1986 Audi 5000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 AUDI 5000. THE VEHICLE HAS MICHELIN XM PLUS 300 TIRES (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND THE CONTACT HEARD LOUD FLAPPING NOISES. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE LOST APPROXIMATELY HALF OF ITS TREAD, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO NEARLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REPLACED THE TIRE WITH A SPARE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE TIRES WERE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT HIS EXPENSE. THE VIN AND TIRE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,100. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB

ON WAY TO WORK, PASSED CAR, PUT PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND IT STUCK THERE, UNTIL TAPPED WITH FOOT, THANK GOD, BUT WHEN I GOT TO WORK, CAR IDLED UP AND DOWN, ERRATIC, BETWEEN 10,000 AND 20,000 RPMS. TURNED OFF ENGINE, NO NOISE, NO WARNING LIGHTS ON. RESTARTED OK, STILL IDLED FUNNY. TURNED OFF ENGINE. WAITED A MINUTE, NO NOISE, NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO SMOKE. INSIDE NWA BUILDING WORKING 15 MINUTES AND MY MANAGER SAID CAR WAS ON FIRE...FLAMES UNDERHOOD ABOUT 20 FEET IN THE AIR...BURNED CAR NEXT TO IT TOO. FIRE DEPARTMENT, PUT OUT, MILLERSVILLE, MD HQS DEPT. SAID STARTED IN ENGINE, SO BAD BURNT AND MELTED HARD TO TELL WHAT FAILED. I HAD NO FIRE INSURANCE ON CAR. ANY RECOURSE AGAINST AUDI? PLEASE ADVISE. I HAD JUST SPENT $3,000 IN REPAIRS ON CAR...SEAT, CRUISE, EXHUAST, TUNE UP, INJECTORS...AT LOCAL SHOPS. I AM SICK...WAS PLANNING TO ADD COMPREHENSIVE,BUT HAD TO TAKE TO GEICO FOR INSPECTION FIRST. MOREOVER, I LIVE IN CONDO, WITH GARAGE, 4 FAMILY UNIT, HAD BEEN PARKING IN MY GARAGE AT NIGHT...A FEW HOURS LATER WE MIGHT HAVE ALL BEEN KILLED OR INJURED...WHOLE PLACE IS WOOD FRAME. THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR/OWNER WHO TOWED CAR TO HIS SHOP, SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE IN THIS MODEL MANY TIMES...HE SAID CAR WILL BE THERE TO INSPECT FOR A FEW WEEKS...THE JUNKED.*AK

I STARTED THE CAR IN A DRIVEWAY, INTENDING TO BACK ONTO THE STREET. WHEN I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE, THE CAR ACCELERATED BACKWARD AT TOP SPEED. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. I HAD 40 FEET OF SKID MARKS VISIBLE ON THE PAVEMENT. THE CAR WAS STOPPED BY IT'S IMPACT WITH A PARKED CAR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES WITH 1986 AUDI 5000 MODELS. WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THIS CAR? IS IT SAFE TO CONTINUE TO USE?