2002 Audi A4

2002 AUDI A4 1.8 T: EXPERIENCED THREE IGNITION COIL FAILURES WITHIN THE PAST 20 DAYS. WHEN FAILURE OCCURS THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN AND REQUIRES TOWING ON A FLAT BED TRAILER. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND INTERNET RESEARCH, SEE AUDIWORLD.COM A4 (B6) FORUM AND SEARCH "COIL PACK" , INDICATES A VIRTUAL CERTAINTY THAT THE COIL PACK WILL FAIL, YET AUDI WILL NOT REPLACE/RECALL UNTIL FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. THIS WILL LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND MOTORIST STRANDED ON THE ROAD SIDE UNTIL TOWED. PRESENT WINTER CONDITIONS OF 20 DEGREES F WITH SNOW POSES AN UNNECESSARY RISK. AN IMMEDIATE RECALL IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE COIL PACKS BEFORE FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY.

I AM ONE OF THE MANY AUDI OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM RELATING TO THE IGNITION COILS OF MY 2002 A4 QUATTRO. LIKE OTHER DRIVERS, I WAS OPERATING MY VEHICLE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN MY ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY THE ENTIRE CARE BEGAN VIBRATING VIGOROUSLY. AFTER ONE FLATBED TRIP TO THE LOCAL DEALER, AND I WAS INFORMED OF A MALFUNCTION OF ONE OF THE FOUR IGNITION COILS ON MY CAR WITH A TOTAL OF 12,000 MILES OF USE. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT NEARLY AS AGGRIVATING AS THE INFORMATION WHICH I HAVE LEARNED FROM THE SERVICE TECH AT TWO SEPARATE DEALERSHIPS AND 3 AUDI ENTHUSIAST WEBSITES: THIS IS A PROBLEM WELL-KNOWN TO AUDI, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING WITH FREQUENCY FOR ABOUT A YEAR, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT AUDI HAS YET TO SUCESSFULLY SOLVE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY DEALER THAT AFTER REPLACING JUST ONE OF THE FOUR COILS PER WARRANTY AGREEMENT, WITH A COIL IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT HAS FAILED (A REPLACEMENT IS NOT READY/AVAILABLE) THAT I AM LEFT TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE WITH THE FULL PROSPECT OF FUTURE FAILURE FROM THE OTHER THREE COILS THAT AUDI REFUSES TO REPLACE. THIS SOLUTION STRICKES ME AS ILLOGICAL, UNSAFE AND UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER. AUDI HAS CERTAINLY PRIDED ITSELF AS A MANUFACTURER OF PREMIUM AUTOMOBILES. THE DECISION TO PROVIDE CONSUMERS SUCH AS MYSELF WITH MINIMAL SERVICE SOLUTIONS, AS WELL AS A FUNDAMENTAL LACK OF INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THIS APPARENTLY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM IS CONTRADICTORY TO THIS FIRM'S INTENTIONS OF ACQUIRING, RETAINING AND SATISFYING CUSTOMERS.

ENGINE COIL FAILED ON 2002 A4 1.8T AT 10,600 MILES. PER AUDI, REPLACEMENT PART IS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. INDICATES THAT THIS IS A MORE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAN AUDI IS ADMITTING. WHEN COIL FAILS, CAR BECOMES UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE; ENGINE BARELY HAS ANY POWER. HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVER AND OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD SHOULD THE COIL FAIL WHILE CAR IS IN USE. AUDI IS NOT PROACTIVELY REPLACING ALL IGNITION COILS WHEN A VEHICLE PRESENTS WITH ONE FAILED COIL. AUDI WOULD NOT PROVIDE PRICE QUOTE TO ME FOR REPLACING REMAINING COILS IN THE VEHICLE AT MY EXPENSE (ALSO, THEY HAVE NO AVAILABLE PARTS TO DO THIS, ADVISING THAT THEY ONLY HAVE SUPPLY TO REPLACE FAILED COILS). I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE UNTIL ALL COILS ARE REPLACED. PLEASE DEMAND THAT AUDI RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM AND INITIATE A RECALL TO REPAIR ALL IMPACTED VEHICLES. DEALER ADVISES THAT THEY ARE SEEING INCREASE IN NUMBER OF VEHICLES PRESENTING WITH FAILED COILS.

AN ACCIDENT OCCURED IN MY 2002 AUDI A4 WITH THE NEW-FOR-2002 CVT TRANSMISSION (CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION) RESULTING FROM A CONDITION THAT I BELIEVE IS DEFECTIVE RELATING TO THE FUNCTION OF THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR FROM A DEAD STOP, THERE IS A LONG LAG BETWEEN BEFORE THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO MOVE. AS A RESULT, IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY IN TRAFFIC, ONE MUST PRESS THE ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IN ADVANCE. THIS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS IF ONE MUST QUICKLY STOP, RIGHT AFTER STARTING. IN THIS CASE, MY FIANCE ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER AT A LIGHT WHEN THEY QUICKLY STOPPED JUST AFTER STARTING.

RIGHT SIDE MIRROR AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTS WHEN CAR IS IN REVERSE, HOWEVER WHEN YOU GO BACK IN FIRST THE MIRROR DOES NOT RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL SPOT. AUDI HAS SAID THAT THIS IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS NOW AND THEY HAVE NOT FIXED THE ISSUE. IT IS A DANGEROUS ISSUE BECAUSE EVERYTIME YOU NEED THAT MIRROR IT IS POINTED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION (USUALLY INTO THE SKY). IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND GENERAL DRIVING, THE MIRROR IS NEVER IN THE CORRECT SPOT. I HAVE HAD SOME VERY CLOSE CALLS BECAUSE IN ORDER TO SEE IN THAT VEHICLE YOU NEED THAT RIGHT SIDE MIRROR. I RECENTLY HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES AT 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE A GUY CUT ME OFF, I COULD HAVE EASILY MOVED INTO THE OTHER LANE BUT BECAUSE THE MIRROR WAS POINTED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, THIS WAS NOT AN OPTION. WHEN I SLAMMED THE BRAKES THE BUY BEHIND ME SLAMMED HIS AND SLIDE RIGHT BY ME NARROWLY BASHING MY BACK BUMPER. THE WHOLE THING COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE MIRROR WORKED. THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THE SAME CAR THAT HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. AUDI AGAIN HAS SAID IT IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT FIXED IT. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND AN ACCIDENT(S) IS WAITING TO HAPPEN. THANKS