NHTSA Complaint #10836667 — 2010 AUDI Q5

STARTED TO NOTICE A FUEL SMELL INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. IT BECAME SO BAD THAT THE CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. UPON INSPECTION THE TOP OF THE FUEL FILTER, (WHICH IS PART OF THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY), IN THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING PROFUSELY ALONG A MOLD INJECTION LINE ON THE TOP OF THE FILTER. THE FILTER IS MADE OUT OF HARD PLASTIC. IT WAS SPRAYING GAS ON THE ACCESS PLATE UNDERNEATH THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT. SO MUCH SO THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT WAS SOAKED IN GASOLINE AND HAD POOLED ON TOP OF THE ACCESS PLATE. ATOMIZED GAS IS VERY DANGEROUS INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE SEAL ON THE ACCESS PLATE WAS SOAKED IN GAS TO WHERE IT NO LONGER SEALED AND HAD EXPANDED TO TWICE ITS SIZE; (VERY POOR DESIGN). I PURCHASED A NEW FUEL FILTER AND REPLACED WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM. I THEN COMPLAINED TO AUDI USA AND THEY ACTED VERY QUICKLY BY HAVING THE CAR BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND INSPECTED. AUDI USA ALSO COVERED ALL MY EXPENSES FOR THIS REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE ORIGINAL FUEL FILTER WAS SUPPOSEDLY SENT BACK TO GERMANY SO THAT AUDI ENGINEERS COULD STUDY THE FAILED PART. I BRING ALL THIS UP AS I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY AUDI OWNER TO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCHED TURNED UP MULTIPLE SIMILAR INSTANCES. I BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THESE FUEL FILTERS AND I THEORIZE THAT THE MENTHANOL CONTENT IN OUR FUEL HERE IN THE US COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FAILURE. IT IS NOT RELATED TO UV BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE PART. THE WAY AUDI HANDLED THIS PROBLEM MADE ME FEEL THAT IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THEM AND THEY WANTED TO MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, NO RECALL WAS EVER ISSUED BY AUDI FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT MAY BE LARGER THAN ANYONE BELIEVES. AUDI CASE NUMBER: 715005998