2006 Audi A4

POWER STEERING FLUID IS DRAINING FROM RESERVOIR FASTER THAN I CAN PUT IT IN. THIS IS ONE PROBLEM TOO MANY ON MY AUDI. THE CAR IS A 2006 A4 PURCHASED NEW IN MARCH 2007 THEREFORE 5 YEARS AND 3 MTHS AND 60,000 MILES. FROM WHAT I CAN'T READ ON THE WEB, THE OIL IS LOST IN THE RACK AND PINION BOX. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME AT AUDI DEALER IN PAST 6 WEEKS, TWO ELECTRIC WINDOW REGULATORS, BEARING FRONT WHEEL AND NOW POWER STEERING PROBLEM THAT I THINK WILL GO IN THE 600$ TO 1000$ REPAIR. I'VE HAD MANY CARS AND SINCE MY TWO PAST AUDI'S, I'VE REPLACED PARTS THAT I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE EVEN IF I KEPT MY PREVIOUS CARS 7 YEARS AND 160,000 MILES. THIS IS DEFINITELY MY LAST GERMAN PRODUCT IN MY YARD. AUDI HAS A NICE DESIGN BUT THAT IS IT. YOU NEED AT LEAST TWO CARS IN THE DRIVEWAY TO OWN AN AUDI, THAT WAY YOU ARE NOT STUCK. MY DEALER HAS QUADRUPLED HIS SERVICE AREA, NOW I KNOW THE REASON. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A4. WHILE PERFORMING A U-TURN, THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY. IN ADDITION, THE A/C COMPRESSOR WAS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING DUE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURE. THE COMPRESSOR WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 AUDI A4. THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN AND DID NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REPAIR NEEDED. THE VIN IS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2000.

THE PROBLEM IS A STEERING WHEEL SHAKE THAT SETS UP A DISTRACTING VIBRATION AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 50-60 MPH. THE STRENGTH OF THE VIBRATION IS VARIED AS THE VIBRATIONS CAN BE STRONG OR WEAK AND AT TIMES, EVEN FEEL AS IF THEY ARE NOT THERE. THE DANGER IS THAT THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN ANSWER AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. IT'S RELATED TO STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. BECOMES VERY DISCONCERTING CREATING A NERVOUS DRIVER AS THE SENSATION FROM THE VIBRATIONS IS ONE OF "LACK OF CONTROL". TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED, REBALANCED AND TIRE PRESSURES CHECKED AND CHANGED MULTIPLE TIMES TO CHECK FOR CHANGES. THE VIBRATION REMAINS. DIFFERENT TIRES RESULT IN THE SAME TYPE OF VIBRATION. THE OVERALL FEELING IS A LACK OF CONTROL, AND THE POTENTIAL THAT MAYBE ONE DAY SOMETHING MAY "SNAP" AND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM MAY BE FOUND IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY, BY WAY OF AN ACCIDENT. I WOULD RATHER NOT WAIT UNTIL THEN. MANY OTHER AUDI A4 (MODEL B7) OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH NO RESOLUTION FROM AUDI AT THIS POINT. IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF DRIVER COMFORT. FOR ME, STEERING IS VITAL, AND HOW THE VEHICLE OPERATES IS VERY CONTINGENT ON HOW THE STEERING FEELS AND FUNCTIONS. SOMETHING DOES NOT FEEL RIGHT WITH MANY OF THESE A4'S. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 58 MPH ON ALL ROAD CONDITIONS, THERE WAS AN EXTREME VIBRATION PHYSICALLY FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE STEERING WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ROAD FEEDBACK THROUGH THE STEERING VIBRATIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/30/06. *JB