NHTSA Complaint #10260167 — 2001 AUDI A6

HUGE OIL LEAK ON MY 2001 AUDI A6 4.2 CAUSED BY THE PCV VALVE FREEZING CLOSED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY CAR 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. THIS ONLY HAPPENS DURING EXTREME COLD WEATHER, COLDER THAT -10 DEG F. NO INDICATION OF THE FREEZE PROBLEM UNTIL THE CAR SLOWS TO BELOW HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND YOU CAN SMELL THE OIL BURNING. THE PCV VALVE FREEZES CLOSED WHICH ALLOWS PRESSURE TO BUILD IN THE CRANKCASE OF THE ENGINE CAUSING OVERPRESSURE AND OIL TO BE FORCED OUT OF THE VALVE COVER GASKETS, IGNITION COIL SEALS, CAM SEALS AND CRANK SEALS. SO MUCH OIL LEAKS OUT THAT IT COVERED THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE FRONT SUSPENSION INCLUDING THE FRONT BRAKES, DOWN THE SIDES OF THE CAR, COVERS THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR INCLUDING THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM. VERY SERIOUS FIRE DANGER AND POSSIBILITY OF NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF OIL ON THE BRAKES. MY CAR DID NOT START ON FIRE AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA AND MY LOCAL AUDI DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THE FREEZING PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED THE INSTALLATION OF A REDESIGNED PCV VALVE. MY CAR IS ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH THE REDESIGNED VALVE, SO NO REPAIR WAS APPLIED. AUDI BLAMES THIS PROBLEM ON DRIVING HABITS OF THE OWNER ALLOWING THE CAR TO IDLE IN EXTREME COLD. I HAVE PICTURES OF MY PCV VALVE WITH ICE INSIDE OF IT AND HAVE CONTACT INFO ON OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM, ONE RESULTING IN A FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP LOCATION IS FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA NAME IS VALLEY IMPORTS, TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. *TR