS THOSE THAT WERE PART OF THE REPLACEMENT. FAULTY IGNITION COILS EXIST IN A FAR GREATER NUMBER OF CARS THAN WHAT AUDI RECOGNIZES AND COVERS IN THEIR 2003 REPLACEMENT ACTION. *TR

IN FEBRUARY 2007, MY 2003 A4'S MULTITRONIC CVT (TRANSMISSION) STARTED TO FAIL. IT WAS SLOW TO ENGAGE TO REVERSE AND TO FIRST GEAR FROM A COMPLETE STOP, AND THE PRND INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO BLINK CONTINUOUSLY. ALTHOUGH THESE WERE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS, THE MECHANIC AT OUR AUDI DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THE CAR WAS 'OPERATING ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS.' THE CAR ONLY HAD 61,000 MILES. SOON THEREAFTER, THE TRANSMISSION GOT WORSE. ON ONE OCCASION, MY INFANT DAUGHTER AND I WERE PUT IN DANGER WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DIDN'T ENGAGE AS I ATTEMPTED A LEFT TURN. WE WERE STUCK IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN A CAR THAT WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS ONLY AFTER I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL MULTIPLE TIMES, REVVING THE ENGINE SIGNIFICANTLY, THAT THE CAR BUCKED INTO FIRST GEAR AND LURCHED FORWARD. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE WHEN I TRIED TO BACK OUT OF A SPACE IN A BUSY PARKING LOT. THIS SPACE WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL FORWARD WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS IN THE ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE THE REVERSE. INSTEAD OF REVERSING, AGAIN THE ENGINE REVVED SIGNIFICANTLY AND ROLLED FORWARD, NEARLY MISSING THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE REVERSE SUDDENLY ENGAGED AND LURCHED BACKWARDS. THANK GOODNESS NOBODY WAS INJURED IN EITHER SITUATION. AT 64,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. I HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A COST OF $6,500. AUDI EVEN REQUIRED THAT MY BROKEN TRANSMISSION BE SENT BACK TO THEM SO THEY COULD STUDY THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICAL STAFF AT MY AUDI DEALERSHIP, AS WELL AS THE OWNER OF THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE I EVENTUALLY HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED, REMARKED THAT THE MULTITRONIC CVT'S DESIGN IS PROBLEMATIC, AND THAT THEY'RE SEEING MAJOR ISSUES WITH THEM. *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS DISABLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V017000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70,000.

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATED TO ABOUT 65 MPH, THE GAS PEDAL WOULD LIFT SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM MY FOOT (LIKE I JUST TURNED ON CRUISE CONTROL, BUT I HAD NOT TOUCHED THE CRUISE AT ALL) AND WHEN I LIFTED MY FOOT COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE PEDAL, IT WOULD STAY STEADY AT 65 MPH. I BRAKED TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN, AND THE CAR WOULD SLOW AS LONG AS MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, BUT ONCE I LET OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR WOULD MAINTAIN THE LOWERED SPEED. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND I FELT THAT I HAD LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE ACCELERATION/DECELERATION OF THE CAR. AT ONE POINT, I SLOWED THE CAR DOWN COMPLETELY TO A STOP AND HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE AND THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, THE RPM'S WERE STILL AROUND 2000. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND THE TACH REVVED UP TO BETWEEN 4500 - 5000 RPM, AS IF THE GAS HAD BEEN PUSHED. I TAPPED MY FOOT ON THE GAS A FEW TIMES LIGHTLY AND THE GAS PEDAL SEEMED TO COME UNSTUCK AND THE CAR WENT BACK TO IDLE RPM'S (<1000). I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND PUMPED THE GAS PEDAL A FEW TIMES, THEN CAUTIOUSLY DROVE HOME. *TR

COOLING STARTED TO LEAK INTO A SPARKPLUG, NO OVERHEATING OCCURRED AND CAR WAS TAKING TO DEALER, TO FIND OUT THE ENGINE WAS CRACKED. *TR

2003 AUDI A4 REQUESTING FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IS HAVING FREQUENT STALLING WHEN STARTING AND WHEN IN USE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE FELL WITHIN THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER RANGE REGARDING THE RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DISPLAYING FREQUENT STALLING AT START UP AND INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE. RECALL # 07V375000. *JB