NHTSA Complaint #11060999 — 2012 AUDI A6

AIR BAG FAULT LIGHT IS ON WITH FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS IN THE SEAT AND WHEN NOT IN THE SEAT WHILE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION. AUDI SERVICE STATES, "VERIFIED AIRBAG LIGHT ON, RAN GFF, FOUND PASSENGER SEAT WEIGHT SENSOR HAS AN INTERMITTENT OPEN CIRCUIT FAULT. INSPECTED WIRING, ALL WIRING OK. SEAT WEIGHT PODS SENSOR HAS AN INTERNAL OPEN CIRCUIT AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED." AUDI ALSO STATES, "A DEFECTIVE PODS SENSOR CAN CAUSE A FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG DURING IMPACT DUE TO A CRASH AND THEREFORE MAY NOT DEPLOY." THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL (74D1), FOR THE SAME PODS DEFECT/FAILURE RELATED TO 2012-13 AUDI A6 AND A7 WITH 'HEATED' AND 'COOLED' SEATS. THIS VEHICLE HAS 'HEATED' SEATS ONLY. UPON ONLINE RESEARCH, THERE ARE HUNDREDS+ 2012/2013 AUDI A6 VEHICLE OWNERS WITH A VIN# NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND EXPERIENCING THE SAME PODS DEFECT AND IS BEING ASKED BY AUDI TO REPAIR AT CONSUMER EXPENSE. ADDITIONALLY, AUDI SERVICE LIVERMORE, CA INFORMED THAT PARTS MAY TAKE MONTHS FOR ORDERING OUT OF GERMANY DUE TO BACK-ORDER AND MAY TAKE A WEEK OR MORE TO REPAIR, WHICH INCLUDES USING A 3RD PARTY REPAIR SHOP. AUDI STATES THEY ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO COMPLETE A REPAIR OF THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE LEAVING THIS VEHICLE NON-OPERATIONAL DUE TO HIGH RISK OF DEATH SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR.