Audi Death Trap

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.

Hi Peter, sorry to hear you've succumbed to the same problem we've all had on here. I would suggest liaising with Audi Executive Office for a goodwill gesture if the terms of the extended warranty have been broken. You could report the issue to the DVSA like I have but in your case there is no blatant safety risk so unfortunately you probably won't get very far. https://contact-dvsa.service.gov.uk/report-vehicle-safety-defect/

Part of my alternator replacement cost was covered by a third party warranty. Having been thrown under the bus Audi Hull have now agreed to pay the shortfall. They told me this would not have been possible if it wasn't for my own warranty as they couldn't have footed the entire bill. The service manager informed me that they would be unable to recover the cost from Audi UK without returning the original failed part which they no longer have. I don't imagine for one minute Audi UK are trying to make all evidence disappear. The service manager also agreed the likely sequence of electrical failures would be exactly how I'd described it to the DVSA.

I broke down here in narrow lanes between concrete blocks running for hundreds of yards with no escape route.

There are other forums with owners discussing the exact same problems many in the USA. I've followed loads of threads since my breakdown. Trying to get others to contact the DVSA would be no small feat. Most Audi drivers probably get recovered, pay the bill, maybe get a gesture of goodwill or even maybe get a warranty payout then go on their way giving it no further thought. The only ones incensed enough to get as far as the DVSA will be those who truly had their lives put on the line. Since these component failures have been occurring for years now it's absurd the DVSA only have a limited number of reports.

Hi Mark, I've never been keen on the idea of a start/stop system and made sure before I bought the car it was possible to deactivate the system. I've owned the A8 for one year and have religiously turned the start/stop off at the beginning of every journey. Unfortunately I don't know what the previous owner did for the first four years or whether the alternator has already been replaced at some point.

Mark, there are some well thought out comments and questions in your correspondence with the DVSA. When I read their reply to me it came as a great shock to effectively be accused of lying and that none of my experiences could theoretically happen. Three operatives from BDV Breakdown and many hundreds of commuters witnessed me trapped and recovered inside the car and driven away with no hazard warning lights. The breakdown company have now agreed to pay the cost of damage to the steering arm when they hauled my car onto the flatbed. Ultimately the vehicle only broke down as a result of the alternator manufacturing defect so I believe Audi should be liable for this as well. The Hull Audi warranty manager and service manager are supposedly coming back to me by the end of the week with some kind of additional resolution. Given that Audi Executive office won't entertain me because I asked for legal advice I don't expect to be given anything. The fact they threw Hull Audi under the bus will result in £OOOO Vuckall durch Technic for me.

Hi MikeyW, Audi Hull are going to come back to me by the end of the week once their warranty manager has looked into it. It's grossly unfair for Audi to deny me the warranty claim and then deny me it again once I've sought legal advice on how to get Audi to fulfill its legal obligation. There must be consumer protection laws out there but how do you make a company comply? I'm the innocent victim in all of this and I could have been killed. But hey, as long as it's only cost Audi £500 then who gives a stuff about anything else?

Any help would be gratefully appreciated. There is no claim as the DVSA exonerated Audi of any design failings despite hundred of witnesses to my plight.

Dear Sir or Madam, I recently made a telephone enquiry about taking action over Audi endangering my life due to a potential design fault with their mild hybrid alternator following a breakdown. I informed Audi that I was waiting for a report from the DVSA before coming back to yourselves. They will now not cover the £2,000 cost of replacing the alternator as they wrongly believe you are taking legal action against them on my behalf. By challenging Audi for risking my life they have withdrawn financial support which is a double kick in the teeth. Could you please provide written proof that you have not been instructed to take any action on my behalf.