2000 Audi A4

THE HEAT SHIELDS ABOVE MY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS CAUGHT FIRE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, AT A LARGE EXPENSE TO ME. UPON RECEIPT OF THE REPLACEMENT PARTS, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE PARTS HAD BEEN REDESIGNED. I BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS FOUND A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE WITH THEIR ORIGINAL DESIGN AND IS QUIETLY REPLACING THEM. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT IT TAKES YOUR CAR CATCHING ON FIRE TO KNOW YOU NEED TO REPLACE THEM. *TR

REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY P/N 341-1107L-US MADE BY DEPO FOR 2000 AUDI A4 HAS THE CENTER BULB ROTATED 180 DEGREES FROM THE ORIGINAL. A BULB ENGINEER AT SYLVANIA/OSRAM SAID THE PARTICULAR BULB LIGHT PATTERN IS DEPENDENT UPON ORIENTATION DUE TO THE FILAMENT STRUT AND A REFLECTOR IS DESIGNED TO WORK WITH THE BULB IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION. THE POTENTIAL ISSUES ARE 1) WAS THE REFLECTOR DESIGNED AND TESTED TO WORK WITH THE BULB THAT WAY, AND IF NOT 2) WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST OVERLOOKED OR IGNORED WHEN THE LIGHT WAS COPIED FROM THE ORIGINAL AUDI DESIGN, OR 3) WAS THIS A MANUFACTURING MISTAKE THAT HAPPENED TO A BATCH OF PARTS. A US DISTRIBUTOR THINKS #1 IS THE CASE, BUT HE MADE THE COMMENT WITHOUT SPEAKING TO THE ENGINEERS IN TAIWAN. IF THIS CONDITION IS IMPROPER, THERE ARE MANY LIGHT ASSEMBLIES OUT THERE LIKE THIS AND THEY MAY NOT PASS REGULATORY TESTS. I HAVE A PICTORIAL COMPARISON OF THE DEPO PART ALONGSIDE THE ORIGINAL THAT I CAN EMAIL AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. UPDATED 07/23/09 *BF *TR PICTURE RECEIVED. UPDATED 07/27/09

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING FAILING IN AUDI'S AND VW'S BUILT BETWEEN 1996 AND 2001. ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY'VE SEEN A LOT OF. SEE MANY OWNERS DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM HERE: HTTP://AUDI-VW-ABS-RECALL.BLOGSPOT.COM/2005/07/AUDI-AND-VW-PLEASE-RECALL-CARS-BETWEEN.HTML THE ABS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT, AND IT SEEMS IRRESPONSIBLE TO ME THAT AUDI HAS FAILED TO RECALL A VERY COMMON AND KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR

PIXELS ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION DISPLAY IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED GRADUALLY SINCE THE 2000 AUDI A4 QUATTRO WAS 4 YEARS OLD. ALMOST ALL PIXELS ARE DEAD NOW. THE DRIVER INFORMATION DISPLAY IS LOCATED IN THE CENTER OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. IT INCLUDES INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT OPERATING STATUS VIA AUTOCHECK CONTROL, WHICH MONITORS THE CONDITION OF CERTAIN COMPONENTS ON THE VEHICLE, SUCH AS THE BRAKE SYSTEM, COOLANT LEVEL AND ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. AUTOCHECK CONTROL TAKES PLACE CONTINUOUSLY WHEN THE IGNITION IS SWITCHED ON. MALFUNCTIONS AND SERVICE REMINDERS ARE ALSO SHOWN, ACCOMPANIED BY WARNING TONES. THE DISPLAYS ARE PRIORITIZE WITH EITHER RED OR YELLOW ILLUMINATED SYMBOLS. THE RED SIGNALS INDICATE A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION REQUIRING IMMEDIATE DRIVER ATTENTION; THE YELLOW ONES ARE CAUTIONARY INFORMATION. *TR

HELLO: RECENTLY I HAD A FAILURE WITH THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM ON MY 2000 AUDI A4, 2.8L. THIS FAILURE WAS VERIFIED BY THE AUDI DEALER IN WILMINGTON, DE. FROM THE DEALER AND ACCORDING TO MANY ARTICLES, THIS FAILURE IS COMMON WITH THIS MAKE. SO COMMON, THAT AUDI/VW DID A RECALL ON VW'S, BUT NOT ON AUDI'S. THIS IS NOT FAIR AND I AM HEAR TO VOICE MY SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

ABS INTERMITTENT. SYSTEM GOES FROM FINE, TO INOPERATIVE WITH NO WARNING. DETAILS: INTERMITTENTLY GET THREE BEEPS FROM THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, WITH THE YELLOW ABS LIGHT LIT STEADILY, AND THE RED BRAKE WARNING LIGHT BLINKING. WHILE THE SYSTEM IS IN THIS STATE, THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IS NOT AVAILABLE VIA DIAGNOSTIC INTERFACE, AND THE ABS IS INOPERATIVE. SHOP DIAGNOSTICS SAYS: 01203 - ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN ABS AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER 03-10 - NO SIGNAL - INTERMITTENT DETAILS OF AFFECTED EQUIPMENT: ABS CONTROL MODULE IS 8E0-614-111-A (BOSCH ABS/EDS VERSION 5.3). *TR