2000 Audi A6 Airbags Problems

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON STEADY, THE HAND BRAKE LIGHT FLASHED CONSTANTLY, AND THREE WARNING BEEPS ARE HEARD. A COMPUTER READING SAYS THERE IS NO CONNECTION WITH THE ABS UNIT. THE ABS DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. IT SOMETIMES OCCURS WHEN I FIRST START THE CAR, AND SOMETIMES AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE. THE CONSUMER STATED SOMEONE ELSE WAS DRIVING HER VEHICLE AND HE/SHE REAR ENDED ANOTHER PERSON. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS DID NOT FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 12/16/10 *TR

NHTSA ID

10365630

Incident

Oct 16, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

DASH DOES NOT SHOW IMPORTANT INFO TO MAINTAIN THE CAR PROPERLY. THE DIGITAL LETTERS HAVE DISAPPEARED. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY A-6.. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT ALL AUDI WITH THAT SAME FEATURE HAS THAT SAME PROBLEM. ALSO THERE IS A OIL LEAK THAT IS COMMON IN THE SAME MODELS AS MINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10242168

Incident

Feb 11, 2007

THE "AIRBAG MODULES", MANUFACTURED BY BOSCH, IN MANY MODELS OF AUDI AUTOMOBILES APPEAR TO BE FAILING, INEXPLICABLY. THESE MODULES ACT AS THE CENTRAL "BRAIN" FOR A CAR'S AIRBAG SYSTEM AND IF THEY FAIL THE CAR'S AIRBAG SYSTEM IS RENDERED USELESS. IN MY CASE, MY MODULE FAILED INEXPLICABLY AND MUST BE REPLACED ($1000), HAVING NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION OR HAD AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. AUDI AND BOSCH HAVE BEEN UNHELPFUL, GIVEN THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT GIVEN THE CRITICAL NATURE OF A CAR'S SAFETY SYSTEM, AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TAMPERING WITH A COMPUTER MODULE HIDDEN DEEP IN THE RECESSES OF THE CAR, THE MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THIS MAY BE A PERVASIVE PROBLEM, AND IT IS SCARY TO THINK OF HOW MANY CARS ARE OPERATING WITH "FAILED" SAFETY SYSTEMS! *TR

NHTSA ID

10236138

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY 2000 AUDI A6 2.7T, WITH 58099 MILES, WAS PARKED IN COVERED BUT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE PARKING LOT FOR THREE DAYS AT APPROXIMATELY OF. WHEN I RETURNED FROM TRAVEL AND STARTED THE CAR, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE REPAIR FACILITY DISCOVERED THAT A SENSOR HAD SHORTED AND DESTROYED THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT. WHILE THE WARNING LIGHT NOTIFIED ME OF THE FAILURE, IT DOES NOT SEEM REASONABLE THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL SHOULD FAIL UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184069

Incident

Feb 7, 2007

Mileage

58,099 mi

DURING A COLD SNAP, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED IN THE MORNING. THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER WAS QUERIED FOR A FAULT CODE, AND THE CODE 65535, INTERNAL CONTROL MODULE MEMORY ERROR, WAS RETURNED. THE FACTORY MANUAL WAS CONSULTED AND THE REMEDY OFFERED WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CONTROLLER, WITH THE INSTRUCTION THAT THE CONTROLLER COULD NOT BE RESET USING THE SCAN TOOL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED FOR THE PART, APPROXIMATELY $900, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED. TOTAL COST (FROM A POSTING ON AUDI WORLD WEB SITE) FOR REPAIR APPROXIMATELY $1500. OF CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT ON THE AUDI WORLD WEB SITE, VERY HEAVILY TILTED TOWARD DIY OWNERS, I SEARCHED FOR THE 65535 FAULT CODE AND IT RETURNED 229 CASES WHERE THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE CODE, I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY MORE MENTIONED THE PROBLEM WITHOUT MENTIONING THE CODE. I DID NOT LOOK AT ALL OF THEM, BUT, MANY DESCRIBED THE SAME COLD WEATHER COINCIDENCE WITH THE PROBLEM. IF THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY CONTROLLER WHERE COLD INDUCES THE FAULT, EVERY VW PRODUCT, THAT SPENDS ANY TIME IN THE COLD, WITH THAT CONTROL, OR A VARIANT WITH THE SAME FLAW, R IS AT RISK. SEE MY EMAIL FOR THE REST OF THIS. YOUR SYSTEM WOULD NOT LET ME SEND IT AND WHEN I CALLED THEY COULD ONLY OFFER THAT I SEND AN EMAIL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10183255

Incident

Feb 17, 2007

Mileage

105,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER ON AND OFF, AND THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A RESULT OF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THE SHORT WAS CAUSED BY AN IMPACT UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS NO MEMORY OF ANY IMPACT UNDER THE VEHICLE. *TC

NHTSA ID

10066663

Incident

Apr 6, 2004

Mileage

45,000 mi

VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A ACIDENT. AIR BAG LIGHT IN INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON. TESTS BY AUDI DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP SHOW AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. INDEPENTED REPAIR SHOP REPLACED AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE AT COST OF $879.50 PLUS 6% TAX. *JB

NHTSA ID

10106464

Incident

Jan 4, 2005

WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, CONSUMER WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY A TRUCK, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK INJURIES AND VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS.*JB (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT).

NHTSA ID

562447

Incident

Oct 27, 2000