2003 Audi Cabriolet problems
The Audi Coupé was a liftback coupé version of the Audi 80, first shown in 1980. The bodywork was shared with the Audi Quattro. The second generation Coupé arrived in late 1988 and was based on the B3 Audi 80, albeit with a different suspension. The Coupé remained in production until the end of 1996 and spawned the Audi S2 series of sports versions. A convertible model arrived in 1991, called simply the Cabriolet, and remained in production until 2000.
Coupé B2 (1980)
The Audi Coupé (B2, Typ 81/85) was a two-door coupé produced and sold by Audi from 1980 to 1988. It was offered as a less expensive version of its turbocharged, permanent four-wheel drive Audi Quattro without turbocharger(s) or four wheel drive. Later, quattro was added as an option (Typ 85). Typ 81 was the internal model code for front-wheel drive Audi Coupés.
The Coupé, first displayed at the Paris Salon 1980, featured a similar body shape to the Quattro, but without the knife-edged fender flares of the more expensive car. Mechanically, the biggest changes from the Quattro to the Coupé were the use of a naturally aspirated 1.9-litre carburettor petrol engine, 2.0-litre, 2.1-, 2.2-, or 2.3-litre fuel injected inline five-cylinder engine and a front-wheel drive drivetrain. Some lesser Coupés were also fitted with a 1.8-litre inline four-cylinder engine, injected or carburetted, and for the very first year of production a 1.6-litre "YN" 75 PS (55 kW) engine was available. The short-lived 1.6 was the only Coupé not to be fitted with a black rear spoiler.
The Coupé was available as just plain "Coupé" or GL (four-cylinders only), "Coupé GT", and "Coupé quattro" (without the GT tag). From 1986 until the end of production in late 1988, the Coupé GT was also available with the 110–112 PS (81–82 kW) 1.8-litre PV/DZ inline-four best known from the Golf GTi. For the last model year, the new 2309 cc "NG" five cylinder was available, offering 136 PS (100 kW) at 5600 rpm. This engine became available during 1987 for the last of the Audi Coupés sold in the US, where it produced 130 hp (97 kW) at 5,700 rpm as opposed to the 110 hp (82 kW) at 5500 rpm available from the 2.2-litre five which had been used since the facelift for model year 1985. The Coupé had originally gone on sale in the US late in model year 1981 with the 100 hp (75 kW) 2144 cc five-cylinder also used in the 5000 (Audi 100).
For the 1983 model year, European models switched from having two separate headlamps to large integrated Bosch units. Apart from changing the appearance, this also provided improved aerodynamics and better lighting.
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Common 2003 Audi Cabriolet problems
The Audi A3 Cabriolet, specifically the 2003 model, has been known to have some common problems, primarily related to the roof mechanism.
- Roof Motor Failures:
Roof motor failures are a prevalent problem in the Audi A3 Cabriolet. These failures can prevent the roof from opening or closing, and in some cases, the roof may not unlock the latches at all.
- Roof Fabric Wear and Tear:
The roof fabric of the Audi A3 Cabriolet can also suffer from wear and tear, leading to problems with the roof mechanism. Regular cleaning and maintenance of the roof fabric can help prevent these issues, but they may still occur over time.
- Roof Hydraulic Fluid Level:
Checking the hydraulic fluid level of the roof mechanism is essential when diagnosing roof problems in the Audi A3 Cabriolet. If the fluid level is low, it may indicate a leak in the system, which could lead to further issues with the roof mechanism.
- Roof Operation Light:
The roof operation light on the dashboard can indicate problems with the roof mechanism. If the light flashes for approximately 5 seconds when the engine is switched on, it may indicate an issue with the roof motor or another component of the roof mechanism.
- Fuses and Electrical Components:
Faulty fuses or electrical components can also cause problems with the roof mechanism in the Audi A3 Cabriolet. Checking the fuses and other electrical components can help diagnose and address these issues.
In summary, the Audi A3 Cabriolet, particularly the 2003 model, has been known to have common problems related to the roof mechanism. These issues include motor failures, problems with the roof fabric, and faults that prevent the rear windows from fully closing. Checking the roof mechanism, including the roof motor, hydraulic fluid level, and electrical components, is essential when diagnosing and addressing these issues.
2003 Audi Cabriolet car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Audi Cabriolet problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Structure problems
- Equipment problems
- Engine problems
- Power train problems
- Visibility problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2003 Audi Cabriolet vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
2003 Audi Cabriolet complaints
The NHTSA has received 5 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2003 Audi Cabriolet.
STRUCTURE,EQUIPMENT,ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2012-01-02
- VIN: WAUAC48H53K
- Components: STRUCTURE,EQUIPMENT,ENGINE
- Summary: I PURCHASED AN AUDI BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING QUALITY. I HAVE A BROKEN HING ON MY GLOVE BOX THAT RARELY IS USED (EST $450), OIL LEAK FROM A CAM SHAFT CHAIN ADJUSTER SEAL (EST $517), BROKEN TRUNK BIN (EST $675), AND NOW A RADIO THAT DOESN'T WORK AND AUDI WANTS ($1,900) SO I CAN GET RADIO RECEPTION. I AM SHOCKED THESE ITEMS HAVE ALREADY WORN OUT ON A CAR THAT HAS ONLY 50,500 MILES AND IS ONLY USED FOR PLEASURE. *TT
POWER TRAIN PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2008-03-10
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: I HAVE A 2003 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET 3.0 WITH CVS TRANSMISSION. I HAVE REPLACED ONE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF OVER 7,500 DOLLARS. THE CAR ONLY HAD 65,000 MILES ON IT AND HAD ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED BY AUDI DEALERSHIP IN TORONTO , CANADA. THE DEALER TRIED TO GET OUT OF PAYING FOR THE REPAIR AND AFTER SEVERAL ARGUMENTS ONLY PARTIALLY COVERED THE COSTS. THE CAR NOW HAS 110,000 MILES ON IT AND AGAIN I AM EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE PRND LIGHTS FLASH BACK AND FORTH AND THE TRANSMISSION IS WINING AND SHAKY AT CERTAIN SPEEDS. OBVIOUSLY AUDI HAS DONE A POOR JOB OF DESIGNING THIS TRANSMISSION AND REPAIR COSTS ARE RIDICULOUS. I HAVE ALSO HAD SEVERAL ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH DASH BOARD LIGHTS , BRAKE LIGHTS BURNING OUT REGULARLY AND POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. MY ADVICE. DON'T BUT AN AUDI UNLESS YOU PLAN ON SELLING IT BEFORE THE WARRANTY IS UP AND IF YOU LIKE SARCASTIC TREATMENT AT DEALERSHIP LEVEL THEN THESE CARS ARE FOR YOU. *TR
VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2010-07-13
- VIN: WAUAT48H23K
- Components: VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE
- Summary: 2003 AUDI A4 CABRIO. VERY LOW MILEAGE, LOW USE. REAR WINDOW DELAMINATES FROM CANVAS ROOF, RAIN WATER COMES IN & SHORTS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TR
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2003-10-10
- Components: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- Summary: WHEN THIS CARS GAS TANK GOES BELOW A HALF TANK, THE GAS CHAMBER DOES NOT ALLOW GAS TO FLOW INTO THE TANK. FOR SOME REASON,THE GAS PUMP RELEASES OR WORSE THE FUEL OVERFLOWS. THE SAFETY OR RISK HERE IS THAT ONE CAN GET STRANDED, BE IN A STRANGE TOWN, FAR FROM HOME LATE AT NIGHT, WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO FILL THE TANK. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL DEALER ON MANY OCCASIONS BUT WITHOUT ANY RESOLUTION. *JB
STEERING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2003-05-14
- VIN: WAUAT48H43K
- Components: STEERING
- Summary: 2003 AUDI A4 CABRIOLET STEERING WAS EXTREMELY NOISY FROM DATE OF PURCHASE ON. GRADUALLY GOT WORSE. STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED BY AUDI SERVICE 3 TIMES TO NO AVAIL. AT ONE POINT, A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING CAUSED DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. AUDI MECHANICS AND DEALER ADMITTED TO FAULTY POWER STEERING IN SOME A4 CABRIOLET MODELS BUT WILL NOT OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGE. AFTER ALMOST 4 MONTHS I'M STILL WAITING FOR A REPLACEMENT CAR. *LA
Other years of Audi Cabriolet
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