2017 Audi A4

The Audi "Drive Select" transmission function switches to "Sports Mode" in rain and snow. This makes the vehicle dangerously jumpy in slippery conditions. This has happened to me (I think) three times in the last couple of years, always in rain or snow. My knowledge of the car allowed me to slowly delve into the screen functions to reprogram the transmission while driving in these dangerous conditions, but I don't know if I could always do it again, or if others might find it too confusing in the moment.

Randomly, sometimes multiple times in a 30-60 minute time window while driving, the media center turns itself off and reboots. While driving with the navigation system or other key functionality of this system (phone connectivity, radio, etc) the driver suddenly has lost the current connection that was in use. As for the navigation or phone connection, this disconnection could result in a sudden dangerous situation. The manufacturer knows of this “bug” and has a software fix, but charges any customer whose vehicle is not still under warranty to diagnose and fix it.

I was driving on the freeway at night. There was a sudden explosion that sounded like a gunshot. I was shocked and afraid. I heard the rain outside, so it seemed like there was a hole in the car. I pulled off the freeway and went to a well lit gas station to inspect the car. The sunroof had exploded upward. Fortunately the fabric sunshade was closed so the shards of glass remained above it. There was no hole in the fabric so nothing had fallen through the glass. There is no trajectory of a rock kicked up by another vehicle that could have exploded a roof outward. I did not go under an overpass from which something could have fallen. There was no rock or meteor in my car—as mentioned, the underlying sunshade was not pierced by a falling object. This occurred suddenly and without warning. Consumers are clearly complaining about this problem but nothing is being done. I will talk to my insurance company and Audi tomorrow as this happened late on a Friday night. Audi should not only eat the cost of this repair but these manufacturers should be forced to fix this problem. It is a horrible sudden sound, shards of glass could have hit me driving if the fabric had been open, and anyone in the back seat could have been injured or blinded by shattered glass. This problem has been a problem for years. Shame on everyone for allowing this to continue.

Engine light on Dealership found a rodent nest in the engine space in the car. Dealership considers that fluids used to coat Audi engine wiring attract rodents. Dealership considers this to be a health and safety issue. Dealership considers it essential to replace the Audi air filter. Dealership is checking wires to assess any gnawed damage. I need the engine to be power-washed and the nest area treated w/bleaching agents. I do not have the total estimate on this but it will be greater than $1,000.

While dropping off a passenger at a store front during a rain storm and a few seconds after the passenger exited the vehicle the sunroof glass exploded upward spontaneously! Some glass chunks flew out of the car and then gravity pulled the rest back down inside onto me and scattered around the interior in tiny little shards. Fortunately I was wearing a jacket and nothing got in my hair or on my face so I was able to brush off all debris. My passenger was already outside the car so she was safe. The insurance claim adjuster inspected the damage and it they will cover the repair. My local Audi dealer will be doing the repair. There was no warning of the problem. The glass was in perfect condition prior to this so I am not sure how it could just happen all of the sudden. I am shocked that the glass does not have the plastic layer to prevent shattering when used overhead like this. I just wanted to report it so someone knows it and can try to prevent it from happening again.