2003 Audi A4

The contact owns a 2003 Audi A4. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated, lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and there was steam coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence where an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the vehicle had experienced a similar failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14E007000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and notified of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the VIN was necessary to check for recalls. The failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.

1. EXTERIOR LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS BURNING OUT AT A RATE OF EVERY 500 MILES. AUDI WILL NOT REPLACE. 2. WIPER TRANSMISSION HAS CORRODED, SEIZED, FAILED, AND CONSEQUENTLY BURNED OUT THE WIPER MOTOR 2X NOW - ONCE AT 40,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 80,000. AUDI WOULD NOT COVER THIS UNDER THE INITIAL NEW CAR WARRANTY, AND THEY DEMAND $750+ TO FIX THIS FAULTY ASSEMBLY. 3. COOLANT AND WIPER FLUID TANKS ARE MADE OUT OF CHEAP PLASTIC. I'VE HAD 2-3 LEAKS IN EACH TANK DUE TO HOLES IN THESE TANKS ACROSS THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THE MOST RECENT COOLANT TANK LEAK WAS PUSHING COOLANT THROUGH SO FAST THAT IT BURNED UP MY ENGINE AND MY TIMING BELT SNAPPED. I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR - $2,000+. THESE ARE JUST 3 PROBLEMS AMONG COUNTLESS COSTLY PROBLEMS I'VE INCURRED SINCE THE 3-YEAR WARRANTY RAN OUT ON MY AUDI. I'VE EASILY MATCHED THE $35K+ COST OF THE CAR WITH PARTS AND REPAIRS, AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 88,000 MILES ON IT. THE COIL PACK RECALL HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AT LEAST EVERY 2,000 MILES. I CANNOT MAKE A TRIP OF MORE THAN 100 MILES WITHOUT A COIL SNAPPING, A TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND AN ARGUMENT WITH SERVICE REPS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE COIL REPAIRS. 88,000 MILES LATER, THE A4 I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IS BASICALLY NOT SAFELY DRIVABLE EXCEPT TO RUN SHORT ERRANDS AROUND THE CITY. ALL OF THIS IS NOT EVEN TO MENTION THE CHEAP MATERIALS THAT WENT INTO THE CAR INTERIOR. LEATHER IS WEARING IN PLACES NO ONE EVEN SITS, AND ALL THE RUBBERIZED BUTTONS HAVE PEELED AWAY. PLEASE HELP. AUDI WILL DO NOTHING. I'VE SPOKEN TO OTHERS WHO HAVE THIS SAME MAKE AND MODEL SITTING IN A GARAGE BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. THERE ARE 2 KNOWN RECALLS ON THIS CAR, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS GOING ON WITH THE BUILD THAN JUST THE COIL PACK AND FUEL INJECTOR. MY CAR HAS STALLED AND SEIZED ON RELATIVELY SHORT HIGHWAY TRIPS DESPITE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND ATTENTION TO RECALLED PARTS. *TR

I JUST EXPERIENCED A SERIOUS ISSUE OF THE GAS PEDAL GETTING STUCK AS I WAS DRIVING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. I TAPPED ON THE PEDAL A COUPLE OF TIMES THINKING IT MIGHT GET IT TO UNSTICK BUT HAD TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE TO BRING IT TO A STOP. I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND COULD HEAR THE ENGINE ROAR UP AND THE TACHOMETER GO PAST 5000 RPMS. I REACHED DOWN TO THE PEDAL WITH MY HAND AND FORCED IT BACK UP TO THE RESTING POSITION. THIS HAPPENED TWICE DURING THE SHORT TRIP AND MY COLLEAGUE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WHO WITNESSED WHAT HAPPENED. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL OBJECTS IN THE WAY OF THE PEDAL LIKE THE FLOOR MAT ETC. I'M TALKING WITH AUDI USA TO SEE WHAT STEPS I SHOULD TAKE TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT. *TR

FORGOT TO INSTALL C CLIP ON TEMP SENSOR ON RADIATOR HOSE WHICH POPPED OUT CAUSING MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE AND BLOWN HEAD GASKET WHICH WAS DENIED FOR MANY MONTHS. IN OCT. 08 THEY FORGOT TO TIGHTEN BRACKET WHICH CAUSED WIRES TO SMOKE AND FIRE.AUG 08-TRIMMED SERPENTINE BELT RATHER THAN REPLACED AND CAR STOPPED RUNNING IN MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE. SEPT 09 REPLACED OIL PAN BUT FORGOT TO PUT PLUG BACK OCT 08 OIL RESIDUE ON DAMPER THEY THREW OUT AND DID NOT REPLACE. THEY FORGOT TO PUT BOLTS BACK ON SUB FRAME AND MIRACLE I WAS NOT KILLED. THIS CAUSED AXLE PROBLEMS. WHEN THEY REPLACED BOLTS THEY DID NOT HAVE BUSHINGS IN STOCK AND THEY RELEASED CAR WITHOUT THESE BUSHINGS WHICH IS A SAFETY VIOLATION. WHEN BUSHINGS CAME IN THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON OUR VEHICLE AND WE HAD TO GO TO DIFFERENT MECHANIC. THEY TOLD US WE NEEDED TIMING BELT WHEN THE HEADGASKET WAS BLOWN. NOW THERE IS NEW RECALL FOR COIL PACKS AND THEY REFUSE TO WORK ON OUR CAR. THE NEW GM IS LISTENING TO THE SERVICE MGR. WHO IS NOT TELLING THE COMPLETE STORY NOR IS THE NEW GM REVIEWING THE FACTS. OUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER WITH THIS VEHICLE AND SINCE WE STILL OWE $15K WE CANNOT TRADE IT IN. STARTED JUNE 2008 AND CONTINUES UNTIL TODAY. COIL PACKS WHICH WERE JUST RECALLED ARE CAUSING CAR NOT TO RUN AND WE ARE STUCK *CW

PURCHASED VEHICLE APRIL 2009 (CARFAX WAS CLEAN) REPLACED IGNITION COIL 2X BY SEPTEMBER 2009 REPLACED CLUTCH, RACK AND PINION, AND COMPUTER MODULE IN OCT 2009 CURRENTLY CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS MALFUNCTIONING I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN A CONSISTENT OPERATING CONDITION FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS AT A TIME. I HAVE SPENT ALMOST $5,000 IN CAR REPAIRS TO DATE. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 AUDI A4 1.8T, WHICH I BOUGHT AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE. I'VE HAD A SLEW OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS LOW-QUALITY VEHICLE FROM THE GET-GO, BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER STORY. UPON TAKING MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP (AUDI CHANDLER IN CHANDLER, AZ) FOR A SEPARATE PROBLEM, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CONDUCT A FREE INSPECTION ON MY TIMING BELT SINCE THEY WERE REQUIRED TO DO SO. AND GUESS WHAT? SURPRISE, SURPRISE, MY CAR WAS SUPPOSEDLY ONE OF THOSE WITH THE KNOWN FAULTY TIMING BELT. KEEP IN MIND THIS CAR IS UNDER THE "CERTIFIED" PRE-OWNED WARRANTY, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THIS WAS CHALKED TO WEAR AND TEAR. MY CAR ONLY HAD 62K MILES ON IT, AND THE OEM RECOMMENDS INSPECTION AT 80K MILES AND REPLACEMENT AT 108K MILES. TO AVOID A POSSIBLE FUTURE ACCIDENT (I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN), I HAD TO COUGH UP $1000 TO REPLACE THE BELT, TENSIONERS, WATER PUMP, ETC. I SUBMITTED A REIMBURSEMENT FORM FOR MY EXPENSES TO THE FIRM HANDLING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST AUDI/VOLKSWAGEN ABOUT FAULTY TIMING BELTS. THE SETTLEMENT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN MADE ON 11/4/08, BUT IT'S NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY 2009, AND NOTHING. I AGREE WITH SOMEONE ELSE WHO POSTED ONLINE BEFORE...WHY DO THESE OEM'S HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS BADLY HURT OR DIES UNTIL THEY ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FAULTY, DEFECTIVE PIECES OF JUNK THAT ARE WAY OVERPRICED?? PLUS, IF MY CAR WAS TRULY A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE, WOULDN'T AUDI HAVE DISCLOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT WOULD BE FAULTY TO ME? OR, HOW ABOUT REPLACING THE BELT PRIOR TO SELLING IT AGAIN??? NOTHING WAS DISCLOSED TO ME, AND THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS OPENED IN 2002. I AM STILL SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT, BUT KNOWING AUDI'S STANCE ON THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS, THEY'LL JUST CHALK IT UP TO WEAR AND TEAR AND WISH ME A GOOD DAY. WHAT'S WORSE, AUDI SOLD A MILLION CARS IN 2008, WHICH SET ANOTHER SALES RECORD FOR THEM. HOW CAN WE GET THE WORD OUT TO NOT BUY AUDI AND BUY A QUALITY CAR?????!! *TR

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY A4. FIRST, MY HEADLIGHT SHORTED OUT AND COST OVER $600 BECAUSE IT FRIED ALL THE ELECTRICAL WIRES AND I HAD TO GET A NEW HEADLAMP SETTING AND WIRES. EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE COMPUTER HAS A LIGHTBULB SIGNAL LIGHT THAT IT IS NOT SENDING THE CORRECT AMPAGE. THE POWER STEERING LEAKS CONTINUOUSLY AND MAKES NOISES ALSO. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS CAME ON AND THE MOTOR IS RUNNING VERY BUMPY LIKE ALMOST LIKE IT IS MIS-FIRING OR SOMETHING. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. WHEN I PUT IT INTO REVERSE IT STALLS AND WILL NOT GO. I PUT IT IN TO NEUTRAL, THEN REVERSE AGAIN AND IT SLOWLY CATCHES SOMETIMES. NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING AND I HAVE HAD MY CAR SITTING FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER ALL THIS SUDDENLY APPEARED. I AM SAVING MONEY TO TRY TO GET THIS FIXED. I AM AFRAID THAT THE ENGINE WILL STALL OR I WONT BE ABLE TO TURN DUE TO THE STEERING AND CRASH SO IT IS INOPERABLE AT THIS TIME. *TR

ON 8/1/07 I PURCHASED A 2003 AUDI A4 WITH A 1.8T ENGINE FROM A LOCAL USED CAR DEALERSHIP. IN MAY, 2008, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, WE HAD A QUALIFIED MECHANIC CHECK THE VEHICLE THOROUGHLY AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. 2 DAYS LATER, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INOPERABLE SINCE THAT TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED AUDI IN REGARD TO THIS SINCE IT IS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT CAUSES SLUDGE IN THE OIL PAN TO RECIRCULATE THROUGH THE ENGINE, WHICH IS WHAT LED TO THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE OIL RETURN PORTS WERE NOT MADE LARGE ENOUGH TO RECIRCULATE THE OIL PROPERLY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT SINCE I PURCHASED IT AS A USED VEHICLE, "AS IS", THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY WILL DO TO ASSIST ME IN THIS SITUATION. I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHATSOEVER PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE AND REPLACING THE ENGINE WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $5000. THEY HAVE NEVER ISSUED A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY OFF AN "EXTENDED WARRANTY", BUT TO QUALIFY THE VEHICLE OWNER MUST PROVE THAT ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMED BY AUDI CERTIFIED MECHANICS. AS A 2ND OWNER, I HAVE NO PRIOR RECORDS FROM 8/1/07 AND PREVIOUS. THE "EXTENDED WARRANTY" COVERS 200-2004 A4 MODELS WITH THE 1.8T ENGINES, SO OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE AWARE OF THE DEFECT, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER RECALLED THEM. DO I HAVE ANY OTHER RECOURSE OTHER THAN TO FILE SUIT AGAINST THEM? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 38 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED AN ENGINE LEAK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT ANYTHING WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SHAKING WAS DUE TO THE MOTOR MOUNT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 35,600.

2003 AUDI A4 WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. CONSUMER STATES THAT MANUFACTURER TOLD HER THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BECAUSE HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. SHE STATED HER VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE DESIGNATED TIME. *KB THE CONSUMER HAD OTHER MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SUCH AS: FAULTY IGNITION COILS, TRANSMISSION AND A RADIATOR REPLACEMENT. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING, THE VALVE AND CAM SEALS WERE LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD AN OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOORS AT TIMES. THE DEALER REPLACED A LOOSE CONNECTION. *JB