NHTSA Complaint #10125298 — 2004 AUDI A6

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS ISSUE I AM HAVING WITH MY 2004 AUDI A6 2.7T S LINE. THE ISSUE IS THE 18 INCH RIMS AND TIRES DELIVERED WITH THE CAR. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES, I NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR SHAKES, VIBRATES AND DRIVES ROUGH. IN ADDITION, I EXPERIENCED 3 TIRE FAILURES INCLUDING 1 BLOW-OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY (LUCKILY, I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE). I HAVE NOW BEEN IN CONTACT WITH 4 NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA AUDI DEALERS AND THE HEAD ENGINEER OF THE TIRE MANUFACTURER IN THE UNITED STATES, CONTINENTAL TIRE COMPANY, SUPPLYING ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES FOR THE A6 2.7T S LINE. ALL THE DEALERS AND THE TIRE MANUFACTURER HAVE INDICATED THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE 18 INCH RIMS IN THE NORTHEAST AREA. SPECIFICALLY, 60-70% OF THE TIRES FITTED ON THESE 18 INCH RIMS ARE TYPICALLY DAMAGED AND RETURNED TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER AND THE MAJORITY OF THESE 18 INCH RIMS (EQUIPPED ON THE A6 2.7T) TYPICALLY BECOME BENT BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT WITHSTAND WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS (I.E., POTHOLES CAUSED FROM THE COLD WEATHER AND SNOW) IN THE NORTHEAST UNITED STATES. THEY ALL INDICATED THESE 18 INCH RIMS SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN DELIVERED WITH THE A6 2.7T IN THE NORTHEAST UNITED STATES MARKET. INSTEAD, THEY SUGGESTED I CHANGE TO 16 INCH RIMS AS WAS THE CASE IN EARLIER YEAR A6 2.7T MODELS (2000-2002), WHEN THE A6 2.7T CAME WITH 16 INCH RIMS AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH AUDI IN GERMANY AND THE U.S. THEY REFUSE TO HELP IN ANY WAY. THIS ISSUE POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE PUBLIC AS TIRES ON THESE RIMS IN THE NORTHEAST UNITED STATES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BLOW OUTS, WHICH COULD CAUSE MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND ASSOCIATED FATALITIES AND/OR INJURIES. TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S WELFARE AND SAFETY, I BELIEVE THE NHTSA SHOULD FORCE AUDI TO RECALL THE VEHICLES WITH THESE 18 INCH RIMS AND REPLACE THEM WITH SAFE EQUIPMENT (I.E., 16" RIMS AND TIRES).