Am I missing any?
1) a faulty sunroof that opens by itself
2) bad lower control arms
3) squeaky armrest
4) broken fuel sending unit
5) a busted door chime
6) fading trip computer
7) squeaky and shifting seat
8) broken wastegate rod

Mike

and if you mean the trip computer becomes hard to see during daylight hours, well ive had that problem also. Good Post.

1. alarm goes off once in a while without any reason (happened twice for me)

2. radio display is missing LEDs when it's cold (happened once)

Steve N.
99.5 1.8qtms APRd

Bad Bearings (which I can't seem to get Audi to acknowledge).

Squeeky Breaks

Wheel alignment (again, Audi thinks it's in spec.)

the turning signal lights sometimes don't flash

/

and they repair it, do they replace it with newer revised parts or do they use the exact same thing that just broke. Seems pretty lame to use the exact same part, but I'm worried that's what they do. I'll end up with the same problems another 15,000 miles down the road.

Mike

leaky valve cover gaskets
"flaky" volume control on Delta radios
poor radio reception

Fortunately, after 61K I've only been plagued by the leaky valve cover (on delivery), the fuel sending unit (just started), flaky volume control, and rocking driver's seat. My alarm sensors are essentially inoperative, as opposed to most who complain that they are ultra-sensitive.

Kyle
'97 2.8 (relatively trouble-free but worried about the future)

2 questions:

I guess noone else has seen the problem of the fan switch
with a mind of it's own?

How do you know if you have revised control arms or
have a problem waiting to happen?

thanks

NT

.

nt

nt

and I would add the valve cover leaking, and leaks in the locking system. They used a fairly hard plastic for the lines, which tends to split on the connection nipples. Most folks wouldn't notice this problem, the only way to tell is that the vacuum pump seems to run a long time when unlocking the doors. The lines go under pressure when unlocking which blows the split open, when locking the split pulls closed. It also will only tend to happen on one of the two locking circuits, so for example the pump will turn off fast when unlocking the drivers door, then runs long when unlocking the remaining doors. Older Audis used a short piece of rubber tube to connect the hard line to the connector, this part has been eliminated from the A4. Which is a good way to fix it if you find one.

I've noticed on a couple occasions with drizzling rain (when we get any) if I flip the wiper switch down for "one swipe" it will bounce back past the off position to intermitent mode. Freak'd me out the first time.

is there a service bulletin for this... :-)

Has anyone gotten their control arms redone by Audi after the warranty expired? I had mine done around 50,000, but they only lasted about 20,000 miles. If Audi doesn't pay out of warranty I guess I better plan on $800 a year for control arms. This is what they mean by fahrveghnugen.

Bill Shaffer

I have a problem with this list. First of all, some of these problems are model specific. If you are going to make such a list, you should indicate which model(s) (1.8T, 2.8) and year(s) the problem applies to. For instance, my 2.8 does not have a wastegate rod problem, and never will. Prospective buyers may not know the reason for this, which is, of course, that the 2.8 doesn't have a wastegate. And for all I know, Audi may have fixed the wastegate rod problem in 98 or 99. By putting that on this list, you make it sound like it's a current problem. Is it?

"bad lower control arms" - Again, I think this description is incorrect. The problem that I think you are alluding to is that the bushings in the front lower control arms wear out sooner than expected. Due to the design of the control arms, the bushings cannot be simply replaced, so Audi has been replacing the entire control arms merely to replace the bushings. I don't think the control arms are bad. It's just that the bushings wear out quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if hard driving exacerbates the situation. Give me two years and I'll prove it. I have a friend that is leasing a 1.8T and I bet she won't have this problem because she is a tame driver.

Of your list of eight "common" problems, I've only had one that I thought required a trip to the dealer for service. Audi has sold tens of thousands of A4's. The readers of A4.org could be considered representative of the A4 driving community, but in the big picture, we are quite a minority. Even if a large group of people speak up here about a problem, it's still a very small number of total A4 owners that are doing the talking.

Seriously, the only complaints I have are weak remote range and brake dust, and those aren't bad enough to waste my time complaining about.

if you buy an A4, you will visit the repair shop more often than with a Honda, but the Audi warranty is ten times better, since they will fix ANY problem for 50k miles. (wiper blades, brakes, wastegate rod on turbo, ect...) I hold the record for repairs, I believe, but the car is a blast to drive. It's basically like the rest of the universe... higher risk equals higher return.
Conker 98 1.8TS-tip....... over 30 repair visits, over $4000 in repair bills, driven every loaner available at my dealership, friends make fun of me for still owning car, make even more fun of me for ordering '00 S4, NEVER PAID A DIME FOR A REPAIR, but still takes a lot of time and headaches.
my $.02

nt

<i>1) a faulty sunroof that opens by itself </i>
Never had a problem with my sunroof.

<i>2) bad lower control arms</i>
No problem with mine (knock on wood)

<i>3) squeaky armrest </i>
My 1997 1.8T didn't come with an armrest, so no problem with mine ;-)

<i>4) broken fuel sending unit </i>
Didn't have this problem

<i>5) a busted door chime </i>
Didn't have this problem

<i>6) fading trip computer </i>
My trip computer has functioned great...no problems

<i>7) squeaky and shifting seat </i>
No squeaks, but the driver's seat does shift under cornering. I mentioned it at my last service, and they claimed it was normal. I'll mention it again at my next service.

<i>8) broken wastegate rod</i>
I did have this problem and I received an entire new turbo unit at approx 30,000 miles. This problem seems to happen most often on '97 and early '98 1.8t's.

Andy Hedin

can't spend a bundle maintaning their car or who values reliability over performance. My A4 has had more problems in 15,000 miles than my last car, a BMW 325es, had in over 130,000 miles and 13 years. The difference is that with the BMW, I redlined it on every shift every time I drove. I abused that car (had a lot of fun in the meantime) and in all the miles that the car was driven that way, I had one failed clutch master cylinder. That was at ~120,000 miles. It annoys me that stuff breaks on my A4, and when I take it to the dealership they tell me that it's a common problem and that parts are backordered. Then, in teh case of my broken fuel sending unit, they finally get a part and replace it, but it appears to be the same part as before. Well, if the original broke at 13,000 miles, what is to say the replacement won't break at another 13,000 miles? Out of all the cars that my family has owned, VW/Audi products have been by far the worst reliability wise. We've never had a problem with any car before 50,000 miles except for our Audi A4, VW Rabbit, and VW Vanagon. The Vanagon is now in the shop for it's 3rd engine rebuild in 115,000 miles. The first time the engine needed to be rebuilt was at 35,000 miles. It's also needed two transmission rebuilds, and body panels are rusting like crazy. 4 busted water pumps. Door opens by itself all the time. Weird stuff like that. By comparison, our two Mercedes Benzes and BMW have been relatively trouble free. None of those cars required any repair work until they were well past the 50,000 miles mark. Our Mercedes 240D hasn't required any repair in 150,000+ miles of driving. It hasn't even needed a new battery since 1985. The Mercedes 190E needed a new radiator at ~90,000 miles and needed a transmission rebuild at ~110,000 miles. The BMW has weird electronic niggles like the trip computer temperature gauge reads 166F constantly now, and the left front tweeter on the stereo fritzes in and out sometimes, but that's it. I've driven this car EXTREMELY hard and it's needed two repairs. A new clutch master cylinder and a pump for the windshield wiper fluid. The A4, on the other hand, has been babied since I bought it. I purchased a new car back in '98 with the intention of using it for at least another 10 years. At the rate that I drive, 15,000 miles a year, I plan on needing thsi car for at least 150,000 miles. I'm SUPER worried that stuff is going to start falling apart, and I'll be spending tons trying to maintain the car. The ONLY place that I've heard good stories about Audi reliability is one this forum. Outside of the cyber world, my friends and acquaintances that have owned or own older Audis such as 4000s, 5000s, 80s, have complained on and on about the reliability. This is especially true for Audi 5000s. I admit it's unfair to compare a newer Audi product like the A4 to an older product like the 5000, but it is still a bit unnerving to me. Especially since there's NO WAY I can afford a new car until I finish all my education which is still at least 8 years down the line. I LOVE the way the A4 looks and the way it drives. Up to now, I've only had a couple things break on me such as my fuel sending unit and, now, my trip computer fade. But, rattles and squeaks are appearing everywhere and everytime I hear a new weird sound coming from my car, I wonder. Anyways, my car is going into the shop on Friday to get a number of things repaired. I'll keep everyone updated.

Mike

nt

1st time was under warrantee.
I have read posts where the owners had their dash
replaced at Audi's expense.

Welll...
My dealer opted to "fix" it.

Now the warranty has expired, its lifting again.
It was like pulling teeth to:
1/ get them to admit there was a problem
2/ get them to admit its THEIR problem
3/ get them to fix their problem

Maybe u want to push for the dash upgrade as oppposed to just "fixing" it.
Down side is many (as u probably know) report the
dealer did not re-install the dash correctly.

PS
Even after they "fixed" it, I ended up haveing to
contact cement parts. I just gave up, dealing
with these guys is like banging my 'ead against the wall.

Much easier to fix it myself.

Next job is wind noise. (email me if u want to
hear THAT story)

1996 a4 2.8 qm
(let the dealer fix the big things, do the trim
stuff yourself)

My car has been in for routine maintenance and once to have the paint buffed out from the shipping wrap. That's it. My Integra was in the shop every 3-4 months for rotor resurfacing from warping, plus it needed wiper motor replacement, exhaust replacement (after 2 years) and had various electrical gremlins. The RX 7 stranded me several times in both hot,cold and wet weather, went through three header gaskets, various wiring harnesses, a clutch and a radiator. My $0.02.

Chris

You really drove that BMW like that? Redline on every shift every time? For some reason, the word "maniac" comes to mind. It's one thing to drive that way on a track, but you can't justify it (to me) on the street. For your own sake, tone it down before you kill someone.

I find it hard to believe that you baby your A4 after reading how you treated the BMW. Regardless, the original theme of this tread was common problems. I think, however, that you mentioned all of *your* problems, be they common or not.

BTW, yours is the first case I've heard of a broken fuel sending unit. Has anyone else experienced this?

I originally responded because I didn't think that all of these problems were common, which to me implies that a majority of A4 owners would experience them. I don't think that's true. It certainly sounds like you are getting more than your fair share of problems, and that is a shame. I hope things turn around for you.

IMHO, if I were a student now, I'd want reliability above all else, and that, of course, means buying a Camry, Corolla, Accord or Civic. I sold my Civic after 10 years and 170,000 miles. That fits right in with your parameters for what you said you want out of a car.

I really do baby the A4. I treated the BMW pretty harsh because, well, how did YOU treat your first car when you turned 16 years old? The problems that I type up are honestly very common problems. Most of them have TSBs and dealerships are aware of the problems. Countless people on this have had lower control arms replaced, turbos replaced (wastegate rod), and fuel sending units replaced.

Mike

The Control Arm Bushings wearing out and requiring the entire control arm to be replaced is the ONLY thing that has any material value in what you are pointing to as problems. The wonderful smooth ride we are all getting even w/ our sport suspensions is due to the use of rubber bushings and I and you know that the trade-off is getting the control arms replaced. Many posts have already mentioned using third party control arms - like Vortrag that uses Delrin bushings. You will get a harder ride...BUT you will also get improved handling and fix the bushing problem so that it doesn't re-occur.

The wastgate problems were known in 1997 and early 98 models. My 99.5 has the turbo U heat shield and fatter oil lines. I didn't buy an A4 in 96(2.8) because it was first model year and I didn't buy a 1.8t in 97 for the same reason. I also didn't buy an E46 bimmer in 99 as they have plenty of first year into second year problems still being resolved. I also have heard tons of reliability problems from BMW owners that had early E36 325 and 318s'.

It is probable that a batch of fuel sending units, sunroof switches, broken door chimes, and squeeky armrests have had problems - but c'mon, they are NOT major problems. They are not dangerous problems and they ALL can be fixed during routine service stops. What IS annoying is dealer service depts. not having the parts in stock and quickly fitting you in for repair work.

Finally, I urge you to check the TSB's for ANY car that has been out at least 5 years. I guarantee you will see tons of TSB's for problems that need to be fixed - many of which are dangerous.

BTW..you stated:

the Mercedes battery "hasn't been replaced since 1985." HUH...15 years on the same battery...that may be a world record.

You also said you "redlined the BMW on EVERY shift EVERY time you drove". HMMM...third gear redline, 4th redline...I guess another typo or exaggeration..aye.
Not one problem w/ the 325 until 120k? hmmm..another possible world record.

Mike...I hate to say it but....sell the Audi already. You have lost confidence in the car and are evidently very unhappy with it. Once that happens you would do best to dump it. You should be able to get more than enough money from selling your 97 A4 to get another used Bimmer 325es that you feel will run flawlessly into the high mileage zone.

MitchC 1.8tqms

since 1985. We've never changed it. Starts perfectly every single time. Die Hard battery. As for shifting at redline in the BMW, 1st gear went up to 30 MPH and second went to 50 MPH. I hit redline in first adn second from every stop where the speed limit was at least 45 MPH. As for selling the A4, I would definitely trade it in for a new BMW except I can't afford it at this stage in my life. I need my car now to last me until I finish med school / internship / residency. That should be another 8+ years down the line. Until then, I plan on driving and enjoying my A4 and hoping that nothing breaks. I'm still into my A4 you know. I haven't exactly written it off. Just stuck the euro sport badge on it and will get clear corners and sport grill soon.

Mike

nt

If the dealer has a lower control arm from 1996 in stock....guess what you are going to get?

I would call AoA and demand the latest part number and revision, for ce the dealer to get it, especailly if you are out of warranty and paying for it yourself.

Mike I agree with you this car is definitely in the lower end of the spectrum with flaws and definitely part failures. It also seems that Audi does not care to redesign the parts and just keep attaching the junk! My prior 5 Nissans (3 - Z's, 2 - Maxima's) had zero problems. I looking at the new Infinity I30T as a replacement and using the A4 as a winter beater car here in PA.

I keep preaching that the VW Passat owners with the 10yr/100K mile drivetrain warranty will be laughing big time at us A4 owners out of warranty.

And they also paid less!!!!

The bottom line is most people bought the 4 ring ego trip and got burnt!

nt

Just took car in today (97' 1.8t) for squeaky clutch. Dealer (Gossett Motors, Memphis, TN) has new clutch master cylinder on order.

Although the car has made a few intermitent squeaks and rattles over the past two years, I have had no real problems with the car. Sure, the Toyotas and Hondas I have owned in the past have been problem-free. But I would even think about trading my A4 for an Accord or Camry. The A4 is the first car I have owned in a long time that seems to have a soul (aka personality). I enjoy every moment behind the wheel and the admiring glances and compliments of my fellow motorist.

Robert Jordan