Handling Issues A4 1.8T SE

[tony99]

Here is a question my Audi dealer doesn't want to answer.

I have an A4 1.8T SE Y2001 plate. Running 205/55 R16 91W Michellin Pilot Premacy tyres.

My problems are these;
1 - Car is very sensitive to tyre pressures, if out by more than 1psi car will pull.
2 - When braking on uneven surfaces or on surfaces with large chippings the car pulls left and right following even small undulations or reacting to any amount of grip difference. This produces a squirming feeling through the steering wheel which is unnerving, especially when the surface doesn't look that bad anyway.
3 - The car feels twitchy over small bumps, especially in the wet, feels like the tyres are pumped up way too hard.

Audi insist the steering geometry is correct and that no bushing have worn, although I was getting a rummbling noise on hot days last summer which they couldn't track down.

Has anyone had any expereince similar to this? I'm beginning to think that it is down to the tyres as I have seem a few reviews slatting the Michellins.

Thanks

Tony

 

[SteveGi]

I had similar problems with a VW Bora, spent a fortune trying to track down the problem including having the geometry set up independantly by AMD, their final suggestion was the tyres. Igave up and sold it!!

 

[tony99]

Thanks for replying, I had been thinking that I'm going mad and making this up.

This will sound sad, but I have noticed that few A4s are using Michellins that are not original fit, ie, most people put something different on when the original fit tyres wear out.

I think I shall do the same.

Cheers

 

[cbass]

I did have problems with michelins when I bought the car, I have since switched to kumho's and really like them.

 

[markpetty]

I have a 2004 model year A4 sport and find that the car tends to tramline and is effected quite heavily by the camber of the road. While there may be something else wrong with your car as well, I am getting the feeling that to some extent this behaviour is inherent in the A4. Believe it or not I actually found that it helped when I adjusted my seat so that I was higher up and sitting more upright. Because my hands were now resting at a lower point than before in relation to my shoulders, I found that more of my arms' and shoulders' weight was resting on the wheel and it seemed to keep the wheel more steady.

 

[tony99]

Thanks Mark

I have just been to a different Audi dealer who checked all the bushes, etc. Nothing wrong there. We went for a test drive and the engineer could feel the effect. Tracking not out, their suggestion - tyres. They are now spec'ing Conti Sport contact 2 or Dunlop Sp9000 as standard as the Michellins are very hard. They suggest new tyres and then get the full geometry check done. My Michellins are getting low on the back so I could get a new front pair soon.

They did admit the A4 is sensitive to the tyre pressures and cambers though so some of this is probably a characteristic of the car.

I too found the car felt better with a higher seat position, strange but true.