RoadVitals

1996 Audi Quattro

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
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Latest Mar 6, 2007
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 Audi Quattro, most frequently naming the electrical, driver assistance and brakes categories. 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical225.0%
  • Driver assistance112.5%
  • Brakes112.5%
  • Powertrain (other)112.5%
  • Steering112.5%
  • Tires & wheels112.5%
  • Exterior lighting112.5%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Mar 6, 2007

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI QUATTRO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THE DASHBOARD WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS FADED ON AND OFF AND OCCASIONALLY REMAINED ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION THE RADIO SHUT OFF AND IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO PLAY. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING NOISE WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THIS FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE DONE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON AN ICY ROAD THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING AFTER THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.*AK

NHTSA ID
10184346
Incident
Jan 1, 2007
Mileage
106,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Nov 2, 2005

TIRE FAILURE: BROKEN BELTS ON ALL FOUR TIRES. HAKKAPELIITTA-1 195/65R15. *NM

NHTSA ID
10141493
Incident
Feb 1, 2005
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 28, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THEN CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT BROKE ON DRIVER'S SIDE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10080017
Incident
Feb 18, 2003
Mileage
170,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 1, 2001
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH VARIOUS DASHBOARD INDICATORS, THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE STOPPED FUNCTIONING, FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL OPERATION, UPON REACHING HIS DESTINATION, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE HIS KEY FROM THE IGNITION, CONSUMER THEN NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE START POSITION, BUT WOULD STALL AS SOON AS HE RELEASED THE IGNITION FROM THE START POSITIION, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THE NECESSARY REPAIRS WERE MADE, HOWEVER TWO WEEKS LATER, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSIVE NOISE, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY FIRE AND VEHICLE WAS ULTIMATELY DESTROYED, THEN ONE MONTH LATER CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)*JB

NHTSA ID
563532
Incident
Jun 6, 2001
Steering
Filed Nov 21, 2000

IN PARKING LOT AT SLOW SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A SNAP AND STEERING WENT OUT. CONTACTED DEALER, OUT OF WARRANTY. (RACK/PINION) PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
875339
Incident
Nov 19, 2000
Brakes
Filed Aug 25, 1998

BRAKES SQUEAK AND LOTS OF BRAKE DUST.

NHTSA ID
540327

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB-44-08-14

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

AUDI: WHEEL BOLTS REQUIRE TORQUE ADJUSTMENT. TORQUE STICKS AND TORQUE EXTENSION BARS ARE NOT APPROVED BY AUDI OF AMERICA, INC. AND SHOULD NOT BE USED TO APPLY TORQUE TO WHEEL BOLTS. ALL AUDI MODELS INCLUDED. *PE

20056243

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHT AIMING, USING HELLA UNIVERSAL BEAMSETTER. *KB

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Audi Quattro by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2009100—
2003300—
2002120137.6
2001110138.4
2000700—
1999210038.0
1998900—
1997110033.8
1996Viewing600—
1995100—
1994100—
1993300—
1991600—
1990520—
1989010—
1988010—
1987112—
1986012—
1985012—
1984010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.