Q7 Audi Q7 - serious defect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h


EnI

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To all those who have an Audi Q7 or dream about having one


Before getting possession of your new Q7 or stepping once again in your Q7, I would like to invite you to take a look at the photos on this blog, illustrating an accident occurred on July 1st, 2006 with our new Audi Q7 (ordered in December 2005, produced in Germany in May 2006, delivered to us in Belgium on May 18th, 2006 and totally destroyed not even 6 weeks later, in France).

While driving on the highway in France (at approximately 130 km/h), the front wheel on the right side got loss (absolutely no obstacle on the way), stayed for a while under the car while the car went in one move to the right (the wheel pushed the interior side of the car inside breaking the leg of my daughter). The right wheel also got deformed, while the car was sliding to the right. The car flew into the outside landscape then hit (almost) frontally the land hill, obviously first with the right front side and immediately afterwards also with the left front side.

It went then up to an angle of approximately 45 degrees, then fell back on the ground and hit it first with its right corner at its bottom, then fell completely on its right side.

It is a model TDI 3.0 l (233 HP), 7 seats. It has a weight of approximately 2.5 ton.

The frontal airbags didn’t work (neither because of the frontal choke, nor because of the seat belts), the lateral ones neither, when the car (2.5 ton) fell on its side. The car was equipped with all possible airbags proposed by the constructor.

As if this was not enough, the central internal mirror also got loss at the moment of the choke and hit the head of my wife, who was driving the car.

I’m very happy that my wife and my daughter survived to this very severe accident (the car has been very normally declared as a total loss), these two members of my family being relatively lightly injured (broken sternum for my wife and hit on her head and broken leg for my daughter).

There are witnesses of this accident who can confirm what they saw.

Just to give you an idea about the attitude of Audi towards this accident (which could reveal some very serious technical problems with this car, problems that could endanger the life of people buying such a car), they didn’t do any technical expertise at all until now, even if the car is back in Belgium since July 11th, 2006.

I’m at your disposal for any additional information,

Aurel GAVRILOAIA
Managing Director

More info & pics: HERE

:eusa_thin :jpshakehe
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious accident: front arm broke at 130km/h!!!

Woah! Talk about your early production lemons. Audi had best put a lid on this one by providing some TLC and a very good sounding excuse. Good for them, this accident didn't happen in the US. Last thing Audi needs is another safety-related PR disaster.

From the sounds of it, Audi is reacting in a rather cavalier matter to this incident. Lucky them, we're just talking broken bones and one wrecked Q7.
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious accident: front arm broke at 130km/h!!!

I really hope it was just an unfortunate single case deffect, not a one due some serial material / engineering faults. Otherwise Audi will be in a biiiiiiig trouble ...

A recall could not help ... Maybe for the airbags & other safety systems, but not for engineering / material fault.

Ouch! :eusa_doh:

Let's wait & see the epilog of this story ...
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

Ouch! Bentley recall, now this... let's hope it's an isolated case.
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious accident: front arm broke at 130km/h!!!

Recall Date:MAY 30, 2006
Model Affected:2006 BMW 5 SERIES
Summary:
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE NUTS WHICH SECURE THE FRONT AXLE CONTROL ARM AND TENSION STRUT TO THE FRONT WHEEL HUB MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATION. OVER TIME THE NUTS COULD LOOSEN AND THE CONTROL ARM AND TENSION STRUT COULD BE DAMAGED.
Consequence:
VEHICLE HANDLING AND CONTROL COULD COMPROMISE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL RETIGHTEN THE FRONT AXLE CONTROL ARM AND TENSION STRUT NUTS TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 5, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
Potential Units Affected:
40
Notes:
BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

http://www.automotive.com/2006/49/bmw/5-series/recalls/53365.html

What a coincidence. BMW had made a recall due to problems in the front suspension of the 5 series a few months ago.
As you can see recalls help in material faults too. BMW has experience in that part.;) :D
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

Yep, neither BMW are immune to flaws.

Btw, Yannis, this is not BMW vs. Audi case ... You are acting like a true Audi fundametalist. :D ;)

It's just an interesting story (I found it on some German Audi forum) with potentially serious outcome (mind A-class ESP, TT spoiler, Z8 deffective alu body frame etc).

But I really hope it's an isolated case. But it will be interesting to monitor this case / story over the next few weeks or months. I'm eager to hear official independent explanation of the deffect.
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

EniLab said:
But I really hope it's an isolated case. But it will be interesting to monitor this case / story over the next few weeks or months. I'm eager to hear official independent explanation of the defect.

If you hear explaination about the defects in 5 series let us know too.;)
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

Yannis said:
If you hear explaination about the defects in 5 series let us know too.;)

No problem. :D

Oh, Yannis, you are so funny. :D :t-cheers::D
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

wow this is bad.. its actually pretty dangerous..
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

Few days ago, in Croatia, a brand new Q7 while being parked on the street suddenly started to burn! Noone from Audi's dealership can tell what's the problem and the answerfrom Ingolstadt still didn't arrive! Damage is app. 60.000,- €!!!

[image no longer available]ephresources/images/2006/08/23/pu-izgoreni_audimitrovic-v.jpg

Link in Croatian that Eni and Dominic can confirm.

:t-cheers:
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

Yea, that actually happened in Poreč (about 30 km from where I live). It burned because of technical problems! At first everybody though it happened because of some other reasons, which might be true but I don't want to get into that!
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

Didn't the A6 have similar problem with burning dashes a few months ago?
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

like we say in Sweden, Halmstad. "Shit happens" :D
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

lol 130km/h my ass, we all know they were probably doing 200km/h as otherwise they should have been able to slow down, but quite alot of SUV's have been having these problems, hummers and jeeps included.

SUV's are just crap. I hope people will stop buying these things thinking that they are invincible, and giving the driver a false sense of security.
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

Just_me said:
like we say in Sweden, Halmstad. "Shit happens" :D

Ahh, the infamous Halmstad ghetto gangstas!
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

and in America, people usually say, "Who gives a sh**";) :D jkjk
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

YoungWarrior said:
lol 130km/h my ass, we all know they were probably doing 200km/h as otherwise they should have been able to slow down, but quite alot of SUV's have been having these problems, hummers and jeeps included.

SUV's are just crap. I hope people will stop buying these things thinking that they are invincible, and giving the driver a false sense of security.

Lots of moms usally drive in 200km/h ;)
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

YoungWarrior said:
lol 130km/h my ass, we all know they were probably doing 200km/h as otherwise they should have been able to slow down, but quite alot of SUV's have been having these problems, hummers and jeeps included.

Forgot to read this?

So a (brand new) car at 130 km/h looses its right wheel on the highway when driving straight forward, because of a mechanical default, becomes completely uncontrollable (the brake circuit also got interrupted as the oil tube getting to this wheel also broke), gets out of the way, hits the lateral hill, fells on its side, and it would be normal that no security system worked. What its the use of such systems then?


And Btw, watch your language!
 
Re: Audi Q7 - serious deffect: front wheel arm broke at 130km/h

rightnow said:
Lots of moms usally drive in 200km/h ;)

My mom does when shes driving in germany or france :D

Ok 200mkh is a bit fast, 160/170km/h maybe for the average driver in france.
 

Audi

Audi AG is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, the company’s origins date back to the early 20th century and the initial enterprises (Horch and the Audiwerke) founded by engineer August Horch (1868–1951). Two other manufacturers (DKW and Wanderer) also contributed to the foundation of Auto Union in 1932. The modern Audi era began in the 1960s, when Volkswagen acquired Auto Union from Daimler-Benz, and merged it with NSU Motorenwerke in 1969.
Official website: Audi (Global), Audi (USA)

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