1998 Audi Quattro Owner Complaints

BULLETIN DATE: OCT 2005 THE WARRANTY IS EXTENDED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES TO 168,000 KM (105,000 MILES), REGARDLESS OF TIME IN SERVICE, FOR ENGINE DAMAGE RESULTING FROM A BROKEN TIMING BELT. ( NHTSA ITEM NUMBER - 10016506 THIS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE BEFORE THIS BULLETIN CAME OUT. AND I WENT TO AUDI TO ASK THEM ABOUT IT AND IT IS ONLY TO SUBJECT VEHICLES. HOW THEY CAN SUBJECT TO ONLY A CERTAIN TIME IT WAS MADE WHEN IT SAYS 1998 AUDI A-4 QUATTRO 2.8 V-6. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172287

Incident

Jun 8, 2005

Mileage

91,200 mi

I PURCHASED AN AUDI A4 1.8T QUATTRO USED WITH 49,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND BEGAN TO NOTICE THE ABS LIGHT ALONG WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT START TO FLICKER OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING AT THE 70,000 MILE RANGE. WITHIN A MONTH OF THE FIRST SIGN OF FAILURE IT WOULD COME ON EARLIER (IN RELATION TO ENGINE START UP) AND MORE OFTEN UP TO THE POINT OF IT FLASHING CONSTANTLY UPON ENGINE START UP. AS A RESULT OF THIS I REALIZED THAT MY CAR'S ABS SYSTEM IS BASICALLY DISABLED AS I NO LONGER FEEL THE BRAKES PULSING DURING RAINY AND WET CONDITION TESTING . I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS I HAVE BECOME SOMEWHAT ACCUSTOMED TO BRAKING WITH THE SYSTEM UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THE SYSTEM REQUIRES THE USER TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES FIRMLY AND EVENLY AND TO ALSO NOT LET OFF OR PUMP THE BRAKES AS DOING SO WILL NOT LET THE ABS. TO PERFORM AS DESIGNED. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DEFECT ALLOWS THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND THEORETICALLY PUT THE OPERATOR IN DANGER DURING A PANIC STOP SITUATION. I HAVE FILED AN INQUIRY WITH AUDI OF AMERICA AND AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A REPLY OR MAYBE EVEN A SOLUTION TO RECTIFY THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WITH LITTLE OR NO COST TO ME AS I FEEL IT MAY RESULT FROM A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH A SPECIFIC PART. (BOSCH A.B.S. MODULE 5.3) I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO TECHNICAL BULLETINS OR RECALL CAMPAIGNS ADDRESSING THIS PARTICULAR PART AND WAS QUOTED A $1,000.00 CHARGE JUST TO PURCHASE THE REPLACEMENT MODULE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153960

Incident

Jun 20, 2005

Mileage

89,000 mi

I PURCHASED MY 1998 AUDI A4 1.8T AWD VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2004 WITH 91,000. THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED IN MAY OF 2004. THE CAR HAS HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES UNTIL JULY 11, 2005. ON THIS DATE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ONCE. I CHECKED THE ABS MODULE FOR DTC CODES AND IT DISPLAYED A CODE TO DO WITH AN INTERMITANT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. ABS WILL NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. WITH THE MODULE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING, THE ABS PUMP MAY MALFUNCTION CAUSING OVERHEATING AND/OR LOCKING UP OF BRAKES ON INDIVIDUAL WHEELS. THIS MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE AS THE REAR WHEELS MAY LOCK UP MORE EASILY UNDER HARD BRAKING AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SPIN WHILE BRAKING AROUND A CORNER. THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT REGULAR MAINTENANCE INTERVALS AT THE AUDI DEALERSHIP BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND BY MYSELF FOR THE YEAR AND THREE MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT. ALL OTHER RECALLS (LOWER CONTROL ARM INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT OF TIE ROD ENDS) ON THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN ATTENDED TO BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND BY MYSELF SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT.

NHTSA ID

10128843

Incident

Jul 15, 2005

Mileage

108,700 mi

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING ENGINE STICKING AT A SPEED SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. (NAR) *LA DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *CB

NHTSA ID

10059436

Incident

Jan 16, 2003

Mileage

65,853 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND DECELERATING FOR A RED SIGNAL, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP COMPLETELY WITH THE ENGINE ON. THE CAR PROVED UNCONTROLLABLE. THE STEERING WHEEIL BECAME AGAIN OPERATIONAL AFTER I SHUT OFF AND RE-STARTED THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

10040999

Incident

Sep 30, 2003

Mileage

31,240 mi

I HAVE AN AUDI A4 2.8 QUATTRO 1998 MODEL. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR ICLUDING A NEAR FIRE EXPLOSION 1 YEAR AGO.THE OTHER DAY AS I WAS DRIVING MY SON HOME FROM SCHOOL TRAVELING AT 55 MPH THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND I HAD TO MANUELY STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR STARTED STARTED TO SMELL LIKE SMOKE AGAIN .I TOOK MY CHILD FROM THE CAR AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AAA. THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BLOWN VALVES TO THE COST OF 3,000$.I HAVE ONLY 60,000 MILES ON THIS CAR AND HAVE TREATED IT WITH KIT GLOVES.IT HAS HAD ALL THE MAINTENANCE YOU CAN GIVE.SO HOW CAN A 35,000$ CAR ALMOST INJURE YOU AND THEN FALL APART AT 60,000 MILES CAN YOU REFER MR TO THE APPROPIATE CHANNELS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS DEATH TRAP.

NHTSA ID

10039424

Incident

Sep 20, 2003

Mileage

60,000 mi

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM ALLDATA #99V248000, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO GET THE REPLACEMENT AND THEY TOLD ME THE CAR IS NOT COVERED, HOWEVER I DO NEED TIE RODS. BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE FAILURE I FEEL AUDI SHOULD COVER MY CAR, AS THIS IS AN OUT OF THE ORDINARY REPLACEMENT FOR THE MILES ON THE CAR AND OTHER CARS HAVE NEEDED THE SAME THING. IS MY CAR NOT COVERED? HOW COME AUDI SAYS ONE THING AND ALLDATA AND NHTSA SAY SOMETHING ELSE. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE? WHO DO I CONTACT? COULD I GET IN AN ACCIDENT IF I DON'T FIX THESE IMMEDIATELY?*AK

NHTSA ID

752078

THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT LOWER PANEL IS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND THAT WHEN A PERSON PULLS UP TO A CURB THE PANEL LOCKS OVER THE CURB AND PULLS AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR RESULTING IN THE LOWER PANEL HANGING OFF THE CAR, ON ONE OCCASION THE PANEL WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE PREVENTING THE TIRE FROM TURNING. NLM

NHTSA ID

553841

DURING BRAKING IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE BRAKES DO NOT SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE UNTIL SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THIS CONDITION ONLY OCCURS WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE ROADS ARE WET. WHEN THE ROADS ARE DRY AND NO RAIN IS FALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID

721598

Incident

Apr 17, 2000