RE: control arm bushings

["merlin" <merlin@ameritech.net>]

That would be great...lets do that...
Kevin

-----Original Message-----
From:	owner-quattro@audifans.com [mailto:owner-quattro@audifans.com] On
Behalf Of Jon Linkov
Sent:	Monday, September 20, 1999 11:15 PM
To:	quinn@hns.com; quattro@audifans.com; ti@amb.org
Cc:	merlin@ameritech.net
Subject:	RE: control arm bushings

Unfortunatley, the only thing large companies respond to is: class action
lawsuits... or they quietly take care of the noisemakers.

Maybe one of us A4 owners can set up a petition on a web site that we can
"sign" and present to Len Hunt, the NHTSB, etc. Maybe THAT will get some
notice...

Jon
njconn@msn.com
'96 A4q
http://www.quattroclubusa.org/r/potomac

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-quattro@audifans.com [mailto:owner-quattro@audifans.com]On
Behalf Of quinn@hns.com
Sent: Monday, September 20, 1999 11:11 AM
To: quattro@audifans.com; ti@amb.org
Cc: merlin@ameritech.net; quinn@hns.com
Subject: Re: control arm bushings




merlin writes:
> Wrote the following letter to AoA today:
> ...

Ti Kan responds:
>Curious what the problem is with the control arm bushings?
>I bought my 96 A4q the same time you did yours, and have not
>had any problems with mine...

The control arm bushing problem seems to be endemic to the "new" front
suspension on the A4 & A6 (possibly the VW Passat>?).  If you read the
"A4.org" forums you'll see posts on it all the time.

My '97 A4QV6 is coming to the end of its useful life soon (i.e. the
warranty expires in November) and the front suspension has started to
rattle over largish bumps.  Took it in expecting it to be the control
arm problem - the service manager said "no that's usually a squeak" and
when it came back they siad they found a "noisy" shock (which they had
to order).  So until that's replaced I won't know if that IS the problem
or it's a mis-diagnosis and the control arm's the problem after all.

Another "endemic" problem seems to be the heated rear-view mirrors.  This
one I HAVE experience.  Now on my third set of heated mirrors (as of the
above trip to the dealer last week).  They just burn out.  Maybe to do
with the fact that they are 'on' all the time (not switched with the rear
window defrost - which would be sensible).  Even if you don't live in
misty or cold climes, you can test the mirror operation yourself.  When
your car's been on for a few minutes, feel the mirrors - they should be
warm/hot to the touch.  If not they've burnt out.

Merlin, maybe you can add that to your letter? (But no, I don't think it'll
do any good!)

-Mark Quinn