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Audi A4 Maintenance and Repair

2367 messages,  Last post on May 16, 2013 at 8:34 AM

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What is this discussion about? Audi A4, Convertible, Sedan, Wagon

    
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Messages Page 131 of 237

#1300 of 2367 Re: NEW TO AUDI - I have an A4 1.8T Q - Any tips?? [mason3] by shevis_audi

Jun 27, 2006 (1:06 pm)

Replying to: mason3 (Apr 24, 2006 9:40 pm)
Hi,
I just saw your message, and figured i'd reply...since it was kida connected to my message - although not about the same subjects. Anyway, I would think that you could find the answer to your question via the internet - thats what i usually do. I research stuff online all the time. But forget it...I've looked it up for you (simply by doing "1998 Audi A4 specs" and "1998 Audi A4 gasoline type" on Yahoo's search engine).
Here are 2 links that, when combined, appear to address a couple of your questions.
 
I hope these help:
 
http://www.theautochannel.com/vehicles/new/reviews/1998/russ9824.html
 
http://www.audiworld.com/model/a4.html

#1301 of 2367 HELP - Check Engine Light, Car Shakes. by shevis_audi

Jun 27, 2006 (1:59 pm)

Hi everyone,
I first posted a message here a few months ago - when i first got my 1999 Audi A4 1.8T Quattro. It was doing fine then...aside from the front bumpber just slightly beginning to come loose (which was Face down, almost totally off as i was parking out in of my workplace,and this lady stopped walking and turned around to look at it - i was horrified once i saw what she saw..but i managed to secure it back..if i can use the word secure..it came loose again later, just not as much). I havent really been able to do maintenance on the car other than the $35 or so Synthetic Oil oil changes(I've had it for about 10k miles. It just started 94k miles).
 
I took it to this Walmart super center/Aut center that i go to and they did the oil change about 3 days ago. I drove about 4 miles to go home and didnt Notice any problems, but later that night when I started the car, I immediately noticed the check engine light. Around that time (either earlier that day, or later that day) I noticed a slight shaking/pulsation of the car when it was idling after my just starting it up. I didnt pay it any mind..but now that the check engine light is on...im really worried about that combination (so it must have started before the check engine light came on). I mean is the Engine shaking or What?? What worse, is that with each passing day, the pulsation (which, to describe it, makes my legs..or just whole body kinda rock/sway just slightly when im just sitting there with the car on). Today i asked the Walmart supercenter about the issue and they said they dont deal with check engine lights..and that they wouldnt have done anything that would ahve cuased the check engine light to come on.
I've gone to a few places and asked them how much it would cost for me to have it looked at/diagnosed and I've gotten numbers ranging from about $80 to over $100 (i told the Audi guy that its running okay..but it does feel a bit sluggish..today it felt Worse..RPM at 2 or 3 even though im stable at 50 or 60 mph, does that sound right? Im thinking not..but i dont know. But getting back to the Audi guy...i told him it was sluggish/less pep, as if it may tbe the Catalytic converter or something..and he said "Well i hope its not that, they cost upward of $2,500" I said "Well i hope so too then..I'd just have to sell it". I simply Cant pay for the diagnostic right now..as much as that sucks. And my brakes suck because even though the tiny dealership i bought the car from advertised it as having New brakes, only the front ones were new. Went back to him after NTB told me they were Very bad..rotors and all but that the front brake Pads were new...and the tiny dealership put on new back brake pads...the rotors are still bad and i can really feel it now.
 
Back to the Check engine light... here are the symptoms....Light is on. Feel a tremble/pulsation as soon as the car is started up and is idle. Im sure its doing it while im driving too, i just cant feel it. Someone said to check the oil level and make sure it hasnt been leaking oil. Its oil level is FULL and theres nothing leaking. Maybe they put in the Wrong oil? Non-synthetic?? People DO make mistakes. Would that cause this? What IS low (below the MIN. line) is the container thats on the drivers side under the hood and i think its filled with yellow or orange fluid and its cap has a Temperature guage icon on it. I guess thats the Coolant. I think i'll fill that up tonight..if i can get it from Auto Zone or something.
I had read nothing but good things about Audi A4s right before i bought mine... I was mainly reading the Test Drive Results, etc. Not the consumer's opinions about it. But a day or so after i signed the check, i saw a bunch of complaints online and i was like "oh Boy". Couldnt believe it. Then some people said/say online "If you want a low-maintenance car you should get a Toyota or a Honda..." But that sounds stupid. I read people's comments about things going wrong with their cars when (supposedly) they had done ALL the maintenance required. I had a Hyundai and other than the Catalytic Converter going out at 13k miles and like 1 other problem, i didnt have any "repairs" for my car -- unless it was in an "accident" so that was the mindset i went into when i got the Audi..was that it would need its sheduled maintenance and that would be that. And its not like its been bad so far...but Im a bit on edge right now because I feel like there may be some problem with it thats expensive to fix (or may eventually be one) and I cant afford that. I guess when getting a used car, you should aim for a cheaper brand, or if youre gunna get the more expensive kind, get a Couple of people to inspect it, and get a He..ck of a warranty. But the situation is what it is. I've just got to get this issue diagnosed and maybe sell the A4 (well, i'll probably be trading it; im thinking people may not want to buy it with its "issues"). Im especially uneasy because I recently was told by a Few people that almost the whole car was repainted (there are small areas of chipped paint, with a lighter-colored paint unterneath it) and that the bumper is Not the original bumper...so im thinking it was wrecked at some point ...and it just somehow didnt get to the CarFax...so i feel like "Who knows what else could be in store". Not that this check engine light is necessarily due to something previous..it could be due to something that Just happened.
I know i wasnt brief (to say the least huh? ), but if you have experienced this/have some answers for me, please let me know.
 
Thank you all!

#1302 of 2367 Re: Turn signal [ecogdill] by ban_wills

Jun 28, 2006 (10:44 am)

Replying to: ecogdill (Oct 24, 2005 11:37 am)
Unfortunately, I do not have any ideas as to why this happening, but I can tell you I am having the SAME EXACT problem with my 03 A4. I just called the service department and they hope to get me in next week. I'll keep you posted!

#1303 of 2367 Failed door locks/alarm and turning signal issues by ban_wills

Jun 28, 2006 (10:58 am)

This may sound absurd, but I am having issues with my door locks, but only when it is hot outside. It started last summer, and only on extremely hot days (90 degrees or more). I felt crazy and ignored it, but it continued. I had it into the shop for the 30k service (BTW, this is a 2003 A4 1.8T Quattro). Of course, nothing could be found. So, I continued to believe I was crazy. Of course, it then began to get worse. During the fall/winter, whenever I parked my car in a sunny location, 4-5 hours later, I could not unlock my driver's side door with the remote. Every other door unlocked, but not the driver's side. I would then manually unlock it. Again, around the 40k service, I mentioned it again. Again, nothing could be found. Well, now if it has been sitting, it will not lock. I will walk away from the car, push the lock, and the alarm will not activate, nor will the doors lock. I can still lock them manually, but I can't tell you how many times I have been in a parking garage (thinking the car was locked, of course) only to return and find the doors unlocked.
 
To top it off, now my turn signals (only when turning right) will come on, go left, then go back to a right signal. This happens on and off. I have also had issues with replacing just about every bulb in the car--front headlights twice, and now some of my rear lights are no longer functioning.
 
I called Audi service and I will be taking my car back in next week. I guess my main concern is if I am having all of these issues at 44k miles, what do I have to look forward to after expiration of the warranty at 50k miles?
 
Has anyone ever had these issues and been given a straight answer as to the cause?

#1304 of 2367 Re: HELP - Continued... [shevis_audi] by shevis_audi

Jun 28, 2006 (11:51 am)

Replying to: shevis_audi (Jun 27, 2006 1:59 pm)
Hi,
I didnt see the link to edit my previous post about the engine light, so i just clicked on reply. Well anyway, i just wanted to update you all:
 
I went to Auto Zone to get the Coolant stuff...and at the cash register i mentioned the problem with the car. Shockingly the guy who was kinda of a smart a#$ to me said he would take a look at it for me if i pulled it up to the curb. He hooked up this little hand held computer to the car and got the "code" It was P1136. He said that i could take that code and ask Audi what mechanical issue that code matches up to. I went to the Audi dealership in Tyson's Corner today, and surprise, surprise, they tried to get some money out of me. I told the guy that i had a check engine light on and that i was given the code for the issue, and asked if he would tell me what that code equaled. He was going on and on about how I should have them do the ($107) test over because maybe thats the wrong code and BLAH BLAH BLAH. He hesitantly went on and called someone in a different dept. who Eventually called him back with the code's definition. The code showed 2 different possible issues.
Apparently, its either a Mass Air Flow Sensor problem or Vacuum Leak.
Those dont sound like things that would cause Shaking/pulsation of the car. And the people at Auto Zone said its probably not that the coolant was low and tore up the engine, but that it probably needs new spark plugs and that the pulsation im feeling is a "misfire".
 
Thats about it for now...please let me know what you think. Thanks.

#1305 of 2367 Re: NEW TO AUDI - I have an A4 1.8T Q - Any tips?? [samueld] by shevis_audi

Jun 28, 2006 (12:13 pm)

Replying to: samueld (May 05, 2006 8:07 pm)
Hey David!
 
I hadnt gotten an alert sent to my email telling me about this post...weird. I get alerts almost every day, so i figured its letting me know Every post..or those connected to my posts at least. Well anyway, thank you for the reply Even though im reading it in June. I DID see something about the Timing Belt warranty online,and even printed it about 2 months ago and took it to an Audi dealership. They looked up some information about my car - I guess i gave them the VIN at the time...and the guy told me that its service ..up to the 50k mile mark atleast, was completed at an Audi dealership out of town and it showed that (Supposedly) that person already took advantage of the One-Time-Timing-Belt-Check, so i was not eligibile. I dont want to see your pretty Audi..im upset cuz mine is messing up. lol. Hey, read the message i just posted yesterday (and today...i did an update on it as a "reply" since i didnt see the link to edit it. It seems like you can edit it after logging out).
 
Thank you sweetie pie...I hope to hear from you soon. When i was just now reading your post and i saw you say that you read the posts i did on the other website i thought you were gunna say something rude/mean like "they were long...why'd you write all that" or something. But no, you were sweet. Are you married? Just kidding. Oh and as far as the ABS module...I found a reduced priced one online for about $550 months ago(used, but tested, and comes with a 6 month or a year warrant, cant remember which), and with (Audi) labor i guess it would still be less than the quote that Audi gave me which was about $2,500. I was told by this one guy, who is also named David, who works for VW (i kinda met him when i was looking at a car at the VW place a month before i got my Audi, then i saw the guy at the 7-11 and we started talking at the store..through a recommendation,he got me a little p/t job at the VW dealership but i dont really "know" him)said that cars actually brake better without ABS, its just that if you come really close to a car, and you slam on you brakes, ABS would help to prevent the accident. But in any case, i cant pay for the cost of the ABS system right now. If its even that, and not the sensor by the tire (?).

#1306 of 2367 Correct size rotors for 02 A4 1.8t ??? by pipoca

Jun 29, 2006 (8:12 pm)

i know it sounds very stupid , but i'm just getting to know my audi ,, and i have to change my rotors, what is the correct size for the front and rear rotor? thanks in advance ....

#1307 of 2367 by mike2003a4

Jun 30, 2006 (11:44 am)

Here are my problems with Audi. I lease a 2003 Audi A4 1.8T . I am attaching a letter that I sent to the Chairman of Audi (Dr. Martin Winterkorn) as well as Audi dealership owners and Audi customers. In addition to this letter, today my Audi is in for service and the hood cable is broek ($95) and the check pump needs to be replaced($267.15). Audi did tell me they would take the car back and put me in a new lease but my new payment would be 40% higher then my current payment. Here is the letter:
 
June 30, 2006
Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn
Chairman of the Board of Management, Technical Development
Audi AG
Postfach 220
D85045 Ingolstadt
Germany
011 (49) 8418900
 
Re: Vehicle Id# WAULC68E83A203625
 
Dear Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn:
I am coming to the end of the lease period for my 2003 Audi A4 1.8T. The reason for this letter is to make you aware of my extreme disappointment with Audi’s product and service. When I first leased this car I was very happy with the design and handling of the car. But as time passed, with the multitude of problems my satisfaction declined rapidly. In addition, when dealing with the service people at times they made me feel as though I had caused the problems.
On January 30, 2006 when I had to have a fuel pump replaced I spoke with the Sales Manager of Smithtown Audi, Jeff Friedberg. I told him of my disappointment with my Audi. I also told him that I still liked the car and the problem could be rectified. I told him that I understood that not all Audi’s have these issues and that I just happened to get a “bad one.” If he could somehow workout getting me out of the current car I was in and put me in a new Audi A4 I would be satisfied. His response was (and this should make you very proud), “I could try but I doubt Audi will do anything. I used to be a manager for Mercedes Benz and they would be more than happy to accommodate you. But my experience with Audi is that they really won’t do anything for you.” At that point I told him that I guess my next car should be a Mercedes!
I had another service issue with Jim Metzger, Service Advisor. I had new tires put on my car and later in the day I was standing behind my car and noticed one of the rear tires was on wrong. This was noticeable because the treads of the tires were going in opposite direction. When I looked closely I could see on the sidewall of one of the tires that the rotation arrow was facing the wrong way. Once again I did not see this as an issue. I just called and wanted to know if I could bring the car back and they could fix it. I left a message for Jim Metzger. I received a message back that said, “Mr. Aniello I spoke with the service technician who did the work and he said when he sent the car out the tires were on correct.” Needless to say, when I brought the car in they were very apologetic for the stupidity. I do not consider it stupidity that the tire was put on incorrectly in the first place. That was a mistake and mistakes happen. But for the service advisor to think the technician was going to say, “Yeah, I sent that car out with the tire on incorrectly.” That is stupidity!
Below is a list of the issues I have had with my car:
1. December 4, 2004 – Brought car in for 10,000 mile service. Asked them to look at the right directional as it was not always working. They did not find the problem but cleaned sockets which caused the problem to cease.
2. June 10, 2004 – Brought car in for $20,000 mile service. Washer fluid did not work. Blown fuse was replaced.
3. April 4, 2005 – Brought car in for brakes. Additionally the brake light was not working.
4. April 20, 2005 – Brought car in for new tires. This was the time when the situation that I explained above occurred.
5. June 29, 2005 – Brought car in for 40,000 mile service. In addition, reported that the driver side window was not working properly. The window only worked with the auto function. They could not find the problem and I was told there is no problem. I brought Jim Metzger out to the car to show him the window did not work. He was baffled and continued to push the button really hard to see if that would work?? He said I could leave the car but at that point I could not. The windows are still not always working properly. The passenger window will sometimes go down about 1/5th of the way after I have closed it.
6. August 5, 2005 – Brought car in due to noise coming from rear of car. Fuel filter was no longer working. Fuel filter replaced.
7. October 11, 2005 – Check engine light came on and loud squeaking noises were coming from the engine. Brought car in and reported noises as well as windows. The engine and turbo with all new breather system was replaced. Windows were lubed. Windows STILL do not always work properly.
8. October 31, 2005 – Check engine light came on. Vacuum hose replaced. Combination valve replaced. Valve and gasket replaced.
9. November 29, 2005 – Brought car in for 50,000 mile service. Additionally, the sunroof was opening on its own. Sunroof switch was removed and replaced.
10. January 6, 2006 – Car would not start in a parking lot on a Saturday. When I tried to open the hood the hood release did not work. This was because the service technician did reconnect the hood cable last service. I had to get towed to the dealership. Took over three hours from the time the car would not start to the time I got back home. I did not have a car for the rest of the weekend and for work on Monday. The problem was a fuel pump. This repair cost $664.63 due to the car no longer being under warranty. Additionally, the glove box broke off one of the hinges when I opened it a few days before. Audi gave me an estimate of $821.65 to replace. I did not have the repair done and you will get the car back that way when the lease is up.
11. March 8, 2006 – Brought car in for brake light. $15.80.
12. May 30, 2006 and June 2, 2006 – The car can no longer take a full tank of gas. The last two fill-up’s only gave me just less than ¾ of a tank of gas? I have not brought this in yet for service.
The car is due for a 60,000 mile service within the next week or two. I am sure there will be more problems when I bring it in.
I received a letter from Bellavia Audi about my lease coming due in November. I spoke with Arun Nebnhani, a sales associate, and asked if they could get me out of the car any time sooner. He said he would look into it. He did not call back so I left him another message. He called back and left me a message. I returned his call with another message and have not heard from him since.
I hope you can understand my frustration with your product. This is my last attempt to see if you stand behind your product and have any type of solution. The people I have copied on this letter are all Audi owners that are waiting to see what the response to this letter is. I would like to be able to tell them that althou

#1308 of 2367 Re: [mike2003a4] by byronwalter

Jul 02, 2006 (12:10 pm)

Replying to: mike2003a4 (Jun 30, 2006 11:44 am)
Mike,
 
I would edit the letter down in an attempt to be more concise. Make your main point in the first line and then expand on it. You might start with the list of issues and, when needed, elaborate on your dealer's responses.
 
You might find a few grammar/punctuation issues (I know that this is a draft ).
 
Best of luck with your attempt budge Audi.
 
Byron

Messages Page 131 of 237

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