1999 Audi A4 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 Audi A4, 43% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 84,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “abs brake” (16% of reports).
- 81service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- 84,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 66%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.
- ABS brake: mentioned in 13 of 81 complaints (16%)
- Second delay: mentioned in 8 of 81 complaints (10%)
- Wet braking: mentioned in 7 of 81 complaints (9%)
- Control unit: mentioned in 5 of 81 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 1999 Audi A4 at $2,550, and half of them between $1,550 and $3,350.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2008), 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 36 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 81 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
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.
My audi, along with thousands of others have had their abs control unit malfunction because of design. This malfunction causes the abs to not work on the affected vehicle. Volkswagen, the company that produces audis and vws actually recalled this exact part on their vw vehicles, but for some reason…
I bought an audi a4 1999 1.8t fwd. The next day i bought it the abs orange light came on & brake light flashing non-stop with three beeps when i start the car its been like that for more than a week. Yesterday i took the car to the closest audi dealer and they quote me 1,200 that's a lot since this…
1999 audi q4. Consumer writes in regards to the repair of abs light/brake light problem *tgw the consumer stated he noticed a solid orange abs light on the dashboard and a red light that was blinking intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for repairs. However, while driving, it was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1999 Audi A4s have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 81 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the 1999 Audi A4 (43% of the 190 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 1999 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 84,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 Audi A4?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,550 (half paid between $1,550 and $3,350), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the 1999 Audi A4?
The most frequent phrase is “abs brake”, in 13 of 81 complaints, followed by “second delay” (8).
See all 1999 Audi A4 problems or service brakes, hydraulic problems across all A4 years.