2009 AUDI R8 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

FOR THE YEARS 2008-2010 AUDI R8 MODELS ARE PRONE TO EXPERIENCING STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE FRAME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO . I SAW THE PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER REPAIRED TO GET THE REENFORCED FRAME STRUCTURE. I HAVEN'T BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND NOW I'M FINDING OUT THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOTED AS FRAME DAMAGE. SHOULDN'T AUDI/VOLKSWAGEN TAKE CARE OF THIS ESPECIALLY WITH THE HISTORY OF COMMON COMPLAINTS . I ONLY FOUND THIS OUT WHEN MY AUDI SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME OF THE CRACKED FRAME MEANWHILE DOING ROUTINE SERVICE OF THE BRAKE FLUID . THEY SENT ME A MESSAGE SAYING THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED A MAJOR ISSUE AND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR IS BREAKING OFF AND NEAR SEPARATION.

I WAS DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, HIT A POT HOLE. NOT A HUGE POTHOLE BUT JARRED THE CAR. AGAIN, UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN THE CAR WAS ON THE LIFT TO REPLACE THE LEAKING SUSPENSION THAT PLAGUES THESE CARS I FOUND THE FRAME OF THE CAR HAD SEVERE CRACKS IN IT. STRUCTURAL CRACKS. *TR

THE 2008 THROUGH 2010 MODELS ARE PRONE TO EXPERIENCING STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE FRAME (I.E. CRACKING) NEAR THE FRONT STRUT TOWER. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO AFFECT A LARGE NUMBER OF R8S MANUFACTURED DURING THIS PERIOD AND PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. AUDI HAS TACITLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE BEING FROM A DESIGN FLAW BY REINFORCING THE FRAME IN THAT AREA ON 2011 AND SUBSEQUENT MODELS. I AM FRANKLY SURPRISED HAS NOT BEEN ACTION TO FORCE AUDI TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM ON THESE MODELS BY THE NHTSA ALREADY. HERE IS A LINK TO A DISCUSSION OF THE PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.R8TALK.COM/FORUMS/60-MAINTENANCE-SERVICE/10169-STRUCTURAL-FAILURE-WARNING-8.HTML

THE MAGNETIC RIDE SHOCKS WILL PREMATURELY LEAK OIL WHICH LEADS TO SUSPENSION FAILURE. PART OF THE FUNCTION IS TO STIFFEN THE SUSPENSION IF SWITCHED INTO SPORT MODE BUT THE LACK OF OIL FLUID WILL PREVENT IT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. A SIMILAR ISSUE OCCURRED WITH AUDI RS4 AND RS4 LEAKING SHOCKS. OWNERS WERE OFFERED BY AUDI REPLACEMENT IMPROVED SHOCK OR REIMBURSE THEM IF THEY HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THEM EVEN IF OUT OF WARRANTY. THOSE OWNERS AND R8 OWNERS WERE WORRIED ABOUT SUSPENSION FAILURE AGAIN SINCE THE FAULTY SHOCKS ARE PRONE TO FAIL AGAIN SO THEY FELT BEST TO REPLACE THEM WITH OTHER NON MAGNETIC SHOCKS.PRIOR TO THE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM WAS ANNOUNCED. SOME OWNERS HAD LEAKING SHOCKS WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY BUT WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. MY R8 HAD 12,000 MILES WHEN ALL THE SHOCKS WERE DISCOVERED TO BE LEAKING. I ONLY DISCOVERED THIS ISSUE WHEN I READ ABOUT THE COMMON ISSUE ON A R8 FORUM. MANY MORE OWNERS THAT ARE NOT PART OF R8 FORUMS WILL NOT KNOW OF THIS COMMON ISSUE. DRIVERS DO NOT EXPECT PREMATURE SUSPENSION FAILURE AND IT IS SAFETY ISSUE. UNKNOWING OWNERS WOULD EXPECT THE SHOCKS TO NOT FAIL AND CAN SAFELY GO OVER BUMPS OR POT HOLES WITHOUT POSSIBLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR. MOREOVER, FAILED SHOCKS COULD CAUSE STRUCTURE DAMAGE TO THE CAR SINCE IT IS ABSORBING ALL THE VIBRATIONS. CROSS REFERENCE: NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10036971, 10036488

LEAKING MAGNETIC SHOCKS