1999 Audi A4

PROBLEM: WHEN TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW 38 F, RECIRCULATION BUTTON NEVER WORKS. BEING IN BOSTON THAT COVERS MOST OF THE WINTER. THE ONLY WAY NOT TO BREATHE THE FUMES IS TO TURN THE VENTILATION OFF COMPLETELY. THIS THEN SHUTS THE HEAT AS WELL. MY NEW COMMUTE TAKES ME DAILY THROUGH THE CALAHAN TUNNEL. IF OUTSIDE IS 13 F, AND I AM STUCK IN TRAFFIC IN THE TUNNEL FOR AN HOUR, THESE ARE MY OPTIONS: KEEP THE HEAT RUNNING UNTIL POISONED BY GAS FUMES (GARAGE ANALOGY), OR SHUT OFF HEAT UNTIL FROSTBITTEN AT 13 F. CAN THIS BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY VIOLATION? ATTEMPTED RESOLUTION: AUDI OF AMERICA'S RESPONSE WAS THAT A/C HAS TO BE TURNED ON FOR RECIRCULATION BUTTON TO BE OPERATIONAL. SINCE A/C DOES NOT WORK BELOW 38 F (THEY CITED SOME FEDERAL REGULATION) SO THE RECIRCULATION BUTTON DOES NOT AS WELL. THE DEVICE WORKS AS DESIGNED, ACCORDING TO AUDI. MY DEALER, TOM WALTON OF PARK PORSCHE AUDI, TOLD ME CONFIDENTIALLY THAT THEY HAVE CUSTOMERS WHO DID NOT WANT TO PURCHASE AUDI A4 UNTIL THESE PROBLEMS WERE SOLVED. I FILED A REPORT WITH AUDIO OF AMERICA TWICE. THERE WAS NO FOLLOW UP EITHER TIME. MEANWHILE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME THAT THEY INQUIRED ABOUT THIS BEFORE AND WERE TOLD THAT DEVICE OPERATES AS DESIGNED. THE SAME YEAR I RENTED EXACTLY THE SAME VEHICLE IN GERMANY AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT A/C ASSEMBLY INSTALLED, AND THAT RECIRCULATION BUTTON WORKED WELL IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 20 F. IN U.S., THE SAME A/C ASSEMBLY BECAME AVAILABLE WITH THE 2000 MODEL YEAR, WHERE THIS PROBLEM IS NOT PRESENT. I ASKED THE DEALER IF I COULD PAY TO HAVE THAT A/C ASSEMBLY INSTALLED BUT WAS TOLD THAT THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. WHEN SURFING ON THE WEB, I DISCOVERED A SIMILAR PROBLEM REPORTED BY ANOTHER OWNER WITH THE SAME VEHICLE, BUT ONLY THIS TIME THE 1997 MODEL YEAR. SO IT APPEARS THAT FOR SURE 1997-1999 MODEL YEAR A4'S HAVE A FAULTY A/C ASSEMBLY. READ MICHEAL OF LA JOLLA, CA REPORT: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/AUDI.HTM. *AK

ALL I WANT TO DO IS REPORT THAT THE REAR DOORS CAN BE AJAR AND DRIVER HAS NO WARNING SYSTEM TO TELL HIM OF THE PROBLEM (SUCH AS A LIGHT OR WARNING BUZZER) I AM CONCERNED AS MY SIX YEAR OLD RIDES IN THE BACK SEET. I CONTACTED AUDI AND WAS TOLD THAT THER IS NO WARNING SYSTEM CONCERNING THE DOORS BECOMING AJAR. I FIND THIS DANGEROUS. *AK

IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO SWITCHING FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR, THE VEHICLE LOSES R.P.M.'S AND POWER THEN CATCHES AND CHANGES GEARS. IT IS ONLY IN THIS GEAR SHIFT --3RD TO 4TH. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAY IT IS WITHIN DESIGN PARAMETERS. I TEST DROVE OTHER IDENTICAL CARS AND THIS PROBLEM IS NOT DETECTED. IT IS DANGEROUS TO LOSE SUCH POWER, ESPECIALLY AT OR AROUND HIGHWAY MERGE SPEEDS.

IF YOU OPEN ANY WINDOW OR SUNROOF, A LOUD WIND TURBLANCE CREATS A BOOM AND DOES NOT GO AWAY UNTIL YOU CLOSE ALL WINDOWS/SUN. THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY AUDI , BUT THEY DO NOT WANT TO FIX IT. THEY SAY THAT I CAN GO BUY A WIND DEFLECTOR. THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED MAJOR HEADACES, AND HAS DISTRACTED ME FROM THE ROAD ON MANY OCCASSIONS, ALMOST LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT. THIS NOISE IS VERY LOUD, AND IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE WRITTEN TO AUDI THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO MANY ACCIDENTS, BUT THEY DON'T CARE. I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED TO AUDI, AND THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE NHTSA TO A RECALL TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED BEFORE ANYONE DIES.

BRAKES HAVE A HUGE DELAY WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. UNLIKE ANY CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN. WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT CAN BE AS MUCH AS A ONE SECOND DELAY UNTIL THE BRAKES KICK IN. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN'T BE FIXED. MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT AUDI OF AMERICA WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

UNDER WET CONDITIONS, BRAKES ARE DANGEROUSLY SLOW TO GRAB. THERE IS A NOTICEABLE AND VERY DISCONCERTING DELAY OF APPX 1-2 SECONDS. THE CONDITION IS WORSENED BY DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKING FOR DISTANCES >10 MILES. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CONTACT AUDI CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED AND DANGEROUS TO ME AND OTHERS.*AK