2004 Audi S4Recalls, problems, MPG & safety

“2004 AUDI S4. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE FAILED WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE, POWER BRAKES AND STEERING LOCKED UP *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE VEHICLE HAD SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, WHICH WAS MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN OR ADJUSTERS. THE CONSUMER WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $24,000 FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE LEARNED IT WAS A RELATIVELY COMMON PROBLEM FOR HIS MODEL AND YEAR. THE SPECIFIC MECHANICAL FLAW SEEMED TO BE THAT THE TIMING CHAIN COORDINATED THE ACTION BETWEEN THE PISTONS AND THE VALVES. THE TIMING CHAIN WAS SUPPORTED BY SEVERAL PLASTIC GUIDES. THE GUIDES PUSHED AGAINST THE CHAIN BY THE ADJUSTERS. *JB”

“AUDI CLAIMS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN ON THOSE VEHICLES ARE LIFETIME AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE SERVICE. UNFORTUNATE THE TIMING CHANGE TENSIONERS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC WHICH THE WEAR OUT AT ABOUT 50K MILES, CAUSING A START UP RATTLE AND EVENTUALLY ENGINE EXPLOSION FROM THE CHAIN COMING OF THE GUIDES AND DESTROYING THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND CAUSING A MASSIVE ACCIDENT AT HIGH SPEED. HUNDREDS OF PROBLEMS LIKE THIS ONE ARE REPORTED ONLINE FROM THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVEN YOUTUBE VIDEOS. NOT TO MENTION THAT EVERY TIME YOU BRING YOUR VEHICLE AND COMPLAINT TO AUDI THE CLAIM THAT THE RATTLE IS NORMAL; JUST TO FIND OUT THAT IS THE FIRST CLUE OF FUTURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TR”

“AFTER ENGINE COOLS DOWN, TIMING CHAIN RATTLE CAN BE HEARD UPON STARTING THE CAR. CHAIN RATTLE MEANS THAT PLASTIC GUIDES OR ADJUSTERS ARE WORN, AND MIGHT GO ANY SECOND. SPOKE WITH AUDI REP ONLINE, WHICH ADVISES ME THAT THIS IS NORMAL, AND EXPECTED. KNOWING BASICS OF ENGINES AND TRANSMISSION, I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING IS "LIFE TIME" AND IS NOT SERVICEABLE, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S PLASTIC (WHICH TENDS TO SHRINK AND EXPAND DEPENDING ON TEMPERATURES, AND THEN HAS FRACTURES WHICH SNAPS). TWO DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT LICENSED AUDI SHOPS CONFIRMED THAT THE GUIDES AND ADJUSTERS HAS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO PREVENT CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. CHAIN SKIPPING A TOOTH MIGHT MEAN BENT VALVES, SCORED CYLINDER WALLS AND THE LIST GOES ON. WHAT IS LIFETIME, SHOULD BE COVERED BY AUDI. IF IT'S PROMISED TO BE LIFETIME AND NEEDS NO SERVICE, SHOULDN'T BREAK. IF IT BREAKS THAT ONLY MEANS DESIGN FLAWS, WHICH ARE OBVIOUS IN THIS ENGINE. YES, CAR ISN'T NEW, BUT THE PARTS WERE LIFETIME, SO I'M EXPECTING THEM TO LAST UNTIL ENGINE IS WORN OUT, NOT THE PARTS THAT ARE LIFETIME. IF NHTSA WILL DO FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION. WILL BE OBVIOUS THAT LARGE AMOUNT OF S4'S RANGING FROM 2004 TO 2007 ARE…”