1998 AUDI A8 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TIRE JACK SUPPLIED BY AUDI USA FOR THE AUDI A8 IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT IS MANUFACTURED OUT OF CHEAP ALUMINUM AND IS NOT RUGGED ENOUGH TO LIFT THE CAR EVEN ON FLAT PAVEMENT. THE JACK BENT UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HURT SOMEONE. *JB

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INDICATES AIRBAG FAILURE. AUDI DEALER CANNOT RECTIFY.

SINGLE OCCUPANT IN VEHICLE (DRIVER) VEHICLE WAS FORCED OFF THE ROAD AND ENTERED A DITCH ABOUT THREE-FOUR FEET DEEP. PASSENGER'S AIR BAG, FRONT, FIRED. THE AUDI A8 CLEARLY STATES IN THE SALES LITERATURE THAT THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG IS INTERLOCKED OUT WHEN NO PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT AND THERE WERE NO PARCELS, SHOPPING BAGS, AND ETC. ON THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. AUDI & THE DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN HIGHLY UNPLEASANT TO DEAL WITH CONCERNING THIS "PERFECTLY NORMAL OPERATION OF THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG."

BLIND SPOTS, REAR VISIBILITY: AUDI'S REFUSAL TO REPLACE OUTSIDE MIRRORS. THE PASSENGER'S OUTSIDE MIRROR AN DRIVERS POORLY DESIGNED AND HAVE TREMENDOUS BLIND SPOTS. DRIVING A $70K WITH MIRROR ASSEMBLIES THAT DO NOT PROVIDE SAFE REAR VISION MONITORING IS OUTRAGEOUS AND DANGEROUS. POOR REAR VISION RESULTS FROM EXCESSIVELY WIDE C PILLARS, REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS THAT DO NOT HAVE STORAGE RECESSES OR OTHER PROVISIONS FOR PREVENTING THEM FROM OBSCURING LARGE AREAS OF THE REAR WINDOW. THE DEALER HAS AND AUDI HAVE BEEN LESS THAN HELPFUL EVEN WHEN I POINTED OUT THAT A 19991/2 A4 ($30,000) RIGHT OUSIDE MIRROR HAS ALMOST TWICE THE VISUAL FIELD AS MY A8. AUDI'S RESPONSE TO ME HAS BEEN TERRIBLE, AND THEIR SUGGESTED ACTIONS INCLUDE MY HAVING TO PURCHASE AND HAVE INSTALLED APPROXIMATELY $1000 FOR RIGHT AND LEFT OUTSIDE MIRROR. THE LATEST A4'S REAR HEAD RESTS RECESS INTO THE TOP OF THE REAR SEATS AND PROVIDE ALMOST NO OBSCURATION OR REAR VISION. I REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM AUDI AT PURCHASE TIME RE: REAR HEAD REST POINTING OUT MY GREAT DANE WAS THE ONLY REAR SEAT PASSENGER, AND MY WILLINGNESS TO SIGN A RELEASE IF THE HEAD RESTS WERE REMOVED AND ABLE TO BE REINSTALLED EASILY. AUDI HAS TOTALLY IGNORED MY REQUEST FOR SAFETY CRITICAL REPLACEMENTS FOR MIRRORS, AND AUDI HAS APPARENTLY TERRORIZED THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE CRISWELL AUDI IS NOW REFUSING TO EVEN CONSIDER ANY AFTERMARKET PART INSTALLATION ON MY AUDI A8 INCUDING A BACK UP RADAR TRANSCIEVER THAT ONLY NEEDS A TWO WIRE HOOK UP AND SENSES OBJECTS WITHIN 12' OF THE REAR BUMPER WHEN BACKING UP. FINALLY EACH AREA OF CONCERN ABOUT THAT I HAVE ABOUT MY CAR, LIMITS MY CAR'S UTILITY ESP REAR VISION CONCERNS, AND ARE SEVERE ENOUGH SAFETY CONCERNS I HAVE FEWER THAN 6000 MILES IN 18 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. THE 99.5 ADN YEAR 2000 AUDI'S HAVE ADDRESS EACH OF MY AREAS OF CONCERN IN THEIR NEW VEHICLES MIRROR SIZE, FIELD OF VIEW, AND REAR HEAD RESTS, HOWEVER, I AM STILL BEING STONE WALLED RE: SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAVE PLAGUED THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. *