NHTSA Complaint #10871437 — 2013 AUDI A6

AUDI REPLACED PODS MODULE IN FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT, WHICH MONITORS IF THERE IS AN OCCUPANT IN THE SEAT AND THIS TRIGGERS THE AIRBAG ACTIVATION. AFTER THIS REPLACEMENT MY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR STARTED MALFUNCTIONING. IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING FINE WHEN MY HUSBAND SITS THERE (ABOUT 170 LB.), BUT IT WOULD NOT FUNCTION WHEN I WAS OCCUPYING THE SEAT (ABOUT 128 LB.). THE DEALER MADE TWO MORE ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. THEY FINALLY ASKED ME TO TRY THE SEAT WITHOUT WEARING MY LONG COAT IN WHICH CASE THE SENSOR SEEMED TO WORK CORRECTLY. THE FINAL CONCLUSION WAS THAT IN ORDER FOR THE AIRBAG SENSOR TO ACTIVATE, LIGHTER PASSENGERS NEED TO TAKE THEIR LONG COATS OFF. THIS IS A LAUGHABLE SUGGESTION THAT AIRBAG FUNCTION IS CONTINGENT ON THE TYPE OF COAT THE PASSENGER IS WEARING. I CONTACTED AUDI USA CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY IN TURN CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND CAME BACK TO ME WITH THE SAME CONCLUSION THAT THE SEAT PERFORMS UP TO MANUFACTURER'S STANDARDS. I ASKED WHERE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL THERE IS A NOTE THAT THE PASSENGERS MUST NOT WEAR LONG COATS IN ORDER FOR CRUCIAL SAFETY FEATURE SUCH AS AIRBAG TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY. I ALSO ASKED REPEATEDLY TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THIS PROBLEM ONLY PRESENTED ITSELF AFTER THE RECALLED PART WAS REPLACED, TO NO AVAIL. AT THIS POINT AUDI REFUSES TO TAKE NECESSARY STEPS TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH THEY CREATED. AUDI SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR ABANDONING THE CUSTOMER WHEN THERE IS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVED.