2005 Audi A4

THE TIMING CHAIN (NOT THE TIMING BELT, WHICH HAD BEEN CHANGED WELL BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED TIME) BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE IMMEDIATE RESULTING IN THE CAR COMING TO A RAPID AND ABRUPT STOP. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, IT OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED ON A VERY QUIET STREET. HAD IT OCCURRED ON A FREEWAY, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH LIKELY WOULD HAVE RESULTED SINCE THE CAR DECELERATED SO QUICKLY I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TIME TO COAST INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. APPARENTLY FAILURES OF THESE TIMING CHAINS OCCUR COMMONLY; AUDI APPARENTLY HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM FOR SOME CAM FOLLOWER WEAR PROBLEMS (THAT MAY OR MAY NOT INVOLVE A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE). BUT THEY DO NOT LIST THE CHAIN OR THE FOLLOWER AS MAINTENANCE OR INSPECTION ITEMS, AND GIVE OWNERS NO HINT THAT THEY SHOULD INSPECT THE FOLLOWER, OR REPLACE THE CHAIN PERIODICALLY. TIMING CHAIN FAILURES ON ZERO CLEARANCE ENGINES (VW HAS THE SAME ENGINE AND APPARENTLY THE SAME PROBLEM), WILL KILL FOLKS IF THEY OCCUR ON FREEWAYS OR OTHER ROADS WHERE AN INABILITY TO COAST TO A SAFE STOPPING POINT WILL LEAVE MOTORISTS AT INCREDIBLE RISK. *TR

LEFT OR RIGHT HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND FAIL EVERY TIME I USE MY HEADLIGHTS. NO WORSE OR BETTER WITH BUMPY ROADS. AFTER A LIGHT GOES OUT, TURNING THE LIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON TEMPORARILY FIXES THE PROBLEM. BUT A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE LIGHT FLICKERS AND FAILS. MOST RECENT FAILURE WAS WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER AT NIGHT. ONCOMING TRAFFIC DID NOT SEE ME AND NEARLY CRASHED HEAD ON. NEWLY PURCHASED CAR AND HEADLIGHTS FAILED FIRST NIGHT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND READ DOZENS OF THREADS WITH SEEMINGLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED AUDI HAS NOT PUT OUT A RECALL. SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH NO CURRENT SOLUTION. THE QUESTION IS OUT OF ALL THE DEADLY ACCIDENTS IN AUDI CARS, HOW MANY HAD THIS ISSUE AS A FACTOR. I DON'T ENVY THE PERSON QUICKLY DRIVING DOWN A WINDING BACK ROAD, WHEN THEIR HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AN INSTANT BEFORE A QUICK TURN THEY WONT SEE AND WRAP THEIR CAR AROUND A TREE. *TR

MY AUDI A4 CONSTANTLY WILL GET A DIPPED HEADLIGHT, MEANING THAT THE HID LIGHTS WILL DIP AND FAIL TO STAY ON. IT HAPPENS ON BOTH SIDES AND WILL HAPPEN AT NIGHT. I HAVE DRIVEN IN COMPLETE DARKNESS AND HAD BOTH LIGHTS FAIL, IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS AND BACK ON THEY WILL RESET BUT IT DOES NOT TAKE LONG BEFORE THEY DO IT AGAIN AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS ME ANYTIME I DRIVE DURING DARK TIMES. I LIVE IN A AREA WITH SNOW AND ICE IN THE WINTER AND ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH DEER AND PEDESTRIANS DURING THE SUMMER. MY LIGHTS GOING OUT ALL OF A SUDDEN FOR NO REASON HAS ME QUESTIONING THE SAFETY MY CAR PROVIDES. I AM CONCERNED THAT I MAY HAVE MY LIGHTS GO OUT AND WRECK, OR POTENTIALLY HIT A ANIMAL OR PERSON. *TR

1) HEADLIGHTS ARE THE MAIN PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS THE TYPE OF LIGHTS THAT MOVE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. OCCASIONALLY, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL BUT WILL REMAIN ON. THIS IS A NUISANCE BUT MAY BE RELATED TO THE NEXT, LARGER PROBLEM. THE LARGER PROBLEM IS, ALMOST EVERY NIGHT THERE WILL BE A HEADLIGHT DIP WARNING SIGNAL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS RARELY WILL THE HEADLIGHTS STAY ON ANYMORE. THEY USED TO DO SO, BUT NOW ONE OR BOTH OF THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FREQUENTLY TURN OFF. WE USED TO BE ABLE TO OVERRIDE THIS BY MOVING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THE DASH FROM THE AUTO TO THE MANUAL MODE AND OFF MODE. HOWEVER, NOW WE HAVE TO SWITCH BACK AND FORTH MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE THE HEADLIGHTS TURN BACK ON AND IT TAKES A LOT LONGER NOW THAN IT USED TO. (THE HEADLIGHTS ARE STAYING OFF FOR LONGER PERIODS. ) ALSO, EVEN WHEN YOU LEAVE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IN THE MANUAL MODE (RATHER THAN USE THE AUTO MODE AT ALL), THE HEADLIGHTS WILL STILL DIP AND TURN OFF.

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION: VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AFTER ENTERING HIGHWAY. DRIVER PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). TACHOMETER CONTINUED TO INCREASE UNTIL IT RED-LINED. DRIVER PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THE THROTTLE RELEASED WITH A POPPING NOISE. DRIVER OBSERVED THE THROTTLE AND THE MAT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE PUSHING ON THE THROTTLE BUT THE MAT WAS NOT SECURED IN PLACE. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER (WHERE IT WAS BOUGHT AND SERVICED REGULARLY). THEY RAN DIAGNOSTIC SCAN, NO FAULTS IN SYSTEM. OWNERS WROTE AND CALLED AUDI CUSTOMER CARE AND WERE INFORMED CAR IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. WEATHER WAS HOT AND DRY (JULY).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD DISPLAY HEADLIGHTS DIPPED ON THE INSTRUMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO WAS TOLD THE ENGINE VIBRATION CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS TO SHUT OFF. THE DEALER PLACED RUBBER PIECES INTO THE CASING IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE VIBRATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS (EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT OR SOMETIMES BOTH) WILL JUST GO OUT. HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY, HAPPENS IN THE DRIVEWAY OR ON A SURFACE ROAD...IT HAPPENS NEARLY EVERY TIME I DRIVE WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON. AUDI CAN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE WHEN I BRING IT IN AND DOESN'T HAVE A FIX. MANY PEOPLE REPORT THAT REPLACING HEADLIGHT BULB OR BALLACE DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THEY JUST FLICKER AND GO OUT. THERE REALLY SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON THE A4. *TR

2005 AUDI A4 2.0T - HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTION. WARNING SIGN COMES ON "LEFT/RIGHT HEADLIGHT DIPPED OUT". DURING NIGHT, THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. ONLY WAY TO GET LIGHTS BACK ON IS TO EITHER TURN HEADLIGHTS OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN OR PULL OVER, TURN CAR OFF AND RESTART. THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX THOUGH. WITHIN 10 TO 15 MIN, THE HEADLIGHT WILL "DIP" OUT AGAIN (LIGHT FLICKERS AND GOES OUT). CHANGING BULBS DO NOT HELP. CHANGING BALLAST DOES NOT HELP. WITHIN A 20 MILE STRETCH, MY HEADLIGHTS WILL "DIP OUT" AND BLACK OUT ON AVERAGE OF 3 TIMES. THIS MAKES FOR VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR