2013 AUDI ALLROAD — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 AUDI ALLROAD. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A STANDSTILL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE TIMING CHAIN TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND "DTC" LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH WHILE DRIVING, BUT THE CAR HAD NO SYMPTOMS OF FAULT OTHERWISE. DURING ONE FOLLOWING DAY, I WAS IN THE GARAGE WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED, WAS NOT RUNNING AND UNLOCKED WITH KEYS INSIDE, AND SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND A SOFTBALL SIZED FIRE BURNING FROM AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. AFTER PUTTING THE FIRE OUT, I FOUND A BLOWN 'ENGINE MANAGEMENT' FUSE WHICH MAY BE ORIGINALLY TRIGGERED THE DASHBOARD FAULTS. I COULD NOT DISCONNECT THE CONNECTOR BECAUSE IT HAS MELTED TOGETHER, BUT AM HOPING THE BLOWN FUSE WAS FOR THAT CIRCUIT SO NO ELECTRICITY IS FLOWING THROUGH.

A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND "DTC" LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH WHILE DRIVING, BUT THE CAR HAD NO SYMPTOMS OF FAULT OTHERWISE. DURING ONE FOLLOWING DAY, I WAS IN THE GARAGE WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED, WAS NOT RUNNING AND UNLOCKED WITH KEYS INSIDE, AND SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND A SOFTBALL SIZED FIRE BURNING FROM AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMING FROM THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE. AFTER PUTTING THE FIRE OUT, I FOUND A BLOWN 'ENGINE MANAGEMENT' FUSE WHICH MAY BE ORIGINALLY TRIGGERED THE DASHBOARD FAULTS. I COULD NOT DISCONNECT THE CONNECTOR BECAUSE IT HAS MELTED TOGETHER, BUT AM HOPING THE BLOWN FUSE WAS FOR THAT CIRCUIT SO NO ELECTRICITY IS FLOWING THROUGH.

SEE AUDI TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 2043758/8. AUDI IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAS A FIX, BUT HAS NOT ISSUES A RECALL. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED DIAGNOSTIC PAPERWORK FUEL CAN VAPORIZE IN THE TANK RESULTING IN LOW FUEL PRESSURE AND DELIVERY RATE. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FUEL CUT WHICH COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND RAPIDLY DECREASE IN SPEED. SINCE THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN THIS SCENARIO, A DRIVER BEHIND THE AFFECTED VEHICLE MAY NOT REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING; UNABLE TO STOP IN TIME, THE FOLLOWING VEHICLE MAY COLLIDE WITH THE AFFECTED VEHICLE. AFFECTED VEHICLE WILL LIKELY HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SYMPTOM. THIS IS WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION LEADING TO OBTAINING A DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS. *NOTE, I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED A FUEL CUT YET, BUT I FIRST GOT AN ENGINE LIGHT IN COLD WEATHER AND HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED A WARM ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE FUEL HAS VAPORIZED ENOUGH TO CAUSE A FUEL CUT. THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS IN ONLINE FORUMS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED FUEL CUTS WITH THE 2.0T GAS ENGINE IN THIS VEHICLE.

I OWN A 2013 AUDI ALLROAD. RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE OUTER CV BOOT IN THE LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 WHILE STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY THE CV BOOT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT NO CHARGE. ON OCTOBER 4, 2019, THE RIGHT FRONT CV BOOT AND AXLE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED OUT OF WARRANTY BY A REPAIR SHOP. THE SHOP NOTED GREASE LEAKING FROM THE LEFT FRONT AXLE BOOT, THE VERY SOMEONE THAT HAD BEEN REPAIR IN SEPTEMBER 2018. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO AUDI LAST WEEK AND THEY MADE A COURTESY REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE REPAIR MADE IN SEPTEMBER 2018 WAS BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR REPAIR AND A SERVICE CONSULTANT SAID THAT ONLY A CLAMPED NEEDED TIGHTENING. THE CAR IS GOING ON LIFT ON MONDAY TO SEE IF A REPAIR WAS COMPLETED TO THE RIGHT FRONT BOOT MADE BY AUDI WAS DONE CORRECTLY. I DON'T TRUST VW/AUDI AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER OF THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE WITH THE REPAIRS NEED TO THE LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT FRONT CV BOOTS. I HAVE OWNED OR LEASED 17 CARS IN MY LIFETIME. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CV BOOT OR AXLE ON ANY CAR I HAVE OWNED OR LEASED. I CURRENTLY OWN 4 CARS ONE OF WHICH IS THE AUDI ALLROAD IN QUESTION. NONE OF MY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE EVER NEEDED A CV BOOT OR AXLE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. MY 2007 MDX HAS 170,000 PLUS MILES, MY 2013 JEEP WRANGLER HAS 70,000 PLUS MILES, MY 2006 PORSCHE 911 HAS 25,000 PLUS MILES AND THE 2013 AUDI HAS 61,000 PLUS MILES. CV BOOTS SHOULD NOT BE FAILING AT THE RATE THEY ARE FAILING ON MY AUDI. A VEHICLE RECALL MAY BE REQUIRED TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM WITH THE CV BOOT. A DEFECTIVE CV BOOT CAN CAUSE AXLE GREASE TO LEAK ONTO THE ROADWAY AND CREATE A HAZARD, TRAP NUISANCE OR DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR OTHER DRIVERS, RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS, PERSONAL INJURIES AND FATALITIES. I AM SURE AUDI WOULD NOT WANT SUCH A RESULT IF THEIR PRODUCT IS DEFECTIVE.