2009 Audi A4: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 AUDI A4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN MAKING TURNS AND WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. IN ADDITION, THE EXTERIOR SIDE MIRRORS ARE DESIGNED WITH ALUMINUM INTERIOR, WHICH PROJECTS A GLARE. THE ONLY OBJECT THAT IS VISIBLE IS THE DASHBOARD. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THREE DEALERS AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE STEERING FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE CONTROL ARM CLIP AND THE STEERING LOWER ARM CONTROL. REPLACING THE PARTS WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE FAILURE WOULD BE CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10269976 at NHTSA ↗

I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN MY AUDI A4 CONVERTIBLE AND THE DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DUE TO SUN GLARE, I REAR-ENDED A MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WITH MY 2006 AUDI A4 CONVERTIBLE. I NEVER SAW HIS TAILLIGHTS, I WAS NOT MESSING WITH THE RADIO OR TALKING ON THE CELL PHONE. I WAS NOT CITED, ALTHOUGH THE ACCIDENT WAS CLEARLY MY FAULT. I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS IN THE CORRECT FASHION. MY INJURIES WERE MINOR BRUISING AND A RUB MARK ON MY NECK FROM THE SHOULDER HARNESS. THE ACCIDENT WAS A DIRECT H…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10270182 at NHTSA ↗

NEW CAR PURCHASE 2009, WHEEL SHIMMY NOTICED IN FIRST FEW DAYS. I ASKED TWO OTHER PEOPLE TO DRIVE THE CAR AND NO ONE EVER FELT THE SHAKE. I DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST CHECK IN AT 5K, OF COURSE THE SHIMMY WAS MORE NOTICEABLE. THE DIAGNOSIS IS THE CONTROL ARMS ARE FAULTY AND REDESIGNED PARTS ARE DUE TO BE INSTALLED W/IN THE WEEK. I AM NOT CERTAIN HOW DANGEROUS A FAULTY CONTROL ARM IS, BUT I'VE BEEN PRETTY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT PERFECT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289260 at NHTSA ↗

THE WIPER BLADES ON 2009+ MODEL YEAR AUDI A4 HAVE A CHANNEL ON THE TOP SURFACE THAT COLLECTS LIQUID/ICY SLUSH AND IN FREEZING CONDITIONS THAT LIQUID FREEZES MAKING THE BLADE RIGID AND INCAPABLE OF CLEARING THE GLASS RESULTING IN ZERO VISIBILITY. FURTHER, AUDI IS USING A PROPRIETARY WIPER BLADE MOUNT WHICH MEANS THAT THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY OPTIONS TO INSTALL A TRADITIONAL 'WINTER' TYPE BLADE NOT SUBJECT TO FREEZING. I HAVE MADE MULTIPLE REQUESTS TO AUDI REPORTING THIS PROBLEM AND HOPING FOR SOME SOLUTION SINCE NOVEMBER 2008 BUT THEY SEEM TO H…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10298240 at NHTSA ↗

DURING THE WINTER, THE 2009 AUDI A4 WINDSHIELD WIPERS FREEZE. BECAUSE THE WIPER RECESS BENEATH THE HOOD, YOU CANNOT "DEICE" THEM OR EVEN GET TO THEM TO CLEAR THEM. THIS IS A HUGE HAZARD! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 5,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10298903 at NHTSA ↗

I EXPERIENCE SEVER SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND WHEELS WHEN TURNING WHILE PARKED OR MOVING AT A SPEED BELOW 5MPH. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10304445 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2009 AUDI A4, WITH 26K MILES. THE LEFT HEADLIGHT WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE BULB, BUT ON FURTHER RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT SEVERAL OTHER FOLKS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND THERE APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT COVERING IN THE WARRANTY. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP RESOLVE? *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10318980 at NHTSA ↗

2009 AUDI A4 AVANT WITH 28000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE STEERING BECAME HARD TO STEER AT LOW SPEED. I DROVE IT TO THE AUDI DEALER 315 MILES FROM MY HOME. TOLD THAT THE STEERING SHAFT HAD "SEIZED" AND THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. MIGHT TAKE TWO WEEKS OR MORE TO REPAIR. I WAS GIVEN A FREE RENTAL AND TOLD THAT THEY WOULD BE IN TOUCH WHEN REPAIRED.

Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10319243 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2016-05-27 (May 27, 2016)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the air bag control units may corrode and fail.

Consequence: If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began October 2016. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69O1.

Reported: 2017-01-11 (January 11, 2017)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009 Audi A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain 2005-2008 Audi A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan vehicles, 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan vehicles, and 2006-2008 A6 Avant and 2008 RS4 Cabriolet vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2018. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall number 18V427.