NHTSA Complaint #706209 — 1999 AUDI A6

DEAR GENTLEMEN: THIS IS A CAUSE FOR SERIOUS CONCERN. THE DESIGN OF AUDI A6'S FRONT BUMPER IS FLAWED. IT IS EXTREMELY LOW, AND WHEN YOU PARK THE BOTTOM PART OF THE BUMPER GETS STUCK IN THE CONCRETE SLAB PLACED IN PARKING LOTS. SLOWLY THE BUMPER STARTS TO SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF THE BODY. IF THIS HAPPENS AT NIGHT AND THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF THIS, THAT IT COULD FALL OFF, CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT INVOLVING NOT ONLY THE OWNER OF THE AUDI, BUT THOSE THAT TRAIL BEHIND, WHO MOST CERTAINLY GET HIT BY THE FLYING BUMPER. I HAVE ALREADY BROUGHT MY CAR TWICE TO AUDI FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND ON BOTH OCASSIONS THE COMPANY'S OFFICIAL POSITION IS THAT IT IS THE DRIVER'S FAULT. UNOFFICIALLY (I HAPPEN TO DEAL WITH SOME VERY DECENT FOLKS AT THE COLLECTION, THE LARGEST AUDI DEALERSHIP IN MIAMI) THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE FLAW, ITS RECURRENCE WITH OTHER OWNERS, AND CAN'T REALLY DO MUCH ABOUT IT EXCEPT SEND ME TO A REPUTABLE BODY SHOP. LABOR TO FIX THIS RUNS AT AROUND $ 550 PER INCIDENT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO EVERYONE WHO OWNS A 1999 A6. AS A MATTER OF FACT, TODAY THERE WERE THREE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AND ONE IN THE BODY SHOP AROUND THE CORNER. THE BODY SHOP OWNER TOLD ME THEY FIX SEVERAL OF THESE EVERY WEEK. OBVIOUSLY THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS CAR WHEN EVERYONE'S BUMPER GETS RIPPED OFF IN STANDARD PARKING LOTS. OBVIOUSLY THE US DOT OR WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR AUTO SAFETY DESIGN HAS NOT DEEMED THIS IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR A RECALL, UNTIL SOMEONE DIES OR SOME SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS IN A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN THIS COUNTRY. I BELIEVE YOU WOULD BE DOING CONSUMERS AND ROAD SAFETY A BIG FAVOR BY INVESTIGATING THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY MATTER. I TRIED AUDI'S MAIN OFFICE, AND THEY JUST "WASHED THEIR HANDS" SENDING ME TO THE NEAREST BODY SHOP AND TO CHARGE IT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. WAY TO GO, AUDI !!!! SINCERELY YOURS, OSCAR CURY. *AK