NHTSA Complaint #10352190 — 2005 AUDI A4

AUDI A4 A6 ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM). MY 2005 A4 CAR HAD APPROX 45,000 MILES WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TAKING THE CAR IN FOR AM OIL CHANGE SO I HAD THEM CHECK THE ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TCM AND THE CAR WAS REGISTERING FAULTY SAFETY CODES. I WAS INFORMED THAT IF I DID NOT GET IT FIXED THE CAR COULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING OR THE TRANSMISSION COULD BURN UP WHILE DRIVING. I ASKED WAY THERE HAD NOT BEEN A RECALL AS IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE CAR COULD SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING SEVERE INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. THE UNIVERSITY AUDI SERVICE REPR (JORDAN) STATED IT WAS UP TO AUDI HQ TO MAKE SUCH A CALL. I ASKED IF HE HAD SEEN OTHER ISSUES. HE STATED YES THAT IS WHY AUDI CAME UP WITH AN UPDATED PART. I STATED WELL IF THERE WAS AN UPDATED PART THAT MEANS THE OLD PART WAS NO GOOD AND A RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUE. I CALLED AUDI HQ AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY TRACK THE FREQUENCY OF PART REPLACE AND DETERMINE A RECALL BASED ON THAT. I REPLIED WHAT ABOUT SAFETY AND THE DEATH OR INJURY OF YOUR CUSTOMERS. WHY WOULD YOU NOT EVALUATE AN ISSUE FOR RECALL BASED ON SAFETY? SHE INDICATED AUDI VALUES ITS CUSTOMERS, BUT RELIES ON DEALERS TO REPORT ISSUES. SOUNDS LIKE EVERYONE IS IN DENIAL OF WHO IS RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SAFETY AND LIVES OF AUDI CAR OWNERS. THEN, I WAS TOLD THE AMOUNT OF MORE THAN $1800 DOLLARS. I SAW SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE TCM AND COST OF MORE THAN $2500. NOW I KNOW WHY THEY DID NOT WANT TO ISSUE THE RECALL, BUT INSTEAD UPDATE A PART AND CHARGE ITS CUSTOMERS VERSUS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY ISSUE. I PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, AS IT IS MY ONLY SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION. I DID NOT WANT TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT THE REPAIRS AS THE DEALER CLEARLY STATED THERE WERE SAFETY CONCERNS. IS THIS ANOTHER HIDDEN TOYOTA SITUATION WHERE THE DEALER IS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PROFITS OVER SAFETY? *TR