NHTSA Complaint #10241885 — 2007 AUDI Q7

MY CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW ON AUGUST 31, 2007 AND HAS 20068 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. 1. DURING A THUNDERSTORM, I ENTERED MY CAR AND PLACED MY UMBRELLA ON TO THE PASSENGER SEAT AND GOT INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT. SOME OF THE RAIN WATER DRIPPED OFF THE UMBRELLA AND ONTO THE FACE PLATE OF THE MMI CONTROL UNIT LOCATED ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE MMI CONTROL UNIT SHORTED OUT AND FAILED. THIS FAILURE STOPPED MANY OF THE ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS THE MMI UNIT OPERATED, IE., THE GPS NAV. SYSTEM, THE RADIO, THE BLUE TOOTH TELEPHONE, THE OPERATING CONTROLS OF THE AUTO, CD, VEHICLE SETTINGS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS (FRONT& BACK) AND ALL THE REST OF THE CONTROLS THE MMI SYSTEM OPERATES. 2. THE FAILURE SEEMED TO BE PERMANENT. I WAS UNABLE TO OPERATE ALL OF THE FUNCTIONS FROM THIS CONTROLLER. 3. I CONTACTED THE AUDI DEALER IN BUFFALO, NY AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A WARRANTY COMPONENT UNDER THE AUTO WARRANTY. I ARRIVED AT THE AUDI DEALER SERVICE DESK AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED. WHERE IN THEY ADVISED ME THAT IF THERE WAS ANY MOISTURE FROM WATER, SOFT DRINKS, COFFEE OR TEA SPILLED ONTO THIS CONTROL UNIT, IT WOULD SHORT OUT ELECTRICALLY AND CEASE TO OPERATE. THE SERVICE PERSON STATED THAT THE AUDI LIMITED WARRANTY (4 YEARS OR 50,000 MILES) PAGE #4 OF WARRANTY MANUAL: ITEMS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT, SUCH AS WHEEL ALIGNMENT, TIRE BALANCING, HEADLIGHTS, DOOR, SHIFT LINKAGE, AND SUNROOF ADJUSTMENTS, NOT CAUSED BY OUTSIDE INFLUENCE OR NORMAL WEAR ARE COVERED ONE TIME WITHIN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OR 6000 MILES WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST, ETC... I EXPLAINED THAT THIS MMI DID NOT NEED AN ADJUSTMENT...IT FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY WOULD NOT COVER THIS $800.00 PLUS DOLLARS TO REPLACE THIS UNIT. IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY, I HAD NO CHOICE, I PAID THE AMOUNT. THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. I TOLD THEM THAT THE CAR MANUFACTURER MADE A DESIGN AND ENGINEERING ERROR IN NOT WATERPROOFING THIS CONTROL UNIT. *TR