2013 AUDI A4 ALLROAD Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING BECAME VERY IRREGULAR AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL CAUSING THE CONTACT TO SWERVE IN AND OUT OF HIGHWAY LANES. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND SHUT DOWN. AFTER RESTARTING, THE FAILURE CEASED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 3,600.

AT ANY SPEED, MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL THROUGH CENTER PRESENTS A "NOTCHY" FEEL, WHERE RESISTANCE IS FELT AND THEN THE WHEEL JUMPS TO ANOTHER POSITION. THESE "NOTCHES" ARE FELT THROUGH ABOUT 10-20 DEGREES OFF CENTER. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAR IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT LINE AS THE STEERING FIGHTS THE DRIVER TO REMAIN ON-CENTER. THE DEALER, WHEN CONTACTED, REPLACED THE "STEERING RACK", WHICH MADE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY. I HAVE READ A DOZEN OR MORE REPORTS FROM OTHER 2013 AUDI A4/A5/S4/S5/ALLROAD OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE, AND AT LEAST ONE REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER A STEERING RACK REPLACEMENT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY FIX AND THAT THE PROBLEM WILL RECUR. *TR

AFTER 3500 MILES THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A "NOTCHY" SENSATION IN THE STEERING FEEL THAT VARIED IN INTENSITY AND WOULD OCCUR AT RANDOM TIMES. THIS NOTCHY SENSATION WOULD OCCUR ANY SPEED ABOVE 20MPH, AS IF SWITCHED ON. WHEN SYMPTOMS WOULD OCCUR THERE WOULD BE A HEAVY, NOTCHY FEELING ON EITHER SIDE OF STRAIGHT STEER THAT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF FORCE TO OVERCOME AND THEN ONCE FEELING LIKE THE WHEEL IS OVER THE NOTCH, IT WOULD OVER CORRECT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A LANE. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE PLACED IN THOSE NOTCH POSITIONS, AS IF TRYING TO DRIVE USING A CLICK WHEEL. THE NOTCHINESS IS ALSO FELT THROUGHOUT ALL WHEEL TRAVEL, NOT JUST ON CENTER, STRAIGHT WHEEL. THIS MAKES STAYING ON A GIVEN PATH DIFFICULT AND UNSAFE. AT RANDOM TIMES STEERING FELT SO HEAVY THAT IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING IN MANEUVERS. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE STEERING RACK BUT THE VERY NEXT DAY THE NOTCHY STEERING SYMPTOMS REAPPEARED RANDOMLY. THERE IS NO SET OF CONDITIONS TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON OR TURNING THE WHEEL LOCK TO LOCK ALLEVIATES THE SYMPTOMS. THE SYMPTOMS HAVE SLOWLY INCREASED IN FREQUENCY SINCE THE REPLACEMENT AND OCCUR AT RANDOM TIMES, ESPECIALLY DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR AUDI HAS INTRODUCED ELECTROMECHANICAL STEERING INTO THEIR CARS IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A NEW DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS GOTTEN THROUGH TESTING OR A NEW PRODUCTION DEFECT AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED QUICKLY. MANY OTHER 2013 AUDI (VARYING MODELS) OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A REFLECTION OF THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS ON THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR AND THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH CREATED A GLARE, COMPROMISING HER VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACTED HER BACK AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 500.