NHTSA Complaint #10256347 — 2006 AUDI A4

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 AUDI A4 FROM PITTSBURGH TO VA MONDAY 1/18/09. APPROX 2 HRS INTO THE DRIVE, WHILE DESCENDING A HILL ON INTERSTATE 70 I WENT TO BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN AND THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INSTEAD. I HAD BEEN DRIVING IN THE 6TH GEAR OF THE TIPTRONIC MODE. SO I THREW IT OVER TO DRIVE MODE INSTEAD THINKING MAYBE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE OTHER MODE. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE I COULD HEAR THE ACCELERATION CONTINUING AND WHEN REMOVING MY FOOT FROM BRAKE THE CAR TOOK OFF UNTIL I HIT BRAKE AGAIN. PANICKED I TRIED TO GET OVER FROM THE PASSING LANE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN A CAR I ALMOST HIT AND AN 18 WHEELER. ONCE OVER ON SIDE I THREW ON EMERGENCY BRAKE AND COULD STILL HEAR AND FEEL CAR ACCELERATING. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT COMPLETELY. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AND SHAKING. I IMMEDIATELY CHECKED THE FLOOR TO SEE IF SOMETHING HAD OBSTRUCTED THE GAS AREA. ALL MATS WERE IN PLACE AND NOTHING APPEARED UNUSUAL. I THEN CHECKED FOR MY CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE NEVER USED IT IN THIS CAR AND ACTUALLY HAD TO FIND THE LEVER. THOUGHT MAYBE I BUMPED IT WHILE USING THE WIPERS. THE CC IS ON THE OTHER SIDE AND NO WHERE NEAR ANYTHING I WOULD HAVE TOUCHED. I CALLED AUDI ROADSIDE AND THEY TOWED IT TO FREDERICK MD. I CALLED AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING TO ALERT THEM. THEY SEEMED RESPONSIVE AND CONCERNED. THE AUDI DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THEY SAID THEY TRIED TO REPLICATE IT. I ASKED IF THAT MEANT THEY DROVE IT AT NIGHT FOR 2 HOURS IN 13 DEGREE WEATHER IN THE 6TH GEAR OF TIPTRONIC MODE? THEY SAID NO THEY CONDUCTED COMPUTER TESTS AND FOUND NOTHING. I HAD TO PICK UP MY CAR THAT I AM NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE. I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON WHO NOW SEEMS TO NOT BE RETURNING MY CALLS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME & I NEED TO FIND ANSWERS &/OR GET ANOTHER VEHICLE I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. I READ SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA SITE FOR THIS CAR & YEAR. *TR