2013 Audi A4 Allroad

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO CENTER AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT SPUN INTO A CIRCLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL AND SIDESWIPED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS ERRATIC AND NO LONGER CENTERED. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD FRACTURED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW WHETHER THE FAILURE OCCURRED BEFORE OR AFTER THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, STEERING FEEDBACK IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT CONSTANTLY REQUIRES UNNATURAL ADJUSTMENTS TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLES POSITION IN INTERSTATE LANE. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT PULL TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER INSTEAD THE STEERING IS LOOSE AND UNPREDICTABLE A FEW INCHES ON EITHER SIDE FROM THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION, NEUTRAL POSITION. THIS HAS CAUSED VERY OFTEN UNINTENTIONAL LANE DEPARTURES AND ALMOST ACCIDENTS. *TR

THE STEERING DEVELOPED AN INTERMITTENT NOTCHY FEEL DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING WITHIN THE FIRST 1600 MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS A BIT LIKE THE VOLUME KNOB ON THE RADIO AND "CLICKS" FROM ONE POSITION TO THE NEXT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE THE STEERING WHEEL BETWEEN THE 2 POSITIONS. I COMPLAINED TO AUDI AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND SAID THEY HAD A POWER STEERING UPDATE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE UPDATE WAS APPLIED IN DEC 2013. AFTER THE UPDATE THE NOTCHY FEELING STARTED OCCURRING AROUND TOWN (35-55MPH). IT CAN MAKE STAYING IN THE LANE DIFFICULT. SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS FIGHTING AGAINST YOU A LITTLE. ALSO THE CAR DOES NOT GO STRAIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. IT REQUIRES CONSTANT, SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. DRIVING CAN BE VERY DISCONCERTING. I AM WORKING WITH AUDI TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A LARGER PROBLEM. SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX IT. *TR

CAR DEVELOPED NOTCHY FEELING WHEN TRYING TO KEEP VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON HIGHWAY ROADS. REQUIRES CONSTANT INPUT IN BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT DIRECTIONS. SIMILAR TO TRYING TO CORRECT FOR CROSS WINDS FROM BOTH SIDES EVEN THOUGH CALM CONDITIONS. CAR HAD UP-GRADE TO STEERING MODULE AT 5K MILES WHICH DEALER SAID I HAD NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER. CAR THEN WENT TO DEALER FOR STEERING COLUMN BUSHINGS AND OTHER PARTS ACCORDING TO THEIR INTERNAL RECALL. NOW CAR HAS LIGHTER FEEL BUT DOES NOT REBOUND TO NEUTRAL OR 12 O,CLOCK POSITION. DOES NOT PULL IN ANY DIRECTION BUT RATHER REMAINS IN WHATEVER DIRECTION NEEDED TO CORRECT TO TRAVELING IN STRAIGHT LINE. LITTLE INPUT TO GO LEFT, REMAINS TRAVELING SLIGHTLY LEFT. SAME THING CORRECTING TO RIGHT. AUDI AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT HAS NO DEFINITE FIX. VERY PRONOUNCED AT LOWER TEMPS ESPECIALLY BELOW FREEZING WHICH DOES NOT HELP IN THE ADIRONDACKS. AM TOLD THIS SYSTEM SAVES 1 MPG. NOT WORTH THE SKETCHY AND UNTRUSTWORTHY BEHAVIOR . *TR

THERE ARE TWO ISSUES WHICH OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING, USUALLY WHEN THE CAR IS COLD OR WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE FIRST ISSUE OCCURS WHEN TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND IS A "SLIP" IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN CROSSING THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION WHERE IT FEELS LIKE IT'S HOLDING FINE AND THEN SUDDENLY "SLIPS" AND THEN GRABS AGAIN WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL OFF CENTER. THIS HAPPENS WITH NO CHANGE IN ROAD CONDITIONS, ACCELERATION, OR VEHICLE SPEED. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS UNSETTLING AND HAS CAUSED DRIVERS TO INADVERTENTLY DRIFT INTO THE ADJACENT LANE. THE SECOND ISSUE IS A "NOTCHY" FEEL WHICH HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED, ANY STEERING MODE AND ANY WHEEL POSITION. LIKE THE FIRST STEERING ISSUE, THIS ALSO FEELS UNSAFE AS THE DRIVER OFTEN OVER OR UNDER CORRECTS STEERING INPUT. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AUDI DEALERS NUMEROUS TIMES, THEY EVEN CHANGED THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN JAN 2013 HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP IN JUNE AT WHICH POINT THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AUDI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE WORKING ON A FIX, HOWEVER NEITHER THE DEALER NOR AUDI HAS CALLED WITH A REAL FIX FOR THIS ISSUE YET. *TR

WE ARE HAVING A STEERING PROBLEM WITH OUR 2013 ALL ROAD. IT HAS ABOUT 10K MILES ON IT. AT VARYING SPEEDS, WE NOTICE "PLAY" OR LACK OF CONTROL WHILE STEERING. IT APPEARS THERE IS A 1-2 INCH LACK OF RESPONSE FROM CENTER WHILE DRIVING FROM TIME TO TIME....NOT CONSISTENT. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT STEERING TAKES MORE EFFORT WHILE COMPENSATING FOR THIS LACK OF CONTROL....DURING AND AFTER THE EPISODE. *TR