NHTSA Complaint #11164738 — 2018 AUDI Q5

ON THREE OCCASIONS BEGINNING IN THE SPRING OF 2018, THE TAILGATE HAS RANDOMLY OPENED WITH NO COMMAND FROM THE OWNERS. EACH TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN IN OUR GARAGE AND WE HAVE BEEN ELSEWHERE. EACH TIME THE TAILGATE COLLIDED WITH THE GARAGE DOOR WHEN WE OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR WAS OPENED CAUSING BODY DAMAGE. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR THE AUDI Q5 AND OTHER MODELS AND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED OUTSIDE ON STREETS AND ROADS AS WELL AS INSIDE. THE DEALER SAID THAT AUDI HAS A PROVIDED THE DEALER WITH A TECHNICAL BULLETIN TO MAKE SOFTWARE CHANGES REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, EVEN AFTER THE SOFTWARE CHANGES, THIS PROBLEM HAS RECURRED. AUDI HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE BODY WORK. ON THE FIRST OCCASION, I PAID FOR THE BODY WORK. ON THE SECOND OCCASION, THE DEALER PAID FOR THE BODY WORK AFTER AUDI REFUSED TO PAY. THE CAR IS NOW GOING INTO THE DEALER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD SO THAT THE DEALER CAN WORK WITH AUDI ENGINEERS TO HOPEFULLY SOLVE THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL. IF THE TAILGATE OPENS ON A HIGHWAY AND LUGGAGE FALLS OUT, SOMEONE COULD BE HURT OR KILLED.