NHTSA Complaint #10179409 — 1999 AUDI A4

MY HUSBAND AND I OWN A 1999 AUDI A4. ON 01/19/07 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE I-15 FREEWAY AT 75 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT ME PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. I BRAKED, AND THE CAR SLOWED A LITTLE, BUT I STILL FELT TENSION, LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO PUSH FORWARD. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN THOUGH MY FEET WERE NOT TOUCHING ANY OF THE PEDALS. I TRIED PUTTING MY FOOT UNDER THE GAS PEDAL AND PULLING IT UP IN CASE IT HAD FROZEN IN A DEPRESSED POSITION, BUT IT WAS NOT FROZEN. THE PEDAL FREELY MOVED UP AND DOWN. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE RACED TO 7500 RPM WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL (MY FEET WERE COMPLETELY OFF ALL PEDALS). I QUICKLY TURNED THE IGNITION OFF DRIFTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO BE LOOKED AT A SHOP THAT SPECIALIZES IN AUDI/VW CARS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE A HISTORY OF COMPLAINTS WITH AUDI CARS FOR UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THEY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS IN THE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH CAN FREEZE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. ACCORDING THE MECHANIC, MOST REPORTED CASES INVOLVE COLD TEMPERATURES AND DRIVING LONG DISTANCES. I WAS DRIVING FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 5 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EARLIER RECALL ON THE A6 MODEL THAT HAD THE SAME THROTTLE BODY AS OURS, BUT WHEN WE CALLED THE DEALER THEY TOLD US THAT OURS HAD NO RECALL. THEY WILL TAKE A LOOK AT IT THIS WEEK. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR VEHICLE. I HAVE COME ACROSS AN ENTRY ON A DISCUSSION BOARD WHERE SOMEONE REPORTED THE EXACT SAME INCIDENT WHILE DRIVING A 2007 A4. LUCKILY I WAS IN A RURAL AREA WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES. I AM AFRAID THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND CAUSE A MORE SERIOUS, MAYBE FATAL ACCIDENT. NOTE: PURCHASE DATE WAS ESTIMATED. EXACT INFORMATION IS IN THE CAR AT THE SHOP. *NM