Steering Rack Fault - 1.4 Avant

[GavinE]

Just thought I would share some recent experiences of ownership of my 1.4 Avant.

Over last couple of months, 13000 miles on the car, I started noticing some knocking noises when parking and manoeuvring at low speed.
I then started to notice the steering wheel was no longer 'straight' when driving along a straight road. It needed to be at around 2 O'Clock position. I am pretty sure this was never the case as I predominantly drive dual carriageways 5 days a week and presume I would have noticed.

I dismissed it for a while, but, the car was tracking and pulling around on uneven road surfaces. It started to feel twitchy almost at speeds above 60mph.
My wife started avoiding dual carriageways as she felt uneasy driving it and said 'it feels like it wants to kill me'.

The car hadn't hit anything, or as far as I'm aware been driven though any potholes or kerbed etc.

The car was due a service anyway, and when booked in with Audi for it's service inspection and I asked them to look at the alignments during and explained the problem.
Once in the loan car, another A4 the problem was obvious. How much better the loan car drove and so much more confidence inspiring at higher speed.

Two days later, service confirmed the car needed the steering rack replacing.

Was completed under warranty. Don't know the specifics unfortunately, only that it was diagnosed as the cause.

 

[cuke2u]

Good that it is fixed. You stayed with the issue longer than I would have done, being electrically powered who knows what might have happened...

 

[GavinE]

Probably more tolerant than I should have been.
Back and forth a few times [9 in total I think] between the A4 and TT in the last 12 months, some selective ignorance on my part until I couldn't resist anymore.

The dealer was somewhat dismissive at first. The wheel being off centre isn't considered a problem. An opinion apparently echoed by the pair who test drove the car. Funny what conversations dash cams record. They were at least careful on the road test.

My favourite parts of the conversation:

- They wouldn't be complaining if it were their car
- The fault is negligible
- If this was a friends car that I borrowed for the day, I wouldn't say anything to them when giving it back
- Of course the car pulls to the side, if you straighten the steering wheel you're essentially turning the steering.

Based on the recorded conversation, 'it's simple alignment job'.
Interesting that within 24 hours of that conversation, I had a call stating that the problem was mechanical and the rack needed to be replaced.

I'm guessing that they attempted to adjust tracking and could not bring the alignment back into spec through adjustment so had to investigate further.

 

[cuke2u]

Which dealership? I think I would complain very loudly at the unprofessionalism of thetwo 'technicians' and the incompetent dealership...