1997 Audi A4 Suspension Problems

THE LOWER FRONT CONTROL ARMS IN MY '97 AUDI A4 1.8T QUATTRO WERE REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALER AS PART OF A VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN IN 2004 BY AUDI TO REPLACE A NOTED DEFECTIVE PART. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BROUGHT AGAINST AUDI BY SEVERAL OWNERS SPURRED THE VOLUNTARY RECALL. MY LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEED REPLACING AGAIN, BASED ON AN INSPECTION BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. WHEN I CONTACTED AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE I WAS TOLD THAT THE 2004 CONTROL ARM RECALL HAD A ONE-YEAR WARRANTY AND AFTER THAT TIME I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST, WHICH EXCEEDS $2,000 FOR THE LOWER FRONT CONTROL ARMS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS DEFECTIVE PART NEEDS REPLACING AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. NUMEROUS AUDI OWNERS HAVE REPORTED REPEATED LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILURE AND NHTSA IS URGED TO CALL A MANDATORY RECALL FOR AUDI TO REPAIR THIS DEFECTIVE PART SO IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED BY OWNERS EVERY FEW YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10263878

Incident

Mar 25, 2009

FAILING LOWER CONTROL ARMS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134398

Incident

Aug 26, 2005

Mileage

74,200 mi

AUDI (97 A4 QUATTRO) HAS ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL RELATED TO CONTROL ARMS - OFFERING FREE REPLACEMENT. THEY FURTHER STATE THAT IF THE CONTROL ARMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED, THEY WILL REIMBURSE ALL COSTS. I HAVE MY CAR MAINTAINED FAITHFULLY, USUALLY BY A DEALER, BUT I DID NOT HAVE THE FORMAL 90K MILE CHECK DONE. SINCE I DID NOT FOLLOW THEIR FORMAL PROCESS, THEY ARE REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. (THIS IS NOT A "MAINTAINABLE PART", SO THE ONLY FIX, IF INDICATED AT 90K MILES, WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACEMENT). AUDI'S POSITION SEEMS UNREASONABLE, GIVEN THE "UNREPAIRABILITY FACTOR".

NHTSA ID

10125149

Incident

Dec 27, 2004

Mileage

112,000 mi

BOTH OF THE VEHICLE'S FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED. *NM THE CONSUMER PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1882 AUDI 4000 AND A 1985 AUDI 4000S QUATTRO. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10109577

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

23,991 mi

EVERY 30,000 MILES TO 40,000 MILES THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE FRONT END MADE A CLANKING NOISE, AND THE FRONT WHEELS LOOSENED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS OFFERED 50% OF TOTAL REPAIR COST BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103514

Incident

Nov 28, 2004

Mileage

30,000 mi

CONTROL ARM FAILURE, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. RESULTED IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND VEERING INTO A CURB, DAMAGING THE VEHICLE ($2000+), INSURANCE WOULD NOT COVER THE FAILED PART (ESURANCE). IT WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS GOING ONLY 35 MPH, THAT NO ONE WAS STANDING OR DRIVING WHERE I HIT THAT CURB.*AK

NHTSA ID

10091173

Incident

Feb 8, 2004

Mileage

103,000 mi

CONTROL ARMS WENT BAD. THERE'S NOISE WHEN TURNING AND GOING OVER BUMPS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10080862

Incident

Jul 9, 2004

FRONT CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS CLUNK AND SQUEAK, THEY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT DUE TO POOR DESIGN.

NHTSA ID

10016783

Incident

Apr 30, 2003

Mileage

80,000 mi

UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS (ALL 4) FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAVE FAILED AND MUST BE REPLACE AGAIN. SQUEEZING/CRUNCHING NOISE AT LOW SPEED AND OVER BUMPS. HAVE BEEN REPLACED- LESS THAN 15K MILES AGO BY AUDI DEALER AND THEY'VE WORN OUT ALREADY. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN AND AUDI NEEDS TO COME THROUGH WITH A SOLUTION FOR ITS CUSTOMERS. THIS IS A SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLAR REPAIR JOB! *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010751

Incident

Mar 19, 2003

FRONT CONTROL ARMS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR MAKING CLUNKING NOISE. YOU CAN REPLACE THEM EVERY 6 MONTHS AND PROBLEM STARTS ALL OVER. THIS IS SAFETY DESIGN FLAW THAT AUDI NEEDS TO ASSIST IN REPAIRS OR RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10005311

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

Mileage

40,000 mi

FRONT CONTROL ARMS

NHTSA ID

10005309

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

Mileage

40,000 mi

THERE HAVE BEEN CRACKING NOISES IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING WOULD BE BREAKING, I TOOK THE CAR TO A SERVICE SHOP THAT DOES WORK FOR THE AUDI DEALERSHIP. THEY INDICATED THAT THE CRACKING WAS A PROBLEM ALREADY IDENTIFIED BY AUDI AND A KIT HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED TO FIX IT. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE AUDI, WE WERE ASSURED THAT WE HAD THE SPECIAL AUDI ASSURED FOR PREOWNED VEHICLES. WELL WHEN WE CALLED THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY DENIED EVERYTHING AND PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS WEAR AND TEAR AND THEREFORE I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. SINCE WHEN DO AUTO MAKERS ISSUE AN ALERT WITH A FIX IT KIT FOR ALL A4 S FROM 1996 TO 1998 AND CLAIM IT IS THE OWNERS FAULT. THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM THAT THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY WERE RUDE TO THE POINT OF SAYING THAT IT ISN'T THEIR PROBLEM. IT IS MINE. I SENT A COMPLAINT TO THE NYS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WITH ASSORTED ATTACHMENTS AND THEY REPLIED ON SEPT 6, 2002 SAID THAT THEY HAD FORWARDED THE INFORMATION ON TO YOU AND TO CONTACT NHTSA IF I HAD NOT HEARD SOMETHING IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. IT HAS BEEN 2 MONTHS AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM YOU. WOULD YOU PLEASE CHECK YOUR RECORDS AND LOCATE THE FORM FROM THE NYS ATTY GENS OFFICE AND GET BACK TO ME WITH SOME INFO. I REALLY THINK AUDI SHOULD PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS SINCE IT IS A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND NOT FROM USE BY THE OWNERS (THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND ME). THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED HELP AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. DT

NHTSA ID

769872

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID

786466

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

CONSUMER HAS BEEN NOTICING CREAKING NOISES IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT PUT TOGETHER FOR VEHICLE OF THE SAME MODEL FOR REPAIR OF THIS CREAKING NOISE. BUT CONSUMER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COSTS. CONSUMER FEELS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL OR THE PRE OWNED VEHICLE WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ID

567573

THE CONTROL ARMS ARE PART OF THE SUSPENSION. THE FRONT AXLE HAS 8 CONTROL ARMS IN TOTAL. WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT 6 OF THE CONTROL ARMS WILL COST ME $2000. THEY ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS MALFUNCTION. APPARENTLY THE PART MALFUNCTIONS IS A MYRIAD OF CASES WITH A4 AND THE PART WAS NEVER RECALLED. NOW I HAVE TO REPAIR A PART THAT COSTS 1/7 THE COST OF THE CAR BECAUSE AUDI IS TOO CHEAP TO STAND BY ITS PRODUCT. I DID NOTHING WRONG--WAS NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR OR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING. SIMPLY PUT BY THE DEALER, "IT JUST HAPPENS." IF YOU INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM YOU WILL NOTICE THERE IS A TREND WITH THIS CONSTANT PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP.*AK

NHTSA ID

762085

Incident

May 1, 2002

CONTROL ARM BUSHING STARTED SQUEAKING INDICATING FAILURE - DID NOT KNOW THAT THE VEHICLE'S INSTABILITY AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND INABILITY TO TRACK IN A STRAIGHT LINE WERE ALSO DUE TO WORN CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. SEARCHED WWW.AUDIWORLD.COM SITE OF AUDI OWNERS, FOUND THAT NUMEROUS OWNERS REPORT DRIVEABLILTY ISSUES WITH WORN CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. AUDI OF AMERICA AND AUDI DEALER STATES THAT BUSHING PROBLEM IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, HOWEVER BASED ON THE NUMEROUS REPORTS ON AUDIWORLD.COM, THIS IS NOT TRUE. OWNERS REPORT HAVING TO CHANGE CONTROL ARMS EVERY 35K MILES OR SO AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1,500 FOR EACH SIDE SINCE THER ARE 4 CONTROL ARMS ON EACH SIDE THAT COST APPROXIMATELY $300 EACH PLUS LABOR. BASED ON NTSA SEARCH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM; WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO GET A RECALL OF THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM? BRAKE PROBLEM IS ONLY WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. BRAKES DO NOT RESPOND NORMALLY - APPARENTLY WATER COMES IN CONTACT WITH ROTORS EASILY. THIS PROBLEM COULD EASILY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS IN THE NTSA DATABASE AS WELL. THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE PROBLEM IS A REOCCURRING ONE WHERE THE ENGINE WILL STALL AT IDLE, OR WILL NOT IDLE AT ALL. WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AS THE ENGINE SOMETIMES DIES WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED AS YOU PREPARE TO STOP. OBVIOUSLY THIS RESULTS IN A LOSS OF POWER BRAKING AND STEERING WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME REGARDING ANY OR ALL OF THESE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AFFECTING MY CAR. OBVIOUSLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE RECALLS ON ALL THREE ISSUES AND WILL PROVIDE WHATEVER ASSISTANCE I CAN TO ENSURE THAT THIS HAPPENS. THANKS.*AK

NHTSA ID

746385

Incident

Apr 15, 2001

LEFT AND RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARMS (2 ON EACH SIDE FOR A TOTAL OF 4) WERE SEVERLY WORN, AND HAVE BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME PRIOR TO MY HAVING THE DEFECT INSPECTED. WITH THE CAR ON LIFT, THE BALL JOINT COULD BE PULLED OUT OF IT'S SOCKET WITH LITTLE EFFORT. HAD I HIT A BUMP AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. I AM CONTACTING AUDI AS WELL, BUT HAVEN'T AS OF THIS WRITING. *AK

NHTSA ID

742870

Incident

Mar 20, 2001

PREMATURE WEAR

NHTSA ID

730787

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE CONTROL ARMS ARE FAILING BECAUSE AUDI DIDN'T PROVIDE FOR LUBRICATION POINTS.. THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THE LOSS OF THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS, AND COULD NOT RESPOND WHEN I SAID I HAD NEVER OWNED A CAR THAT HAD LOST IT'S ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS.. OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS ALSO GOT TO BE A PROBLEM CAUSED BY POOR DESIGN AND ENGINE VIBRATION.. THESE BOLTS SHOULD BE SAFETY WIRED TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM. I THINK AUDI SHOULD COVER THE COSTS OF REPLACEMENT OF THE CONTROL ARM AND ENGINE MOUNT, BUT THE DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEM COULD BE DUE TO WEAR, ALTHOUGH AGAIN I DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM ON MY JEEP OR OTHER VEHICLES. *AK

NHTSA ID

725831

Incident

Jul 15, 2000