NHTSA Complaint #10102338 — 1997 AUDI QUATTRO

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 1997 AUDI A4 QUATTRO. WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THAT THE LOWER FRONT CONTROL ARMS MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE CAR AND DETERMINED THE REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY. NOW, LAST WEEK I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE FROM AUDI ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM; PREMATURELY WORN OUT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS. I CALLED THE AUDI DEALER AND INQUIRED ABOUT BRINGING THE CAR IN TO BE LOOKED AT. THE PERSON I TALKED TO ON THE PHONE TOLD ME THAT SINCE THEY HAD NO RECORD OF A 60,000 MILE CHECKUP, THAT AUDI WOULD NOT PAY THE COST OF REPAIRS, IF NECESSARY. HE TOLD ME THE COST TO REPAIR THESE LOWER CONTROL ARMS IS AROUND $1,100 PARTS AND LABOR. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT ALMOST ALL AUDI A4 OWNERS OF MY MODEL YEAR HAD HAD THIS REPAIR DONE AT LEAST ONCE. THE CAR NOW HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND IS OTHERWISE IN GOOD SHAPE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF AUDI IS HAVING SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON THEIR A4'S THAT THEY NEED TO ISSUE TWO FACTORY RECALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITHIN ABOUT SIX YEARS TIME, THE PROBLEM IS SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, AND NOT THE CUSTOMER WHO BOUGHT THE CAR WITH THIS SORT OF SERIOUS MANUFACTURING/DESIGN DEFECT. PLEASE ADD MY NAME TO WHAT I AM SURE IS A GROWING LIST OF UNSATISFIED AUDI A4 CUSTOMERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SATISFACTION FROM AUDI FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.*AK