1997 Audi A4

I RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL JS FOR THE AUDI A4 IGNITION SWITCH IN NOVEMBER 2006 AND COMPLIED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS BY BRINGING THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR A REPLACEMENT SWITCH IN JANUARY 2007. THE DEALER DID NOT DO THE REPAIR BECAUSE THEY SAID MY CAR ALREADY HAD THE CORRECT SWITCH. IN JUNE 2008, THIS IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED IN THE EXACT MANNER DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE, I HEARD A CRACK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THEN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING DASHBOARD LIGHTS, HORN, TURN SIGNAL, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND AIR CONDITIONING, IMMEDIATELY BECAME INOPERATIVE. WHEN I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, THE KEY WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE OFF POSITION AND HAD TO BE PULLED OUT BY FORCE AND SUBSEQUENTLY FORCED BACK IN TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL FOR THE TOW TRUCK. I CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALER AND AUDI CUSTOMER RELATIONS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT SINCE THE RECALL HAD BEEN CLOSED BY THIS TIME, NO ONE WAS WILLING TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE REPAIR HAD NOT BEEN DONE PROPERLY OR THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH IN MY CAR, WHICH THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY CLAIMED WAS THE CORRECT ONE, WAS JUST AS DEFECTIVE AS THE RECALLED SWITCH. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM AUDI, BUT THEY REFUSED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 AUDI A4. IN JANUARY OF 2004, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DEALER PERFORMED THE RECALL REPAIR FOR FREE; HOWEVER, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED IN 2007. THE DEALER CONDUCTED A VISUAL INSPECTION. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT HAD BEEN DONE IN 2004, A NEW IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY. ON JUNE 9, 2008, THE IGNITION SWITCHED FAILED AGAIN. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE BATTERY DRAINED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY STATED ONCE MORE THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL, THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,487 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,500.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 AUDI A4. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 06V403000 (IGNITION SWITCH). WHEN THE CONTACT WENT TO RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, IT FAILED TO START. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD ONLY RELEASE THE KEYS AND VEHICLE TO A TOW SERVICE. THE INVOICE STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS IS THE ONLY AUDI DEALER IN HIS AREA. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 165,522. THE CONSUMER STATED TO THE AUDI BACK TO FIX AND THE VIN SHOULD SHOW CAR COULD DRIVE NORMALLY TO DEALERSHIP. THE CONSUMER STATED DEALERSHIP SABOTAGED CAR AND DRAFTED FALSE DOCUMENTS. UPDATED 08/24/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 AUDI A4. WHEN TURNING THE KEY TO THE RIGHT TO START THE VEHICLE, THE KEY REMAINS IN THE START POSITION INSTEAD OF TURNING BACK. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL # 06V403000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH). THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 111,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

AUDI SAFETY RECALL JS - IGNITION SWITCH REPAIRED CUSTOMER WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS MADE FROM AN OUTSIDE DEALER**NAR**CC 06/06/07 ADD TO LETTER SEND FROM OFFICE OF ATT GENERAL**CC THE CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE REPAIR WAS NOT MADE AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP AND BECAUSE THE CONSUMER WAITED SEVERAL MONTHS TO EXECUTE THE REPAIR. *JB *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 AUDI A4. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR RECALL # 06V403000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH). WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP FROM THE DEALER, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AND HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER BEING DRIVEN 25 MILES AND THEN PARKED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY FAILURE WAS UNRELATED TO THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS THE STARTER AND THE WIRE WAS BURNED TO THE STARTER. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 76,000.

I COMPLIED WITH AUDI SAFETY RECALL JS FOR MY 1997 AUDI A-4Q WHEN NOTIFIED BY AUDI TO DO SO BY A RECALL NOTICE. THE PART THAT WAS SUPPLIED BY AUDI(AN IGNITION SWITCH) FOR THE RECALL SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER AND WITH THE SAME EFFECTS AS THOSE THAT LED TO THE RECALL. I REPLACED THE MALFUNCTIONING SWITCH AT MY EXPENSE AND SOUGHT A REFUND FOR MY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FROM AUDI CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY REFUSED MY REQUEST AND SAID THEY HAD SATISFIED THEIR OBLIGATION TO ME BY REMOVING MY IGNITION SWITCH (THAT WAS WORKING FINE) AND REPLACING IT WITH A MALFUNCTIONING SWITCH AS PART OF AUDI SAFETY RECALL JS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO OPERATE. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #00V317000 ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE FAILURE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON THE IGNITION, THE KEY TURNED FORWARD BUT WOULD NOT SPRING BACK INTO PLACE. THE IGNITION HOUSING RETURN SPRING ANCHOR POINT FRACTURED CAUSING THE RETURN SPRING FORCES TO BE FAULTY FOR RETURNING THE IGNITION KEY TO THE PROPER POSITION AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHO DETERMINED THAT THE ORIGINAL PARTS WERE REPLACED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN ID#00V317000. THE CONTACT INSISTED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE ORIGINAL PARTS WERE REPLACED, THE REPLACED PARTS MAY HAVE BEEN FAULTY. THE SERVICE DEALER REFUSED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT AN OPEN CAMPAIGN.*AK