2002 Audi A4 Electrical System Problems

TAKATA RECALL; FUEL PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING CAR TO STOP AND ALMOST LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. (CA ELECTRIC COMPONENTS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK, WINDOW IS A BIG ONE. WHEELS ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN SIX MONTHS AND THE AXEL APPEARS TO CAUSE WHEEL DAMAGE. CONSTANT LEAKS SUCH AS COOLENT.

ON DECEMBER 3RD, 2010, I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I-405S HEADING FROM LONG BEACH, CA TO SAN DIEGO, CA. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST ALL ACCELERATION IN MY CAR. I STILL HAD ELECTRICAL POWER (IE, INDICATORS STILL WORKED, MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION WORKED AND INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS WORKED). I PULLED STRAIGHT OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AT WHICH POINT I NOTICED THAT THE HOOD OF MY CAR APPEARED TO BE MELTING AND THAT SMOKE WAS RISING OUT OF THE ENGINE. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND RAN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CALL 911. TWO GRACIOUS STRANGERS ATTEMPTED WITH TWO SEPARATE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT WERE UNABLE TO. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENTIRELY CONSUMED BY FLAMES WITHIN 2-3 MINUTES. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMTS ARRIVED, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS AFLAME AND WAS NO LONGER SALVAGEABLE. IT ONLY TOOK ABOUT 5 MINUTES FOR THE ENTIRE CAR TO GO UP IN FLAMES. ALL THAT REMAINED ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT WAS THE REAR-HATCHBACK DOOR. EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY MELTED AND BURNED. THE STATE TROOPER WHO WAS AT THE SCENE OF THE INCIDENT SAID THAT THE CAR WAS SO BADLY BURNT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE CAR AFTER THE FIRE AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM IF NEEDED. THE FIRE WAS SO FAST, HOT AND QUICK THAT IT WAS ONLY 30 MINUTES FROM WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD TO PULL OVER, TO THE END OF THE ENTIRE ORDEAL. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BAD IGNITION COIL IN HIS 2002 AUDI A4 CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY RESULTING IN HIS NOT BEING ABLE TO GO OVER 20 MPH WITHOUT LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM 4 TIMES SINCE 2003 AND HAS EITHER TOWED THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER OR HAS DRIVEN IT TO THE DEALER NO FASTER THEN 20 MPH. AT THE DEALER THEY HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION COILS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE COPY OF INVOICE REPAIR IF NEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 70000 MILES.

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT A BLOCK AFTER COLD START, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO HESITATE. PROBLEM GOT WORSE. AFTER DRIVING A TOTAL OF ABOUT 3 BLOCKS, THE ENGINE DIED. THERE WERE WISPS OF SMOKE COMING OUT OF GRILL. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, DISCOVERED A SMALL FIRE ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. DEALER REPORTS THAT THE FIRE STARTED BECAUSE OF A COIL FAILURE. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO PLASTIC MANIFOLD COVER, BECAUSE FIRE WAS PUT OUT EARLY. *JB

DRIVERS DOOR SPEAKERS WORKING RANDOMLY AND CUTTING OUT ALL TOGETHER AT TIMES, SOMETIMES WITH STATIC PRIOR TO CUTTING OUT. SO FAR THE SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON OCT 2 2004,NOV 2 2004, NOV 15, 2004,DEC 7 2004. THE CAR STILL HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND THE DEALER DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND IN 2 SECONDS I FOUND THE ISSUE. IT IS A BROKEN WIRE IN THE DOOR PASS THROUGH. THE DEALER TELLS ME IT'S NOT A BROKEN WIRE BECAUSE THEY TESTED ALL THE WIRES AND THEY CHECKED OUT OK. IF THE SPEAKER IS NOT WORKING OR CUTTING OUT WITH THE DOOR OPEN AND YOU MOVED THE RUBBER PASS THROUGH, THE SPEAKER COMES BACK ON AND WORKS FOR A SHORT TIME AGAIN. DEALER HAS PERFORMED THE RECALL FOR THIS ON NOV 2 2004 BUT THERE IS STILL AN ISSUE. I STOPPED HAVING THEM TRY TO FIX THIS WHEN THE FACTORY WARRANTY RAN OUT BECAUSE OF THE COST INVOLVED. *TR

NUMBEROUS OF FAILURES; WINDSHIELD WASHER SYSTEM, DRIVER'S SEAT MOTOR BURNED OUT 3 TIMES, ALL REPLACED. *BF THE FIRST DAY THE CONSUMER WENT TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE LOT, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, HOWEVER 2 MONTHS LATER THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN, AND 2 MONTHS AFTER THAT THE BATTERY DIED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD A SMALLER BATTERY WAS INADVERTENTLY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY, RADIO AND SPEAKERS WERE REPLACED. *JB

AUDI 2002 WITH 12,000 MILES STILL UNDER WARRANTY SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED. *JB

IGNITION COIL FAILURE ON MY 2002 AUDI A4 (21K MILES). PER MY DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR, CAR MUST BE TOWED TO A DEALER. LOST SEVERAL HOURS AT WORK AND WAS GIVEN SUBSTANDARD RENTAL CAR, REPAIR WAS NOT COMPLETED ON THE DAY ESTIMATED. PER AUDI OF AMERICA POLICY, ONLY ONE COIL IS REPLACED, WE WILL WAIT FOR ANOTHER COIL TO PROVE FAULTY (WHICH ALMOST EVERYONE ASSUMES WILL HAPPEN, EVEN DEALER), I WILL HAVE TO WAIT AT ROAD SIDE AGAIN, AT WHICH POINT AUDI WILL REPLACE ALL REMAINING COILS. (HOPEFULLY--AUDI'S WEB SITE ALREADY HAS SAID ALL WOULD BE REPLACED WHEN ONE FAILS, BEGINNING IN MARCH, BUT APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT THE POLICY AT MY DEALER.) THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO THOUSANDS OF AUDI CUSTOMERS. *JB

THE IGNITION COIL FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. *JB

THE IGNITION COIL WENT BAD ON THE VEHICLE. *JB

IGNITION COIL FAILURE. RECEIVED LETTER FROM AUDI ON MARCH 3, 2003 REGARGING RECOGNIZED IGNITION COIL FAILURES. AUDI INDICATED SIGNIFICANT FAILURES WITH IGNITION COILS AND PROMISED THAT IN THE EVENT OF IGNITION COIL FAILURE ALL REPAIRS WOULD BE FREE. ON MARCH 11, 2002, I WENT TO DEALER FOR A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE AT 11,000 MILES. I ASKED THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE COILS EVEN THOUGH I HAD YET TO EXPERIENCE ANY TROUBLE. I WAS INFORMED THAT AUDI WOULD NOT REPLACE THE COILS UNTIL ACTUAL VEHICLE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER, THE COILS FAILED AND MY CAR DIED ON THE ROAD IN ZERO DEGREE WEATHER. AFTER A 90 MINUTE WAIT, AUDI ROADSIDE SERVICE ARRIVED AND TOOK MY CAR BY FLAT-BED TO DEALER. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT ONLY THE DEFECTIVE COILS WILL BE REPLACED. MY VEHICLE HAS SIX COILS. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THAT ALL COILS WILL BE REPLACED ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS IN FOR A SECOND COIL FAILURE. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT A SECOND COIL FAILURE IS GUARANTEED. THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE APPEAR TO BEAR THIS OUT. THE NHSTB SHOULD DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE RECALL OF THESE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS. AUDI HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS VEHICLE SAFETY ISSUE FOR MONTHS AND APPEARS TO BE QUITE CONTENT TO LET ITS CUSTOMERS CONTINUE TO BEAR THE RISK OF A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE MUST BE WRITTEN BEFORE THE NHTSA TAKES ACTION? *JB

THE IGNITION COILS FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL.*JB

THROUGH ARTICLES IN THE BOSTON (MA) GLOBE NEWSPAPER 1/26 AND 2/1 2003, I HAVE BECOME AWARE OF A POTENTIAL DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH MY 2002 AUDI A4 1.8T AUTOMOBILE. IT SEEMS THAT THE IGNITION COILS ARE DEFECTIVE AND AUDI HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO REPLACE THEM.

ENGINE COIL?? MY A4 HAS NOW BEEN TOWED FOUR TIMES DO TO MISFIRING. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ENGINE COIL NOW FOUR TIMES BUT LAST SAURDAY WAS THE ONE THAT BROKE THE CAMELS BACK. WHEN YOUR ON THE TOLL IN RUSH HOUR AT 65 MILES AN HOUR WITH NO SHOULDER ITS USUALLY A BAD THING WHEN YOUR CAR STALLS OUT AND BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY.OUT AT 10,000-18,000-20,000-AND NOW IT IS IN A SHOP WHY I DRIVE A RENTED ACCORD(IT GETS BETTER THEY TELL ME THAT THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER-MAYBE IN A COUPLE DAYS? DID SOMEBODY SAY LEMON-LAW.

FAILED COIL PACK ON AUDI A4. SAFETY ISSUE SINCE AUOT STALLS ON HIGHWAY. DEALER INDICATES AUDI WILL NOT REPLACE MORE THAN 1 COIL (4 IN THE CAR) AND I CAN EXPECT FURTEHR FAILURES. THIS IS MAJOR SYSTEM-WIDE FAILURE PROBLEM, THAT AUDI SIMPLY WILL NOT DEAL WITH. I URGE A MANDATORY RECALL IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ACCIDENTS ENSUE.

FIRST IGNITION COIL PACK FAILED ON 3.0 A4 AVANT, I WAS DISTRESSED TO DISCOVER THAT THIS IS A KNOWN FAULT THAT HAS HAPPENED TO A LARGE NUMBER OF OWNERS WITH NO PLANS TO REPLACE MORE THAN THE UNITS THAT FAIL WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A $35,000 CAR THAT HAS LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON THE CLOCK, IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE TO KNOW THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AT LEAST ANOTHER 5 TIMES. THE DEALER WAS VERY EFFICIENT AND COURTEOUS, BUT THAT DOES NOT CUT IT WITH SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM THAT COULD STRIKE AT ANY TIME. WITH SO MANY CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS, AUDI SHOULD BE FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL NOTICE.

AUDI A4 (1.8T) WAS "MISSING" ON STARTUP, SHAKING, SEVERE LOSS OF POWER. I TRIED DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT HAD TO TURN AROUND AND PARK IT AT HOME, FOR SAFETY. WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE I LEARNED IT WAS A FAILED IGNITION COIL PACK, AND I SOON LEARNED I WAS IN GOOD COMPANY: TECHNICIAN THERE ESTIMATED THERE WERE AT LEAST 85 CARS -- ALL 1.8TS OF AUDI AND VW -- IN SEVERAL NEARBY LOTS WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT IGNITION COILS. GERMAN PRODUCTION WAS ON 3 SHIFTS TO CRANK THEM OUT, WORLDWIDE. I ENJOY THIS CAR BUT CAN NO LONGER RELY ON IT UNTIL ALL OF THE ORIGINAL IGNITION COILS -- ENDING WITH AN "-H" PART-NUMBER SUFFIX -- ARE REPLACED WITH THE CURRENT, UPDATED ONES ENDING WITH A "-J." I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED (AS ARE U.S. AUDI DEALERS, I'VE SINCE LEARNED) THAT VW WON'T RECALL ALL 1.8TS TO REPLACE THE BAD COILS, WHICH ARE DESTINED TO FAIL AT SOME POINT. UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL, I'LL NEVER BUY ANOTHER AUDI OR VW AND WARN AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN TO AVOID THEM. THIS IS SHODDY CUSTOMER CARE AT BEST, AND A DISREGARD FOR MY SAFETY AT WORST.

1ST COIL PACK FAILURE, 12/24/02; 2ND COIL PACK FAILURE, 01/17/03.

THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND HAD TO BE TOWED, PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM *TS

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE MISFIRED AND DECELERATED. CONSUMER COULD NOT GET CAR TO TRAVEL OVER 40MPH. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COIL FAILED. INFORMED CONSUMER THAT MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF DEFECT BUT WILL NOT REPLACE COMPONENT UNTIL FAILS. PH *TS