NHTSA Complaint #10197980 — 2000 AUDI A6

THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING LECEL OF GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE CAR. THE PROBLEM: THE FUEL TANK BREATHER HOSE IS CONNECTED TO THE FUEL TANK BY A PLASTIC CONNECTOR. THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR WAS BROKEN. IT IS PHYSICALLY LOCATED WHERE NOTHING CAN CONTACT IT. IT JUST BROKE OVER TIME. IT'S CLEARLY NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE (THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY), BUT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONNECTOR CAN NOT BE PROCURED SEPARATELY FROM THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK. THE COST TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK WOULD BE ABOUT $2,000. A REPAIR (HOPEFULLY) WAS MADE BY EPOXYING THE CONNECTOR, AFTER DROPPING THE FUEL TANK TO REACH IT. A CALL TO AUDI TO REPORT THE CONCERN AS A SAFETY ISSUE WAS NOT REWARDING. THEY INSISTED THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL PURSUE THIS FURTHER IS IF WE TAKE THE CAR TO THE AUDI DEALER (THE REPAIR WAS MADE AT AN AUDI SPECIALTY SERVICE CENTER), THAT WE PAY THEM (APPROXIMATELY $500) TO DROP THE FUEL TANK TO JUST LOOK AT THE CONNECTOR TO SEE IF IT INDEED WAS BROKEN. IF WE DO NOT PAY THEM THIS MONEY, SO THEY CAN SEE IT, THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE US AND WILL NOT PURSUE THIS FURTHER AS A POSSIBLE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR