RoadVitals

1998 Audi A6 Steering Problems

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

Data refreshed

Steering 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.
13
Latest Jun 9, 2006
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.
10%
of 130 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Audi A6 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 steering

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

Steering
Filed Jun 9, 2006

TIE RODS IN THE STEERING SYSTEMS ARE DAMAGED. AUDI CLAIMS THEY HAD A RECALL ON THESE RODS AND THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE CAR HAD THE SERVICE COMPLETED BACK IN 2000. YET, I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS NOW IN 2006. I WONDER IF THE FIX AUDI IMPLEMENTED IS REALLY EFFECTIVE OR NOT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10159422
Incident
May 26, 2006
Mileage
85,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Oct 5, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI. THE CONTACT NOTICED NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION, PLAY STEERING, LOOSENESS IN STEERING, TIRE WEAR, AND RECALL ON LOWER CONTROL ARM. DURING THAT RECALL REALIZED ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC, WHERE HE WAS TOLD THAT THE TIE ROD ENDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS ALL RELATED .HE TOLD CONSUMER THAT A RECALL WAS ON THE TIE ROD END. AUDI CLAIMED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS THEY REFERRED HIM TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AUDI WOULD NOT DO THE REPAIRS. NO CRASHES. NO POLICE REPORT. NO CRASHES. NO INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10138747
Incident
Jan 30, 2005
AirbagsSteering
Filed Jul 26, 2005

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON AFTER THE ENGINE STARTED - DIAGNOSTICS CONDUCTED AT A AUDI DEALERSHIP. CUSTOMER INFORMED BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE AIRBAG UNIT IS FAULTY AND WHOLE UNIT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED (COST QUOSTED $800) - ALSO INFORMED "NEED" LEFT TIE ROD END (PREVIOUS SIMILAR COMPLAINT REGARDING TIE ROD ON NHTSA WEB SITE)

NHTSA ID
10130112
Incident
Jul 24, 2005
Mileage
79,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 9, 2005

AFTER RECALL 99V248000 CONCERNING TIE ROD FAILURE. AFTER RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE THE PROBLEM RECURRED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WOULD NOT REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
10111236
Incident
Nov 8, 2004
Mileage
90,000 mi
BrakesSteering
Filed Sep 27, 2003

COMPLAINT 1) HEATED STEERING WHEEL WOULD BURN HANDS IN SELECTED LOCATIOS BEFORE TURNING OFF. DEALER INDICATED TO ME THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS AND IF I WANTED IT FIXED WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW STEERING WHEEL AS MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED BY AUDI WITH REPLACEMENT. COMPLAINT 2) REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED THREE TIMES ON CAR WITH 50,000 MILES. THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE AS FRONT BRAKES TAKE MOST OF WEAR. AT MY LAST REPAIR ON 9/22/03, IT COST ME $418 DOLLARS TO REPLACE REAR PADS AND ROTORS. IT APPEARS SOMETHING MAY BE OF BAD DESIGN WITH REPLACEMENT 3 TIMES IN 50,000 MILES FOR REAR BRAKES. FRONT REPLACED ONLY ONCE AND NOT DUE TO WEAR, BUT HEAT SPOTTING CREATING NOISE.

NHTSA ID
10039635
Incident
Sep 22, 2003
Mileage
12,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 25, 2003

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL WOULD HEAT UP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD GET TOO HOT ON HIS HANDS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE STEERING WHEEL HAD GOTTEN EXTREMELY HOT EVERY TIME THE IGNITION WAS TURNED. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10024575
Incident
Nov 14, 2002
Mileage
71,552 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 24, 2003
1 injury reported

THE HEATED STEERING WHEEL HAD MELTED, AND THE CONSUMER'S CHILD WAS BURNED. *JB THE DEALER REPLACED THE PART. *SCC

NHTSA ID
10009119
Incident
Feb 23, 2003
Mileage
50,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 5, 2003

TIE RODS ARE LOOSE AND WORN OUT, ALLOWING DUST TO ENTER INTO MECHANISM. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.

NHTSA ID
10005341
Incident
Oct 16, 2002
Mileage
61,000 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 13, 2001

TIE RODS ARE LOOSE AND WORN OUT, ALLOWING DUST TO ENTER INTO MECHANISM. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK

NHTSA ID
885839
Steering
Filed Mar 20, 2000
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING 55MPH STEERING WHEEL HEAT SENSORS CAUGHT ON FIRE. FLAMES SHOT OUT TOWARDS DRIVER'S FACE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. THE FLAMES WERE EXTINGUISHED BY DRIVER'S HANDS. MANAGED TO PULL VEHICLE OVER. CONTACTED AUDI DEALERSHIP. TURNED HEAT SENSORS OFF ON STEERING WHEEL. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REPLACED STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT THE HEAT SENSORS. *AK

NHTSA ID
858809
Steering
Filed Jan 28, 2000

RECALL 99V248000, NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE RECALL PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
855707
Fuel systemSteering
Filed Jan 24, 2000

WHEN CONSUMER FILLS UP THE FUEL TANK, FUEL GAUGE WON'T INDICATE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL. ALSO, VEHICLE HA S HAD ALREADY TWO RECALLS ON THE TIE RODS. *AK

NHTSA ID
855508
Incident
Jan 24, 2000
BrakesSteering
Filed Dec 1, 1999

MANUFACTURER'S RECALL # KU BRAKE BOOSTER AND NHTSA RECALL( 99V248000),TIE RODS. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER ON OCTOBER 12TH. DEALER HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE FOR BRAKE BOOSTER AND TIE ROD RECALLS. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS TO DEALER'S MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT TO SCHEDULE SERVICE, CONSUMER COULD NOT BE TOLD WHEN PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN IN TEMPERATURES MENTIONED IN RECALL. *AK *YC

NHTSA ID
853544
Incident
Oct 12, 1999

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 .