RoadVitals

1999 Audi A4 Suspension Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Suspension reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Mar 2, 2009
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 190 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Audi A4 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming suspension

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesOther / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Mar 2, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 AUDI A4 QUATRO. THE CONTACT BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE DEALER. AS HE DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE LOT, HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. HE INFORMED THE SALES ASSOCIATE THAT THERE WAS RUST UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE BRAKE PADS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE HIM ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL $3,000. THE OTHER VEHICLE HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND NEEDED A NEW FUEL PUMP; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT DID NOT WANT THE OTHER VEHICLE. HE KEPT THE AUDI AND TOOK IT TO AN AUDI DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE BEARINGS WERE RUSTED AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT AND NEW BRAKE PADS. IN ADDITION, THE RIMS WERE BENT. THE AUDI DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLD IN THAT CONDITION AND WITH THOSE DEFECTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,926 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 142,927. UPDATED 03/17/09. *LJ THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE WORN. UPDATED 03/18/09. *JB

NHTSA ID
10260432
Incident
Oct 2, 2008
Mileage
142,926 mi
Suspension
Filed Mar 10, 2006

AUDI REFUSES TO PAY FOR FIXING A SERIOUS SAFETY RELATED SERVICE ACTION (SERVICE ACTION JE - FAILURE OF CONTROL ARMS), UNLESS THE CUSTOMER PROVIDES DETAILED MAINTENANCE RECORDS FROM AN AUTHORIZED DEALER OR PROFESSIONAL LICENSED REPAIR FACILITY. THIS WILL RESULT IN PEOPLE NOT FIXING THIS SERIOUS ISSUE, ENDANGERING NOT ONLY THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO OTHER INDIVIDUALS. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CHECKED, AND MY CAR HAS THE PROBLEM - BUT THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE FIX, SINCE I PERFORM MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR MYSELF. NOTE: CRACKING OF CONTROL ARMS IS NOT RELATED TO LACK OF GENERAL MAINTENANCE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10152442
Incident
Mar 8, 2006
Suspension
Filed Jul 12, 2005

I TOOK MY CAR INTO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE A RECALL DONE ON THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS OF THE CAR. THE DEALER TOLD ME EVERYTHING WITH MY CAR WAS FINE, AND THAT THERE WAS NO REASON TO PERFORM THE RECALL ON MY CAR. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC TO GET A SECOND OPINION ON THE CONTROL ARMS, AND IT WAS THEIR OPINION THAT THE CONTROL ARMS DEFINITELY DID NEED TO BE REPLACED AND MIGHT BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON ANY FURTHER. NOW THAT MCDONALD AUTOMOTIVE HAS SUBMITTED THAT THE RECALL WAS DONE, I AM NO LONGER ELIGEABLE FOR THE RECALL AND AM STUCK WITH MY DANGEROUS CONTROL ARMS.

NHTSA ID
10128474
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Mileage
85,000 mi
Suspension
Filed May 10, 2005

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON THE 1999 AUDI A4.*MR THE DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM, BUT THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE LEFT SIDE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10121499
Incident
May 2, 2005
Suspension
Filed Apr 29, 2005

1999 AUDI A4 EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE RIGHT FRONT LOWER AND LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISE WHEN BRAKING. *SC THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THERE WAS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE THE REPAIR. *JB

NHTSA ID
10119337
Incident
Apr 1, 2005
SteeringSuspension
Filed Apr 10, 2003

VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR 60,000 MILES - WORN TIE ROD AND BALL JOINTS REPORTED. CALLED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. NHTSA SAYS THERE ARE RECALLS. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10014256
Incident
Apr 10, 2003
Body & structureBrakesHeating & air conditioning+3 more
Filed Jun 4, 2000

WIRES BREAKING CAUSED AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE. BREAKS PULL TO RIGHT WHEN WET/MOIST. DOOR ASSEMBLED WRONG (CAUSED WIND NOISE) HAD TO TAKE IN 4 TIMES TO REPAIR.HOOD/ OIL PUMP BROKE EMPTYING OIL ON DRIVEWAY. FRONT SUSPENSION SQUEAKS AND ABS COMES ON WHEN BACKING UP WHILE BREAKING WITH WHEELS TURNED. *AK

NHTSA ID
723550
Incident
Apr 1, 2000
BrakesSuspension
Filed Mar 20, 2000

DURING WET WEATHER BRAKING, THE FRONT DISC BRAKES SEEM TO FAIL. THE CARS FRONT END SEEMS TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET UPON BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN THE RAIN, WITH NO ADVERSE EFFECTS DURING DRY WEATHER. I HAVE CONTACTED AUDI, WHO THEN REFERRED ME TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT AUDI WILL NOT WARRANTY THE CORRECTION, SINCE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW WIDESPREAD THE PROBLEM IS. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE, AND ON THE AUDIWORLD WEBSITE. I SUBMIT THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM OF THE A4 DURING WET WEATHER DRIVING, AND THAT THIS DEFECT COULD AND WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. EVEN THOUGHT THE CAR DID STOP, IT REQUIRED STEERING CORRECTION TO PUT IT BACK INTO THE LANE. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, AUDI WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE AND CAN BE SURE THE REPUTATION OF THEIR CARS WILL SUFFER AGAIN. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *AK

NHTSA ID
720385
Incident
Mar 18, 2000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .