2008 Audi TT Electrical System Problems

MY 2008 AUDI TT WOULD CONSTANTLY BEEP WITH "RIGHT REAR LIGHT" OR "LEFT REAR LIGHT" WITH AN X THROUGH A LIGHT BULB SYMBOL POPPING UP ON THE SCREEN IN BETWEEN THE TACHOMETER AND THE SPEEDOMETER. IF I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE X THROUGH A LIGHT BULB SYMBOL WOULD GO AWAY. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE LIGHT THAT IS FARTHEST OUTBOARD IN THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING (ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES) WAS THE PROBLEM. I FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH CORROSION WITHIN THE CONNECTORS THAT GO DIRECTLY TO THE TAIL LIGHT HOUSING. IT APPEARS THAT THE GROUND WIRE IS MUCH LARGER THAN THE OTHER WIRES, BUT THE SIZE OF THE CONNECTOR IS THE SAME. THE WIRE HAS TOO MUCH CURRENT FOR THE CONNECTOR TO HANDLE. IT MELTS THE PLASTIC AROUND IT AND BECOMES CORRODED AS A RESULT. IF YOU GOOGLE "AUDI TT TAIL LIGHT PROBLEMS" YOU WILL SEE THAT MANY OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE THIS ISSUES, WITH SOME EVEN REPORTING FIRES IN THEIR TAIL LIGHTS. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MY LOCAL AUDI DEALER AS WELL AS AUDI CORPORATE. THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE WIRES, AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $90 JUST TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, AND UP TO $900 TO REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHTS. THIS IS ABSURD, SINCE IT IS A POORLY ENGINEERED DESIGN THAT RESULTS IN A VERY SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD. *TR

I PURCHASED IN JUNE, 2008 A BRAND NEW AUDI TT ROADSTER FROM NALLEY AUDI IN GA. IT HAS APPROX. 6000 MILES. ON JANUARY 27, 2009, I DROVE THE CAR FROM MY OFFICE TO MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE (ABOUT 10) MILES, STOPPING TO FILL THE GAS TANK. I DROPPED OFF MY GRANDSON AND DROVE HOME ABOUT 5 MILES. I LOOKED AT THE CLOCK WHEN I ARRIVED HOME AND IT WAS 6:15 P.M. AS I WAS CONTEMPLATING IF I HAD TIME TO MAKE IT TO PRAYER SERVICE AT MY CHURCH. I DETERMINED I WOULD GO AND WENT UPSTAIRS TO CURL MY HAIR AND STARTED SMELLING SOMETHING ELECTRICAL BURNING. I MADE SURE MY CURLING IRONS WERE OFF AND UNPLUGGED THEM. I WENT BACK DOWNSTAIRS AND THE SMELL OF AN ELECTRICAL. I CHECKED THE FIRST FLOOR OF MY HOUSE AND DID NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. I LOOKED AT THE CLOCK AND IT WAS 6:30 P.M. SO I GATHERED MY PURSE, PHONE AND KEYS AND OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND LET THE GARAGE DOOR UP. AS I WAS DOING SO, I REALIZED THE SOURCE WAS CLEARLY OUTSIDE AS IT WAS VERY STRONG BUT I STILL DID NOT REALIZE IT WAS MY CAR ON FIRE AS THERE WAS NO FLAME. WHEN I OPENED THE DRIVER DOOR, A CLOUD OF BLACK SMOKE AND HEAT OVERTOOK ME AND I FELL BACKWARDS AS I TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM THE CAR. THE SMOKE WAS SO THICK THAT I COULD NOT SEE IN THE CAR. I UNLOCKED THE DOOR AND RE-ENTERED MY HOUSE TO GRAB THE HOUSE PHONE AS IT WAS QUICKER THEN DIGGING FOR MY CELL AND IT WOULD BE HOOKED TO MY ADDRESS. I DIALED 911 AND EXITED THE HOUSE THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND WAITED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FRONT YARD. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THEY DISCOVERED THE SOURCE WAS A COIL OF WIRES THAT WERE ENCASED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TWO SEATS THAT HAD MELTED THROUGH THE PLASTIC CASTING AND BURNED UP THROUGH THE GEAR SHIFT MELTING THE LEATHER FROM AROUND IT, SUN VISORS WERE MELTED. THE TRUNK WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AS I ASKED THEM TO OPEN IT SO I COULD RETRIEVE MY COMPUTER. AUDI INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINED NOT ITS FAULT BECAUSE NO FUSE WAS BLOWN AND THAT THE SOURCE WAS UNDETERMINED EXTERNAL FACTOR. *TR