ABS sensor failure on 2000 Audi S4 quattro. Light came on at 114,213. Leading to the brake light to flash along side of it and beep every other minute when your driving down the road. Haven't corrected the problem because I've heard it cost 1,700. Some people don't have that kind of money. Many other people are experiencing the same problem on VW's as well as the Audi in years from 1996-2001.

- Decherd, TN, USA

Driving on the on-ramp, about 40 mph. I was cut off fairly aggressively and had to apply the brakes hard. My brake light lit-up and beeped a few times. My car then began to spin out of control across the freeway (I-40, a major trucking artery). Luckily I did not hit anyone and was able to control the spin. I found out later that my ABS control unit (what a surprise) failed, of course at the most critical time of need for it. Total cost to replace was $800. Audi, in spite of numerous complaints about this part on this car, will not take any responsibility for recalling or reimbursing.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

After having my front brake pads and rotors replaced on my 2000 Audi S4 at 92,671 miles, my ABS and brake lights continued to come on intermittently, but each time I drove the vehicle. After having the diagnostic system scanned, it was determined that my ABS control module needed replaced with parts and labor costing $742.58. I've done research to find that this has been a common problem with Audi. I contacted Audi, but they declined responsibility.

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

I own a model year 2000 Audi S4. The car has approx. 80K miles and the ABS control unit has recently started malfunctioning. There are numerous reports of failures of ABS units on Audi A4 & S4S. These failures occur as early as 30K miles. Upon contacting an Audi dealership in my local area, I was told that they see these failures at least once a week. With this kind of failure rate & at such early mileage, I believe this is a defective part. I'm aware of other Audi owners also having filed complaints about this part. I would like to request a recall of the affected Audi models.

- San Marcos, CA, USA

ABS warning light on dash, accompanied with a flashing brake warning and three beeps. This occurred intermittently and with increasing frequency. Based on some invcestigationg, this appears to be a very common problem with the ABS controller modules on Volkswagen and Audi vehicles. When the module fails, it renders the ABS system inoperative and can lead to rear wheel lockup in emergency stopping manouvers or in slippery road conditions. I have removed the module and had it repaired. This service at an Audi dealer would cost in excess of $1000.

- Los Altos, CA, USA

This is a serious issue requiring attention immediately. There are numerous failures of the ABS control module in 2000 Audi S4's primarily, along with similar makes. This poses a significant safety hazard. Failures are due to a defective design of the control unit portion of the ABS module. The following link indicates how many failures are occurring: www.usedpartslive.com/live/2/year/Audi/model/abs_control_module/ there is a mass market for this item primarily because it is very expensive for owners to replace at the dealer. Recently, dealers have been replacing the control unit separately for ~600-700, but there is no assurance that the new unit is not also defective and prone to failure. It's only a matter of time before this becomes the cause of more potentially fatal accidents.

- Chicago, IL, USA

While driving along ca-35 (skyline boulevard) at approximately 45 mph on Saturday, April 2, 2005 during light to moderate braking around a curve, both the ABS and brake warning lights on my 2000 Audi S4 came on, along with 3 warning tones. Simultaneously, a sudden change in brake feel was detected along with a "thunk" noise from the front region of the vehicle. The following week, I had the car inspected by two independent service and repair organizations, both of which confirmed an intermittent electronic failure in the vehicle's ABS control module (a $1000+ part). Since then, the vehicle experiences 3-4 of these intermittent failures during the course of a driving day. When the failure occurs when the vehicle is not braking, it's annoying but somewhat inconsequential. However, when the problem happens during braking, there is definitely a marked change in braking behavior as the ABS controller goes offline. Under emergency braking situations, I imagine such a failure could be a substantial safety and risk issue. Somewhat taken aback by the total estimated repair costs of $1600+, I decided to do some investigation into the problem at sites such as this (NHTSA ODI), audiworld.com and the web at large. What I found is a consistent pattern of this sort of failure across a wide swath of Audi models during 1999 to 2000. Further, I have also learned that the original part installed on the vehicle was rev. A and replacement parts being installed are rev. E. conveying this information to Audi's client services through two written letters resulted in no action on their part beyond a confirmation of "your vehicle is out of warranty, you must bear the cost of this repair." That'd be fine were this a wear or maintenance item or due to my own negligence; however, I believe the evidence strong that this is a design and/or quality control problem on a critical vehicle safety system.

- Sunnyvale, CA, USA

ABS computer module failure. On the instrument panel, the ABS light came on whle the brake light was flashing and beeping. Took it ot the dealer and the ABS pump with controller was/is bad. The part with labor is $1600. After some research, this part goes bad alot and is a major safty issue. If you brake hard the rear wheels will lock up and the car could spin out of control.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

ABS failure on 2000 S4 with only 60,000 miles. The ABS failure light comes on randomly while driving. I had this problem checked out with a certified Audi mechanic. He states the actual pump is not the problem, but the circuitry that controls the pump is defective, and also states this problem is very common in my model vehicle. ABS failures should be considered as dangerous as a broken seat belt, and should be repaired at the cost of the manufacturer (Audi)

- Downey, CA, USA

While driving 65 mph the brake and ABS lights on the consumer's 2000 Audi S4 began to flash. The consumer ran a diagnostic check which indicated that the ABS module had failed. The consumer found many reports of this failure. The unit was replaced with a new part from Audi (8E0 614 111 E).

- Metuchen, NJ, USA

2000 Audi S4 ABS computer module is defective. Code 01203. The ABS and brake light flash and beep all of the time for no reason. This is a known issue with the ABS units. Aoa has not filled a safety recall for htis item yet. We need to have a safety recall for the ABS computer/module due to potential accidents when wheels lock up and car skids out of control. Numerous other complaints about ABS problems and accidents have been documented due to ABS failure. It is a simple fix but part costs $1K alone not including labor. Looked on forums, it seems to be a simple wiring fix inside of module (apparently there is a poor standard of craftsmanship in the soldering).

- Chandler, AZ, USA

ABS failure: Bosch 5.3 ABS module found in VW, Audi & Porsche fail within the first 60K miles. ABS modules typically last for well over 100K & generally for the life of a car. Audi charges ~$1300 to replace. 3rd party repair is ~$300. ABS becomes disabled & can create unexpected situations especially during inclimate weather. Replacement or repair of the module resolves the issue & ABS functions as expected.

- Bernardsville, NJ, USA

Complaint received via E-mail." I purchased a 2000 Audi S4 quattro with 39K miles on it from a non-Audi dealer in March of 2002. At approximately 50,600 miles my ABS controller failed. This is indicated by a diagnostic trouble code (dtc) in the vehicle's ECU (computer) as well as 3 loud beeps when you start the car and the ABS light staying lit and the red brake light flashing constantly. This part has failed on multiple Audi S4's of the same model year that I know of. Audi would not warranty my part as my factory warranty had expired at 50,000 miles. The parts alone cost approximately $1200 plus the additional cost of the labor to install the part. The results of the ABS controller's malfunction is that essentially, I do not have anti-lock braking in the car, causing under hard braking the possibility of locking the brakes. This happened on numerous occasions. Audi of America has been notified by numerous individuals of this particularly common problem on the 2000 S4S, however, to date, no recalls have been made."

- Arnold, MD, USA

It seems that there is a manufacturing defect among B5 platform Audi A4 vehicles, where either the ABS controller is apt to fail prematurely, or the connection between the controller and the instrument cluster fails. Due to the high frequency of failures, it seems highly unlikely that the ABS controller is at fault and prone to such a high failure rate. Wiring to the instrument cluster seem to be the more likely cause, yet dealers almost exclusively decide to point to the controller, which costs upwards of $1200. This condition is undoubtedly risky and dangerous. A malfunctioning ABS controller can cause the rear wheels of the vehicle to lock up under hard braking, even when releasing the brake.

- Chicago, IL, USA

ABS controller on a 2000 Audi S4 failed after 58K miles. The brake fluid pump and ABS controller unit are all in one, and the cost for repairs is about $1700. It is my belief that this unit should not fail after such low mileage. The car is under full warranty up to 50K miles or 4 years, whichever comes first, but these units are known to fail within the first 60K miles, and in other vehicles they last much longer.

- Somerville, MA, USA