NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Recall Query RQ06-003: DRIVER'S SIDE DASH FIRE
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Recall Query RQ06-003 on February 27, 2006 and closed it on July 20, 2006. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Audi A6 and S6 for it and links recall 06V-198 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- RQ06-003 (also written RQ06003)
- Investigation type
- Recall Query An investigation into whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or whether its remedy works, run much like a Preliminary Evaluation.
- Status
- Closed July 20, 2006
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Components
- Electrical System; Electrical System — Wiring — Interior/Under Dash
- Recall linked by NHTSA
- 06V-198: CROSSMEMBER COVER/DRIVERS SIDE DASH FIRE, reported
- Vehicles and equipment
- Audi A6 and S6
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Recall Query RQ06-003.
VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. (VOA) CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 04V133) TO ADD A PLASTIC COVER TO THE TOP SECTION OF THE KNEE BOLSTER CROSSMEMBER TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HARNESS.THE SCOPE OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL COVERED MODEL YEARS 1998 THROUGH 2004 WITH VEHICLE PRODUCTION DATES OF AUGUST 1997 THROUGH DECEMBER 2004.
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION HAS RECEIVED NINE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING THAT AFTER HAVING THE RECALL REMEDY PERFORMED, A FIRE STARTED IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASHBOARD AREA.VOA REPORTS THAT IF THE PLASTIC COVER IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY BY THE DEALERS, THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WIRING HARNESS COULD CONTINUE TO CONTACT THE CROSSMEMBER, RESULTING IN A SHORT AND/OR FIRE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASHBOARD AREA.VOA WILL CONDUCT A NEW SAFETY RECALL TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL (AND LARGER) COVER OVER BOTH THE KNEE BOLSTER CROSSMEMBER AND THE PLASTIC COVER ASSEMBLY INSTALLED IN THE FIRST RECALL.ALL OF THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND ALL BUT 3 VOA CLAIMS ARE FOR MY 1998 THROUGH MY 2000.
VOA REPORTS THAT BEGINNING IN MY 2001, AUDI EXTENDED THE TIME FOR THE DEBURRING PROCESS OF THE CROSSMEMBER.VOA WAS NOT ABLE TO VERIFY THE CAUSE OF FIRE IN THE MY 2001 AND LATER VEHICLES DUE TO EITHER EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE OR OTHER REASON.THE RATE OF FIRE OCCURRENCE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FOR THE MY 2001 AND LATER VEHICLES. THE RECALL COVERS MODEL YEARS 1998 THROUGH 2000 WITH VEHICLE PRODUCTION DATES OF AUGUST 1997 THROUGH MAY 2000.
VOA WILL RECALL 66358 MY 1998-2000 AUDI A6, A6 AVANT, S6, AND S6 AVANT VEHICLES.ODI IS AWARE OF A TOTAL OF 59 WARRANTY, FIELD AND CONSUMER REPORTS FOR THESE VEHICLES.THE RECALL IS IDENTIFIED BY NHTSA NUMBER 06V-198.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Recall Query RQ06-003. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Audi VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for RQ06-003
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.