The 6 Most Common Failures Of The Audi A4: Problems, Solutions And More!
The Audi A4 is a very well made car. There is no doubt that if you are looking for a compact business car with a strong heritage in the famous A80, the Audi A4 will not disappoint you. Opening the bonnet reveals a great deal of German efficiency under the lid, meaning this is a car that suffers from very few flaws. However, this car is not completely perfect. Learn here the common failures of the Audi A4 , before buying one.
Parts for this stalwart of the Audi range are constantly in high demand, so this car has several common problems. So if you are thinking of buying a second-hand model, stay tuned.
The common faults of the Audi A4
Despite the fact that this type of car is well known, reliable and highly sought after in the market, it is not exempt from problems and failures. Stay until the end and discover the 6 most common failures of the Audi A4.
1- Faults in the motor and the window regulator
Check the electric windows. If you hear some strange noises when you operate the up and down switch, it could be a problem with the window regulator or motor. Both of these problems require a complete disassembly of the door to complete the replacement job on the Audi A4, which can be quite expensive if it has to be fixed by a mechanic.
2- Water leaks in the passenger compartment
Drainage can be a bit of a problem on the Audi A4. Keep an eye out for puddles of water in the passenger compartment, which may come from the outlet pipe that is located under the battery. This pipe tends to get clogged with leaves and other debris, causing water to spill into other areas of the car. Watermarks on carpets are another good indicator that this problem has occurred in the past.
3- Faults in the wiper motors
Coming back to the electrical system, the wiper motor is known to be a bit troublesome and can present problems during operation and stop working.
Check all the wipers on the A4 and make sure they are fully extended. However, even if you discover this fault, you can restore the mechanism to its former glory by re-greasing it completely.
4- Problems with brake lights
If you are thinking of buying an old A4, you should take into account one of the frequent failures of the Audi A4 that occurs in the brake switch, it leaves the brake light on the instrument panel permanently on. There’s a very small chance this failure will go unnoticed, but you’ll be glad to know that you can fix it with a low-cost part and about 20 minutes of work.
5- Problems with the glove box
While you are sitting in the Audi A4 check the glove box. Is the mechanism smooth and simple or are you waiting for the lid to go all the way down? There is a known issue with movement being inhibited due to wear and tear on the joints . Just apply some lube and this should take care of itself immediately.
6- Failures with the gearbox
While driving, is the automatic gearbox particularly stiff, troublesome, clumsy or difficult? These are all signs that you might be suffering from a software problem. In this case, it is necessary for Audi to reprogram the system, which will be free of charge if the car is still under warranty.
7- problems with the water pump
The water pump on the B8 A4 is the most vulnerable and likely point of failure on these cars. Audi’s original water pump was made of plastic, rather than aluminum. Over time, as the water pump is subjected to high levels of heat in the engine compartment, the plastic casing can develop cracks, resulting in coolant leakage and pump failure .
Also, the gasket between the water pump and the thermostat is another point of failure. Gaskets wear naturally over time and become brittle, easily breaking and deteriorating. As this happens, the gasket becomes susceptible to leaks as well.
8- Leaking or clogged fuel injectors
The B8 A4 uses a direct injection system that uses fuel injectors to spray fuel directly into the engine’s cylinders. Over time, fuel injectors are prone to clogging, fouling, or leaking .
The result of a bad fuel injector is that not enough fuel is sprayed into the cylinders. Fortunately, it’s not common for all injectors to go bad at once. These parts often fail one at a time, but even a single faulty injector can cause significant performance and drivability problems.
When injectors fail, they can get stuck open or closed. This will cause no fuel or too much fuel to be sprayed into the cylinder. This can happen constantly, or sporadically and will likely result in frequent misfiring .
9- Excessive oil consumption
Many B8 A4 owners have reported that their car consumes a higher than normal amount of oil. This seems to be a hit or miss for A4 owners, some report using 1 quart of oil every 1,000 or 2,000 miles, while some engines have no problem at all.
In 2012 a class action lawsuit was filed for 129,000 Audi for excessive fuel consumption. Audi initially determined that the problem was caused by a problem with the pistons and rings, but later found a solution with a new engine breather and a software update.
Along with the class action, Audi increased the warranty coverage to 8 years and 80,000 miles, with an extended warranty of 1 year and 10,000 miles after the initial recall was fixed.
If you have excessive oil consumption, you can keep constantly refilling the oil when it gets low, or take it in to be fixed. Excess consumption should not create any long-term reliability problems .
10- Defective power steering hose
A4 owners have reported speed wobble or excessive vibration when driving at both low and high speed. Audi determined that the problem was frequently caused by a faulty power steering hose, and is more prone with owners who tend to brake frequently.
This is one of the common failures of the Audi A4, in the first models of the year B8. While the hose may need to be replaced, sometimes this problem can be fixed by flushing and replacing the power steering fluid . Also, a speed wobble fault could be caused by poorly balanced wheels.
In conclusion
As can be deduced from our list of faults, the Audi A4 is one of those cars that just won’t give you too much trouble over its long lifespan . It’s clear that Audi has poured all of its engineering brilliance into the vehicle along with plenty of quality design cues. If you have the money and have checked these bugs, it might be smart of you to spend it on an Audi A4 as your used car.
