1999 Audi A4

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 AUDI A4 QUATRO. THE CONTACT BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE DEALER. AS HE DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE LOT, HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. HE INFORMED THE SALES ASSOCIATE THAT THERE WAS RUST UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE BRAKE PADS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE HIM ANOTHER VEHICLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL $3,000. THE OTHER VEHICLE HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND NEEDED A NEW FUEL PUMP; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT DID NOT WANT THE OTHER VEHICLE. HE KEPT THE AUDI AND TOOK IT TO AN AUDI DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE BEARINGS WERE RUSTED AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT AND NEW BRAKE PADS. IN ADDITION, THE RIMS WERE BENT. THE AUDI DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SOLD IN THAT CONDITION AND WITH THOSE DEFECTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,926 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 142,927. UPDATED 03/17/09. *LJ THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS WERE WORN. UPDATED 03/18/09. *JB

AUDI REFUSES TO PAY FOR FIXING A SERIOUS SAFETY RELATED SERVICE ACTION (SERVICE ACTION JE - FAILURE OF CONTROL ARMS), UNLESS THE CUSTOMER PROVIDES DETAILED MAINTENANCE RECORDS FROM AN AUTHORIZED DEALER OR PROFESSIONAL LICENSED REPAIR FACILITY. THIS WILL RESULT IN PEOPLE NOT FIXING THIS SERIOUS ISSUE, ENDANGERING NOT ONLY THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO OTHER INDIVIDUALS. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CHECKED, AND MY CAR HAS THE PROBLEM - BUT THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE FIX, SINCE I PERFORM MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR MYSELF. NOTE: CRACKING OF CONTROL ARMS IS NOT RELATED TO LACK OF GENERAL MAINTENANCE. *NM

I TOOK MY CAR INTO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO HAVE A RECALL DONE ON THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS OF THE CAR. THE DEALER TOLD ME EVERYTHING WITH MY CAR WAS FINE, AND THAT THERE WAS NO REASON TO PERFORM THE RECALL ON MY CAR. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC TO GET A SECOND OPINION ON THE CONTROL ARMS, AND IT WAS THEIR OPINION THAT THE CONTROL ARMS DEFINITELY DID NEED TO BE REPLACED AND MIGHT BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON ANY FURTHER. NOW THAT MCDONALD AUTOMOTIVE HAS SUBMITTED THAT THE RECALL WAS DONE, I AM NO LONGER ELIGEABLE FOR THE RECALL AND AM STUCK WITH MY DANGEROUS CONTROL ARMS.

DURING WET WEATHER BRAKING, THE FRONT DISC BRAKES SEEM TO FAIL. THE CARS FRONT END SEEMS TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET UPON BRAKING. THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN THE RAIN, WITH NO ADVERSE EFFECTS DURING DRY WEATHER. I HAVE CONTACTED AUDI, WHO THEN REFERRED ME TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT AUDI WILL NOT WARRANTY THE CORRECTION, SINCE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW WIDESPREAD THE PROBLEM IS. HOWEVER, I HAVE NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE, AND ON THE AUDIWORLD WEBSITE. I SUBMIT THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM OF THE A4 DURING WET WEATHER DRIVING, AND THAT THIS DEFECT COULD AND WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. EVEN THOUGHT THE CAR DID STOP, IT REQUIRED STEERING CORRECTION TO PUT IT BACK INTO THE LANE. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, AUDI WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE AND CAN BE SURE THE REPUTATION OF THEIR CARS WILL SUFFER AGAIN. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *AK