Other Engine Info: Fuel: Gas (50-States); Emissions Certification Test Group: DADXV02.03UA; DADXJ02.0F UB E85 Federal/California Emission Standard: ULEV II / Bin 5
Other Restraint System Info: Side Guard Air Curtain, Advanced Front Airbags - Active Restraints for Driver and Passenger
Plant City: Neckarsulm
Plant Country: Germany
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: Premium
TPMS: Indirect
Transmission Style: Automatic
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2000
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
PERSISTENT FAILURE OF THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMISSION COMPONENT. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE, OTHER THAN NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THE PART WAS REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES BY SEWICKLEY AUDI AND PARTIALLY COVERED BY WARRANTY (75%). THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED AGAIN AND AGAIN AT 100,000 MILES (ALONG WITH THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION) - NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. AUDI SERVICE (AT PAUL MILLER AUDI) REPLACED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION FOR A VERY COSTLY REPAIR ($8,800) AND STATED THAT A FAILURE OF THE CENTER BEARING IN THE TRANSMISSION OCCURED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OF THE FIRST CENTER DIFFERENTIAL. *LA
2013
STEERING
THERE ARE TWO ISSUES WHICH OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING, USUALLY WHEN THE CAR IS COLD OR WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE FIRST ISSUE OCCURS WHEN TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND IS A "SLIP" IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN CROSSING THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION WHERE IT FEELS LIKE IT'S HOLDING FINE AND THEN SUDDENLY "SLIPS" AND THEN GRABS AGAIN WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL OFF CENTER. THIS HAPPENS WITH NO CHANGE IN ROAD CONDITIONS, ACCELERATION, OR VEHICLE SPEED. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT IS UNSETTLING AND HAS CAUSED DRIVERS TO INADVERTENTLY DRIFT INTO THE ADJACENT LANE. THE SECOND ISSUE IS A "NOTCHY" FEEL WHICH HAPPENS AT ANY SPEED, ANY STEERING MODE AND ANY WHEEL POSITION. LIKE THE FIRST STEERING ISSUE, THIS ALSO FEELS UNSAFE AS THE DRIVER OFTEN OVER OR UNDER CORRECTS STEERING INPUT. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AUDI DEALERS NUMEROUS TIMES, THEY EVEN CHANGED THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN JAN 2013 HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE AUDI DEALERSHIP IN JUNE AT WHICH POINT THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AUDI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE WORKING ON A FIX, HOWEVER NEITHER THE DEALER NOR AUDI HAS CALLED WITH A REAL FIX FOR THIS ISSUE YET. *TR