2000 Audi A4 from North America - Comments

1. When it rains, the inside leaks. There is always water on the driver's side floor. Dealer finds nothing.

2. Rear passenger door jammed - dealer fixed.

3. CD changer broke - New one on order.

4. Rear tail light blew out - dealer fixed.

5. CD player acts up occasionally.

6. Extremely squeaky brakes - this just happened last night.

7. Headlights are too dim. Noticed last week while driving in fog.

8. Window wipers not efficient - they drag on the windshield even when it is pouring.

9. Center console is not horizontal - it leans down a bit with use.

10. One day the car engine would not turn over - took 30 minutes of cranking for it to start. Dealer found nothing wrong.

11. Even thought the window sticker claims up to 28 mpg, I don't think I have ever averaged anything over 18.

11. The entire radio system quit after tinting the windows. Dealer fixed.

I wanted an A4 for quite some time. I was dead set on the 2001 1.8T. I saved for months. After driving a Honda for years, I was used to Honda reliablility. I expected the same from AUDI. WRONG!!!!! Although I have added a H&R suspension kit, Remus exhaust and K&N air filter, it's the little electrical problems that are making me think this car is cursed. It runs fine, when it is running, and I get many admiring looks on the street. If you buy one just cross your fingers and hope you didn't get one that the Quality Assurance guy let slip through on the assembly line.

I did a load of research on the Audi A4 1.8T before I went and ordered mine, and let me tell you that I think this is the first message I have come across that is negative!! Since 1999, the A4 has had a very good level of dependability rating (almost as good as Honda and Toyota).

It seems like you had a lot of stuff done to your car - window tinting, suspension kit, exhaust kit, air filters - I mean could it be that adding all those aftermarket parts is the cause of some of your problems?

If not, I guess you've been unlucky and got one of their lemons - keep in mind that every manufacturer has lemons, they just differ in terms of percentage.

I am replying to the man who wrote the first comment.

I looked at any possible "CAR FAILURE STATISTIC" and let me tell you: The A4 and all cars made in GERMANY (exept maybe MERCEDES-BENZ) DO NOT and CANNOT compare with Japanese cars (Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Honda, Nissan) in terms of RELIABILITY!!!

So, if your A4 is working well, consider yourself VERY, VERY lucky!

Just browsing and taking a look at the comments - I have a 99 A4 2.4 SE and I have to say that it is the most reliable car I have ever owned (and I have had over 14!). Dont get me wrong, nothing is perfect - and that goes for the "almighty" Merc too.

I too suffered from the "turning over and nothing happening" syndrome reported, and according to my excellent dealer it is the spark plugs. Audi under instruction from the spark plug manufacturer extended the interval for replacement. Therefore at the end of their life (around 35,000 - 40,000 miles) they tend to play up a little. Any Audi dealer that knows what they are doing knows this - like they have been selling Audi's for 5 or more years.... Once the plugs were replaced everything worked a treat and I have never suffered the "turning over and nothing happening" problem again.

Also, criticising cars is one thing - but I am very sorry, but I have had a number of Japanese cars and they have been utter rubbish. One died, one blew up and the other was utter tin. I know some people swear by them, but it is all in the purchasers viewpoint. Some people love them, some hate them. Just remember that it is all in the eye of the beholder....

Sad to hear about your A4, maybe it confused VW. I know about 10 Audi owners from 100, A3, A4 and A8, we have nothing but excellent things to say about these fine cars. My modified A4t is the best apart from eating tyres.

Don't give up, it's a great car with great backup from the dealers.

I'd just like to say that I own a 1999.5 A4 2.8 with a manual transmission. I had so many things go wrong I tried to sue.

First off, the day I picked the car up there was leather peeling off the steering wheel.

The second day I noticed that the sunroof switch didn't always work (they replaced it for free).

A couple weeks later I noticed a leak on my garage floor. Turns out that my windshield fluid holder had broken and needed replacing. Then a couple weeks later more spots on the garage floor. I don't know what it was but the said they had to replace some hoses.

Then I had all the cupholders break, a brake light went, both headlights went, the wipers went, and the brakes went at 12k along with the rear rotors.

I had scratches on the glass on my driver's side window from something in the door, and they had to take it apart and give me new glass.

Then the kicker- TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT ONLY 18K miles. Now I took it in my stride when they said a week to fix it. I tell you it has been over a month and my car has yet to see home. Something about parts that take a long time. OUTRAGEOUS. I recommend you stay away from this company. I asked for a new one but they won't give it to me.

Our Audi A4 is a great car when it goes> Problems... yeah and only big ones. All the valves hit the pistons on the freeway in the fast lane. Wife driving. Sudden stop. Very scary. Then it did it again at 112,000 kms. Audi knew of the problem informed dealers to put in a preventive fix but kept quiet to owners. Then they just HOPED the dealers would do the work. Ours didn't.

Wheel bearings needed changing at 70,000kms. Gearbox went wacko at 78,000kms. VERY EXPENSIVE MOTOR CAR. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO LOOK GOOD.

Wow. I've never heard of an A4 self-destructing like that! I've had an A4 for 2 years, and the only thing wrong was a rattle in the suspension that was tightened and fixed. Other than that: absolutely nothing amiss.

Yeah, I'm gonna have to go with www.AudiSucks. com here. It took me forever to decide on what car to purchase. Now, I regret what my final decision was. 2001 Audi A4 1.8Tquattro. I purchased the car in 2001 from the dealership (downtown LA motors, they actually gave me 3g's off of sticker). However, on the way home from the dealership my computer blew. 2 months later it did it again. I have also blown the back speakers 3 times EACH!!! My transmission has been taken out the vehicle 2 times and they replaced my clutch as well. I KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A STICK... the damn thing broke somehow, Audi couldnt even give me an explanation. And both times when I went to pick up my car from them, when it was supposedly fixed, the problem wasnt properly addressed. 3rd gear grinds in high revs and the dealership keeps saying theres no problem. (so I modified that myself) And to make matters more complicated, service at the dealership I take it to is ridiculous (commonwealth Audi southern California). They always tell me nothings wrong with the car and never address the problem. Oh yeah, and my rotors had to be replaced because they told me that my brakes had plenty of pad left when I told them they needed be replacing (brakes, not something it takes a rocket scientist to fix) I don't know whether the problem is due to the quality of Audi parts or if the big issue here is the people representing Audi in dealerships and factories, OR BOTH!!! However I do know I will never again purchase an Audi. Oh and I have no mods done to the car... I had all kinds of plans for my car originally, but now I'm going to save the money for those future months its going to be in the shop.

2000 A4 1.8T manual.

Water pump replaced within two months of purchase.

Fuel guage sensor malfunction and replaced within 18 months of purchase. It is malfunctioning again.

Sometimes the digital info center in the dash goes black. No pattern to this problem.

Began to idle roughly at about 18 months after purchase. Dealer can't explain why or locate a problem.

She is at the dealer now getting her clutch replaced. Dealer has no idea why clutch should fail so early. Uh, neither do I.

Will never purchase another Audi.

I have had constant electrical problems with my A4 and EVERY time I take it to the dealer, it comes back unfixed or with ANOTHER problem. I took it in for the engine light and when it came out the temperature guage didn't work. The dealer told me not to worry, to bring it in whenever. I took it in today and it is one week past warranty and they won't repair it for free now (although the temperature guage was fine when I took it in last time.)

I like the way it drives, but I will NEVER buy another Audi again. I have been to two different dealers with this car and both of them have really shabby service departments. It feels like the Audi people don't want return buyers.

I have an Audi A4 2002. I had problems at 5,000 and 10,000 miles. At 5,000 they replaced the engine coils and at 10,000 the TRANSMISSION! Actually, they have not yet replaced the transmission it is in the shop and has been there for a month now.

Can't say I am happy with Audi!

Never buying one again.

I had an Audi for about two years now. I have a 2000 a4, where should I start about that car, yea I love my car because its my first car, but it did have its problems, within the first couple of months my key wouldn't get out of ignition. they couldn't find the reason why until a month later. after that the check engine came up and it had to do with some hose, they replaced it, but a week later it came back on so again they had to replace it. about month later my radio just blew up, its on safe, I tried putting the code didn't work, took it to the dealer they want 800, so didn't want to put another 800 to the car. I love my car, just wished it didn't have so many problems.

Well I have an Audi A4 1.8t 1997 and I have had it for 6 months. I got it with 93,000 miles.

Well I change the oil on time and keep it up right/wrong. This car costs an arm and two legs to get fixed whenever something wrong with it!

The previous owner I think put some leak stop junk in it, and now the car needs $4,177.58 to repair it. I don't understand how a water pump, belt, and tentioners and a couple flushes could cost so much? The dealer will not help me, and I can't do anything about it cause dealer needs to try to fix it three time before I could go to court, why because of the lemon law...

The car was nice wile it lasted, well I'm back to the Jeep Wrangler, it never fails. Buy american cars and trucks, why because you live in the U.S.A, that's why!!!

'I don't understand how a water pump, belt, and tentioners and a couple flushes could cost so much?'

Easy... it doesn't!

If that's a quote you got off an Audi dealer then its not surprising. You'll get it repaired much cheaper at an independent garage.

"One day the car engine would not turn over - took 30 minutes of cranking for it to start. Dealer found nothing wrong."

There's no way you could crank it for 30 minutes as you would flatten the battery (if you didn't burn out the starter first).