NHTSA Complaint #10592934 — 2007 AUDI A4

I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2013 THE KEY WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN THE IGNITION, AFTER 3 MONTHS, IT LOCKED UP ONE TIME IN THE GARAGE SO I JUST LEFT IT AS IT WAS AND TRIED THE NEXT DAY. AFTER YANKING ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALMOST BREAKING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IT FINALLY STARTED. A WEEK LATER I WAS OUT SHOPPING AND IT DID THE SAME THING - TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD NO WAY OF EVEN TOWING THE CAR BECAUSE THE WHEELS WERE COCKED TO THE RIGHT, KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION - THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TOTALLY FROZEN. A MECHANIC CAME AND GOT THE WHEEL TO MOVE IN TURN ALLOWED THE CAR TO START I HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WITH THE KEY IN IT FOR WEEKS WHILE WE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE. I CALLED THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE CAR, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS PROBABLY THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED - I ASKED THEM WHY THIS WAS NOT CHECKED BEFORE THEY SOLD ME THE CAR THEY INSISTED IT DID NOT SHOW UP IN THE DIAGNOSTICS FOR A CERTIFIED PREOWNED AUDI I TOOK THE CAR TO MECHANIC. AFTER 7 DAYS TEARING THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN OUT THEY FOUND THE WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM AND THE KEY/IGNITION SWITCH WAS BROKEN ALSO THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. AFTER MORE RESEARCH THE MECHANIC FOUND REPORTS ON THE FAULTY, IGNITION SWITCH, AIRBAG LIGHT AND THE WORST THE WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISMS WHICH SOME PEOPLE HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ACCIDENTS. I COULD NOT FIND ANY RECALL INFO AND THIS COST ME A LOT OF MONEY, TIME AND ANGUISH. AUDI WOULD NOT EVEN PERFORM THE DIAGNOSTIC ON THE CAR WITHOUT AN UP FRONT COST, ALSO THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF AFTER IT WAS TAKEN OUT AND PUT BACK IN IT MUST BE RESET WITH A SPECIAL AUDI TOOL AND THEY CHARGE FOR THAT AS WELL. SERIOUSLY I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW BECAUSE IF THIS HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY I COULD BE DEAD FROM THEIR LACK OF CONCERN FOR SAFETY MY AUDI IS A CONVERTIBLE ALL WHEEL DRIVE - SHOULD I TAKE OUT A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY? *TR