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Audi S4 with Higher Mileage


Guest Hal

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Common problems.

 

1. Front suspension Balljoints are known to fail around 70-100k

2. Thermostats can get stuck open so you have no heat to fix requires replacing the timing belt.

3. Turbo feed lines leak oil to fix pull the motor

4. CBV (BOV) failure is pretty common.

5. Engine oil leaks are very common around the cam timing tensioner usually start leaking around 40-50k

6. MAF sensor reading low is very common so you lose about 50hp but eventually you will get a CEL

7. Axle failure due to boots tearing is common.

8. Wheel bearings go out

9. other shit that I don't want to remember...

 

 

I would own any other car over an audi A/S 4-8

 

-Your Pal

Fishey

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Actual COMMON Problems are:

 

Wheel Bearings

MAF if it's not a Hitachi(sp?)

Front Suspension (Control arms and Tie-rods)

Transmission grinding (Syncros)

Turbos if the car hasn't been properly warmed up/cooled down.

Pixilation in the gauge cluster computer

By-bass valves ($100 fix) usually only go bad with chipped cars.

 

Other stuff that should be addressed at or around 80k is the timing belt, O2's and clutch will probably be coming up.

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Common problems.

 

1. Front suspension Balljoints are known to fail around 70-100k

2. Thermostats can get stuck open so you have no heat to fix requires replacing the timing belt.

3. Turbo feed lines leak oil to fix pull the motor

4. CBV (BOV) failure is pretty common.

5. Engine oil leaks are very common around the cam timing tensioner usually start leaking around 40-50k

6. MAF sensor reading low is very common so you lose about 50hp but eventually you will get a CEL

7. Axle failure due to boots tearing is common.

8. Wheel bearings go out

9. other shit that I don't want to remember...

 

 

I would own any other car over an audi A/S 4-8

 

-Your Pal

Fishey

 

Take this guys opinion with a grain of salt. From what I remember he was/is an Audi tech. Every tech I have ever met HATES the brand of cars they work on. He has bashed the B5 S4 in a few threads, and with only 20 posts, that is probably accounts for every one but his intro posts.

 

Actual COMMON Problems are:

 

Wheel Bearings

MAF if it's not a Hitachi(sp?)

Front Suspension (Control arms and Tie-rods)

Transmission grinding (Syncros)

Turbos if the car hasn't been properly warmed up/cooled down.

Pixilation in the gauge cluster computer

By-bass valves ($100 fix) usually only go bad with chipped cars.

 

Other stuff that should be addressed at or around 80k is the timing belt, O2's and clutch will probably be coming up.

 

This is more like it. My dad's had the MAF problem and trans problem. Both fixed under warranty. He chipped his and added aftermarket Bailey DV's. Thats it.

 

but I don't think I'd want to deal with the Audi electrical problems on top of the motor.. but then again I dont have any room to talk about reliability

 

Common misconception of Audi's. Not the case here. They pretty much worked all the electrical shit out with the release of the B5 platform in 96, and each NEW generation from then on has been good.

 

 

 

I love the B5, and would love one as a project car. Buy one with service records (synthetic, TB, waterpump etc) and your good.

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Actual COMMON Problems are:

 

Wheel Bearings

MAF if it's not a Hitachi(sp?)

Front Suspension (Control arms and Tie-rods)

Transmission grinding (Syncros)

Turbos if the car hasn't been properly warmed up/cooled down.

Pixilation in the gauge cluster computer

By-bass valves ($100 fix) usually only go bad with chipped cars.

 

Other stuff that should be addressed at or around 80k is the timing belt, O2's and clutch will probably be coming up.

 

That.

 

Pre-2001.5 cars had a bosch MAFS and they go bad more often than the Hitachi. I had a bosch on mine for ~120k miles and it still did not go bad, I had to upgrade to the hitachi when I went stage 3.

 

At 80k miles you are coming up to timing belt time, very important. It will be pricey if you take it somewhere to have it done. Pretty easy and real cheap to do it by yourself. I replaced my front suspension at around 110k because I had a couple of bad balljoints, those are pretty common too.

 

The center display are bad in almost all cars (I replaced mine). Diverter valves and throttle body boots need to be replaced when you chip the car. Its not a matter of "if" but "when" the turbos will blow if they arent taken care of.

 

I had 3 axle boots tear on me (all of them were front axles), in a time span of about a year or 2. I dont think they like being on a lowered car.

 

OEM valve cover gaskets like to leak. I had my first wheel bearing go bad at around 120k miles.

 

You need to find one thats been taken care of or you will have to fix the PITA/Pricey things ie Turbo, Syncros, Heads (if the timing belt fails).

 

I warn you, you will not have your cobra long after you get an S4 :p

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Typical problems arise with having too much traction, being completely spoiled by the perfect interior, and boost building too fast. All cars have maintenance, get used to it. Aside from being able to get good power for cheap, go faster than the power would suggest, and have acceleration in the rain/snow... That's it.
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Typical problems arise with having too much traction, being completely spoiled by the perfect interior, and boost building too fast. All cars have maintenance, get used to it. Aside from being able to get good power for cheap, go faster than the power would suggest, and have acceleration in the rain/snow... That's it.

 

Sounds terrible. Do not want.

 

 

 

:p

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Yeah, they're actually terrible cars that nobody should buy, except for me and a few select other Audi nuts. That level of automotive pleasure is not for the masses. And they get pretty good mileage for what they are.
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Wait to hear from Jesse (Troublemaker). He owned one for 5ish years and is an engineer working on brake systems for Honda. He will give you a very in-depth opinion.

 

I had a B5 A4 Quattro for 3 years, selling it with 144k miles on the clock. While I loved the car, I bailed on it after I'd spent more time and money on it, than driving it. I bought it with 85k miles and an immaculate dealer service history.

 

What I replaced:

MAF

Two Wheel Bearings (1 F, 1 R)

Both Tie Rods (complete) and Boots

Front Sub Mount (engine mount)

2 Flex Pipes (due to snub mount)

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So far what I'm seeing isn't too crazy. I'll just have to make time to work on it if I end up getting one.

 

I'll probably only put ~8-10k miles on it per year so I'm not too concerned with it getting into the 120-140k range.

 

Thanks guys, these are the kinds of answers i wanted.

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I've owned my S4 for 7 yrs since new and haven't had a single problem with it in or out of warranty. Many of the issues you hear of are due to 2nd and 3rd owners who beat on them pretty hard.

 

That.

 

Pre-2001.5 cars had a bosch MAFS and they go bad more often than the Hitachi. I had a bosch on mine for ~120k miles and it still did not go bad, I had to upgrade to the hitachi when I went stage 3.

 

At 80k miles you are coming up to timing belt time, very important. It will be pricey if you take it somewhere to have it done. Pretty easy and real cheap to do it by yourself. I replaced my front suspension at around 110k because I had a couple of bad balljoints, those are pretty common too.

 

The center display are bad in almost all cars (I replaced mine). Diverter valves and throttle body boots need to be replaced when you chip the car. Its not a matter of "if" but "when" the turbos will blow if they arent taken care of.

 

I had 3 axle boots tear on me (all of them were front axles), in a time span of about a year or 2. I dont think they like being on a lowered car.

 

OEM valve cover gaskets like to leak. I had my first wheel bearing go bad at around 120k miles.

 

You need to find one thats been taken care of or you will have to fix the PITA/Pricey things ie Turbo, Syncros, Heads (if the timing belt fails).

 

I warn you, you will not have your cobra long after you get an S4 :p

 

By these 2 posts alone I ALMOST got talked into thinking about getting an S4, Almost...:p

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Basically buy one with maintenance records. Make sure the T-Belt/waterpump has been done, check for smoke puffs on start up out of the exhaust tips to make sure the turbos aren't failing, wheel bearings are common failures, upgrade the diverter valves, make sure the clutch isn't slipping if its a 6 speed. Other than that it should be okay.
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