This is my first post. Please excuse me for bringing up a problem with my first post. I used to own a 2000 Audi TT. I loved it but decided to sell it after the warranty expired.

My mom leased a 2006 Audi A4 2.0 Quattro with the 6 speed tiptronic transmission. She has had a recurring problem that the dealership hasn't been able to replicate. She has been leasing the car for 1 year.

Almost nightly, the brake lights (and sometimes fog lights) will go on and stay on unless you go out to the car and press the brake pedal down. This has run the battery down before. The battery had to be jumpstarted last spring for this problem. This problem only seems to take place when the outside temperatures are 50 degrees or lower yet the car is always parked in a closed garage. The 06 A4 my mom is leasing has a setting where the lights are supposed to light up when someone approaches the car. This setting is turned to the off position so that should not have anything to do with the problem. The more frightening problem is that when the car is cold it doesn't seem to want to shift out of first gear. I have to put the transmission into tiptronic mode to get the transmission to shift. Sometimes when you hit the gas pedal it doesn't go anywhere. The car doesn't stall but there is no power going to the wheels.

Few other things: Car does not have Xenon lights but does have the cold weather package.

The dealership has been unable to replicate the problem. I am going to drop the car off tonight so they can keep it over night. Hopefully they will have the same problems my mom has been having especially when it is cold. I do not blame the dealership. I am very happy with them. They also did a great job on my TT. I knew it was going to be hard to replicate the problem. Hopefully someone else has had a similar problem and can share some idea.

 

Very odd. Sounds like a bad ground somewhere. Im probably wrong though. There's a warranty so let the dealer keep it and make sure they give you/your mom a rental for free until they fix it. Let us know what happens.

 

I heard Audi makes crapy electrical system, and which applies to all European Car. But their engines are alway GREAT!

 

The brake light sounds like a faulty brake light switch at the pedal. Happens all the time with cars and is a simple fix and diagnosis.

Tranny issue is more problematic. Even the Audi dealers have trouble diagnosing transmission problems.

 

The brake light sounds like a faulty brake light switch at the pedal. Happens all the time with cars and is a simple fix and diagnosis.

Tranny issue is more problematic. Even the Audi dealers have trouble diagnosing transmission problems.

 

Hate to say it, it is probably too late. Possibly a lemon.

I am hunting for a new car after collecting on lemon law. I had my 2006 Saab 93 for 41 days, after 3x in the shop for the same problem I initiated the process.

Consumer protection laws are very strong in most states for the first year of ownership. I do not understand why more people do not initiate collection after the same problem comes up repeatedly. Cars are replacable, your safety is not.

Given basic electrical/computer knowledge, when more than one thing has gone wrong intermitantly it is likely a computer problem. Everything is controlled by one or multiple computers. Just like your PC, things can be inherintly wrong in the hardware or the software may have had a problem during the inital loading, this can damage the harware. Maybe if your lucky you just need updated software. Try going to a different dealer.

On that note, I am very interested in hearing other experiences with the A4 reliability.

Good Luck

 

Nope, not a bad ground. Its a bad solder joint. Question to the original poster

"Does the car run fine when its really warm out? you dont see the brake light problem?"

If the answer is yes, It is definately a bad solder joint. Thats faulty/shotty manufacturering. you need to contact Audi USA and see if you can get a TSB out on it. See if anyone else is experiencing the same problems. Chances are if theres one bad solder, then theres many bad solders in a batch of cars out there.