AUDI QUATTRO · model year

1998 AUDI QUATTRO

10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1998AUDIQUATTRO carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 QUATTRO is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 3 filings, followed by structure (1) and steering:linkages (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 9 investigation files overlapping the 1998 QUATTRO. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

10
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

10 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP3
STRUCTURE1
STEERING:LINKAGES1
POWER TRAIN1
STEERING:COLUMN1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS1

Recent Complaints

20061031ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS

BULLETIN DATE: OCT 2005 THE WARRANTY IS EXTENDED FOR SUBJECT VEHICLES TO 168,000 KM (105,000 MILES), REGARDLESS OF TIME IN SERVICE, FOR ENGINE DAMAGE RESULTING FROM A BROKEN TIMING BELT. ( NHTSA ITEM NUMBER - 10016506 THIS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE BEFORE THIS BULLETIN CAME OUT. AND I WENT TO AUDI TO ASK THEM ABOUT IT AND IT IS ONLY TO SUBJECT VEHICLES. HOW THEY CAN SUBJECT TO ONLY A CERTAIN TIME IT WAS MADE WHEN IT SAYS 1998 AUDI A-4 QUATTRO 2.8 V-6. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. *NM

Mileage: 91,200

20060329SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I PURCHASED AN AUDI A4 1.8T QUATTRO USED WITH 49,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND BEGAN TO NOTICE THE ABS LIGHT ALONG WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT START TO FLICKER OCCASIONALLY WHILE DRIVING AT THE 70,000 MILE RANGE. WITHIN A MONTH OF THE FIRST SIGN OF FAILURE IT WOULD COME ON EARLIER (IN RELATION TO ENGINE START UP) AND MORE OFTEN UP TO THE POINT OF IT FLASHING CONSTANTLY UPON ENGINE START UP. AS A RESULT OF THIS I REALIZED THAT MY CAR'S ABS SYSTEM IS BASICALLY DISABLED AS I NO LONGER FEEL THE BRAKES PULSING DURING RAINY AND WET CONDITION TESTING . I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS I HAVE BECOME SOMEWHAT ACCUSTOMED TO BRAKING WITH THE SYSTEM UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THE SYSTEM REQUIRES THE USER TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES FIRMLY AND EVENLY AND TO ALSO NOT LET OFF OR PUMP THE BRAKES AS DOING SO WILL NOT LET THE ABS. TO PERFORM AS DESIGNED. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS DEFECT ALLOWS THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND THEORETICALLY PUT THE OPERATOR IN DANGER DURING A PANIC STOP

Mileage: 89,000

20050715SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

I PURCHASED MY 1998 AUDI A4 1.8T AWD VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2004 WITH 91,000. THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED IN MAY OF 2004. THE CAR HAS HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES UNTIL JULY 11, 2005. ON THIS DATE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ONCE. I CHECKED THE ABS MODULE FOR DTC CODES AND IT DISPLAYED A CODE TO DO WITH AN INTERMITANT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. ABS WILL NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. WITH THE MODULE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING, THE ABS PUMP MAY MALFUNCTION CAUSING OVERHEATING AND/OR LOCKING UP OF BRAKES ON INDIVIDUAL WHEELS. THIS MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE AS THE REAR WHEELS MAY LOCK UP MORE EASILY UNDER HARD BRAKING AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SPIN WHILE BRAKING AROUND A CORNER. THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AT REGULAR MAINTENANCE INTERVALS AT THE AUDI DEALERSHIP BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND BY MYSELF FOR THE YEAR AND THREE MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT. ALL OTHER RECALLS (LOWER CONTROL ARM INSPECTION AND REPLACEME

Mileage: 108,700

20040729ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING ENGINE STICKING AT A SPEED SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. (NAR) *LA DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *CB

Mileage: 65,853

20030930STEERING:COLUMN

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND DECELERATING FOR A RED SIGNAL, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP COMPLETELY WITH THE ENGINE ON. THE CAR PROVED UNCONTROLLABLE. THE STEERING WHEEIL BECAME AGAIN OPERATIONAL AFTER I SHUT OFF AND RE-STARTED THE ENGINE.

Mileage: 31,240

20030924POWER TRAIN

I HAVE AN AUDI A4 2.8 QUATTRO 1998 MODEL. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR ICLUDING A NEAR FIRE EXPLOSION 1 YEAR AGO.THE OTHER DAY AS I WAS DRIVING MY SON HOME FROM SCHOOL TRAVELING AT 55 MPH THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND I HAD TO MANUELY STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR STARTED STARTED TO SMELL LIKE SMOKE AGAIN .I TOOK MY CHILD FROM THE CAR AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AAA. THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BLOWN VALVES TO THE COST OF 3,000$.I HAVE ONLY 60,000 MILES ON THIS CAR AND HAVE TREATED IT WITH KIT GLOVES.IT HAS HAD ALL THE MAINTENANCE YOU CAN GIVE.SO HOW CAN A 35,000$ CAR ALMOST INJURE YOU AND THEN FALL APART AT 60,000 MILES CAN YOU REFER MR TO THE APPROPIATE CHANNELS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS DEATH TRAP.

Mileage: 60,000

20010914STEERING:LINKAGES

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM ALLDATA #99V248000, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO GET THE REPLACEMENT AND THEY TOLD ME THE CAR IS NOT COVERED, HOWEVER I DO NEED TIE RODS. BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE FAILURE I FEEL AUDI SHOULD COVER MY CAR, AS THIS IS AN OUT OF THE ORDINARY REPLACEMENT FOR THE MILES ON THE CAR AND OTHER CARS HAVE NEEDED THE SAME THING. IS MY CAR NOT COVERED? HOW COME AUDI SAYS ONE THING AND ALLDATA AND NHTSA SAY SOMETHING ELSE. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE? WHO DO I CONTACT? COULD I GET IN AN ACCIDENT IF I DON'T FIX THESE IMMEDIATELY?*AK

20000911STRUCTURE

THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT LOWER PANEL IS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND THAT WHEN A PERSON PULLS UP TO A CURB THE PANEL LOCKS OVER THE CURB AND PULLS AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR RESULTING IN THE LOWER PANEL HANGING OFF THE CAR, ON ONE OCCASION THE PANEL WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE PREVENTING THE TIRE FROM TURNING. NLM

20000427SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DURING BRAKING IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE BRAKES DO NOT SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE UNTIL SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THIS CONDITION ONLY OCCURS WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE ROADS ARE WET. WHEN THE ROADS ARE DRY AND NO RAIN IS FALLING. *AK

20000427SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

DURING BRAKING IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE BRAKES DO NOT SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE UNTIL SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THIS CONDITION ONLY OCCURS WHEN IT IS RAINING AND THE ROADS ARE WET. WHEN THE ROADS ARE DRY AND NO RAIN IS FALLING. *AK

Compare 1998AUDIQUATTRO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1998 AUDI QUATTRO have?
The 1998 AUDI QUATTRO has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 AUDI QUATTRO?
The most-complained component for the 1998 AUDI QUATTRO is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE and STEERING:LINKAGES.
Is the 1998 AUDI QUATTRO safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.