NHTSA Complaint #11171521 — 2012 AUDI Q5

CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED BY JUMPED TIMING CHAIN CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIR TENSIONER. I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE ON 12/03/2015 WITH 45,483 MILES. I MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE AT INDEPENDENT MECHANICS DUE TO THE DISMAL SERVICE AT THE ONLY DEALERSHIP IN TOWN AND ITS POOR ONLINE REVIEWS. I FREQUENTLY ADDED OIL TO THE ENGINE WHEN PROMPTED BY THE CAR. ON JANUARY 10, 2016, I LEFT THE GYM AND STARTED MY CAR. IT TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO TURN OVER, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE NEXT DAY, I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOZONE WHO PULLED THE P001600 DTC CODE (CRANK POSITION SENSOR AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CORRELATION). I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO ALSO PULLED THE P001600 IN ADDITION TO THE P02900 DTC (TURBO UNDER BOOST). THAT MECHANIC ALSO HEARD NOISE FROM ENGINE TIMING COVER AREA AND COOLANT SEEPAGE/LEAK AT THE WATER PUMP AREA. THEY RECOMMENDED THE CAR BE TOWED TO A SPECIALIST, WHICH WAS DONE. HE PULLED THE P001600 (237) DTC CODE AND A P0562 LOW VOLTAGE CODE. AT THIS TIME, I CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE ISSUE. I WAS MADE AWARE OF THE TIMING CHAIN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING THE DEFECTIVE TENSIONER, BUT INFORMED THAT MY VIN WASN'T COVERED. AT THEIR RECOMMENDATION, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO AN AUDI DEALERSHIP. ALL SERVICE RECORDS, OIL RECEIPTS, ETC WERE PROVIDED TO AUDI. AUDI "DECLINED ASSISTANCE", LEAVING ME WITH AN UNDRIVEABLE CAR, A $750 BILL FROM THE MECHANIC, $55 TOW BILL, $150 (AND GROWING) RENTAL CAR CHARGE, AND AN ESTIMATE OF OVER $8K TO RE-BUILD THE ENGINE. ADDITIONAL RECORDS AVAILABLE.