Audi Death Trap

My replacement part came with a two year guarantee that takes me up to the car being seven years old. I'd rather not go through the same experience again as I might not live to tell the tale a second time around but at least the cost would be covered by Audi. Once the part is out of warranty you are on your own and it's just a question of when rather if it will fail. I always disable the automatic stop/start on every journey to hopefully extend its life. I expect to go back to full petrol for peace of mind when the time comes. Mild hybrid technology is a failure.

I was refunded by Audi Executive Office when they finally accepted the 7 year warranty actually existed. The warranty wasn't announced to Audi staff with any kind of fanfare. It was just sneaked in as if it had always been there but everyone was in denial to start with as I suspect they genuinely knew nothing about it. Even now I doubt it will be easy for you but you must keep fighting. They even told me that once my original alternator had been disposed of there was no way of identifying whether it was covered by the warranty or not. Good luck!

The original goodwill gesture was £600 but even this was annoyingly reduced to £500 by the dealership due to VAT. I still can't work that out! The total cost was about £1,900 but it was months before I was refunded. I believe I caused Audi that much of a problem it was my case that finally led to the roll out of the extended warranty. Audi Hull told me they have honoured a number of such claims now.

Hi Laura, Mine was finally repaired at no cost to myself but it was a long, drawn out fiasco involving so many different organisations, consumer groups and the media. Initially I got a goodwill contribution but eventually I was refunded in full. They didn't seem overly concerned that I could have been killed. If you scroll back far enough you'll find my story. I should approach your dealership with a copy of the extended warranty (top right) and find out if your model is covered first of all.

We will not honour the extended warranty. We will not provide a courtesy car. We will not provide a hire car. Your life was endangered as a result of a manufacturing defect and we will do nothing. Welcome to Audi.

Mine was also entitled to the 7-year warranty but I had to fight tooth and nail to make it happen. The scale of denial, obfuscation and evasion of responsibility from both the dealership and Audi UK reached levels only possible from a premium manufacturer. I don't imagine Dacia or Kia owners have ever hit such a total and complete brick wall.

Audi went out of their way to keep me as far offside and alienated as physically possible. Never again.

I didn't get any support from my local dealership. I had to deal with Audi Executive Office who were far from helpful to start with until I was able to prove with a copy of an internal Audi document on here that a 7-year extended warranty actually existed. Before I was taken seriously I had to have a letter published in my local paper, complain to endless other media outlets and seek legal advice from my insurer. It won't be easy but you must persist relentlessly. And I mean relentlessly. Good luck!

If there are no fault codes and yet there is blatantly a fault when there is a known issue across multiple models then surely the starting point must be the alternator whether there is a code or not. The alternator is either charging the battery or it isn't.

The two earliest signs that my alternator was about to fail was the start/stop function becoming unavailable followed by the central locking locking me out then locking me in. I had to keep clicking the key fob as fast as I could whilst repeatedly pulling on the door handle. There was a good 24 hours and over 10 miles before everything else rapidly failed in succession. With that many fault codes Allan the alternator must surely be close to the end. The car park idea actually sounds sensible. What do they expect you to do?

Hi Nik, it's in the POSTED IMAGES towards the top of the right hand column >>>

Hi Nik, make sure the dealership know you are aware of the seven year extended warranty on the generator starter / alternator. As it's a manufacturing defect you should be provided with a courtesy car or paid-for hire car.

Despite VW Audi Dieselgate I can't get any media outlet to take this up. I'd like to find out some breakdown statistics from the AA or RAC given these cars are doomed to failure. I expect my own breakdown premium will go up next year just to rub a little more salt in the wound. Once again reporting to DVSA won't work if there is no blatant safety aspect involved.

"Certain systems may not fully function." Great if you want to deploy your hazard lights and actually evacuate your vehicle before you get rammed or go up in flames.

This is the latest summary I received from the DVSA this morning after I provided additional information to my original complaint. It is probable all types and makes of vehicles will, at some time, experience a mechanical or electrical component failure. These, by their nature can be unpredictable as can the site/location where it may occur. Therefore, DVSA considers the immediate impact any safety related issue may have on the vehicle in to determine if it is a safety defect as defined by the Code. Our understanding is the vehicle has two-stage warnings, both of which are visual and acoustic, and the vehicle fully meets type approval requirements. Initially the 12V supply should support secondary systems (including lighting and steering) allowing the vehicle to carry forward, slow down and be brought to a halt. Lighting, inc. hazard lights etc., should be still active at time of incident and ‘emergency call’ available. However, as with any vehicle, (ICE, Hybrid etc) if charging has been interrupted the battery will deplete over time, and, depending on usage, certain systems may not fully function.