Audi not going to acknowledge DRC faults. Imperative we report failures to DOT...

[Hy Octane]

for recall..
Audi is instructing all its personnel to act as though each DRC failure is the first they have heard of it, and they have told their SM's to try and convince customers that the repairs are to "factory specs" even if they know full well they arent. They have decided to take a hands off policy knowing that the warranty/lease period for most is ending. They wish to let second owners pay for repairs instead of doing so under warranty.. They are trying to sweep this under the rug. So, my friends, if you have had DRC trouble, PLEASE take a few moments to fill out an online complaint with the DOT ..

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

It now is the only way we can force AoA to recall these faulty systems and replace them at no cost to us.
Thanks all..

[Aronis]

ok did it,,,for the second time...

we shall see.....

Mike

[s42ski]

Done as well

[JAXRS6]

I haven't yet filed a complaint because I'm not sure the problem relates to safety. Safety is literally the middle (almost) name of NHTSA, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, AND "safety-related" is referenced in the opening line of their criteria for complaints at your link. I have yet to hear of anyone experiencing an accident or other safety issue as a result of DRC failure, and I doubt NHTSA will take on an issue if safety is not involved.

Are DRC failures a pain in the arse? Definitely. Expensive to fix post-warranty? No doubt. Something I want to be gone if I consider another Audi? No question. But if there still have been no crashes or personal injuries as a result of DRC failure, what's the safety argument?

Is there something new, i.e. a DRC-related accident I haven't heard about? How do you plan to tie it to safety when you file a complaint?

Also wondering who says all this deception is going on at Audi. I don't doubt it could happen, just wondering if it really did because of huge risks to Audi's reputation and sales if it's exposed in a provable way. Who is saying this is so? And how would Audi do it? Writing internal memos or emails on such a subject would be very risky, since discovery of same could lead to some pricey lawsuits, and doing it by phone seems even riskier. It suggests all of the top dogs would go along, lest the cat get out of the bag so to speak. Hard to believe there's not an honest one among 'em!

BTW I don't doubt that many individual dealers are clueless about DRC. I've experienced that myself. But you're suggesting an Audi-based conspiracy to suppress information, which is a lot more serious.

[Hy Octane]

Jax..
It is not a safety complaint, its a defect complaint.. Look at the site and you decide the nature of your complaint. If accidents have been happening then they would classify it as a safety issue. otherwise, its a defect complaint that with enough complaints filed should cause them to look into this issue further, especially after a few years of failures and complaints. If you go to the RS2,4,6 site, they have a DRC poll. Over 76% of those polled have had DRC failures with inadequate repairs..

I would rather not say how I know, but if you know my experiences with Audi, you will know that I have been dealing with them for 18 years so I have learned who to go to for answers.

As you can see, the facts speak for themselves.. People buying secondhand RS6's with broken DRC systems being told they are responsible for repairs...the RS4 guys arent immune either.. Thats why they junked the system for the new models.
I hate being ripped off and lied to.. the fight continues with all your help, we can do this.

[JAXRS6]

OK, Hy, I'm convinced -- not of an Audi-based conspiracy (yet), but of the potential value of a complaint. Although the word safety is in the criteria text from link you provided, it did not come up on the pages where actual info is requested. Let's hope some good comes of this.

I don't have a printer installed right now, so I'm saving the text of what I wrote right here. As you can see I pretty much filled up the 2000 character limit; had to edit to get there, in fact. Wordy me!
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The DRC (Dynamic Ride control) suspension on my 2003 Audi RS6 has failed twice. My only symptom was a banging undercarriage rattle, but others have had handling problems. DRC failure is rampant as a subject for threads on owner forums, and it was the subject of an article in the March issue of Autometrix, a British publication, the first page of which can be found here: http://www.rs6.com/forum/attachment....2&d=1181644759 Since my DRC failures occurred at 32,000 and 50,000 miles, I expect more failures in the future. But while my first two repairs were covered under factory warranty, my factory warranty has run out. Thus I fear I will have to pay next time, and cost to replace the entire system may be as high as $6500 according to forum postings. An aftermarket alternative is available, per the linked article above, but even it costs about $4000 and it is too new to determine its longevity. To me this is an obvious defect in Audi design that can lead to handling problems, so Audi should step up to the plate for all owners. So far they have refused to do so, despite a 3/22/06 letter to me from James Cruse at Audi of America HQ in Rochester Hills, MI, in which Mr. Cruse acknowledges "Having handled multiple repairs with this system." To be fair, AOA did extend my warranty for a year, but that was because I had so many problems with the car including OTHER issues with downtime of up to one month. Audi should at least extend their warranty for the DRC component to all owners, as they did when owners reported widespread failures of the MAF filter on the Audi S4 for the 2000 model year. THAT response was exemplary! DRC has become such a widely publicized issue that I am sure it is contributing to dramatic resale value declines in the past few months. Audi needs to know that if RS6 owners get no satisfaction, buyers of their onetime "flagship" sedan will be flocking elsewhere next time they shop.
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PS to others considering a complaint: Have your paperwork handy, including date of purchase, date and mileage of DRC service -- or was it the failure date? (only one date allowed but frequency of fixes/incidents can be any number), VIN, dealer info (optional), blah blah blah.

PS to Hy: Please understand there is nothing personal in my reluctance to accept your conspiracy claim, but as a retired reporter I remain schooled in skepticism. I may yet come to accept it if more specific information is forthcoming.

[Aronis]

Just a quick note...

If you have had a DRC Failure, and have driven the car at speed, and don't recognized the DANGER of driving such an unstable car, then perhaps you never exceed 20 mph in your car, or your car did not really have a DRC failure.

There is little doubt the car is VERY VERY unsafe when the DRC is not functioning properly. Especially if one diagonal pair is out....

Perhaps that CRASHED RS6 which is picture here HAD a DRC failure and that caused the accident.

There is NO way to prove that a DRC failure caused and accident as the system would be said to have leaked AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH...

Mike

[JAXRS6]

Just a quick note...

If you have had a DRC Failure, and have driven the car at speed, and don't recognized the DANGER of driving such an unstable car, then perhaps you never exceed 20 mph in your car, or your car did not really have a DRC failure.

Mike

Ride and handling were not affected by my two DRC failures, but I know they were DRC failures because the rattles went away after the DRC fix. I've certainly driven at speed.

Not sure what else I could have written, except that others have had handling issues with their failures -- which I did write. Hopefully those who experienced handling issues will emphasize the safety aspects in their complaints. It just wasn't part of my experience.

As for that dramatic crash, I suppose DRC could have been a factor. If the driver or owner thought so, he should have mentioned it to his insurance investigator. Leakage should be evident even in the rubble that was once his RS6. If he didn't know about DRC issues, then of course that wouldn't happen -- unless he has since learned about DRC issues and the rubble is still around to inspect. Frankly, though, I'd bet high speed was the main culprit. It was described as an ABT RS6, which suggests the car was chipped and may have been capable of speeds nearing 200 mph. Station wagons - er, Avants -- being what they are, I doubt they are designed to be stable at such speeds. Combine that with his description of feeling like he was on ice, and the more likely explanation may be that the car started to become airborne.

How fast was he going? All I've seen so far is a post from a relative saying the driver "honestly" didn't know. Sorry, but I just don't believe that. It seems much more likely that he didn't want to reveal his speed due to fear of possible charges from police and/or insurance issues.

The driver was one very lucky man. If he was driving at high speeds knowing that the car had handling issues, he's also a very lucky idiot.

But maybe you're saying that the handling issues come on very suddenly -- that the car quickly became unstable, in this case when driving at speed. Having never had handling issues, I wouldn't know. Was that your experience?