2016 AUDI A3 CABRIOLET Complaints

WE RECEIVED TWO SAFETY RECALLS FROM AUDI: NHTSA RECALL #16V647 AND #16V642. WE WERE INFORMED BY AUDI THAT THE SERVICE WOULD HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BY AN AUTHORIZED AUDI DEALER. THE CLOSEST AUDI DEALER IS IN HONOLULU, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE US TO SHIP OUR CAR FROM MAUI. GIVEN THIS WAS AN AUDI RECALL, IT WAS MY EXPECTATION THAT THEY WOULD EITHER PAY THE COSTS OR AUTHORIZE THE WORK TO BE DONE ON MAUI BY THE VW DEALER, WHICH IS ONE OF AUDI'S SISTER COMPANIES. NEITHER RECALL HAS BEEN COMPLETED AS OF TODAY. SINCE THESE ARE SAFETY RECALLS, I WOULD FULLY EXPECT AUDI TO PAY FOR ALL COSTS AS WELL AS THE INCONVENIENCE OF NOT HAVING A CAR FOR AT LEAST A WEEK, DUE TO INTER-ISLAND SHIPPING SCHEDULES. ALTHOUGH AUDI CLAIMS THEY WOULD CONSIDER COMPENSATING US FOR OUT OF POCKET COSTS, BASED ON A RECENT REPAIR THAT IS COVERED BY OUR WARRANTY, I DO NOT TRUST THAT AUDI WILL COMPENSATE US. ON APRIL 25, 2017, THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG ALERT LIGHTS LIT UP FOR NO REASON. THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAID THAT WHEN BOTH LIGHTS ARE ON, THE OWNER SHOULD GET THE CAR TO A TECHNICIAN IMMEDIATELY. WE HAD THE CAR EVALUATED AND REPAIRED BY THE LOCAL VW DEALER, PAYING FOR IT OUT OF POCKET. ON MAY 1, I CONTACTED AUDICARE TO GET UNDERSTAND THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS. I WAS TOLD TO SEND IN THE WORK ORDER AND PROOF OF PAYMENT AND THEY WOULD PROCESS IT UNDER THE WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE CASE NUMBER THEY ASSIGNED US IS CASE NUMBER 170475720. COPIES ARE ATTACHED. TODAY, MAY 8, I CALLED AUDI TO CONFIRM RECEIPT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO COMPENSATE US. THEIR REASONING IS THAT BECAUSE THE WORK WAS NOT DONE BY AN AUDI TECHNICIAN, THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE COST. HOWEVER, GIVEN THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO A FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR, WE HAD TO GET THE CAR TO A TECHNICIAN IMMEDIATELY. GIVEN THIS WAS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE, THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD SHIP THE CAR TO AN AUDI DEALER ANYWAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS UNKNOWN HOW THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

THERE IS NO WARNING, AND NO IGNITION LOCKOUT, WHEN THE ETRON POWER PORT DOOR AND COVER IS LEFT OPEN AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR. (THE POWER PORT IS HOW TO RECHARGE THE BATTERIES IN THE CAR). THIS ALLOWS WATER TO BE FORCED INTO THE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN, WHICH COULD TRIGGER AN ELECTRICAL FIRE OR MALFUCTION IN THE SYSTEM AND POSSIBLY EXPLODE THE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES THAT POWER THE CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED ON THE 2017 MODEL, BUT THERE IS NO SOLUTION (YET) FOR A 2016 ETRON ACCORDING TO DEALER.

THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE A3 E-TRON. THERE IS A DELAY BETWEEN STARTING THE CAR AND THE CAR BEING ENGAGING THE POWERTRAIN AND BEING "READY" TO DRIVE. DURING THAT DELAY, ONE IS ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR BEFORE THE ENGINE IS 'READY'. THIS CREATES SITUATIONS WHERE YOU CAN PUT THE CAR IN GEAR ON A HILL, AND THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARDS AND YOU DO NOT HAVE STEERING OR POWER BREAKS TO STOP THE CAR. THE ONLY WAY TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR IS TO TO PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BREAK (WITHOUT POWER STEERING), PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, AND POWER CYCLE THE CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 AUDI A3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAILING. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN....UPDATED 12/14/16 *BF UPDATED 08/10/2017*JS

SINCE PURCHASING MY AUDI A3 ON 3/26/2016 I HAVE A FLAT TIRES IN 6 DAYS ON 4/2/16. CAR TIRES ARE OEM AND ARE CONTIPROCONTACT 225/40 18 92H. TIRE FAILURES HAD HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED (20-30 MPH) GOING OVER A POTHOLE. HOWEVER, I HAVE DRIVEN ON THESE SAME CANTON ANN ARBOR ROADS FOR 5 YEARS AND NEVER HAD TIRE DAMAGE FROM A POTHOLE BEFORE. I CONTACTED SEVERAL COMPANIES FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT AND ALL OF THEM SAID THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THESE TIRES IN STOCK AND THESE ARE DISCONTINUED TIRES. I ALSO FOUND THESE TIRES ON CLEARANCE AT SEARS. I DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAIN AFTER I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME BRAND AND SIZE. HTTP://M.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/AUDI/A3/2015/WHEELS_HUBS/WHEELS.SHTML THERE IS A RECALL IN CANADA ON THESE TIRES HTTP://WWWAPPS.TC.GC.CA/SAF-SEC-SUR/7/VRDB-BDRV/SEARCH-RECHERCHE/DETAIL.ASPX?LANG=ENG&MK=7041&MD=0&FY=0&TY=9999&FT=&LS=0&SY=0&RN=2015313&CF=SEARCHRESULT&PG=0 DEALERSHIP IS NOT OFFERING ANY SOLUTIONS. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR.