2000 Audi A6 Air Bags & Restraints Problems

I WAS DRIVING AND HIT A MEDIUM SIZED BUMP. MY SEAT BEAT LOCK AND WOULDN'T RELEASE. I DISENGAGED THE BELT AND LET IT FULLY RETRACT THINK THAT THE LOCK WOULD RELEASE. BELT REMAINED LOCK IN THE FULLY RETRACTED POSITION. SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. *TR

THE "AIRBAG MODULES", MANUFACTURED BY BOSCH, IN MANY MODELS OF AUDI AUTOMOBILES APPEAR TO BE FAILING, INEXPLICABLY. THESE MODULES ACT AS THE CENTRAL "BRAIN" FOR A CAR'S AIRBAG SYSTEM AND IF THEY FAIL THE CAR'S AIRBAG SYSTEM IS RENDERED USELESS. IN MY CASE, MY MODULE FAILED INEXPLICABLY AND MUST BE REPLACED ($1000), HAVING NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION OR HAD AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. AUDI AND BOSCH HAVE BEEN UNHELPFUL, GIVEN THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT GIVEN THE CRITICAL NATURE OF A CAR'S SAFETY SYSTEM, AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF TAMPERING WITH A COMPUTER MODULE HIDDEN DEEP IN THE RECESSES OF THE CAR, THE MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THIS MAY BE A PERVASIVE PROBLEM, AND IT IS SCARY TO THINK OF HOW MANY CARS ARE OPERATING WITH "FAILED" SAFETY SYSTEMS! *TR

DURING A COLD SNAP, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE CAR WAS STARTED IN THE MORNING. THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER WAS QUERIED FOR A FAULT CODE, AND THE CODE 65535, INTERNAL CONTROL MODULE MEMORY ERROR, WAS RETURNED. THE FACTORY MANUAL WAS CONSULTED AND THE REMEDY OFFERED WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CONTROLLER, WITH THE INSTRUCTION THAT THE CONTROLLER COULD NOT BE RESET USING THE SCAN TOOL. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED FOR THE PART, APPROXIMATELY $900, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED. TOTAL COST (FROM A POSTING ON AUDI WORLD WEB SITE) FOR REPAIR APPROXIMATELY $1500. OF CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT ON THE AUDI WORLD WEB SITE, VERY HEAVILY TILTED TOWARD DIY OWNERS, I SEARCHED FOR THE 65535 FAULT CODE AND IT RETURNED 229 CASES WHERE THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE CODE, I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY MORE MENTIONED THE PROBLEM WITHOUT MENTIONING THE CODE. I DID NOT LOOK AT ALL OF THEM, BUT, MANY DESCRIBED THE SAME COLD WEATHER COINCIDENCE WITH THE PROBLEM. IF THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY CONTROLLER WHERE COLD INDUCES THE FAULT, EVERY VW PRODUCT, THAT SPENDS ANY TIME IN THE COLD, WITH THAT CONTROL, OR A VARIANT WITH THE SAME FLAW, R IS AT RISK. SEE MY EMAIL FOR THE REST OF THIS. YOUR SYSTEM WOULD NOT LET ME SEND IT AND WHEN I CALLED THEY COULD ONLY OFFER THAT I SEND AN EMAIL. *NM

MY 2000 AUDI A6 2.7T, WITH 58099 MILES, WAS PARKED IN COVERED BUT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE PARKING LOT FOR THREE DAYS AT APPROXIMATELY OF. WHEN I RETURNED FROM TRAVEL AND STARTED THE CAR, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE REPAIR FACILITY DISCOVERED THAT A SENSOR HAD SHORTED AND DESTROYED THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT. WHILE THE WARNING LIGHT NOTIFIED ME OF THE FAILURE, IT DOES NOT SEEM REASONABLE THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL SHOULD FAIL UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. *JB

VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A ACIDENT. AIR BAG LIGHT IN INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON. TESTS BY AUDI DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP SHOW AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. INDEPENTED REPAIR SHOP REPLACED AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE AT COST OF $879.50 PLUS 6% TAX. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER ON AND OFF, AND THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A RESULT OF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THE SHORT WAS CAUSED BY AN IMPACT UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS NO MEMORY OF ANY IMPACT UNDER THE VEHICLE. *TC

WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, CONSUMER WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY A TRUCK, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUFFERED NECK INJURIES AND VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS.*JB (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT).