2001 Audi A4 Brakes Problems

BRAKES WERE WORKING FINE, COMING OFF FREEWAY, WAS COASTING THRU LIGHT, TRAFFIC STOPPED, BRAKES NO LONGER WORKED, BRAKE PEDAL WAS SUDDENLY FLUSH WITH FLOOR. REARENDED A CAR, CAR STARTED JUMPING FORWARD. HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. CAR WAS TOWED AFTER ACCIDENT, NOT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE, IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO BRAKE PROBLEM. REPAIR SHOP SAID BRAKES FAILED TO VACUUM HOSE BREAKING, NO WARNING PRIOR TO LOSING BRAKES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621083

Incident

Aug 2, 2014

Mileage

121,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ECU MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

NHTSA ID

10451838

Incident

Feb 15, 2012

Mileage

112,000 mi

ABS MODULE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10428427

Incident

Sep 7, 2011

Mileage

100,000 mi

2001 AUDI A4 WITH ABOUT 105K MILES ON. ABS SENSOR IS FAULTY AND THIS PROBLEM IS VERY WIDESPREAD AMONGST AUDI A4S BUILT AROUND THIS TIME. IT IS A $1500 - $2000 REPAIR FOR A PART THAT REALLY DOESN'T SEEM TO GO BAD WITH THIS FREQUENCY IN OTHER CARS. FOR AN EXAMPLE OF THE SCORE, SEE THIS SITE. THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY SITES WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AROUND THIS ISSUE: HTTP://AUDI-VW-ABS-RECALL.BLOGSPOT.COM/2005/07/AUDI-AND-VW-PLEASE-RECALL-CARS-BETWEEN.HTML. *TR

NHTSA ID

10352030

Incident

May 15, 2009

Mileage

105,000 mi

2001 AUDI A4 2.8 ABS BRAKE SYSTEM CONTROLLER FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10328888

Incident

May 2, 2010

ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILED. MODULES ARE DEFECTIVE AND AUDI SHOULD RECALL THEM. ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWS THOUSANDS OF AUDI/VW CAR OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. COST TO REPLACE MODULE IS $1500-2000 DOLLARS. VW HAS ISSUED RECALL OF THIS ABS MODULE, BUT AUDI HAS NOT (EVEN THOUGH SAME EXACT PART). NHTSA NEEDS TO PUT PRESSURE ON AUDI TO RECALL THIS COMPONENT, THEY ARE DEFECTIVE, UNSAFE, AND COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10317474

Incident

Mar 6, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI A4. HE STATED THAT THE ANTILOCK BREAKS SENSOR ILLUMINATES CONSTANTLY. HE HAD THE GARAGE REPLACED THE BREAK SENSOR TWICE. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS DONE ON JANUARY 10, 2010 AND THE SECOND BREAK SENSOR REPLACEMENT WAS FEBRUARY 16, 2010 AND THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,034. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ID

10312831

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

FAILURE OF ABS BRAKE CONTROL UNIT IN AN AUDI 2001 A4 WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH SNOW. IT OCCURRED IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ABS BRAKES WEREN'T WORKING DRIVING ON SNOW AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. $710.00 WAS THE COST OF THE REPAIR FOR A FAULTY UNIT AND A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT AUDI KNOWS ABOUT IT. GOOD THING THAT I WAS GOING REALLY SLOW AND I WAS EXITING THE SLIPPERY FREEWAY AT THE TIME AND I DIDN'T SLIDE. THANK YOU! *TR

NHTSA ID

10299792

Incident

Dec 10, 2009

Mileage

81,400 mi

1. ONE DAY SUDDENLY MY AUDI 2001 A4 STARTS TO SHOW ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT TO BE FAILING. 2. THE FAILURE WHEN DIAGNOSED SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH AUDI'S ABS CONTROL UNIT, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. 3. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED IT YET, BECAUSE DEALERS QUOTED A HUGE PRICE OF MORE THAN 1500$ TO FIX THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10298769

Incident

Sep 13, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

ABS ELECTRICAL MODULE THAT HAS FAILED AND IS APPARENTLY A HUGE PROBLEM, IT AFFECTS THE BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285137

Incident

Aug 18, 2009

Mileage

11,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN SUBURBAN TRAFFIC, I NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY DRESS WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW FROM ABOUT 30 MPH. UPON SUBSEQUENT STOPS, THERE WAS A METAL ON METAL SOUND. UPON INSPECTION, THE RIGHT FRONT OUTER PAD HAD COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM BACKING PLATE. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED BY AUDI ONLY 3K MILES EARLIER AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF BRAKE PAD WEAR. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR AUDI WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274334

Incident

Dec 10, 2005

Mileage

43,000 mi

I WAS CHASING A BRAKE SQUEAL. WHEN I REMOVED THE FRONT PADS ON OUR AUDI A4, (2001), THREE OF THE FOUR PADS WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THEIR BACKING PLATES. THESE WERE THE ORIGINAL ATE PADS; THE CAR HAS TRAVELED ABOUT 38000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166053

Incident

Aug 19, 2006

Mileage

38,500 mi

AUDI HAS FAULTY AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM CONTROLLER UNITS. THEIR 1998 - 2002 UNITS HAVE A VERY HIGH INCIDENCE OF FAILURE IN THE ELECTRONICS COMPONENT. THEY HAVE DONE A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PART FOR THE VW JETTA, BUT NOT FOR THE AUDI'S. THEY REQUIRE $1,700 TO REPAIR IT, SO MANY PEOPLE LEAVE IT AS IS, WHICH IS UNSAFE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144848

Incident

Jan 7, 2005

FRONT BRAKE FAILURE. OUT OF FOUR PAD/SHOES, 3 PADS PHYSICALLY SEPARATED OFF OF THEIR RESPECTIVIE SHOES. ONE OF THE THREE ACTUALLY CAME OUT DURING DRIVING. WHEN THIS OCCURED, I TEMPORARILY LOST BRAKING ABILITY AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT PROVIDING ANY DECELARATION. CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AS IT BECAME USAFE TO DRIVE. THE REMAINING PAD/SHOE THAT WAS NOT SEPARATED WAS IN REAONABLE CONDITION MEASURING 7.7MM (OUT OF 10MM). THE TWO REMAINING SEPARATED PADS ARE CHIPPED SHOWING MAJOR DELAMINATION AND MAJOR DEGREDATION. REMAINING PADS & SHOES HAVE BEEN SAVED. BRAKE PADS/SHOES & ROTORS WERE REPLACED BY IRA AUDI 97 ANDOVER STREET DANVERS, MA 978-739-8806 THIS APPEARS TO BE A CATASTROPHIC PRODUCT FAILURE ONCE THE PAD LETS LOOSE COMPLETELY. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE: ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE, I WAS HEARING A THUNK SOUND WHEN THE CAR WOULD CHANGE FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD MOTION. THIS OCCURED ONLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING OVERNIGHT.

NHTSA ID

10130075

Incident

Jul 25, 2005

Mileage

33,000 mi

12/2004, PURCHASED CERTIFIED 2001 AUDI A4 FROM BEECHMONT AUDI IN CINCINNATI, OHIO. CAR HAD A COMPREHENSIVE 300+ POINT INSPECTION PERFORMED BY AUDI AS PER PAPERWORK. 5/20/2001, VEHICLE TAKEN TO BLUEGRASS AUDI IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY FOR A BRAKE ASSIST PROBLEM. SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO BRINING THE VEHICLE IN, I WAS IN REVERSE LEAVING MY GARAGE WHEN I FOUND THAT I NEEDED TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO SLOW AND STOP THE VEHICLE. I NOTICED WHEN I DROVE FORWARD THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. I TRIED BACKING UP AGAIN AND FOUND THE BRAKING TO BE NORMAL. LATER THAT AFTERNOON I WAS GOING TO LUNCH AND WHEN I BACKED UP THE VEHICLE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BRAKE ASSIST AGAIN AND I HAD TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH MAXIMUM FORCE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL AUDI DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE CAR NEEDED A BRAKE FLUSH. THEY PERFORMED THE BRAKE FLUSH, BUT THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE BACK TO AUDI SEVERAL DAYS LATER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM WITH A GROMMET THAT CONNECTS TWO VACUUM HOSES AT THE BULKHEAD. THEY ADDED A CLAMP TO STOP THE AIR FROM ESCAPING THE SYSTEM, BUT THE NEXT DAY IT PROVED NOT TO WORK. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE WITHIN AUDI LIMITS. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE GROMMET. AFTER THE ITEM WAS REPLACED, IT STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS OF 7/4/2005. IN SUMMARY, THE VEHICLE HAS A BRAKE ASSIST PROBLEM IN REVERSE AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IN MY UN-SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, THE BRAKE ASSIST FAILS IF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING AND NOT RUNNING FOR LESS THAN 2-3 HOURS. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE BRAKES OPERATE, BUT MAXIMUM BRAKE PRESSURE IS REQUIRED TO STOP THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE PRESSURE BUILDS UP. THIS COULD BE AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD PASS THIS INFORMATION ALONG JUST IN CASE THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10127401

Incident

May 16, 2005

Mileage

68,500 mi

I'D LIKE TO FILE A COMPLANT FOR A FAULTY VEHICLE COMPONENT ON MY 2001 AUDI A4 (MILEAGE: 30,000 MILES). THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ARE COMING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. I'VE BEEN READING A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET (THAT'S HOW I FOUND THIS SITE). DEALER SAYS THERE'S A "FAULT CODE IN THE ABS CONTROL MODULE"...AND WANTS $1500 (!) TO REPAIR IT. THE ABS UNIT SHOULD NOT BE FAILING AS FREQUENTLY AS IT SEEMS TO BE IN THIS CAR. FOR A $1500 COMPONENT TO MALFUNCTION WHEN IT'S RARELY ACTUATED IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION. THE TSB SHOULD FORCE AUDI TO PERFORM A RECALL AND/OR COMPENSATE CUSTOMERS FOR THIS OUTRAGEOUS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10120019

Incident

May 4, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi

'01 A4 2.8: (1) DIGITAL DISPLAY IS BLURRY AND CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THE COMPUTER IS DISPLAYING, (2) INTERNAL OIL SEALS HAVE BECOME DEFECTIVE CAUSING A FOUL BURNT-OIL SMELL WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, (3) TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS VERY HARD AND ROUGH, (4) VERY POOR DESIGN BY THE ENGINEERS TO PLACE A CUPHOLDER DIRECTLY OVER THE STEREO AND HEATER INSTRUMENTATION WHICH HAVE CAUSED MY BUTTONS TO STICK. HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO VARIOUS DEALERSHIPS AND SHOPS AND TECHNICIANS HAVE STATED THAT THE SEALS ARE OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AND SO IS THE DISPLAY PANEL WITH HAS SOME SOFTWARE OR LCD PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10118419

Incident

Mar 24, 2005

Mileage

65,000 mi

WHILE BRAKING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT/REAR BRAKE PADS FELL OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10113350

Incident

Dec 15, 2004

Mileage

62,300 mi

FRONT BRAKE PADS SEPARATED FROM THEIR BACKING PLATES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10105642

Incident

Dec 21, 2004

Mileage

82,789 mi

FAILURE OF ABS CONTROLLER IN 2001 AUDI A4 1.8T. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT ENGINE HEAT MELTS SOLDERING IN UNIT. $1,300 ESTIMATED REPAIR ($1,000 FOR PART ALONE). INTERMITTENT FAILURE LIGHT AND BEEP WHEN DRIVING, ABS NOT ACTIVE WHEN LIGHT IS BLINKING. I'VE READ ON AUDI WEBSITES THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE THAT AUDI OF AMERICA REFUSES TO TAKE STEPS TO RECTIFY EITHER MONETARILY OR THROUGH REDESIGN OF THE CONTROLLER TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10104772

Incident

Dec 28, 2004

Mileage

69,000 mi

THE BRAKE SQUEALS 90% OF THE TIME BEING APPLIED, IT HAPPENED SINCE A FEW MONTHS AGO. BROUGHT TO A LOCAL DEALER A FEW TIMES FOR THE PROBLEM AND REPORTED WITH "CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM" AND "NOISE IS NORMAL FOR SOME BRAKES", WHILE THE PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE AND NOW THE BRAKE IS MAKING THE SQUEALING NOISE EVEN AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE AND LAST FOR ONE OR TWO SECONDS - IT HAPPENED ESPECIALLY AFTER THE FOOT BRAKE WAS APPLIED FOR MORE THAN 15 SECONDS AND THEN BEEN RELEASED (E.G. AFTER WAITING AT A RED LIGHT).*AK

NHTSA ID

10054467

Incident

Jul 1, 2003

Mileage

35,000 mi

ABS IS BROKEN WITHOUT ANY REASON.T'S ONLY 2 YEARS OLD BUT 67000 MILES. AUDI A4 1.8T 2001 MODEL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037388

Incident

Aug 8, 2003

Mileage

56,000 mi

INTERMITTENT AND ONGOING PROBLEM WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR. HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10038097

Incident

Sep 3, 2003

IN SEARCHING FOR COMPLAINTS FILED FOR 2001 AUDI A4'S I NOTICED A NUMBER RELATED TO VERY POOR BRAKING IN WET WEATHER. I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2001 A4. AUDI DOES HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE ROTOR BACKING PLATES MUST BE REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN. WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AND MENTIONED THE PROBLEM NO ONE IN THE DEALERSHIP WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM. A FACTORY REP. WAS VISITING THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM. HE ORDERED NEW BACKING PLATES WHICH, I AM TOLD, CAN ONLY BE ORDERED BY A FACTORY REP. IT TOOK 3 MONTHS FOR THE PARTS TO REACH THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVEN'T HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE THE NEW BACKING PLATES WERE INSTALLED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028755

Incident

Jun 28, 2002

Mileage

20,000 mi

INTERMITENT COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES THE WEEK OF 6/27/03. DEALER CAN NOT REPLICATE PROBLEM AND IS MAKING ME TAKE CAR OUT OF SERVICE AREA. THE DEALER ADMITS THEY WOULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023925

Incident

Jun 27, 2003

Mileage

42,000 mi