1998 Audi A4

CONTROL ARM ON MY 1998 AUDI A4 FRACTURED WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. AUDI TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NHTSA # 10016418, #11242004 COMPONENT DESCRIPTION: 22. SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM BULLETIN NUMBER: 11242004 BULLETIN DATE: NOV 2004 VEHICLE: 1,998 AUDI A4 SUMMARY: SERVICE ACTION JE CAMPAIGN-CHECK/REPLACE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS. AUDI HAS FOUND THAT IN RARE CASES, ONE OR BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON AFFECTED VEHICLES CAN EXHIBIT WEAR, EVEN THOUGH THE DAMAGE TO THE RUBBER BO ( NHTSA ITEM NUMBER - 10016418 ). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 AUDI A4. WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO MOVE IN AN OUTWARD DIRECTION. ALSO, WHEN TURNING, SHE HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE STEERING COLUMN BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V248000 (STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING). THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THAT HE IS UNABLE TO HAVE A RECALL 99V248000 REPAIRED WITHOUT CHARGE. HE PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE LAST WEEK WITH AN OUTSTANDING RECALL, WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO OFFER A FREE REMEDY. THE RECALL STATED THAT THE TIE RODS WOULD BE REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE RUBBER BOOTS THE TIE RODS WOULD NOT BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE DEALER PROVIDED A REPAIR ORDER INDICATING THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DAMAGED. *AK

RE: NHTSA RECALL ID NUMBER: 99V248000 (SEP 13, 1999) I OWN AN 1998 AUDI A4 [XXX]. ON 03/11/2003 I HAD THE $1,3000 REPAIR OF TIE RODS AND FRONT WHEEL BEARING AT HOUSTON MOMENTUM AUDI THAT SEEMED TO BE EXACTLY WHAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALLS CONSEQUENCES. THE AUDI OF AMERICA DOES NOT SHOW MY VEHICLE AMONG THOSE SUBJECT TO THE RECALL. WHEN I CALLED THEM, THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY REASONING, NOR COULD THEY RECONCILE THEIR REFERENCES WITH THE NHTSA RECALL. I BELIEVE, I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED BY AUDI AND WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN RESOLVING THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END. THE UPPER, LOWER SUSPENSION ARMS AND THE TIE ROD ENDS WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS A SEVERE OIL LEAKAGE OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE DURING ACCELERATION. OIL WAS FOUND IN THE SPARK PLUG CAVITIES AND THE SPARK PLUG WIRES PROTECTIVE SLEEVE WAS BRITTLE DUE TO HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE. *AK *SC *JB

I RECEIVED A RECALL ON MY 1998 AUDI A-4 FOR A PROBLEM WITH BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS. WHEN I TOOK IT IN THE DEALER SAID THESE WERE OKAY, BUT THE UPPER FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARMS WERE BAD, AND ALSO THE STEERING TIE-RODS.*AK WHEN I CALLED AUDI THAT IT WAS THE UPPER NOT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS THAT WERE BAD THEY SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS FOR THE LOWER. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR TECHNITIAN TO CONFIRM, WHICH HE DID. HE ALSO SAID IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THE TIE RODS IN SUCH BAD CONDITION. REPAIR COSTS ARE ABOUT $500. BECAUSE THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE BOTH PART OF THE SAME UNIT AND THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE HIGH MILEAGE (59,000 MILES) I DO NOT FEEL IT IS RIGHT FOR ME TO HAVE BEAR THIS COST.

THIS CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL 99V244000. THE TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY. DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

MY 1998 AUDI A4 TQM HAS 85K MILES ONIT. I JUST HAD ALL THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED FOR A SECOND TIME (FIRST TIEM DONE UNDER RECALL) BECAUS EIT WAS CREAKING AND GROWNING. BOTH TIE RODSENDS AND ONE UPPER CONTROL ARM WERE FOUND TO HAVE FAILED AS WELL. AUDI ADVISES THESE ARE "WEAR ITEMS" EVEN THOUGH THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS WER EORIGINALLY REPLACED UNDER RECALL, AND HAVE ONLY 45000 MILES ON THEM! *AK