1999 Audi A4

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE TIE ROD. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V248000 (STEERING;LINKAGES;ROD:RELAY;CONNECTING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

I HAVE BEEN NOTICING RATTLE ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDES WHEEL AREA. I TOOK THE CAR TO MCGRATH AUDI IN GLENVIEW IL FOR INSPECTION, AND HAD SINCE RECIEVED RECALL NOTICE RELATING TO TIE ROD PROBLEMS. DECEMBER 2004 DEALER FOUND NO NEED FOR REPLACEMENT. I THEN NOTIFIED THEM ABOUT THE RECALL, THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ONE ,AND THAT THEY FOUND NO NEED TO REPLACE THE TIE RODS AND THAT I COULD DO SO AT MY EXPENSE WHEN I INSISTED. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIE RODS (BOTH SIDES) SINCE THIS RECALL AND AM REQUESTING MANUFACTUR REIMBURSEMENT.*AK

ON 11/10/2006, DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACE DRIVER & PASSENGER SIDE TIE-RODS (BOOTS TORN). DEALER/MANUFACTURER DENIED THAT THE RECALL AFFECTED MY CAR. PLEASE HELP. HERE ARE MORE DETAILS OF THE RECALL : AUTO RECALL DATE: 09/13/1999 VEHICLE COMPONENT: STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING ESTIMATED VEHICLES AFFECTED: 51900 1999 AUDI A4 DEFECT SUMMARY: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY. DEFECT CONSEQUENCE: IF MOISTURE AND/OR DUST PARTICLES ENTER THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM, THE SWIVEL BEARING COULD WEAR OVER TIME DIMINISHING THE STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIE RODS. NOTES: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC, UL/KW . *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE ALSO WANDERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, REQUIRING THE CONTACT TO MAINTAIN SOME EXERTION ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TIE ROD HAD FAILED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL #99V248000, WHICH PERTAINED TO THE STEERING LINKAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

DT: AUDI NORTH AMERICA REFUSESDTO DISCUSS OR ACKNOWLEDGE A RECALL THAT MAY BE AFFECTING THE OWNERS VEHICLE. THE OWNER IDENTIFIED THAT THE TIE ROD WAS FAULTY THROUGH STATE INSPECTION. AND THAT WAS VISIBLE BY VIBRATING THE WHEEL. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND YESTERDAY BY STATE INSPECTORS ON THE ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION. THE OWNER HAD NOT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ANY DIFFERENT. THE OWNER FOUND IT THROUGH STATE INSPECTION. THE OWNER HAS BEEN ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND CHECKED FOR RECALLS. CONTACTED AUDI. AND THEY REFUSED TO TALK ABOUT IT ABOUT BECAUSE THE OWNERS SERIAL NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUSED WAS THE EXACT SAME THING THAT WAS HAPPENING TO THE OWNER'S CAR. THE OWNER DID NOT HAVE THIS CORRECTED YET, BUT WASHAVING HIS OWN MECHANIC FIX IT. THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE TIE ROD WAS FAULTY. THIS HAPPENED ON THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005. THIS WAS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT. *AK

NHTSA#00-V-414-000; PASSENGER VEHICLES. TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAS SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK