SF Gate: Freak fire traps man inside Audi/Battery failure a possible cause

[Mark W. Byrum, Jr.]

The "power locks" on our '98 A6Q open on the second pull even when locked.  I believe the same
is true on my '89 80Q.  Two pulls on the handle and the "power" feature is over-ridden.  So
where's the beef?  Another unintended acceleration conspiracy?
Mark

David Head wrote:

> Remember, they're vacuum operated...
>
> Greg wrote:
>
> >  Freak fire traps man inside Audi 5000, Battery Failure
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate.
> > The original article can be found on SFGate.com here:
> > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/01/14/MN10502.DTL
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Monday, January 14, 2002 (SF Chronicle)
> > Freak fire traps man inside Audi/Battery failure a possible cause
> > Jim Doyle, Michael Taylor, Chronicle Staff Writers
> >
> >    Redwood City -- A Redwood City man was in critical condition last night at
> > a San Jose hospital after he was trapped in a bizarre car fire that may
> > have disabled the automobile's electrical system, preventing him from
> > unlocking the doors, authorities said.
> >    The man suffered burns over 50 percent of his body after being trapped in
> > a 1985 Audi 5000 sedan. Investigators said the fire may have prevented the
> > driver from operating the sedan's power door locks. Officials said he was
> > unable to get out of the burning car.
> >    Firefighters quickly doused the blaze yesterday morning, but they had
> > difficulty removing and treating the driver.
> >    The middle-age victim, whom authorities would not identify, was flown by
> > helicopter to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, where he was
> > undergoing intensive care and evaluation.
> >    Fire investigators suspect that the blaze may have been sparked by a
> > malfunctioning battery. The battery in that model of Audi is stored
> > beneath the four-door sedan's rear seat. Electrical cables go from the
> > battery up to the engine compartment of the car.
> >    "The battery may have shorted and malfunctioned and started the fire,"
> > said Battalion Chief Jim Varner of the Redwood City Fire Department. "If
> > the battery had some kind of failure, that could be a reason for the doors
> > and windows not working.
> >    "It's an unusual set of circumstances," Varner said. "We have very few car
> > fires that are in the passenger compartment. Usually, it's under the hood.
> > . . . It was also unusual that he was not able to get out and walk away."
> >    In the mid-1980s, the Audi 5000 was accused by consumer advocates and
> > government agencies of having a mechanical glitch that caused it to
> > accelerate suddenly. It was called "unintended acceleration." Even after
> > the U.S. government exonerated the car and it was found not to have that
> > problem, Audi's U.S. sales sank, damaged by unfavorable publicity. They
> > have risen since then, and the marque is well known for its comfort and
> > speed.
> >    Yesterday, Audi experts contacted by The Chronicle said they had never
> > heard of this kind of freak accident -- failure of the car's electrical
> > system trapping passengers inside a locked car -- and none of the many
> > stories about Audi's problems in the 1980s mentions the electrical
> > malfunction.
> >    At Audi of America in Auburn Hills, Mich., director of marketing Walter
> > Hanek said, "I'm not aware of such problems."
> >    The incident involving the Redwood City man took place near the corner of
> > Marlin Drive and Redwood Shores Parkway, not far from the driver's home in
> > the Redwood Shores suburban neighborhood. Investigators surmise that he
> > was heading home when his car burst into flames. He pulled the car over to
> > the side of the road.
> >    Neighbors said they spotted the car fire shortly after 10 a.m. and
> > immediately dialed 911. Three minutes later, when firefighters arrived,
> > they found the car engulfed in flames and the driver trapped.
> >    "We had some difficulty getting the driver's door open," Varner said. "The
> > window was either down or open, but when our guys tried to pull the pin
> > for the door lock it snapped off. Hydraulic rescue tools were needed to
> > force the door open."
> >    In addition to his third-degree burns, the man suffered from smoke
> > inhalation. "He is in critical condition, and we are still assessing his
> > condition," a hospital spokesman said last night.
> >
> >    E-mail the writers at jdoyle at sfchronicle.com and mtaylor at sfchronicle.com
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Copyright 2002 SF Chronicle