AUDI QUATTRO · model year

1999 AUDI QUATTRO

34 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999AUDIQUATTRO carries 34 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 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 1999 QUATTRO is fuel system, other:storage:fuel gauge system with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and 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 1999 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.

34
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

34 filings

Crashes Reported

5 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH1
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
TIRES1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY1
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS1
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER1

Recent Complaints

20090213EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I HAVE A 1999 AUDI A4 QUATRO. I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR JUST OVER 3 YEARS AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH 5 TIMES. THE SWITCH IS POORLY DESIGNED. ELECTRICAL HEAT MELTS A PLASTIC PART IN THE SWITCH CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND THE HEADLIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. THIS IS A DANGER DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF FIRE AND ALSO THE LOSS OF LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON THE WEB AND I AM NOT THE ONLY AUDI OWNER WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

20061128AIR BAGS

I HAVE AN 99 AUDI A6 QUATTRO AND MY ABS MODULE IS BAD NOW I HAVE BEEN READING ON ALOT OF FORUMS THAT EVERYONE AT ONE TIME IS HAVING TO REPLACE IT, IF TRUE WOULDN'T THE DEALER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING FAULTY MODULES. *NM

Mileage: 74,000

20061024SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

1999 AUDI A4 QUATTRO ABS LIGHT /BRAKE LIGHT. ABS LIGHT PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN SLOWING TO A STOP (NORMALLY) THE ABS UNIT WOULD JUMP IN AND ACT AS IF I WAS SKIDDING, WHEN OBVIOUSLY I WASN'T. AT THIS POINT ABS LIGHT WAS NOT ON. AFTER ABOUT A MONTH OF THIS FUNNY ABS ACTUATION MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, THE ABS LIGHT DECIDED TO COME ON AND STAY ON ALONG WITH A BLINKING BRAKE LIGHT AND BEEPING. AT TIMES IT WOULD SHUT OFF, BUT WOULD COME BACK ON AT SOME POINT DURING THAT DAY. I HAD THE SPEED SENSOR REPLACED, BUT TO NO AVAIL. NOW IT ALWAYS BLINKS WHEN RUNNING.DIAGNOSTICS SHOW NO PROBLEM. THERE SEEMS TO BE TOO MANY POSTINGS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE WHICH SOUNDS LIKE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAID THEY COULD REPAIR IT AT A COST OF APPROX. $1600.00 . DEALER SAID EVEN THOUGH IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. I HAVE NOT HAD THE WORK DONE YET BECAUSE OF THE COST. *NM

Mileage: 80,000

20060304CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I WAS PULLING MY AUDI QUATRO A6 (1999 MODEL) INTO A PARKING SPACE AT MY LOCAL BARNES & NOBLE LOCATED ON RICHMOND AVENUE IN STATEN ISLAND, NY. I WAS PULLING IN VERY SLOWLY INTO A HANDICAPPED SPACE WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR ACCELERATED TO WHAT FELT LIKE 60 MPH. MY FOOT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED. THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL IT JUMPED OVER THE CONCRETE BARRIER AND CRASHED INTO THE WALL. EVEN THEN, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING. THE WITNESS (A STORE EMPLOYEE) WAS FLABERGHASTED. SHE CAME OVER TO ME AND SAID "I JUST WATCHED YOUR CAR GO CRAZY, YOU WERE GOING 5 MILES AN HOUR!" SHE TOLD THE SAME THING TO THE POLICE WHO TOOK THE REPORT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS SHAKEN TO THE CORE. I COULD'VE HIT SOMEONE, OR GOTTEN HURT. I BOUGHT THIS CAR 2.5 YEARS AGO (PRE-OWNED) AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT NOW I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT. WHEN I CAME HOME AND DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. THAT IS H

20050908SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

THE ABS BRAKE MODULE ON MY CAR GAVE OUT AND HAS LED TO VERY POOR BRAKING, ALMOST CAUSING 2 ACCIDENTS. I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT PROBLEM IN THE 1999 AUDI A4 (I FOUND THIS AT HTTP://AUTOS.MSN.COM/RESEARCH/VIP/RELIABILITY.ASPX?YEAR=1999&MAKE=AUDI&MODEL=A4: "AN OCCASIONAL PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE IS FAILURE OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE (ABS) CONTROL MODULE. FAILURE OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE MAY RESULT IN ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATION. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IS ESTIMATED AT $2,228.00)"). *JB

Mileage: 69,995

20050523ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITANTLY. EGV VALVE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 50 K MILES ON IT. COST: $ 1500. NO CAR SHOULD NEED AN EGV (EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE) REPLACED AFTER ONLY 50 K MILES. AUDI WILL NOT COVER COST OF REPLACEMENT!

Mileage: 50,150

20050222FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WITH FUEL SENDING UNIT. EXPERIENCED 7 RECALLS SINCE THE PURCHASED OF 1999 AUDI QUATTRO. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED PERIODICALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD START, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS AND IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP ON CERTAIN ENGINE PARTS. THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS FINALLY RECALLED. *JB

20050222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WITH FUEL SENDING UNIT. EXPERIENCED 7 RECALLS SINCE THE PURCHASED OF 1999 AUDI QUATTRO. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED PERIODICALLY THE VEHICLE WOULD START, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS AND IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP ON CERTAIN ENGINE PARTS. THE FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS FINALLY RECALLED. *JB

20040305STEERING:LINKAGES

CONTROL ARMS FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION FAIL FREQUENTLY. ON 2/29/04 A CONTROL ARM BROKE WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE REPLACED 7 SO FAR, WITH 2 MORE NEEDING TO BE DONE. SOME ARE ON THE SECOND TIME IN THE 1.5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THERE WERE 4 OTHER SAME MODEL CARS IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME THING THAT DAY. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS DANGEROUS AND IS KNOWN BY AUDI, OR SHOULD BE KNOWN BY THEM. AT TIMES, YOU CAN'T GET THE PART BECAUSE THEY FAIL SO FREQUENTLY. MY SHOP RECOMMENDED FILING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND HE SEES IT EVERY DAY. AT $200 A CONTROL ARM, IT GETS VERY EXPENSIVE.*AK

Mileage: 134,000

20040305EQUIPMENT

CONTROL ARMS FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION FAIL FREQUENTLY. ON 2/29/04 A CONTROL ARM BROKE WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE REPLACED 7 SO FAR, WITH 2 MORE NEEDING TO BE DONE. SOME ARE ON THE SECOND TIME IN THE 1.5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. THERE WERE 4 OTHER SAME MODEL CARS IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME THING THAT DAY. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS DANGEROUS AND IS KNOWN BY AUDI, OR SHOULD BE KNOWN BY THEM. AT TIMES, YOU CAN'T GET THE PART BECAUSE THEY FAIL SO FREQUENTLY. MY SHOP RECOMMENDED FILING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND HE SEES IT EVERY DAY. AT $200 A CONTROL ARM, IT GETS VERY EXPENSIVE.*AK

Mileage: 134,000

20031120STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE TIE ROD. THE IS A RECALL ON THAT PART FOR THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. *PH

20031107SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITENTLY. IT WILL COME ON, BEEP 3 TIMES, AND THEN FLASH FOR A WHILE. IT WILL STAY ON FOR SOME TIME, AND THEN TURN OFF. THIS PROBLEM HAS NO RELATIONSHIP TO WHEN I'M MOVING OR STOPPED. THE ABS LIGHT MAY TURN ON OR OFF AN AN TIME. AND WHEN I TRY TO CONNECT WITH THE HANDHELD DIAGNOSITC SYSTEM, IT FAILS TO CONNECT AND GIVE AN ERROR CODE. OCCASIONALLY WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME OBSURE ERROR MESSAGES ABOUT A DASH CONNECTOR FAILURE, BUT USUSLY WE CANNOT CONNECT WITH THE HANDHELD UNIT, OR PC. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE BRAKE SHOULD STILL WORK, BUT THAT THE BACK BREAKS MAY LOCKUP.*AK

Mileage: 95,000

20030330STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS

1999 AUDI A6 QUATTRO FRONT BUMPER CATCHES ON ALL PARKING CEMENT BARRIERS. RIPS OFF WHEN BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE. ONE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL ONE BACKS OUT. CAR PULLS IN WITHOUT SCRAPING OR NOISE TO INDICATE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. *NLM

Mileage: 10,000

20030330FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

LEAKING CAM TENSIONER GASKETS. OTHER 1999 AUDI OWNERS REPORTING SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE STATED THEY HAVE HAD THESE GASKETS REPLACES MORE THAN ONCE. *NLM

Mileage: 39,000

20030330ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE HEATED STEERING WHEEL FAILED. *NLM

Mileage: 37,000

20030308SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED- BOTH FRONT WHEELS - AT 51,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. *NLM

Mileage: 51,000

20020507ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE. ON 23 MARCH, 2002 WHILE STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY EXPLODED AGAIN.*AK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. FAULTY COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. BELT NOISE AT STARTUP. OIL LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. ROUGH IDLE. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON. BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. HIGH PITCH NOISE FROM STEERING. POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING. POWER STEERING GEAR AND RACK AND LOOSE HOSE REPLACED. POWER WINDOWS WORKS ERRATICALLY. TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE. POOR CONNECTION FOUND. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FADES OUT AS VEHICLE WARMS UP. FOUND DEFECTIVE CLUSTER AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WASHER JUG BROKEN AND WASHER LIGHT STAYS ON. DEFECTIVE LEAKING PUMP REPLACED. EXCESSIVE HUMMING NOISE. REPLACED DEFECTIVE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. ALL WHEEL DRIVE FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED. COOLANT LEAKING. REPLACED COOLANT . *TT

20020507STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

BATTERY EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE. ON 23 MARCH, 2002 WHILE STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY EXPLODED AGAIN.*AK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. FAULTY COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. BELT NOISE AT STARTUP. OIL LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. ROUGH IDLE. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON. BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. HIGH PITCH NOISE FROM STEERING. POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING. POWER STEERING GEAR AND RACK AND LOOSE HOSE REPLACED. POWER WINDOWS WORKS ERRATICALLY. TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE. POOR CONNECTION FOUND. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FADES OUT AS VEHICLE WARMS UP. FOUND DEFECTIVE CLUSTER AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WASHER JUG BROKEN AND WASHER LIGHT STAYS ON. DEFECTIVE LEAKING PUMP REPLACED. EXCESSIVE HUMMING NOISE. REPLACED DEFECTIVE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. ALL WHEEL DRIVE FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED. COOLANT LEAKING. REPLACED COOLANT . *TT

20020507POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

BATTERY EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE. ON 23 MARCH, 2002 WHILE STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY EXPLODED AGAIN.*AK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. FAULTY COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. BELT NOISE AT STARTUP. OIL LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. ROUGH IDLE. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON. BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. HIGH PITCH NOISE FROM STEERING. POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING. POWER STEERING GEAR AND RACK AND LOOSE HOSE REPLACED. POWER WINDOWS WORKS ERRATICALLY. TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE. POOR CONNECTION FOUND. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FADES OUT AS VEHICLE WARMS UP. FOUND DEFECTIVE CLUSTER AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WASHER JUG BROKEN AND WASHER LIGHT STAYS ON. DEFECTIVE LEAKING PUMP REPLACED. EXCESSIVE HUMMING NOISE. REPLACED DEFECTIVE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. ALL WHEEL DRIVE FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED. COOLANT LEAKING. REPLACED COOLANT . *TT

20020507ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

BATTERY EXPLODED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE. ON 23 MARCH, 2002 WHILE STARTING VEHICLE BATTERY EXPLODED AGAIN.*AK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. FAULTY COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. BELT NOISE AT STARTUP. OIL LEAK CONTINUOUSLY. ROUGH IDLE. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ON. BRAKE PADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. HIGH PITCH NOISE FROM STEERING. POWER STEERING RACK LEAKING. POWER STEERING GEAR AND RACK AND LOOSE HOSE REPLACED. POWER WINDOWS WORKS ERRATICALLY. TURN SIGNALS INOPERATIVE. POOR CONNECTION FOUND. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FADES OUT AS VEHICLE WARMS UP. FOUND DEFECTIVE CLUSTER AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WASHER JUG BROKEN AND WASHER LIGHT STAYS ON. DEFECTIVE LEAKING PUMP REPLACED. EXCESSIVE HUMMING NOISE. REPLACED DEFECTIVE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. ALL WHEEL DRIVE FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED. COOLANT LEAKING. REPLACED COOLANT . *TT

Compare 1999AUDIQUATTRO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 AUDI QUATTRO have?
The 1999 AUDI QUATTRO has 34 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 AUDI QUATTRO?
The most-complained component for the 1999 AUDI QUATTRO is FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES.
Is the 1999 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.