2003 Audi allroad Pros and Cons at TrueDelta: Nice ride, but... by erichoffer

Materials & workmanship

One of the best aspects of this car is the solid construction and feel. There is plenty of room all around, and the interior is well configured and constructed. Great on long drives. Looks and feels nice.

Ride smoothness

Reliability & durability

Once you've got miles on this car, you are going to pay for the problems you will ultimately encounter. While we loved the ride, we felt like we were constantly addressing issues with this car. The most frequent and costly issues were related to the air suspension that it uses. It is prone to leakage, which can be at the central hub or in any of the lines out to the bags. Other issues included CV boots, axles, wheel bearings, alignment (difficulties getting proper adjustment due to configuration with frame, and locking of adjusters), control arms, cabin air temp computer, window switches, window regulators, inexplicable roasting of battery cable, EGT sensors (expensive and relatively useless). Sunroof drains often clog, particularly troublesome, and should have been avoidable based on experience simply by increasing the line size. One of the most MORONIC design aspects is the inclusion of drain plug cones under the battery beneath the cowling at the rear of the engine compartment. They are unobservable and relatively inaccessible, yet are treated as a maintenance item. When they plug, which they will do, the result is that water coming down your windshield will fill the trough beneath the cowling, and will overflow into the cabin air intake, flooding your floor and damaging the transmission controller module located beneath the passenger seat.