NHTSA Complaint #10140377 — 2002 AUDI A6

1. CAR SEIZED AFTER GOING THROUGH CAR WASH; PRIOR TO THAT, CAR HAD EXPERIENCED ODD ELECTRICAL ISSUES, SUCH AS THE RADIO TURNING ITSELF ON AND OFF AND THE ALARM GOING OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. CAR IS STILL UNDER BOTH THE AUDI OF AMERICA WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS. 2. ENGINE SEIZED. 3. THE REPAIRS REQUIRE AT LEAST A NEW ENGINE AT THE COST OF AT LEAST $13,000.00. HERE IS MY ANALYSIS OF WHY I THINK AUDI IS TRYING TO PREVENT THIS DESIGN DEFECT FROM REACHING STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATORS. IN SHORT, I BELIEVE THAT AUDI IS PURPOSEFULLY DENYING WARRANTY CLAIMS TO PREVENT A RECALL AND ALSO TO PREVENT A WRITTEN RECORD OF THIS DEFECT IN THE CASE OF CLASS ACTION OR PERSONAL INJURY LAW SUIT. SPECIFICALLY, I BELIEVE AUDI OF AMERICA'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS MADE A VERY CALCULATED DECISION: SINCE THE DAMAGE INVOLVES WATER, MOST COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE POLICIES WILL COVER THE DAMAGE (IN FACT, MY INSURANCE CARRIER AGREED TO COVER THE CLAIM, ALTHOUGH THEY SAID THEY WOULD SEEK SUBJUGATION FROM AUDI). FOR THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO PUSH HARD, AUDI WILL COVER THE REPAIRS OUT OF WARRANTY SO THAT AUDI WILL NOT HAVE TO REPORT THIS DEFECT TO STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATORS AND RISK A RECALL AND/OR PROVIDE EVIDENCE IN A CLASS ACTION OR PERSONAL INJURY LAW SUIT. IN FACT, IT WASN'T UNTIL I EXPLAINED MY SUSPICIONS (SOME OF WHICH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP HAD CONFIRMED) TO AN AUDI OF AMERICA SUPERVISOR THAT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE ANY HEADWAY BEYOND, I'M SORRY, THIS IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY ONCE I SET FORTH THE FACTS AND MY ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION, HE CHANGED HIS MANNER AND EXPLANATION IMMEDIATELY. HE EXPLAINED THAT AUDI MANAGEMENT AND LEGAL WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THAT AUDI HAD MADE A DETERMINATION NOT TO COVER REPAIRS CAUSED BY THE CLOGGED DRAIN HOLES UNDER WARRANTY BUT THAT THE DEALER COULD REQUEST A SPECIAL OUT OF WARRANTY SERVICE AND AUDI OF AMERICA WOULD REIMBURSE THE DEALER AT 100% OF ITS COST. *NM