'95 A6q Avant Ignition Switch

[Mike Veglia]

In the wake of yesterday's thread on this I checked the NHTSA.gov web site
and found that our new-to-us car's build date is 2 months beyond the range
specified in the ignition switch recall campaign. Coincidently, the problems
as described in the recall notice on the website have started to crop up in
the past day or two as well. (The symptoms being intermittent failure of
headlights, turn signals, climate control, etc.) This combined with the
switch have a "tight" feel to it I mentioned before.

Thanks to Taka, among others, I have been pointed to some good instructions
on instrument cluster removal. Sounds super-easy to me. I have had a lot of,
er, "practice" changing ignition switches, and the ignition lock too, on my
5ktq. I'm getting a quote now on the parts cost from Rod at TPC. I assume
the electrical portion is in the back of the lock assy., and is removed by
loosening a single slotted head set-screw on top?

My question is, should I try and get Audi to do this under the recall? The
closest Audi dealers to me are ~45 minute drive each way. This means that
taking the car in for this under the recall would absorb 4 hours of mine and
my wife's time (unless they provide a loaner car which is highly unlikely
when doing a recall job on a 113k mile old car). This, combined with my
dealer experiences usually resulting in new problems inflicted by rushing
and/or incompetent "Technicians" at dealerships (which is one reason why I
do not own new cars, and why I do as much of my own work as possible) makes
me very reluctant to go for warranty on such an easy to do job with a
(hopefully) inexpensive part. Also, I would use this job as an opportunity
to change the burned out illumination bulb for the outside temperature
display in the IC.

Hmm, I think I may have just talked myself into taking care of this myself.
Anyone know of pitfalls that would make this a bad idea?

Mike Veglia
Motor Sport Visions Photography
http://www.motorsportvisions.com