NHTSA Complaint #10230798 — 2003 AUDI RS6

2003 AUDI RS6. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW AND OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS HAVE HAD SHOCK ABSORBER FAILURES ON 3 OF THE 4 CORNERS. LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR SHOCK HAVE EACH FAILED ONCE AND THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK HAS FAILED 4 TIMES. THIS VEHICLE HAS ACCUMULATED LESS THAN 16,500 MILES AS OF 6/12/2008. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT OF SHOCK ABSORBER FAILURE OCCURRED IN MAR 2008 WITH A RIGHT REAR SHOCK. THE SHOCK AND ASSOCIATED CENTRAL CONTROL VALVE WAS REPLACED AT AN AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALER. TWO MONTHS LATER THE SAME SHOCK WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH IT'S ASSOCIATED CENTRAL CONTROL VALVE. THIS WAS AFTER ONLY 600 MILES OF DRIVING. WHEN THE SHOCKS DEPRESSURIZE THE CARS HANDLING IS COMPROMISED AND RESULTS IN UNPREDICTABLE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. ALTHOUGH IN MY CASE AN ACCIDENT HAS NOT OCCURRED AT THIS POINT, IT CERTAINLY COULD SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE AS THE SYSTEM IS UNRELIABLE. THE ONLY THING PREDICTABLE ABOUT THIS "DRC" DYNAMIC RIDE CONTROL SYSTEM IS THAT IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THE SHOCKS FAIL AGAIN. A SINGLE SHOCK FAILURE COSTS BETWEEN $1,200 AND $1,700 TO REPAIR DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SYSTEM AND THE ASSOCIATED PARTS THAT ALSO MUST BE REPLACED. TOTAL COSTS OF REPAIRS TO THE DRC SYSTEM ON MY VEHICLE TO DATE IS OVER $8,000. KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 16,500 MILES ON THE CLOCK AS OF JUNE 2008. THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY COVERED THE COSTS OF THESE REPAIRS FOR THE FIRST 4 YEARS AND NOW THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS COVERING THE COST SINCE THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED LESS A DEDUCTIBLE. IN MY OPINION THE "DRC" SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE WAS EITHER UNDER ENGINEERED OR THE FACTORY HAS A VENDOR PROBLEM WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS. IN ANY CASE THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ANY CAR AND ESPECIALLY FOR A CAR THAT HAD A STICKER PRICE OF $88,000 IN 2003. *TR