If issues arise, I will dutifully report them herein. But, now with over 200 miles on the new replacement control arms, I am fully satisfied that the "vibration" is gone. If you can "document" your issue, are willing to allow the process to take its course, I can only assume you can get in line for the new and improved control arms for your '09 A4.

BTW, I need to note that the loaner A4, with 7,000 miles on it, 18" non sport set up also had the vibration. It, too, was an '09.

Drive it like you live.

I forget, did you specifically request the control arms to be replaced on your first visit to the dealer about the steering wheel vibration? Or when you say "allow the process to take its course," do you mean it took several visits, where the dealer re-balanced your tires, replaced certain tires, suggested you had a bent rim, etc. before they would proceed to the control arm replacement?

And did the 1.7 labor hours include an alignment? Or is an alignment not part of the retrofit procedure?

If issues arise, I will dutifully report them herein. But, now with over 200 miles on the new replacement control arms, I am fully satisfied that the "vibration" is gone. If you can "document" your issue, are willing to allow the process to take its course, I can only assume you can get in line for the new and improved control arms for your '09 A4.

BTW, I need to note that the loaner A4, with 7,000 miles on it, 18" non sport set up also had the vibration. It, too, was an '09.

Drive it like you live.

Mark, really appreciate you taking the time to write all this up. I've been following all your post on the issue.

I do have a question, was there any mention of the new control arms begin used on the 2010s? Perhaps you heard whispers or something from your time spent at the dealer and during research?

I heard nothing other than comments about the arms for '09's.

I beleive, and I don't have an inside track to tell you if this is typical or more localized (to a dealer), that you must follow a sequence of events and processes that are "probably" Audi of America's policy.

Bring the issue to the attention of the svc dept -- and PUT IT IN WRITING!

Allow for the prescribed steps to be taken -- in my case they included:

#1 checking the tires for the proper rating (XL) and a load rating of some number I cannot recall, mine are rated at 96, which exceeded what they needed (the rating is on the sidewall) -- this was required in my case since I did not have factory OE tires.

#2 checking the tires for load force balancing (making sure they CAN be balanced, that is.)

#3 road test (their test, not yours)

#4 assuming the issue is NOT resolved, restate the issue -- and, say it with me, "PUT IT IN WRITING" (and be nice, be professional, even tho they be dicks -- and, believe me, my service department always has a very positive, helpful and supportive demeanor, so I was not talking about TAC in Cincinnati)

#5 rinse lather, repeat, if you think it is required (in my case, I only had to go through steps 1,2, & 3 and the new arms were ordered and took about 30 days to come in.

No, there is no AWA or even FWA as part of this procedure -- they do check the tire pressure and they did wash and vacuum my car for me tho.

Drive it like you live.

Not part of the procedure.

Bring the issue to the attention of the svc dept -- and PUT IT IN WRITING!
....

#4 assuming the issue is NOT resolved, restate the issue -- and, say it with me, "PUT IT IN WRITING" (and be nice, be professional, even tho they be dicks -- and, believe me, my service department always has a very positive, helpful and supportive demeanor, so I was not talking about TAC in Cincinnati)


Thanks for the advice. I already emailed the specifics of my problem to my service advisor in advance of my service appt later this week. Do you think that is good enough? Or do you mean sending a certified letter to the dealership, or AofA?

What you did is sufficient, IMHO.