NHTSA Complaint #10137186 — 2000 AUDI A4

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2000 A4 1.8T AUDI. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT THE TIMING BELT SHOULD BE REPLACED AT 105,000 MILES. I HAVE 94,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND THE TENSIONER FAILED WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH. WHENEVER I STARTED INVESTIGATING MY OPTIONS FOR REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE I WAS INFORMED THAT AUDI HAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS FAILURES DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THIS TENSIONER. AUDI HAS NEVER MADE ANY ATTEMPTS IN NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THAT THE TENSIONER SHOULD BE REPLACED BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED 105,000 MILES AS STATED IN THEIR OWNERS MAINTENANCE PACKAGE. THE AUDI HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE SO WHENEVER A TIMING BELT FAILS THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE HEAD AND VALVES. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $7,500 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BY AUDI, I CHOOSE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER AUTO SERVICE DEALER FOR REPAIR WHICH COST $4,000. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT AUDI SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE IN EXCESS OF THE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE BELT DUE TO THE FACT THE THEY WERE AWARE OF THE TENSIONER PROBLEMS AND THE DAMAGE IF NOT REPLACED BEFORE WHAT IS STATED IN THEIR OWNERS MANUAL, I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE DECEIVED THE CUSTOMER. *NM