[V8] Bose rear amps catch fire?

[Pat Gillen]

Thanks to everyone for all your help.  This is what I have found out so far:

1.  Audi dealer can only run VIN number to see if any recall campaigns exist for that VIN.  In my case, Audi records said no recalls exist for my 1990 V8 when in fact my original Owner's file has a record of 3 campaign repairs.  The dealer could only explain this by saying "no additional recalls...".

2.  For what its worth, dealer's service manager has said "...I've never seen or heard of a smoke or fire failure of these Bose speakers, in any model in 19 yrs with Audi. That is not to say they don't fail."  

3.  My 1990 V8 rear Bose speaker part numbers have been superceded by Audi and are available for $230.63 each:

orig LR Audi part # 441035412,  new LR Audi part #441035412DX
orig RR Audi part # 441035412B,  new RR Audi part #441035412EX

4.  NHTSA lists the recall as applying only to 1991-1992 V8, 100' s, and 200's, for a combined total of 4300 "potential" units.  Thanks for the link Ed Kellock and Steven Buchholz, which is repeated here:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/complaintsearch.cfm

.. the campaign ID number for the 1991 models is: 01V324000

5.  And, contacting Bose via email gave the following results:

<start of Bose email>
"Hello Patrick, 

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Bose Music System in your 1990 Audi V8.  In answer to your question, I do not believe your model year vehicle was involved in the safety recall.  But if you can remove all four of the speaker/amplifier assemblies and send them in to our Quality Assurance Lab we can test them under what we call a "Customer Goodwill Policy" (no charge to you).

Please let me know if you are interested and I will have the paperwork sent out to you for the return of the speaker enclosures.

Thank you for contacting Bose Corporation. 
Patty Bolack 
Consumer Relations Division 
----------------------------------------------------- 
Bose Corporation                     
US Telephone: (800)231-2673 
International Tel: (508)766-6699 
Fax Number: (508)879-2043 
Email: http://www.bose.com 
       
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM  (EST) 
             Visit our Website:  www.bose.com 
----------------------------------------------------- 

------------------------------ 
Technical Support Information: 
Email Id:1-13EXC7 
Email Agent Id:1-I2Z3 
Queue Id:1-HMF1 

-----Original Message----- 

My 1990 Audi V8 has an Audi-Bose sound system that uses a 
pre-amp/tuner/casssette in the dash console and amplifier/speakers - 2 
front in the doors, and 2 rear on the deck.  I have a safety related 
question. 

1. Is there any risk of these amp/speakers smoking or catching fire due 
to faulty capacitors as has been identified as possible on the 1991-1992 
Audi V8 and 200 Turbo Quattro 20V?  My rear speaker Bose part numbers 
are: 
LR Bose 002358010936 
RR Bose 00259618178 

2. Do the front Bose speakers have a similar problem?  I don't have 
their part numbers as the door panels would have to come off, but 
hopefully your records should be able to correlate with the rear 
numbers. 

3. What is your exchange policy on these speakers, front and rear and 
where should I send them if required? 

4. Do you exhange the pre-amp/tuner/casssette or is that an Audi dealer 
item?  " 

<end of Bose email>



Thus, there is no simple "check the model number" answer to the question I originally asked.  I doubt if the VIN check is really worthwhile to the Owner or Audi either, as the 1991-1992 model year recall of all V8 production may only have a small percentage of defective units (very doubtful anybody tracks what capacitors go with which VIN #'s?).  So, mfr costs go up for recall-replacement of good parts in some cases, and your time may be wasted as well.  It sounds like physical inspection is required.  I guess this makes sense, as mfr's don't always suffix assembly part numbers for component changes, only design changes.

I've been in denial here, trying to avoid 1) the pain of my big body contorting to remove the rear speakers in that little trunk, and 2) potentially wasting time here to R/R rear speakers, R/R the front door panels, and R/R everything else several times that will go wrong as a result of this "inspection" for speaker assembly's that may not have defective parts.

Oh, well, off to the disassembly process; this V8Q is used solely by my wife and our kids are strapped in the back seat daily.  If it was just my 6 and 10 year old boys, they could jump (just kidding).  But the 18 month old girl harnessed to the car seat (?)  For those of you that can remember, we didn't have these exiting problems as kids in the 50's riding on the deck of our '49 Hudson.  Our "seat belt" was the original equipment rope that hung across the back of the front seat.  When you had to get out, you grabbed the baby and ran.  But I guess, that old Hudson radio wasn't running amplifier/speaker sets either....