1997 Audi Quattro

ON SUNDAY NIGHT, 3/11/07, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR AUDI A6 QUATTRO WAGON WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL. AS SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE CAR VEERED WILDLY, SPINNING A FULL 360 DEGREES. TO GAIN CONTROL MY WIFE NEXT TRIED LIGHT ACCELERATION AND WAS ABLE WITH THAT AND BRUTE FORCE TO PULL THE CAR ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER, AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, TOLD US THAT A NUT HAD COME OFF THE BOLT HOLDING THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT. WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A NUT WOULD SUDDENLY LOOSEN LIKE THIS AFTER 60,000 MILES AND 10 YEARS. THE REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE BOTH STRUTS AND OTHER DAMAGED COMPONENTS. WE ARE VERY MUCH RELIEVED THAT THIS FAILURE DID NOT HAVE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS, BUT ARE CONCERNED THAT SUCH A FAILURE COULD OCCUR.

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A NEW 1997 AUDI A4 QUATTRO. WITHIN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THAT THE LOWER FRONT CONTROL ARMS MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE CAR AND DETERMINED THE REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY. NOW, LAST WEEK I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE FROM AUDI ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM; PREMATURELY WORN OUT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS. I CALLED THE AUDI DEALER AND INQUIRED ABOUT BRINGING THE CAR IN TO BE LOOKED AT. THE PERSON I TALKED TO ON THE PHONE TOLD ME THAT SINCE THEY HAD NO RECORD OF A 60,000 MILE CHECKUP, THAT AUDI WOULD NOT PAY THE COST OF REPAIRS, IF NECESSARY. HE TOLD ME THE COST TO REPAIR THESE LOWER CONTROL ARMS IS AROUND $1,100 PARTS AND LABOR. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT ALMOST ALL AUDI A4 OWNERS OF MY MODEL YEAR HAD HAD THIS REPAIR DONE AT LEAST ONCE. THE CAR NOW HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT AND IS OTHERWISE IN GOOD SHAPE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF AUDI IS HAVING SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON THEIR A4'S THAT THEY NEED TO ISSUE TWO FACTORY RECALLS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITHIN ABOUT SIX YEARS TIME, THE PROBLEM IS SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, AND NOT THE CUSTOMER WHO BOUGHT THE CAR WITH THIS SORT OF SERIOUS MANUFACTURING/DESIGN DEFECT. PLEASE ADD MY NAME TO WHAT I AM SURE IS A GROWING LIST OF UNSATISFIED AUDI A4 CUSTOMERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SATISFACTION FROM AUDI FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.*AK