Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - ABS WARNING LIGHT | |||
| 04/20/2005 | 72000 | 1 | 01/05/2004 |
| Abs computer module failure. on the instrument panel, the abs light came on whle the brake light was flashing and beeping. took it ot the dealer and the abs pump with controller was/is bad. the part with labor is $1600.00. after some research, this part goes bad alot and is a major safty issue. if you brake hard the rear wheels will lock up and the car could spin out of control. | |||
| 04/03/2005 | 62000 | 1 | 10/03/2004 |
| Abs failure on 2000 s4 with only 60,000 miles. the abs failure light comes on randomly while driving. i had this problem checked out with a certified audi mechanic. he states the actual pump is not the problem, but the circuitry that controls the pump is defective, and also states this problem is very common in my model vehicle. abs failures should be considered as dangerous as a broken seat belt, and should be repaired at the cost of the manufacturer (audi) | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 04/20/2005 | 72000 | 1 | 01/05/2004 |
| Abs computer module failure. on the instrument panel, the abs light came on whle the brake light was flashing and beeping. took it ot the dealer and the abs pump with controller was/is bad. the part with labor is $1600.00. after some research, this part goes bad alot and is a major safty issue. if you brake hard the rear wheels will lock up and the car could spin out of control. | |||
| 03/13/2005 | 84000 | 1 | |
| Just driving one evening and the abs/brake light came on. the abs controller was at fault. did some research ,and a significant number of people w/ the same car has the same problem. *ak | |||
| 12/06/2004 | 13000 | 2 | 09/01/2004 |
| Purchased my 2000 audi s4 from the original owner- the car had 10k miles on it and yes, it was out of warranty. at about 13.5k miles i noticed that i had trouble stopping one evening- almost rear ending someone in the process because my brake pedal went all the way to the floor. parked the car that night-and then about 4 hours later, on my way home...same symptoms as mentioned before, except now my abs light was on. ext mourning...moved car out of driveway and noticed a oil puddle from the left front drivers side engine area. i began to search for the leak with the help from a local friend and he suggested-last resort-to check the abs control unit...i did, and sure enough, my whole hand was covered in oil when i reached underneath the abs unit. called local audi dealer...and also called audi of america...dropped car off at dealer...they confirmed that the unit (abs) had indeed failed. audi of america denied any help at all with a unit that failed at 13.5k miles!!!!!!! i ended up paying $1,500.00 to have it fixed. *ak | |||
| 11/01/2004 | 77000 | 1 | 05/01/2002 |
| Abs warning light began flashing. diagnosed by dealer as abs controller unit; price to fix $1287. have not fixed yet.*ak | |||
| 08/15/2004 | 49850 | 1 | |
| Failure of abs?ecu control module...no abs brakes,possible loss of control of vehicle. car has only 50,000 miles. *ak | |||
| 08/28/2004 | 64800 | 1 | 01/15/2003 |
| Out of the blue, with 64,000 miles on the car, the abs warning light and brake warning light come on, followed by 3 loud beeps. when the beeps stop, the abs warning light stays on, the brake warning light blinks continually. since the first incident, this now happens every time i drive the car. sometimes the lights will go out and stay out for 5-10 minutes, for the whole thing to start over again. when these lights are on, the abs does not work. i had a panic stop to avoid a deer and the rear wheels locked up. the car skidded but i did not crash. dealer says that the abs controller computer must be replaced, at a cost of $1300. this is apparently very common on 2000 s4 and a4 audi's. i contacted audi of america, they refuse to fix the problem, denying that it is a safey issue and saying that the car is out of warranty. | |||
| 06/07/2004 | 70100 | 1 | 04/14/2000 |
| I just had my rotors and pads replaced on all four wheels of my 2000 audi s4. less than three weeks after that repair, the abs computer failed. i don't know if the two incidents are related but i am worried about the failure of the abs controller at such a young age. computer parts do not take wear and tear and should be designed for the expected life of the car- not four years like for me. i have read on the internet of many other similar failures and i am concerned of a general safety issue, particularly for such a critical part like an abs controller.*ak | |||
| 06/06/2004 | 55785 | 1 | 02/26/2004 |
| Abs ( anitlock brake system ) failure, will cuase brake lock-up and will result in a accident. abs has not been repaired due to the amount of money that it would take to fix ( $ 1200-1600 ). abs pump module needs to be replaced. i haved researced than many other audi owners have the same exact problem. *ak | |||
| 01/05/2004 | 84000 | 1 | 05/05/2000 |
| Abs control module needed to be replaced in 2000 audi s4 after numerous false dashboard warning light indications were intermittently displayed will driving. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | |||
| 06/10/2010 | 119562 | ||
| Communication failure from the abs module, it causes the abs light to stay lit and the brake light flashes, when this happens the abs does not work on the car, it's a very common problem with these units but audi hasn't done a recall. this will be the second time i have to replace this unit out of pocket since i've owned my 2000 audi s4. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | |||
| 10/09/2009 | 121900 | 1 | |
| Abs brake module has failed on my 2000 audi s4. dash indicator began flashing on 10/9. on 10/10 dealer checked computer and the diagnosis was that module had failed. *tr | |||
| 09/15/2008 | 109000 | 1 | |
| I was on highway 93 north going 60 miles an hour when i suddenly i had to brake hard and as soon i hit the brakes my rear brakes locked in and i almost hit the car in front of me i had to release the brakes and change the lane to avoid hitting the car in front of me i went home did some research on-line and i found out from on-line forums and other websites that everybody who owns audi s4 2000 have same problem this is a very big safety issue and there should be not just a recall but audi should bee sued for making a car that would and will kill people. *tr | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2000 audi s4 with unreadable gauge and warning lights on the instrument cluster. consumer states this has gotten worse and they are not readable at all. his brake pedal was soft and the warning light was unreadable. *kb while driving, there was a loud beep followed by a constant flashing of a blurry display which the consumer could not read. the consumer later discovered the flashing light was suppose to show the brake level signal/pad signal level. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was determined that the abs pump had failed. | |||
| 07/28/2005 | 47700 | 1 | 05/07/2000 |
| Abs warning light on dash, accompanied with a flashing brake warning and three beeps. this occurred intermittently and with increasing frequency. based on some invcestigationg, this appears to be a very common problem with the abs controller modules on volkswagen and audi vehicles. when the module fails, it renders the abs system inoperative and can lead to rear wheel lockup in emergency stopping manouvers or in slippery road conditions. i have removed the module and had it repaired. this service at an audi dealer would cost in excess of $1000. | |||
| 03/30/2005 | 59000 | 4 | |
| Posted comment earlier about battery acid leaking onto clutch line and brake line causing severe damage to both lines... spoke with audi and they stated that the engine does not have to be removed for the brake line to be fixed... the most likely culprit of this leak is due an overcharged battery due to a jump or manual re-charge (note: according to audi, never replace the s4 battery with anything other than with an audi battery... of course they would say this, but he was pretty convincing... 2nd note: i do have an audi battery in my s4, and i'm still having the issue... audi may help pay for this b/c of that fact, but they haven't committed to it until further investigation). the total, according to over-the-phone diagnosing, was going to be b/n 1 and 2 thousand bucks at the dealer.*ak | |||
| 02/05/2005 | 54750 | 4 | 11/26/2004 |
| My abs and brake lights come on irractly while driving. i have checked the and filled the brake fluid resivor like the manual states. but still get the lights. apparently this is a very common problem from audi. *ak the saftey of many people are at stake here. i will not and have not driven my car since the lights came on, and my local audi dealership want $1,400. to replace! thas ridiculous for a car that has barely 54k miles. you would think something as important and life saving as the brake system would have a better design and lower failure rate. im positive that i am not the only audi owner that has filed a complaint and postive i will not be the last. thank you for you time luis castellanos | |||
| 01/25/2005 | 50000 | 1 | |
| While driving the brake and abs lights came on. the owner took the vehicle to the dealer and was told by the dealer that this defect can cause the other controllers to do damage and effect the instrument cluster. it can also effect the engine controller. the owner also contacted the manufacturer who did not think that this problem was of needed interest. provide further details. *jb | |||
| 12/17/2004 | 48125 | 1 | 07/26/2000 |
| My abs controller appears to be failing. abs warning light will come on and go out at random times. i have 48,000 miles on this vehicle. since the abs system acts as a proportioning valve between the front and rear wheels, the rear wheels will lock up under moderate braking when the light comes on. i cannot diagnose the problem properly due to the random nature of the warning light. many similar reports on audiworld.com on this failure. *jb | |||
| 12/28/2004 | 89250 | 1 | 03/20/2000 |
| Failed abs controller unit. abs is nonfunctional. in poor weather, my brakes will lock up. *jb | |||
| 09/15/2004 | 67000 | 1 | 02/10/2000 |
| The abs and brake lights on my dashboard initially flashed and beeped intermittently, but now are on constantly. upon researching the issue, i've discovered that this is a problem experienced my many other my2000 s4 owners. this is a significant safety issue, as there is the risk that brakes may lock up (even when releasing the pedal) under braking when experiencing these symptoms. please take action on this issue. i know many owners who have no choice but to hold off on the repair due to the amount being charged by dealers to replace the part (~$1700.00), even though the most likely culprit of the problem is wiring between the controller and the ecu (<$1.00). *jb | |||
| 07/15/2004 | 59520 | 1 | 02/05/2004 |
| Abs controller module failure - bosch 5.3 system - 2000 audi s4. *jb | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| Problems with abs controller on 2000 audi s4.*mr abs warning light was intermittently on. *la | |||
| 06/16/2004 | 2 | 07/01/1999 | |
| While applying the brakes pedal went to the floor. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it home. abs braking light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer contacted the dealership, and will make appointment to bring the vehicle in for inspection. *ak consumer contacted manufacturer but refused to assist repair of vehicle. *la | |||
| 11/20/2000 | 2 | 05/01/2000 | |
| On or about 11/20/00 i applied brakes while driving down hill. car accelerated out of control. brakes would not stop car, which eventually crashed into telephone pole. i injured my left leg. audi advised me they knew of no defect that could cause this accident. on 13/21/01 as i applied brakes to turn into a parking space contiguous to a building the vehicle accelerated. when i both heard to engine racing and the car accelerating i fortunately shifted into neutral and stopped the vehice. my foot was not on the accelerator! i refuse to drive this vehicle. audi's response is that if the dealer finds a problem audi will take appropriate action. there is a problem whether audi finds it or not. i am not risking a fatal accident to establish this fact!*ak | |||
| 11/15/1999 | 11/01/1999 | ||
| Audi usa has engineering control and were contacted and present during repair. under very icy conditions on straight road, during acceleration from very slow speed, vehicle pitched into oversteer condition. not entirely unexpected, but after a difficult recovery, when all seemed ok, it oversteered again quite violently. this was again recovered, but it appeared that there was an abs brake input , certainly not of my doing. the third cycle was more severe, and i left the road. neither the brake nor throttle were touched during the whole cycle, but steering inputs were powerful as i attempted to save the day. the separateness of the cycles alerted me to the possibility that the wheel speed sensors had detected a differential speed and applied the brakes. audi refuses to release any data on the operation of their abs system, and the volatile computer data has gone..it is noteworthy that some of the control functions previously identified, electronic stability control, etc, are now embedded in the abs . the s4 did not have a stability control mechanism, it now does. this is a very powerful vehicle system, and if it should fail, the consumer should be able to know the criteria under which it should, could operate and/or fail. a years worth of communication has produced zero data from audi. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - ABS WARNING LIGHT | |||
| 04/19/2007 | 2 | ||
| I was going down the street and my abs light and brake light came on and beeped 3 times. i got over as soon as i could to make an appointment to go to audi. i went up there and they said that they have never seen that code before so they just erased the code. i left and was going about 10mph and lightly put my brakes on and my front brakes locked up, i came to a screeching halt. i immediately went back to audi and they said that my abs module is not working. imagine if i was on the highway and my brakes locked up. this product should be recalled. since this is a safety product can you replace the part. it seems like every time i go to audi just for an oil change that i never leave without spending more money, because they find things that are wrong. i have talked to other audi owners and they say that they probably sabotage our cars just so they can make more money. as i just went in for a oil change and they said that my secondary water pump was not working. there was no cel (check engine light) i would imagine that it would come on if that failed. i hope that this abs control module does not happen to anyone on the highway due to this non working safety part. the part number is: 8eo 614 111e or 8eo 614 111a since i could not find audi under manufacturer but i have a 2000 audi s4. thank you and have a great day. *tr | |||
| 07/28/2005 | 47700 | 1 | 05/07/2000 |
| Abs warning light on dash, accompanied with a flashing brake warning and three beeps. this occurred intermittently and with increasing frequency. based on some invcestigationg, this appears to be a very common problem with the abs controller modules on volkswagen and audi vehicles. when the module fails, it renders the abs system inoperative and can lead to rear wheel lockup in emergency stopping manouvers or in slippery road conditions. i have removed the module and had it repaired. this service at an audi dealer would cost in excess of $1000. | |||
| 04/20/2005 | 72000 | 1 | 01/05/2004 |
| Abs computer module failure. on the instrument panel, the abs light came on whle the brake light was flashing and beeping. took it ot the dealer and the abs pump with controller was/is bad. the part with labor is $1600.00. after some research, this part goes bad alot and is a major safty issue. if you brake hard the rear wheels will lock up and the car could spin out of control. | |||
| 03/02/2005 | 100 | 03/26/2003 | |
| 2000 audi s4 abs computer module is defective. code 01203. the abs and brake light flash and beep all of the time for no reason. this is a known issue with the abs units. aoa has not filled a safety recall for htis item yet. we need to have a safety recall for the abs computer/module due to potential accidents when wheels lock up and car skids out of control. numerous other complaints about abs problems and accidents have been documented due to abs failure. it is a simple fix but part costs $1k alone not including labor. looked on forums, it seems to be a simple wiring fix inside of module (apparently there is a poor standard of craftsmanship in the soldering). *ak | |||
| 02/08/2005 | 64220 | 1 | 03/09/2004 |
| Abs failure: bosch 5.3 abs module found in vw, audi & porsche fail within the first 60k miles. abs modules typically last for well over 100k & generally for the life of a car. audi charges ~$1300 to replace. 3rd party repair is ~$300. abs becomes disabled & can create unexpected situations especially during inclimate weather. replacement or repair of the module resolves the issue & abs functions as expected.*ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK - CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | |||
| 11/20/2007 | 111000 | 1 | |
| Driving on the on-ramp, about 40 mph. i was cut off fairly aggressively and had to apply the brakes hard. my brake light lit-up and beeped a few times. my car then began to spin out of control across the freeway (i-40, a major trucking artery). luckily i did not hit anyone and was able to control the spin. i found out later that my abs control unit (what a surprise) failed, of course at the most critical time of need for it. total cost to replace was $800. audi , in spite of numerous complaints about this part on this car, will not take any responsibility for recalling or reimbursing. *tr | |||
| 01/11/2007 | 92671 | 09/18/2001 | |
| After having my front brake pads and rotors replaced on my 2000 audi s4 at 92,671 miles, my abs and brake lights continued to come on intermittently, but each time i drove the vehicle. after having the diagnostic system scanned, it was determined that my abs control module needed replaced with parts and labor costing $742.58. i've done research to find that this has been a common problem with audi. i contacted audi, but they declined responsibility. | |||
| 08/29/2005 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I own a model year 2000 audi s4. the car has approx. 80k miles and the abs control unit has recently started malfunctioning. there are numerous reports of failures of abs units on audi a4 & s4s. these failures occur as early as 30k miles. upon contacting an audi dealership in my local area, i was told that they see these failures at least once a week. with this kind of failure rate & at such early mileage, i believe this is a defective part. i'm aware of other audi owners also having filed complaints about this part. i would like to request a recall of the affected audi models. *nm | |||
| 07/28/2005 | 47700 | 1 | 05/07/2000 |
| Abs warning light on dash, accompanied with a flashing brake warning and three beeps. this occurred intermittently and with increasing frequency. based on some invcestigationg, this appears to be a very common problem with the abs controller modules on volkswagen and audi vehicles. when the module fails, it renders the abs system inoperative and can lead to rear wheel lockup in emergency stopping manouvers or in slippery road conditions. i have removed the module and had it repaired. this service at an audi dealer would cost in excess of $1000. | |||
| 08/08/2005 | 1 | ||
| This is a serious issue requiring attention immediately. there are numerous failures of the abs control module in 2000 audi s4's primarily, along with similar makes. this poses a significant safety hazard. failures are due to a defective design of the control unit portion of the abs module. the following link indicates how many failures are occurring: http://www.usedpartslive.com/live/2/year/audi/model/abs_control_module/ there is a mass market for this item primarily because it is very expensive for owners to replace at the dealer. recently, dealers have been replacing the control unit separately for ~600-700, but there is no assurance that the new unit is not also defective and prone to failure. it's only a matter of time before this becomes the cause of more potentially fatal accidents.*jb | |||
| 04/02/2005 | 68000 | 200 | 01/15/2000 |
| While driving along ca-35 (skyline boulevard) at approximately 45 mph on saturday, april 2, 2005 during light to moderate braking around a curve, both the abs and brake warning lights on my 2000 audi s4 came on, along with 3 warning tones. simultaneously, a sudden change in brake feel was detected along with a thunk noise from the front region of the vehicle. the following week, i had the car inspected by two independent service and repair organizations, both of which confirmed an intermittent electronic failure in the vehicle's abs control module (a $1000+ part). since then, the vehicle experiences 3-4 of these intermittent failures during the course of a driving day. when the failure occurs when the vehicle is not braking, it's annoying but somewhat inconsequential. however, when the problem happens during braking, there is definitely a marked change in braking behavior as the abs controller goes offline. under emergency braking situations, i imagine such a failure could be a substantial safety and risk issue. somewhat taken aback by the total estimated repair costs of $1600+, i decided to do some investigation into the problem at sites such as this (nhtsa odi), audiworld.com and the web at large. what i found is a consistent pattern of this sort of failure across a wide swath of audi models during 1999 to 2000. further, i have also learned that the original part installed on the vehicle was rev. a and replacement parts being installed are rev. e. conveying this information to audi's client services through two written letters resulted in no action on their part beyond a confirmation of your vehicle is out of warranty, you must bear the cost of this repair. that'd be fine were this a wear or maintenance item or due to my own negligence; however, i believe the evidence strong that this is a design and/or quality control problem on a critical vehicle safety system. | |||
| 04/20/2005 | 72000 | 1 | 01/05/2004 |
| Abs computer module failure. on the instrument panel, the abs light came on whle the brake light was flashing and beeping. took it ot the dealer and the abs pump with controller was/is bad. the part with labor is $1600.00. after some research, this part goes bad alot and is a major safty issue. if you brake hard the rear wheels will lock up and the car could spin out of control. | |||
| 04/03/2005 | 62000 | 1 | 10/03/2004 |
| Abs failure on 2000 s4 with only 60,000 miles. the abs failure light comes on randomly while driving. i had this problem checked out with a certified audi mechanic. he states the actual pump is not the problem, but the circuitry that controls the pump is defective, and also states this problem is very common in my model vehicle. abs failures should be considered as dangerous as a broken seat belt, and should be repaired at the cost of the manufacturer (audi) | |||
| 12/24/2004 | 1 | 01/28/2000 | |
| While driving 65 mph the brake and abs lights on the consumer's 2000 audi s4 began to flash. *nm the consumer ran a diagnostic check which indicated that the abs module had failed. *nm the consumer found many reports of this failure. the unit was replaced with a new part from audi (8e0 614 111 e). *sc *jb | |||
| 03/02/2005 | 100 | 03/26/2003 | |
| 2000 audi s4 abs computer module is defective. code 01203. the abs and brake light flash and beep all of the time for no reason. this is a known issue with the abs units. aoa has not filled a safety recall for htis item yet. we need to have a safety recall for the abs computer/module due to potential accidents when wheels lock up and car skids out of control. numerous other complaints about abs problems and accidents have been documented due to abs failure. it is a simple fix but part costs $1k alone not including labor. looked on forums, it seems to be a simple wiring fix inside of module (apparently there is a poor standard of craftsmanship in the soldering). *ak | |||
| 02/08/2005 | 64220 | 1 | 03/09/2004 |
| Abs failure: bosch 5.3 abs module found in vw, audi & porsche fail within the first 60k miles. abs modules typically last for well over 100k & generally for the life of a car. audi charges ~$1300 to replace. 3rd party repair is ~$300. abs becomes disabled & can create unexpected situations especially during inclimate weather. replacement or repair of the module resolves the issue & abs functions as expected.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2002 | 50600 | 1 | |
| Complaint received via e-mail. i purchased a 2000 audi s4 quattro with 39k miles on it from a non-audi dealer in march of 2002. at approximately 50,600 miles my abs controller failed. this is indicated by a diagnostic trouble code (dtc) in the vehicle's ecu (computer) as well as 3 loud beeps when you start the car and the abs light staying lit and the red brake light flashing constantly. this part has failed on multiple audi s4's of the same model year that i know of. audi would not warranty my part as my factory warranty had expired at 50,000 miles. the parts alone cost approximately $1200 plus the additional cost of the labor to install the part. the results of the abs controller's malfunction is that essentially, i do not have anti-lock braking in the car, causing under hard braking the possibility of locking the brakes. this happened on numerous occasions. audi of america has been notified by numerous individuals of this particularly common problem on the 2000 s4s, however, to date, no recalls have been made. *jb | |||
| 09/03/2004 | 1 | ||
| It seems that there is a manufacturing defect among b5 platform audi a4 vehicles, where either the abs controller is apt to fail prematurely, or the connection between the controller and the instrument cluster fails. due to the high frequency of failures, it seems highly unlikely that the abs controller is at fault and prone to such a high failure rate. wiring to the instrument cluster seem to be the more likely cause, yet dealers almost exclusively decide to point to the controller, which costs upwards of $1200. this condition is undoubtedly risky and dangerous. a malfunctioning abs controller can cause the rear wheels of the vehicle to lock up under hard braking, even when releasing the brake. *jb | |||
| 09/14/2004 | 58000 | 1 | 03/24/2000 |
| Abs controller on a 2000 audi s4 failed after 58k miles. the brake fluid pump and abs controller unit are all in one, and the cost for repairs is about $1700. it is my belief that this unit should not fail after such low mileage. the car is under full warranty up to 50k miles or 4 years, whichever comes first, but these units are known to fail within the first 60k miles, and in other vehicles they last much longer. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DIFFERENTIAL PROPORTIONAL VALVE | |||
| 03/15/2005 | 61500 | 1 | 01/28/2000 |
| Many audi and vw models manufactured starting in the later '90s and continuing to present, use the bosch 5.3 abs controller, which is prone to catastrophic failure, ostensibly due to defective design. this module controls multiple brake-related functions including the abs which is important for winter driving, but the most critical function of this module is probably the electronic brake force distribution, or ebd. these vehicles are designed such that if the ebd is inoperative, the proportion of hydraulic force applied to the rear brakes during emergency braking is as great as it is during moderate braking effort when there is minimal transfer of vehicle weight to the front wheels. the ebd is supposed to adjust the front/rear braking distribution dynamically according to the measure of the deceleration, so that the rear wheels will not lock up during emergency braking. if this module should fail during emergency braking on dry pavement, the rear wheels could lock up and cause an accident which could easily include fatalities. this is an expensive repair for owners, costing roughly $2000, and many owners have probably put off the repair indefinitely. evidence which can be found through a simple web search, suggests that the problem is widespread, and that if it has not already led to serious accidents, it is only a question of time. this problem is genuine, and vw/audi should be compelled to take immediate corrective action. | |||