NHTSA Complaint #11290908 — 2011 AUDI Q5

MY 2011 AUDI Q5 WOULD NOT START ONE MORNING WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR IN MY GARAGE (DEC 2019). I HAD IT TOWED TO THE FLETCHER JONES AUDI DEALERSHIP IN CHICAGO IL WHERE I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER SINCE MOVING HERE IN 2014. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND IDENTIFIED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER HAD SLIPPED, AND MAY HAVE CAUSED "CATASTROPHIC" FAILURE TO MY ENGINE. THEY PROCEEDED TO ASK FOR ANOTHER $1,500 TO DIAGNOSE THE ENGINE FOR THE FAILURE, AND MENTIONED IF IF HAD FAILED IT COULD BE UP TO $10,000 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. AFTER A SHORT BIT OF RESEARCH, IT TURNS OUT THERE IS A WARRANTY THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY DEALERSHIP NEVER TOLD ME THIS, AND WAS JUST EXPECTING ME TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. ALSO, I HAD MY CAR SERVICED THERE 4 DIFFERENT TIMES SINCE THE RECALL HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED. THEY NEVER ONCE INFORMED ME OF THIS. I CALLED TO ASK WHY THEY HADN'T MENTIONED THIS WARRANTY OR THIS ISSUE, AND THERE WAS NOT A GOOD ANSWER. FLETCHER JONES ALSO SAID THEY CHECK MY VIN EVERY TIME I BRING IT IN TO SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING OUTSTANDING REGARDING RECALLS ETC ON THE CAR, WHICH MEANS THEY COULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THIS MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN PRIOR, BUT THEY DID NOT. THEY COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS ISSUE. FAST FORWARD TO NOW, AUDI WILL ONLY COVER 25% OF THE ISSUE, AND FLETCHER JONES IS BARELY MAKING AN EFFORT TO HELP OUT ON THEIR END. I WILL BE OUT NEARLY $5,000 TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, WHICH IS NO FAULT OF MINE AND A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ENGINEERING ON THE PART OF AUDI. IT ISN'T RIGHT THAT AUDI DOES NOT FULLY COVER THIS EXPENSE. AND MOREOVER, THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE A DUTY OF CARE TO DISCLOSE THEM ITEMS SUCH THAT WE CAN TAKE THE STEPS TO PREVENT THEM. FLETCHER JONES DID WRONG BY ME BY NOT DISCLOSING THIS, AND IS LIKELY DEFRAUDING AND MANIPULATING MORE CLIENTS EVERY DAY THEY REMAIN IN OPERATION.