1996 Audi A4 Problems

I HAVE 1996 AUDI A4 AND EXPERIENCING THE SAME RECALL PROBLEM AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V403000, WHICH IS NOT ABLE TO RETURN THE IGNITION KEY TO THE RUNNING POSITION AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. THIS CONDITION CAUSING ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES SUCH AS WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. I SEE THE FOLLOWING RECALL ON YOUR WEBSITE. BUT WHEN I CONTACT AUDI AT 1-800-822-2834, THEY SAYS MY 1996 AUDI A4 IS NOT QUALIFIED FOR THIS RECALL. VEHICLE MAKE / MODEL: MODEL YEAR(S): AUDI / A4 1996-1997 MANUFACTURER: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC MFR'S REPORT DATE: OCT 20, 2006 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06V403000 N/A NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: N/A COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 28594. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN HE STARTED THE IGNITION. THE RPM'S INCREASED AND THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO RETURN TO THE ENGINE RUNNING POSITION. IMMEDIATELY, THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED MANUALLY TO THE "ON" POSITION TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V403000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH) WAS REFERENCED. THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL, BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

WHILE DRIVING WEST ON PENNSYLVANIA RT. 401 I DROVE OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD, WHERE A DRAIN IS BURIED UNDER THE ROAD, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOWER A ARM SNAPPED IN HALF AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND THE CAR TO GRIND TO A HALT ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD.

1996 AUDI A4 - AUDI A4 FRONT CONTROL ARMS ALL FAIL AT AROUND 100,000 MILES. ALL 8 OF MINE WERE REPLACED. AUDI SENT OUT A TSB FOR 2 OF THE 8 CONTROL ARMS AND ARE JERKING PEOPLE AROUND WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT. THEY WANT PEOPLE TO PROVE THAT ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WAS DONE, YET THE PARTS IN QUESTION ARE NOT REPAIRABLE OR SERVICEABLE. ACCORDING TO MY AUDI DEALER, THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT HASN'T GOTTEN ANY BETTER, EVEN WITH THE LATEST MODELS. THESE COST BETWEEN $300 - $500 EACH TO REPLACE FOR A TOTAL OF $3000 FOR ALL 8. THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM COLLECTING ON THIS AND THIS SHOULD COVER ALL 8, SINCE ALL 8 FAIL INSTEAD OF ONLY 2. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE LETTER AND PAPERWORK THAT I PROVIDED TO THEM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OVER 6 MONTHS AGO. EVERY AUDI A4 HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND CONTINUES TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. AUDI SHOULD HAVE TO ANSWER FOR THE POOR DESIGN AND THE BOGUS TSB LETTER THAT THEY SENT TO OWNERS.

I HAD MY BRAKES AND TIRES REPLACED AND NOW THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT ARE ON IN THE CAR THE REAR BRAKES LOCK UP IF THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT GO ON ADN THE CAR CAN GET OUT OF CONTROL IN CASE OF BRAKING IN AN EMERGENCY . *AK

BRAKE FAILURE IN WET CONDITIONS. I WAS DRIVING ON 95N IN PROVIDENCE. AS I WAS CHANGING LANES, I LOST STEERING ABILITIES. WHEN I BRAKED I DID NOT GET A RESPONSE AND CRASHED INTO THE JERSEY BARRIER THEN BOUNCED OFF IT AND WENT INTO A 180 DEGREE SPIN ACROSS 4 LANES. I WAS STOPPED BY THE GUARD RAIL. *LA

REPEATED FRONT SUSPENSION/STEERING SYSTEM COMPONENT FAILURES. *JB *PH *JB

THE TIE RODS OF BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE DAMAGED. THE RUBBER CAP WAS BROKEN ON BOTH AND THE TIE RODS HAD A LOT OF PLAY AT THE JOINT UNDERNEATH. THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED CAUSING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LAMP FAILED. *NLM

THIS IS NOT RELATED TO A MANUFACTURER COMPLAINT, BUT I AM HOPING TO GET SOME INFO ON WHO TO CONTACT FOR AN ISSUE IN A PRIVATE PARTY USED VEHICLE PURCHASE. I RECENTLY PURCHASED A CAR WITH A CLEAN CARFAX REPORT AND THE SELLER SAID IT HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY COLLISIONS. UPON TAKING IT TO MY MECHANIC FOR A PART FAILURE (WITHIN 24 HRS OF PURCHASE) I WAS TOLD IT HAD BEEN IN A MAJOR COLLISION WITH AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. THE AIRBAG COVERS HAD BEEN REPLACED, HOWEVER THE SRS LIGHT WAS EITHER REMOVED OR THE WIRES CUT SO IT WOULDN'T BE ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT REPLACED. I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY RECOURSE AGAINST THE SELLER WHEN THEY DO NOT DISCLOSE THE FACT THAT THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS NOT PRESENT. CALLS TO THE SELLER HAVE GONE UNANSWERED. *JB

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. ALSO HORN HAS NOT WORK FOR THE LAST 3,000 MILES. CAR ONLY HAS 27,000 ON IT. BOTH OF THESE SAFETY ITEMS ARE VERY COMMON FAILURES ON AUDI A4. IT TIME THAT THE NHTSA DOES SOMETHING. REMEMBER ITS: "PEOPLE SERVING PEOPLE" AND NOT "NHTSA SERVING THE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS." *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN HE STARTED THE IGNITION. THE RPM'S INCREASED AND THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO RETURN TO THE ENGINE RUNNING POSITION. IMMEDIATELY, THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED MANUALLY TO THE "ON" POSITION TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V403000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH) WAS REFERENCED. THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL, BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

WINDOW FAILS TO RAISE OR LOWER DUE TO BROKEN WINDOW REGULATOR PLASTIC COMPONENTS. *AK

1996 AUDI A4 INTERIOR OF VEHICLE FLOODING. *MR THE CONSUMER OPENED THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR TO FIND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WATER ON THE FLOORBOARD OF THE VEHICLE (FRONT AND REAR/APPROXIMATELY 32 GALLONS OF WATER). THEY LATER FOUND WATER AROUND THE BATTERY AND OTHER ENGINE PARTS WITHIN THAT AREA, WHICH ULTIMATELY DESTROYED THE WIRING HARNESS AND TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED BEFORE. THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED FROM A DESIGN FLAW THAT RESTRICTS WATER DRAINAGE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTIONING OF THE RUBBER SEAL AROUND THE DRAINAGE HOLE BELOW THE BATTERY. THE ENGINE DRAINAGE HOLE WAS NOT VISIBLE OR ACCESSIBLE FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. *SCC *JB

AFTER STARTING MY VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON MY HEADLIGHTS (INCIDENT OCCURED APPROX. 8:00 PM), I NOTICED THAT MY HEADLIGHTS, AND TAIL LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. I ALSO NOTIICED THAT MY CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS (LIGHTS DURING NORMAL START-UP), OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE GAUGE, DOOR LOCKS, AND MY TURN SIGNALS WERE ALL INOPERABLE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF MY ENGINE TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE PROBLEMS WHEN I FOUND THAT I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION (TO THE OFF POSITION). I VERIFIED THAT MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION SHIFTER WAS IN PARK "P". THE ENGINE WAS FINALLY SHUT (1.5 HRS LATER) DOWN BY PULLING FUEL PUMP FUZE. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH (# VWN 4AO 905 849 B), THIS CORRECTED ALL PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY SIMULAR TO THE 1994/1995 AUDI 90 RECALL (ID #96V017000) OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN FEB. 1996 WHICH IS TWO MONTHS FOLLOWING THE LAST RECALLED AUDI 90 (MFD. RECALL JAN 94 TO DEC 95). AUDI INC . WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS REPAIR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE: THIS PART (IGNITION SWITCH FOR THE 90 AND A4 APPEAR TO BE THE SAME: I VERIFIED THIS AT ONE DEALER) CAUSES VERY SIMILIAR MALFUNCTIONS IN THE A4 AS THE AUDI 90 HAD IN 1994/1995 VEHICLES. NOTE: SOME AUDI A4 OWNERS MAY NOT HAVE REPORTED TO NHTSA BECAUSE WARRANTY COVERS PART UP TO 50,000 MILES. PLEASE VERIFY HOW MANY IGNITION SWITCHES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE A4 VIA DEALERS. IF THIS ISSUE PROMPTED A RECALL OF THE AUDI 90 (RECALL: 1996) , MY VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS HAS JUST EXPERIENCED A SIMILIAR IF NOT WORSE PROBLEM (CAN NOT SHUT OF ENGINE, NO HEADLIGHT/TAIL LIGHTS ETC. USING NORMAL TECHNIQUE, ENGINE ALSO BEGAN TO OVERHEAT). THIS IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS. I FORTUNATELY HAD THE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION SAFELY, BUT ALL A4 OWNERS ARE NOT TECHNICALLY INCLINED. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION/CLARIFICATION.

WHEN SHIFTING INTO FOURTH GEAR,ENGINE FUMBLES CAUSING THE CAR TO VIBRATE....ON COLD STARTS,ANY RELEASE OF THE THROTTLE AND THE FRONT END MAKES LOUD CLICKING,DEALER COULDN'T DUPLICATE THOUGH HAPPENS EVERY DAY....UNDER ACCELERATION WHEN COLD ,EXHAUST RATTLES,SOUNDS LIKE HEAT SHIELD RAPPING AGAINST SOMETHING.

THERE IS A DELAYED SHIFTING PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE WILL SLAM INTO GEAR AND SOMETIMES SURGE FORWARD SUDDENLY CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

1996 AUDI A4 QUATTRO WITH LEATHERETTE PASSENGER SEAT - HEATED SEAT WAS SET AT LEVEL 6 AND WHILE A PASSENGER WAS SITTING ON THE SEAT A HOLE THE SIZE OF TWO QUARTERS WAS BURNT INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT DUE TO THE HEATED SEAT STARTING A SMALL FIRE.. *NM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH ELECTRICAL SEAT HEATER AND BURNER AS STATED IN RECALL # 02 V 314 000. BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK

SEAT HEATER ON DRIVER'S SIDE MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT COVER. HOT BURNING SENSATION ON MY LEG.

EQUIPMENT:BICYCLE CARRIER BROKE. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN HE STARTED THE IGNITION. THE RPM'S INCREASED AND THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO RETURN TO THE ENGINE RUNNING POSITION. IMMEDIATELY, THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED MANUALLY TO THE "ON" POSITION TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V403000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH) WAS REFERENCED. THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL, BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

I HAD A PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 00V317000. I HAD TO HAVE THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAD TO ALSO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL ASSEMBLY AS WELL.*JB AUDI USA SAID THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED AS PART OF THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN. HOWEVER, I'VE SEEN NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON THE AUDI CHAT BOARDS FROM PEOPLE IN MY EXACT POSITION (SAME PROBLEM, SAME YEAR CAR - BUT AUDI USA SAYS THEY'RE NOT COVERED). SEEMS LIKE IT'S A LITTLE SCREWY. PLEASE CONFIRM RECIEPT OF THIS MESSAGE AND LET ME KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY NEXT STEPS I SHOULD TAKE. THANKS MUCH

AFTER STARTING MY VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON MY HEADLIGHTS (INCIDENT OCCURED APPROX. 8:00 PM), I NOTICED THAT MY HEADLIGHTS, AND TAIL LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. I ALSO NOTIICED THAT MY CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, WARNING/INDICATOR LIGHTS (LIGHTS DURING NORMAL START-UP), OUTSIDE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE GAUGE, DOOR LOCKS, AND MY TURN SIGNALS WERE ALL INOPERABLE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF MY ENGINE TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE PROBLEMS WHEN I FOUND THAT I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION (TO THE OFF POSITION). I VERIFIED THAT MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION SHIFTER WAS IN PARK "P". THE ENGINE WAS FINALLY SHUT (1.5 HRS LATER) DOWN BY PULLING FUEL PUMP FUZE. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH (# VWN 4AO 905 849 B), THIS CORRECTED ALL PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM IS VERY SIMULAR TO THE 1994/1995 AUDI 90 RECALL (ID #96V017000) OF THE IGNITION SWITCH. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN FEB. 1996 WHICH IS TWO MONTHS FOLLOWING THE LAST RECALLED AUDI 90 (MFD. RECALL JAN 94 TO DEC 95). AUDI INC . WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS REPAIR. PLEASE INVESTIGATE: THIS PART (IGNITION SWITCH FOR THE 90 AND A4 APPEAR TO BE THE SAME: I VERIFIED THIS AT ONE DEALER) CAUSES VERY SIMILIAR MALFUNCTIONS IN THE A4 AS THE AUDI 90 HAD IN 1994/1995 VEHICLES. NOTE: SOME AUDI A4 OWNERS MAY NOT HAVE REPORTED TO NHTSA BECAUSE WARRANTY COVERS PART UP TO 50,000 MILES. PLEASE VERIFY HOW MANY IGNITION SWITCHES HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE A4 VIA DEALERS. IF THIS ISSUE PROMPTED A RECALL OF THE AUDI 90 (RECALL: 1996) , MY VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHERS HAS JUST EXPERIENCED A SIMILIAR IF NOT WORSE PROBLEM (CAN NOT SHUT OF ENGINE, NO HEADLIGHT/TAIL LIGHTS ETC. USING NORMAL TECHNIQUE, ENGINE ALSO BEGAN TO OVERHEAT). THIS IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS. I FORTUNATELY HAD THE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION SAFELY, BUT ALL A4 OWNERS ARE NOT TECHNICALLY INCLINED. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION/CLARIFICATION.

DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED THREE TIMES.

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME WAS CRACKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME NEEDED TO BE REWELDED WITH OVERLAYING METAL. *AK *TT

DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED THREE TIMES.

AT 10 DEGREE BELOW ZERO THROTTLE CABLE STUCK, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD, AND TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THROTTLE BODY WAS THE PROBLEM. *AK

I DETECTED A STONG ODOR OF GASOLINE IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. I TOOK THE VEHICK IN TWO WEEKS AGO AND WAS TOLD THAT A LEAK WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINE AT A CRIMP, SPILLING DOWN THE WHEEL WELL ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE COST TO PERFROM THE REPAIR WOULD BE $950 AS THE ONLY WAY TO ADRESS THE PROBLEM WAAS TO REPLACE THE ENTILE FUEL LINE FROM FRONT TO BACK. I DECLINED THE APPROVE THE WORK AND PICKED UP THE CAR IN ORDER TO GET A SECOND OPINON. THE CUSE OF THE LEAK IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE AUDI TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND STAYS ON, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM, ALSO THE LEFT OUTER CV BOOT WAS REPLACED, THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN, AND TIRES WERE REPLACED (GOODYEAR TIRES P205/55R16).*SLC

CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND STAYS ON, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM, ALSO THE LEFT OUTER CV BOOT WAS REPLACED, THE TRUNK WOULD NOT OPEN, AND TIRES WERE REPLACED (GOODYEAR TIRES P205/55R16).*SLC