Audi A4 Complaints (1998)

258 consumer complaints on file.

#722932May 20, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
IN WET CONDITIONS (RAIN OR SLUSH), BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO RESPOND FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, THEN GRAB NORMALLY. BEEN THIS WAY SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY OF CAR. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WET WEATHER BRAKING FORCE REDUCTION. MORE LIKE NO BRAKES AT ALL FOR A FEW SECONDS. I BELIEVE THE BRAKES ARE GETTING WET INTERNALLY DUE TO LACK OF PROPER SHIELDS, BUT DRY THEMSELVES OFF AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF APPLICATION, WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN THE SEVERAL SECOND DELAY FOLLOWED BY NORMAL BRAKING. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED ALL BRAKING SYSTEM COMPONENTS TWICE FOR ME AND FOUND NOTHING UNUSUAL. LOTS OF OTHER AUDI A4 OWNERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. NO OTHER CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED OR DRIVEN HAS BEHAVED LIKE THIS IN WET WEATHER. ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE BRAKING DELAY IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, PATICULARLY SINCE IT IS INTERMITTENT. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR WILL DECIDE NOT TO STOP WHEN YOU NEED IT TO! THE ONLY WAY I HAVE FOUND TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM IS TO APPLY THE BRAKES EVERY TEN OR FIFTEEN SECONDS TO K EEP THEM DRY. BUT THAT, TOO, IS DANGEROUS, SINCE FOLLOWING TRAFFIC GOES BANANAS SEEING MY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON ALL THE TIME FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO AUDI OF AMERICA, WHICH CLAIMS THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT HAD OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT. THEY ARE LYING, BECAUSE I KNOW OTHER A4 DRIVERS WHO HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED BITTERLY TO AUDI OF AMERICA AND THEIR DEALERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US! *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721971April 26, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
EVERY TIME IT RAINS IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO BRAKE THE CAR, EVEN THOUGHT THE BRAKES WORK PROPERLY IN THE DRY. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM EVER SINCE THE PURCHASE, BUT HAVE DECIDED TO REPORT IT ONLY NOW. THE CAR SEEMS TO ACTUALLY GO FASTER WHEN INITIALLY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND OLY AFTER ABOUT 2 SECONDS IT STARTS TO SHOW SOME SIGN THAT IT IS ACTUALLY BRAKING THE CAR. THIS MAKES THE CAR, WHICH IS BASICALLY NEW, UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721281April 10, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS, THE BRAKES RESPOND VERY DIFFERENTLY THAN WHEN DRY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BRAKES HAVEN'T BEEN APPLIED FOR A WHILE. THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRES MUCH GREATER FORCE TO DECELERATE AT THE DESIRED RATE COMPARED TO WHAT THE OPERATOR EXPECTS BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF DRIVING THE CAR PREVIOUSLY. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE MOST OBVIOUS WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN. I'M GUESSING A LAYER OF WATER BUILDS UP ON THE DISCS OR PADS (OR BOTH), AND WHEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY AND APPLYING THE BRAKES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO BRAKING AT ALL! THE FEW TIMES MY WIFE HAS DRIVEN THE CAR IN THE RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY SHE HAS COMPLAINED LOUDLY TO ME. THE PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO HIGHWAY DRIVING, HOWEVER. EVEN NORMAL DRIVING AROUND TOWN CAN RESULT IN THE FEELING OF SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BRAKING. IF I DRAG THE BRAKES A LITTLE USING MY LEFT FOOT TO KEEP THE DISCS HEATED UP AND CLEAR OF WATER THEN WHEN I NEED THE BRAKES THEY SEEM TO BE FINE. THE PROBLEM NEVER SHOWS UP WHEN IT'S DRY OUTSIDE. THIS IS VERY DISCONCERTING AND MAKES ME AFRAID OF GETTING INTO AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHERE I NEED TO DECCELERATE QUICKLY AND SIMPLY CAN'T DO IT. AS IT IS NOW I HAVE TO PLAN WAY AHEAD KNOWING THAT I MAY NOT HAVE THE BRAKING POWER I THINK I SHOULD HAVE. I HAVE NEVER FELT THIS KIND OF REDUCED BRAKING POWER IN THE RAIN IN ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED OR DRIVEN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#720999April 4, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEED OF 50 MPH OR GREATER IN VERY HEAVY RAIN, THERE IS AN INITIAL DELAY WHILE BRAKING (0.5 SEC-1 SEC) WHEN BRAKES DON'T HAVE AN EFFECT. PUSHED THE PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENED FOR THE INITIAL DELAY. THEN, ABRUPTLY THE CAR BRAKES. ALSO, THERE IS A LACK OF SPLASH SHIELDS ON THE FRONT ROTORS ON THE MODEL YEAR 98 (MODEL YEAR 2000 HAS IT). THE ROTORS HAVE WATER ON THEM AND IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THAT TO BE EVACUATED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#720840March 31, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WEATHER WAS RAINING/SNOWING, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY, THE BRAKES DID NOT SLOW THE CAR AS THEY SHOULD. I PUMPED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR FOR THE EXIT RAMP. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS PRIOR AND SINCE, ALL DURING WET CONDITIONS. ON THE 1/22/00 INCIDENT, I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A SCHEDULED SERVICE COMPLETED AND MENTIONED THE PROBLEM TO THE SERVICE WRITER. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH WET BRAKING IN MY MODEL HOWEVER AUDI HAS NOT AUTHORIZED ANY REPAIRS. HE DID HAVE THE PADS REMOVED AND CLEANED ALONG WITH THE ROTORS. THIS HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#858455March 14, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
NO PARTS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR RECALL # 99V131000/ BRAKE BOOSTER SINCE OCTOBER 1999. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT EVERY 4 WEEKS AS DEALER HAS INSTRUCTED. ALSO, DEALER CLAIMED THAT MANUFACTURER WAS NOT SENDING OUT PARTS FOR RECALL REPAIR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#858351March 13, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 99V131001 CONCERNING THE BRAKE BOOSTER.CONTACTED THE DEALER, NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. RECALL PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719366February 27, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WET BRAKING PERFORMANCE GREATLY DIMINISHED DUE TO WET ROTORS, REQUIRES HIGHER BRAKE EFFORT AND STOPPING TIME/DISTANCE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857428February 23, 2000
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE CONSUMER PARKED IT. BUT, WHEN CONSUMER TRY TO START AND MOVE, VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND TECHNICIAN SAID THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE DRIVESHAFT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550934February 15, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
GAS PEDAL LOWERED AND STUCK TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELAERATE EVEN THOUGH BRAKES WERE APPLIED. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550941February 14, 2000
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WASHER INOPERATIVE CAUSING POOR VISIBILTY WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO GLEAR GLASS OF ROAD SALT WHICH WAS SPRAYED ON VEHICLE BY A PASSING TRUCK. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#9000550February 9, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS SYSTEM FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS. *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#855982February 1, 2000
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
RECALLS 99V248 000/TIE ROD & 99V131 001/BRAKE BOOSTER; BOTH MAMUFACTURER'S RECALLS COULD NOT BE HONORED BECAUSE DEALER HAD NO PARTS. BUT INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE ON OCT 15, 1999. ASKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718107January 31, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
CAR WOULD POP OUT OF FIRST GEAR AT SLOW SPEEDS DURING A TURN. HAD TO FIGHT WITH DEALER & AUDI OF AMERICA FOR 4 MONTHS BEFORE THEY WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OR FIX IT. THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, AND THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER NON-SAFETY PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALER IS SLOW TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND REPAIR. WE SWITCHED DEALERS IN THE DENVER AREA TO MCDONALD AFTER THE PROBLEMS WITH PRESTIGE. MCDONALD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NO BETTER. IF YOU WANT A REPORT/COMPLAINT ON THE ADDITIONAL, NON-SAFETY RELATED PROBLEMS, LET US KNOW. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#854515January 27, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC
RECALL # 99V131000 VW/BRAKE BOOSTER; OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER 1999. OWNER HAS CONTACTED DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO CORRECT RECALL. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT PARTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY 2000. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#717850January 25, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THE WET BRAKING IS HORRIBLE ON THIS CAR. IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, IT TAKES 2 SECONDS FOR THE ROTORS TO DRY OUT. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD CARS WITH 4 WHEEL DISCS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A CAR THAT LOSES ITS BRAKES SO EASILY. THE CAR BRAKES *GREAT* IN THE DRY AND WHEN THE ROADS ARE WET, BUT WHEN IT IS RAINING ENOUGH TO WET THE ROTORS, ALL DRIVERS WITH THE STOCK PADS NEED TO BE EXTREMEMLY CAREFUL. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NO SPASH SHIELD BEHIND THE ROTOR. I DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS AND FELT LIKE I SHOULD REPORT IT. I DO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT JUST HAPPENING TO ME, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THE DEALER WANTS US TO THINK. I HAVE HEARD THAT CHANGING THE PADS TO AN AFTERMARKET HELPS, BUT I FEEL AUDI SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#717852January 25, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AFTER DRIVING IN RAIN, FOOT WILL SINK ON BRAKE PEDAL AS IF HYDRAULIC FLUID IS GONE AND STOPPING FORCE IS GONE UNTIL RE-APPLYING FOOT TO BRAKE PEDAL 2ND-3RD TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#855354January 21, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES HESITATE WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES & THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. BRAKES WILL NOT WORK IN THE COLD WEATHER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#717459January 17, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AUDI OF AMERICA HAS LAUNCHED A RECALL CAMPAIGN, LABELLED KU, FOR ITS DEFECTIVE BRAKES. I RECEIVED A FORMAL NOTIFICATION ON OCTOBER 10, 1999. HOEVER, SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO HAVE THIS RECALL PERFORMED AT ANY AUDI DEALER. SINCE THE RECALL REPRESENTS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND POTENTIAL HAZARD, I SEEK THE NHTSA'S INVOLVEMENT TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#854928January 12, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
RECALL # 99V131000 BRAKES:HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST: BOOSTER: OWNER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER IN SEPTEMBER. CONTACTED DEALER ON NOVEMBER 1, 1999. OWNER CALLED AGAIN AFTER ONE MONT. , AND AGAIN ON JANUARY 4, 2000. PARTS HAVE NOT BEEN SHIPPED FROM MANUFACTURER. ON JANUARY 28, 2000 DEALER INSTALLED RECALL ITEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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