NHTSA Complaint #10366212 — 2010 AUDI Q5

VEHICLE WAS SITTING OVERNIGHT IN SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES (APPROX 30 DEGREES F). STARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS NO LONGER BLOWING HOT AIR INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, AND SOON THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT FLASHED. I PULLED OVER QUICKLY, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THERE WAS COOLANT SPREAD THROUGH OUT THE ENGINE BAY DUE TO THE WATER PUMP FAILING. I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE. AUDI SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AND IS REPLACING SOME WATER PUMP'S PRIOR TO THEM FAILING, AND NOT REPLACING OTHERS. I CONTACTED 2 SEPARATE AUDI SERVICE CENTERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE MY WATER PUMP REPLACED AS I WAS ABOUT TO TRAVEL TO CANADA WITH THE CAR FOR A VACATION AND DID NOT WANT TO BE STRANDED. BOTH TIMES I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS. SUCH A HIGH RATE OF FAILURE FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT ENGINE COMPONENT CANNOT BE TOLERATED, ESPECIALLY WHEN FAILURES ARE OCCURRING ON ENGINES WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. FORTUNATELY THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN A LARGE CITY WHERE I HAD ACCESS TO AN AUDI SERVICE CENTER. IF IT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS IN TRANSIT TO MY DESTINATION I MAY HAVE BEEN IN A REMOTE LOCATION WHERE I COULD NOT EASILY RECEIVE HELP IN A TIMELY MANNER, PUTTING MY LIFE IN RISK, ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER SEASON. PLEASE SEE THIS THREAD FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OTHER KNOWN OCCURRENCES OF FAILURE: HTTP://FORUMS.AUDIWORLD.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=2791558