NHTSA Complaint #10080768 — 2004 AUDI A4

I HAVE A BRAND NEW 2004 AUDI A4AVANTQUATTRO 1.8. ON JULY 1, WITH 2389 MILES ON THE CAR, I HAD A BLOWOUT OF MY RIGHT REAR TIRE, WHICH IS A GOODYEAR M&S R235/17 LOW PROFILE HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRE. I NEVER HAD A SENSATION OF HITTING ANYTHING ON THE ROAD, BUT HAD ONLY SECONDS TO GET FROM THE FAST LANE OF I-5 IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO, CA ACROSS 5 LANES OF FREEWAY TRAFFIC AND AROUND A CALTRANS MAINTENENCE CREW ON THE SHOULDER, TO SAFETY. BY THE TIME I DID, THE TIRE TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WHEEL 360 DEGREES. SIX DAYS LATER, WHILE HAVING THE TIRE REPLACED AT A LOCAL TIRE STORE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AT MY NEXT OPPORTUNITY, WITH NOW 2750 MILES ON THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT THE FILLER HOSE TO THE GAS TANK WAS PUNCTURED, REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE GAS TANK, AS IT IS ALL ONE PEICE, THAT THE WIRES CONNECTING THE FUEL SYSTEM TO THE CENTRAL COMPUTER WERE DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, THAT A HOLE IN THE SHEATH AROUND THE SHOCK ABSORBER ON THAT WHEEL HAD BEEN PUNCTURED, REQUIRING POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE SHOCK, AND THAT THE ENTIRE WHEEL LINER ON THAT WHEEL WAS GONE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $1600-2000. NEITHER AUDI, NOR THE DEALERSHIP, THUS FAR HAS TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DESIGN FLAWS THAT CREATED THE POSSIBILITY FOR SUCH DAMAGE FROM A FLAT TIRE. I FREQUENTLY DRIVE ALONE, AND WE LIVE IN A HIGH FIRE DANGER AREA. I WAS DRIVING AROUND WITH A LEAKY GAS TANK FOR 5 DAYS BEFORE THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT EVEN WENT ON, NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT A FAULTY SHOCK ABSORBER COULD HAVE CAUSED MY ALL WHEEL DRIVE TO FAIL. I FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE.*AK