1998 Audi A4 Suspension

REAR COIL SPRINGS FAILED AT 114000 MILES- CRACKED IN HALF, FRONTS PROBABLY NEXT. VEHICLE'S LIFE HAS BEEN IN THE NORTHEAST SUBJECT TO HEAVY USE OF ROAD SALT; SEEMS SPRING COMPOSITION SIMILAR TO THE BRAKE ROTORS AND COIL SPRINGS ON FORD PRODUCTS THAT PROMPTED A SIMILAR RECALL. AN ISSUE LIKE THIS ISN'T EXPECTED FROM AUDI, AND IS DISAPPOINTING. *TR

VEHICLE HAS 114K MILES IN NORTHEAST CONDITIONS, BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN; POSSIBLE DEFECT LIKE IN THE FORD TAURUS RECALLS? *TR

THE CONSUMER REQUESTED FOR RECALL REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT FOR WORK PERFORMED ON THE 1998 AUDI A4 LOWER CONTROL ARMS. *MR ALL 4 UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND ONE BOLT ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS REPLACED. *SC

AFTER LESS THAT 70K MILES, THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS (SPECIFICALLY THE BUSHINGS THAT PROTECT THE CONTROL ARMS' JOINTS) ON MY AUDI A4 HAVE PROVED DEFECTIVE. ACCORDING TO MY TECHNICIAN, THE CONTROL ARMS ARE THE PART OF THE CAR THAT MAKE STEERING POSSIBLE; THEREFORE, FAULTY CONTROL ARMS CREATE AN ENORMOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND A LIABILITY. AUDI HAS ALREADY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BUT THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS -- DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS ARE MORE DEFECTIVE. EVERY AUDI TECHNICIAN THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO ABOUT THIS DEFECT HAS ADMITTED THAT AUDI IS DUCKING THE PROBLEM, AND AS A CONSUMER I FEEL CHEATED. AUDI IS NOT OPERATING ON GOOD FAITH. THIS IS BAD BUSINESS THAT LEAVES UNASSUMING CONSUMERS BEARING THE BURDEN NOT ONLY OF COSTLY REPAIRS BUT ALSO OF HAZARDOUS MECHANICAL FAILURES. *JB

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON MY 1998 AUDI A4. I CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE THE SERVICE. THEY ARE GOING TO INSPECT MY CONTROL ARMS. IF THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED I MUST PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE I CAN PROVE THAT I HAD AN AUDI TECHNICIAN LOOK AT THE CONTROL ARMS AT THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED INTERVALS. THIS SEEMS VERY UNSAFE SEEING HOW IT AFFECTS THE STEERING OF THE CAR. IT ALSO SEEMS UNUSUAL AN INSPECTION OF THE CONTROL ARMS WOULD PREVENT A FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARMS.*AK

I HAVE A 1998.5 AUDI A4 QUATTRO V6 WITH THE SPORTS PACKAGE. MANY HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT CONTROL ARMS FAILING AND THERE HAS EVEN BEEN NEWS OF AUDI/VW HAVING A RECALL FOR THEM IN EUROPE, BUT NOT THE U.S. MANY HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT WHEELS FALLING OFF DUE TO BAD CONTROL ARMS AND MINE HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO NOISE AND TORN WORN OUT CONTROL ARMS. THEY FAILED AT 77,000 MILES AND HAD TO HAVE ALL OF THEM REPLACED (ABOUT $900 W/LABOR). MY VIN# IS WAUED28D8WA35854. MY CURRENT CONTROL ARMS ARE STARTING TO MAKE NOISE AGAIN AND I REALLY FEEL UNSAFE AFTER HEARING ABOUT WHEELS FALLING OFF DUE TO BAD CONTROL ARMS. *AK

WHILE TURNING LEFT AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. SUDDENLY THE PASSENGER LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE CONSUMER WILL GET IN CONTACT WITH THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

1998 AUDI A4 FWD / 101,000 MILES / BROKEN DRIVERS SIDE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM / FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENT (LOWER FRONT CONTROL ARM) SNAPPED AT BUSHING AS I WAS PARKING. CAR WAS RENDERED LIMP AND COULD NOT BE TOWED DUE TO PROBABLE FENDER DAMAGE THAT WOULD BE CAUSED BY DRAGGING LIMP WHEEL. HAD THIS COMPONENT BROKEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE.

WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR A RED LIGHT WHEN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED AT THE BALL JOINT. WAS PROBABLY TRAVELING 10-15 MPH IN TRAFFIC ON A 50MPH ROAD. THE FRONT LEFT HIT THE GROUND AND THE CAR STOPPED QUICKLY. THE WHEEL WAS PUSHED BACK INTO THE WHEEL WELL CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FENDER. THE CONTROL ARM HAS BEEN REPLACED. *AK

THE CONTROL ARMS (CAR HAS: 4 UPPER AND 4 LOWER IN TOTAL) HAVE FAILED 3X IN 2 YEARS. THESE ARE DEFECTIVE AND AUDI KNOWS IT. THE ARMS CONTAIN A BUSHING THAT WEARS OUT CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO MAKE CREAKING AND RATTLING NOISES.*AK

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FRONT SUSPENSION, AND THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK *MJ

LOWER CONTROL ARM HAS WORN OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF PREMATURE FAILURE.*AK

MY CAR SUFFERS FROM THE SAME PROBLEM AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN 99V248000, BUT IS NOT COVERED AS IT WAS MFD 11/98. THE DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPAIR BUT I WANTED TO NOTIFY NHTSA THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER ALL DEFECTIVE VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM HAS BEEN REPLACED. THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURANCE AMONG A4 OWNERS. AUDI HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM AFTER IT HAD BEGUN SHOWING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. AUDIWORLD.COM LISTS WELL OVER 50 PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. I FELT YOU SHOULD BE NOTIFIED.

THIS RECALL WAS ISSUED IN SEPT., 1999. STILL NO PARTS AVAILABLE AT MY DEALER. I HOPE YOU ARE IN CONTACT WITH AUDI AND PLAN TO CITE THEM FOR SLOW COMPLIANCE. *AK

THIS PART ISN'T DANGEROUS AT FAILURE BUT IS VERY NOISY AND SEEM TO FAIL AT ANYTIME AFTER 15,000 MILES. ONCE REPAIRED THEY MAY OR MAY NOT FAIL AGAIN. ITS ABOUT $1000 TO FIX THEM IF NOT UNDER WARANTEE. I BELIEVE OWNERS SHOULD HAVE AN EXTENDED WARANTEE ON THIS ITEM.

RIGHT FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM BROKE. IT MAY CAUSE WHEEL TO FALL AND RESULT IN A CRASH. THERE IS A NATIONAL BACK ORDER ON PARTS, AND DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND SAID THA T A NEW DESIGN OF THE CONTROL ARM IS ON THE WAY. BUT MAMUFACTURER DOES NOT ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK