Audi Reviews

We asked Audi of America to cover the replacement costs as a goodwill claim since the instrument failure is a known issue for which Audi has already provided. Audi TT reimbursed for repairs and replacement under a settlement but my sister did not know about the settlement and the car has less than 75,000 mile on it now and the instrument failure at this low mileage is unacceptable. Audi replied that the car is out of warranty and they would do nothing which seems like a ridiculous response as the problems affects the speedometer and is a safety hazard at a very low mileage.

Your vehicle put my family’s life in jeopardy and caused injury to my wife and children. I want Audi to look in to this further. I think you owe me and my family. Why, your car did not protect my family. I will be sending this letter and pictures to every Audi dealership in California. Thank you for not protecting my family in a car that was intended to.

Almost any other car (old & used) as well as brand new, regardless of make and class of car (even a USD 2000 micro Indian made car), just straighten out almost on their own, all I have to do is to thumb the steering a wee bit, just in case of bad roads.

When I reported this to the dealer, he gave me a nasty smile, and did just nothing else. I have gone all the way to the Managing Director of Audi India, Mr. **, but they simply do not reply or send some high sounding technical reply on their advanced electronics. Now, I have become so sensitive to this, I am too scared to drive my A6, and just leave it parked. I would like to know if anyone else also has experienced this, and how such a reputed automobile company can have such a serious defect in their design. Serious lack of safety and it’s accident prone. Luckily, I am yet to face an accident, help me out guys !

A few months later, I needed to replace the motor in the passenger side front window. A few months later, I had to replace the rear driver's side window motor. Since then (I've owned it for 2 years now) I have had the car in numerous times because of the check engine light. I have had 2 hoses replaced and it appears I have to bring it in again, because the check engine light is on for the 6th time in 2 months. The mechanic replaced two hoses because of vacuum leaks and I have a feeling that is what's wrong with the car again. I have also had the oil pump replaced, because my oil pressure light has gone off. It still goes off almost every time I drive the car, so something is still wrong with it.

Just in the past 2 months, I have had the car in the shop 6 or 7 times and it has cost me thousands of dollars. I tried taking my car back to the dealer I bought it from to see if they could do anything (and I went in with all of my receipts from all the repairs). The only thing they are offering me is to do a free 160 point inspection on the car. And the only reason they're offering that is because my family has purchased so many cars from this Audi/BMW dealer.

I am hesitant to contact customer care after reading these posts, but I guess it can't hurt to try. Although when I purchased the car, I had to contact Audi customer care numerous times because they spelled my name wrong on all of the financial paperwork. I was driving around for 2 months without registration. I had to contact them almost daily to check the status. And I wrote them letters to insure they would handle this in an expedited manner since it was their mistake. If I were to get a ticket due to their inability to spell my name right (after being a customer for 4 years!), they still said wouldn't even accept responsibility. I absolutely will never ever buy an Audi again.

Repair costs running around $4000 so far, missed so many days of work at a loss of wages, towing charges costing hundreds of dollars ,anxiety caused by not knowing what will break next in this car, stress due to paying money we don't have for repairs that don't seem to end!

On Saturday, 05/22/10, my car was sitting in the drive way, and all of a sudden, a red black smoke was coming from the car along with popping sounds and sparks. All the electrical power was damaged and the car no longer starts nor do the windows roll up. Nothing works on the car. I am very upset because I thought this problem had been fixed when I brought the car in. Now I don't have warranty or money to fix the car. I also want to mention that I repaired the coils and I was told there was no recall on the parts, but a month later one of the employees let me know of the recall. I was reimbursed only a part of what I spent, but not all. I'm trying to get my car fixed in the best manner that we can. Can you please let me know what my next step that I should take? Thank you.

Since that time we have had our car in the shop on average of once every month and a half to two months. The last time it was in the shop was a week ago and the dealership had our car for 11 days (we got it back about April 23, 2010). Our car was in the shop because we had it in a few weeks earlier because of the engine light. The next day, April 24, 2010 (or there about), the engine light came back on. I called trying to reach a customer service and got Audi Care again, who will not do anything. Despite the fact that our car has spent more than 2 months in the shop in the less than two years we have had it. I have no doubt that my wife and I have a lemon and our service record would indicate the same.

Our problem is that Audi won't help us, the dealership seem unable or unwilling and since we have had our vehicle for just under two years, we are not certain about what options we have to resolve our problems. The one item that loses us is the fact that we have been treated better when we bought a Ford Escort before. Audi Care should be renamed to Audi Careless.

They do not resolve anything and are not given any resources to help people with big loses like my wife and I. Instead, they play games and type things into their computers, but they have never helped us. They also ask, "What can we do to make things right?" Unfortunately, anything you tell them they cannot do, even if it is giving you a plastic key chain. It is all just a massive gimmick to fool the consumers.

We have put at least 3,000 to 5,000 miles on our car taking it back and forth to the dealership on top of the gas and the loss of use of our Audi A-4. We have spent over $500 in deductibles for things when we were told that we would not have to pay for any repairs until our car reached 100,000 miles. (We were told that at the dealership we purchased the vehicle at.)

To top it off, it appeared the seat was fairly close to catching on fire, it's a good thing there wasn't a person or a baby sitting back there. Audi Headquarters replaced the seat cushion, but refuses to replace the back cushion; stating the heating element behind the back was fine. However, the dealership “painted” over the back cushion and I wasn't aware of this until I turned the heater on to see if it was working properly and saw a few smudges. I thought they were leftover from the work so I took a swipe and to my surprise/dismay, paint began to come off and the burn mark was showing through.

To my knowledge, they only looked at the heating element(s) in the back left passenger side and didn't check the wiring or switches. This was a fire hazard and could have turned out much worse. I can't understand why Audi will not cover the entire seat since it was all related with this one incident?! I only had 45,000 miles, or so, on the car when this happened. I'm appalled that Audi refuses to fix the entire seat! It was under warranty when this happened. This is unacceptable. And, I see that VW's were recalled for this same issue.

Both, the back left passenger bottom seat cushion and backseat cushion were burned. The burn was bad enough that it turned black in the middle of both areas. A garment bag with a suit jacket and 2 dress shirts were also burned. I was told by Audi Headquarters to send them pictures, and then told to buy new clothing, save the receipts and they would reimburse. I hope they follow through on that as well as the rental car I had to get for the 7 days my car was in the shop.

Audi Headquarters stated they would pay for that too. I haven't sent the receipts yet, because I was waiting for all the “work” to get done. I was told it would cost about $800.00 for a replacement seat (the upper back portion) and I'm not sure that includes labor. And, my husband took the car back after I found the paint because Audi headquarters said they needed to assess the problem. I received a call from the Headquarters about 6 days after the car was dropped off only to be told they aren't covering the upper portion of the burned seat. The dealership is 70 miles one way from me. They did tow my car in the first time.

2 weeks ahead of my regular maintenance, I called the toll free number of Audi to book a reservation. I asked for an appointment for my regular 45,000 km maintenance as well as booking for a replacement car during the maintenance period which they are advertising for. However, the agent booked an appointment for me and told me that she will not be able to book a replacement car, as this is not her duty and it should be through the maintenance center rep.

I called the concerned rep and asked for the same but again he told that he cannot do this for me, taking into consideration that I am calling two weeks ahead. On my appointment, I came on time and told them specifically about the following problems in my car which I am telling them for the third time in a row since I bought the car: the regular 45000 maintenance, the front glass washer is not working properly as there is a mistiming between pushing the water to the front glass and the front lamp, one of the back lights during reverse is not working, the sun roof is broken, there is a vibration in the engine, the wheels need alignment and to check on substantials, I needed a cover for the tire rim.

The maintenance manager Awni told me very frankly when I told him that i will send an email to Audi mother company in Germany that he doesn't bother and this doesn't matter with him. Actually, I was trying to be very specific and I did not complete other parts of the story, that no one called me after the maintenance to ask me about the quality of service.

Again, I'm sure that you may not be bothered or do anything about that but I did what I should do and I'll make sure that my next car will not be Audi and I will make sure to tell every person i know about my experience with Audi Saudi and I'll do the maximum word mouth spread about the extremely bad quality of service that I faced with Audi Samaco to as many people I know with as much evidence as I have and support from the people who are facing the same issues.

I realize the charge for the tires and the scratched fender is my responsibility. But the seats that were poorly made by Audi, why should I pay for that? I suppose I should have been standing up while I was driving! I tried to dispute these charges. Instead, I got the runaround and played phone tag between the dealership, Audi of America, and Audi Financial. All told me there is nothing they can do for me. So, I got stuck with a huge bill, and a very unpleasant experience with Audi. This was my first and definitely my last Audi vehicle. I paid almost $30,000.00 to drive their car for three years!

We were not told at that time that there was an issue with the ignition coils by the Audi dealer in New Jersey so we went on our way. On our way to a vacation, the same thing happened and the car had to be towed again and again the ignition coil. At that time we had all the coils changed as it was obvious that there was a problem. My husband called the company, wrote letters and even sent them a newspaper article that stated the president of Audi recognized there was a problem with the coils.

Next issue that occurred with the car was that the timing belt broke. This cost us thousands of dollars to fix with no support from Audi even though they know they have an issue with this also.

When we bought the car, none of this was discussed with us. Now we have oil sludge which Audi has recognized as a problem and will only help you if you have every record of an oil change. We did change the oil but did not keep all the records. Once again we are facing thousands of dollars to repair this car. We will take this fight up again with Audi but we know the drill. "Can't help you". I will vow that I will spend hours warning people not to buy an Audi, I am going to report them to the Better Business Bureau and we are considering legal action.

We have since read that oil sludge could have been the cause of the timing belt issue. If this company had an ounce of decency they would take care of the issue. Look what Toyota is doing for their customers!

My husband and I will never buy another Audi in our life and I will discourage anyone I speak with that this is not the company you want to do business with! We can't wait to get rid of it! I could care less how much it will cost the company to right this situation. What is more costly is to not have any customers at all! We have spent thousands of our hard earned money to keep this car in working condition. We have had 3 breakdowns requiring towing, car rentals and hotel rooms.

Two months later, two more plugs went bad but since they were under the 12,000 miles repair work, it cost the repair shop this time. Jump forward to October 2009, I get notified by a letter from Audi USA stating that my car had faulty ignition coils for a voluntary recall. This was after I told them that this was a year earlier on two separate occasions. I followed the instructions of the letter and I produced the 3 separate times the car went into the shop. I got a check from Audi USA on 1/26/10 for $204.40. This was after I produced three repair bills and receipts of payment showing that I paid some $1500 to fix the car for related ignition coils. I called back with the questions to Audi USA.

Basically, I got a song and dance. I had taken it to the dealer. It would have been 20 bucks a pop to replace the ignition coils. If anyone has taken an Audi to the dealer, per hour rate to fix it is more than a Porsche. I will never buy another Audi. The guy at work had similar problems but he dropped $2400 bucks to fix his 2004 A4 which is certified used and has had nothing but problems. My car was pampered and it made all of its scheduled maintenance periods. I have spent some 1500 bucks on faulty ignition coils and the car still isn't running right. I called Mt Vernon Audi to inspect the ignition coils and I was informed that unless the engine light is on, I need to wait as there's a shortage of ignition coils and Audi is only repairing those cars with ‘check engine lights’ one. I'm calling NHTSA on Audi USA.

The service advisor informed me that the battery died and they have to replace it ($400+ while is not covered by warranty). He also told me that he doesn't have a loaner so I have to handle it by myself. Later, I also discovered that I have water in the flood lights and those are not covered by warranty either. I called Audi customer advocate and they told me I have a $50/day allowance for a rental. The only car I was able to find was a Mazda 6 which I still drive. Going back to the claim, I requested to have both front tire replaced (due to the difference between the used tire and the new one), the front of the car repaired. Actually, I requested to have the car back in the same condition I gave it.

Since December 21st, I am back and forth between Audi and roadside assistance, both saying that the other one is handling the claim. In the meantime, I am paying a $700 lease and I am driving a $12,000 car. I am really disappointed.

My insurance never heard of such a thing. I tried both Howard Cooper and Suburban based on a problem within 90 days after purchase. Basically, they said they need $650 or forget it. Suburban says they know it did not leak when they sold it because they did the certification. Now the leak is still there but it is intermittent so perhaps it was not evident at certification.

I called Audi Customer Care and they said they called the dealer service manager who is their "expert" reference and the dealer service manager said it should not be paid under warranty. I asked the customer care guy, what his job is - it appears to be to get agreement with the original decision and close the "complaint." To top everything off, I just found out that the front end of the car has been repainted. This was confirmed by Howard Cooper Audi service department. I believe there was an incident which compromised the intercooler and they stuck me with the defective car.

The next day, the Audi service representative called me and said only a switch needed to be replaced and the car was good to go! I told him that the other non-Audi repair shop had told me that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced but the Audi representative said that their diagnostics didn't give them the "code" and he assured me that the car was okay. So, I told the Audi Service representative that I was worried that "your" computer probably has missed the proper diagnostic and I will be returning here after a few thousand miles and then you will tell me the car is above 80,000 miles and thus not covered for the catalytic converter replacement. So, he assured me that problem will not happen and even if it did happen after a few thousand (two or three thousand) miles over the 80,000 miles warranty limit, since I already had brought the car to them before the warranty expiration expressing this concern, they would replace the catalytic converter at that time.

At the beginning of August 2009 (the car had 81,500 miles on it), the check engine light came up again and I took the car to the same non-Audi repair shop close to my work. They ran a diagnostic again and said the catalytic converter needed to be changed. This time, I asked them to give a printout of their diagnostic report. Then, I called my Audi service representative and complained that the exact same thing that I was worried about had happened and now the car mileage is over 80,000 miles. He said, "That is okay. Bring the car in so we can check it." I took the car to the Audi service and told them about the problem.

The next day, my Audi representative called me and told me that they had run a diagnostic on the car and all that needed to be changed was a "switch"?! I then complained and told him that I have a printout of the diagnostic that the other non-Audi repair shop had run and they have specifically indicated the codes: "P0431" and "P0421" which means "Warm up catalyst below threshold for bank2 AND bank1." Then he said, "Okay, let me check again!" The next day he called me and informed that, "yes, the catalytic converters need to be replaced and it will cost about $2600 and since the mileage is above 80,000 miles warranty limit, Audi will not cover it under warranty"!

So, I have told the Audi Service representative that is not acceptable. Meanwhile, I have gotten some information from the Consumer Affairs regarding Audi A6 3.0 model on another but related problem. Audi has announced that the A6 3.0 model along with some other models may have faulty coils which will cause sudden engine failures which can damage the catalytic converter system and may also damage the engine. In my case, in the last two or three years, I have taken my A6 to the Audi dealer two or three times for the exact same thing: "power drop due to faulty coils" and have spent a few thousand for replacing the coils.

In summary, I believe that Audi should replace my car's catalytic converter with no charge because:

2) Audi service was not able to correctly diagnose the problem neither on the first visit (the car had 78,500 miles) nor the second visit (when the car had 81,500 miles). It was only after I specifically told them what the non-Audi repair shop's diagnostic "code" was (P0431 and P0421) that they went back and confirmed the problem.

Last week, I took my car into service to Audi on a Tuesday. They kept it 2 extra days and I finally picked it up because they hadn't found anyone to fix the DVD. I have called the service manager and had him paged and not had a response 3 times today. Yet he is in the office. We are leaving on a long distance trip Monday and it looks like yet, again, we will not have a DVD player but you can bet that I still have to pay monthly for it!

Also, Laurel Audi installed my trailer hitch and it was done incorrectly. The pressure of the bike rack split the bumper because the installation was too close to the bumper. They aren't sure that they will compensate for that repair. Four times I have brought the car in because the gas cap unlock doesn't work. They repaired the back door hydraulic system twice because when you go to open the hatch back, it gets stuck. It still gets stuck. The MMI electrical system has stopped working. The handles on the passenger doors were loose. The car is not made well and the service is poor and the sales staff has no integrity. Do not buy this car from Laurel.

Finally, I bought the extended maintenance because unlike BMW, they nickel and dime you otherwise. When I brought my car in to another Audi because the car said service due, Fletcher Jones Audi said that I didn't have the maintenance and made me pay for an oil change that my car didn't even need! The computer was "mis-"set.

The solution was to turn up my radio, buy a different model, or buy tires every few thousand miles. Then I was told that Audi installed a cheap suspension in this vehicle and that no matter what tire I installed, I would get the same extremely loud road roar, as this suspension would scallop any tire. I have been trying to deal with this problem months after this vehicle was purchased. Do not purchase an A3, unless you want a piece of junk. I have learned the hard way. I have been at the dealership dozen of times and talked with the consumer care department of Audi. No solution.

5/22, I called customer care and spoke with Heather ** (very nice) who said to wait and hear from a manager. I got no call. 5/29, my new Jetta overheats and has to be towed to the dealer. I got home and there’s another bill in the mail from Audi Financial, closed for weekend. 6/1, I called, asked for a manager, was put on hold for 20 minutes. Then got Erin ** who says that they will take 50% off my bill, final offer! I asked to speak with "Hilary" (refuses to give me her last name) and that she will call within 24-48 hours. But this is the "final offer" and if it is not paid in 10 days, it is "off the table". I was waiting for the mysterious Hilary to call. I was advised, do not lease through Audi Financial Services, customer care does not mean a thing! I was expected to pay $386.48 within 10 days or $792.96 after that date. Is it ok to charge tax on what is deemed "excess wear and tear"?

Two weeks later, I went to check on the work and was told the turbo needed replacement for $800. Five weeks after this, I received the call that my car was repaired. I retrieved my car and found the leather of my passenger seat completely ruined. The next day, my check engine light came on. I returned the car. I was informed the 2 coils had blown. After many lengthy phone conversations in which the dealer blamed me for all the problems and constantly talked down to me, I was finally able to get the car repaired at no cost. Two months later, the other two coils went out. I found this is a common problem in the 2003 A4 and there was a recall.

Audi USA informed me that my VIN number was not involved in the recall. Another trip to the dealer at a cost of $350. Six months later, my clutch went out - $600. I have taken this to a local mechanic recommended by a friend. The mechanic has found many missing bolts connecting the engine to the car and found the fly wheel not connected back to the engine properly. This caused the fly wheel to warp - $800. Audi has denied any responsibility and refused to help in any of the repair costs caused by their neglect in installing the new engine in my car.

I am a stay at home mom that drives back and forth to the school. I went back and forth with several in the service department. The Service department told me they talked to Audi and would discount the price 50% even knowing I have had brake issues and, from what I learned, so have many other people who have purchased an Audi Q7. I called Audi Customer Service and all they did was call the dealership. I asked to speak to another person in Audi and the customer service person said you can, but it won't make a difference and neither she nor the dealership will give me a number for anyone in management at Audi.

I have left several messages for the General Manager, George **, at Millennium Audi and he will not return my phone calls. There are several bad reviews concerning the Audi brake issues on Edmunds reviews and consumer reviews and no one at Audi seems to care. These cars are very expensive. I have complained about my brakes since I bought the car. And with all the cars I have owned, I have never had to replace the brakes. It's not just a design issue but a safety issue. I have not replaced the brakes yet but I did ask Audi to still try to solve the squealing issue. They said I would need to replace the brakes to maybe solve the problem and, of course, now the 12K mile warranty on the brakes has expired. It is very frustrating and horrible customer service especially since Audi is obviously aware of the problem.

Dec 14, 2008 I picked up my car. But Jan 01, 2009 my car again started shaking and check engine sign came up. Jan 2, 2009 I took my car to Biener Audi and paid $120 initial charge just to tell me what happened to it again. After an hour then informed me that another ignition coil has been burned. They also informed me ignition coil may burned one after another. It takes lot of time for me to take the car to Biener Audi while it is 10 miles from my home. We all know time is very expensive. Beside, I bought this car with a hope that it might give me a peace of mind. By thinking time and peace of mind, I was agreed to change all six ignition coils and all six plugs. I paid so much money again and picked up my car on Jan 02, 2009.

After only one day, after only driving 49 miles, my car's check engine sign came up again. I am really feeling helpless and don't know what to do!! While they did computer diagnosis, they should be able to find all the major and minor problem the car has. They should be able to pin point the problem and cause of the problem while they are specific Audi dealer. How come same problem is happening again and again? If there are some other problem which causing this ignition coil burning, they should find that on first day. If not, definitely on second time. If now this check engine sign is not for the ignition coils, this problem should be scanned on Dec 02, 2009 diagnosis. Because car like Audi doesn't cause individual problems every other day. Audi is not a junk car; at least that I use to think. If anyone have any suggestions please let me know. At this moment I am very upset on Audi, on Biener Audi Dealer and their service center.

In further discussion with the service folks I was told that this was a known problem and the four were replaced because the newer units are updated and improved units. I am aware of the prior recall of 2001, 2002, and some 2003 models. In light of the fact that it cost $335.84 to replace a known problem I fell that Audi of America should bear some responsibility for this apparent defect.

As stated above it cost $335.84 to replace all four coils.

In a third trial we have tried out 4 wheels from other A3 42000 Km , and the problem was slithly less. Anyhow, they asked me to let the car threre for the 3rd day. I've said i would like to have a service car while the car was on repair. At this stage I have no clue waht the problem is. Because afterwords I've requested a examination of the tires to Goodyear, and they stated the tires are OK (only 5 000Km) and the rims also. Today I'm still waiting for Audi to repair the problem under the warranty conditions.

I am now faced with a car that requires almost $10,000 of repair that should be covered under this sham warranty. The value of the car is now much less then the remaining loan.

On 12/13/07, the oil light came on again at 4983 miles and was 1.62 qts low. Audi Service could not find anything wrong but consulted with a Audio Corp Representative and it was decided to replace the engine. On 2/8/08, my car broke down and I had to be towed in. Apparently, there was a technical problem with the new engine installation. I spoke to the Sales Manager and told him that I didn't feel comfortable driving the vehicle any longer and to see if he could get me in another car. He said that it would be in my best interest for him to approach Audi if I had another incident so they will assist me financially to get in another vehicle. On 5/6/08, the oil light came on again at 9481 miles and I was told that this was the "normal" break in period for the new engine.

The Sales Manager that was supposed to help me out with getting financial assistance from Audi now no longer works there. I asked the salesman who actually sold me the car for assistance and he said he would see what he could do. Nothing came of that and on 7/21/08, the oil light came on once again at 12822 miles. This time I was advised that this is normal and that my car could actually use 1 quart every 1200 miles and would be considered the norm for this vehicle. They referred me to a Audi document and to the owner's manual for the first time.

I've asked the Service Dept and Sales Dept to assist me in getting Audi to assist me in getting into another vehicle. I placed 3 calls to the salesman and no call back for 2 weeks. I finally got a call back and he said he was meeting with the Audi rep and would let me know.

Two weeks later and I haven't heard back from him. The excessive oil usage on the 2.0T engine is a common problem with the A4's and Audi should be addressing it instead of covering it up. Since Audi would not assist me, I looked at my other options and decided to trade-in the vehicle 2 years early on my lease and ended up costing me at least $5000 to get out of it.

I'm dissappointed that Audi is selling a car with a problematic engine such as this that forces the owner to keep a watchful eye on the oil level in order to avoid a castrophe which should never be a concern.

Next day I visited the dealer the have checked the car but the were not able to give a explanation about. Still I do not know why has happened it, and it is not normal, having a new car of a very strong brand like Audi to have those problems and this service.

May I have please a explanation and please contact and advise your dealer about. Thanks in advance

I called Audi immediately and brought the car back in for it to be checked. I was told it was sorted but despite this it cut out this morning on my way to work and to make matters worse on the way back from work it completely cut out without any prior warning! I had to call out breakdown yet again. I am extremely upset and distraught at the fact that I paid over 4400 for my car to be fixed and yet it seems that despite paying this money i have noticed no difference. The car is still doing what it did before it was brought to Audi ie cutting out.

I am extremely irate, upset and have completely lost all faith in Audi. I was under the impression that Audi are a reputable company and one that you can rely on 110%, however all I have found from my experience is that they are quick to charge me extortionate amounts but not as quick to rectify the problem with my car. I was told on both occasions that I brought my car in, that it was sorted however this is clearly not the case and I am really annoyed at the fact that Audi are not even capable of rectifying the problem. I mean how I am suppose to trust that when I bring my car in once again that it will in fact be fixed?

I have been so conscious and scared whilst driving my car as it seems to cut off without any prior warning. i have been so stressed out thinking about what if i was travelling on the motorway and this were to happen. Surely that is not how I should be feeling. It is like its a disaster waiting to happen and i am so frightened that i may have an accident with another car at the rate this is going. I have been under so much stress and been really upset. I have suffered as a result of audi's negligence in not rectifying the problem with my car. I can not even begin to tell you how annoyed and distraught I am.

In 2007, at 56000 miles, I advised Hoffman Audi that my fuel tank system keeps giving false readings to the gas pump and that my radio can not pick up any stations outside of large metropolitan cities. When they quoted me over $3000 worth of repair costs, I thought this was absurd. Replacing the whole fuel tank system and the FM booster... When do these things ever fail on a car? Especially on an expensive car brand like Audi.

I have lived with these issues for over a year now and it is horrible. Audi and Hoffman have generously offered to share the expense with me, if I want to give them $1000 of my hard earned money. In 2008, I have already spent over a $1000 on this car since I broke down TWICE already! 1st time for an Oil Pump Sludge issue. 2nd time for a bad ignition coil failure.

On top of this, the dealership discovered that my center differetial seal was cracked and needed to be repaired as well. I can GUARANTEE Audi that I will never recomend their cars to anyone. All car manufacturers will have their issues, it is how the company stands behind their product that will make one stand above the other.

It is also amusing how I used to get customer satisfaction surveys during the warranty period about the Service but now after warranty, it appears that they don't care about their customers comments after they know the car turns into a LEMON.

I only have 36K miles on this car, and it's already blown two engine coils. Now, it's a constant 'check engine' light. I brought it in two weeks ago, they told me it was fixed. Some sort of dirty intake condition. Now, two weeks later, and the light is again on. It's a 20 mile roundtrip drive to the dealership, as no one else will touch this car. I was told they were too busy to work on it, and to come back later. Having a check engine light come on every couple weeks, and taking time out from my day to deal with this dealership is beyond annoying. I love this car, but it's been constant problems. They just don't care once you are out of warranty. But 36K miles? Shouldn't an Audi last longer than that? I'm so upset right now, there is no satisfaction, and I have a car I have lost complete confidence in.

This past Wednesday Oct 24 the *check engine came on again* i did what they always tell me to do which wait a couple of days and ck the gas cap and if the light is not blinking then i can drive the car until i can get to them.

Every time I have taken to them the two previous time money was paid for a job to be done. Here I am again with the same problem. I have to pay for the toll $110.00 dollars and again in their mercy to see how much i have to pay again. My deceased husband had bought me this car and he had always taken them for maintenance due to sentimental reason I have kept going to them since my husband pass away 11/05. I really feel that they are taking me for a ride. Please Help Me What Can do?

I also learned at that time that Audi now specifies fully synthetic oil for this motor, and a service interval of 5K miles. The factory owners manual specifies any Premium petroleum oil, and a 10,000 mile oil change interval, which is how it was serviced by Audi dealers for the first 50,000 miles. Since the timing belt broke, I have been using Mobil 1 synthetic oil and changing it at 5,000 mile intervals.

Recently, my wife was driving back from the mountains when the oil light came on. She stopped the car and chekced the oil level, which was normal. When she re-started the car, it began to make a rattle.knock sound, so she turned it off and called a tow truck. The tow truck driver reccomended a repair shop specializing in German cars, so she had it towed there.

The shop tells us that this is a very common problem with the 1.8T A-4, and they usually find a clogged oil pickup and the cam bearings are susually the first to fail from oil starvation as they are last in line to get oil. After doing a quick internet search, I learned that this is indeed a very common problem and that Audi/VW extended the warranty for oil starvation damage to 8 years/unlimited mileage.

I called Audi Customer Care to verify this, and was told that indeed it is true. But I would need to provide documentation for all of the oil changes, which I don't think I have, beyond a notation in the owners manual. I don't have reciepts for oil and filters that Audi wants to see. I understand that there is at least one class action lawsuit already under way on this iisue

I never received this letter or knew that it existed before now.I have been dealing with the local dealership but since I can't prove regular maintenance, Audi will not cover any of the repairs. In addition, I was told that engine sludge was the problem but when I asked them to put this in the diagnostic report the service manager initially refused. When I refused to pay for the $400 diagnostic and signoff until they included this terminology, the service manager stormed off. I eventually had the car towed to my house because I was told that the dealership had limited space. Meanwhile, I have to continue to make payments and maintain insurance on a car that I cannot drive.

The service manager also mentioned that if my engine were the 3.0 version that I would not be having this issue, which further indicates there are known problems with this engine design. I was told that there was another car at the dealership with the same issue and that the owner was trying to provide documentation of two oil changes. Can a class action lawsuit be filed against Audi Corporation? I've had the car since it was new. Currently, I have 87,000 miles on my A4. This is the first and only problem that I had thus far. At the moment, I'm getting very little cooperation from Audi Corporation or the local dealership. I'm not sure what else I can do.

In April 2007, my car stalled for a 3rd time on the highway (luckily avoiding accident for a 3rd time!), and the dealer quoted me close to $800 to replace the fuel pump. While disputing the estimate, askingthe dealer to find out what could be done about this re-occuring, expensive and and dangerous issue, I did my own research and found that there had been a recall in 2006 covering 2003 Audi A4's. When I presented this information to the dealer, they claimed that there was no recall. Upon further research, and contacting Audi Customer Service on my own (because the dealer was absolutely 0 help to me), I was told that there was a recall, but because my VIN was not included in the recall, nothing could be done.

have requested to speak to a supervisor, who gave me the same company line. I again appealed to speak to a Supervisor another level higher, and am currently awaiting their response. Luckily, to date, nobody has been hurt in connection with my vehicle's failures. However, there is no reason for Audi to ignore my case as they have. In researching this issue online, I have found numerous other complaints against Audi for the same issue of ignoring customer complaints related to recalls when their vehicles experience the exact behavior for which the recall was issued.

I had it towed to the dealer and was informed today that I need a new engine at a cost of $5K for junkyard engine or $10K for a new one! I have done some research and it seems that Audi/VW have had problems with sludge build-up due to the extended oil change period - 10,000 miles.

As mentioned, I have changed oil as required, and then some. I have all receipts on hand from day one, and I do mean all of them. I am prepared to talk to Audi NA in regards to covering the replacement of my engine and feel the problem is the same as found on the Audi A4 and VW Passat. Can you offer any advice or assistance? This, by the way is my 4th Audi A6 - is it my last?

After examining the car, the service department called and said I needed a new engine which would cost about $16,000. My car is off warranty. I asked what caused the problem (it wasn't lack of oil) and Steve in the service department said they couldn't tell without taking the engine apart. I asked him what should I do as it seemed crazy that my engine should die in such a relative new and expensive car.

He suggested I call my insurance company as it may be due to something hitting the car and damaging the engine. I did and the insurance company is suppose to be sending an adjuster to look at the car. I am still waiting to hear from either Audi or the insurance adjuster. In the meanwhile I have been searching the internet to see if other people have experienced the same problem and how they have handled the situation. I truly need help as I really cannot afford to pay $16,000 for a new engine and am very wary of the Audi dealership after reading the posts of other Audi owners.

Guidance/advice/help would be most appreciated. Thank you, Nancy

i am totally frazzled. Who in their right miond start calling homes after 9:30 pm every night. I have to be up very early in the morning and need to rest. i do not need this extra stress every night.

The car cost $24,000 and I have sunk in $4,000 in a little over a year's time - over 16% of the car's cost. Four of seven times it's been in the shop, the repairs were covered under the warranty but I still had to shell out $200 in deductibles. The other times Audi claims that it's normal 'wear and tear' so they do not cover the repairs. For instance 2 weeks ago, the engine light came on. Well transmission fluid was leaking and this was covered and I paid the $50 deductible. But they also found problems with the boots and the brakes needed replacing so the cost of the repairs was $1750 total.

I have driven the car only 10,000 miles, mainly on the highway and the brakes already need repair - this is part of their 'rigorous inspection'? The maintenance man assured me that he had the best mechanic look at it and it would be better. Well last week, I came out to my car to find the dashboard glowing and the car wouldn't start. I waited 3 hours for an Audi tow truck to pick it up and had to take a $25 cab ride home.

Total loss of car numeroues day off work personal prorety loss in car. person could of died but was very frightened.

Now a little more than one month later all the coolant is leaking from my car. I am now being told that I need to pay $375 to fix this problem because it was an old part that they transferred from the old engine to the new engine and that the $11.00 part just wore out. I questioned them several times regarding this and was told that is just the way that it is and that they will not cover the leak in the NEW engine. I am now writing letters to Audi, the attorney general's office and the Better Business Bureau regarding this situation. It seems that there might be a bit of fraud here or intentional damage to parts of the car that the consumer should pay to repair. I was told that the new engine had a 12,000 mile/ 12 month warranty. Why is the new leak not covered under this warranty?

The coolant contamination of the engine oil is causing increased wear on the engines internal components. If the problem is not corrected the motor is not expected to last for as long as it would otherwise. I was alerted by Blackstone Labs that they have received several similarly contaminated samples from Audi owners with the 2.7T engine. I learned that the other owners are experiencing the same problem. I have also learned that in two similar cases the problem was fixed, unfortunately the solution was to replace the motor.

I immediately had the car towed to the local dealership. Upon inspection I was told that the engine needed to be rebuilt or replaced. I questioned this based on the car only having 75,000 miles and being recalled to replace incorrect oil being put into the vehicle when I purchased the car.

The vehicle needed to have synthetic oil in the engine. This was completed when I brought my car in with 10,000 miles on the vehicle. So the damage had already started unknowingly to me.

Audi then stated that they would extend the warranty to eight years d ue to sludge. Well this did not happen. They stated that I was responsible for the damage because I did not get an oil change at 40,000 miles.

My oil was changed was at 45,000 miles. I think they would have seen something that may cause future damage at this point or at least at my 60,000 mile oil change. Nothing was mentioned.

Audi is stating that they are not responsible for a known problem with the engine and want to charge me $13,000 to replace the engine. I cannot believe after paying $35,000 for the car that they will not stand behind their product and the known issue. This is reprehensible in my eyes.

They started the problem by putting the wrong oil in the car and don't you think that the oil light should come on before the engine is completely damaged. When the computer shut the car down I was in the middle of rush hour traffic, this could have endangered lives. No power steering or brakes, extremely dangerous.

In addition to the stress of wondering if this third pump will fail and my family will be injured, I have had to deal with the inconvenience of towing, having only one car, etc. Audi's intentional placement of a possibly defective part in my car is unbelievable.

When we would start the car and then place it in either forward or reverse, when we went to step on the accelerator, it would lurch forwards or backwards very quickly. I believe this to be a very dangerous condition. If it is happening in other Audi vehicles, I think that someone should fix this overall problem. Someone could get killed. Luckily this usually happened when we were backing out of our garage and there was no one behind us so that we were able to stop immediately by hitting the brakes.

I told Audi service about this problem and also contacted Audi USA customer service directly. I was given a reference number 60106074 and was told that they would get back to me by tomorrow. I was concerned that even with the replacement of the transmission, this would still happen. I have 3 children and am concerned about this unusual condition in the car.

Fortunately, there are no consequences arising out of this situation. The dealership is replacing the transmission under warranty. I am writing this as a concerned consumer. I am trying to prevent a possible future injury or death.

Since the closest Audi dealer to myhouse was about 50 miles round-trip, I spent the next 3 years bringing the car in for so many warranty issues which were very irritating. In several cases, the issues were large - air climate control failed after only 6 months and while driving in the middle of AZ summer at 120 degrees, 2 replacements of the in dash trip computer due to LCD fading...the list goes on and on.

The car was a lease due to my lack of experience with Audi and having heard that Audi's history wasn't exactly great. At warranty end on the car, and only 100 or less miles away from the top miles listed for full warranty, the drivers side window regulator failed. Rather than honoring warranty, I had to pay over $300 to replace. That was the straw that broke the camel's back......never will I buy or ride in Audi again. Urgh!

I parked the darned car, and went back to Acura which I am now a lifelong loyal customer to. Audi should take some notes! Upon return of the car via leasing, I was notified to pay for mileage overages. I attempted ot contact Audi of America and request their covering these charges due to my consistent issues with warranty items on the car that required my driving back and forth. I was able to provide documentation that showed all the times I had to drive the car to the dealership for medium to major issues relative to warranty, yet the refused to cover unless I would buy another Audi. HA!!!! Ya, fat chance of that.

So, I got stiffed all around on this car. Because of this, I promised to never recommend their company....not to mention their customer service at the dealerships is really not great and based on my conversations really seem to not believe in their cars too.

After I reiterated my concerns about the car's problems and my worry over oil sludge issues with this car, they pulled the valve-cover and the oil pan and found oil sludge build-up in the oil lines feeding the turbo and in some of the oil galleys in the engine. Fiore contacted Audi of America who agreed to replace the turbo and the oil feed lines under Audi's extended oil sludge warranty.

After completing these repairs and putting the engine back together, Fiore then contacted me to tell me that they now heard a "ticking" noise in the top of the motor. Big Surprise there, as I had initially told them about this. After pulling the head they determined that the engine block AND the cylinder Head were warped and refused any responsibility for the repairs, stating that we needed a new engine. Fiore technicians informed me that these damages were caused by the engine being excessively overheated. This was news to both my wife and I, as the engine had never indicated that it had overheated.

For this "excuse/reason", they refused to cover any repairs regardless of the fact that I had produced receipts documenting that the oil was changed religiously around 3,000 mile intervals with full synthetic oil. Incidentally, my oil replacement schedule was well below Audi's initial recommendation that the oil be changed every 10,000 miles, as referenced in the manual, or their subsequent recommendation of changing it every 5,000 miles with an Audi recommended full synthetic oil (a changed recommedation of which I was never informed of in the first place). Subsequent communication/negotiation with Audi's Service Representative and Fiore's Service Manager resulted in their adamant, and at times rude, refusal to honor their "goodfaith" engine warranty of 8 years regardless of mileage due to oil sludge issues.

My complaint is simply that this car continually smoked upon idling from the time the first turbo was replaced at around 39,000 miles. Upon further complaints to Audi about the "smoking" issue, the turbo was again replaced at around 49,000 miles. Unfortunately, the car still continued to smoke upon idling. When I called back to Fiore Audi to again complain that the issue had still not been resolved I was informed that the car was out of warranty and that they were unable to find the cause of the problem in the first place and that I "should not worry about it". Interestingly enough, the oil lines that feed the turbo charger were never checked or replaced during any of the turbo charger replacements, or other oil smoke complaints. Subsequently, now, after our third turbo replacement, (this time they did change the oil lines) obviously due to oil sludge build-up, we are now told that our motor is no good.

Had Audi taken care of this issue when these problems were first developed and identified, I would not be in the situation that I am in now, having to pay for a major repair, (i.e. engine replacement), at less than 70,000 miles due to an issue that is well-known with this vehicle and that was also obviously present when this vehicles warranty was in full effect. It is obvious after searching the Audi specific forums, consumer complaint sites and the internet in general, that Audi of America as well as VW of America is well aware of this problem and that many people are beginning to experience this issue that is a direct result of a defective engine design that holds less oil than the car's systems need as well as improper maintenance schedule recommendations and oil specification guidelines for this car.

Audi of America should have an obligation to stand behind their warranty as well as their product and be responsible for their design flaws and manufacturer's defects. After all, who has around $35,000 to spend for a vehicle that will last less than 70,000 miles, only to then be faced with a $5,000 - 8,000 repair? I believe that as the 2001 and up 1.8T models begin to "come of age" so to speak, mileage-wise that many more individuals will be becoming aware of these issues as they too experience major engine failure and replacement costs due to this faulty design.

PS: Audi Roadside assistance was non-existent that day – taking almost 24 hrs to send help & tow our car!

My elation and relief that the engine issue was finally resolved by Audi (by finally talking to the right person in customer service - who was refreshingly wonderful to deal with), again soured when Audi Corporate told me they will not stand behind the full 4 year new car warranty offered by Bellavia Audi NJ, the dealership from whom I purchased my car. A dealership that is coincidentally no longer in operation.

Audi Corporate felt that I had only 3 years warranty from the date of my purchase (March 2003). This is despite me purchasing the car with assurance from the dealership, at point of sale, that I would have full 4 yr new car warranty coverage until March 2007. Most concerning is that this now leaves me just 2.5 months of warranty cover after Audi acknowledged a major fault with the car, requiring replacement of my engine. Since the dealership (Bellavia) is no longer in existence, Audi Corporate proclaimed they would only honor the “new” car warranty offered as part of my contract of sale until March 2006, on the basis that their records say I bought the car in 2002!

They insisted on seeing proof that we actually bought the car in 2003!! What organization cannot correctly tell when one of their cars was purchased?? We even did the financing through Audi, but they were not willing to cross-check that we had purchased the car in 2003 – so the onus of proof was entirely on us. After proving I had purchased the car in 2003, Audi corporate now argue that the 4 year warranty was actually first claimed against (ie: initiated) by Bellavia Audi in 2002 (the year before I bought the car), for the electric windows jamming. Therefore the 4 year warranty was activated from this point (ie: more than 6months before I came into the picture to buy the car).

In all fairness, I bought my Audi A4 1.8T (my second such Audi), knowing that there were almost 6000 miles on the clock, but I was assured that it had not been used as a demo, and instead used by someone in the administration office of the dealership to go to and from work. On that basis they told me they could sell the car to me as 'new' and I would qualify for the full 4 year warranty that comes on all new Audi models. The model I purchased had a lot of extras that were no longer offered on 1.8T’s if we ordered one in, so the offer of a 4 year ‘new car’ warranty sealed the deal for my husband and I buying the model they had in stock. My written contract with Bellavia Audi clearly states that the car I purchased was “NEW”.

I was on my way to my parent’s house for Christmas when this was discovered, so, that Monday, I took the poor car from Southern MD back to the dealership. Now, I will commend the service guy, he has been great to work with, but once I got the car in, it took about an hour (which is pretty good considering they were busy). I was told everything was fixed, and I was on my way back to DC. I got to the 14th street bridge, and lo and behold, I heard that awful thumping noise and knew there was still a problem. So, back AGAIN I went to the dealership.

This time, the crew removed whatever the damaged piece was and they put in an order for a new one. The service guy also informed me to call and file a claim, which I did that day. So, finally I thought things would get better......I thought wrong. The next episode, I get a call that the part is in, so my partner took the car to get the part replaced. When he gets there, he then finds out that Audi Roadside hasn't made payment arrangements, so while the part is in, it cannot be installed on the car. Oh, and it gets better. I begin calling Audi Roadside to find out what the delay is and they tell me that the dealership on Gallup Road has no idea what I am talking about. I kindly informed them that the dealershop was not located there, they are on Mt. Vernon.

For the last two weeks, they have been calling the wrong dealership! Now, to add further insult to injury, as we were driving down to visit our parents on Saturday, we hear this noisy grinding sound coming from under the car. I'll give you a chance to guess what it was. It wasn't the driver’s side; it was the identical piece on the passenger’s side! Apparently, when the dealership removed the driver's side, there were some bolts that held the passengers side in place. Now that side is ruined and will need replaced. So, again, I call Audi Roadside but this time, I can't file a claim with them, I have to file it with the dealership! Do you have any idea how frustrated and upset I am with Audi at this point in time?

I traded in a 2004 Saturn and a 2003 Passat. Two cars that I never had any problems with at all. I love my A3, I really do, but, I am not sure if I can handle anymore problems with it. If it were up to me, I would bring the car back and demand a replacement immediately. I wouldn't even care if I had to go to arbitration or the courts. I spent a lot of money for a brand new car. New… not pre-owned, pre-certified, not used....a brand new 2006. I would have expected not to have a single problem with a new car.

Now, I think that there is an easy and simple way to rectify this situation. Fix my car ~ All of it. And, I shouldn't have to wait for Audi to pay Audi. It is not my fault that the car wouldn't start; the keys "lost their memory". Again, something that shouldn't happen with a new car. It was an Audi contractor that towed the car, not me. I simply want to be able to enjoy my new car. It has spent more time either parked because it is broken, or at the dealership trying to be fixed. I would just like someone to call me, tell me to bring the car in, and I don't want it back until it is 100% complete and fixed as it should be. I am just afraid that if it comes back again, something else will break on it.

1) Along with other cars of this year, this car was recalled due to ignition coil problem.

2) When it had about 17k miles, it had a fire incident. The trunk of the car caught fire due to inexplicable reasons. Audi refused to fix it. Their inspectors could not figure out what had happened. My suspicion is that it was an electrical fire. They partially paid for the rental car while my car was in the shop and my insurance paid for the repairs ($14,000).

3) At 48k miles, despite warranty expiration, Audi fixed my engine due to some "sludge" repairs. In that case, they pretty much changed all engine peripherals. This was a huge job too. Estimated repair cost about $5000.

4) A day after I got the car back, the engine sensor light bcame back on. Took the car to the dealer and this time they said that the engine's electrical harness is getting short circuit. This time, though, they wanted me to pay $3000 for repairs. I refused and Audi and the dealer decided to patch-fix the harness and have me pay for half the repairs-about $400. They know that they are a fault.

Clearly, this car had issues. Audi refused to accept that the fire in 2003 was due a manufacturing defect. Possibly an electrical short circuit which caused the fire. Again, I have a harness issue - an electrical short circuit (acknowledged). My gripe is that I received a bad piece and Audi should own up and, at a minimum fix all my repairs. Although, this is not sufficient. So far my out-of pocket cost has been about $1000 .

That evening, at around 5:30 pm the oil light came on in the car. I decided at that point that I would take the car in for service the next morning rather that waiting until next week (the 12th). Shorty thereafter the check engine light came on. I called the service department and they had already left for the evening. On my way to my home, the car began to make a rattling noise. I was at the service department at 7:30 am on Tuesday, October 4, 2005. Chuck commented that my car did not sound good which I certainly agreed with. I told the service advisors about the oil light and the check engine light and they speculated that I probably needed an oi pump.

When I called later that afternoon Marty, another service advisor informed me that I needed a new engine. They were waiting for approval from the district manager because I had missed an oil change but indicated that they (Audi of Huntington) had a mechanic they worked with down the street that could write up that I had gotten an oil change from him and that I should not worry, my car was going to be covered. Marty called me on Wednesday, October 5, 2005 to tell me that the district manager had refused to cover the repair because I had missed my last major service at 40,000 miles. I then informed him that I had been advised by Chuck during my last visit to Audi of Huntington to wait until I got closer to 48,000 miles before getting my last service for the reasons indicated earlier. Marty states that he is sure that Chuck never told me to skip a service.

I then asked him to check my service record which clearly shows that I brought my A4 in like clockwork for all of its service appointments (@10,000, 20,000 and 30,000) which he confirmed. My question to him is why would I have skipped a service if I had not been advised to do so. My service records also indicate that I had my car in at 38,304 miles to have the brakes done and the tires rotated. At that time I requested the 40,000 mile service and was told that there had not been enough time or mileage accrued since the 30,000 mile service. At that time Chuck advised me to wait until I was closer to 48,000 miles as I previously stated. Of course he is now denying that he stated this. It has become a situation of my word against his.

The diagnosis is that the fuel screen was clogged and was not sending oil to the top half of the engine. They now say that I need a new engine which will cost $9000.

$2000 and 10 months of process to submit all required documentation. During the process, Audi never updated me, never provided written communication on requirements but in the end concluded that I had not submitted enough evidence of "maintenance records". I have testimonies of car experts regarding the matter. I believe Audi never had any intention to reimburse damages caused by oil sludge.

Audi changes oil for the first 50,000 as part of the purchase price of the car. My car had 62,000 miles on it when the engine failed. Audi did the oil changes up to 50,000 miles. I changed the oil myself 3 times in the remaining 12,000 miles. Audi refused to honor their extended warranty because I changed the oil myself. In the original owners manual it tells owners what safety precausions to take when they change their oil themselves. Audi now specifies synthetic oil be used. I paid an automotive expert to look at the engine. The expert's report attributes the damage to the engine a result of oil coking/oil sludge. He further stated petroleum oil breaks down after 3000 miles and Audi is responsible for the engine damage by specififying 10,000 mile oil changes with petroleum oil.

I bought a junk yard engine and installed it in the car myself, I could not afford what Audi wanted to repair the car. Audi sent the extended warranty letter to over 400,000 owners, I did not receive the warranty letter till after I requested the letter after the engine failed. Audi was aware of I was the new owner in they did send me a card asking me to buy an extended warranty.

Seemed to be OK for a week or two, then light came on & stayed on. Parked car in garage. Made an appointment to bring back to VW in St. Cloud (yesterday). Car "died" en route. Called VW. Called towing co. Put on flatbed & brought in to VW. Engine & turbo need replacing at a cost of over $6,000. Phoned our previous (prior to move) Audi repair technicians / they came & picked up Audi & brought back to their shop (150 mi. towing charge) ... apparently has something to do with oil "sludge" pick-up into the motor that caused the damage. (VW wasn't aware of that??)

A newsletter or something of that sort was supposedly sent out in Sept. of 2004 addressing this problem. We DID NOT receive it (have received notices of recall on other issues, however). I'm angry/frustrated/broke -- it just seems to be one big investment problem tumbling over another & nobody is willing to take responsibility for anything.

I have been without a car for a month making it very difficult for me to get to and from work. The repairs will cost anywhere from $5,000 - $10,000 and I am still making car payments on a car that I can't even drive and I can't afford to fix it.