2003 AUDI A4 Complaints

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK CAR INTO AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT IS A WIRING PROBLEM AND THE FRONT SEAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. EVEN MORE SHOCKING IS THAT AUDI SELLS A REPAIR KIT FOR $60-$70 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SO AUDI MAKES A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT THAT AFFECTS AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE AND INSTEAD OF RECALLING THE CARS AND FIXING THE PROBLEM FOR FREE THEY SELL A REPAIR KIT AND PROFIT FROM THEIR NEGLIGENCE. HOPE THE GOVERNMENT WILL REMEDY THIS SITUATION. IF YOU SEARCH THIS MODEL AND YEAR CAR YOU WILL SEE IT HAS A KNOWN TIMING BELT DEFECT, A KNOWN OIL PROBLEM, PLUS THE CAR IS DEFECTIVE IN OH SO MANY PARTS. HELLO NATIONAL SAFETY TRANSPORTATION BOARD- WAKE UP! *TR

MY AUDI WOULD NOT START. HAD CAR TOWED TO CAR REPAIR SHOP NEAR. THE REPAIR SHOP CHARGED MY BATTERY AND IT STARTED PROMPTLY. MECHANIC LEFT ENGINE RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD BOOOOM, IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT. SMOKE IMMEDIATELY STARTED COMING FROM THE CABIN OF THE CAR. THE AIRBAGS (DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE) HAD DEPLOYED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED AND ENGINE RUNNING... NO IMPACT. I FILMED THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF THE EXPLOSION...THE VIDEO IS HERE HTTP://YOUTU.BE/WBCNXZAYGP0 I CALLED AUDI AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO JIM ELLIS AUDI (ATLANTA). THEY "RESEARCHED THE ISSUE" AND SENT THEIR FINDINGS TO AUDI NORTH AMERICA WHO ARE SAYING THAT THEY WILL NOT FIX CAR DUE TO CORROSION IN THE AIRBAG MODULE. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN FLOOD DAMAGED AND I HAVE NOT MADE A HABIT OF LEAVING SUN ROOF OPEN SO THAT THE INTERIOR IS DRENCHED IN WATER CAUSING ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THIS AS A MATTER OF POOR DESIGN AND AUDI IS SHIRKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY OF DESIGNING CERTAIN COMPONENTS SAFELY (I.E. NO RISK OF CORROSION) SO THAT AIRBAGS DO NOT DEPLOY BY THEMSELVES. I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 80 AND CRASHED INTO A WALL OR A SEMI-TRUCK HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. MANY OTHER PEOPLES LIVES COULD BE AT RISK DUE TO THIS VERY ISSUE. I WAS FORTUNATE. THIS IS A MATTER OF PRINCIPAL AND AUDI SHOULD DESIGN THEIR CARS BETTER ESPECIALLY FOR COMPONENTS THAT HAVE LIFE AND DEATH IMPLICATIONS. *JS

RE: AUDI A4 - AUDI-USA CASE NUMBER: [XXX]- 7/13/2013 - 3:20 PM SPOKE WITH [XXX] ABOUT THIS ISSUE, HE TRANSFERRED ME OVER TO ANOTHER EXPERT - CURRENTLY MUSIC IS ON AND I AM ON HOLD TILL 3:29PM - A LADY NAME, [XXX], WHO BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY CANNOT HELP ME WITH. THE CALL ENDED AT 3:48 PM. THEIR ARGUMENT FOR NOT REIMBURSING ME FOR MY EXPENSE WAS LAME AND ONE OF NOT ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY, HOWEVER, LEGALLY, THEY WERE ON THE CORRECT SIDE IN SAYING NO, AS WHEN THIS ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED FOR THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND YEAR OF AUDI A4, MY CAR'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED AS ONE THAT WAS AFFECTED. THEY WERE HOWEVER, NOT HELPFUL IN CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT, THE ISSUE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED FOR SOME VEHICLES FOR THE SAME MAKE MODEL AND YEAR, WAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE FOR MY MAKE MODEL AND YEAR. AUDI, HOWEVER, LET ME KNOW THAT THEY WILL NOT HELP ME WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT OF MY EXPENSES. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE ENGINE RPMS CONTINUED TO RACE AS THE ENGINE ROARED LOUDLY. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LATER RETURNED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FLOOR MAT HAD BECOME LODGED UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THE FAILURE. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AREA OF MY VEHICLE. WHEN I GOT IN MY VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A HIGH PITCHED NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK SEAT AREA. WHEN I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC HE SAID THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS GOING AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR RAN OK AND THE NOISE WENT AWAY WHEN THE WEATHER WAS WARMER BUT HAS RECENTLY RETURNED WITH THE COOLER WEATHER. I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW A TECHNICAL BULLETIN/RECALL FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL. WHEN I DUG DEEPER INTO THE ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS I FOUND MY VIN NUMBER MATCHED THE NUMBERS IN THE DOCUMENTS. AUDI SAID THEY HAD NO RECORDS OF THIS (ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ON AUDI LETTERHEAD) AND SAID I COULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER BUT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC. THIS DOES NOT MATCH WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE RECALL NOTICE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT STATED OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS A HIGH-PITCHED NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP MAY HAVE BEEN INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC TO INSPECT THE FAILURE WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FUEL PUMP ON HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

THE CAR HAD STARTED TO HAVE THE PRND FLASH, BUT IT KEPT RUNNING GOOD. ON SATURDAY I DROVE AROUND 20 MILES AND PARKED ON A SMALL ANGLED ROAD I TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I TURNED IT ON AGAIN I PUT IT ON REVERSE WHICH DIDN'T ENGAGE AND STARTED TO GO DOWN ALMOST CRASHING INTO A WALL. I HAD TO GET OUT AND PUSH THE CAR. *TR

THE CAR JACK BROKE DOWN WHILE REPLACING A FLAT TIRE, AND THE CAR FELL ON THE GROUND AFTER BEING SUSPENDED IN AIR. FORTUNATELY WHILE ALL THE BOLTS HAVE BEEN REMOVED, THE WHEEL WAS STUCK TO THE HUB OR OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I THINK THE JACK HAS A VERY FLAWED DESIGN. WHERE THE TWO PARALLEL FRAMES CAN BE EASILY BENT OUTWARD BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT AND THEN THE SUPPORT CAN SLIDE OUT OF ITS DESIGNATED CHANNEL I HAVE PICTURES OF THE FAILED JACK. I AM REALLY CONCERNED OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MY HANDS IF NOT THE MIRACLE OF THE STUCK WHEEL WAS THERE TO PREVENT INJURY OF MY HANDS.. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO INVESTIGATE THIS FAULTY DESIGN BUT THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY RECORDED THE INFORMATION FOR THE FUTURE AND THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ENOUGH INCIDENTS YET TO JUSTIFY DESIGN REVIEW. *TR

HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT AND BLOWING THE BALLAST CAUSING HEADLIGHT NOT TO WORK AT ALL. REPLACED THIS EXPENSIVE PART MULTIPLE TIMES AND STILL BREAKS. NOT A CHEAP PART AND A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

1. EXTERIOR LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS BURNING OUT AT A RATE OF EVERY 500 MILES. AUDI WILL NOT REPLACE. 2. WIPER TRANSMISSION HAS CORRODED, SEIZED, FAILED, AND CONSEQUENTLY BURNED OUT THE WIPER MOTOR 2X NOW - ONCE AT 40,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 80,000. AUDI WOULD NOT COVER THIS UNDER THE INITIAL NEW CAR WARRANTY, AND THEY DEMAND $750+ TO FIX THIS FAULTY ASSEMBLY. 3. COOLANT AND WIPER FLUID TANKS ARE MADE OUT OF CHEAP PLASTIC. I'VE HAD 2-3 LEAKS IN EACH TANK DUE TO HOLES IN THESE TANKS ACROSS THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THE MOST RECENT COOLANT TANK LEAK WAS PUSHING COOLANT THROUGH SO FAST THAT IT BURNED UP MY ENGINE AND MY TIMING BELT SNAPPED. I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR - $2,000+. THESE ARE JUST 3 PROBLEMS AMONG COUNTLESS COSTLY PROBLEMS I'VE INCURRED SINCE THE 3-YEAR WARRANTY RAN OUT ON MY AUDI. I'VE EASILY MATCHED THE $35K+ COST OF THE CAR WITH PARTS AND REPAIRS, AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 88,000 MILES ON IT. THE COIL PACK RECALL HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AT LEAST EVERY 2,000 MILES. I CANNOT MAKE A TRIP OF MORE THAN 100 MILES WITHOUT A COIL SNAPPING, A TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND AN ARGUMENT WITH SERVICE REPS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE COIL REPAIRS. 88,000 MILES LATER, THE A4 I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IS BASICALLY NOT SAFELY DRIVABLE EXCEPT TO RUN SHORT ERRANDS AROUND THE CITY. ALL OF THIS IS NOT EVEN TO MENTION THE CHEAP MATERIALS THAT WENT INTO THE CAR INTERIOR. LEATHER IS WEARING IN PLACES NO ONE EVEN SITS, AND ALL THE RUBBERIZED BUTTONS HAVE PEELED AWAY. PLEASE HELP. AUDI WILL DO NOTHING. I'VE SPOKEN TO OTHERS WHO HAVE THIS SAME MAKE AND MODEL SITTING IN A GARAGE BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. THERE ARE 2 KNOWN RECALLS ON THIS CAR, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS GOING ON WITH THE BUILD THAN JUST THE COIL PACK AND FUEL INJECTOR. MY CAR HAS STALLED AND SEIZED ON RELATIVELY SHORT HIGHWAY TRIPS DESPITE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND ATTENTION TO RECALLED PARTS. *TR