NHTSA Complaint #11406197 — 2013 AUDI S6

HAVING JUST EXITED THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPED AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP, MY 2013 AUDI S6 STARTED TO STALL AS I WAS TURNING ONTO A SECONDARY ROAD. I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE I LOST ALL FORWARD POWER, AVOIDING TRAFFIC IN MOTION IN PROXIMITY TO MY VEHICLE. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER A CHECK TO INSURE THINGS SUCH AS A PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS IN THE GAS TANK. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT STARTING THE CAR FAILED, I HAD THE S6 FLAT BEDDED TO THE NEAREST AUDI DEALER FOR REPAIR. I SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS TWO FAILED TURBOCHARGERS. THE FAILURE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE TURBOCHARGER OIL SCREEN CLOGGING PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT (PARTS + LABOR) WOULD BE IN THE $12,000+ RANGE. I AUTHORIZED THE OUT OF WARRANTY REPAIR AS THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT AND WELL MAINTAINED CONDITION AND I WAS NOT READY TO SCRAP IT. THE DEALER SEVERAL DAYS LATER INFORMED ME THAT AUDI CORPORATE HAD REVIEWED THE FAILURE AND WAS WILLING TO ABSORB 75% OF THE ESTIMATED REPAIR BILL AS THE S6 HAD JUST COME OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAD BEEN PROPERLY DEALER MAINTAINED. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER I WAS ABLE TO PICK UP THE CAR WITH A PAYMENT DUE FOR REPAIRS (AFTER AUDI 75% COVERAGE) OF $2674.26 WITH THE NEW TURBOS INSTALLED AND THE S6 WAS NOW RUNNING PROPERLY AGAIN. I NOW HESITATE TO USE THE CAR FOR ANY LONG TRIPS ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO CONCERN I MAY HAVE A RECURRENCE OF THIS TURBO FAILURE EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS BEING DEALER SERVICED PROPERLY AT THE SUGGESTED INTERVALS. FURTHER, I BELIEVE THIS INHERENT PROBLEM HAS DIMINISHED THE RESALE OR TRADE-IN VALUE OF THIS 2013 AUDI S6. I WAS FORCED TO RENT A CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS TO RETURN HOME AFTER THIS FAILURE WHICH IN TOTAL COST WAS $500+.