NHTSA Complaint #10119758 — 2002 AUDI A6

AUDI A6 3.0 2005 68,000 MI. PREMATURE WATER PUMP FAILURE PREMATURE TIMING BELT FAILURE AS I WAS PULLING INTO A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING SPOT ON 4/25/05, THE CAR BEGAN TO FEEL DIFFERENT AND THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. I SHUT CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY AND IT WAS STEAMING. I TURNED KEY ON AGAIN WITHOUT STARTING ENGINE IN ORDER TO CHECK GUAGES. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF OVERHEATING. OUTSIDE THE CAR THE COOLANT HAD LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. I HAD IT TOWED BY FLATBED TO WINNER AUDI IN WILMINGTON, DE. THEY DIAGNOSED THAT WATER PUMP FAILED AND RESULTED IN TIMING BELT FAILURE, ALSO. QUOTED $2380.00 TO REPAIR THE TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP. ONCE THIS IS COMPLETED, FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS ARE REQUIRED TO DETERMINE IF MORE DAMAGE EXISTS. SERVICE ADVISOR, MICHELLE SUGGESTED I CALL AUDI FOR ASSISTANCE. SHE SAID THAT SOMETIMES THEY WILL AGREE TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE FOR THE CUSTOMER AT THE WARRANTY RATE, WHICH IS HALF THE REGULAR RATE. I CONTACTED AUDI AMERICA CUSTOMER RELATIONS @ 800-822-2834 FOR ASSISTANCE. WILLIE MOORE TOOK MY INFORMATION AND INDICATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, HE WOULD REVIEW THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE WITH MY REPAIR. AFTER PUTTING ME OFF TWICE, SAYING THAT "THE DEPARTMENT WAS CLOSED FOR A FEW DAYS" EACH TIME, HE FINALLY CALLED ME WITH AN ANSWER AFTER 8 DAYS. THE ANSWER WAS THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AUDI WOULD NOT ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY. I COULD NOT HELP BUT WONDER, WHY PUT ME THROUGH 8 DAYS OF WAITING AND FALSE HOPE IF THE ANSWER WAS AS SIMPLE AS THAT! ALL OF US KNEW FROM THE START THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY!