DRC Recall in US/Canada

[Sims]

What evidence do you have that whatever happens in other countries is going to apply here? Please stop assuming that because AOA has sent this out to American owners and that it happens in other countries that it will follow suit here.

We are more "global" than we ever have been.

Actually Audi UK is ahead of Audi America with the 5yr/75k offer. Top marks to Audi UK for the pragmatic approach they adopted fairly early on in the game.

The Yanks are following for there is no where to go, denial is no longer an option. The oil is leaking.

I do assume some good will come out of this for all RS4 owners & for Audi for stepping up to the challenge. You assume the worst.

[lengster1]

Those figures are utter rubbish,we have on here a few hundred or so contributing b7 owners and over 100 have had failures,at the max we have 10-15% of b7 owners on here (500 as on ott estimate) and 133 failures as you can count me on that list also,i have one that weeps and knocks and another that has started but doesnt weep or knock enough yet so im not going through the whole hassle twice.I was informed my weeping shocks would pass an mot under the 20% ruling WTF? A leaking shock or fork leg on my bike would fail and ive had other cars in the past fail for the same,perhaps i shouldnt have had it motd at audi and been putting up with knocking over speed bumps for months longer than need be.I honestly believe failure rate is nearer 25%

[lengster1]

I have to say i think 75k and 5 years is a fair warranty,but replacing all rather than 1st to fail would be far more acceptable,they are all the same age/mileage and common sense would say the remaining ones are going to follow suit shortly,rather than drag owners in again and again it should be dealt with on a permanent basis with minimum disruption to owners

[PetrolDave]

You assume the worst.

Years of Audi ownership lead you to expect the worst from Audi UK and most Audi dealers. It's only the quality of the cars and the engineering behind them that compensates.

Yes, it's a pleasant surprise that Audi UK have taken a good position on the DRC issue. However, I'm concerned for owners not in possession of the "Jeremy Hicks letter". Until Portsmouth Audi saw my "Jeremy Hicks letter" they were saying it was doubtful that Audi UK would pay for my DRC replacement because I had one non-Audi service stamp (when you've been redundant you have to choose where to spend the pennies).

I want to see Audi UK adopt a simple position:

1) a DRC warranty of 5 years/75,000 miles for ALL UK RS4 owners regardless of service history.

2) the usual 2 year parts warranty on replaced DRC components (at least one member here is having issues on this point).

3) On failure - replacement of all 4 shock absorbers, as Audi France do.

[rs4v8]

What evidence do you have that whatever happens in other countries is going to apply here? Please stop assuming that because AOA has sent this out to Amercian owners and that it happens in other countries that it will follow suit here.

I have to agree with you here P_G.

[PetrolDave]

What evidence do you have that whatever happens in other countries is going to apply here? Please stop assuming that because AOA has sent this out to Amercian owners and that it happens in other countries that it will follow suit here.

I have to agree with you here P_G.

+2

As ArthurPE has said - AoA have done the recall because the cost of the recall is less than 1 law suit in the US, so it's a simple financial calculation that AoA have done.

Other countries don't have the same litigation culture so we can't expect the same reaction from other importers.

[Sims]

You assume the worst.

Years of Audi ownership lead you to expect the worst from Audi UK and most Audi dealers. It's only the quality of the cars and the engineering behind them that compensates.

Yes, it's a pleasant surprise that Audi UK have taken a good position on the DRC issue. However, I'm concerned for owners not in possession of the "Jeremy Hicks letter". Until Portsmouth Audi saw my "Jeremy Hicks letter" they were saying it was doubtful that Audi UK would pay for my DRC replacement because I had one non-Audi service stamp (when you've been redundant you have to choose where to spend the pennies).

I want to see Audi UK adopt a simple position:

1) a DRC warranty of 5 years/75,000 miles for ALL UK RS4 owners regardless of service history.

2) the usual 2 year parts warranty on replaced DRC components (at least one member here is having issues on this point).

3) On failure - replacement of all 4 shock absorbers, as Audi France do.

With respect, this is more to do with German engineering than anything else.

I do think there is scope for improvement at Audi Dealers, and have even suggested a dedicated customer services desk for the RS owners.

Do you know anyone who has paid for a DRC repair in the UK?

IMO Audi should do even more than what you suggest, as I have stated on many threads in the last few months. This is not some simple suspension system like a Skoda where springs & dampers can be changed for 6 pence. I suspect the whole suspension system costs as much as the Skoda.

Just joking Skoda owners - I like the Roomster, greatly underrated.

[Sims]

As ArthurPE has said - AoA have done the recall because the cost of the recall is less than 1 law suit in the US, so it's a simple financial calculation that AoA have done.

Other countries don't have the same litigation culture so we can't expect the same reaction from other importers.

That's a simplistic view, times have changed.

[PetrolDave]

With respect, this is more to do with German engineering than anything else.

Audi engineers extensively test on German roads - which are (mostly) billiard table smooth so they will not have seen any DRC issues.

The problem isn't engineering, it's the "bean counters" who prevent the engineers from testing under global road conditions to both limit costs and meet (too) tight launch schedules. Ask any engineer working for any European company - they'll tell you exactly the same thing.

UK test site such as Millbrook have roads to simulate Belgian pave and US manholes, so it IS possible to test under global road conditions in Europe - contrary to what the "bean counters" think.

P.S. The shock absorbers on my wife's Skoda need replacing after only 25,000 miles - at least the shock absorbers on my RS4 lasted 44,000 miles...

[Sims]

Audi engineers extensively test on German roads - which are (mostly) billiard table smooth so they will not have seen any DRC issues.

..

Fit for purpose for the market the product is sold in, -Death valley or Alaska, Autobahns or Hackney.

As an aside, did Audi use UK roads to develop the suspension system for one of their cars?

[rs4v8]

we have on here a few hundred or so contributing b7 owners and over 100 have had failures,at the max we have 10-15% of b7 owners on here (500 as on ott estimate) and 133 failures as you can count me on that list also,

Totally can't see how they could even be close to being 1% nevermind less. Say we are being super generous by saying we have 1000 members and being super suspicious by saying half of the fault log is BS - then you are looking at (65/1000)*100 or a 6.5 % failure rate. 133 failures in 30000 cars is 0.43% which is what arthur is more or less saying (and that is assuming no other failures in 29867 cars). Whats he's saying just doesn't make sense which ever way you look at it.

I honestly believe failure rate is nearer 25%

That would be around about where I'd put my money if I was to bet on it.

[rs4v8]

What evidence do you have that whatever happens in other countries is going to apply here? Please stop assuming that because AOA has sent this out to Amercian owners and that it happens in other countries that it will follow suit here.

I have to agree with you here P_G.

+2

As ArthurPE has said - AoA have done the recall because the cost of the recall is less than 1 law suit in the US, so it's a simple financial calculation that AoA have done.

Other countries don't have the same litigation culture so we can't expect the same reaction from other importers.

Like I said, cash money money.

[PetrolDave]

Fit for purpose for the market the product is sold in, -Death valley or Alaska, Autobahns or Hackney.

You would need bottomless pockets to win that argument in a court against Audi UKs lawyers.

[rs4v8]

Do you know anyone who has paid for a DRC repair in the UK?

Not on a B7 RS4, they are all covered by warranty until spring next year in the UK when the 06 cars go past the five year special warranty period. Unless someone has been unfortunate at an unknowledgable dealership.
I know of at least one v8 RS6 owner who has paid and it's cheaper to get KWs and be done with it once and for all.

[ArthurPE]

We are more "global" than we ever have been.

Actually Audi UK is ahead of Audi America with the 5yr/75k offer. Top marks to Audi UK for the pragmatic approach they adopted fairly early on in the game.

The Yanks are following for there is no where to go, denial is no longer an option. The oil is leaking.

I do assume some good will come out of this for all RS4 owners & for Audi for stepping up to the challenge. You assume the worst.

the only oil leaking is in the Gulf
and it wasn't the 'yanks' in denial...500 bbl/day, then 1000, then 20,000, then 30,000 now at possibly 60,000...

the RS4 was on sale in the UK for almost 2 years sooner also...
and don't foret, the RS6 owners got full replacement 1.5 yers ago...

I checked the federal auto safety site...only 1 RS4 reported for leaking shocks...after review of the mfgs records, no trend was noted, and it does not present a safety hazard...case closed

as opposed to the Toyota debaucle, <20 verified cases and they recalled >2 million vehicles...a failure rate of <0.001 %

as far as sigma six, does not apply here, according to some this is a design flaw, an inherent defect, not a random QC issue, ie, insufficient tightening of a bolt, random low pressure initial charging...etc.

ALL cars should fail...they haven't

which side do you guys (UK) fuel on?
has anyone ever corned weighed their car?