NHTSA Complaint #10236138 — 2000 AUDI A6

THE "AIRBAG MODULES", MANUFACTURED BY BOSCH, IN MANY MODELS OF AUDI AUTOMOBILES APPEAR TO BE FAILING, INEXPLICABLY. THESE MODULES ACT AS THE CENTRAL "BRAIN" FOR A CAR'S AIRBAG SYSTEM AND IF THEY FAIL THE CAR'S AIRBAG SYSTEM IS RENDERED USELESS. IN MY CASE, MY MODULE FAILED INEXPLICABLY AND MUST BE REPLACED ($1000), HAVING NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION OR HAD AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. AUDI AND BOSCH HAVE BEEN UNHELPFUL, GIVEN THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT GIVEN THE CRITICAL NATURE OF A CAR'S SAFETY SYSTEM, AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TAMPERING WITH A COMPUTER MODULE HIDDEN DEEP IN THE RECESSES OF THE CAR, THE MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THIS MAY BE A PERVASIVE PROBLEM, AND IT IS SCARY TO THINK OF HOW MANY CARS ARE OPERATING WITH "FAILED" SAFETY SYSTEMS! *TR