Audi A4 Maintenance and Repair

Karen_S

What problems have you experienced with your Audi? Please share any solutions to those problems!

KarenS
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smoothride1

I just had the front lower suspension fixed on my '96. Had the upper fixed last August. Major issue with '96 and '97. Audi paid for the parts the second time since I complained at the dealership. Audi knows it is a problem.

keithlutz1

I've got a '96 A4 Quattro and have developed a problem recently. It is a humming sound which sounds like it comes from the rear left. It seems to come and go and is prevalent at a variety of speeds. We spun the wheel at the oil change place, and it didn't seem to be a shot wheel bearing. Any other ideas out there as to what's causing this? - Thanks.

robphats

I'm considering purchasing a 1996 Audi A4 Quattro (65,000 miles)and would like to know if anyone has experienced problems with this model or has any info regarding the car. Thank You

bast2

Picked up a new A41.8T Quattro in May of this year and now have just over 5k on the car. Several problems have arisen already.

First, misaligned exhaust system. Was causing quite a racket, specifically a "clunk" noise when shifting (TIP) and/or going over bumps at slow speeds. Problem was fixed and seems to have done the trick to date.

Second problem, a severe squeek in the rear of the car. They concluded it was the rear rocker arms which are now scheduled for replacement. My dealer told me it was a problem showing up with A4s and A8s. Still waiting for parts, been 2 weeks.

Overall, I enjoy the car, but my confidence in Audi has been shaken a bit. Never had problems like this with ANY car I've owned. Truthfully, I'll probably get the rocker arms taken care of and that'll be it....smooth sailing for years to come (knock on wood), but now I wonder.

Curious if anybody else has run into similar problems.

JB

andys120

My '98 A4 Avant Quattro w2.8/tip is just short of 70k and I've had only one problem outside of normal maint., a squeaky front suspension bushing, repaired ubder warranty...incidentally this car was purchased used (Audi-Assured CPO).
Iconsider the A4 among the best made cars around.

JBaumgart

Our '98.5 2.8Q w/tip with 39,500 miles has also been trouble-free. We did just have the rear brakes (pads & rotors) replaced today, and in May had new front brake pads put on, but these are wear items - otherwise the car's been perfect with just oil changes done.

devinray1

Keithlutz1 - I purchased a 1996 A4 new in May of that year. I have enjoyed my car, but there are problems I have had to deal with, some of these have been covered under warranty, but not all. For your case, I think I would be most worried about the AC Evaporator. My went out this past summer, and now I'm going to spend $1,300 repairing it. I think it also effects the heating, because I was not able to get the system to warm up at all. This is a recurring problem on the 1996 and I believe was rated as a serious problem on MSN Carpointe. I wrote a letter to Audi of America, but they denied this was a recurring problem that warranted a recall. That's nuts based on what I've been reading!!!!

Other problems (all under 50K miles)
Replaced front tie rod ends (on my dime)
Front rotors replaced (this at 35K miles) due to premature wearing - Audi has a recall on brake parts for this model year.
Control arms and guidelinks - car sat in the shop for 5 weeks and I was not offered a rental. It was "out of warranty" by three months, but Audi was "kind enough" to pay all repair costs.
Drivers side window regulator.

I have been meticulous and babied this car. I'm a little disappointed with these needed repairs. I may buy another Audi, but I will be sure to get the extended warranty because everything started breaking at 3.5years and 45K miles.

Good luck with your purchase.

enikolaidis

I have a 97 A4 quattro with 62,000 miles. Summer tires are Yokohama 205/55 ZR 16, winter tires Blizakk (same size). The car is unstable when it goes straight with more than about 55-60 mph on the highway. It wanders left and right and requires continuous corrections to keep going straight. The car is very sensitive to cross winds. The problem occurs with both summer and winter tires. I bought the car used (AUDI assured) in February 2001 with 56,000 miles. I first noticed the problem in May 2001.

The dealer (Howard Cooper in Ann Arbor MI) checked all the suspension components twice and did not find any problems. They checked the alignment and corrected a slight misalignment in the toe-in but this did not fix the problem.

Does anybody has a similar problem with directional stability of A4? Did you find a solution?

rahm0277

Does Anyone know what "service INSP" display means ? I have an Audi a4 1998 Quattro. I thought it was an oil change, so I changed the oil, but the INSP is still displayed.. I cant seem to find anything on it in the manual. Any help would be appreciated. Thx...Mickey

JBaumgart

I believe this is a service reminder indicator which the dealer should reset after doing the recommended maintenance. I would call your dealer to be sure, or just drive by and see if they will reset it (probably +7500 miles from where you're at now). I have a '98 also, but have never seen this because we've always had the car serviced before 7500 miles elapses.

rahm0277

But what IS the recommended service that is required ? I usually check the fluids on my own, and anything major usually shows up without the flashing display..

Karen_S

Not sure if this will help, but check your model year through Edmund's Maintenance Guide for the recommended service info.

KarenS

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jimbones

I am in the market for a new car and I will be giving serious consideration to the Quattro A4 1.8T w/ manual transmission. I have read some wonderful things about this engine and some not so wonderful. Can anyone elaborate on this engine, especially with the quattro weight it must carry? Thank you.
Jimbones

megawhizz

I just purchased a '02 A4 1.8T FWD Manual. I know super or premium fuel is recommended. Which kind of fuel do you people use?

garydk

I have a 98 Audi A4 Avant and just changed the oil. Does anyone know how to reset the "change oil" indicator on the dash?

Also, don't know if it's coincidence but the "Check Engine" light came on the day after I changed the oil. Anyone have any idea if there is a connection between the two and on how to reset this -- manual says it's related to the emissions system -- but I hate to pay for a complete diagnostic which the manual recommends.

I am cross posting this in the maintenance and repair section as well.

Thanks,
Gary

garydk

Now that gas is cheap, I give it premium all the time. When it was more expensive, I gave it premium about every other week...never noticed a difference in performance. I suspect the higher octane with additives keeps the injectors clean...I add a fuel injector cleaner every 3k miles anyway.

sgaide

I just bought a 2002 A4 with 1.8T, manual transmission. I have approximately 605 miles on the car and have had it for 23 days. This car has now been in the shop for 5 days. I have had two instances of the check engine light coming on, and I am not happy about the root causes I have been told by service. The first time, they said I had carbon on my spark plugs (from lots of stops and starts while the car was on the lot). The second time, they said that the premium fuel is burning too slow in my engine and I need to put a lower octane fuel in the engine. I called the Audi Advocate line and they disagreed with my dealer's recommendation. Has anyone else seen this problem? I am at wits end.

Please advise

art42

I am not sure what is the problem with your car, but I had very similar experiences with our '00 A4. The problem did re-occur 4 or 5 times within the first 25K miles. Dealership changed everything from Oxygen sensor to faulty fuel filters and so on. Now the car has approx. 44K and been "check engine light" free for the last year or so.
Recently picked-up '02A4 and was told by one of the mechanics that warming up the car in those cold monrnings is usually the main cause for "check engine light" problems. Been following that advice religiously and so far with approx 7K miles no engine light problems. Hope it stays like that...
But overall it is a common problem for A4's, especially 1.8T versions.

art42

Our first Audi was (and still is) '00A4 1.8T FWD 5spd. In early December I picked-up '02 A4 1.8T Quattro 5spd. Cannot tell much of a difference in quickness of the line. The car does feel a bit heavier, but so long as I don't load my whole family and its belongings - its power feels more than adequate, even if to compare with our "older" Audi.
I think quattro, despite its extra weight, does clearly provide better grip and traction, especially on the wet and curvy roads (I live in the mountainous area). Also, the new Audi has 20 extra ponies and you can definitely feel the extra power in the midrange.
Overall, I truly enjoy this car - especially on those early Sunday morning drives when local cops are still at Dunkin Donuts ...
So don't worry about the extra weight and unless you live in a big city with no "room to run", you will definitely appreciate the four-wheel handling.

houaudia418t

Just curious if anyone out there have the MIL (check engine light) blinking? I called the
Audi dealer in Houston and told me not to drive it but have it towed there. The engine
is running a liitle rough. Anyone know what could be the problem? I'm not taking any
chances so I'm having it towed to the dealer. The warranty is already out.

The current mileage is 48200. I already had the brakes/rotors replaced in September.
I also had seal and belt replaced for the Steering.

dougmg

My radio only works when the ignition is engaged, the ignition lights are on and the starter is one click away engaging.

kying

I totally agree with art42. My wife and I have a '00 A4 1.8T and a '01 TT (180), and we ALWAYS warm up the audis before we drive away. They both start at about 11-12K RPM and they will lower to about 8K in about one minute, or 2 mins in a cool day (we don't have cold days in Los Angeles).

azzip

I was just told by my local dealership that I need to replace my engine and turbo for $9k!! They claim that the oil pick up tube was clogged with sludge. The car has 41k miles and is within its warranty. I had the car at the dealership a week ago and indicated the red oil can light was ON. They said that shouldn't be, we'll just "reset" it for you, and sent me on my way. 3 days later, I had to tow it in with severe engine damage They are taking the stance that I neglected the car by not getting oil changes often enough. The last appt. I had was a 9 WEEK WAIT!! I can drive 6k miles in 9 weeks in addition to miles driven from the last appt! Any suggestions or comments??
Thanks,
Greg

sevani

I have a '02 A4 1.8T with over 3000 miles on it. Couple of sounds that do not sound normal to me:

1. Sometimes, I hear a humming sound after I turn the ignition off. It dies in about 2-3 seconds. At times it is loud enough for others to notice it.
2. After 3-4 seconds in to driving from 'Park', there is a clicking noise which I can also feel on the foot if I have my foot on the gas pedal.

These sounds were not there earlier. Can anyone throw some light on any of these? I will really appreciate it.

Thanks.

clk55amg

I was wondering if anyone would care to share their opinion. I have a 2002 A4 Quattro 3.0 Manual. It has been in the shop 3 times within two months of delivery date. First instance was check engine light. I was told a "valve" for the oxygen sensor had to be replaced. Second instance, check engine light again. This time, they had to replace one of the computers due to faulty relays. Third instance, which is presently, my car is in for check engine light, cruise control not working, right front passenger seat loose and squeaking, right door panel has rattling. They verified all the problems to be valid and will fix them. I'm considering replacing my car with a Benz once fixed. Any response is welcome. Thanks

clk55amg

I have the 3.0 version of your car. I think the humming noise is normal. For a few seconds the car sounds like a computer shutting down. With all the gadgetries in there, it is probably what it's doing. Also the fan sometimes stays on after you've turned the engine off to prevent excessive heat build up. In fact, when you turn your car on(not the engine), you should hear a different type of sound as the electrical system activates. As for the clicking, I 'm not sure because I have a manual quattro. I do hear a click a moment after rolling from reverse to 1st (after having parked overnight), which also sounds normal to me.

LanceL99

From what I've read people only seem to post problems, but no one seems to respond. If anyone has had problems like me, I'd like to know, please. My car seems to be a piece of junk (am I the only one?)...

I have a 2001 A4 1.8T with the 5-speed manual transmission (26.8K miles). I have been experiencing a worsening problem with second gear and have now taken it to the dealer for repair. It balks going into gear, and sometimes grinds ever so slightly. Additionally, the gear shifter vibrates excessively in second gear and none in the other gears. Lastly, and more curiously, it frequently pops out of second gear when I'm depressing the clutch to shift to third. What's causing this? The dealer "can't reproduce the problem" (although I took the mechanic for a drive and it did while he was in the car). However, they seem to think it's the synchros in 2nd and 3rd gear. Apparently they have to take the transmission apart to fix it. I'm nervous about them doing this...

Back in October my camshaft adjuster failed and required replacement. After they took the engine apart and put it back together (or whatever they did) it has never run smoothly at idle. It even has stalled before in rush hour traffic. They "decarbonized" the engine and that helped some. I've been stuck putting fuel injector cleaner in it, and that seems to help some. You'd think this was a '85 Buick with 150K miles.

On a positive note, my stereo finally came after a six month wait... Has anyone else had to get a new stereo because it blanks out, etc.? They already replaced the instrument panel a while back due to a faulty fuel gauge.

Additionally, I have the sport pkg with those high performance tires. The dealer tells me they are out of round and require replacement. Has that happened to anyone else? It just seems so soon for new tires (plenty of tread left).

Thanks!

mark220

LanceL99: I've also have an '01 A4 1.8T. It should be in for it's 30k service in about a week.

I've never experienced any transmission or engine problems with the car. However, I have had the instrument panel replaced: the top portion of the driver information display would go blank and cease to show the radio station or the CD track as it should. This, however, did not solve the problem and now I too am waiting for a new radio - they think the current radio may have a problem sending the signal.

And it is possible that if you have the 17" wheels for them to be out of round - it's not the tires. Bumpy roads can give those things quite a jarring. I have the 16" wheels, but a friend of mine has the 17" and yes, he has managed to screw two of them up when he came upon an unmarked construction zone.

shen02

I just bought an A4 1.8T; its only got about 300 miles on it so far. I am also experiencing vibration in the gas pedal after shifting to Drive from Park. This seems to happen only when I have parked the car for over two hours at a stretch.

I called my dealer and he hasn't heard of the problem, but seems to think that it is not a serious issue. I might just take it in to see if it is an indication of a more problematic issue.

lecram777

I have a 99 avant with sport suspension. It only has 28000 miles on it. It makes a creaking sound when I turn the wheels ( a little louder when I turn it left.) It also creaks (though alot quieter) when I hit the brakes sometimes. Anyone have any ideas what this might be?

thanks