NHTSA Complaint #10071212 — 2000 AUDI TT

REASON FOR SERVICE CALL: NO HEAT DIAGNOSIS BY AUDI DEALER: INTERNAL SHORT IN A/C CONTROL HEAD ESTIMATE OF COST TO REPLACE THE A/C CONTROL HEAD- $900.00 I DENIED AUTHORIZATION FOR THE $900.00 REPAIR. WHEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME, THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD ONLY DELIVER HEAT AND AT A VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE. THERE WAS NO ADJUSTMENT OF TEMPERATURE NOR COULD THE SYSTEM BE SHUT DOWN. EVEN WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM CONTROLS WERE SET IN AN OFF POSITION, HEAT CONTINUED TO TRICKLE THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SUGGESTED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS AN EXAMPLE OF ERRATIC ACTIVITY EXPECTED FROM A SHORT IN THE A/C CONTROL HEAD AND SAID I WOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF ANOTHER SERVICE CALL: $106.00 TO SHUT OFF THE HEAT OR SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM (AS I REQUESTED). I ARRANGED TO MEET WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND SERVICE FOREMAN THE FOLLOWING DAY. CLIMATE CONTROL WAS CHECKED VIA THE SCAN TOOL AND HAD MULTIPLE FAULTS RECORDED FOR FLAP MOTORS. ATTEMPT TO SET BASIC SETTINGS OF MOTORS WAS UNSUCCESSFUL; ALL MOTORS RECORDED FAULTS. SERVICE FOREMAN CONCLUDED THAT THE CLIMATE CONTROL HEAD WAS FAULTY. I CONSULTED WITH THE FOREMAN ON OPTIONS TO SHUT OFF HEAT TO THE CABIN AND AGREED TO HIS SUGGESTION TO REMOVE THE TEMP FLAP CONTROL MOTOR AND SET FLAP IN COOL POSITION. MOTOR AND ATTACHED PARTS HAVE BEEN STOWED BY OWNER FOR POSSIBLE REINSTALLATION AT A LATER DATE. SERVICE MANAGER AND I MADE A GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT TO SPLIT THE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL REPAIR. MY PORTION WAS $53.56. 2000 AUDI TT HAD A 3 YEAR WARRANTY. DUE TO EARLY RELEASE OF VEHICLE, I TOOK DELIVERY OF CAR IN JULY 1999. THE WARRANTY FOR THE 2001 MODEL WAS EXTENDED TO 4 YEARS.