1998 Audi A4 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 112 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1998 Audi A4, 43% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 84,190 miles. The words owners use most often: “heavy rain” (8% of reports).
- 112service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 84,190median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 42%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Heavy rain: mentioned in 9 of 112 complaints (8%)
- ABS control: mentioned in 8 of 112 complaints (7%)
- Wet braking: mentioned in 7 of 112 complaints (6%)
- Brakes work: mentioned in 7 of 112 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes, hydraulic repair on the 1998 Audi A4 at $2,550, and half of them between $2,100 and $4,100.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2008), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 32 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 112 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Audi A4 service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 A4 | 1 | 10% | 30,000 |
| 2008 A4 | 1 | 1% | 10,000 |
| 2007 A4 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2006 A4 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2005 A4 | 1 | 0% | 15,158 |
| 2004 A4 | 4 | 2% | 48,250 |
| 2003 A4 | 1 | 0% | 7,000 |
| 2002 A4 | 3 | 2% | 87,000 |
| 2001 A4 | 28 | 21% | 63,650 |
| 2000 A4 | 47 | 49% | 81,925 |
| 1999 A4 | 81 | 43% | 84,000 |
| 1998 A4 | 112 | 43% | 84,190 |
| 1997 A4 | 14 | 14% | 130,000 |
| 1996 A4 | 11 | 12% | 23,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. A control valve in the vacuum hose connecting the brake booster to the intake manifold may not open or close fully at temperatures below -4 f under certain driving conditions.
Risk: This condition could cause insufficient vacuum to be provided to the brake booster.
Fix: Dealers will install a vacuum by-pass system into vehicles operated in these states which is designed to provide sufficient vacuum for full brake assist under all weather conditions.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The anti lock brake control modulator unit failed, and now i have brakes that do not work. At the slightest pedal pressure, all 4 wheels will have a strong pulsating, giving you about 1/3 of the braking pressure that is needed. Volkswagens used a nearly identical part, and their abs controller is…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 audi a4. While the vehicle was parked, he notice the abs light was on and the brake light was flashing on the dashboard. The contact stated that he was a mechanic and tried to scan information from the abs modular and was unable too. He stated he was unable to repair the…
The abs control unit on my audi a4 failed after 95,000 miles. I have no anti-lock braking and audi has denied any responsibility for the part since it is out of warranty. Searching through audi forums i found this failure to be very common and everyone had no abs until the control unit was replaced…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Audi A4s have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 112 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 1998 Audi A4 (43% of the 258 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Audi A4 service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?
The median reported mileage is 84,190 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1998 Audi A4?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,550 (half paid between $2,100 and $4,100), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1998 Audi A4?
The most frequent phrase is “heavy rain”, in 9 of 112 complaints, followed by “abs control” (8).
See all 1998 Audi A4 problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all A4 years.