2001 Audi A6 Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 AUDI A6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON, THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND SMOKE STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND EVACUATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE OCCURRED THAT ORIGINATED AT THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V133000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

CENTER DISPLAY LCD PANEL IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FADES OUT PARTICULARLY IN WARM WEATHER AND THE INFORMATION IT PROVIDES CANNOT BE READ. SINCE SOME OF THE INFORMATION SHOWN IN THIS DISPLAY IS IMPORTANT FOR SAFE OPERATION OF VEHICLE THE FAILURE OF THE DISPLAY TO BE ADEQUATELY LEGIBLE IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

I OWN A 2001 AUDI A6 QUATTRO. THE DRIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM HAS FADED TO A POINT N WHICH IT IS NO LONGER READABLE. SINCE ALL OF THE DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION IF DISPLAYED THROUGH THIS SYSTEM I AM AFRAID DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE MAY OCCUR. *TR

SUBSTANTIAL AND PROLONGED RAIN FLOODED THE COWLING (HOLDING RESERVOIR OF 4 GALLONS )LOCATED BELOW THE WINDSHIELD OF MY AUDI A6 2001 WAGON. THE DRAIN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE COWLING HAD BECOME CLOGGED FROM BITS OF LEAVES, ETC OVER THE YEARS. THE COWLING HAS NO OVERFLOW DRAIN AND WHEN THE DRAIN HOLE IS CLOGGED THE WATER FLOODS INTO THE AIR VENT AND PROCEEDS INTO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FLOOR WAS FLOODED WITH 2 TO 3 INCHES OF WATER WHICH PROCEED TO DAMAGE THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL BOX FOR THE ENTIRE CAR AND THE ELECTRONIC "HARNESS" WHICH CONNECTS THE CONTROL BOX TO ALL OF THE DEVICES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE CAR. THERE WERE MORE THAN 12 CARS IN THIS ONE DEALERSHIP SUFFERING FROM THIS WATER DAMAGE ISSUE. AUDI HAS KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS, BUT HAS FAILED TO PROVIDE A RECALL AND INSTALL AN OVERFLOW HOLE HIGHER UP ON THE COWLING TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY RELIEF. REPAIR BILL WAS $3,500. INSTALLATION OF AN OVERFLOW HOLE WOULD BE AN EASY SOLUTION. FLOODING SHUTS DOWN ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND DISABLES CAR. *NM

VEHICLE WAS FULL OF SMOKE WHILE GETTING INTO IT WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL NIGHT. CONSUMER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE FILM ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW. ALSO, CONSUMER OPENED THE TRUNK AND FOUND IT FULL OF SMOKE. CONSUMER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE MARSHALL INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND BELIEVED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS. *AK

FAILING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY. *AK

THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET BROKE AT 60 MILES PER HOUR WITH RESULTING LOSS OF VBELT MECHANISM AND POWER STEERING. THIS OCCURRED ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. THE RESULTING STEERING DIFFICULTY ON A CURVED ROAD WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH EVEN AT 30 MILES PER HOUR..*AK