NHTSA Complaint #702658 — 1999 AUDI A4

I WAS BACKING UP IN DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF A HOUSE. MY CAR GAVE A SLIGHT LURCH AND THE MOTOR REVVED UP. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED BECAUSE I THOUGHT I MUST HAVE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. HOWEVER, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BACKWARD INTO THE TRUCK, DRIVING IT 15 FEET INTO THE PORCH STEPS. THE PICKUP TRUCK WAS TOTALLED AND THE STEPS COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED. WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED TISCHER, OUR INSURANCE COMPANY AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT SOMEONE AT AUDI. IT WAS A FULL 2 WEEKS BEFORE SOMEONE FROM AUDI CALLED US BACK. FINALLY, AN AUDI REP MET US TO INSPECT THE CAR. AUDI DETERMINED THAT IT WAS "OPERATOR ERROR" AND ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. WE'RE HAVING OUR INSURANCE COMPANY REPAIR THE AUDI, AND WE WILL THEN TRADE IT IN ON OUR SECOND CHOICE CAR--A BMW. I SIMPLY COULD NOT DRIVE THE AUDI AGAIN, AND THANK GOD THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED. I BELIEVE THAT AUDI'S ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD UNTIL THIS "SUDDEN ACCELERATION" PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED. IF IT WERE "OPERATOR ERROR" AS THEY CLAIM--WHY DOES ONLY HAPPEN IN AUDI'S??? PLEASE DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE MAIMED, INJURED AND KILLED. *AK