Was Audi case a bum steer or bad luck?

Question: I own a 1998 Audi A4 Avant. With the odometer at 43,000 miles, my dealer found a number of problems. The tie-rod assembly on the driver’s side failed, which occurred after both sides were already replaced during a recall. The dealer said the tie-rod end allowed the wheel to jiggle by a quarter-inch.

I paid $450 to have it fixed. Since I have never had to replace any tie-rod ends, I’m wondering if this might be considered premature wear?

In addition, my radiator has developed a small leak. Can I use a stop-leak additive? And a camshaft seal appears to be leaking oil. What about a stop-leak product here?

-- H.S.

Answer: Your question is somewhat troubling, because it appears that the first repair did not take care of the defect. If that’s the case, Audi should have paid for the second repair under the recall.

Of course, tie-rod ends are not supposed to fail at the rate of once every 20,000 miles -- such premature failures are one reason for safety recalls. Safety recalls, unlike extended warranties or goodwill campaigns, put responsibility on the manufacturer to fix the problem anytime within the first 10 years of service.

It is plausible -- but seems unlikely to me -- that some problem other than the defect caused the failure the second time around.

Audi representatives did not respond to calls for comment.

The A4 safety recall was issued in October 1999, based on concerns that defects in the tie-rod end could cause “diminished steering control of the vehicle,” according to the recall notice as reported by automotive publisher Alldata.

The recall warned that water and dust could enter a swiveling bearing mechanism because a rubber seal had not sealed properly. Over time, water and dirt could wear out the mechanism, causing loose steering. The notice advised owners to contact the company and visit their dealers for free service.

Tie-rod ends are part of the linkage that carries movement from the steering wheel to the tires, allowing the wheels to move up and down and sideways, while the rest of the system remains connected to the car’s body.

As a result, the bearing mechanism undergoes a lot of movement and wear. The rubber seals are important, because the part may be exposed to dirt, gravel, grease, tar, ice, snow and water. But tie-rod ends are quite resilient and often last the life of the car.

I also am troubled by the $450 the dealer charged you. Again, the repair probably should have been free under terms of the recall. Beyond that, according to Alldata’s rate calculation, the labor time to change both joints on an inner tie-rod end would be about one hour, which should have cost $60 to $80. The part cost about $135.

You may want to call Audi at (800) 822-2834 or the company’s parent, Volkswagen, at (800) 822-8987, to complain. If you do not get a satisfactory answer, call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hotline at (888) DASH-2-DOT.

As for the leaks, a stop-leak additive is generally bad news if you plan to keep a car for any length of time. These products work by swelling the seals. This is fine for a while, but then the seals eventually enlarge again and you have the same problem.

In an engine, moreover, you’ll be affecting every seal, so you can’t predict what kind of problems you will create down the road.

Repairing a camshaft seal should take about two hours of labor and cost about $5 for the part. Find a good independent mechanic or a different dealer and you should get this done for about $100. If the leak is minor and you aren’t worried about staining your driveway, just ignore it and watch your oil level.

The radiator is more crucial, because you don’t want to risk overheating your engine. You could get it repaired, but typical late-model radiators are plastic and not worth fixing. A new radiator for a car with an automatic transmission will cost about $300, though you can find an off brand for less on the aftermarket.

Some of these off brands are of suspect quality, but then your original Audi radiator lasted only 43,000 miles, so that’s nothing the manufacturer can boast about either. Labor will take about 3 1/2 hours.

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Ralph Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but responds in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Please do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, Business Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. E-mail: ralph.vartabedian@latimes .com.