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2009 Audi A4

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Comments

  • kduda1kduda1 Member Posts: 15
    Cracking the windows does not help w/ my '09 A4 3.2 either. I love the car with the exception of the road and wind noise, which are pretty big issues.

    I'll never again test drive a car in the city only. The first time I drove my new car home (after waiting 8 months after putting down my deposit to get it), I kept looking for a motorcycle which I just "knew" was around me causing all of the noise. I finally called the salesman and asked if roadnoise was a known is and was told it was not. What to do now?

    My 11-yr-old Infiniti J30 was quieter than my brand-new Audi, and the sunroof NEVER made the rumbling sound w/ all windows tightly up.

    An aside, my side-view mirror makes a whistling sound which eventually annoys me to the point of adjusting it to a less-than-ideal position.

    Moral - If you live in the country where things are quiet and you can accelerate over 40 before having to stop again, test drive the car all the way to your house rather than just a quick jump on the interstate for a few miles while you're testing out the stereo system.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    I'm surprised you are having a noise problem. With all windows and the sun roof closed my A4 is very quiet at highway speeds. A agree that the sun roof is way loud when open.
  • tunderbordtunderbord Member Posts: 9
    Yeah, previous A4 (B7) model had quieter sunroof. (road noise, imho, was louder though).

    When i drive at speeds between 35 and 55mph i have to turn the sunroof knob 2 clicks down to get rid of the rumbling... above 55mph it can be fully opened again. but it still is louder then previous model.... that is a shame, but not that big of a deal to not like the car.
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    There is a demarcation on the sunroof knob -- if you want the windows up, you crank the sunroof control to that position and you should be fine.

    If you open the sunroof further, you will need to have at least one of the windows part way open.

    I believe this "feature" (the demarcation) is documented in the manual -- not that that alone makes it OK, since, apparently, your expectations were that you could crank it fully open.

    The two click demarcation point, however, is "nearly fully [almost] open."
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,359
    The lease on my wife's '07 X3 3.0siA isn't up until NEXT July, but the government's cash for clunkers has got me thinking. While our X3 is far from a clunker, my 1990 E30 BMW 325iA (83,000 miles) fits the definition according to the EPA's website (It is less than 25 years old and gets a combined 18 mpg). So as long as I replace my E30 (which I bought as a project car last April) with a new car that gets an EPA combined 22 mpg or higher, I'll get $3,500 as a trade in credit.

    A few cars fit the bill that have made my short list: Honda Accord EXL-V6 NAV, Acura TSX V6 TECH (I think), the Volkswagen Passat, & the A4 2.0T Quattro.

    The car we get will replace my wife's X3 as her car (my 2001 Honda Prelude Type SH has over 112,500 miles and will be with us for quite some time). So the 2 biggest criteria we will be looking for is interior space & trunk space. We have 2 very handsome men under the age of 3 (One will be 3 in September & the other is 3 months old) and she has a "side by side" double stroller she brings everywhere with her. The thing that caught my eye about the A4 (other than the 258 lb-ft torque FSI turbo engine) is the seemingly gigantic trunk.

    mark: I've been following your posts for years & have tremendous respect for your opinions about Audis & driving in general. I think your wife still has an X3 if I'm not mistaken. How would you compare the trunk space of the X3 (seats up) to the trunk space of your A4?

    The thing that concerns me about Audi is their reliablity & dealer network. My Mom had an '02 A6 3.0 Quattro that had a transmission issue that was never resolved in the 3 years she leased the car. The dealer (PALISADES AUDI in West Nyack, NY) was just plain awful (3 week wait for service appointments, 4 week + wait if you need a loaner car) and Audi customer service wasn't much better. After complaining about the transmission NUMEROUS times, we were granted time to see the regional customer service guy. The guy backed the car out of the parking spot it was in, drove it maybe 15 feet to another parking spot, got out, and said there is no problem with the car.

    The A4 I'm interested in for my wife would be a 2.0T Quattro with Automatic & the S-Line Package. I'm eager to hear everyone's opinion!

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    We have both a 2008 X3 and a 2009 A4 2.0T quattro.

    The space in the A4's trunk is the same as or slightly bigger than the X3 -- at least if you move things between the cars as we do sometimes. There is, however, a difference in how they get their space.

    The X3 isn't as deep but it is taller.

    It seems to me the A4 is deeper, less tall and a "smidge" wider.

    Both have flat floors.

    If hauling, with the seats down, was what you would be doing, perhaps the X3, overall, would seem to swallow more.

    The driving experience of these two vehicles is similar, but the X3 shows its age -- the steering seems a bit more sluggish than the A4 (but our A4 has ADS plus the 19" sport package; while our X3 has the SAV package which offers 18" wheels and tires but no sport suspension -- both cars have servotronic steering but the Audi has adaptive steering, the X3 does not.)

    The X3 is great. It seems "older" technology wise, however. A bit more truck like.

    The A4 is fresh and is brimming with brand new technology -- it steers and can respond like a "go cart."

    Both cars were north of $48,000. Both have maintenance included. The torque of the A4 is the winner in performance. The X3's engine is, well, it is a BMW engine -- it is, however, lower in torque and it is quite thirsty.

    You will not dislike either vehicle -- if you want, "the best of both worlds, however, get a brand new Q5 -- it feels more like an A4 but it is like a newer technology X3 -- with this meant in the most flattering way one could mean.

    The new Audi (2010) will even have 3G MMI, mine, alas, has 2G MMI -- not a huge improvement, but a significant one nonetheless.

    Test drive them both (the A4 and the Q5). Now, however, the new Q5 will have more power than the current X3, but the torque of the Q5's V6 is 15 foot pounds lower than that of the A4's 2.0T i4.

    Report back, if you would, please.

    Thanks. :shades:
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,359
    Thanks for your quick reply. Your feedback helps a lot. I've always thought our X3's trunk space is a bit too narrow and a little too short (believe me, we make due). The X3 puts a premium on rear passenger space over trunk space.

    We have an X3 now (metallic paint, rear climate pkg, heated front seats, bluetooth/BMW Assist). My wife likes it but thinks she wants a car for her next car and not an SUV. The seats are always up due to the fact we have 2 car seats buckled into the LATCH system.

    The Q5 looks like a nice truck. I'm starting to see more of them around, but it doesn't meet the fuel economy requirements (22 city/highway combined) for me to get the $3,500 cash for clunkers credit.

    I am excited to go over to the dealer and test drive the car.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,359
    Drove the A4 Avant Friday afternoon at New Country Audi of Greenwich, CT. Interior is drop dead gorgeous. The ride was compliant & smooth, but not floaty. Didn't get to "get on the gas" because the test drive loop was pretty short. Our side by side double stroller fit in the back and space seemed comparable to our X3.

    I just don't know about the wagon. The rear glass of the car is so raked to make it sporty that it almost defeats the purpose. Maybe when I take my wife to look at the car we'll check out a Q5 too.

    I might forgo cash 4 clunkers and wait till the lease is up on our X3 next July. Maybe by then the Twin Turbo X3 will be out & the Audi Q5 2.0T will be out. I'm still considering an E60 5er as well.

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • lagirl2lagirl2 Member Posts: 7
    I just bought a brand new Audi A4 about a month and a half ago. Aside from a fuel pump problem requiring 3 trips to the dealership to fix, it's cute and it's good. I know nothing about cars, but it's the amenities and the style that are important to me. But I have to say that I love the way this car handles. If I can avoid speeding tickets, I'll be golden.

    I love love love the amenities. The sound system is awesome. The navigation is scarily accurate. The backup camera is a total lifesaver. I suck at parking, so this is easily one of the coolest and best features on the car. The beeps have saved me from denting my car already. I am now addicted to my Sirius radio and love the ability to plug my iphone in and play my music. The bluetooth feature also works perfectly.

    I'm hoping that all will continue to run well (minus a little hiccup with the fuel pump) but so far, it's the style and the amenities I love the most.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    On the subject of parking, have you noticed the feature that rotates the right mirror down to see the curb when in reverse? The mirror selection knob has to be turned to the right for it to work.
  • hdtvdslhdtvdsl Member Posts: 2
    Very GOOD to know! Thanks!
  • lagirl2lagirl2 Member Posts: 7
    Really? OMG. I'm going to go try that out. Thanks a lot!

    I love discovering all the new stuff on the car. :) I should've read the manual, but it's so thick that I can't really get past the few things that interest me.
  • lagirl2lagirl2 Member Posts: 7
    Agreed. My car is very quiet, too. (I do live in a big city, though.) My sunroof isn't loud, although my music is usually very loud when I'm bumping down the highway with the sunroof open. So I may not notice it if it is...

    Nothing about new cars really surprises me anymore, though. If that poster had a problem with something it may be par for the course in a new car.
  • ponjapsponjaps Member Posts: 1
    Did anyone have an issue with the oil? Brought my car at the dealer from october of last year to present maybe about 5 times (including the first service) just for the oil. I've never heard such a thing n they kept on telling me that all german cars burn a lot of oil, well any BMW owners, do u have the same issues with the oil too? and plus they expect me to buy and top the oil every month to a BRAND NEW CAR!!!! Isn't that rediculous!!!!
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    My 2009 A4 2.0T does not burn any appreciable oil. I've never heard that German cars burned oil. On the contrary, they are known for precise clearances and engineering.

    What manufacturers find acceptable in oil consumption is often very liberal. I've heard standards of one quart per 1000 miles, which is nuts. You will want to find the official Audi standard in writing.
  • tunderbordtunderbord Member Posts: 9
    Nope, never had problems with excessive oil consumption -- not with my previous A4 (2007), nor current (2009).

    Weird thing about oil though, when i brought mine in for the 5k mile service, dealer set computer to require next oil change in 5k miles (at 10k) although the next maintenance is scheduled at 15k. Per Audi manual oil should be changed at maintenance time -- 5k, 15k, 25k etc., and not any more often than that.
    That is the schedule i had with my previous A4, it was different dealer back then.

    I guess it;s just dealer playing tricks to earn some bucks. Hopefully they at least put in the right grade of oil... :confuse:
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    Dealer gives an extra quart with the oil change and says I can add it whenever I want when the graphic on the dash is below half of the OK range. In 18k miles, then, I have added a grand total of one quart.

    None in the first 5K miles
    One in the next 10K miles
    None since then
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    I was curious as to the amount of oil represented by the dash display. The oil was reading at the mid point, and I added exactly 8 ounces. From where the display went and assuming a linear read out, I'd guess the display range is from 24 to 32 ounces. I would not ever add a full quart even if the display was on the bottom. I would do it in stages.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    My A4 has the worst dark brake dust on the front wheels of any car I've owned. This is with light braking and no rain. Is this an Audi thing? Does it get better over time?
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    It does not get any better over time. But, we have, currently, one BMW (2008) and one 2009 Audi -- they both do this.

    They both have, however, excellent brakes.

    I bought an unlimited car wash pass and I wash the car (which power sprays the wheels) regularly.

    We ended up putting Kleen Wheels on the Bimmer -- wish they were offered for the Audi.

    And, no, we have had NO adverse effects from the Kleen wheels, they are ventilated.

    Now, perhaps, were we to track these cars, the Kleen Wheels would be an issue -- but, for me, Kleen Wheels are the best way to go.
  • nano8nano8 Member Posts: 1
    Does anybody have problem bringing the car to a slow smooth stop without jerking your head back and forth? The braking problem is worst in stop and go traffic. I brought my complaint to the dealer. The dealer's service supervisor test drove my car for almost half an hour and could not bring the car to a smooth stop without spilling the coffee or yanking your head back and forth. Most surprising to me was how the dealer viewed this problem. The dealer said the jerking problem is normal as A4 has a strong brake that makes smooth stopping impossible. In fact the service supervisor told me he had driven Audi for many many years and was never able to bring the car to a smooth stop. He said Audi is not designed to be driven like a taxi or limo. It is designed for people who wanted to stop in hurry and don't mind head jerks or yanks. I found their explanation unbelievably unprofessional as if there is a giant cover-up for possible systemic brake design problems and wanted to avoid recalls.
    I wish to find know if any one on the forum has similar problems? Or am I crazy in trying to drive a German car like a normal American car? I am truly baffled by this simply and yet very annoying problem of my 2009 A4.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    I call BS. This is sometimes called the TADT syndrome, They All Do That. BMW is legendary for that dodge. My 2009 A4 (FWD) has very smooth and progressive brakes that are easy to modulate. That said, as you approach the last stages of a stop, you have to ease up on the pedal a bit, because the same pressure applied to reduced forward inertia will produce an increasing rate of deceleration. The kind of person who buys an Audi is going to know how to modulate brakes.
  • tunderbordtunderbord Member Posts: 9
    the weirdest story...
    im driving 2009 A4 quattro and have no problems stopping smoothly.

    why dont you test drive any other A4 at the dealership and see if it handles any better? at least you'll know if the problem is with a car (and your dealer too in this case) or your foot is too heavy.
  • mommaroo1mommaroo1 Member Posts: 8
    i had my heart set on the a-4 until the dealer sold both of my 2 choices out from under me, no chance of a deposit---salesman dragged his feet, now claims he's getting my '09 from across the country. there is no audi dealership closer than 75 miles--this worries me. after reading the many posts, and the problems experienced, red lights are going on----would i be better off buying a car that i can have serviced locally? i'm getting bad vibes on my dream car---- [my 2007 honda accord has has no problems at all, and i'm considering their most expensive model instead of the audi]

    i need some advice quickly!
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    I wouldn't be concerned about being 75 miles from a dealer. That would be true of many brands like Mercedes, BMW, VW and Audi. Service is infrequent. My Audi dealer is 90 miles away and my BMW motorcycle dealer is 150 miles away. I would be concerned about a car coming from very far away because of how it might be driven to get it to you. I like to baby a new car, although I know that some people say to drive it like you stole it to seat the rings. In 5,000 I have had no service issues with my A4.
  • mommaroo1mommaroo1 Member Posts: 8
    i would have gone for the a4 until i learned the only dealer within 100 miles is a crook---it's a shame. they didn't level with me from the get-go---financing is a scam, especially since we are eligible for 3.99%----didn't even offer us that deal---my score is 797--hubby's 755---and they think we'll accept 6.39%--lol

    they keep changing cars that are available---audi needs to have a dealership in savannah---keep these guys on their toes when there's competition.

    so long, audi....for now
    :(
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    On a recent trip one of the heater control knobs (temp, fan speed, seats, etc.) fell off. It's almost a 200 mile round trip to my dealer, so it would be nice if I could fix it myself with a new part. Any one else have this happen?
  • cxgcxg Member Posts: 1
    Just try to know if this plan worth the price of $740.

    The MSRP of the audi care plan for new A4 is $740 and it will cover "Any scheduled maintenances not completed within 5 years from the original in-service date are excluded".
  • audidad5555audidad5555 Member Posts: 3
    There is a TSB on the sunroof wind buffeting. The fix is quick and warrentied. Here it is.
    60 08 33

    2019731/1

    December 23, 2008






    Affected Vehicles

    60 Buffeting noise in cabin

    Condition

    Rhythmic pressure wave or buffeting noise is heard in cabin with the sunroof open to the comfort position and a road speed range of 35 mph to 45 mph .

    Technical Background

    Figure 1





    The shape of the sunroof wind deflector may make this symptom occur within this speed range.

    Production Solution

    None.

    Service

    Figure 2





    An effective solution is to replace the current wind deflector with wind deflector 8D9 877 651 A.






    Warranty

    All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.






    Required Parts and Tools

    Additional Information

    All parts and service references provided in this TSB are subject to change and/or removal. Always check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    Any idea what this new wind deflector looks like? In other words, is it ugly?
  • audidad5555audidad5555 Member Posts: 3
    I'm sorry. The TSB I sent didn't show the pictures. The only difference is that the original wind deflector is solid all the way across as opposed to the new one being serrated. The new deflector is identicle to the one on my 2002 Passet. Go figure.
    It is perfectly quiet now.
  • redherring1redherring1 Member Posts: 66
    Picked up my new '10 A4 last week and one of the first things I looked for when opening the sunroof was the shape of the deflector--as you note, it's now serrated. Was serrated on my '04 Acura also--Audi apparently got the memo late.
  • passionteam30passionteam30 Member Posts: 3
    No sorry no idea about the same and not sure about the launched. But i also want to know when the car will be at showrooms.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    Could someone tell me what part of the sun roof assembly is the deflector? I'm not familiar with that terminology.
  • redherring1redherring1 Member Posts: 66
    Sorry! Haven't been on for a while. The deflector is a plastic strip that pops up automatically when the sunroof opens. It pushes the airflow up and away from the sunroof opening so it doesn't create a "booming" noise or allow air to directly enter the car.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    Thanks, Redherring. Does anybody know if the improved wind deflector is a warranty item?
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    EVERYTHING that is NOT part of maintenance is a warranty item -- and there are even some exceptions (sometimes called Customer Good Will) that would allow maintenance items to be charged to the dealer's warranty discretionary account.

    If your deflector doesn't deflect anymore -- it will be repaired or replaced within the warranty period, unless there is some fine print somewhere that specifically excludes it -- even then, Customer Good Will could be helpful.

    Of course, if YOU broke the thing and it is apparent that it was mis-used, well, you might have to fight about it and if you ABUSED something and THAT was apparent, well, good luck chuck! :shades:
  • redherring1redherring1 Member Posts: 66
    All true enough, but if the question is: can you get the new, improved deflector under warrranty in place of the old one since it works better even if there's nothing actually wrong with the old one, I would say good luck.
  • tunderbordtunderbord Member Posts: 9
    i guess im lucky then.

    just before Christmas i went to my dealership for 15k mile service on my 2009 A4 and i asked if they could replace my wind deflector under warranty, i said it makes the buffeting noise at speeds between 35 and 45. they just checked if the part was in stock, and no problem whatsoever! wind deflector is replaced and it did not cost me a penny.

    i cannot say it deflects wind better, because i *think* there is actually more air coming in through open sunroof now, but it certainly is much much more quiet than the original wind deflector... havent tested a lot though, since its pretty cold and snowy here this time of year...
  • markcincinnatimarkcincinnati Member Posts: 5,343
    I'd call this a good example of good will, for they probably could have told you, no way. My experience is that most of the time, they'll do this stuff without any issue.

    I had a new steering wheel put on my car, free, when there was a mid year update to the wheel and I liked the new one better than the old one. They replaced a non leather wrapped wheel with a leather wrapped one, and washed the car to boot!

    Actually, I had just wondered out loud to the svc mgr if such a swap was possible -- when I came back to pick up the car, the replacement wheel was put on without any charge or fuss.

    My experiences have virtually always met or exceeded my expectations.

    At least with Audis. Not so much with other cars -- but after personally owning dozens of Audis, you'd think I'd have a klinker in their somewhere. :surprise:
  • audidad5555audidad5555 Member Posts: 3
    Just bring the info below into your dealer. They can look up the TSB by number or date.

    The TSB on the sunroof wind buffeting. The fix is quick and warrentied. Here it is.

    60 08 33

    2019731/1

    December 23, 2008
  • rlsrljrlsrlj Member Posts: 13
    please help me with something I am trying to figure out...can you get automatic headlights on the Premium, or is it an option only on premium plus?

    Thanks..
  • carlauderdalecarlauderdale Member Posts: 2
    I just purchased a 2010 A4 with 17,000 miles and find it impossible to bring the car to a smooth stop. It is not acceptable. City driving is far too challenging and this A4 is not a pleasure to drive. As for German car breaks I do not experience this in my BMW or Porsche Boxster. The local Audi dealer's service manager said, you have to get used to it. That will be just impossible. If I do not find the answer to improve the breaking, I'll be driving something else very soon. I have contacted Audi directly, awaiting a response. Hopefully they will be able to address this. If anybody has had the problem and knows of a solution, please post the information. If the breaking issue can be corrected, the car would be a pleasure to own
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    I have a 2009 A4 and do not have the same problem if I am paying attention. The brakes can be grabby at low speeds if you do not ease up on the pedal the last few feet of a stop. At higher speeds the power of the brakes is impressive.
  • bernardwbernardw Member Posts: 4
    It is rather difficult to effect a smooth stop but with practice you can lessen the effect. What you need to do is ease off braking just before the actual stop to slow yourself right down.. then as the car coasts - so to speak, for less than a foot - at 1 mph or so you then gingerly apply the brake. It is annoying but not enough so in my opinion to mitigate ownership of a fab car.
  • carlauderdalecarlauderdale Member Posts: 2
    While I agree that it is possible to come close to a smooth stop with work...it is always work in city driving. I did borrow a 2012 A4 while my 2010 A4 engine was taken out (by Audi to repair the oil consumption problem). The 2012 A4 model did not have the grabby break issue to the same degree as the 2010 in stop and go city traffic. It was acceptable.

    I will say that the breaks on the 2010 A4 will stop the car from highway speed as well as my Porsche, which is saying something. Perhaps there is an aftermarket break rotor/pad combination that won't be so sticky and grabby at low speed city driving. I'm about 1/2 way through the front pads now, so it won't be too much longer before I need to replace them.
  • cpanncpann Member Posts: 1
    I'm having the same problem.. did you get it fixed?
  • dougfromausdougfromaus Member Posts: 3
    The problem has now been resolved. It was discovered that the oil level display returns after driving the car for a couple of days. Apparently, this is the only way to have the oil level display again via the MMD.

    Hope this helps.
  • fglamserfglamser Member Posts: 22
    I've noticed that after an oil change at the dealer the oil level display is about 1/5 of the way down from the top. Assuming the shop uses the proper amount of oil, this would suggest that the top of the OK range is actually a bit below the top of the display bar. With the old dip stick there was a range and you could accidentally go a bit over the top line. I'm wondering is I should view the oil level display the same way.

    I have noticed that the few times I topped the oil up to the top of the bar, It seemed to drop down fairly quickly to the 1/5 down point. Any one else notice this?
  • moedin1moedin1 Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I am new to the board and this is an exploratory post to find out how people are enjoying their 2009 A4's and about reliability. I am looking at a 2009 Audi A4 2.0T QUATTRO PRESTIGE with S-line package upgrades, with 88000 KM. I wanted to know what I should be asking questions about, such as known Audi A4 issues or certain features. If anyone could give me advice, that would be great! :confuse:
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