1999 Audi A4

MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP ON 4/4/2007 FOR WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A STEERING PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT HOWEVER, THAT ON ONE OF MY FRONT TIRES THE TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED ON 50% OF THE TIRE! IT WAS THE CONTINENTAL 205/60R15 TOURING CONTACT. I HAD THEM REPLACE IT WITH A CONTIPRO CONTACT OF THE SAME SIZE. THREE WEEKS LATER, MY OTHER FRONT TIRE SEPARATED ON AT LEAST 40% OF THE TIRE, WITH A HUGE BULGE. THE TIRES ARE LESS THAN A YEAR OLD, WITH LESS THAN 8,000 MILES ON THEM! BOTH OF THE FAILING TIRES CAUSED SEVERE STEERING PROBLEMS, AND BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE INCIDENTS CAME UPON VERY RAPIDLY, AND WAS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON.*AK

ON 11/10/2006, DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACE DRIVER & PASSENGER SIDE TIE-RODS (BOOTS TORN). DEALER/MANUFACTURER DENIED THAT THE RECALL AFFECTED MY CAR. PLEASE HELP. HERE ARE MORE DETAILS OF THE RECALL : AUTO RECALL DATE: 09/13/1999 VEHICLE COMPONENT: STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING ESTIMATED VEHICLES AFFECTED: 51900 1999 AUDI A4 DEFECT SUMMARY: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. 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. DEFECT CONSEQUENCE: IF MOISTURE AND/OR DUST PARTICLES ENTER THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM, THE SWIVEL BEARING COULD WEAR OVER TIME DIMINISHING THE STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIE RODS. NOTES: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC, UL/KW . *NM

JANUARY 17, 2007, 8 DEGREES - DRY ROAD CONDITIONS I ACCELERATED UP A STEEP HILL ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN AT THE TOP OF THE HILL I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE'S RPMS RACED TO 7,000. I POPPED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND PUNCHED THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR REDUCED SPEED AND RPMS THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT - IT HAPPENED LAST WINTER WITH WET ROAD CONDITIONS BUT VERY VERY COLD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER LAST YEAR AND THEY CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I HAD THE ACCELERATOR CABLE REPLACED. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE AUDI A-6 AND THE DEALER CLAIMS MY CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.8L, V6 5-VALVE ENGINES, AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, WHILE DRIVING DURING EXTREMELY LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES THE THROTTLE MAY FREEZE IN AN OPEN POSITION DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATING IN THE THROTTLE BODY. IF THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE MAY FAIL TO REDUCE SPEED WHEN THE DRIVER LIFTS HIS/HER FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL. THIS LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO MAKE AUDI REALIZE THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND APPLIES TO THE A-4 NOT JUST THE A-6. *NM *NM

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS TO MY WIFE. THE TEMPERATURE WAS UNDER 4 DEGREES AND EXTREMELY WINDY AND SNOWING. SHE WARMED THE CAR UP FOR 15 MINUTES BEFORE DRIVING IT. THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS A LITTLE BIT OFF COLD. THE HEAT WAS ON AND WORKING FINE. THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO GO, AND HESITATED DURING ACCELERATION. SHE DROVE A MILE TO THE INTERSTATE WITH NO ISSUES AND THE CAR WARMED UP. ONCE ON THE INTERSTATE, SHE DROVE ABOUT A HALF MILE ACCELERATING TO ABOUT 65. WHEN SHE TRIED TO PASS, AND BEGAN ACCELERATING THE THROTTLE FROZE. THE RPMS INCREASED QUICKLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY. SHE TRIED TO BRAKE, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. SHE DOWNSHIFTED USING THE TIPTRONIC, THE CAR WENT FASTER. SHE PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS REVVED OUT. THE CAR APPROXIMATELY WAS GOING 90 MILES AN HOUR OR GREATER AT THE APEX OF MY SPEED. SHE GOT OFF THE INTERSTATE BY USING MY E-BRAKE, AND TURNED THE CAR OFF AT THE STOP LIGHT BECAUSE SHE FEARED IT WOULD NOT STAY STOPPED. SHE DROVE ABOUT A HALF MILE TO WORK USING THE E-BRAKE AND BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, AND NEARLY HIT A TREE TRYING TO STOP. SHE TURNED THE CAR ON AGAIN AFTER SHE PARKED TO SEE IF THE THROTTLE WAS STILL STUCK, IT WAS. THREE HOURS LATER I ARRIVED, STARTED THE CAR, AND THE THROTTLE WAS NO LONGER STUCK. I CALLED THE DEALER THAT DAY, EXPLAINED THE ISSUE, AND THEY WOULDN'T TAKE THE CAR UNTIL 6 DAYS LATER. THEY TOLD US THAT IT WAS THE CAR MAT STUCK UNDER THE PEDALS, AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP THE APPOINTMENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET LOOKED AT ANYWAY, THEY INSPECTED TO FIND EGR VALVE CLOGGED CAUSING MOISTURE BUILDUP AND THROTTLE TO ICE OVER. THEY REPLACED THE EGR VALVE, AIR PUMP AND VACUUM HOSE AND CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS TOTALED $546.30. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE A6 THROTTLE BODY FOR THE SAME YEAR, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION AND THE EXACT SAME PART NUMBER! BUT AUDI CORPORATE TOLD US IT DID NOT APPLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE A4 NOT THE A6 AND WAS NOT CONCERNED OR WILLING TO HELP. *JB

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 1999 AUDI A4. ON 01/19/07 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE I-15 FREEWAY AT 75 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT ME PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. I BRAKED, AND THE CAR SLOWED A LITTLE, BUT I STILL FELT TENSION, LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO PUSH FORWARD. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN THOUGH MY FEET WERE NOT TOUCHING ANY OF THE PEDALS. I TRIED PUTTING MY FOOT UNDER THE GAS PEDAL AND PULLING IT UP IN CASE IT HAD FROZEN IN A DEPRESSED POSITION, BUT IT WAS NOT FROZEN. THE PEDAL FREELY MOVED UP AND DOWN. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE RACED TO 7500 RPM WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL (MY FEET WERE COMPLETELY OFF ALL PEDALS). I QUICKLY TURNED THE IGNITION OFF DRIFTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO BE LOOKED AT A SHOP THAT SPECIALIZES IN AUDI/VW CARS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE A HISTORY OF COMPLAINTS WITH AUDI CARS FOR UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THEY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS IN THE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH CAN FREEZE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. ACCORDING THE MECHANIC, MOST REPORTED CASES INVOLVE COLD TEMPERATURES AND DRIVING LONG DISTANCES. I WAS DRIVING FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 5 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EARLIER RECALL ON THE A6 MODEL THAT HAD THE SAME THROTTLE BODY AS OURS, BUT WHEN WE CALLED THE DEALER THEY TOLD US THAT OURS HAD NO RECALL. THEY WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT THIS WEEK. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR VEHICLE. I HAVE COME ACROSS AN ENTRY ON A DISCUSSION BOARD WHERE SOMEONE REPORTED THE EXACT SAME INCIDENT WHILE DRIVING A 2007 A4. LUCKILY I WAS IN A RURAL AREA WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES. I AM AFRAID THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND CAUSE A MORE SERIOUS, MAYBE FATAL ACCIDENT. NOTE: PURCHASE DATE WAS ESTIMATED. EXACT INFORMATION IS IN THE CAR AT THE SHOP. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NUMBER 06E060000 TO REPLACE WIRING ON HER 1999 AUDI A4. THE VEHICLE HAS AN ODOMETER READING OD APPROXIMATELY 78,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUDI DEALER. THE DEALER REFUSED TO DO THE RECALL WORK STATING THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE FACTORY WIRING. THE CONTACT STATED SHE PREVIOUSLY ADDED AN AUTOMATIC STARTER TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER WOULD NOT DISCLOSED WHICH WIRE WAS NOT FACTORY WIRING.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO WANDERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, REQUIRING THE CONTACT TO MAINTAIN SOME EXERTION ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TIE ROD HAD FAILED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #99V248000, WHICH PERTAINED TO THE STEERING LINKAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

I OWN A 1999 AUDI A4 2.8 30V QUATTRO AND MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON AND THE AUDI DEALER TOLD ME THAT MY ABS CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. BY READING FORUMS ONLINE AND CONSUMER SITES, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO AUDI'S AND VW'S. MY QUESTION IS: SHOULDN'T AUDI OF AMERICA FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR FREE? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON A CLEAR DRY HIGHWAY WITH SMOOTH PAVEMENT, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND A LARGE SECTION OF TREAD WAS SEEN TRAILING BEHIND. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ON INSPECTION OF THE TIRES, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD FAILED. THE CENTER TREAD/BELT SECTION OF THE TIRE HAD SEPARATED. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED.