2003 Audi A4 Electrical System Problems

Water pump failed inside lights sometimes work and signal lights aren’t accurate

Left turn signal works fine. Right turn signal alternates between flashing left and right.

The coolant light came on after I replaced coil packs and I stopped to look wasn't leaking anywhere. Drove to work and it caught on fire due to overheating I guess not really sure. I was driving a car on fire down a highway and didn't even know it. I stopped to take a left turn into work and smoke stared billowing out and around the entire car. Other drivers couldn't see me or nothing I could have been in an accident. The fire department checked the car out sort of and it's in a mechanics shop now. Trying to figure it out. Oil light was on and that's it. AN then the coolant light would kick on and off. Nothing else after I changed the coil packs. And it was well after I did that.

INITIALLY DROVE CAR HOME FROM GROCERY STORE HIT A BUMP AND NOTICED A SPARK COMING FROM FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF CAR. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED FOR SPARK EVIDENT ONCE STOPPED THERE WAS NO SIGN OF SPARK OR ANYTHING. GOT CAR HOME AND PARKED ABOUT AN HOUR LATER MY CAR WAS ON FIRE, AFTER PUTTING THE FIRE OUT MY HUSBAND LIFTED THE HOOD AND TRIED TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE WHEN HE DISCOVERED THE BATTERY WAS MELTED TO THE HOOD AND IS WHERE THE FIRE INITIALLY CAUGHT. THE LOCATION OF THE BATTERY WE BELIEVE TO BE THE ISSUE AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY. *TR

Radio intermediate goes out hitting bumps speedometer stopped working the number ninth digit is not pulling up when I search vehicle information Replaced engine vehicle only had 20,000 miles

AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM A DRIVE THROUGH FAST FOOD PLACE LAST NIGHT MY DAUGHTER WAS PARKING IN OUR DRIVEWAY, SHE WAS IN REVERSE. THE CAR (A 2003 AUDI A4 CV CONVERTIBLE) BOUNCED AND MADE A SOUND THEN SHE STOPPED. I SAID TAKE THE KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION TO HER BLACK SMOKE STARTED TO RISE OUT OF THE TOP OF THE HOOD CRACK IN FRONT OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. I TOLD HER TO GET THE DOG IN OUR BACK SEAT AND HERSELF OUT I ASSUMED IT WAS ON FIRE BECAUSE THE DARK SMOKE. I GRABBED MY PURSE PIPED THE HOOD AND MY DAUGHTER CALLED 911 AS THE NEIGHBORS RAN INSIDE THERE HOME FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. TWO MEN FROM ACROSS THE STREET ATTEMPTED TO PUT IT OUT AS I SPOKE TO THE 911 OPERATOR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND GOT THE FIRE OUT. MY CAR IS NOW JUNK. MY DAUGHTER WAS EMOTIONALLY STRAINED, HYSTERICAL THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT. IT WAS TRAUMATIC FOR US BOTH. THE FIREFIGHTERS SAID IT WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, VARIOUS ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,003.

HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT AND BLOWING THE BALLAST CAUSING HEADLIGHT NOT TO WORK AT ALL. REPLACED THIS EXPENSIVE PART MULTIPLE TIMES AND STILL BREAKS. NOT A CHEAP PART AND A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

FAILURE OF IGNITION COILS ON AUDI A4 1.8 TURBO ENGINE. *TR

CAR LEFT HEADLIGHT FAILURE (HID/XENON). FAULT NOT WITH BULB OR FUSE. *TR

1. NORMAL DRIVING IN SUBURBAN CONDITIONS - APPROXIMATE SPEED BETWEEN 20MI/HR - 30MI/HR 2. SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENTLY ENGINE RUNS ROUGH 3. IGNITION COILS REPLACED BY AUDI DEALER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT NOTICED WATER IN THE FOOT WELLS ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT HAYWIRE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS FLOODED DUE TO CLOGGING OF THE INTAKE PLENUM DRAIN GROMMET. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO HAVE IT CLEANED IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR HIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 37,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,342. UPDATED 8/7/09 *CN UPDATED 08/11/09.*JB

1.THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: AUDI A4S HAVE AN INTAKE PLENUM DRAIN GROMMET LOCATED NEAR THE BATTERY; THIS FUNNEL IS KNOWN TO BECOME CLOG DUE TO DEBRIS AND GRIME. THE DRAIN GROMMET ON MY VEHICLE BECAME CLOGGED SOME TIME AGO AND I DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM UNTIL THE FUNNEL STOPPED WORKING AND ALLOWED WATER TO DRAIN INSIDE MY CAR. THIS CAUSED MY COMFORT MODULE TO FAIL - MY POWER WINDOWS, POWER LOCKS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, KEYLESS REMOTE ENTRY, ALARM, TRUNK, BATTERY AND GAS TANK LID CEASED TO FUNCTION. 2.THE FAILURE, HOW OFTEN IT OCCURS, ITS CONSEQUENCES; AND, AUDI OF AMERICA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS PRETTY COMMON IN THE 2003 AUDI A4'S. IF YOU DO A SEARCH ABOUT IT ONLINE, MANY CONSUMERS ARE AFFECTED BY THIS CLOGGED DRAIN GROMMET. UPON DOING MORE RESEARCH, I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT THE 2002 AUDI A4 MODELS HAD EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT HAD ITS VEHICLES RECALLED. 3.WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE) I BROUGHT MY 2003 AUDI A4 TO THE DEALERSHIP (AUDI OF HAWAII) TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, WHICH COST ME $1400. THE TECHNICIANS REPLACED THE PLENUM GROMMET DRAIN, COMFORT MODULE, BATTERY, AND HAD TO CLEAN THE BOTTOM INTERIOR OF MY CAR WHICH WAS SATURATED WITH WATER, MOLD, AND MILDEW. I ALSO WROTE A LETTER TO AUDI OF AMERICA AND AUDI OF HAWAII TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM TO OTHER 2003 AUDI A4 OWNERS SINCE IT WAS ADDRESSED FOR THE 2002 AUDI A4 VEHICLES. THEIR REPLY WAS THAT SINCE IT HAD NOT BEEN 'FEDERALLY MANDATED' THEY WILL NOT HAVE A RECALL FOR THE 2003 AUDI A4. *TR

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS MY 2003 A4 (1.8T) STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AS I ACCELERATED FROM A COMPLETE STOP. EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR LOST MOST ALL OF ITS POWER AND WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER, AND WOULDN'T GET ABOVE 15 MPH. AND EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, HAVING TO COAX THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND OUT OF HARM'S WAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED EACH TIME TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT AN IGNITION COIL (OR TWO) HAD BLOWN. ALL 4 COIL PACKS HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A YEAR AT A COST OF OVER $900. AUDI KNOWS THEY PRODUCED CARS WITH FAULTY IGNITION COILS IN A4 CARS EQUIPPED WITH 1.8 LITER ENGINES IN THE 2001, 2002, AND EARLY PRODUCTION 2003 MODEL YEARS. IN FEBRUARY 2003 THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THESE COILS FREE OF CHARGE TO THE VEHICLE OWNERS. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS AN EARLY PRODUCTION 2003 MODEL, AUDI USA TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS PRODUCED VERY SOON AFTER THE RANGE OF CARS COVERED IN THE REPLACEMENT. MEANING THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF ALL REPAIRS. I DO NOT BELIEVE AUDI IS CERTAIN THEIR REPLACEMENT ACTION COVERED ALL DEFECTIVE COILS, ESPECIALLY AS MY CAR WAS PRODUCED IN THE SAME TIME FRAME AS THOSE THAT WERE PART OF THE REPLACEMENT. FAULTY IGNITION COILS EXIST IN A FAR GREATER NUMBER OF CARS THAN WHAT AUDI RECOGNIZES AND COVERS IN THEIR 2003 REPLACEMENT ACTION. *TR

AUDI A4 6-CYL 3.0L AVANT 2003 MODEL YEAR. COIL PACK #2 FAILED ON SEP 28TH 2007. AUDI HAS HAD A RECALL FOR THE 2003 A4 4-CYL 1.8L ENGINES BUT NOT FOR THE 3.0L ENGINES. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 37K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT'S LIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE MORE CP FAILURES, UNTIL I HAVE ALL OF THEM REPLACED. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR THE 3.0L ENGINE AS WELL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE LOST POWER, WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT AND HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC. IGNITION COIL IN CYLINDER #2 FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.

IGNITION COILS HAVE GONE OUT 2 TIMES ALREADY. FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON MAY 29,2007, SECOND HAPPENED IN AUGUST OF 2007. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS CAR ON 1/24/07 WITH 22,422 MILES ON IT. SIX DAYS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING, IT WAS SHAKING UNBELIEVABLE, WOULD NOT RUN PROPERLY, GO OVER 20 MPH. I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM, THEY REPLACED A COIL PACK. WITHIN A SHORT TIME, ON FEBRUARY 14, 2007, THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME BACK ON. AT THAT POINT I BROUGHT IT TO THE NEAREST AUDI DEALER. IT NEEDED A TURBO BYPASS VALVE REPLACED. FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2007 THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT TO THE AUDI DEALER ONCE AGAIN. THEY RESET THE ENGINE CODES AND SAY IT HAS HAD A RANDOM MISFIRE. TODAY, MARCH 11, 2007 THE ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING AGAIN, AND WILL NOT DRIVE OVER 20 MPH. I AM HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN THE MORNING, TODAY IS SUNDAY AND THEY ARE NOT OPEN FOR BUSINESS. I DRIVE ABOUT 1,000 MILES A WEEK AND I NEED MY CAR OPERATIONAL. I WORRY EACH TIME I DRIVE THIS CAR, I HAVE TO RETURN IT TO THE DEALER ALMOST WEEKLY. IT HAS LOW MILES. CARFAX STATES THIS AUTOMOBILE HAS A CLEAN HISTORY AND IS UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY UNTIL 6/07. THE BOOKLET OBTAINED WITH THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR STATES THE 4 YR/50,000 MI WARRANTY BECAME EFFECTIVE 6/03 WHICH WOULD LEAVE THE REMAINDER OF THE FULLY TRANSFERABLE FACTORY WARRANTY VALID UNTIL 6/07. THE AUDI DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY, SAYING THAT IT EXPIRED 1/31/07. THE CAR NOW HAS 29,XXX MILES ON IT AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH IT. THE SUNROOF MOTOR ALSO NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AS I AM TOLD BY THE DEALER, WHO THEN TOLD ME THE MOTOR IS $501. *JB

THE CAR (AN AUDI A4) STARTED SHAKING AND COULD NOT BE DRIVEN OVER 40 MILES PER HOUR. IT HAD TO BE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND BE TOWED TO A DEALER TO REPLACE 2 SPARK PLUG IGNITION COILS. 4 SPARK PLUG IGNITION COILS HAVE FAILED DURING THE PAST YEAR. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE IS LISTED BELOW. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON A CITY STREET, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PASSENGER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE FACTORY STEREO WIRING WAS ENTANGLED WITH THE AIRBAG WIRING WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.