Steering Wheel problems of the 1999 Audi A6

My 1999 Audi A6 avant's heated steering wheel would overheat to the point I could not touch it. It caused the ignition swith's wires to melt and I had to have the ignition switch replaced by Audi and the heated wheel deactivated. The failed ignition switch caused my headlights, horn, windshieldwipers to not work. Everything now works after the switch was replaced and the steering wheel heater deavctivated by my Audi dealer.

Heated steering wheel extremely hot causing the steering wheel to get warp and melt(you can smell the burning, steering wheel as an indentation with burn makes).

1999 Audi A6 avant heated steering wheel. Wheel generally heats at 12, 2, 5, 7 and 10 o'clock positions. On this particular occasion, I was driving at about 45 mph with my hands at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions. I initiated a right turn that required my hands on the 12 and 7 o'clock positions. However, these two spots were too hot to hold. My instant reaction to the high heat was to jerk my hands from the wheel. For that instance, my focus shifted from driving to the heat of the wheel. Vehicle control was maintained. No accident.

My 1999 Audi A6 avant is equipped with the cold weather package. This package includes heated seats and steering wheel. When the driver's seat heater is turned on it activates the steering wheel heater. On 12/13/02 in using this heater the steering wheel became hot enough to burn my hand and began to fill the car with smoke. It melted the foam under the leather cover. If I had not turned off the seat/steering wheel heater I believe the steering wheel would have caught fire. My independent repair shop indicates there is a short in the wheel that will require replacement. I checked an enthusiast internet site (audiworld. Com) and did a search of similar problems. I found several other Audi models had similar problems. Ts.