DRC / Shock Absorber Issues Log - Please Contribute

[dom888]

It's a double-edged sword. On the one hand we want as many people as possible knowing about it so as to hopefully shame Audi into rectifying the problem. On the other hand we want to keep it quite to avoid the potential fall in resale values, as people get worried about buying a car with known issues (especially with the warranty period getting close to expiry).

[jackwood]

Got home and had a reply from Chris Harris waiting in my Inbox. He said he'd have a look into it and get back to me. Fingers crossed.

Jack

[Dom81]

It's a double-edged sword. On the one hand we want as many people as possible knowing about it so as to hopefully shame Audi into rectifying the problem. On the other hand we want to keep it quite to avoid the potential fall in resale values, as people get worried about buying a car with known issues (especially with the warranty period getting close to expiry).

Agree totally. Just seen your earlier posts about getting hold of the fluid - good luck!

[Rupert]

It's a double-edged sword. On the one hand we want as many people as possible knowing about it so as to hopefully shame Audi into rectifying the problem. On the other hand we want to keep it quite to avoid the potential fall in resale values, as people get worried about buying a car with known issues (especially with the warranty period getting close to expiry).

I had the same thought (as an RS6 owner) but anyone doing due diligence on an RS4/RS6 purchase will have found this forum and numerous threads on the subject, so it's already too big to keep quiet about. On the RS6, the cost isn't such a big deal to go aftermarket, it's the hassle of having warranty claims and repairs to the same old DRC system.

If I'd gone with Acme suspension when the car was new, and if the Acme suspension had failed 6 times in 4 years, I'd expect Acme to be embarrassed as a company, an apology and a refund.
... but since this is Audi suspension all I get is replacement with the same design-flawed parts time and time again.

Also, after having forked out £1.2k+ year after year for Audi warranty, I WILL be pissed off at having to fork out £1.5k to replace the suspension when it's no longer possible to renew the warranty.

[mac4RS]

had the same thought (as an RS6 owner) but anyone doing due diligence on an RS4/RS6 purchase will have found this forum and numerous threads on the subject, so it's already too big to keep quiet about.

I agree with you, but how 'big' is this really...IMHO not too much. That's why Audi doesn't give 2 monkeys.

If Audi continue to ignore the problem, then there needs to be more name & shame in the right places, press, key people etc - even the Watchdog programme.

We (us) are the key to this, people power is just so strong - my first contributuion to this will be to write to Audi & ask them if they will honour suspension claims after my warrnty has ended.

Maybe VORSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIK really means - 'as long as the suckers (the public) keeping taking it, then we'll just keep on taking the hiss & their money'.

[Iain_S4]

Had front wheel off at weekend - I think this means that I've joined this not so elusive club. Haven't noticed any knocking yet. Booked car in for a service on 17th July so plan to leave getting it checked until then unless anybody has good reason to suggest other wise.

[drcarrera]

1 Dom81 - Avant - 7,500 - Camberley - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
2 S4INT - Avant - 18,000 - Tonbridge - April 08 - Fronts & Valve
3 ARSEY4 - Saloon - 10,500 - Notts - March 08 - Fronts & Valve
4 mac4RS - Avant - 19,000 - Ipswich - May 08 - NSF Shock Absorber
5 4wheeldrift - Avant 07/57 - 3,300 - Leeds - April 08 - Fronts & Valve
6 dom888 - Avant - 21,000 - Milton Keynes - March 08 - O/S Front
7 RS4MAD - Saloon - 13,500 - Macclesfield - April 08 - NSR Shock Absorber
8 MrM - Avant - 9,900 - Teesside - Feb 08 - Fronts & rear valves
9 Caldy - Saloon - 2,500 - Newcastle - April 08 - O/S Front & Valve
10 Mgbruce - Avant - 21,000 - Aberdeen - may08 - Front & Valve
11 SR71 - Saloon - 10,800 - Cardiff - May 08 - OK
12 JackWood - Avant - 18,000 - Stockport - May 08 - Front & Valve
13 RJKFlyer - Saloon - 11,500 - Sussex - Jan-May08 (car off road at Dealer then Audi UK for whole period) Fronts then all four plus both valves
14 andymcg99 - Saloon - 13,500 - Cheshire - April 08 - Fronts & Valve
15 OliF-H - Saloon - 4,000 - Newbury - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
16 DrCarrera - Avant - 15,000 - Newbury - June 08 - Checked and OK
17 scoobyc - Avant - 25,000 - not checked (just out hospital) - but checked by non audi garage ok at 04/08
18 JHW - Saloon - 16,500 - Docklands - March 08- Front shock (near side) and valve
19 Marcus_RS4 - Saloon - 14,950 - Camberly - both fronts and valves
20 Softail - Saloon - 15,000 - Warrington - April 08 - Fronts and Valve
21 ChrisRS4 - Avant - 12,500 - Inverness - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
22 Rotavirus - Avant - 25,000 - Coventry - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
23 Love_iTT - Cabriolet - 9,600 - Huntingdon - May 08 - Both Fronts & rear valves
24 Boysey - Avant - 11,800 - Yeovil - Jun 08 - Both Fronts
25 Booski - Avant - 19,500 - Huddersfield - Jun 08 - Both Fronts
26 mallinguard - Avant - 29,000 - Pentraeth - Fronts & Valve + 63,000 - L'Pool - Rears & Valve
27 marktowl - Saloon - 43,000 - Plymouth - Feb 08 - OK
28 Plodwyn - 5,700 - Pontypridd - July 06 - OK
29 MFire - Avant - 18,000 - Reading - May08 - Fronts and valve
30 PatrickRS4 - Avant - 19,800 - Camberley - Dec 07 - NSF
31 W8PMC - Saloon - 22,000 - Camberley - Mar 08 - Fronts and valve
32 PetrolDave - 22,300 - Camberley - May 08 - OK
33 Jezzer - 8,700 - Hitchin - June 08 - OK
34 Skip - 17000 - Saloon - OK
35 Hanbury – Saloon - 15,500 - May 08 - All four + 17,800 - June 08 - further new shocks required
36 PLG - Saloon - 25,000 - Amersham - Dec 08 - NSF + 30,000 - All
37 MEV - Avant - 11000 - Newbury - Jul 07 - Both front reported leaking (no date for replacements as oil hasnt yet turned up - 3 weeks delay!)

[jackWood2]

As if by magic, I received a call from SKF Stockport yesterday to tell me they had found some fluid in Leicester and they can do the work next week!

Coincidence?

Jack

[crispy]

Had the shocks replaced 2000 miles ago due to nasty knocking noise. Knocking nouise back with avengance, booked the car in, andhave just been told that the new shocks are now leaking, and need replacing

[crispy]

1 Dom81 - Avant - 7,500 - Camberley - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
2 S4INT - Avant - 18,000 - Tonbridge - April 08 - Fronts & Valve
3 ARSEY4 - Saloon - 10,500 - Notts - March 08 - Fronts & Valve
4 mac4RS - Avant - 19,000 - Ipswich - May 08 - NSF Shock Absorber
5 4wheeldrift - Avant 07/57 - 3,300 - Leeds - April 08 - Fronts & Valve
6 dom888 - Avant - 21,000 - Milton Keynes - March 08 - O/S Front
7 RS4MAD - Saloon - 13,500 - Macclesfield - April 08 - NSR Shock Absorber
8 MrM - Avant - 9,900 - Teesside - Feb 08 - Fronts & rear valves
9 Caldy - Saloon - 2,500 - Newcastle - April 08 - O/S Front & Valve
10 Mgbruce - Avant - 21,000 - Aberdeen - may08 - Front & Valve
11 SR71 - Saloon - 10,800 - Cardiff - May 08 - OK
12 JackWood - Avant - 18,000 - Stockport - May 08 - Front & Valve
13 RJKFlyer - Saloon - 11,500 - Sussex - Jan-May08 (car off road at Dealer then Audi UK for whole period) Fronts then all four plus both valves
14 andymcg99 - Saloon - 13,500 - Cheshire - April 08 - Fronts & Valve
15 OliF-H - Saloon - 4,000 - Newbury - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
16 DrCarrera - Avant - 15,000 - Newbury - June 08 - Checked and OK
17 scoobyc - Avant - 25,000 - not checked (just out hospital) - but checked by non audi garage ok at 04/08
18 JHW - Saloon - 16,500 - Docklands - March 08- Front shock (near side) and valve
19 Marcus_RS4 - Saloon - 14,950 - Camberly - both fronts and valves
20 Softail - Saloon - 15,000 - Warrington - April 08 - Fronts and Valve
21 ChrisRS4 - Avant - 12,500 - Inverness - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
22 Rotavirus - Avant - 25,000 - Coventry - May 08 - Fronts & Valve
23 Love_iTT - Cabriolet - 9,600 - Huntingdon - May 08 - Both Fronts & rear valves
24 Boysey - Avant - 11,800 - Yeovil - Jun 08 - Both Fronts
25 Booski - Avant - 19,500 - Huddersfield - Jun 08 - Both Fronts
26 mallinguard - Avant - 29,000 - Pentraeth - Fronts & Valve + 63,000 - L'Pool - Rears & Valve
27 marktowl - Saloon - 43,000 - Plymouth - Feb 08 - OK
28 Plodwyn - 5,700 - Pontypridd - July 06 - OK
29 MFire - Avant - 18,000 - Reading - May08 - Fronts and valve
30 PatrickRS4 - Avant - 19,800 - Camberley - Dec 07 - NSF
31 W8PMC - Saloon - 22,000 - Camberley - Mar 08 - Fronts and valve
32 PetrolDave - 22,300 - Camberley - May 08 - OK
33 Jezzer - 8,700 - Hitchin - June 08 - OK
34 Skip - 17000 - Saloon - OK
35 Hanbury – Saloon - 15,500 - May 08 - All four + 17,800 - June 08 - further new shocks required
36 PLG - Saloon - 25,000 - Amersham - Dec 08 - NSF + 30,000 - All
37 MEV - Avant - 11000 - Newbury - Jul 07 - Both front reported leaking
38 Chrisb - Avant - 14,500 - Sheffield - May 08 both fronts, back again fr more fronts

[GardinerG]

Had the shocks replaced 2000 miles ago due to nasty knocking noise. Knocking noise back with avengance, booked the car in, and have just been told that the new shocks are now leaking, and need replacing

It really is rubbish, shocking you might say, that Audi haven't resolved these issues. Sorry to hear that things haven't been sorted for you crispy (and others).

[Andyuk911]

Shall we all have a meet at Camberley Audi ...

[sham]

Oh dear it looks like i am soon be a member of this club also
i have just had the car serviced this morning at audi and asked them to look at my shocks for piece of mind and they have come back saying the shocks are at the early stages of the problem.
they label it as misting (both front shocks) and cannot repair for free as its not enough to claim under the warranty.
So audi have asked me to come back in 2000 miles for another look at them and a probable warranty change.

[hanbury]

Just popped in to local stealer to retrieve some cleaning gear from my motor while it sits on their lot awaiting second set of shocks in 3000 miles (only need cleaning gear because loaner was filthy when I collected it!).

Anyway, service bloke says they may have some fluid next week (contrary to Audi Customer Services telling me August just a week or so ago). We'll see. I really do want my own car back - loaner is an RS4 with less miles but lower spec and not 'mine'. The thing that really concerns me though is, when it is eventually repaired how long will it last this time?

[RED_ROCKET]

I have wierd looking spots of something on me wheels front and rear. Front shouldnt have any brake dust so is this the DRC issue?