NHTSA Complaint #10938916 — 2016 AUDI Q3

BACKUP CAMERA AND ALARM SYSTEM FAILED TO ACTIVATE RESULTING IN BACK-UP COLLISION WITH ANOTHER CAR, NO PERSONAL INJURIES. OWNER WAS NOT WARNED ABOUT DELAYS IN CAMERA/ALARM ACTIVATION AT DEALER ORIENTATION. OWNERS MANUAL PROVIDES NO SUCH WARNINGS. P 87 OF MANUAL, LAST ITEM UNDER "INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM" MENTIONS POSSIBLE DELAY IN CAMERA ACTIVATION. NO WARNING AT ALL ABOUT DELAY IN BACKUP ALARM ACTIVATION. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT PARKING LOT EXIT GATE. DRIVER LOOKED OVER SHOULDER AND IN MIRRORS, SAW NOTHING, ENGAGED REVERSE, SAW BLANK SCREEN, NO WARNING ALARM, BACKED INTO ANOTHER CAR WHICH WAS BELOW VISIBILITY BUT DIRECTLY IN RANGE OF BACKUP CAMERA AND ALARM, WHICH ACTIVATED ON IMPACT. DEALER REPAIRED MY CAR AS COURTESY. AUDI CORP CLAIMED NO PRODUCT DEFECT DESPITE FACTS AS ABOVE, SUPPORTED BY DOCUMENTATION INCLUDING STATEMENT BY DRIVER MY CAR AND OTHER CAR. ACTUAL DEFECTS AS ESTABLISHED ARE : DELAYS IN ACTIVATION OF BACK UP CAMERA AND ALARM SYSTEM, AND FAILURE TO WARN OWNER/DRIVER BY DEALER AND OWNERS MANUAL. DEALER WAS RESPONSIVE. AUDI CORP REACTION WAS SIMILAR TO THAT OF PARENT VW OF NA WITH EMISSION CONTROL ISSUE, DENYING DEFECT UTIL CONFRONTED WITH CONCLUSIVE PROOF. DANGERS TO CARS OR CHILDREN BEHIND BACKING VEHICLE ARE OBVIOUS GIVEN REASONABLE RELIANACE ON BACKUP CAMERA/ALARM. DRIVER WAS USED TO A VW JETTA (SAME CORP PRODUCT) FOR WHICH CAMERA AND ALARM SYSTEMS ACTIVATE IMMEDIATELY WHEN CAR PLACED IN REVERSE.