Failed steering squib on MK1 Q3 - advice

[Leighton82]

Kind of gobsmacked that this would fail but my partner's steering squib is apparently 'gone' and the part is only available on back order from Audi Germany, here in the UK. It's a 2012 SE model and apparently this is common? What a joke. My local dealership reckons all manufacturers have part failures, like this is some kind of maintenance item. Audi...never again. I'm done after this one. Apparently, the part could take months to arrive. Meanwhile my partner is driving around in a potential deathtrap with my son as a passenger. I'm furious tbh.

Has anyone experienced this issue? Any advice? No-one checked the fuses so is there any mileage in ruling a blown fuse out or is it a fool's errand to even bother?

 

[Darren92]

Second hand one from eBay? I think you’re expecting too much from a 12 year old car being faultless.

 

[Leighton82]

Second hand one from eBay? I think you’re expecting too much from a 12 year old car being faultless.

This is just one of many things but I don't expect a multifunction steering wheel to fail, ever, on any car. Think that's a fair expectation regardless of age. Don't trust ebay. Burnt too many times.

 

[Darren92]

Any part can fail, it’s mass produced, you get bad ones as nothings perfect.

 

[NHN]

It's 12 years old, I also agree it's not a necessary fair stance of a car of that age,.9 years past it's warranty, things go wrong & we have to accept that unless it's a major collective issue.

As Darren advises, eBay the part number & it's usually 5-10 days not months on back order although there are cases where it's longer as I've experienced.