NHTSA Complaint #10226445 — 2003 AUDI RS6

I OWN AN AUDI RS6 AND RECENTLY MY CAR'S SUSPENSION IN PARTICULAR THE SHOCKS FAILED. THE SYSTEM IS CALLED DRC AND USES HYDRAULIC SHOCKS THAT ARE CROSS CONNECTED THROUGH CENTRAL VALVES. WHEN ANY OF THEM LEAK OR FAIL THE OPPOSITE SHOCK WILL HAVE NO OR REDUCED PRESSURE AND FAIL TOO. WHEN THE SHOCKS STARTED TO GO THE CAR WOULD JUMP WHEN TAKING CURVES FOR INSTANCE THAT HAVE EXPANSION JOINTS ON THE INTERSTATE...THE REAR OF THE CAR WOULD HOP SIDEWAYS. THERE IS A VERY UNSTEADY CONDITION WHEN IT STARTS TO FAIL. THERE IS NO REAL WARNING AND NO WAY TO TELL WHEN THE SYSTEM IS FAILING. ONLY ONCE FULL PRESSURE IS LOST AND THE CAR BECOMES VERY TWITCHY IS IT OBVIOUS SOMETHING IS WRONG. THE DESIGN OF THE SHOCKS SEEMS TO BE INADEQUATE TO LAST A NORMAL LIFE AND ANY OF THEM FAILING CAUSES FULL LOSS OF THE SYSTEM ALL FOUR OF MY SHOCKS WERE LEAKING AT ONCE AND THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED (ALL FOUR SHOCKS AND THE TWO CENTRAL VALVES). NO INDIVIDUAL SHOCK CAN BE REPLACED WITHOUT DOING THEM IN PAIRS AND REPLACING THE CENTRAL VALVES EACH TIME OR THE CORRECT PRESSURE CANNOT BE MAINTAINED. AUDI OF AMERICA REFUSES TO COVER THE SHOCKS UNDER WARRANTY ALTHOUGH THEY FAIL CONSTANTLY AND NOT FOR WEAR OR AGE REASONS. MINE WERE COVERED BY MY DEALER AS AN ACK OF GOODWILL BUT OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE COST ME $2400. NEXT TIME, WHICH THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME THEY WILL NOT BE COVERED. THERE IS NO REAL ASSURANCE THAT THE NEW SHOCKS WILL LAST. *TR