NHTSA Complaint #10448348 — 2009 AUDI A4

THIS AUDI WAS A LEMON FROM THE START AND BOTCHED REPAIRS AT THE DEALER HAVE ONLY MADE IT WORSE. ONE THE 2ND DAY WE OWNED THE CAR THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND WE HAD TO RETURN IT TO THE DEALER FOR MORE OIL. OVER THE NEXT 2 YEARS THE CAR BURNED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL STARTING AT 1 QRT EVERY 2500 MILES AND DETERIORATING TO 1 QRT EVERY 800 MILES. ALL ALONG THE DEALER TOLD US THIS WAS "NORMAL". IN MAY 2011, DEALER TOLD US THAT AUDI HAD INITIATED A TESTING PROGRAM AND IF THE CAR FAILED THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING. IN JUNE 2011, THE CAR FAILED TEST AND THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR 3+ WEEKS CONDUCTING MAJOR ENGINE SURGERY. 6000 MILES LATER WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THEY SAID THEY WANTED TO DO ROUTINE WARRANTY WORK. IN THE COURSE OF THIS WORK, THEY DESTROYED THE TIMING CHAIN AND PISTONS OF THE CAR. 1 WEEK LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IN TALKING TO AUDI TECHNICIANS AT OTHER DEALERS (OFF THE RECORD) THEY SAY THAT THE OIL PROBLEM IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THAT THE FIXES ARE SIMPLY BANDAIDS. APPEARS THAT THE 2012 MODEL HAS BEEN REDESIGNED TO FIX THE ENGINE FLAW. THE NET EFFECT IS THAT THE CAR HAS VISITED THE AUDI DEALER ON AT LEAST A MONTHLY BASIS SINCE WE BOUGHT IT AND HAS SPEND MORE THAN 8 WEEKS IN MAJOR "WARRANTY RELATED" ENGINE REPAIRS. TO TOP IT OFF, AUDI HAS COMPLIMENTED THIS "WORST IN CLASS" PRODUCT EXPERIENCE WITH A "WORST IN CLASS" CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE AS AUDI AMERICA 1-800 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY EITHER ROBOTIC OR RUDE IN TALKING WITH US ABOUT THIS ISSUE. MOST RECENTLY, THEY MADE A LAME OFFER TO REIMBURSE US FOR TOWING EXPENSES AND EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THIS DUBIOUS CAR FOR ANOTHER 12 MONTHS. AMAZINGLY, THEY REFUSE TO PU T THE OFFER IN WRITING UNTIL AFTER ACCEPTANCE. PRESUMABLY SO THAT THEY CAN AVOID LEGAL ISSUES. PLEASE HELP. I AM SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE SUFFERING THIS. *TR