NHTSA Complaint #10235531 — 1999 AUDI A6

ON MAY 2ND, 2007 I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE FOR REPAIR TO BEVERLY HILLS AUDI SERVICE. SPECIFICALLY I INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE THAT PENETRATED MY SINUSES LIKE SULFUR. BEVERLY HILLS AUDI SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE SAME SMELL AND BURNING SENSATION DURING THAT WEEK. THEY ADVISED ME THAT CERTAIN PARTS NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AND I AUTHORIZED THE REPAIR TOTALING ALMOST $2,000.00. ON MAY 10TH, 2007 I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE AND DROVE IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. ON MAY 16TH, 2007 I CONTACTED BEVERLY HILLS AUDI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND ADVISED MY SERVICE ADVISER THAT I COULD STILL SMELL THE BURNING IN THE CAR AND THAT IT WAS UNBEARABLE. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND ON THE WAY THE CAR BEGAN TO BURN A HORRIBLE SMELL AND WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS THERE WERE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD FROM THE AC VENTS. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO THE LEFT OF THE 405 NORTH FREEWAY AND PUT THE CAR TO A STOP. AT THAT TIME THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY IN FLAMES AND I WAS FORTUNATE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN. I RAN AWAY AND WATCHED THE CAR BLOW UP AND GO INTO COMPLETE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE ARRIVED MINUTES LATER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE DASHBOARD. I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET (NHTSA) IF THEIR HAD BEEN ISSUES WITH AUDI A6 VEHICLES CATCHING ON FIRE AND FOUND THAT THEIR HAD BEEN A RECALL CAMPAIGN INITIATED IN JULY 26TH, 2004. IT STATED THAT IN CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES A FIRE COULD ORIGINATE IN THE LEFT DASHBOARD AREA. I CONTACTED THE BEVERLY HILLS SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED TEN TIMES SINCE THE RECALL WAS INITIATED. RECALL FOR THE AUDI 1999 A6 - RECALL 04V133000. I CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IF NEEDED. AT THIS TIME I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST VW OF AMERICA, AUDI OF AMERICA, AND BEVERLY HILLS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR