NHTSA Complaint #11343587 — 2016 AUDI Q5

ON 7/26/20, WHILE BACKING OUT OF A COSTCO'S PARKING LOT, A MESSAGE SUDDENLY APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD, 'STEERING DEFECTIVE DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE'. THE WEATHER WAS HOT WITH TEMPERATURE READING OF 99 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. MY VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF I DID NOT HAVE FULL CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. LUCKILY, I WAS IN THE PARKING LOT AND THERE WAS NO ONCOMING CARS. I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT TO DRIVE AND MOVED BACK INTO MY PARKING SPACE. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPENED IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY/STREET AND THIS ERROR OCCURRED. I ENDED UP HAVING MY VEHICLE TOWED TO A NEARBY AUDI DEALER SERVICE LOCATION. THEY CONFIRMED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING RACK AND FOUND FAULT C10AD29 MOTOR POSITION SENSOR RANGE/ PERFORMANCE STATIC IN THEIR INSPECTION REPORT. CONTROL MODULE ON STEERING RACKED HAS FAILED ACCORDING TO THE REPORT. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING STEERING RACK FOR $3752.25. SINCE THE CAR WARRANTY ALREADY EXPIRED AT 55442 MILES, THE AUDI SERVICE LOCATION REFUSED TO COVER THE COST. I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENTS IN A CAR AND THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, SO I REACHED OUT TO AUDI USA. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THEIR FAULTY STEERING WHEEL, BUT THEY RESPONDED THAT THIS IS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY A RECALL IN PLACE AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY REPAIR COSTS UNLESS THE CAR IS TILL UNDER WARRANTY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND HAS ALWAYS BROUGHT TO AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALERSHIP FOR ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS THAT SHOULD BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED.