NHTSA Complaint #10661191 — 2012 AUDI Q5

MY VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL KEYLESS ENTRY/OPERATION CALLED AUDI ADVANCED KEY. I DROVE THE VEHICLE USING THE KEYLESS FEATURE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES TO PICK UP CHILD FROM SCHOOL. THE KEY WAS IN MY PURSE AND PLACED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT. UPON RETURNING HOME, THE CAR WAS PARKED IN ITS USUAL OUTSIDE PARKING SPOT. I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND UNLOCKED ALL DOORS USING THE BUTTON ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR (ALL DOORS ARE SET TO AUTOMATICALLY LOCK UPON DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOVE 5MPH). NEVER MOVING MY PURSE AND KEY FROM THE FRONT SEAT WHERE INITIALLY PLACED, I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DOOR TO RETRIEVE MY CHILD. UPON CLOSING THE DOOR, THE VEHICLE BEEPED AND LOCKED THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY - WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN UNUSUAL IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE EVEN IF THE KEYS WERE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. AUDI ADVANCED KEY SYSTEM SHOULD NOT ALLOW A VEHICLE TO LOCK WHEN KEYS ARE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED MY CHILD TO BE STRANDED, STILL STRAPPED TO HIS CAR SEAT (2-YEARS OLD) FOR OVER HALF AN HOUR UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. A CALL TO 911 EMERGENCY SERVICES WAS MADE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED. THE VEHICLE IS WELL MAINTAINED ONLY BY AN AUDI DEALERSHIP BASED ON THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED SERVICE TIMELINE AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. POTENTIAL CAUSES MAY INCLUDE FAULTY CPU PROGRAMMING AND/OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. BASED ON INTERNET SEARCHES, PROBLEM APPEARS MORE FREQUENT THAN NORMAL - ESPECIALLY WITH TRUNK ACCESS. LUCKILY THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT DURING A HOT SUMMER DAY, BUT CAN POSE RISK TO SMALL CHILDREN. *TR