I was sitting at a stop light and was struck from behind at speeds between 40 to 60 miles a hour. My airbags did not deploy and my driver seat came lose from the floor and because of this I received injuries to my neck and face.
The worst 1997 Audi A4 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical33
- Suspension19
- Brakes15
- Engine13
- Transmission5
- Acceleration4
- Seats4
- Steering4
- Visibility4
- Airbags3
- Lights3
- Fuel system1
- Seat belts1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Audi A4
Recalls 6
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Audi) is recalling certain 1998 Audi A8 and 1997-1998 Audi A4 vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to explode or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
- Risk
- The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternative inflator of a different design, free of charge. Owner notification letters were sent September 21, 2021. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1‑800‑253‑2834. Audi's number for this recall is 69BT. The vehicles in this recall were mistakenly omitted from recall 20V‑056. All vehicle owners have already been notified by mail and informed that the remedy is available.
Recall number 22V471000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, as a result of a problem in the production process of the ignition switch, the anchor point of the spring may crack. This could potentially cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.
- Risk
- This condition causes electrical accessories such as windshield wipers and headlights to become inoperative increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new ignition switch with an optimized anchor point free of charge. The recall began on november 27, 2006. Owners may contact audi at 1‑800‑822‑2834. Note: this recall supersedes the remedy program under a previous recall (please see 00v317).
Recall number 06V403000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: switch
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The plastic ignition switch housing can fracture at the return spring anchor point. Fracture of the housing could cause the return spring force to be insufficient for returning the ignition key to the running position after starting the engine.
- Risk
- This condition causes electrical accessories such as windshield wipers and headlights to become inoperative.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Recall number 00V317000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A control valve in the vacuum hose connecting the brake booster to the intake manifold may not open or close fully at temperatures below -4 f under certain driving conditions.
- Risk
- This condition could cause insufficient vacuum to be provided to the brake booster.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a vacuum by-pass system into vehicles operated in these states which is designed to provide sufficient vacuum for full brake assist under all weather conditions.
Recall number 99V131001 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The discharge of static electricity under low humidity conditions can activate the driver side air bag when the driver enters or exits the vehicle and forms an electrical circuit by touching certain areas of the steering wheel.
- Risk
- Activation of the air bag under these conditions can cause personal injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a ground wire on the driver side air bag.
Recall number 97V175000 · Recall details
Seat belts: rear/other
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may not lock properly when engaged, or not remain locked after being engaged.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, an improperly locking seat belt could cause injury to an occupant.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear seat belt assembly.
Recall number 97V115000 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 1997 Audi A4
Defect investigations
Degraded braking in wet weather
There is no summary currently available
EA00021
Degraded braking wet weather condition
There is no summary currently available
PE00016
Ignition switch
There is no summary currently available
RQ00009
Power brake booster vacuum by-pass
There is no summary currently available
RQ99008
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Audi A4 66
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This communication is issued to inform dealers of updated shipping regulations related to lithium ion...
- This communication is issued to remind dealers of the repair validation process for repair group 19....
- This informational bulletin contains technical information for when there is condensation visible on the...
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the document and order the...
- This informational bulletin contains all the the Audi Oil Quality Standards that should be used when doing...
- Due to increasing requests for high voltage personal protective equipment (HVE PPE) for dealer technicians...
- This information TSB provides information regarding the correct way to torque adjust a wheel bolt.
- Vehicle will not communicate with diagnostic scan tool or emissions test equipment
- Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 19 number 15-61 dated July 7, 2015
- Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 19 number 14-50 dated June 20, 2014
1997 Audi A4 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4‑cyl | FWD | 18 | 27 | 21 |
| 1.8L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 18 | 27 | 21 |
| 2.8L 6‑cyl | FWD | 16-17 | 25-26 | 19-20 |
| 2.8L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 16-17 | 24-25 | 19 |
What 1997 Audi A4 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 audi a4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the brakes failed when engaged. The contact was attempting to stop for a traffic stop but the vehicle did not respond. The failure was recurring. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 70,000.
In a snow storm, driver braked at an intersection, automatic brakes kicked in but did not stop the 10 mile per hour slide through the intersection. Car stopped parallel to the curb and was immediately t-boned by an SUV. Air bags did not deploy. Driver was wearing aseat belt and suffered a brokev arm . . .lucky. Based upon the condytion of the car, driver should be dead.
I was stopped at a red light when a car crashed into the back of my 1997 audi a4. This caused my car to crash into the car in front of me and that car to crash in to the car in front of it. My driver-side air bag did not deploy and my seat belt did not lock up. The air bag on the passenger side did deploy. Because the air bag and seat belt did not work, I hit the windshield and had to go to the hospital for medical attention.
The lower front control arms in my '97 audi a4 1.8t quattro were replaced by an authorized audi dealer as part of a voluntary recall campaign in 2004 by audi to replace a noted defective part. A class action lawsuit brought against audi by several owners spurred the voluntary recall. My lower control arms need replacing again, based on an inspection by an independent mechanic. When I contacted audi customer service I was told that the 2004 control arm recall had a one-year warranty and after that time I was responsible for the replacement cost, which exceeds $2,000 for the lower front control arms. This is the second time this defective part needs replacing and it is a safety issue. Numerous audi owners have reported repeated lower control arm failure and the federal safety agency is urged to call a mandatory recall for audi to repair this defective part so it does not need to be replaced by owners every few years.
I received safety recall js for the audi a4 ignition switch in november 2006 and complied with the instructions by bringing the car to the dealer for a replacement switch in january 2007. The dealer did not do the repair because they said my car already had the correct switch. In june 2008, this ignition switch malfunctioned in the exact manner described in the recall. When I started the engine, I heard a crack in the ignition switch and then the electrical components, including dashboard lights, horn, turn signal, windshield wipers, and air conditioning, immediately became inoperative. When I turned off the engine, the key would not return to the off position and had to be pulled out by force and subsequently forced back in to put the car in neutral for the tow truck. I contacted both the dealer and audi customer relations about the problem, but since the recall had been closed by this time, no one was willing to consider the possibility that the repair had not been done properly or that the ignition switch in my car, which they had previously claimed was the correct one, was just as defective as the recalled switch. I brought the car to an independent repair shop and had the switch replaced at my own expense. I asked for reimbursement from audi, but they refused.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 audi a4. In january of 2004, the contact was informed of a recall on his vehicle regarding the ignition switch. The dealer performed the recall repair for free; however, the ignition switch failed in 2007. The dealer conducted a visual inspection. A technician stated that because the replacement had been done in 2004, a new ignition switch would not be necessary. On june 9, 2008, the ignition switched failed again. When the failure occurred, the contact was unable to turn off the vehicle. As a result, the battery drained. He took the vehicle to the dealer again and they stated once more that because the vehicle was previously repaired under recall, they were not responsible. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. The recall number was unknown. The failure mileage was 67,487 and current mileage was 141,500.
1) failure of front left (driver side) hydraulic brake hose at caliper end at inboard side of hose strain relief. The damage location appears to be where hose is subject to maximum stress and flexing when front wheels turn. Further inspection revealed concealed damage to right (passenger) front brake hose at the same location. 2) consequence was loss of all hydraulic braking when hose burst, resulting in minor accident. Damage to vehicles was minor because of good fortune to have failure at low speed--no injuries resulted. 3) front hydraulic brake hoses were replaced with new oem hoses supplied by audi dealer. Because both hoses exhibited similar wear, other audi a4 vehicles 10 years old and/or with 100,000+ miles may be subject to similar front brake hose failures.
Braking performance seems to be dramatically reduced in wet, and especially wet and cold, conditions. This happens often, but does not happen regularly, and always after prolonged high-speed driving without brake application. The reduction in performance seems much more dramatic than would be expected from typical reduction in brake performance in these conditions.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 audi a4. The vehicle was repaired for the federal safety agency recall number 06v403000 (ignition switch). When the contact went to retrieve the vehicle from the dealer, it failed to start. The dealer stated that they could only release the keys and vehicle to a tow service. The invoice stated that the repairs were made. The contact stated that this is the only audi dealer in his area. The manufacturer stated that they are unable to provide any assistance. The current and failure mileages were 165,522. The consumer stated to the audi back to fix and the VIN should show car could drive normally to dealership. The consumer stated dealership sabotaged car and drafted false documents. Updated 08/24/07
Compare the 1997 Audi A4
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Other model years
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Questions about the 1997 Audi A4
Is the 1997 Audi A4 reliable?
Owners have filed 98 complaints about the 1997 Audi A4, 1.7 times a typical A4 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Audi A4?
Electrical system, with 33 complaints, typically around 118,000 miles. Next is suspension (19).
How many recalls does the 1997 Audi A4 have?
6 recalls, covering air bags, electrical system and service brakes, hydraulic.
What gas mileage does the 1997 Audi A4 get?
Official estimates for the 1997 Audi A4 range from 19 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.8L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 18 city and 27 highway.
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