NHTSA Complaint #11322498 — 2019 AUDI Q5

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH IN THE RAIN THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE VIRTUAL COCKPIT. I PULLED OVER INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED. THE ERROR MESSAGE WAS STILL THERE WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, ESPECIALLY WHEN MOVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. IT WAS THE SAME FEELING AS DRIVING A CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING, WHICH IF THE DRIVER IS NOT EXPECTING IT OR PHYSICALLY STRONG ENOUGH TO TURN THE WHEEL, WOULD DEFINITELY PRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE. GIVEN THIS IS A NEW CAR (ONLY 11K MILES) I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND CONCERNED THIS COULD HAPPEN. THIS TYPE OF MALFUNCTION/DEFECT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ON ANY NEW CAR, WHETHER IT IS A BASE BRAND OR LUXURY BRAND CAR.