NHTSA Complaint #10495096 — 2013 AUDI B8

I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE 2 ISSUES WITH MY STEERING ON THE 2013 AUDI S4 WHEN THE CAR HAD ABOUT 800 MILES ON IT AND THE ISSUE GOES ON AND OFF. THE CAR EQUIPPED WITH AUDI DRIVE SELECT CONTROLS AND THE ISSUE IS MORE PREVALENT IN COMFORT MODE, HOWEVER ALSO CAN BE FELT IN DYNAMIC (HOWEVER STEERING IS MORE TIGHT IN DYNAMIC). 1. DEAD CENTER AND DISCONNECTED FEEL - WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS POINTED STRAIGHT AT 12 O'CLOCK THERE SEEM TO BE "DEAD" ZONE A FEW DEGREES TO EACH SIDE THAT CREATES A FEEL THAT STEERING IS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED. FEW TIMES DURING SIMPLE MANEUVERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SUCH AS CHANGING THE LINE QUICKLY (REQUIRES SAY LEFT AND RIGHT WHEEL MOVEMENT) THE WHEEL SLEEPS THROUGH THE CENTER ZONE WITH THE FEEL OF NOT BEING CONNECTED TO WHEELS AND THE CAR SEEMS TO BE ON ITS OWN, BUT WHEN THE CENTER "DEAD ZONE" IS PASSED IT SEEM TO FIND THE GROUND AND "RECONNECT" WITH THE CAR. THIS CREATES A SAFETY CONCERN THAT I CAN'T CONTROL THE CAR. THE STEERING WORKS FINE AT BIGGER TURNS. ALSO "DEAD CENTER" FORCES ME TO CORRECT STEERING ALL THE TIME WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH CREATES A FLOATY FEEL IN GENERAL. THE DEAD CENTER ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE SECOND ISSUE: 2. NOTCHY FEEL - THE STEERING DOESN'T REACT ON SMALL INCREMENTAL STEERING WHEEL TURNS, BUT THEN WHEN THE DEAD CENTER IS PASSED IT BITES AND TRIES TO OVERCOMPENSATE WITH THE TURN. SO THERE ISN'T A PROGRESSIVE TURN FEEL, BUT IT'S GOING FROM NO TURN, TO MORE THEN REQUIRED TURN WHICH CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME. SEEING AUDI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND HAVING THE CAR THERE FOR 3 DAYS THEY NOTED THAT: "CAR OPERATES WITHIN MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS" AND WHEN THEY TESTED ANOTHER S4 ON THE LOT - IT HAD SIMILAR FEEL. HOWEVER I DO BELIEVE IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN AND BAD IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST. *TR