1995 Audi S6

I HAD PREVIOUSLY NOTED AN INTERMITTENT FUEL SMELL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT CURSORY UNDERHOOD INSPECTION REVEALED NO VISIBLE LEAKS. MOST RECENT OCCURENCE (2/25/00) HAD SAME FUEL SMELL AND THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO DETECT WEEPAGE IN THE FLEXIBLE LINE (GOT A WET HAND FROM RUBBING FLEXIBLE LINE). FITTINGS ON THE FUEL FILTER WERE TIGHT. FUEL STAINING ON COMPONENTS BELOW THE FUEL LINE WAS ALSO NOTED. VEHICLE DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE TO DEALER (MOHEGAN LAKE MOTORS, YORKTOWN, NY, (914) 528-8076), FOR RESOLUTION ON 2/28/2000. PRESENTLY AWAITING THEIR REPORT AND REPAIR. *AK

CAR IS UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. CONTACTED AUDI OF AMERICA AND LOCAL DEALERSHIP. WAS UNABLE TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT UNTIL 12-13-99. I FEEL THAT THIS DEFECT IN THE FUEL LINE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND AM NOW FACED WITH RENTING A CAR FOR THE NEXT 4 WEEKS UNLESS I CHOOSE TO DRIVE THE CAR KNOWING THAT THELEAK IS DRIPPING GAS ONTO A HOT TURBO CHARGER.

THE FUEL LINE LEAK THAT MY CAR SUFFERS FROM IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON 1992-1994 AUDI S4S AND 1995 AUDI S6S. THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL LINE LEAK IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SINCE IT TENDS TO DRIP OR SPRAY ON THE TURBO WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE. FROM DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB (WWW.S-CARS.ORG) IT IS CLEAR THAT NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I HAVE AND HAVE HAD TO BATTLE AUDI TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AT AUDI'S EXPENSE. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES IF NOT IDENTIFIED AND REPAIRED. GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY BOTH NEWER (1995) LOW MILEAGE CARS AS WELL AS OLDER (1992) HIGH MILEAGE CARS SUPPORTS THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PROBLEM IS A DESIGN FLAW, NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE. *AK

THE FUEL LINE ON MY AUDI S6 WAS CLEARLY LEAKING FUEL INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURENCE FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF AUDI. MY CAR HAPPENED TO BE COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AT THE TIME AND THE PART WAS REPLACED. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, HOWEVER, THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON FAILURE ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF CAR AND THAT AUDI IS FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART WORTHY OF A RECALL. SOME OWNERS ARE BEING FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS SAFETY RELATED PART OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET. WHY A CAR MANUFACTURER IS NOT WILLING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE FOR A DEFECTIVE PART THAT RUNS THE RISK OF A FIRE IS BEYOND ME. I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT CASE OF SOMETHING WHERE NHTSA SHOULD STEP IN BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BY A FIRE.