Vehicle recall R/1999/072

Audi A8 and others recall: Potential premature wear of steering ball joints

DVSA recall R/1999/072 names the Audi A8, Audi A6 and Audi A4. It was launched 1 November 1999. It covers vehicles built 1 March 1998 to 31 August 1998.

Recall data updated 22 September 2026

Recall: R/1999/072
Launched: 1 November 1999
Issued by: AUDI
Vehicles: 38,307 across the whole recall

What can go wrong

Faulty seals could lead to premature wear of the track rod bearings (ends) and if the warning noises are ignored it is possible that the track rod bearing pin could work loose and affect steering control.

The fix

Recall vehicles in order to replace the track rod ends with ones fitted with an improved seal.

Models and build dates

As listed in the DVSA recall file. DVSA gives one vehicle number for the whole recall: 38,307.
Model	Built
Audi A4	1 March 1998 to 31 August 1998
Audi A6	1 March 1998 to 31 August 1998
Audi A8	1 March 1998 to 31 August 1998

Is a specific car affected? A recall lists models and build dates, not individual vehicles, so these pages cannot tell you whether one car is included. Enter the registration on the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK, or give the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the manufacturer or one of its dealers. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof that any recall work was done.

Other recalls for these models

R/1998/106 Possible insecurity of brake pedal 14 January 1999, Audi A4
R/1997/075 Unscheduled deployment of drivers air bag 26 November 1997, Audi A8, Audi A4, Audi A6
R/1997/049 Front seat belt height adjuster 28 June 1997, Audi A6, Audi A4, Audi A3
R/2002/112 Brake pedal bracket may crack 1 August 2002, Audi A6
R/2002/143 Airbag may not deploy 26 October 2002, Audi A3, Audi TT, Audi A6 and others
R/1996/049 Loss of tyre pressure 1 July 1996, Audi A8

Found one you might buy?

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA vehicle recall records (RecallsFile.csv), recalls launched 1992 to 2026. Recall data updated 22 September 2026.

Recall wording is DVSA's, with capitals and punctuation tidied and American spellings such as tire, center and windshield given in British English. We list a recall when its make and model match a car or van family with at least 1,000 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, and when the maker of the vehicle issued it.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. Methodology · Data sources