1998 AUDI A4 Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER PLACE OF RESIDENCE. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. A REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED 70,000 MILES SHE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. HOWEVER SHE NOTED THAT THE OWNERS MANUAL STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE REPLACED AT 90,000. SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE ENGINE REBUILT BY A INDEPENDENT TECHNICIAN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 74,000.

IN VERY COLD WEATHER, THE ENGINE STICKS AND HOLDS A SPEED OF 6,000 RPM. THIS CONDITION LASTS FOR AT LEAST 40 MINUTES DURING WHICH TIME THE CAR IS NOT CONTROLLABLE. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN FOUR TIMES. I HAVE INVOLVED THE LOCAL AUDI DEALER AS WELL AS AUDI OF AMERICA. THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOUR TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. AUDI OF AMERICA IS REFUSING TO EITHER ACKNOWLEDGE OR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS ON JAN 16, 2003. THE LAST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED WAS JAN 16, 2004. *JB

I DISCOVERED A SIGNIFICANT ENGINE OIL LEAK IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AT 50K MILES. *NLM

IN MARCH 2003, THE OIL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER DIAGNOSED A FAULTY SENSOR THAT WAS REPLACED FOR $300. IN JUNE 2003, THE OIL WARNING LIGHT AGAIN CAME ON. THIS TIME IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY OIL PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED AT $900. IN SEPTEMBER 2003 THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. DIAGNOSIS: FAULTY THERMOSTAT AND SENSOR. REPLACEMENT COST $750. ALSO, WASHER FLUID CONTAINER CRACKED AND HAND BRAKE LEVER HANDLE CRACKED (AT DIFFERENT TIMES) -- BOTH MADE OF CHEAP QUALTIY PLASTIC.*AK

MULTITUDE OF PROBS. W/ ALMOST EVERY ASPECT (BRAKES, ENGINE VALVES, OIL LIGHT STAYS ON, RAIN LEAKS, BAD WHEEL BEARINGS, ETC.) OF THIS CAR. MOST FRUSTRATING HAS BEEN RUDE AND INCOMPETENT SERVICE BY AUDI DEALER. AFTER AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS THE DEALER SAID THAT ALTHOUGH NOT ALL THE NOISE WAS GONE, THE CAR WAS SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE TO CALIF.,(WE LIVE IN NJ). WE DID NOT BELIEVE THE DEALER BECAUSE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE REMAINED AND TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP WHERE BOTH FRONT CONTROL ARMS WERE FOUND TO BE DAMAGED. WE WERE ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DO SO . *AK

TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILED CAUSING REPLACEMENT OF TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER AT 40000. KNOWN ISSUE WITH AUDI THAT TENSIONER FAILS AS THEY HAVE A REPLACEMENT KIT WITH NEW TYPE OF TENSIONER. YET, WILL NOT COVER COST OF REPLACEMENT OF FAILED TENSIONER OR TIMING BELT.*JB

CAR WAS SERVICED FOR AN OIL LEAK AND WHAT THE MECHANIC FOUND WAS THE BALL BEARINGS OIL PASSAGE SEALS WERE LEAKING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CYLINDER HEADS. REPAIR WOULD BE $4,000 FOR PARTS ALONE. LABOR WOULD BE ADDITIONAL. CAR IS LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH VEHICLE TIMING BELT BROKE, CAUSING RAPID LOSS OF SPEED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. CONSUMER STATED OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDED TIMING CHAIN BE REPLACED AT 90,000 MILES HOWEVER TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT 72,000 MILES. DEALER REPLACED BROKEN TIMING CHAN, TENSIONER AND BENT VALVES. *TT

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD BROKEN, AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE. ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TIMING BELT BROKE & CAUSED MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE. *AK