NHTSA Complaint #11057997 — 2014 AUDI Q5

2014 AUDI Q5 3L TURBO DIESEL WOULD NOT START ON JAN 1. VEHICLE HAD "AUX HEATER " RECALL PERFORMED BY DEALER WITHIN THE PRIOR WEEK. AS THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS FRIGID (CAR INDICATED BELOW 8F) SUSPECT DIESEL 'WAXING' MAY BE CONTRIBUTORY FACTOR. TOWING COMPANY SUGGEST THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND OWNER MESSAGE BOARDS SUGGEST SIMILAR, BUT AUDI ARE VERY DELIBERATE IN NOT ANSWERING QUESTION. SERVICE DEPARTMENT REP WHEN ASKED STATES THERE IS NO DIESEL ADDITIVE REQUIRED FOR SUCH COLD WEATHER AND THEY HAVE NEVER PERSONALLY SEEN DIESEL WAXING WITH AUDI. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AUDI DEALER SERVICED AT PRESCRIBED INTERVALS FROM NEW. TRIED THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES AND EVEN IN TEMPERATURES OF 12-20F VEHICLE SUBSEQUENTLY DID NOT START - ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS REMAINING ILLUMINATED. THE KEYFOB WOULD ALSO NOT RELEASE AS THE VEHICLE 'THOUGHT' THE IGNITION WAS 'ON' AND REQUESTED IT BE TURNED OFF BEFORE LEAVING VEHICLE WHICH WAS NOT POSSIBLE, THUS FURTHER DRAINING BATTERY. GIVEN THAT AUDI APPEAR TO HAVE A PREVALENT 'DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL' CULTURE ON POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AM REPORTING THIS INCIDENT SO THAT OCCURRENCE DATA MAY BE INDEPENDENTLY ANALYZED AND VERIFIED.