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Audi A4 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • robin25robin25 Member Posts: 1
    My son's 2004 Audi A4 has Bose speakers and the front driver's side speaker seems to have blown. Can anyone tell me how I can go about getting it replaced other than to take it to the Audi dealer?
  • huntzingerhuntzinger Member Posts: 356
    For a starting point, you might want to check out the website for Crutchfield, or find a hardcopy of their catalog. They offer aftermarket stereos and speakers for nearly all cars sold in the USA and as such, they have the info for "drop in" types of replacements.

    Their website is

    They used to have an affiliation with Discover Credit Card, which you might be able to save another 20% if you use part of your 'Cashback Bonus' for a gift card or whatever.

    -hh
  • a6vosa6vos Member Posts: 1
    the motor may still be fuctional, but i would suggest to open up the motor and look at the gears inside, they may be worn.
  • glenn15glenn15 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, This is my first question,any input welcome.I have a 1993 Audi 100 Avant,and
    have a problem with the electric windows.when i first start the car the windows
    do not operate,then after about 5mins they work ok,thie same thing happens every time i start the car,it also stops me closing the windows via the door lock.
    Could the problem be the master switch?
    Thanks,Graham
  • pug3pug3 Member Posts: 2
    Check Engine light stays on. What could be the problem?
  • eddie650eddie650 Member Posts: 26
    No way to know for sure without taking your car in to be checked out.

    I'm aware that if the oxygen sensor goes bad for some reason, the check engine light comes on. At work this happens on the Malibu's in our fleet when the rodents chew on a wire when the car is parked in the lot overnight in the same space for a few days. For some reason, they go after the Malibu's and ignore the Stratus vehicles we have.
  • mdstoloffmdstoloff Member Posts: 2
    Rich:

    I had the same issue with my 06 A4 Avant. Traction light would come on an over-ride the engine. The dealer tried to fix the car several times but failed. Finally they said they placed an order for a new PC board that controlled the engine. They needed to get this direct from Audi in Germany and was made for my spacific vin number.... Worked like a charm. I have not had any issue since then.
    Good Luck...
    Michael
  • deepstardeepstar Member Posts: 18
    I have the same "problem" with my new 2008 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro. Lots of Slimey Black Soot in the exhaust. Makes a big mess trying to wipe down the tips. When it's wet...it splatters all over the back of the car. Why is this happening? This can't be good for my Catalytic's. Is anyone at Audi aware of this? I Went to the dealer...they told me I had "Bad Gas" and to refill with "Shell" Brand gas instead of the premium "BP" gas that I was currently using. I have never heard of this. This has to be a joke. I seem to be getting a lot of "Bad Gas" these days and it 's nothing Beano can fix!
  • ilrndudeilrndude Member Posts: 14
    deepstar,

    They weren't joking about the "bad gas." Some brands have additives which will help prevent the very problem you describe. Brands such as Shell, Texaco, Chevron, and Conoco are good. Avoid Mobil/Exxon and BP. Google this issue about gas. It's not just Audis which are affected.

    There should have been information provided when you bought your car. With the other owner material was included a list of good gas brands. I already knew about it and have been careful about the gas we put in our other car--a Saab.
  • dowopdiddydowopdiddy Member Posts: 1
    I recently took my Audi to the dealer for the 40K scheduled maintenance. I have maintained this car regularly & have had no problems with the vehicle until AFTER the 40K maintenance.

    Earlier this year, Audi sent me notice of a fuel pump recall. The dealer inspected the fuel pump & said it did not need replacing. They charged me $689 for the 40K & sent me off warning me that all the brakes had to be replaced within 3 months.

    Then, two days later I had to return the car to the dealer when all the gas leaked out of the car as I was filling it up. The dealer ended up replacing the fuel pump after all even though they supposedly had just inspected it & found nothing wrong. But, even then, they tried to argue that they were not at fault! I argued my case & ended up with free rental car for the 4 days it took to order the pump & fix the problem that supposedly wasn't a problem.

    Now, one week later, the engine light suddenly came on & the car abruptly started running rough - VERY rough. I managed to get the car back to my house although I was nervous driving it. Once again I called the dealer who then cited numerous possibilities (along with the cost for each possibility) such as a failed catalytic converter (cost = approx.$1,500). Of course the dealer failed to mention how the recent poor maintenance (incident #1 & #2) might be a factor.

    I had no problems with this car until after this 40K scheduled maintenance. Then a host of problems cropped up. I have two questions based on the above: (1) Can I drive this car back to the dealer without worrying about engine damage or should I opt for getting it towed?; (2) What are the probable causes of ENGINE LIGHT ON + ROUGH ENGINE following a "heavy" maintenance?

    Thanks so much for any help you can give to me.
  • rowlandjrowlandj Member Posts: 254
    It sounds like a bad coil-pack on your car. Typically on Audi's when they go bad it results in the behavior your seeing. This can be checked by a relatively simple scan tool at most auto parts stores. If the code shows a bad coil pack it may not show what cylinder but there are ways to determine which relativaly easily.

    If you do a searc on the web for "audi coil pack diy" you'll likely find the best method.

    Your car is just about the right age and mileage for this to happen and it's not uncommon at all. Just poor timing.

    PS - that dealer sounds like a nightmare, you may do better finding a good independent shop in the area that specializes in German vehicles VW/Audi in particular. There are lots of them out there.
  • eddie650eddie650 Member Posts: 26
    It was a rough engine after replacing the spark plugs in my case. It ended up that they needed to replace an engine coil - probably same as mentioned in another reply. they told me this sometimes happens after replacing a spark plug. Driving the car should be OK if it's just a small distance to the dealer.
  • tyler13tyler13 Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a 1999 A4 quattro this morning and the power windows quit working for me! They worked on my way to lunch but when i got back into the car they didn't work at all. the sunroof doesn't work now either. It still works to open and close them with the key in the door lock but thats it. Any idea's as to what the cause of this might be?
  • vapor6969vapor6969 Member Posts: 3
    can anyone tell me if my release bearing and lever are bad do i need to replace the whole clutch kit
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    This is a duplicate question which has been addressed already in the "Transmission Traumas" topic.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hard to say. First thing I'd do is see if a scanner will pick up a trouble code to help with the diagnosis. Of course, I'd also get out your owner's manual and check any fuse related to these operations.

    ALSO - in your "8-way Relay Carrier" there is a module that we must hold under suspicion, given its function:

    Relay # 4 Power Window / Sunroof Control Module
  • antonio2012antonio2012 Member Posts: 4
    hello, how you doing?

    i have an audi a4 2.8 v6 quattro 1998 automatic triptronic.

    the problem is when i go like in 3 or 4 gear, the car start to shake a little bit (no matter if the car is in automatic or with the triptronic).

    The slippage occurs in either of two situations: 1) during slight acceleration (feathering-in the gas pedal) on upward inclines without initiating a downshift (which I consider an engine lugging situation), and 2) during slight acceleration immediately after deceleration at 50-60 mph range. The slippage does not occur hard acceleration. No fault lights (red or yellow) are lit and VAG-COM scanning shows no DTC faults in any controller.

    Someone told me that it was a faulty torque convertor, i want to know where i can buy that part over the internet. Or if someone can tell me how i can fix this problem.

    Thanks
  • sfaudisfaudi Member Posts: 1
    Hey there, I've got a 1998 A4 Quatro, and the right rear window is stuck all the way down. I know it's probably the motor, but is there a way to manually roll up the window before I can get it serviced? Please reply asap!!! Thanx!
  • 10sfan10sfan Member Posts: 136
    Looking to purchase a used 2007 A4 Quattro with 6,000 miles, not Certified. Concerned with difference in gas milage and if certification. current warranty expires in four years and will never exceed that 50,000K. Appreciate any comments.
  • lizzie6lizzie6 Member Posts: 1
    can any one tell me how 2 access relay indicator
  • antonio2012antonio2012 Member Posts: 4
    hello!!!

    i have an audi a4 2.8 v6 quattro 1998 automatic triptronic.

    My transmission finally broke down, my mechanic told me that is better to buy a used transmission rather than buy a new oem transmission pump and a rebuilt torque converter. the thing is that the second option it's cheaper than the first one, but my mechanic is skeptical about oem products. What should i do????
  • rowlandjrowlandj Member Posts: 254
    Find another mechanic. That is the most insane thing I have heard.
  • mas2008mas2008 Member Posts: 1
    I bouught my 2008 Audi A4 Quattro automatic in November 2007. It has a serious problem: It burns oil at a rate of 1 quart per 1000 miles. The oil level warning came on at 6000, 10000 and 14000 miles. Each time I had it checked at the dealer where it was purchased and was told each time that no leaks were found and that it was operating normally. They also measured the aforementioned burn off rate according Audi guidelines and informed me that it was "well within Audi specifications and no action is required." These engines are problematic and Audi knows it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's time to raise hell I'm afraid, while you still have the chance. This is not acceptable on a new car.

    So you might ask the dealer: "Well, if it's not leaking, then it must be burning it, and if it burns 1 quart every 1000 miles, then you owe me an engine".

    Or you might suggest to Audi that every Audi dealership have a banner in the window advertising those "specs".
  • hroark10hroark10 Member Posts: 5
    I have had my Audi A4 for 3 months with 2400 miles so far and today my Tire Pressure light went on. The tires look fine but I will be taking it to my local tire place tomorrow to check the PSI and adjust if need be. My question is how can I reset the TPMS if the light still does not go off after I adjust the PSI. Thanks for the help!
  • audiman5audiman5 Member Posts: 8
    Hi,
    They don't want to risk opening up your transmission and take the warranty issues that come with it. The used tranny will be on you if it goes bad.

    Anyway,
    I have the same model and year with 137k miles. Would you mind telling how your tranny finally failed and at what mileage? What were the symptoms just before?

    This will help me decide what to do with this car.

    Thanks in advance for your help.

    D :confuse:
  • audisharkaudishark Member Posts: 1
    I can't get my radio out of the safe mode. I have the code to get it working but I press the two buttons down and hold them (according to the book) and it won't release the safe mode to put the code in. Any help please.
  • antonio2012antonio2012 Member Posts: 4
    when i go like in 3 or 4 gear, the car start to shake a little bit (no matter if the car is in automatic or with the triptronic).

    The slippage occurs in either of two situations: 1) during slight acceleration (feathering-in the gas pedal) on upward inclines without initiating a downshift (which I consider an engine lugging situation), and 2) during slight acceleration immediately after deceleration at 50-60 mph range. The slippage does not occur hard acceleration. No fault lights (red or yellow) are lit and VAG-COM scanning shows no DTC faults in any controller. Also on cold starts it won shift normally

    the other day the car start to make i extrange noise and i saw smoke coming out of the engine, and that was when the mechanical told me that it was a bad trasmission pump. all that with less than 65K (i don't know for sure if the mileage was trick or something, but the car belong to a woman before me that claim she almost didn't used it )

    the mechanic told me that the torque converter it's ok, but the transmission pump not, other option that i have it's to buy a used (in good shape) transmission pump, what do you thing??
  • jlettie2jlettie2 Member Posts: 14
    If a person runs 87 Octane in a vehicle that requires 91 Octane, the engine should not ping because the built-in computer should retard the timing. I own a Nissan Maxima that requires 93 Octane. I have run reg gas (87 Octane). The engine never pings. The only negative would be the performance and the Oxygen sensor may be damaged. The best advice I have been told was to use reg gas every other tank full. The only reason I believe an Audi may ping is because the motor is a turbo.
  • makigrlmakigrl Member Posts: 19
    Are there a lot problems with these cars? My friend suggested to me once rather than get a new car you could get 5-6 year old luxury car. Like you can a used Jaguar S Class or Audi A6 thats 5-6 years old cheaper than something like a new Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. But there are so many problems with these cars. I told him these cars have electrical problems and he's like it would cost $1,000 which shouldn't be a big problem. I would rather have a car that is reliable like a Lexus, Acura, or Infiniti than some luxury Car from Germany or England. I don't even know if Mercedes or BMW are any more reliable than a VW product.
  • tom204tom204 Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2007 A4 2.0T with the same problem. Burn about 1 quart every 2000 miles since the first 3000 miles of use. I have 9400 miles on the car. The problem is with the PCV valve which tends to fail, thus allowing the high pressure from the intake manifold to leak into the crankcase when the turbo is activated. At 8625 miles I have installed Audi's redesigned PCV valve assembly (It is called a PCV pump by Audi/VW). I have observed no oil burning since. The part cost $75 and there is an hour labor involved. I am trying to get re-inbursed by Audi. We shall see. Ay least the oil loss stopped. It is not really "burning", but venting from the pressurized crankcase. You also are lowering your performance, because leaking from the intake to the crankcase reduces turbo pressure from the 0.9 BAR design point.
  • krisnodoubtkrisnodoubt Member Posts: 5
    I am really interested in buying this certified 2006 Audi A4 that I saw last weekend at a dealer's lot. I test drove it and the final offer from dealer is 23,900 + TTL

    Specs: 2006 Audi A4 (registered Sept 2006)
    2.0T Automatic Quattro
    It is certified upto 6yrs/100,000 miles.

    Is this a good deal and how is the reliability of this car? Can I trust the Audi certified warranty?
  • tom204tom204 Member Posts: 9
    It is a great car to drive. However, you must accept the inconvenience of carrying a quart of oil in your trunk, check the oil level at every time you refill your tank and use roughly a quart of oil every 1200 miles (Audi's level of acceptable oil usage). You will need about 8 quarts between the recommended oil change interval of 10,000 miles. iI you are lucky, or rather if the turbine is not engaged a lot, it might use less.
  • tom204tom204 Member Posts: 9
    It may not burn and it may not leak at the bottom and still use oil. The problem is that the the PCV pump system's check valve, the one tied directly to the intake manifold after the turbo, is not closing consistently when the turbo inreases the pressure. The increased pressure then leaks into the crankcase that the other end of the PCV pump assembly is unable to vent completely to the pre turbo section of the intake manifold. The oil leaves in part through the orifice of the dipstick tube, You pull out the dipstick and you will find oil residue on the inlet shoulder. You will also find oil residue on the cowling.
  • wilnerwilner Member Posts: 34
    my central locking system is not working thru the use of the remote. i already replaced the battery of the remote and the same is happening. now i have to lock and unlock manually using the key and it's only the driver's door that's working and the rest are not. and the lock/unlocking button inside by the driver side is not working either. but the alarm system is working. anybody can help me. thank you very much.
  • wilnerwilner Member Posts: 34
    continuation of the locking system. i forgot, i already checked all the fuses and everything is fine, they are all in good condition. thanks again
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah but if it was being pushed out the dipstick hole, the engine bay would be an awful mess. You can imagine this by spraying a quart of oil into your engine bay.

    I think a bad PCV could definitely cause more oil burning however, forcing oil past the rings and giving us the phenomenon called "blowby".

    Another sign of blowby might be a very oily air filter.
  • rowlandjrowlandj Member Posts: 254
    Check your owners manual - there is likely a re-set procedure needed after changing the battery in the key fob.
  • tom204tom204 Member Posts: 9
    Spraying oil into the engine compartment would be a sign of a plugged PCV valve with oil squirting out. Here, the the valve, which is suppose to close when there is positive pressure in the in-take manifold is staying open. the only thing you will see is an oil residue on the cowling, near the oil fill cap and oil deposit on the ring at the end of the dipstick handle and the seat underneath it. If you have instrumentation you can also measure the pressure drop at the turbo output, where the 0.9 Bar normal pressure will drop by about a tenth, because of the leak into the crankcase. We are not talking about a very large amount of oil. My loss is about a quart in 1800-2000 miles. Used to be a quart every 3000 miles. There are lots of suggested fixes. Here is one http://www.golfmkv.net/blog/archives/23. Here is another http://deviantspeed.com/the-ultimate-20t-pcv-fix.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Thank you for that explanation, but still, a quart of oil is somewhere in the engine compartment (or am I misreading what you are saying?). Where does the oil go, this 1/2 quart every 1,000 miles? Either burn or leak, that's it right?
  • tom204tom204 Member Posts: 9
    That is right. Some burns no doubt, though my tail pipe finger test comes up negative. Evaporation into the engine compartment might be expelled by the fan, though I have distinct oil deposit on the cowl around the oil refill cap. Audi states that even 1 quart per 1000 miles is acceptable engine performance and I am half of that.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Okay got it. I could live with a quart every 2,000 as long as it never got worse. I don't see Audi doing anything about it anyway, since it is "in spec".
  • mommyof1mommyof1 Member Posts: 1
    I just purchased this 98 Audi A4 and I rolled the back drivers side window down and it wont go up. I can turn the key on and pulled the window switch and it will go up about 1-2 inches and automatically go down. I got it up by turning the key on and my husband held the window up and then I had to turn the key off and back on and it would roll up another 1-2 inches while he held it up. I had to do this til I got it completely up and it stayed. The drivers side front also don't work. I was wondering what might be wrong with it. Can anyone help me with this?
  • tom204tom204 Member Posts: 9
    You are of course absolutely right. Audi won't do anything on the basis of the oil loss, after all there are some New Beetles, without turbo which use even more oil. However, Audi might be forced to do something because of the pressure leak from the turbocharged section of the manifold. Once the check-valve fails in the PCV assembly, the turbo can never develop the 0.9 Bar (about 13 psi) pressure. This impacts engine performance. All the proposed fixes on the net are addressing this performance loss, not the issue of oil loss. The oil loss is just a symptom.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yes that makes perfect sense, thanks for explaining that further.
  • niteswmer2niteswmer2 Member Posts: 20
    Hi. I tried to do a 'search' but didn't have much luck.

    I have an 02 1.8T with about 78k miles on it. I recently had to have the battery replaced and now I'm experiencing electrical issues. It started with the dome light and door open lights staying on after the doors were all closed. Then the windows stopped working. Sometimes everything would be fine, but the last few days the windows aren't working and the dome light remains on.

    My local mechanic suggested there was some sort of TSB out there regarding water getting into the wiring harness. The numbers he gave me were: Recall: Group 97; Number 02-01, Date: Oct 2, 2002. Subject: Door Electrical Components Malfunctioning.

    Has anyone experienced this problem? Is it a recall? Is it covered by Audi or should I expect to pay a large chunk of change?

    Thanks.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's not a recall, it's a TSB: Dealer is under no obligation to repair this, and if he does, it's on your nickel as a rule, with a car this old.

    Does this sound like your symptoms?

    Group: 97

    Number: 02-01

    Date: Oct. 2, 2002
    Subject:
    Door Electrical Components, Malfunctioning

    Model(s):

    A4 2002

    Condition

    Electrical components operated via door control modules and/or switches malfunctioning such as window regulators, instrument cluster door ajar light, interior lights and door lights. Symptoms include:
    ^ Doors cannot be locked or unlocked by remote control.

    ^ Window regulators do not work.

    ^ Inside lights sporadically do not go out.

    ^ Display in cluster shows doors open when all doors are shut.

    ^ Door lights do not work. Vehicle may exhibit one or more of these symptoms at the same time.

    May be caused by water ingress into the wire harness contact housing at the A-pillar or B-pillar which leads to corrosion of individual terminals.
  • niteswmer2niteswmer2 Member Posts: 20
    Thanks, Mr Shiftright. That sounds an awful lot like what I'm experiencing. Since the car is so old, and Audi isn't under an obligation to pay, I doubt they'll help. Any ideas as to what we are looking at here as far as cost?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I guess that depends on:

    1. Are they familiar with this corroded terminal business and have they done it before? (If so, they know right where to look)

    2. Where ARE these corroded terminals? Accessible or buried somewhere.

    it would be great if you showed them the TSB and asked them what they know about it.

    If you are in the San Francisco area I can send you to excellent Audi people.
  • niteswmer2niteswmer2 Member Posts: 20
    Unfortunately, I'm in the St. Louis area.

    They asked if the car had been in deep water (we've had floods in the area) - my car hasn't, btw. So I guess they know something about it. But they didn't mention the TSB at all.

    I guess I need to prepare myself for an expensive repair. :-(
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