1999 Audi Quattro Owner Complaints

I HAVE A 1999 AUDI A4 QUATRO. I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR JUST OVER 3 YEARS AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH 5 TIMES. THE SWITCH IS POORLY DESIGNED. ELECTRICAL HEAT MELTS A PLASTIC PART IN THE SWITCH CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND THE HEADLIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. THIS IS A DANGER DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF FIRE AND ALSO THE LOSS OF LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON THE WEB AND I AM NOT THE ONLY AUDI OWNER WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10258597

Incident

Feb 10, 2009

I HAVE AN 99 AUDI A6 QUATTRO AND MY ABS MODULE IS BAD NOW I HAVE BEEN READING ON ALOT OF FORUMS THAT EVERYONE AT ONE TIME IS HAVING TO REPLACE IT, IF TRUE WOULDN'T THE DEALER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING FAULTY MODULES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174636

Incident

Nov 1, 2006

Mileage

74,000 mi

1999 AUDI A4 QUATTRO ABS LIGHT /BRAKE LIGHT. ABS LIGHT PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP (NORMALLY) THE ABS UNIT WOULD JUMP IN AND ACT AS IF I WAS SKIDDING, WHEN OBVIOUSLY I WASN'T. AT THIS POINT ABS LIGHT WAS NOT ON. AFTER ABOUT A MONTH OF THIS FUNNY ABS ACTUATION MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, THE ABS LIGHT DECIDED TO COME ON AND STAY ON ALONG WITH A BLINKING BRAKE LIGHT AND BEEPING. AT TIMES IT WOULD SHUT OFF, BUT WOULD COME BACK ON AT SOME POINT DURING THAT DAY. I HAD THE SPEED SENSOR REPLACED, BUT TO NO AVAIL. NOW IT ALWAYS BLINKS WHEN RUNNING.DIAGNOSTICS SHOW NO PROBLEM. THERE SEEMS TO BE TOO MANY POSTINGS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAID THEY COULD REPAIR IT AT A COST OF APPROX. $1600.00 . DEALER SAID EVEN THOUGH IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. I HAVE NOT HAD THE WORK DONE YET BECAUSE OF THE COST. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171735

Incident

Aug 25, 2006

Mileage

80,000 mi

I WAS PULLING MY AUDI QUATRO A6 (1999 MODEL) INTO A PARKING SPACE AT MY LOCAL BARNES & NOBLE LOCATED ON RICHMOND AVENUE IN STATEN ISLAND, NY. I WAS PULLING IN VERY SLOWLY INTO A HANDICAPPED SPACE WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR ACCELERATED TO WHAT FELT LIKE 60 MPH. MY FOOT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL IT JUMPED OVER THE CONCRETE BARRIER AND CRASHED INTO THE WALL. EVEN THEN, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING. THE WITNESS (A STORE EMPLOYEE) WAS FLABERGHASTED. SHE CAME OVER TO ME AND SAID "I JUST WATCHED YOUR CAR GO CRAZY, YOU WERE GOING 5 MILES AN HOUR!" SHE TOLD THE SAME THING TO THE POLICE WHO TOOK THE REPORT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS SHAKEN TO THE CORE. I COULD'VE HIT SOMEONE, OR GOTTEN HURT. I BOUGHT THIS CAR 2.5 YEARS AGO (PRE-OWNED) AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT NOW I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT. WHEN I CAME HOME AND DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THAT IS HOW I CAME ACROSS YOUR NAME AND INFORMATION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS A FORM I NEED TO FILL OUT, OR A STATEMENT I NEED TO SIGN. I AM WILLING TO MAIL YOU MY POLICE STATEMENT AND MORE INFORMATION IF YOU NEED IT. I HOPE THAT MY EXPERIENCE CAN HELP PREVENT FUTURE, SIMILAR ACCIDENTS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10151798

Incident

Feb 22, 2006

THE ABS BRAKE MODULE ON MY CAR GAVE OUT AND HAS LED TO VERY POOR BRAKING, ALMOST CAUSING 2 ACCIDENTS. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT PROBLEM IN THE 1999 AUDI A4 (I FOUND THIS AT HTTP://AUTOS.MSN.COM/RESEARCH/VIP/RELIABILITY.ASPX?YEAR=1999&MAKE=AUDI&MODEL=A4: "AN OCCASIONAL PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE IS FAILURE OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE (ABS) CONTROL MODULE. FAILURE OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE MAY RESULT IN ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATION. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IS ESTIMATED AT $2,228.00)"). *JB

NHTSA ID

10135773

Incident

Sep 6, 2005

Mileage

69,995 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITANTLY. EGV VALVE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 50 K MILES ON IT. COST: $ 1500. NO CAR SHOULD NEED AN EGV (EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE) REPLACED AFTER ONLY 50 K MILES. AUDI WILL NOT COVER COST OF REPLACEMENT!

NHTSA ID

10121887

Incident

May 20, 2005

Mileage

50,150 mi

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WITH FUEL SENDING UNIT. EXPERIENCED 7 RECALLS SINCE THE PURCHASED OF 1999 AUDI QUATTRO. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED PERIODICALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD START, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS AND IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP ON CERTAIN ENGINE PARTS. THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS FINALLY RECALLED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10109732

Incident

Jan 3, 2005

CONTROL ARMS FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION FAIL FREQUENTLY. ON 2/29/04 A CONTROL ARM BROKE WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE REPLACED 7 SO FAR, WITH 2 MORE NEEDING TO BE DONE. SOME ARE ON THE SECOND TIME IN THE 1.5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THERE WERE 4 OTHER SAME MODEL CARS IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME THING THAT DAY. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS DANGEROUS AND IS KNOWN BY AUDI, OR SHOULD BE KNOWN BY THEM. AT TIMES, YOU CAN'T GET THE PART BECAUSE THEY FAIL SO FREQUENTLY. MY SHOP RECOMMENDED FILING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND HE SEES IT EVERY DAY. AT $200 A CONTROL ARM, IT GETS VERY EXPENSIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10060535

Incident

Feb 29, 2004

Mileage

134,000 mi

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIE ROD. THE IS A RECALL ON THAT PART FOR THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. *PH

NHTSA ID

10048392

Incident

Nov 17, 2003

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITENTLY. IT WILL COME ON, BEEP 3 TIMES, AND THEN FLASH FOR A WHILE. IT WILL STAY ON FOR SOME TIME, AND THEN TURN OFF. THIS PROBLEM HAS NO RELATIONSHIP TO WHEN I'M MOVING OR STOPPED. THE ABS LIGHT MAY TURN ON OR OFF AN AN TIME. AND WHEN I TRY TO CONNECT WITH THE HANDHELD DIAGNOSITC SYSTEM, IT FAILS TO CONNECT AND GIVE AN ERROR CODE. OCCASIONALLY WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME OBSURE ERROR MESSAGES ABOUT A DASH CONNECTOR FAILURE, BUT USUSLY WE CANNOT CONNECT WITH THE HANDHELD UNIT, OR PC. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE BRAKE SHOULD STILL WORK, BUT THAT THE BACK BREAKS MAY LOCKUP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10045701

Incident

Sep 1, 2003

Mileage

95,000 mi

THE HEATED STEERING WHEEL FAILED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10013689

Incident

Dec 10, 2002

Mileage

37,000 mi

LEAKING CAM TENSIONER GASKETS. OTHER 1999 AUDI OWNERS REPORTING SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE STATED THEY HAVE HAD THESE GASKETS REPLACES MORE THAN ONCE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10013688

Incident

Mar 12, 2003

Mileage

39,000 mi

1999 AUDI A6 QUATTRO FRONT BUMPER CATCHES ON ALL PARKING CEMENT BARRIERS. RIPS OFF WHEN BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE. ONE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL ONE BACKS OUT. CAR PULLS IN WITHOUT SCRAPING OR NOISE TO INDICATE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10013687

Incident

Oct 28, 2000

Mileage

10,000 mi

FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED- BOTH FRONT WHEELS - AT 51,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010149

Incident

Mar 5, 2003

Mileage

51,000 mi

BATTERY EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE. ON 23 MARCH, 2002 WHILE STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY EXPLODED AGAIN.*AK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. FAULTY COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. BELT NOISE AT STARTUP. OIL LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. ROUGH IDLE. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON. BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. HIGH PITCH NOISE FROM STEERING. POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING. POWER STEERING GEAR AND RACK AND LOOSE HOSE REPLACED. POWER WINDOWS WORKS ERRATICALLY. TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE. POOR CONNECTION FOUND. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FADES OUT AS VEHICLE WARMS UP. FOUND DEFECTIVE CLUSTER AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WASHER JUG BROKEN AND WASHER LIGHT STAYS ON. DEFECTIVE LEAKING PUMP REPLACED. EXCESSIVE HUMMING NOISE. REPLACED DEFECTIVE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. ALL WHEEL DRIVE FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED. COOLANT LEAKING. REPLACED COOLANT . *TT

NHTSA ID

8009343

Incident

Mar 23, 2000

IDENTIFIED BUBBLE IN OUTER SIDEWALL, BEGINNING AT TREAD TO MID-SIDEWALL; SEPARATION ON RIGHT FRONT TIRE'S OUTER SURFACE OF AUDI A6Q. GOODYEAR DEALER CONFIRMED SIDEWALL SEPARATION AND NEED TO REPLACE IMMEDIATELY OR RISK CATASTROPHIC BLOW-OUT. DEALER BLAMED SOFT SIDEWALLS AS BEING "POT HOLE SUSCEPTIBLE". BUT NO DAMAGE TO INSIDE OF TIRE SURFACE! HAVE READ MANY OTHER REPORTS ON THIS TIRE SIZE REPORTING BUBBLES OR CATASTROPHIC FAILURES.*AK (DOT NUMBER: M60FBEDR34 TIRESIZE: 205/55R16)

NHTSA ID

747674

Incident

Jun 26, 2001

FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

556822

CAR WON'T START. PROBLEM RELATED TO QUICK START TO MOVE VEHICLE ON PREVIOUS START. *AK

NHTSA ID

717711

Incident

Jan 3, 2000

FLOATER IN GAS TANK DO NOT NOTIFY GAS GAUGE OF CURRENT FUEL LEVEL IN THE TANK WHICH COULD RESULT IN CONSUMER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. NLM

NHTSA ID

550385

Incident

Dec 12, 1999

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ACTION FOR INCOVINENCE. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

716470

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

THE HAND BRAKE, IF ENGAGED IN THE FIRST OR SECOND NOTCH, FAILS ABOUT THREE HOURS AFTER HAVING SUCESSFULLY IMMOBILIZED THE CAR. ON A STANDARD DRIVEWAY, THE CAR ROLLS BACK THE LENGTH OF THE DRIVE WAY AND GATHERS ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GO ABOUT 6-9 FEET BEYOND THE CURB. THIS COULD HAVE FATAL CONSEQUENCES. *AK

NHTSA ID

708116

Incident

Jun 27, 1999