68 of the
338 complaints filed about the Audi A4 Allroad
are about the steering —
20% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2013.
While reversing out of a parking space, the steering wheel on my 2024 Audi A4 Allroad wagon suddenly locked completely and could not be turned in either direction. A warning message appeared stating “Steering malfunction. Safe to drive.” However, the vehicle was not safe to drive due to complete loss of steering functionality. Restarting the vehicle multiple times did not resolve the issue. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Audi service center. At the dealership, the steering was functional again and no active faults were present. However, the diagnostic scan showed a stored trouble code: U103100 – FlexRay data bus No synchronization, logged at the exact time the failure occurred. The dealership confirmed no visible wiring damage or hardware fault but could not replicate the issue. The battery was tested and not deemed low enough to replace. No software updates or service bulletins were applied. The service center declined to escalate the issue to Audi Corporate, stating that escalation is only permitted if the issue occurs a second time. This incident involved total loss of steering, which poses a serious safety risk. There were no prior warning signs before the failure. The issue has not recurred yet, but the root cause remains unresolved and could endanger the driver and others if it happens while the vehicle is in motion.
NHTSA complaint #11663758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE IN MOTION ON A BUSY STREET.STEERING WHERE BECAME VERY HARD TO MANEUVER COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DUE TO SHUTDOWN. TRIED TO RESTART IGNITION IN ORDER TO DRIVE IT OFF THE ROAD BUT KEPT SHUTTING DOWN COMPLETELY. ALL ELECTRICAL AND COMPONENTS WERE NOT WORKING. EVEN IN NEUTRAL THE STEERING WHERE WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE FUEL PUMP WHICH COST $1400 TO REPLACE.
NHTSA complaint #11255762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE STEERING WHEELS PRESENT TEMPORARY PROBLEMS SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW, SHOWING NOISES (LIKE A PRESSURE VALVE AIR LEAKING), AND CHANGE IN RESISTANCE TO STEERING THE VEHICLE. I'VE ASKED THE DEALER TO CHECK IT SOMETIMES, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. LAST SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2019, AFTER STOPPING THE CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL LOST ALL POWER, STOP WORKING, AND SEND A MESSAGE NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I TOW IT TO A DEALER WHICH RECOMMEND CHANGE THE STEERING RACK AND MADE ALIGNMENT ($2900). THE CAR IS IN THE DEALER RIGHT NOW. READING THIS SITE, I REALIZE IT MAY BE A MORE GENERIC PROBLEM, WITH SERIOUS SAFETY IMPLICATION, ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF AUDI. I HAVE TO SYA THAT OTHERWISE IT IS AN EXCELLENT CAR.
NHTSA complaint #11234299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI A4. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. IN ADDITION, "DO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE, STEERING WHEEL FAILURE" APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT CALLED AUDI WEST HOUSTON (LOCATED AT 15865 KATY FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77094, (855) 627-2941) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.
NHTSA complaint #11220191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2013 AUDI A4 QUATTRO WITH APPROX. 61K MILES - THE STEERING WHEEL HAS STARTED TO OFFER INCONSISTENT RESISTANCE TO DRIVER INPUT. THE STEERING WHEEL APPEARS TO INTERMITTENTLY LOSE THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST WHICH IMPACTS DRIVERS ABILITY TO JUDGE THE AMOUNT OF FORCE IT WOULD TAKE TO MAKE A TURN OR CHANGE A LANE. ISSUE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS INCLUDING THE VEHICLE BEING STATIONARY. WHILE ROTATING THE WHEEL, IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING HAS HIT A DEAD END AFTER TURNING A MERE 20 DEGREES, UPON ADDITIONAL FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL ROTATE FURTHER. THIS BEHAVIOR IS INTERMITTENT WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY THROUGH TURNS AND AT HIGH SPEEDS.
NHTSA complaint #11208214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I NOTICED THE STEERING STARTED GETTING HARD TO TURN. I TOOK TO AUDI DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS FINE. I SAID NOT I KNOW MY CAR. ON THE HIGHWAY 2 WEEKS LATER ENTERING A CURVE AT HIGH MPH THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN. I TAPPED BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY WITH 2 HANDS I COULD TURN AROUND CURVE. VERY SCARY AND BARELY MADE TURN. I PROCEEDED TO HOME BUT AT A TURN I STARTED THE TURN AND THE STEERING AGAIN STIFFENED SO HARD IT SENT ME TOWARDS THE CROSSWALK AND LUCKILY THE BRAKES STOPPED ME INCHES FROM HITTING A BOY ON HIS BIKE. I KEPT HITTING BRAKES AND FINALLY THE WHEEL RELEASED THE TENSION. I DROVE HOME AND LEFT IT UNTIL I GOT AN APPOINTMENT AT AUDI DEALER. I CAREFULLY DROVE IT DOWN TO DEALER AND HALF THE DRIVE IT WAS FINE AND HALF THE DRIVE THE CAR I BELIEVE ELECTRONICALLY TIGHTENED DOWN THE WHEEL SO IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAR IS AT DEALER BUT THEY STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT ISSUE. I LOOKED ONLINE FOR THAT SAME MODEL AND YEAR AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL ISSUES EXACTLY DESCRIBED LIKE MINE. IT OCCURS IN MOTION WHEN DRIVING AND TURNING. I FIND THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND AM WORRIED TO DRIVE UNTIL ISSUE FOUND. I BELIEVE IT IS A COMPUTER OR ELECTRICAL TYPE ISSUE BASED UPON MY EXPERIENCE WHERE IT ISN'T HAPPENING ALL THE TIME BUT I AM NOT A MECHANIC. I FIND THIS ISSUE REALLY TROUBLING. I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED AND I AM STILL SHAKING FROM HOW CLOSE I CAME TO RUNNING OVER A LITTLE BOY ON HIS BICYCLE. WITH OTHER PEOPLE SAYING THE SAME ISSUE AND DESCRIBING IT SIMILARLY I THINK THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE MODEL.
NHTSA complaint #11190884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE STEERING LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.
NHTSA complaint #11190536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 2013 AUDI A4, I LOVE MY CAR, BUT AT 39K MILES I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH MY STEERING. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, IN THE BEGINNING I FELT LIKE AT TIMES THE STEERING WAS JUST VERY HARD TO TURN, NOW IT IS DOING IT MORE AND MORE OFTEN AND THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT COME BACK ON ITS OWN ONCE YOU TURN A 90 DEGREE TURN. PLUS THE WHEEL GETS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN WITHOUT WARNING, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AT TIME I HAVE TO USE BOTH HANDS TO REALLY PUT ON THE WHEEL TO MAKE A TURN. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DO NOT FEEL ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, THEY STATED THAT THEY PLACED IT ON THE COMPUTER AND THAT NO FAILURE CODES WERE REGISTERED. I HAVE THREE SMALL KIDS, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT AUDI DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THIS, WHEN I SEE THAT WERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINS ON THIS ISSUE. I JUST HOPE THAT THERE WON'T BE A FATAL ACCIDENT BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11187388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I EXPERIENCED ROUGH HALF A DOZEN INTERMITTENT WARNINGS OF A "DYNAMIC STEERING FAULT. YOU MAY STILL DRIVE THE VEHICLE." (YELLOW WARNING SYMBOL) WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING TURNS WHICH LASTED 15 SECONDS, AT MOST BEFORE GOING AWAY. DURING THESE INTERVALS THE STEERING BECAME MILDLY STIFF AND NOTCHY. YESTERDAY I ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY AND IT WOULDN'T CRANK BUT GAVE ME THE FOLLOWING ERROR, "STEERING DEFECTIVE! DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE! NOW THE CAR WON'T START.
NHTSA complaint #11187191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASE A AUDI A4 2013 IN FEBRUARY OF 2019. STEERING WHEEL IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH AUDI ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RACK AND NEEDING IT TO BE REPLACED. ITS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE TURNING TAKES STRENGTH AND A HANDFUL OF EFFORT. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE TO THE POINT WHERE I DONT WANT TO RISK MY LIFE DRIVING THE CAR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE "ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RACK" ISSUE MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE IT. SEARCHING YOUTUBE, AND GOOGLE MULTIPLE OWNERS HAVE THE ISSUE AND AS A RESULT SOME DONT DRIVE OR HAVE TO SPEND AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO GET IT FIXED. IT IS AN ISSUE FOR MULTIPLE MODELS THE STIFFNESS OF THE STEERING WHEEL IS SEVERE. NEARLY CRASHED MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO THE STIFFNESS AND HAD TO REVERT BACK TO MY OLDER CAR. I WANT TO SEE WHETHER THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE "ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RACK" AND WOULD LIKE TO GET A RECALL OR SOMETHING SINCE THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. GOT IT CHECKED BY DEALER AND THEY ALSO SAID THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE BUT, THERE IS NO RECALL AS OF NOW.
NHTSA complaint #11186907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RANDOMLY BECOMES INOPERABLE LEADING TO HARD STEERING OR WHEELS NOT RETURNING TO CENTER. FEEL CAN BE NOTCHY WHERE STEERING ASSIST IS INCONSISTENT AS A FUNCTION OF STEERING WHEEL POSITION. ISSUE HAPPENS RANDOMLY WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS
NHTSA complaint #11174925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING SHAFT IS FAULTY. WHEN DRIVING THIS CAR, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE STEERING IS EXTREMELY UNPREDICTABLE. AT LOWER SPEEDS, THE STEERING IS NOTCHY, YOU CAN'T SEEM TO FIND "CENTER" AND CONSTANTLY HAVE TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL TO REMAIN STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENS WHILE MOVING, ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.
NHTSA complaint #11172007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REFERENCE: 2013 AUDI A4 QUATTRO. THE STEERING HAS SUDDENLY BECOME VERY STIFF. STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER MAKING A 90 DEGREE TURN ON URBAN STREETS. I MUST TURN IT BACK MANUALLY. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING NON-POWER STEERING VEHICLES AND POWER STEERING VEHICLES FOR 60+ YEARS. THIS IS NOT THE WAY THAT ANY STEERING SYSTEM THAT I HAVE EVER DRIVEN WORKS. I CONSIDER THIS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL OF ALL AUDI VEHICLES SO AFFECTED.
NHTSA complaint #11170579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AFTER 57500 MILES. VERY VERY OCCASIONALLY THE ISSUE GOES AWAY. BUT IT IS PERSISTENT FOR MOST OF THE TIME. DIAGNOSED WITH NO FAULT CODES. IT IS A NIGHTMARE TO TAKE A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN OUTSIDE TECHNICIAN TWICE BUT BOTH THE TIMES MY CAR DID NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. HE DID NOT BELIEVE ME AND THINKS I'M WASTING HIS TIME. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE IF IGNORED. SINCE NO ONE BELIEVES ME, I DO NOT WHAT TO DO. THE ISSUE HAS BECOME WORSE. AUDI NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS SAFETY IS AT STAKE.
NHTSA complaint #11130781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS TRAVELING DOWN ROUTE 1 IN NJ WITH MY FAMILY AND NEARLY GOT INTO A FATAL ACCIDENT WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER BECAUSE MY STEERING WHEEL GOT EXTREMELY TIGHT AND NEEDED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO MOVE. I HAVE A COLLEAGUE THAT ALSO HAS A 2013 AUDI A4 AND HE WAS TELLING ME HIS CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME STEERING ISSUE. I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND APPARENTLY A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL ARE HAVING THE ISSUE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. PLEASE SEE THE HOW UNETHICAL IT IS FOR THIS ISSUE TO BE NOT FIXED ALREADY WITH SO MANY PEOPLE REPORTING THIS ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11129697 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
USED DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY DID THE RECALL FOR 18V229/ RECALL NUMEBER 19N4 AND SOFTWARE UPDATED BUT THEY SAID THEY DID THE RECALL FOR THE PUMP BUT NOT UPDATE. SO I NEED SOMEONE TO LOOK INTO THIS FOR MY OWN SAFETY. AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS ON ME THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACING SOMETHING ON THE SHAFT. HOWEVER I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.
NHTSA complaint #11129557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SUDDENLY WAS GONE. ALMOST HIT A BICYCLIST ON THE SHOULDER. COULD HAVE BEEN A FATALITY. NOW, STEERING IS JERKY, AND CAR IS SCARY TO DRIVE. DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, SEEMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #11124695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 AUDI A4. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING BECAME STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PAUL MILLER AUDI (179 US-46, PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054, (973) 575-7750) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.
NHTSA complaint #11114491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRIC COOLING PUMP DEFECT THAT BLED ONTO THE POWER STEERING RACK RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE - LIGHT CAME ON AND SAID DO NOT DRIVE DEFECTIVE STEERING. $3770 TO REPLACE BOTH THE RACK AND PINION AND THE COOLING SYSTEM. THIS WAS DONE IN MAY. NO REFUND HAS COME THROUGH AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. RECALL SAYS REMEDY NOT AVAILABLE YET - I NEED THE MONEY NOW.
NHTSA complaint #11113851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.