NHTSA Complaint #11217163 — 2011 AUDI A3

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF EXTERIOR LIGHTS TO INCLUDE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS DURING DRIVING. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS AT NIGHT. FAULT SEEMS TO BE (ENGINE) TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT (I.E. - DOES NOT SEEM TO OCCUR WHEN ENGINE BAY IS COLD). ISSUE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL DAYS (UNTIL THE PARTS IN THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION WERE REPLACED). THE PLASTIC HOUSING FOR A 30 AMPERE FUSE (POSITION F16) IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS PARTIALLY MELTING. THE MELTED FUSE RESIDUE WORKED ITSELF INTO THE FUSE BOX TERMINALS (CAUSING DAMAGE OF THE FUSE BOX) AND CAUSING A FAULTY CONNECTION WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE INTERMITTENT FAILURES OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES OF THE F16 (POSITION) 30 AMPERE FUSE SHOWING ITS PARTIALLY MELTED PLASTIC BODY AND THE FUSE HOLDER BLOCK (ALSO WITH PARTIALLY MELTED CONTACT POSITION / TERMINAL AREA). UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FAULT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS A CURRENT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 13V569000 FOR A VW (A SISTER COMPANY OF AUDI) IN BOTH THE FUSE LOCATION AND ITS AFFECTS. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR VW AND AUDI TO USE SAME PARTS. FAILURE OF EXTERIOR LIGHTS (ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT) IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS. INTERNET SEARCH SHOW MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME ISSUE FOR AUDI A3 (SIMILAR MODEL YEARS). OWNER HAS THE FAULTY PARTS (FOR YOUR INSPECTION IF NEED BE). THANK YOU.