1998 AUDI QUATTRO — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

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

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

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.

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

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.