My coolant pump blew around 10K miles. I live in boston. It was cold that morning - single digits. I started the car and heard a flapping noise. I ignored it and drove to get coffee. When the car warmed up, the flapping noise went away so I started out to my destination. About 5 miles down the road, the coolant warning light came on to shut down the engine. I pulled off the highway and turned off the engine. There was smoke coming from the engine compartment and the inside was wet. I called aaa and they towed the car to the Audi dealership. After researching the problem, I learned that many others are having a similar experience. Count me among those that are upset that Audi is not fixing this before it happens. It doesn't have to be a public recall but a simple call from my dealership asking me to come in so they can fix a potentially faulty part.

- Lexington, MA, USA

2010 Audi S4. Consumer states vehicle has a major design flaw in the water pump. Audi issued a service advisory to replace the water pump due to a high potential for water pump failure. The consumer was informed three weeks later by the dealer, that Audi removed the advisory due to lack of supply and that the water pump would only be replaced if the vehicle broke down.

- Jersey City, NJ, USA

On Dec 8, my Audi S4, model year 2010, built end 2009, 11,000 miles, stranded with a leaking coolant system "out of the blue", during moderate highway driving. Warning system indicated to turn off engine and check coolant. Not necessarily safe in the middle of the night on a 8 lane highway. Audi service diagnosed and replaced a defect water pump with an "updated model" (metal body, replacing the "plastic body model"), and refers to this a design flaw. This issue is well known to Audi for the late-2009 built 2010 S4S, but also for Q5 and A6 models. Yet Audi does not inform the owners, while they receive promotional materials on a regular basis. Audi service was well prepared and reports that they can hardly meet demand of new water pumps with incoming cases. The water pump failure seems to be promoted by cold weather (<-5C). Anecdotal evidence from the towing company confirms that 2010 Audi's are prone to being towed this early 2010/2011 winter. Considering the potential safety and engine damage impact of a sudden loss of engine cooling, it is irresponsible to not inform owners so they can watch their coolant level and seek replacement of the water pump.

- Chicago, IL, USA

2010 Audi S4 with V-6 3.0T engine. Returning home after a 7 minute drive, I was 300 ft. From my house when I received an engine message coolant low, turn off engine and check coolant. I stopped in driveway to find my water pump had burst, as with several complaints here. I knew about this problem, as more than 50 other Audi S4 owners have experienced it and it is well documented on Audi owner's forums. My car is undriveable, and will be towed to dealer tomorrow under warranty. Audi of America is aware of this problem and has a campaign to replace the pumps slowly, but refuses to recall despite the possibility of endangering drivers. At the very least, we should be warned of this possibility. It is only through our own research and communication that owners are aware of the problem.

- Wake Forest, NC, USA

While driving home from newark airport on NJ turnpike at 1 a.M., the water pump failed on my 2010 Audi S4. The coolant warning indicated a problem. I made it to a service area within a few miles. I did not want to stop on the side of the road. I opened the hood and found coolant splattered all over the engine with steam rising up. The car was unsafe to drive and had to be towed to the dealer in Edison, NJ. The water pump was replaced by a redesigned unit. Audi has been aware of the problem and this dealer had over 100 vehicles recently towed in the last week or so. I believe that in Canada Audi vehicles have been recalled. The water pump should be replaced with the new unit before cars get stranded on the side of the road.

- Morganville, NJ, USA

I am writing to complain about a design flaw that has been identified in the waterpump used in the 2010 Audi S4 3.0T. Several owners have experienced a waterpump failure which results in the vehicle overheating and partial or full loss of power steering. Owners who have experienced failure have had their 'black plastic' waterpumps replaced with a revised 'aluminum waterpump'. several owners have complained about this issue on various enthusiast forums, but the manufacturer has failed to acknowledge the problem and issue a recall. It is evident that the waterpump is a ticking time bomb that needs to be replaced so individuals are not 1) left stranded on the side of the road, 2) subject to an automobile accident due to lack of power steering, or 3) at risk due to an overheating vehicle. I personally have not experienced the failure on my vehicle, but I am submitting this complaint in hopes that NHTSA will work with Audi to issue a prompt recall for all affected owners. I do have the old revision of the waterpump ('black plastic') on my vehicle and I am worried that I may eventually experience a failure. The following are some posts on various enthusiast boards that highlight the issue: www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/382525-another-waterpump-bites-it..."highlight=waterpump www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/317505-B8-S4-water-pump-failure?highlight=waterpump www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/352343-problems-so-far...-today-the-water-pump-blew?highlight=waterpump www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/349318-my-coolant-broke!!?highlight=waterpump forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?T=2789310&highlight=waterpump forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?T=2789742&highlight=waterpump forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?T=2774524&highlight=waterpump forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php"T=2773666&highlight=waterpump.

- Round Rock, TX, USA