2006 Audi A6 Problems

The contact owns a 2006 Audi A6. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V427000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

I HAVE BEEN SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS TO RECTIFY AN OPEN AIRBAG RECALL THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT AUDI DEALERS. NONE OF THE DEALERS BOTH IN OXNARD, CA AND RANCHO MIRAGE, CA HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH. I ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT FOR 3/11/2019 FOR THE OXNARD, CA LOCATION, AND THE LATEST COUPLE WERE FOR LAST AND THIS MONTH THROUGH THE AUDI IN RANCHO MIRAGE, CA. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY OF THOSE OF MY FAMILY, AS THE RECALL POINTS OUT THAT A METAL MESH WOULD DEPLOY ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG CAUSING POTENTIAL DEATH. AT THIS POINT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IF AUDI OF AMERICA WAS TO PURCHASE MY VEHICLE BACK.

AT 150K MILES, EXPERIENCED NO CRANK, NO START. TOW TO DEALER, AND I HAD ALREADY DONE SOME TRIAGE. THEY DID 2 HRS OF TROUBLESHOOTING PROBLEMS THAT WERE NOT EVEN RELATED, SO I TOOK THE CAR BACK. FOUND A TRUST WORTHY MECHANIC AND HIS DIAG SUGGESTED THE SCM BURNED OUT TAKING THE PCM AND ECM ALONG WITH IT. THE COST WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE $6000 RANGE AS HE STATED A %40 FAILURE RATE AFTER 150K IN ALLDATA. HE ALSO SAID, IF I REPAIR IT, I NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AS WELL BECAUSE I WILL JUST HAVE ISSUES DOWN THE ROAD IF I DONT. THE CAR ALSO HAD A SLOW OIL LEAK. THE PLACE WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR SAID THE REPAIR IS NOT WORTH THE COST, SO THAT FACTORED INTO MY DECISION NOT TO INVEST IN REPAIRS. THE OIL LEAK WAS SLOW AND I NEVER HAD TO TOP OFF THE OIL, BUT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO KNOW IT WAS AN ISSUE. THAT LEAK WAS PRESENT AFTER 80K MILES. SO I HAD TO MAKE THE UNFORTUNATE DECISION NOT TO INVEST ANY MONEY INTO AN ATTEMPTED FIX. I WAS AT THE GAS STATION, HAD JUST FILLED UP THE GAS TANK, HAD NEW STRUTS, NEW BATTERY AND PRIOR TO IT NOT STARTING, THE CAR WAS RUNNING SO REALLY GOOD. IT LOOKED GREAT AND PEOPLE OFTEN THOUGHT IT WAS WAY NEWER THAN IT WAS. THERE WAS WAY TO MUCH VALUE IN THE CAR TO TRASH IT, BUT VARIOUS PARTIES ONLY OFFERED $200 TO SCRAP IT. THIS IS A HIGH END CAR FOR AUDI AND I CANT BELIEVE THEY ARE ALLOWED TO IMPLEMENT A KILL SWITCH AFTER 150K MILES. I WAS PLANNING ON KEEPING THAT CAR FOR A LONG TIME. NOW UNEMPLOYED, I HAVE TO BUY A CAR I CANT AFFORD.

I HAVE A USED 2006 AUDI A6 QUATTRO 3.2 [WHEN PURCHASED IN 2013 IT ONLY HAD 89,000 MILES - CURRENTLY AT 111,139 MILES]. LAST WEDNESDAY 06/15/2016, THE CAR REFUSED TO TURN OVER, HOWEVER, THE RADIO, MMI, EXTERIOR/INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ALL OPERABLE. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE MORE, I REALIZED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS REFUSED TO RAISE, THE DASH DIDN'T ILLUMINATE, AND I WAS UNABLE TO PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. LATER THAT EVENING, MY INSURANCE PROVIDER SENT A TOW TRUCK WITH A FLATBED - THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE CHAINED TO THE TOW TRUCK AND PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT BECAUSE THE WHEELS WERE LOCKED. IN THE INTERIM, I RESEARCHED MY ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS RELATED TO MY EXACT ISSUE, WHICH WAS LATER DISCOVERED AS A TRANSPONDER FAILURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN ENTIRE NEW STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE THE COMPANY (AUDI) DID NOT SELL THE PART SEPARATELY. THESE ENTRIES WERE FROM DRIVERS OF AUDI A4, A6, AND TT MODELS FROM YEARS 2004-2007. THE FOLLOWING MORNING [THURSDAY, 6/16/2016] I SPOKE WITH JOHN AND KEVIN FROM THE SERVICE CENTER IN THE MAPLE HILL AUTO GROUP IN KALAMAZOO, MI WHICH IS A VW/AUDI DEALERSHIP. THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A TRANSPONDER FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE PARTS AREN'T SOLD SEPARATELY. THEY QUOTED A PRICE OF NEARLY $2200.00 FOR REPAIR AND LABOR - I ADVISED THAT I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND ONE SOLUTION ON THE INTERNET THAT ADVISED THAT AN AUDI SERVICE CENTER (DIDN'T HAVE THE LOCATION) USED AUTEL MAXISYS PRO TO REMOVE THE CODES IN THE AUTH/ACCESS MODULE AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OVER. KEVIN ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO USE THIS PROCESS. SPOKE WITH SEAN FROM AUDI'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT ON 6/16/16 WHO HAD THE CONCERN REVIEWED AND ADVISED ON MONDAY 6/21/16 THAT AUDI WAS UNABLE TO OFFER ANY RESOLUTION DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE.

2006 AUDI A6. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ILLUMINATED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE CONSUMER WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER, WHO STATED THEY BOUGHT AND SOLD THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALER FOR THE SAME ISSUE. ALSO THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 119,00 MILES, BUT THE PREVIOUS OWNER STATED THE ACTUAL MILEAGE WAS OVER 200,000. *JS

FAILED FUEL INJECTOR SEAL CAUSING FUEL LEAK

I HAVE A USED 2006 AUDI A6 QUATTRO 3.2 [WHEN PURCHASED IN 2013 IT ONLY HAD 89,000 MILES - CURRENTLY AT 111,139 MILES]. LAST WEDNESDAY 06/15/2016, THE CAR REFUSED TO TURN OVER, HOWEVER, THE RADIO, MMI, EXTERIOR/INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ALL OPERABLE. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE MORE, I REALIZED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS REFUSED TO RAISE, THE DASH DIDN'T ILLUMINATE, AND I WAS UNABLE TO PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. LATER THAT EVENING, MY INSURANCE PROVIDER SENT A TOW TRUCK WITH A FLATBED - THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE CHAINED TO THE TOW TRUCK AND PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT BECAUSE THE WHEELS WERE LOCKED. IN THE INTERIM, I RESEARCHED MY ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS RELATED TO MY EXACT ISSUE, WHICH WAS LATER DISCOVERED AS A TRANSPONDER FAILURE THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN ENTIRE NEW STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE THE COMPANY (AUDI) DID NOT SELL THE PART SEPARATELY. THESE ENTRIES WERE FROM DRIVERS OF AUDI A4, A6, AND TT MODELS FROM YEARS 2004-2007. THE FOLLOWING MORNING [THURSDAY, 6/16/2016] I SPOKE WITH JOHN AND KEVIN FROM THE SERVICE CENTER IN THE MAPLE HILL AUTO GROUP IN KALAMAZOO, MI WHICH IS A VW/AUDI DEALERSHIP. THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A TRANSPONDER FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE PARTS AREN'T SOLD SEPARATELY. THEY QUOTED A PRICE OF NEARLY $2200.00 FOR REPAIR AND LABOR - I ADVISED THAT I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND ONE SOLUTION ON THE INTERNET THAT ADVISED THAT AN AUDI SERVICE CENTER (DIDN'T HAVE THE LOCATION) USED AUTEL MAXISYS PRO TO REMOVE THE CODES IN THE AUTH/ACCESS MODULE AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO TURN OVER. KEVIN ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO USE THIS PROCESS. SPOKE WITH SEAN FROM AUDI'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT ON 6/16/16 WHO HAD THE CONCERN REVIEWED AND ADVISED ON MONDAY 6/21/16 THAT AUDI WAS UNABLE TO OFFER ANY RESOLUTION DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE.

I RESEARCHED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND FOUND THAT NHTSA ID'S 10555091 AND 10444769 DESCRIBE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED. I PUT THE KEY IN THE CAR TO START IT AND THE IT WOULD NOT EVEN TURN OVER. THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON, THE RADIO WORKS, HOWEVER THE CAR IS STUCK IN PARK AND ALL WHEELS ARE LOCKED. CAR HAD TO HAVE DOLLIES PUT UNDER EACH WHEEL IN ORDER TO ROLL IT UP ONTO A TOW TRUCK. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE TO BE A FAILED COMPUTER MODULE ON THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH CANNOT BE REMOVED AND REPLACED BY ITSELF. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE SO MANY FORUMS OUT THERE DESCRIBING THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE. THIS MUST BE INVESTIGATED AND TAKEN CARE OF. I DON'T MIND PAYING FOR CAR REPAIRS, HOWEVER, WHEN THERE IS A PATTERN OF UNUSUAL AND EXTREMELY COSTLY REPAIRS, THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.

SEE ATTACHED MEMO.

THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE A6 (C6) PLATFORM. IF YOU HAVE YOUR PARKING BRAKE LIGHT ON, WHETHER IT BE RANDOM OR CONSTANT IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY THE PARKING BRAKE MODULE LOCATED IN THE TRUNK ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE BEHIND THE SIDE PANEL CARPET. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED A RECALL. I HAVE SEEN PLENTY OF AUDI'S WITH THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE HAVE THIS FAILURE. HOWEVER IT IS AN EASY FIX AND ABOUT A 100-AND UP PART (I BOUGHT MINE USED FOR 120). BUT I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL.

I WENT TO MY REPAIR SHOP FOR AN OIL CHANGE. WHEN THE CAR WAS UP IN THE AIR THE TECHNICIAN WAS ALARMED AT MY PASSENGER FRONT TIRE. WE LOOKED AT IT AND THE TIRE HAD ACTUALLY CAVED IN WITH WEAR ALONG THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE TREAD TO THE POINT WHERE IT HAD SEPARATED AND THE STEEL BELTS WERE SHOWING. THE REST OF THE TIRE TREAD WAS NORMAL. THE FRONT WHEELS HAVE LESS THAN A DEGREE OF NEGATIVE CAMBER. I HAVE NOT NOTICED ANY PULLING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TO INDICATE MISALIGNMENT. THE SHOP PUT MY SPARE ON THE PASENGER FRONT, BUT THE DRIVER FRONT IS ALSO BEGINNING TO SHOW THE SAME PATTERN. BEFORE I BUY NEW TIRES I WANT TO FIND OUT WHY THIS HAPPENED SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I SUSPECT A SHIFTED BELT. I HAVE NOTIFIED KUMHO OF THIS PROBLEM AND SENT THEM A PICTURE. I CAN SEND YOU A PICTURE AND I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM TIRE AVAILABLE. I THINK THIS TIRE COULD HAVE BLOWN ANYTIME, BUT WE CAUGHT THE PROBLEM IN TIME. *TR

NEW MICHELIN TIRES MOUNTED BY TIRERACK ON BBS RIMS. WITHIN 10 MILES, FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WENT FLAT, AND UPON INSPECTION THE VALVE ("VALVE #1") WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. RECEIVED NEW TIRE AND NEW VALVE ("VALVE #2") FROM TIRERACK, WHICH WAS MOUNTED BY MY CAR DEALER. AFTER SITTING FOR ONE HOUR, FRONT PASSENGER TIRE WENT FLAT. UPON INSPECTION, THE SECOND NEW VALVE, VALVE #2, WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. THAT'S TWO DEFECTIVE VALVES OUT OF FIVE, WHICH DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN ACCEPTABLE FAILURE RATE. *TR

ENGINE OIL LEAKS THIS IS A "NORMAL" PROBLEM THAT SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE CONSUMER AND THE ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS CORD BROKE OFF. WILL NOT TURN WITH VEHICLE

I ENTERED TODAY'S DATE AND MILEAGE BECAUSE I HAD TO DEAL WITH IT AGAIN THIS EVENING, BUT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE THE CAR HAD 70000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS NOW GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF EVERY 30 SECONDS OR SO WHILE DRIVING SO THEY WILL STAY ON ENOUGH TO GET THE CAR HOME. I DO NOT DRIVE IT AT NIGHT IF I DO NOT HAVE TO. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED. 141 OUT OF 188 COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE RECEIVED ON THIS CAR ARE DUE TO PEOPLE'S HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY $1000-2000 TO ATTEMPT TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW THAT OCCURS IN CARS WITH AS FEW AS 20000 MILES AND UP. I SAY ATTEMPT BECAUSE IF YOU READ THE THREADS ON THE TOPIC OF "AUDI DIPPED HEADLIGHT" YOU WILL FIND THAT NO FIX IS A SURE THING OR PERMANENT. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I SUBMITTED THIS SAME SAFETY COMPLAINT TO YOU A FEW YEARS AGO, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND, TO THIS DAY, PEOPLE ARE STILL SUBMITTING COMPLAINTS AFTER THEY ARE SUDDENLY DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH NO LIGHTS. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE KILLED BEFORE AUDI IS FORCED TO DO A RECALL? *TR

AUDI WOULD NOT START, CAR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE KEYS, CAR STUCK IN PARK, ALL WHEELS LOCKED, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, MMI RADIO WORKS, LIGHT WORKS, EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE CAR WORKS. *TR

CAR WON'T START, OR TURN OVER, VEHICLE TRANSMISSION STUCK IN PARK. HAVE TO TOW ON DOLLIES ACCOUNT WHEELS LOCKED UP TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SAYS STEERING LOCK STUCK IN OPEN POSITION AND HAVE TO REPLACE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN ACCOUNT PART IS INTEGRATED WITH STEERING COLUMN. *TR

AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT ON. DEALER FOUND THAT THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT LATCH SWITCH WAS FAULTY. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT ON, DEALER FOUND FAULT FOR INCORRECT SIGNAL FOR DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH. ALSO FOUND INTERNTAL MALFUCTION WITH LATCH. R&I DRIVERS SEAT AND R&R SEAT BELT LATCH. *TR

FAILED FUEL INJECTOR SEAL CAUSING FUEL LEAK

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A STOP LIGHT THE 2006 AUDI A6 "DIED" AND DID NOT RESPOND TO THE DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS IT RESPONDED. WE WERE ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY A FOLLOWING CAR. THIS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES ONCE WHILE TURNING RIGHT AND ONCE PULLING FORWARD FROM A STOP. *JB