1998 Audi A6 Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI A6. WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000. UPDATED 5/7/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED ONE MONTH PRIOR, WHILE TURNING OFF A ROAD, THE VEHICLE DROPPED TO 25 MPH, THERE WAS LOSS OF BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO CONTROL. UPDATED 05/30/10

NHTSA ID

10451930

Incident

Mar 12, 2012

Mileage

150,000 mi

CONTROL ARMS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY CAUSING WORN TIRES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10159910

Incident

Mar 15, 2006

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

IN FEB. 2005 A LOCAL AUDI DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE AND THE CONTROL ARM ON ONE SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. 2 MONTHS LATER (<2,400 MILES) WYOMING VALLEY MOTORS INFORMED ME THAT THE CONTOL ARM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I QUESTIONED WHY IT WAS NOT COVERED DUE TO THE RECENT RECALL AND THEY INFORMED ME IT WAS OUT OF THE RECALL PERIOD. I ASKED THEM WHY THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONTROL ARM WAS NOT CHECKED IN FEB. AND THE SERVICE REP INFORMED ME THAT THEY INDEED CHECKED IT. IT WAS NOT COMMUNICATED VERBALLY TO ME NOR WAS IT DOCUMENTED ON MY USUALLY DETAILED SERVICE INVOICE. I ASKED SERVICE REP THAT MY ONLY OPTION IS TO ASSUME THAT THEY CHECKED IT SINCE IT WAS NOT DOCUMENT. HE STATED THAT IS CORRECT. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND AM STILL WAITING FOR A REPLY. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HANLE A PROBLEM OF THIS NATURE. IF NOT, ANY DIRECTION IN WHOM I NEED TO CONTACT REGRDING THIS FRUSTRATING ISSUE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10120252

Incident

Apr 28, 2005

WHILE HAVING THE FRONT TIRES REPLACED, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT BOTH UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE CRACKED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10092310

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

Mileage

88,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10094234

Incident

May 20, 2004

LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM BOLTS BROKE FREE FROM SUBFRAME, DAMAGING BOTH FRONT AXLES, BENDING SUBFRAME AND FLATTENING THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. I WAS FORTUNATE TO GET THE VEHICLE FROM THE TRAVEL LANE WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR PART AND SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062655

Incident

Mar 10, 2004

Mileage

73,000 mi

I REPLACED A RIGHT FRONT TIE-ROD IN 7/03 AND WAS JUST TOLD MY LEFT FRONT TIE-ROD ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED AUDI AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY SPECIFIC MODEL, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR OTHER 1998 AUDI A6 MODELS. CHECKING THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL AUDI HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10060079

Incident

Feb 28, 2004

Mileage

81,000 mi

WHEN VEHICLE REACHED 30,000 MILES CONTROL ARMS DRIED OUT AND CREATED AN ANNOYING SOUND. A BLACK RUBBER COMPOUND WAS ADDED TO ELEVIATE THE PROBLEM; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10046624

Mileage

30,000 mi

PREMATURE FAILURE OF CONTROL ARMS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041617

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

1998 AUDI A6 QUATTRO.BOTH FRONT TRACK ARMS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 67000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS UNDRIVEABLE. DEALER SAID CAUSE WAS WEAR AND TEAR. I DON'T THINK THAT A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE SUSPENSION SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT THIS MILEAGE. DEALER ALSO SAID THAT THEY HAD MORE THAN A FEW CASES ON THE SAME VEHICLE WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE.

NHTSA ID

10020615

Incident

May 16, 2003

Mileage

67,000 mi