1999 AUDI A6 Electrical Systemwiringinteriorunder Dash Problems

DECEMBER 13, 2007 AUDI OF ROCHESTER HILLS 45441 DEQUINDRE ROAD ROCHESTER HILLS, MICHIGAN 48307 ATTENTION: SERVICE MANAGER SUBJECT: SAFETY CONCERN 1999 AUDI A6 AVANT TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: THIS EVENING, SHORTLY AFTER TURNING ON THE SEAT HEATER (WHICH AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ON THE STEERING WHEEL HEATER) I NOTICED A STRONG ODOR (BURNING PLASTIC) & SMOKE BEING EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM BEHIND THE HORN/AIRBAG MODULE. I TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER, BUT THAT DID NOT STOP THE STEERING WHEEL FROM CONTINUING TO HEAT-UP AND EMIT SMOKE. I HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS AND OPEN THE SUNROOF (VERY ENJOYABLE IN 30 DEGREE TEMPERATURE!) IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO VENTILATE THE CABIN & BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. AFTER ARRIVING HOME, I LOCATED THE FUSE RELATED TO THE STEERING WHEEL HEATER AND REMOVED IT SO THAT I COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO YOUR...

I WAS POURING WINDSHIELD FLUID INTO MY AUDI A6 ONE DAY. I SAT DOWN IN THE CAR TO MOVE IT ONTO THE STREET BECAUSE I WANTED TO WASH IT, I TURNED THE IGNITION ON, AS I GOT IN I SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT SO I DROVE IT TO THE STREET. SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE VENTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CABIN. I ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS AND THE SUNROOF BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE AIR-CONDITIONING OR HEATER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT AND WATCHED THE SMOKE FOR A MINUTE. THE SMOKE THEN TURNED A BLACK-DARK GREY COLOR. THEN CAME FLAMES POURING OUT OF THE VENT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. JUST THEN I HEAR THIS PIERCING SCREECH AND POP, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY RUINED INSIDE AND SOOT SPEWED EVERYWHERE AROUND THE CAR I THEN TURNED THE HOSE ON...

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS FIRE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING OUR 1999 AUDI A-6 SEDAN ON A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY, WE NOTICED AN ACRID SMELL IN THE CAR. SUDDENLY SMOKE BEGAN POURING OUT THE AC VENTS THEN FLAMES BEGAN COMING OUT THE VENTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. *AK I CALLED THE AUDIOF AMERICA HELP LINE ON THE 16TH OF JULY, GAVE A REPORT AND ON JULY 19, SPOKE TO ANETTE JOHNSON WHO TOOK A FULL FEELING VERY UNSATISFIED BY MS. JOHNSONS UNHELPFUL, THOUGH SYMPATHETIC RESPONSE, I DID A WEB SEARCH USING THE TERMS AUDI, FIRE, DASHBOARD AND DISCOVERED THAT ON MARCH 23, 2004 IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT AUDI WAS RECALLING 172,888 VEHICLES BECAUSE A WIRING PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A FIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO US! I THEN WENT TO THE SITE WWW.INTELLICHOICE.COM/REPORTS/VEHICLEREPORT.EFM/VEHICLE_NMB/11642/SECTION/RECALLS THERE I DISCOVERED THAT THEY DISIPLAY ALL CURRENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE NHTSA IN THEIR RECALL DATABASE AND...

WHILE TRAVELING HOME ON THE ATLANTIC CITY EXPRESSWAY, MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A PECULIAR SMELL COMING FROM THE VENTS. AS THE ODOR GOT STRONGER, WE DECIDED TO PULL OVER AND CHECK UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. WHEN I LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, I SAW NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. A FEW SECONDS LATER, I HEARD MY WIFE EXITING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CABIN BEGAN TO FILL WITH SMOKE. UPON CLOSER REVIEW, I SAW A SMALL FLAME INSIDE THE DRIVERS SIDE VENT. WE WORKED FRANTICALLY TO PUT THE SMALL FLAME OUT HOWEVER, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT THE FLAME WAS MUCH MORE INTENSE THAN WHAT WAS VISIBLE. SECONDS LATER, THE ENTIRE DASH WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. DUE TO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, IT TOOK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT 22 MINUTES TO REACH THE FIRE CONSEQUENTLY; THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED. AFTER SPENDING AN HOUR OR SO GIVING THE STATE POLICE...

CENTER DISPLAY FADED OUT AT 55000 MILES AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $900. *AK

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH CONSUMER TURNED THE HEATER ON AND A DISTINCT SMELL CAME FROM THE DASHBOARD, FOLLOWED BY CONDENSATION SMOKE; FIRST BEING GRAY SMOKE, THEN TURNING TO BLACK SMOKE. CONSUMER STOPPED THE VEHICLE JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK

I OWN A 1999 AUDI A-6 SEDAN. TODAY IT HAD A FIRE IN THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE. FORTUNATELY IT OCCURRED WHILE IT WAS AT HOME WHERE I HAD ACCESS TO FIR EXTINGUISHERS AND TOOLS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. IT TOOK 3 EXTINGUISHERS TO PUT OUT THE BLAZE. JUST MOMENTS EARLIER, MY WIFE AND 5 YEAR OLD SON RETURNED HOME FROM CHURCH COMPLAINING OF A TOXIC SMELL IN THE CAR! WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THE SITUATION WAS NOT WORSE!*AK