For those with bad instrument cluster displays....

[SLC_S4]

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!

CALL: 1-888-327-4236 AND SPEAK TO A CUSTOMER CARE REP.

**iF THEY GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO CALL IN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THEY HAVE TO MAKE IT A RECALL

this has already been recalled in Europe and with enough complaints they will have to do the same in the US also...

call them and give them you VIN and they have to report it to the National Highway Traffic safety Administration

...and thier website is nhtsa.gov

I just saw this in the B5 A4 section here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=160911. I called and filed a complaint about mine. I think the instrument cluster not working could be considered a safety issue because it displays important warning information. I don't know if it'll do anything, but I suppose it's worth a try.

[turbow8]

Way? No way? Way?

[SLC_S4]

Not sure if it's true that they were recalled in Europe, but the nhtsa is legit. It sounds promising, and the person there that I talked to made it sound like if they receive enough complaints on the issue, the manufacturer may recall them.

[NOVAS4]

sounds like something ill do when i get home today...

what if everyone called wether or not theirs is messed up...hmmm

well i hope this is actually legit and everyone calls and this works....

anybody have family or anything in europe they can call to see if the europe recall is legit.. i would think if they recalled it there why not here???

[highoutput]

i called really easy to deal with and they are great.

[AudiSportB5S4]

doing this when i get home, last night was redic. i couldnt see shit ! i could of blown up, im going to tell them i am outraged haha

[AMC]

i really do hope they recall it so whenever mine goes bad (hopefully not) i can get it fixed for free i should just call and complain just for the fuck of it lol

[Boris]

les alll do it

[Boris]

i caled wasnt that bad

[1997gtx]

Meh. Mine's fine. But I called anyway for all my peeps. And I complained about the rear view mirror, too.
--Adam

[AudiSportB5S4]

Meh. Mine's fine. But I called anyway for all my peeps. And I complained about the rear view mirror, too.
--Adam

yeah i have that, the "looks like someone pissed all over my mirror" thing going on. i have the yellow oval

[1997gtx]

yeah i have that, the "looks like someone pissed all over my mirror" thing going on. i have the yellow oval

Mine's completely clear, no spots or anything. It just doesn't dim!
--Adam

[2kblacks4]

i had the same problme i had a yellow oval in the middle of the mirror. it weird though i has gone away, it never stopped dimming.

[VonPooper]

my cluster pixels fade in hot weather...

[turbojunkie]

I just called in and reported on both my A4 and S4..... Hopefully this gets a recall.

[mydreamcar]

me too. all we need to say is that it smelled like it was burning too.

[Bart]

I'm going to call tomorrow. Maybe this will work. Its sort of lame considering I just hit 30k miles and I already have missing pixels... its annoying.

[RuS4ty]

dang Bart you only have 30K on your S? Must me nice...

Ill probably call tomorrow, mine always has lines out, just not always the same line.

[Diavan]

Fill up the complaint form on their site as well ...
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

[Diavan]

I just saw this in the B5 A4 section here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=160911. I called and filed a complaint about mine. I think the instrument cluster not working could be considered a safety issue because it displays important warning information. I don't know if it'll do anything, but I suppose it's worth a try.

Apparently it is quoted in the User Manual, the display provides safety related info.

[XSilverJ]

Fill up the complaint form on their site as well ...
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Did it.. I stated the screen doesn't work and I can't see vital safety and hazardous failures of the vehicle and/or parts.. something along those lines.. also added in the rear view mirror

[SLC_S4]

Apparently it is quoted in the User Manual, the display provides safety related info.

Good point!

[NOVAS4]

so does anyone know if they actually DID get recalled in europe.. if they did it jsut doesnt seem fair how they would recall it there and not here when its the same part..

to anyone who has not called yet CALL!... im not trying to pay 800 to get fixed..

[AMC]

funny thing is i think the b6/b7 clusters cost the same price...y is it that our cars are minimum5 yrs old and the parts are stil ls oexpensive...bastard germans

[ES4 Audi-o Tec]

I called and sent in a letter to AoA and to NHTSA a while back. NHTSA responded to me by mail stating there have not been enough failures reported to initiate a recall. This was about a year ago... so the more calls, letters and online forms they get... the better our chance of a recall.

For those whose display is not failing... please support our effort and respond to the NHTSA. They are the ones which will enforce the recall.

[NOVAS4]

I called and sent in a letter to AoA and to NHTSA a while back. NHTSA responded to me by mail stating there have not been enough failures reported to initiate a recall. This was about a year ago... so the more calls, letters and online forms they get... the better our chance of a recall.

For those whose display is not failing... please support our effort and respond to the NHTSA. They are the ones which will enforce the recall.

DO WHAT HE SAYS!

[10SecS4]

Can I call twice and file two complaints since I own two S4s both with crapped out displays.

I'll be selling a couple S4 instrument clusters with perfect LCD screens over the next several months, so keep your eyes on the classifieds section.

[thebigchu]

Great thread! I called them to support the recall.

[quickglx]

Has this been cross posted over on AW, VWVortex, and Audi forums yet??

How many complaints do they need? These driver information clusters are available from 98-02 I think, if they need a percentage of the equipped cars to complain thats going to have to be alot of complaints!

TTT

[SLC_S4]

I haven't posted anywhere else, but maybe someone else has. If not, it would definitely be a good idea to get it onto all of those forums.

[raykwok]

I called lol, mine is crapped out. hey 10SecS4 sell me one now, I'll come pick it up :P

[Jesse S.]

I replaced mine 4 years ago. Thanks to extended warranty I didnt pay a dime.

[10SecS4]

I called lol, mine is crapped out. hey 10SecS4 sell me one now, I'll come pick it up :P

YGPM.

[SLC_S4]

I replaced mine 4 years ago. Thanks to extended warranty I didnt pay a dime.

Who was your warranty through?

[30V]

The website is long and you will need your VIN. My first complaint took a while, the second was a breeze. Meat of what I entered follows:

-----

1. Purchased a 2000 Audi A6 2.7t.
2. The Auto Check system in the instrument cluster does not work especially when warm. The LCD ribbon cable looses contact and doesn't display the information it should. Critical safety information is no longer displayed.
3. Was quoted obscene amounts by Audi dealers to replace entire instrument cluster. $250 for a used cluster that would need the odometer adjusted for an additional fee.

-----

Now I just need to figure out where Audi is listed in the manufacturer list. ???? Choose VW of America, then Audi. Component is listed under Electrical System; Instrument Panel.

Good root cause info. here on the failure and possible fix by DrivingBy (about 1/2 way down page)....
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=29577

[Jesse S.]

Who was your warranty through?

It was a GE Extended Warranty through a local tuner shop.

[SLC_S4]

It was a GE Extended Warranty through a local tuner shop.

And was it any good? Would they warrant a modded car?

[cleveland222]

Just called, and filled out the form online. That'd be awesome if this worked.

[quickglx]

I cross posted this on a few other forums to help spread the word.... I just wonder how many complaints it really takes? And how long if it did work to see some kind of action taken?

[SLC_S4]

I cross posted this on a few other forums to help spread the word.... I just wonder how many complaints it really takes? And how long if it did work to see some kind of action taken?

Way to spread the word! As far as how many complaints it would take and timeframe, I have no idea. I'm sure it'll take a fair amount of time.