NHTSA Complaint #11084524 — 2013 AUDI A4 ALLROAD

MY 2013 AUDI A4 QUATTRO HAS 52,346 MILES. THIS WEEK, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, I EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT RESTRICTION IN THE STEERING WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL TO CHANGE LANES AND MAKE TURNS RIGHT AND LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED MY LOCAL AUDI DEALER AND TOOK THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION. THE SERVICE TECH CONFIRMED THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WHICH IS CAUSING THE STIFFNESS AND BINDING THAT IS INTERFERING WITH THE FREE MOVEMENT OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. FURTHERMORE, I'VE SINCE ASCERTAINED THAT AUDI HAS A "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN" REGARDING THIS ISSUE DATING TO JULY 10, 2014 COVERING A NUMBER OF AUDI MODELS AND MODEL YEARS BUT HAS NOT INSTITUTED A RECALL. (SEE ATTACHED) IN ADDITION, I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE THAT THE SPECIFIC PART IS CURRENTLY ON BACKORDER AND MAY TAKE FROM TWO WEEKS TO TWO MONTHS. HE LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE AS MANY AS THIRTY (30) CUSTOMERS AWAITING THIS PARTICULAR PART. I HAVE BEEN ADDED ME TO THE WAIT LIST. I ASKED THE SERVICE TECH ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE AND IF IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE THAT I COULD EXPERIENCE TOTAL STEERING LOSS WHILE DRIVING. HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT LIKELY, IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHERE I MAY NEED TO SWERVE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT THAT THE STEERING RESPONSE COULD BECOME AN ISSUE. MY MAJOR CONCERN IS DO I DRIVE THE CAR WHILE WAITING FOR THE PART? AUDI IS NOT AT THIS MOMENT PROVIDING ANY ASSISTANCE IN THE WAY OF A LOANER VEHICLE SO I'M ON MY OWN. I'VE UPLOADED THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN.