Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Audi A4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 125 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 125, in the owner's own words
THE AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT HAVE BEEN ON EVER SINCE I HAD THE VEHICLE, THINKING THAT IT MAY BE A FAULT BY THE MANUFACTURER AS SEEING VERY COMMON PROBLEMS IN MANY WEBSITES. ANOTHER MAIN CONCERNED IS THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER'S ENGINE DESIGN CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE FROM OIL SLUDGE. MY CONCERN IS FOR FUTURE PREVENTION MEASURES.
THE AMBER ABS WARNING LIGHT GLOWS WHILE THE RED BRAKE LIGHT BLINKS. I UNDERSTAND NEWER AUDI MODELS HAVE JUST BEEN RECALLED FOR ABS ISSUES, BUT MY 1998 A4 WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. BRAKING APPEARS NORMAL, AND WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATION IS SPORADIC.
THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE CONTROL MODULATOR UNIT FAILED, AND NOW I HAVE BRAKES THAT DO NOT WORK. AT THE SLIGHTEST PEDAL PRESSURE, ALL 4 WHEELS WILL HAVE A STRONG PULSATING, GIVING YOU ABOUT 1/3 OF THE BRAKING PRESSURE THAT IS NEEDED. VOLKSWAGENS USED A NEARLY IDENTICAL PART, AND THEIR ABS CONTROLLER IS UNDER RECALL, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY NHTSA, CANNOT FORCE AUDI OF AMERICA TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU *TR
FAULTY ABS MODULE IN MY 1998 AUDI A4 1.8T. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT TO THE ABS SYSTEM FAILS IN MANY OF THESE SIMILAR YEAR AUDIS AND VWS, AND IT APPEARS TO BE A BIG PROBLEM. THE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT CAN CAUSE DEADLY ACCIDENTS, AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY AUDI. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI A4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HE NOTICE THE ABS LIGHT WAS ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS A MECHANIC AND TRIED TO SCAN INFORMATION FROM THE ABS MODULAR AND WAS UNABLE TOO. HE STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED SEPTEMBER 28, 2005. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED WITH THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 270,000.
THE ABS CONTROL UNIT ON MY AUDI A4 FAILED AFTER 95,000 MILES. I HAVE NO ANTI-LOCK BRAKING AND AUDI HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PART SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SEARCHING THROUGH AUDI FORUMS I FOUND THIS FAILURE TO BE VERY COMMON AND EVERYONE HAD NO ABS UNTIL THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED WHICH COST AN AVERAGE OF $1500+. THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE, I STARTED THE CAR ONE DAY AND THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ON MY DASH. I TESTED THE ABS AND FOUND THAT IT INDEED DOES NOT PREVENT MY BRAKES FROM LOCKING UP. NEARLY THREE YEARS LATER, THE PART HAS NOT BEEN FIXED DUE TO THE HIGH COST TO REPAIR IT.
OUT OF NOWHERE, ABS LIGHT ON, BRAKE LIGHT FLASHING. TOOK TO SHOP, THEY STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE ABS MODULE TO LOCK OUT COMMUNICATIONS; 1400 + FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CAR; I FIND IT OUTRAGEOUS THE ELECTRONIC MODULE IS OUTSIDE, SUBJECT TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SALT. PLEASE SEE MY COMPLAINT ON COIL SPRINGS AS WELL. RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS THIS IS USUAL AND CUSTOMARY FOR THIS MODEL, I FEEL NHTSA NEEDS TO STEP UP HERE AND CALL AUDI ON THE TABLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS SPORADICALLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE FAILED, AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE COST WOULD EXCEED $1,100 BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THAT COMPONENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000.
ABS/BRAKE LIGHT JUST STARTED FLASHING. THE ABS BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING ABS MODULE IS THE CAUSE. UNDER HARD BRAKING OR WET CONDITIONS THE CAR SLIDES LOOSES TRACTION. OLD PART IS STILL IN CAR TO EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE RIGHT NOW. HAD CAR LOOKED AT BY CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME ABS MODULE IS THE PROBLEM. *NM
1. HEATED SEAT BURNED THROUGH THE LEATHER BURNING THE BACK OF MY LEG WHEN ON THE LOWEST SETTING(1/6). 2. THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKS ABOUT 1% OF THE TIME AND WILL ENGAGE UNEXPECTEDLY IF NOT TURNED OFF. *JB
ABS COMPUTER OUT. FROM PEOPLE I HAVE TALKED TO IT'S A FREQUENT PROBLEM IN THESE CARS. IT IS QUITE EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. *NM
THE ABS CONTROL UNIT ON MY AUDI A4 FAILED AFTER ONLY 67,000 MILES. I HAVE NO ANTI-LOCK BRAKING WHATSOEVER, AND AUDI HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PART SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. SEARCHING THROUGH AUDI FORUMS I FOUND THIS FAILURE TO BE VERY COMMON AND EVERYONE HAD NO ABS UNTIL THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED WHICH COST AN AVERAGE OF $1500+. THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THE FAILURE, I STARTED THE CAR ONE DAY AND THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ON MY DASH. I TESTED THE ABS ON AN ICY ROAD AND FOUND THAT IT INDEED DOES NOT PREVENT MY BRAKES FROM LOCKING UP.*JB
FAILURE OF ABS MODULE, 1998 AUDI A4. *JB
MY ABS LIGHT STARTED BLINKING IN MY 1998 AUDI A4. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED; FOUND THAT IT WAS A LIGHT FAILURE; I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO PULL OUT THE ELECTRONICS AND MOST LIKELY NOT EVEN SOLVE THE PROBLEM. LATER I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT MY ABS WAS NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL (WHICH IS NOW THE CASE), I FILED COMPLAINTS WITH AUDI AND BOSHE ABOUT THIS BUT THEY TOLD ME THERE COULD BE NO RECALL BECAUSE ABS IS NOT A TRAFFIC CONCERN. RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND MAKING A 98 DEGREE TURN NOT TERRIBLY FAST; THERE WAS NO STOP SIGN, AND I ENDED UP DOING A 360 TO A STOP. I FOUND THIS NOT ONLY A SCARY EXPERIENCE, BUT ONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING. IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE; IM DRIVING THE HONORABLE QUATTRO. I DECIDED TO LOOK FURTHER. I FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SPECIFICALLY W/ MODELS IN 1998. IM A FAIRLY GOOD DRIVER IN FACT I DID A DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASS AT INFINEON RACEWAY SO I WAS STILL CONFUSED HOW I LOST SO MUCH TRACTION IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. I FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS ACTUALLY PART OF THE QUATTRO ITSELF. THE ELECTRONIC BRAKING, TRACTION SYSTEMS, AND VARIOUS OTHER VEHICLE DYNAMIC SYSTEMS ARE ALL DEPENDENT ON THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. ALL THE TEST UP TO THEN SHOWED NO LINK TO ABS CONTROL UNIT; I WAS MADE TO BELIEVE THAT MY CAR JUST HAD A LIGHT FAILURE. I STARTED RESEARCHING THE CONTROL UNIT AND I FOUND THAT THERE IS ALREADY A RECALL ON THE PART BUT NOT FOR AUDI BUT FOR VOLKSWAGEN! THE CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS 02V031000. I TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO WERE OWNERS OF VOLKSWAGENS WHO GOT THE RECALL AND MANY OF THEM HAD ALMOST IDENTICAL PROBLEMS TO MINE. SOME EVEN SAID THE UNIT CAUGHT FIRE. SO HERE I AM TOLD I HAVE A LIGHT PROBLEM, THEN TOLD AUDI CANT DO ANYTHING FOR ME EXCEPT GET A WHOLE NEW ABS SYSTEM AT MY EXPENSE. NOW I FIND THE TRUTH IS ONE CONTROL MODULE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LACK OF CONTROL IN MY CAR AS WELL AS A POSSIBLE CAR FIRE. PLEASE HELP: I AND MANY OTHERS NEED A NEW UNIT. *NM
MY ABS LIGHT STARTED BLINKING IN MY 1998 AUDI A4. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED; FOUND THAT IT WAS A LIGHT FAILURE; I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO PULL OUT THE ELECTRONICS AND MOST LIKELY NOT EVEN SOLVE THE PROBLEM. LATER I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT MY ABS WAS NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL (WHICH IS NOW THE CASE), I FILED COMPLAINTS WITH AUDI AND BOSHE ABOUT THIS BUT THEY TOLD ME THERE COULD BE NO RECALL BECAUSE ABS IS NOT A TRAFFIC CONCERN. RECENTLY I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND MAKING A 98 DEGREE TURN NOT TERRIBLY FAST; THERE WAS NO STOP SIGN, AND I ENDED UP DOING A 360 TO A STOP. I FOUND THIS NOT ONLY A SCARY EXPERIENCE, BUT ONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN LIFE THREATENING. IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE; IM DRIVING THE HONORABLE QUATTRO. I DECIDED TO LOOK FURTHER. I FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SPECIFICALLY W/ MODELS IN 1998. IM A FAIRLY GOOD DRIVER IN FACT I DID A DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASS AT INFINEON RACEWAY SO I WAS STILL CONFUSED HOW I LOST SO MUCH TRACTION IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. I FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS ACTUALLY PART OF THE QUATTRO ITSELF. THE ELECTRONIC BRAKING, TRACTION SYSTEMS, AND VARIOUS OTHER VEHICLE DYNAMIC SYSTEMS ARE ALL DEPENDENT ON THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. ALL THE TEST UP TO THEN SHOWED NO LINK TO ABS CONTROL UNIT; I WAS MADE TO BELIEVE THAT MY CAR JUST HAD A LIGHT FAILURE. I STARTED RESEARCHING THE CONTROL UNIT AND I FOUND THAT THERE IS ALREADY A RECALL ON THE PART BUT NOT FOR AUDI BUT FOR VOLKSWAGEN! THE CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS 02V031000. I TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO WERE OWNERS OF VOLKSWAGENS WHO GOT THE RECALL AND MANY OF THEM HAD ALMOST IDENTICAL PROBLEMS TO MINE. SOME EVEN SAID THE UNIT CAUGHT FIRE. SO HERE I AM TOLD I HAVE A LIGHT PROBLEM, THEN TOLD AUDI CANT DO ANYTHING FOR ME EXCEPT GET A WHOLE NEW ABS SYSTEM AT MY EXPENSE. NOW I FIND THE TRUTH IS ONE CONTROL MODULE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LACK OF CONTROL IN MY CAR AS WELL AS A POSSIBLE CAR FIRE. PLEASE HELP: I AND MANY OTHERS NEED A NEW UNIT. *NM
1998 MANUAL AUDI A4. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 32 DEGREES F OR BELOW. THE CONDITIONS WERE STEADY SNOW AND WET/ICY/SLUSH ROADS. I EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BREAK FAILURE WHEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY TO A REST AREA. I PUMPED THE BREAKS AND REGAINED SOME BREAKING POWER TO FINALLY SLOW THE VEHICLE. I COMPLETELY MISSED THE PROPER EXITING LANE DUE TO LACK OF BREAKING. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE RESULTED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT OF LOSS OF BREAKING POWER. *NM
ABS WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENT. RESEARCH UNCOVERED THE FACT THAT THE ABS CONTROLLER IN THE AUDI AND VW PASSAT IS FAULTY. AUDI CUSTOMER CARE HAS REPLACED THE ABS CONTROLLER FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS. SEE THIS DISCUSSION THREAD HTTP://TECH.BENTLEYPUBLISHERS.COM/THREAD.JSPA?THREADID=3409&START=0&TSTART=0. IF THIS ARTICLE\AD (HTTP://CGI.EBAY.COM/EBAYMOTORS/ABS-BOSCH-5-3I-ABS-CONTROLLER-REPAIR_W0QQCMDZVIEWITEMQQCATEGORYZ111105QQITEMZ4601089179QQRDZ1QQSSPAGENAMEZWDVW) IS TRUE AND THE PROBLEM IS A COLD SOLDER JOINT THEN IT IS TRULY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *JB
AUDI A4 ABS MALFUNCTION. 1998 2.8 LITER QUATTRO. *JB
ABS SYSTEM FAILURE. ABS DASH LIGHT FLASHES AND BRAKE LIGHT REMAINS LIT. ABS SYSTEM NOT FUNCTIONAL. STANDARD HYDRAULIC BRAKES REMAIN FUNCTIONAL WITHOUT ABS SAFETY FEATURE. *JB
1998 AUDI A4 2.8 QUATTRO ABS CONTROL MODULE, PART#[XXX]OR N VIN: [XXX]. *JB CONTROLS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING FEATURE. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME DEFECT AT VARIOUS MILEAGE POINTS, EVEN RANDOM AUDI A4 OWNERS THAT I HAVE MET IN PERSON. IT NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENT ON 2 OCCASSIONS AS BRAKES LOCKED-UP PREMATURELY. PART IS BEING REPAIRED. UPDATED 07/09/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
ABS CONTROL MODULES (BOSCH 5.3) ON ALL EARLY MODEL 98-01 AUDI A4 AND IT'S SISTER CAR THE VW PASSAT 98-01 WILL AND DO FAIL AT SOME POINT. CONTROL MODULE IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE MOST TIMES WHILE DRIVING. MAY START WORKING SPORADICALLY AND THEN QUIT AGAIN. COMMON PROBLEM ON FORUMS (AUDIWORLD.COM). I HAVE BEEN A VW / AUDI TECHNICIAN FOR 7 YEARS NOW AND HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OF THESE. WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW THAT THIS SAFETY FEATURE IS GOING TO WORK WHEN NEEDED. VW / AUDI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS JUST RELEASED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ALERTING THAT THE CONTROL MODULE MAY NOW BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY FROM THE HYDRAULIC UNIT. THIS CONTROL MODULE AT MY COST (CONSIDERABLE DISCOUNT SINCE I WORK FOR THE COMPANY) IS $1495.00. PLEASE HELP MYSELF AND OTHER AUDI / VW OWNERS GET OUR CARS STOPPING SAFELY. *JB
I HAVE A 1998 AUDI A4 AVANT, 2.8 V6, MANUAL TRANSMISSION. AFTER 45K MILES THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE ("BRAIN") FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 91K MILES THE ABS BRAIN FAILED. WAS THERE, OR WILL THERE BE, A RECALL ON THESE ITEMS?
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI A4. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE BRAKE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS. *NM
ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT STARTED UP ON THE DASH, CHECKED THE OWNERS BOOK AND IT TOLD YOU TO CANTACT THE AUDI DEALER. CONATACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT COSTS A LOT ON MONEY, QUOTE FOR THE PART WAS $2711.00, NOT INSTALLED. WENT TO THE WEB AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A BIG ISSUE, AND THAT THERE IS NO RECALL. POOR DESIGN AND A VERY EXPENSIVE PART, WHO IS MAKING MONEY OUT OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. MILES ON THE CAR 82K
NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, NO MODIFICATIONS TO VEHICLE, AT 80K MILES THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE MODULE FAILS AND THE ABS NO LONGER WORKS. THE BRAKES ARE PRONE TO LOCKING UP. THE REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE VEHICLE WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY IS $1200. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE UNTIL I CAN SAVE FOR THE REPAIR. ADDITIONALLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING OUT OF THE BLUE AT 55K MILES. THIS MODULE HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED EITHER DUE TO COST.
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