2001 Audi A4 engine and engine cooling problems

“2001 AUDI A4 WITH TIMING BELT FAILURE AND REPAIR. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TIMING BELT REPAIR DID NOT LAST AND HIS VEHICLE COMPLETELY FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY. CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED OF AN OIL SLUDGE ISSUE. *KB UPDATED 10/19/11.”

“THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ON MY 2001 AUDI A4 QUATTRO CAME ON AND WAS RUNNING SOMEWHAT ROUGHLY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN. ON THE 8-MILE FREEWAY DRIVE THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH UPHILL, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDED REPLACING AND THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 84,429.”

“1. BOTH TIMES, CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN NORMALLY AT AROUND 30-40 MPH WHEN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING AT ALL, THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED FROM IT'S SPEED TO ZERO MPH IMMEDIATELY, ENGINE DIES AND ALL POWER WAS GONE FROM THE CAR. ALL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE CAR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. IT IS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE. THIS CAR IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED TO ALL MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS WITH OEM PARTS USED FOR ALL SERVICES WHICH ARE ALL DONE BY CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS AT THE DEALER OR REPUTABLE INDEPENDENT SHOP. 2. OCCURRED FIRST ON SUNDAY 4/27/08 AND AGAIN ON 5/1/08. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE ON QUIET SUBARBAN STREETS AND NOT THE HIGHWAY OTHERWISE WITH THE CAR COMING TO A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE STOP THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY MESSY ACCIDENT. IMAGINE GOING FROM 65MPH TO 0MPH WITHOUT ANY WARNING ON A RUSH HOUR FREEWAY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS VERY THOROUGHLY. 3. AFTER FIRST INCIDENT, CAR WAS TAKEN TO REPUTABLE AUDI AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT REPLACED AN ELECTRIC WIRE, ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND IGNITION SWITCH. MECHANICS' CLAIM TO HAVE FOUND POWER SUPPLY CABLE TO THE ECU WITH EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE, TRACED THE WIRE AND FOUND A BAD CONNECTION IN THE HARNESS CONNECTOR. BY-PASSED…”

“PURCHASED AN 2001 AUDIO (USED) AT D & S AUTO AND WITHIN A WEEK THERE WAS SCREECHING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BROUGHT IT BACK TO D & S AUTO. D & S AUTO HAD IT LOOKED AT AND THEY SAID THE LIST OF PROBLEMS WERE NONE FOUND, ONLY THAT THEY FIXED THE ENGINE LIGHT. COUPLE DAYS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND ALSO THE REAR BACK TIRE WAS MAKING A STRANGE NOISE. D & S AUTO MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE 2001 AUTO TO GO TO ANOTHER DEALER TO BE LOOKED AT. ALSO, PURCHASED THE BEST FULL WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER PRINTED OUT A LIST OF PROBLEMS WHICH ARE LISTED ABOVE HE SAID THAT ARE PROBLEMS AND THE COST WAS GOING TO BE AROUND $3,000.00 AND THAT THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIRS. *TR”

“OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE DASHBOARD. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A RUBBER BODY PLUG IN THE RIGHT FRONT TOWBOARD IGNITED DUE TO AN OVERHEATED EXHAUST SYSTEM, CAUSING A FIRE THAT BURNED ON THE RIGHT FRONT FLOOR AND UPWARD INTO THE DASH. SPARK PLUGS SHOWED AN ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PROBLEM EXISTED THAT CAUSED THE OVERHEATED EXHAUST. *TR”