For Kwik, if you've got any advice (or anyone else experienced with these money pits)... okay it's not that bad of a car but it would be sold by now if it wasn't such a blast to drive:

Past problems: MAF had to be replaced, the Rock Auto remans weren't that good so I had to buy a new one. Arg. Auto dim mirror went bad and got one from a junkyard. Tie rod ends replaced. Can't remember much else, I think I've blocked it out. I lurk over on audiworld.com forums to get my A4 info but they're not nearly as nice as the folks here...

Current problems:
- Motor mounts leaking. Found replacements on Rock Auto for ~$20 each. Any clues on the difficulty of install?

- Airbag light comes on every few months. Code is something like "Drivers side airbag, resistance too high." I have a friend with VAG-COM who has cleared it twice for me. I have a VAG cable on order and am going to use the shareware VAG-Com from ross-tech so I don't have to bother him as much. Each time I've separated the connector under the driver's seat, cleaned it with electronics cleaner, and used a dab of dielectric grease, then re-assembled it. Hasn't come back on yet. Read about a TSB for it but didn't find it.

- ABS and BRAKE light come on about twice a day, three beeps then off. Sometimes they stay on. I think code is "intermittent connection between instrument cluster and airbag module." Consensus from audiworld.com guys is it's the module, most have had theirs rebuilt buy Gavin @ modulemaster.com. Still, I've heard one or two people postpone the inevitable with a disconnect / reconnect of the module, and cleaning the connections. Thoughts?

I think that's it for now, I have heard horror stories about insane ordeals to replace leaking A/C cores (or heater cores?) and steering racks, I really hope I can get my use out of this thing without that. It's got 105k miles and I hope to get past 150k. Crazy thing is that of the cars out there, I'd like another Audi eventually (wagon this time). There's just nothing out there that drives the same. I must be nuts!

 

1. This is the first time I have heard of that on these cars. I don't think it would be that hard to replace, but you would need to have a way of supporting and lifting the motor off of the mounts so you can change them out. Not that hard, I've done them on the older 5 cylinder cars and on a ton of Jetta's
They are silicone filled and the rubber gives up, letting out all the fluid and the rain water in.

2. This is usually the "clockspring" between the bottom of the steering wheel and the top of the steering column. It's like a tape measure inside, basically a very long strip of conductor to provide a current path for the air bag ignitor and the horn button. The strip will wear itself apart inside the housing from the steering wheel rotation after a few years and the only cure is to replace the unit. Unfortunately it's dealer only and around here it costs about $280.00.
That's cheap compared to the later ones that are $650.00+ !

3. Get the ABS module rebuilt. Pattern failure. I've pulled a few and had the owners send them off for that rebuild and they have always worked. If the customer wants a warrenty behind that repair, I always insist on a new unit from the dealer because it has to be ordered by VIN number.
But every rebuilt unit I've put on for the owners have been flawless.

4. Heater cores aren't THAT bad, but they are on my bottom list of "least favorite jobs". Just a lot of tedium.

Things to look out for: The wastegate tends to fall apart on the turbo, but the turbo itself is still in perfect condition. You'll lose all kinds of power due to no boost. You can buy the whole turbo and bolt it in, but all it really needs is to have the WG valve repaired and you are back on the road.
Oil leaks on the back of the cylinder head are always the metal shim gasket for the timing chain tensioner/adjuster.
If the engine ever developes a dead miss, it's the ignition control module, mounted on the top of the air filter housing. Replace it and it will fix it.

I know what you mean by them being fun to drive. I just sold my old 1986 5000 turbo only because the wiring was starting to deteriorate and the windows were getting slow, headlights dimming, etc. But it would still blow me away at how effortlessly it would go from 60 to 90 mph without even breathing hard. And corner as flat as a board on hard turns. And the newer A4's are even better! It's no surprise to me why they were banned from the road rally races in Europe for a while because nobody could keep up with them. Sore losers, I say.
I have an A4 V6 Quattro for the wife and it's not nearly as fun, but it sure handles the road. Kind of like a mountain goat, very sure footed. But no turbo so it's a lot slower than the 5000 was.
I'll check back tomorrow and see if anything else needs to be discussed.

 

Hey Kwik, w.r.t the clockspring, how much of a job is it? What should I be disconnected to replace it (by the way in addition to my VAG software I have the Bentley manual on CD)..

Thanks!

 

Check your Bentley it should have some pictures.

Obtain the radio code.
Disconnect the battery, turn on the headlight switch, to completly remove any residual electric charge from the car's system.
The hardest part is getting the airbag off of the steering wheel.
I cannot remember exactly when but the earlier airbags were simply held down with two allen/torx head bolts accessed from little holes in each side of the rear of the steering wheel.
The later ones are held down with these irritating little clips that I haven't ever taken a liking to.
Once they are loosened, lift the air bag a couple of inches and unplug the igniter. It simply comes straight out from the center rear of the air bag. It helps to have the new clock spring assembly in your possession to see what you are dealing with.
Set the airbag aside.
Now remove the two little phillips head screws that hold the bottom of the steering column to the top half. Separate the two and remove the bottom. There is a preformed "dowel" fit between the two halves and it can get kind of stiff to separate, but it will come apart. Some models have a third screw in the middle to anchor the whole assembly and that needs to go as well. The screws are countersunk from the bottom up.
Once that is removed you can see the flat conductor strip coming out of the back side of the clockspring that is attached to the back side of the steering wheel. Fish the strip out, remove the foam anti-rattle jacket from the plug and disconnect.
Turn the steering wheel so that it's exactly centered, you do want to get it back on straight, don't you.
Remove the 24mm nut from the steering wheel hub and pull the wheel from the splines.
Now you have the steering wheel in your hands, lay it face down on a towel to protect the finish of the wheel, remove the three screws that hold down the clockspring and lift it from the back of the wheel.
Installation is the reverse of removal.
You will notice that the clockspring is locked while in your hand. There is a small red-tipped button that is depressed when you re-install the nut that holds the steering wheel on. That will unlock the clockspring.