NHTSA Complaint #10174459 — 2002 AUDI A4

MY AUDI A4 1.8 TURBO ENGINE MAY HAVE SLUDGING PROBLEM - 80K MILES. CAR ENGINE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATING AFTER DRIVING LONG DISTANCES - ABOUT 1.5 HOURS ON THE ROAD GOING APPROX 60-70 MPH. BUT OIL LEVELS ARE ACTUALLY FINE. OIL LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN DRIVING IN LOCAL COMMUTING AREA. AUDI WILL ONLY COVER THE FIX IF CONSUMERS HAVE RECEIPTS FOR OIL CHANGES PERFORMED WITHIN THE 10K RECOMMENDED MILEAGE. I HAVE TO PAY $2750 ESTIMATED TO FIX THE PROBLEM - SOME ENGINE SLUDGING AND OIL PRESSURE LOW. AUDI WILL NOT COVER. NOTE THAT OWNER'S MANUAL RECOMMENDS OIL CHANGES EVERY 10K AND DOES NOT INDICATE THAT THESE 10K OIL CHANGES MUST BE DONE AT THOSE INTERVALS. MANY OF THESE ENGINES MANUFACTURED BY VW ARE FAILING. IF THE OIL ABSOLUTELY MUST BE CHANGED WITHIN 10K OR 12K MILES OR ENGINE SLUDGING/FAILURE WILL OCCUR - PROPER NOTICE SHOULD BE GIVEN IN OWNER'S MANUAL TO INDICATE THAT THEY OIL CHANGES ABSOLUTELY MUST BE PERFORMED AT 10K MILES OR ENGINE FAILURE WILL OCCUR AND A HIGH RED ALERT MESSAGE SHOULD BE DISPLAYED IN THE DASH WHEN SYSTEM'S CHECK IS PERFORMED BY DRIVER. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE ENGINE WHICH POSES A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED !!! I ACTUALLY TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AT 16,674 MILES BECAUSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING ON THE DASH, DEALERSHIP INDICATED IGNITION COILS WERE BAD AND REPLACED. *JB