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Audi A4 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • niteswmer2niteswmer2 Member Posts: 20
    Hi. I have an 2002 A4 1.8T quattro. When it gets really cold (say about 32 or below), when I drive it feels like the emergency brake is on. For example, if I put it in neutral going down a hill, it actually slows down (I have the 5 spd). I don't think its the e-brake as the problem tends to go away after the car warms up but I don't know jack about cars.

    I do not experience this when its warmer.

    Anyone have any ideas?

    Thanks!
  • rowlandjrowlandj Member Posts: 254
    If the light went off by itself then it's not a permanent condition that's causing it to come on. For example, if the light goes on due to a loose gas cap throwing a code it will clear itself after a few run cycles once you tighten the cap.

    Given this has gone off again for you I really wonder if your problem is as big as the techs are saying. I would be very careful in replacing an expensive part based on the info you have now.
  • gbs1gbs1 Member Posts: 2
    I'm trying decide between a Audi A4 3.2 quattro and a BMR 328i. Ideally I'd want to keep it 6-10 years. I currently don't put that many miles on the car, but you never no if things will change. Is the Audi Q4 reliable enough, it seems like it has some reliability issues from the message boards. Meanwhile, it seems the BMW has some tire issues. I like the idea of the Audi better (seems like everyone and their grandmother has a BMR), but the issues people bring up scare me. Also does anyone know if you can get year-round tires for these vehicles? I prefer not to change tires each season.
  • tunderbordtunderbord Member Posts: 9
    "Anyone have any good reports about their A4's reliability?"

    I've owned a 2007 A4 2.0 quattro, drove 25k without any problems whatsoever. Visited the dealer service for scheduled maintenance Only. Recently upgraded to 2009 A4 2.0 PremiumPlus, soon will reach 5k miles -- everything is perfect.

    I understand that older A4 models might have had some reliability issues... But i don't think the same can be said about the recent year models. Or it would be more fair to say, there has not enough time passed to judge objectively about B7 (2005-2008) and especially B8 (2008-present) generation reliability.

    Regarding tire question -- Afaik, all new Audi's come equipped with all season tires in standard package.
  • mercopsmercops Member Posts: 34
    I have an older A4 (2002) that has had its share of problems. The problems for the most part have been corrected by the dealer ...however one must stay on top of them to ensure that it has been done correctly. I have found that putting too much reliance and trust in the dealer to "do it right" is a dangerous misconception. Case in point is relying on the dealer to do the required maintenance on the vehicle during the first 50k miles while under warranty. In the owners manual is a schedule of "required service" items that must be performed. To place your faith in the dealer to perform these services is a great leap of faith. An example of this is changing the engine air cleaner at 20k and 40k miles as required. I recently (55k miles) had "issues" of no power and terrible gas mileage. Inspection and diagnosis by a "non-dealer" service provider noted that the airfilter was clogged with dirt and debris and the "snow/moisture precluder" screen located in the airfilter snorkel was clogged with leaves. The "non-dealer" service provider actually had to remove the "factory seals" (clamps & fittings) on the air cleaner housing (35 minutes work) just to open the housing to change the filter. He explained that the filter had never been changed and that the housing had never been opened. Yet in the service report issued by the dealer it showed that the unit had been serviced.

    Guess all I am saying is that when you take the vehicle in for service DO NOT rely on the dealer to do the right thing. Follow up to see that it has been performed as required by Audi (who by the way is reimbursing the dealer to perform this service)
  • haagdhaagd Member Posts: 20
    My experience with my 2007 A4 has been the worst vehicle ownership experience I have had. I would suggest doing a search for Audi oil consumption and determine if you are willing to roll the dice on having your oil light go on every 1,000 to 3000 miles. I am liiking at BMW's for my next vehicle
  • TOMH3638TOMH3638 Member Posts: 1
    Audi's are notorious for electrical glitches. I had the same diagnosis over a year ago on a 2004 A4 as the check engin light came on just prior to a state inspection. The dealer re-set the indicator, stayed off a few days, then back on. Car has 98K on it. This year , same dealer, wanted to install a torque converter, Once ir reminded him of the procedure they did last year, they did it again. Unless the transmission feels sluggish, or you feel an slippage issue, I would mot rush to the dealer. Some models are under factory power train warranty warranty to 50K miles, This is an expensive repair. I am driving mine, runs perfect, i'm the original owner. And I had all the repairs done at the Audi dealer, until the inspection which was done at a VW dealer. I will never own another Audi. This is a second and had problems with the first. I'm an engineer so appreciate supposedly the engineering.

    Yours is tow noew for such a problem. My guess is its a faulty sensor.

    Good luck.
  • hopper7hopper7 Member Posts: 1
    I am new to new jersey and need a reliable AUDI dealer for service. So far have had some dealings with the dealer in Edison and am not happy with them. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
  • saratsarat Member Posts: 1
    I have a AUDI A4 - 1995 Model. The ABS light used to come on every now and then. Suddenly last week the brakes just kept on applying by itself untill I could not drive any further.

    Now the brakes start applying by itself after a 1 Km or so and comes to a point when I just cant move the car at all.

    What can be the problem please.

    Sarat
  • wahenikawahenika Member Posts: 1
    Hello: We just bought an a4 quattro, 2002, 3.0 auto. I think there is an electrical drain as the battery is fairly new. I noticed that you mentioned knowing a great Audi shop in San Francisco and would be interested in contacting them as that is where my daughter is taking the car. Thanks for your help.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hi-Tec Automotive in San Rafael CA (just north of SF, just over the GG Bridge)

    415 258-9619

    They know what they're doing.
  • simm1simm1 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, I have a problem with my audi a4 b8, vibrates the steering wheel and the car me in general, have more balanced wheels and as usual, are the vibrations between 110km/h and 130km / h. Does anyone have the same problem or know of that can be? Thank you.
  • tishpit1tishpit1 Member Posts: 24
    I drove a 2005 Audi A4 cabriolet the other day and just fell in love with the car! Handled better than a BMW I drove, and seemed to be put together better than a Mercedes I looked at recently that seemed to fall apart in my hands. Also considering buying a new Mazda Miata; had an old one before and was a fun car, though I prefer a backseat and a bit more room and substance. The Audi fits me perfectly and there's another one, with less miles (30k) though it's a year older, near-by also for sale. The difference in price between the used Audi and the new Miata is about $3,000 or maybe, with negotiations, a bit less. I'm reading that some owners love the Audi and some are nightmares. I'm not getting a feeling for a consensus. What problems besides electric issues should I have checked on this used Audi? Would you spend $16k on a '04 Audi A4 cabrio with 30,000 miles (no warranty)? Are the repairs more costly than a Japanese car? (My 1990 Miata was eating up on average about $300/month on repairs with expensive parts with under 80,000 miles on the odometer). I love the Audi more than the Miata, but am afraid I cannot afford payments and costly repairs. Any luck with after-market extended warranties. Got a quote on the Audi and it was OUTRAGEOUS... like $5k for $0 deductibe and I think it went only to 70,000 miles. Help!!!???
  • davida2davida2 Member Posts: 16
    tishpit1,
    Based on my experience, my A4 has been very reliable with average annual maintenance cost of about $500. I drive a 99 A4 V6 with 143k miles which are known to be more reliable than the newer models. However, based on some internet chatter and what's posted on this site, they are to be steered clear from. I know I will not buy another Audi, not because I don't like the car, but because of potential issues with it. As I understand it, a warranty for Audi does not mean anything these days.

    Anyway, hope this helps, and as always more feedback would be helpful from other readers.

    D
  • jlettie2jlettie2 Member Posts: 14
    Hi
    My name is Joe. Ask your dealer to replace the Intake Flap Runner. This should stop unusual consumption of oil. Why Audi does not issue a recall for this problem, I do not know. These vehicles can run on 89 octane gas without harming the oxygen sensor. :D Good luck.
  • haagdhaagd Member Posts: 20
    I have been fighting oil consumption with Audi for 1 year in my 2007 A4 2.0T. The ethics of Audi are not acceptable and they really don't give a rip about doing what is right for their customers. I am currently preparing to take legal action against them. My advice is to find a brand with business ethics that aren't based on lining their own pockets at the expense of their customers.
  • haagdhaagd Member Posts: 20
    Thanks Joe. I will pass this on to a mechanic that is looking at my car
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    There is a TSB on this problem, not a recall though. What these means is that the dealer evaluates only those cars where the owner complains. He doesn't check every car that comes in to perform the fix.

    Apparently (although I haven't checked all this out myself) the flap in the intake runner gets stuck allowing oil to seep into the intake and thus get burned up. This doesn't harm the engine in any way but you can use up a lot of oil and if you aren't careful you could reach a dangerously low level.
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    TSB=Technical Service Bulletin=There's only a problem if you complain, otherwise we don't know anything. What a crock. Every car manufacturer has these, even my beloved Acura, and it's very close to fraud and deception. You gotta love lawyers. :mad:
  • joey_ijoey_i Member Posts: 3
    Recently I've bought myself an audi a4 quattro 1995.
    it's got some sort of electrical problem, and the car won't start. I'm thinking it's got some issues to do with heat, because the car only starts at night, or when it's cool. usually I take the car out at night, and dawn, and most of the time (95% of the time) it never starts in the day, because it is a bit warm here. some people tell me it's the starter, and the dirt needs to be cleaned off, to reduse overheating. but I think it's much more than that...anyone have any ideas?

    Any help is greatly appreciated.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If you mean the car won't CRANK (starter motor doesn't engage, you turn key and nothing happens) when it's warm, then yes, you'd want to look at the starter relay and also check all battery connections at the battery and to wherever the connections attach on the other end.

    If you mean the car CRANKS OVER (starter motor turns) but the engine doesn't catch, then you probably have an ignition component failing or a bad fuel pump that is binding when hot.
  • joey_ijoey_i Member Posts: 3
    yeah the car wont crank, so when I turn the key, nothing happens. but I hear long beep sound coming from near the device (excuse my bad descriptions, dono much about these things) where the accelerator cable is connected to. Don't know if this may be the problem, but my ignition lock is a bit dodgy, and sometimes I have to push the key in harder to start the car. but this only works on cool days, when its warm or hot, this method does nothing.
  • moerucusmoerucus Member Posts: 2
    When I am driving my husbands 99 A4, there is a strong exhaust smell whenever I have the defrost or heat on, it is horrid. It is so strong and it really bad when the car is not moving. Like when we are stopped it is so bad I can't have the heat on. Could someone give me an idea of what I should do. It also shifts late, or really hard sometimes and lacks power, unless i stomp on the gas. ?????? Thank you.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You would have to have the car run up onto a lift and then, while running, a mechanic would plug the tail pipe with a rag and then listen and look for an exhaust leak somewhere in the system.

    Exhaust leaks are dangerous and should be investigated right away.

    sometimes people mistake an oil leak dripping on a hot exhaust pipe for an exhaust smell---they are similar,--so I'd also check for an oil drip somewhere.

    Don't mess around with this kind of problem...
  • moerucusmoerucus Member Posts: 2
    Dangerous in what ways? I'm going to take it in but just curious for my daughters safety.....thank you.
  • porsche659porsche659 Member Posts: 2
    My current issue is that the car doesn't start. I went to the gas station last Mon. before class and filled the tank and right when I was trying to leave the car wouldn't start. I recently replaced the battery. All the car would do is make a buzzing noise inside the cabin when I turned the key. Can anyone shed any light on this issue. :cry:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Carbon monoxide!
  • joey_ijoey_i Member Posts: 3
    I was wondering, does my audi a4 quattro 1995 have a starter motor seperate to the alternator, or does the alternator work as a starter motor aswell...if it is a starter motor aswell as an alternator, how do I test if its working properly with a multimeter? Because recently my car isnt cranking and I have a new battery.
  • audinewbieaudinewbie Member Posts: 2
    Is $20,300 for an '06 A4 3.2L S Line with 56K miles (mostly highway) a deal, or is it too good to be true? The car is extremely clean and in almost brand new condition, but that seems like a lot of miles. Thoughts and feedback are appreciated.
  • tceliktcelik Member Posts: 1
    Car Specs:
    1999 AUDI A4 QUATTRO
    ~135,000 Miles

    Lately the car has been giving a few problems. A couple days ago white smoke came out of the exhaust for a while (5-10 minutes). The car itself drains a lot of oil and leaks a little, I brought it to a mechanic and he said it might be the head gasket or just simple the car may be burning oil. Yesterday I left a light on in the car by accident and the battery died. I charged it today and the car gave a engine check light. When I tried driving it, the car would go up a few rpm and would suddenly drop no matter how hard I held down the pedal, meaning it wouldn't get above 5-10mph. It would just rise and let go, rise and let go...

    What could be the problem? Maybe an electrical malfunction, maybe the battery needs replacing? Or maybe something wrong with a cylinder?

    Please help me as soon as possible, thank you.
  • eddie650eddie650 Member Posts: 26
    I have a 2005 A4 convertible still under warranty and have an occasional front driver window problem. When I try and shut the window, it occasionally does its own thing - going up, then reversing and going down. Eventually, I am able to get it to do what I want. I know if I mention it to the dealer, it will not act up on that day while it's at the dealership. Should I be able to get this system replaced while it's under warranty - if it doesn't act up at the dealer? My warranty coverage will soon be up.

    Thanks for your advice.

    Ed
  • mercopsmercops Member Posts: 34
    First, where do you live and what was the temperature? I had a similar problem with a 2002 A4. It did it only on days when the temperature (outside) was over 95degrees and the interior temperature was much more. Once the A/C was on and the inside temperature came down the "mind of its own" stopped. I do not know if it is a built-in safety device or just a temperature contributing issue. Hope I could help more but might help to start ruling out things.
    Cheers
  • eddie650eddie650 Member Posts: 26
    Thanks for your reply. I live in Long Beach, CA and I'm sure the temperature was not an issue here as the temps have been moderate. I will certainly take note of the temp when it happens again. I will be taking the car in for an oil change in a week and will certainly bring up this problem to discuss it when I'm there.
  • rowlandjrowlandj Member Posts: 254
    There is also a process to re-sync the window auto-up and auto-down features. It involves closing with the switch and holding it for a few seconds then open it and also hold the switch again. I believe there is a mention of this in the owners manual somewhere, perhaps in the section for battery replacement.
  • hauschild1hauschild1 Member Posts: 8
    Guys,

    I've got a 2005.5 A4 2.0T with about 44500 miles. At around 33k, I began to notice a slight engine knock when the car was at idle, after it was warmed up and idling at a very low RPM.

    I took the car to the dealership and they had it for nearly 3 weeks, and they had trouble diagnosing the problem. They eventually replaced the camshaft and some other things, but the noise remained - they didn't really fix the problem.

    I've now got around 44000 miles on the car and the warranty expires in about a month, and I'd like to know if this "knocking" or "tapping" is a sign of something detrimental, or if it is no big deal.

    I've since moved and am going to take my car in to another dealership to have it inspected before warranty expires, and probably have them look into the noise. If it isn't a big deal, then I won't fight them too much if they can't fix the problem. However, if could possibly lead to bigger issues down the road, I'd like to contact Audi and find out what my options are before warranty expires.

    The noise is not easy to describe, but you would understand it if you heard it. It noticeable enough that if I start the car in a parking lot and let it idle, I get many glances from strangers. It's kinda like a "tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap", at a rate of about 3 taps per second.
  • bundytbundyt Member Posts: 2
    Hello, first time on here. My question is I have a flat tire and I know I'm not incompitent, but I can't get the tire off. Did as the manual said, but she won't come off. That main bolt in the middle of the tire, does that one need to be removed as well and if so how do I remove it.
    Thank You'

    Bundy
  • bigkevbigkev Member Posts: 33
    Hi
    Mine does too. Has 3000kms and was a dealer demo. It's got Michelin tyres which are also very noisy. I had the tyres changed front to back, wheel alignment and 4 wheel balance and I still get enough vibration to annoy me at between 100 and 120 kph. The only thing I can think of to do is to change the tyres to something else like Pirelli P7 which I know are better. These are virtually new so I will wait a while. Have you had any further info?
    Please let us know. thanks
  • eddie650eddie650 Member Posts: 26
    Thanks for your tip and I'll be sure to try that the next time it happens.
  • samaudisamaudi Member Posts: 10
    Hello, I drove off from on top of a curb (on purpose) the other day, and once my front wheels got off the curb, I scraped the bottom of the car on the curb. It seems as if I cracked the plastic covering that covers the bottom of the car. Nothing is leaking so I don't think I did any major damage. Is that plastic piece protecting anything important that can't be exposed to rain, or any other debris from the road? Should I get it fixed?

    Thanks!

    Btw, it's a 2005.5 A4 2.0T
  • rowlandjrowlandj Member Posts: 254
    It would be wise to get that shield fixed. It serves a purpose and improves air-flow in the engine bay aiding in keeping the engine cooler. Also, it does keep debris and road-spray to a minimum in the engine bay.
  • porsche659porsche659 Member Posts: 2
    really not sure
  • hauschild1hauschild1 Member Posts: 8
    Guys,

    I just got my car back today from the dealership - this is in regards to the "knocking" at engine idle that I've had since I purchased the car at 33k. I've already had it in the shop about a year ago, but they couldn't fix it. I took it to a different dealership and I am happy to announce the "knock" is GONE!

    For anybody curious what the issue was, here is how the invoiced reads:

    CAUSE:

    -DEFECTIVE CHAIN TENSIONER - REMOVE/REINSTALL
    -CAMSHAFT ADJUSTER - REMOVE/REINSTALL
    -CONTROL HOUSING - REMOVE/REINSTALL
    -OIL PRESSURE SWITCH - REMOVE/REINSTALL

    I also reported an issue with the starter that made "grinding" noises prior to the engine cranking over, and this issue was also fixed and was directly related to the first issue.

    I'm really pleased!!!
  • hauschild1hauschild1 Member Posts: 8
    Guys,

    Now I need new tires. 2005 A4 2.0T w/TPMS Quattro. Tire size 235/45/17.

    Audi Dealership that fixed my knock problem has Cooper Zeons at $780 which is everything including allignment. I'm currently kinda residing in the sticks, so I can't do Discount Tire or anything like that. We have snow 6 months outta the year, also.

    My first concern is how good of a tire this is in terms of wear? Second, what is a better all around tire for the price? My most important conern is bang for the buck, so if a tire is a bit noiser or has less traction, that's ok.

    I have no experience with A4 tires, so any info is good info.
  • bundytbundyt Member Posts: 2
    I would ask first is your car AWD
    If you can ask the original owner and if it snows where you are for 6 months a year and you said the car you have owned for over a year, how did the tires on the car now hold up in the snow.
  • hauschild1hauschild1 Member Posts: 8
    Well, this past winter I ran a separate set of wheels and snow tires, but I sold the set a month ago. They were Audi wheels, but they were only 16's and didn't look as nice as the original wheels. BTW, car is QUATTRO - AWD.

    I've got Pirelli's on now, but I think they're a bit pricey. I was just curious if anybody out here recommends a specific tire ranked in the following order:
    -tread life (not advertised, but actual)
    -road noise
    -traction

    Also, what's an average price to pay for new tires and everything that goes along with new tires including alignment? Is $780 reasonable and are Cooper Zeon's ok???
  • samaudisamaudi Member Posts: 10
    I Have the same problem with the engine "grinding" noise when I first start my
    car. I have a 2005.5 a4 2.0t quattro and complained to the dealership a couple
    times and they say they can't fix it. I eventually called audi of america and
    told them about the problem and also to ask them if they knew anything about it.
    They said it was due to the engine oil not heating quickly enough or something
    but doesn't do any damage to the engine. They also said there is no repair for
    it.

    So what you had done actually corrected the problem? Which dealership did you go
    to?
  • hauschild1hauschild1 Member Posts: 8
    Sam,

    Yes, whatever I explained in my post above in regards to fixing the "knocking" sound in the engine, definitely also addressed the sporadic "grinding" sound of the starter. I should mention that the sound of the starter was something like you would hear if you've ever accidentally kept cranking the starter once the engine turned over - it's a difficult sound to describe, but I knew it was an issue because I could reproduce it at will - not a big deal, but my initial worry was the starter going bad and my warranty is due to expire, so wanted it addressed.

    Again, I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing here, but if you look in my post outlining the fixes, you can maybe mention this to your guys. Do you have any issues with a slightly noiser engine at idle? I didn't really notice it until my brother mentioned it to me saying that didn't sound right - it almost sounded like a diesel with a continual rat, tat, tat at idle.

    Since my car is also a 2005.5, our issues might be related. I'm really particular about my cars - especially expensive cars, so I wouldn't doubt if a lot of people have this problem but don't really care about it.

    The dealership that finally addressed my issue is Kocourek Audi in Wausau, Wisconsin.
  • jabriangirlsjabriangirls Member Posts: 1
    Yesterday I was driving home and my acceleration just died on my on the highway. I tried to start it back up up and i noticed the engine wouldn't turn over. I was told that it could be a timing belt problem or a trasmission problem. I am praying that it is not the latter. i need any help with this issue. my car only has 87k in mileage. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
  • samaudisamaudi Member Posts: 10
    Hauschild,
    I think it's the same exact problem. It doesn't do It all the time, but I would say 8 times out of 10 it happens.

    I have found a temporary solution to our problem. If you turn the key to the 3rd stage before actually turning the car on (so all of the electronics are on and the lights on the dash) and wait a few seconds before starting it, it will eliminate the problem probably 50% of the time. However this still doesn't completely fix the problem. I will bring my car in again and tell them to do whatever it is that they did to your car to fix it.

    Luckily, I had the dealer look at the problem before my warranty ended (which was at the end of march) so I should still be covered

    Thanks for all your help and also, have you had any other problems with your car?

    Sam
  • kbcharlottekbcharlotte Member Posts: 2
    does anyone know how hard it is to replace a radiator / thermostat? dealership quoted me over $5k!
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