1997 AUDI A6 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

1997 AUDI A6 QUATTRO. FILLED UP WITH GAS AT 8PM, PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF GARAGE. BY 2PM NEXT DAY THERE WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF GAS (NEARLY 1/2 TANK) LOCATED UNDER THE ENTIRE REAR END OF THE CAR PAST THE WHEELS MORE THEN 2 FT ON BOTH SIDES. THE FUMES COULD SMELT OVER 5 FT AWAY. I'M POSITIVE THE SLIGHTEST SPARK WOULD'VE IGNITED THE FUEL, THAT WOULD HAVE DESTROYED THE CAR, MY NEIGHBORS AND MY GARAGE. I TOOK VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC, HE POINTED OUT THE LEAK, A PORT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE TANK THAT HAS A HOSE ATTACHED TO IT IS CRACKED. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE GAS WAS LEAKING ON MY EXHAUST, TRAVELING UP THE EXHAUST TOWARD THE ENGINE, I WAS LUCKY THAT THE HEAT DIDN'T IGNITE THE GAS. MECHANIC TOLD ME THERE HAS BEEN RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE, AFTER CALLING, WERE INFORMED THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE RECALL THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED. AFTER DOING HOURS OF RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND COUNTLESS OTHER VW/AUDI OWNERS COMPLAINING THEIR VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL EVEN THOUGH ITS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME PART!! BY USING THE AUDI PARTS WEBSITE TO LOOK UP OTHER MODELS ITS EASY TO SEE THEY USE FUEL TANKS THAT HAVE THE SAME DESIGN ISSUE BUT NOT COVERED IN RECALL. PLEASE GET VW/AUDI TO INCLUDE ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE FUEL TANKS WITH THE VALVE NIPPLES THAT HAVE PROVEN TO FAIL OVER AND OVER. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THERE ARE REPORTS OF PART FAILURE AFTER RECALL HAS BEEN PREFORMED AND AUDI IS REFUSING TO FIX THE ISSUE AFTER THE FACT FORCING OWNERS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. JUST BECAUSE NO ONE COMPLAINED ABOUT A MAKE/MODEL THAT IS USING THE SAME DESIGN FLAWED PART SHOULDN'T BE AN EXCUSE NOT TO ISSUE OR INCLUDE IN A RECALL! WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMETHING MAJOR TO HAPPEN BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED.

IGNITION SWITCH STOPPED WORKING CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND WIPERS TO STOP WORKING. CAR STILL OPERATES AND IS A DANGER IF DRIVING WITHOUT TURN SIGNALS OR WIPERS WITHOUT KNOWING. I HAVE NOTICED THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WITH THIS MODEL AND UNDERSTAND THE A4 HAD A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM THE SAME YEAR. IN WHICH THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS THE SAME PART NUMBER AS THE FAILED SWITCH IN THE A6 HOWEVER AUDI DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE A6. *TR

THE REAR SEAT WAS SHIFTED BY THE OCCUPANT TO ATTACH A CHILD'S CAR SEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEATBELT MOUNTING BRACKETS. THE SPRING WIRES UNDER THE REAR SEAT CONTACTED BOTH POSTS OF THE BATTERY UNDER THE SEAT, IGNITING A FIRE, WHICH SPREAD THROUGH THE ENTIRE REAR SEAT OF THE CAR. THE SUSPENSION WIRES OF THE REAR SEAT WERE BURNED AWAY BY THE ARC. BASED UPON THE POSITION OF THE REAR SEAT REPORTED BY THE WITNESS, THE SEAT WIRES LINED UP RIGHT ON TOP OF THE BATTERY TERMINALS. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY INSULATING MEANS BETWEEN THE TERMINALS OF THE BATTERY AND THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT SUSPENSION. *TR

THE REAR SEAT WAS SHIFTED BY THE OCCUPANT TO ATTACH A CHILD'S CAR SEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEATBELT MOUNTING BRACKETS. THE SPRING WIRES UNDER THE REAR SEAT CONTACTED BOTH POSTS OF THE BATTERY UNDER THE SEAT, IGNITING A FIRE, WHICH SPREAD THROUGH THE ENTIRE REAR SEAT OF THE CAR. THE SUSPENSION WIRES OF THE REAR SEAT WERE BURNED AWAY BY THE ARC. BASED UPON THE POSITION OF THE REAR SEAT REPORTED BY THE WITNESS, THE SEAT WIRES LINED UP RIGHT ON TOP OF THE BATTERY TERMINALS. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY INSULATING MEANS BETWEEN THE TERMINALS OF THE BATTERY AND THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT SUSPENSION. *TR

I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY CAR - A 97/AUDI/AUDI A6 WHITE RCO129. THE KEY TURNS TOO FAR AND YOU HAVE TO SHIFT IT BACK TO GET THE GAUGES/ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES (WIPERS, AIR CONDITIONER, HEADLIGHTS, ETC.) TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AGAIN. COULD THIS BE RELATED TO THE 1994-1996 A6 RECALL? *TR