2000 Audi S4 Brakes Problems

COMMUNICATION FAILURE FROM THE ABS MODULE, IT CAUSES THE ABS LIGHT TO STAY LIT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHES, WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE ABS DOES NOT WORK ON THE CAR, IT'S A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE UNITS BUT AUDI HASN'T DONE A RECALL. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME I HAVE TO REPLACE THIS UNIT OUT OF POCKET SINCE I'VE OWNED MY 2000 AUDI S4. *TR

ABS SENSOR FAILURE ON 2000 AUDI S4 QUATTRO. LIGHT CAME ON AT 114,213. LEADING TO THE BRAKE LIGHT TO FLASH ALONG SIDE OF IT AND BEEP EVERY OTHER MINUTE WHEN YOUR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. HAVEN'T CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I'VE HEARD IT COST 1,700. SOME PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM ON VW'S AS WELL AS THE AUDI IN YEARS FROM 1996-2001. *TR

ABS BRAKE MODULE HAS FAILED ON MY 2000 AUDI S4. DASH INDICATOR BEGAN FLASHING ON 10/9. ON 10/10 DEALER CHECKED COMPUTER AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT MODULE HAD FAILED. *TR

I WAS ON HIGHWAY 93 NORTH GOING 60 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I SUDDENLY I HAD TO BRAKE HARD AND AS SOON I HIT THE BRAKES MY REAR BRAKES LOCKED IN AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME I HAD TO RELEASE THE BRAKES AND CHANGE THE LANE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME I WENT HOME DID SOME RESEARCH ON-LINE AND I FOUND OUT FROM ON-LINE FORUMS AND OTHER WEBSITES THAT EVERYBODY WHO OWNS AUDI S4 2000 HAVE SAME PROBLEM THIS IS A VERY BIG SAFETY ISSUE AND THERE SHOULD BE NOT JUST A RECALL BUT AUDI SHOULD BEE SUED FOR MAKING A CAR THAT WOULD AND WILL KILL PEOPLE. *TR

DRIVING ON THE ON-RAMP, ABOUT 40 MPH. I WAS CUT OFF FAIRLY AGGRESSIVELY AND HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES HARD. MY BRAKE LIGHT LIT-UP AND BEEPED A FEW TIMES. MY CAR THEN BEGAN TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL ACROSS THE FREEWAY (I-40, A MAJOR TRUCKING ARTERY). LUCKILY I DID NOT HIT ANYONE AND WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE SPIN. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT MY ABS CONTROL UNIT (WHAT A SURPRISE) FAILED, OF COURSE AT THE MOST CRITICAL TIME OF NEED FOR IT. TOTAL COST TO REPLACE WAS $800. AUDI , IN SPITE OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART ON THIS CAR, WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR RECALLING OR REIMBURSING. *TR

I WAS GOING DOWN THE STREET AND MY ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND BEEPED 3 TIMES. I GOT OVER AS SOON AS I COULD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GO TO AUDI. I WENT UP THERE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT CODE BEFORE SO THEY JUST ERASED THE CODE. I LEFT AND WAS GOING ABOUT 10MPH AND LIGHTLY PUT MY BRAKES ON AND MY FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP, I CAME TO A SCREECHING HALT. I IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK TO AUDI AND THEY SAID THAT MY ABS MODULE IS NOT WORKING. IMAGINE IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY BRAKES LOCKED UP. THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE RECALLED. SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY PRODUCT CAN YOU REPLACE THE PART. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I GO TO AUDI JUST FOR AN OIL CHANGE THAT I NEVER LEAVE WITHOUT SPENDING MORE MONEY, BECAUSE THEY FIND THINGS THAT ARE WRONG. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER AUDI OWNERS AND THEY SAY THAT THEY PROBABLY SABOTAGE OUR CARS JUST SO THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY. AS I JUST WENT IN FOR A OIL CHANGE AND THEY SAID THAT MY SECONDARY WATER PUMP WAS NOT WORKING. THERE WAS NO CEL (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT) I WOULD IMAGINE THAT IT WOULD COME ON IF THAT FAILED. I HOPE THAT THIS ABS CONTROL MODULE DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THIS NON WORKING SAFETY PART. THE PART NUMBER IS: 8EO 614 111E OR 8EO 614 111A SINCE I COULD NOT FIND AUDI UNDER MANUFACTURER BUT I HAVE A 2000 AUDI S4. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY. *TR

AFTER HAVING MY FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED ON MY 2000 AUDI S4 AT 92,671 MILES, MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, BUT EACH TIME I DROVE THE VEHICLE. AFTER HAVING THE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM SCANNED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MY ABS CONTROL MODULE NEEDED REPLACED WITH PARTS AND LABOR COSTING $742.58. I'VE DONE RESEARCH TO FIND THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM WITH AUDI. I CONTACTED AUDI, BUT THEY DECLINED RESPONSIBILITY.

I OWN A MODEL YEAR 2000 AUDI S4. THE CAR HAS APPROX. 80K MILES AND THE ABS CONTROL UNIT HAS RECENTLY STARTED MALFUNCTIONING. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FAILURES OF ABS UNITS ON AUDI A4 & S4S. THESE FAILURES OCCUR AS EARLY AS 30K MILES. UPON CONTACTING AN AUDI DEALERSHIP IN MY LOCAL AREA, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY SEE THESE FAILURES AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. WITH THIS KIND OF FAILURE RATE & AT SUCH EARLY MILEAGE, I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART. I'M AWARE OF OTHER AUDI OWNERS ALSO HAVING FILED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A RECALL OF THE AFFECTED AUDI MODELS. *NM

THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE REQUIRING ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IN 2000 AUDI S4'S PRIMARILY, ALONG WITH SIMILAR MAKES. THIS POSES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. FAILURES ARE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE CONTROL UNIT PORTION OF THE ABS MODULE. THE FOLLOWING LINK INDICATES HOW MANY FAILURES ARE OCCURRING: HTTP://WWW.USEDPARTSLIVE.COM/LIVE/2/YEAR/AUDI/MODEL/ABS_CONTROL_MODULE/ THERE IS A MASS MARKET FOR THIS ITEM PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR OWNERS TO REPLACE AT THE DEALER. RECENTLY, DEALERS HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE CONTROL UNIT SEPARATELY FOR ~600-700, BUT THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THE NEW UNIT IS NOT ALSO DEFECTIVE AND PRONE TO FAILURE. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS BECOMES THE CAUSE OF MORE POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENTS.*JB

ABS WARNING LIGHT ON DASH, ACCOMPANIED WITH A FLASHING BRAKE WARNING AND THREE BEEPS. THIS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. BASED ON SOME INVCESTIGATIONG, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ABS CONTROLLER MODULES ON VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI VEHICLES. WHEN THE MODULE FAILS, IT RENDERS THE ABS SYSTEM INOPERATIVE AND CAN LEAD TO REAR WHEEL LOCKUP IN EMERGENCY STOPPING MANOUVERS OR IN SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS. I HAVE REMOVED THE MODULE AND HAD IT REPAIRED. THIS SERVICE AT AN AUDI DEALER WOULD COST IN EXCESS OF $1000.

ABS COMPUTER MODULE FAILURE. ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON WHLE THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND BEEPING. TOOK IT OT THE DEALER AND THE ABS PUMP WITH CONTROLLER WAS/IS BAD. THE PART WITH LABOR IS $1600.00. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, THIS PART GOES BAD ALOT AND IS A MAJOR SAFTY ISSUE. IF YOU BRAKE HARD THE REAR WHEELS WILL LOCK UP AND THE CAR COULD SPIN OUT OF CONTROL.

ABS FAILURE ON 2000 S4 WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES. THE ABS FAILURE LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING. I HAD THIS PROBLEM CHECKED OUT WITH A CERTIFIED AUDI MECHANIC. HE STATES THE ACTUAL PUMP IS NOT THE PROBLEM, BUT THE CIRCUITRY THAT CONTROLS THE PUMP IS DEFECTIVE, AND ALSO STATES THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON IN MY MODEL VEHICLE. ABS FAILURES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS DANGEROUS AS A BROKEN SEAT BELT, AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF THE MANUFACTURER (AUDI)

WHILE DRIVING ALONG CA-35 (SKYLINE BOULEVARD) AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2005 DURING LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING AROUND A CURVE, BOTH THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ON MY 2000 AUDI S4 CAME ON, ALONG WITH 3 WARNING TONES. SIMULTANEOUSLY, A SUDDEN CHANGE IN BRAKE FEEL WAS DETECTED ALONG WITH A "THUNK" NOISE FROM THE FRONT REGION OF THE VEHICLE. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY TWO INDEPENDENT SERVICE AND REPAIR ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH OF WHICH CONFIRMED AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRONIC FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE'S ABS CONTROL MODULE (A $1000+ PART). SINCE THEN, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES 3-4 OF THESE INTERMITTENT FAILURES DURING THE COURSE OF A DRIVING DAY. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT BRAKING, IT'S ANNOYING BUT SOMEWHAT INCONSEQUENTIAL. HOWEVER, WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENS DURING BRAKING, THERE IS DEFINITELY A MARKED CHANGE IN BRAKING BEHAVIOR AS THE ABS CONTROLLER GOES OFFLINE. UNDER EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS, I IMAGINE SUCH A FAILURE COULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY AND RISK ISSUE. SOMEWHAT TAKEN ABACK BY THE TOTAL ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS OF $1600+, I DECIDED TO DO SOME INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEM AT SITES SUCH AS THIS (NHTSA ODI), AUDIWORLD.COM AND THE WEB AT LARGE. WHAT I FOUND IS A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF THIS SORT OF FAILURE ACROSS A WIDE SWATH OF AUDI MODELS DURING 1999 TO 2000. FURTHER, I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE ORIGINAL PART INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE WAS REV. A AND REPLACEMENT PARTS BEING INSTALLED ARE REV. E. CONVEYING THIS INFORMATION TO AUDI'S CLIENT SERVICES THROUGH TWO WRITTEN LETTERS RESULTED IN NO ACTION ON THEIR PART BEYOND A CONFIRMATION OF "YOUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, YOU MUST BEAR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR." THAT'D BE FINE WERE THIS A WEAR OR MAINTENANCE ITEM OR DUE TO MY OWN NEGLIGENCE; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE EVIDENCE STRONG THAT THIS IS A DESIGN AND/OR QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEM ON A CRITICAL VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEM.

POSTED COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT BATTERY ACID LEAKING ONTO CLUTCH LINE AND BRAKE LINE CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO BOTH LINES... SPOKE WITH AUDI AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE REMOVED FOR THE BRAKE LINE TO BE FIXED... THE MOST LIKELY CULPRIT OF THIS LEAK IS DUE AN OVERCHARGED BATTERY DUE TO A JUMP OR MANUAL RE-CHARGE (NOTE: ACCORDING TO AUDI, NEVER REPLACE THE S4 BATTERY WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN WITH AN AUDI BATTERY... OF COURSE THEY WOULD SAY THIS, BUT HE WAS PRETTY CONVINCING... 2ND NOTE: I DO HAVE AN AUDI BATTERY IN MY S4, AND I'M STILL HAVING THE ISSUE... AUDI MAY HELP PAY FOR THIS B/C OF THAT FACT, BUT THEY HAVEN'T COMMITTED TO IT UNTIL FURTHER INVESTIGATION). THE TOTAL, ACCORDING TO OVER-THE-PHONE DIAGNOSING, WAS GOING TO BE B/N 1 AND 2 THOUSAND BUCKS AT THE DEALER.*AK

MANY AUDI AND VW MODELS MANUFACTURED STARTING IN THE LATER '90S AND CONTINUING TO PRESENT, USE THE BOSCH 5.3 ABS CONTROLLER, WHICH IS PRONE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, OSTENSIBLY DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN. THIS MODULE CONTROLS MULTIPLE BRAKE-RELATED FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE ABS WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR WINTER DRIVING, BUT THE MOST CRITICAL FUNCTION OF THIS MODULE IS PROBABLY THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE FORCE DISTRIBUTION, OR EBD. THESE VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED SUCH THAT IF THE EBD IS INOPERATIVE, THE PROPORTION OF HYDRAULIC FORCE APPLIED TO THE REAR BRAKES DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING IS AS GREAT AS IT IS DURING MODERATE BRAKING EFFORT WHEN THERE IS MINIMAL TRANSFER OF VEHICLE WEIGHT TO THE FRONT WHEELS. THE EBD IS SUPPOSED TO ADJUST THE FRONT/REAR BRAKING DISTRIBUTION DYNAMICALLY ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THE DECELERATION, SO THAT THE REAR WHEELS WILL NOT LOCK UP DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING. IF THIS MODULE SHOULD FAIL DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING ON DRY PAVEMENT, THE REAR WHEELS COULD LOCK UP AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHICH COULD EASILY INCLUDE FATALITIES. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR FOR OWNERS, COSTING ROUGHLY $2000, AND MANY OWNERS HAVE PROBABLY PUT OFF THE REPAIR INDEFINITELY. EVIDENCE WHICH CAN BE FOUND THROUGH A SIMPLE WEB SEARCH, SUGGESTS THAT THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD, AND THAT IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY LED TO SERIOUS ACCIDENTS, IT IS ONLY A QUESTION OF TIME. THIS PROBLEM IS GENUINE, AND VW/AUDI SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION.

JUST DRIVING ONE EVENING AND THE ABS/BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ABS CONTROLLER WAS AT FAULT. DID SOME RESEARCH ,AND A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE W/ THE SAME CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

2000 AUDI S4 ABS COMPUTER MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. CODE 01203. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT FLASH AND BEEP ALL OF THE TIME FOR NO REASON. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE ABS UNITS. AOA HAS NOT FILLED A SAFETY RECALL FOR HTIS ITEM YET. WE NEED TO HAVE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE ABS COMPUTER/MODULE DUE TO POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS WHEN WHEELS LOCK UP AND CAR SKIDS OUT OF CONTROL. NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT ABS PROBLEMS AND ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED DUE TO ABS FAILURE. IT IS A SIMPLE FIX BUT PART COSTS $1K ALONE NOT INCLUDING LABOR. LOOKED ON FORUMS, IT SEEMS TO BE A SIMPLE WIRING FIX INSIDE OF MODULE (APPARENTLY THERE IS A POOR STANDARD OF CRAFTSMANSHIP IN THE SOLDERING). *AK

ABS FAILURE: BOSCH 5.3 ABS MODULE FOUND IN VW, AUDI & PORSCHE FAIL WITHIN THE FIRST 60K MILES. ABS MODULES TYPICALLY LAST FOR WELL OVER 100K & GENERALLY FOR THE LIFE OF A CAR. AUDI CHARGES ~$1300 TO REPLACE. 3RD PARTY REPAIR IS ~$300. ABS BECOMES DISABLED & CAN CREATE UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS ESPECIALLY DURING INCLIMATE WEATHER. REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF THE MODULE RESOLVES THE ISSUE & ABS FUNCTIONS AS EXPECTED.*AK

MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON IRRACTLY WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE CHECKED THE AND FILLED THE BRAKE FLUID RESIVOR LIKE THE MANUAL STATES. BUT STILL GET THE LIGHTS. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FROM AUDI. *AK THE SAFTEY OF MANY PEOPLE ARE AT STAKE HERE. I WILL NOT AND HAVE NOT DRIVEN MY CAR SINCE THE LIGHTS CAME ON, AND MY LOCAL AUDI DEALERSHIP WANT $1,400. TO REPLACE! THAS RIDICULOUS FOR A CAR THAT HAS BARELY 54K MILES. YOU WOULD THINK SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AND LIFE SAVING AS THE BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD HAVE A BETTER DESIGN AND LOWER FAILURE RATE. IM POSITIVE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY AUDI OWNER THAT HAS FILED A COMPLAINT AND POSTIVE I WILL NOT BE THE LAST. THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME LUIS CASTELLANOS

WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS DEFECT CAN CAUSE THE OTHER CONTROLLERS TO DO DAMAGE AND EFFECT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. IT CAN ALSO EFFECT THE ENGINE CONTROLLER. THE OWNER ALSO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO DID NOT THINK THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS OF NEEDED INTEREST. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB