Audi A6

The car: Audi A6.

The owner: Robert Rocchi.

What seems to be the problem? The owner says the satellite navigation system malfunctions; it continually gives incorrect commands both verbally and visually.

The treatment: Rocchi says he first noticed the problem shortly after taking delivery of the new vehicle in February.

The system tells him to go right when he should go left and vice versa. Rocchi says the problem occurs in regional and urban areas.

"I paid $4000 or $5000 for this option that doesn't function," he says.

Rocchi contacted Audi Australia and says it was not able to tell him why the system doesn't work. He says he was told there would be an upgraded system available later this year which he could purchase.

He says he spoke to the manufacturer of the disc, Sensis, which told him the version in his car was volume one (2003) but that Sensis is now up to volume 19. Rocchi says he was told Audi had not contracted Sensis to provide an updated version and that volume 19 would therefore not work in Audi's satellite navigation system.

He says his system is faulty even by 2003 standards. It gives incorrect directions on stretches of road and at intersections which have not changed since 2003.

Rocchi has been in contact with his dealer but says it told him there was nothing it could do. He does not believe he should have to pay for a replacement upgraded disc. "An upgrade of what? I have a disc that doesn't function," he says.

The dealer says: The car was purchased from Bellbowrie Motors in Coffs Harbour. Des Taylor, dealer principal, says there is no problem with the system in Rocchi's A6. He says an updated system has been introduced in the A4 and suggests Rocchi feels he should have received the same system in his A6.

"It's not the latest version out, unfortunately that's technology moving forward," he says. Taylor says he also drives an A6 and has had no problems with the system. "I'm not saying the customer is wrong, I'm just saying that he would like the latest version and that's what made him complain to us."

The car maker says: Audi spokeswoman Anna Burgdorf agrees the disc is from 2003 "because that is the current satellite navigation disc available".

She says the Audi MMI version one disc in Rocchi's car is not incompatible with the new Audi DVD-based multimedia system (which replaced a CD-based system) and that the system in Rocchi's car is not malfunctioning but that the mapping is not up-to-date with the roads he is travelling on.

"The satellite disc, which was mapped for 2003, needs to be updated in the same way that a street directory changes when new streets get built," she says.

She says Rocchi's disc is not a Sensis version one but rather Audi MMI version one, which is based on Sensis version nine. She also disagrees with Rocchi's contention that Sensis is up to version 19 and says Sensis is about to release its version 12 next Thursday.

A new disc, based on Sensis version 10, will be released by Audi in November. Burgdorf says this will be the first time Audi has had a DVD-based navigation disc. Audi will then aim to release an updated disc once a year.

"We don't want to have unhappy customers who have a satellite navigation system that they're frustrated with," she says. "We are using the best and most up-to-date technology that we have access to."

Burgdorf says: Rocchi was given incorrect information if he was told he would have to pay for the replacement disc, as there has been no discussion within the company about prices or whether current Audi owners will have to pay for it. She says the company will be in contact with Rocchi and get the new version to him as soon as it becomes available.

However, she does not think it is unreasonable to expect to pay for a system upgrade. "If you buy a new computer and get the current system, if you want to upgrade then you need to buy an upgrade."

Would the owner buy another Audi, or recommend one to friends? "I would recommend the car but I would tell them not to get the navigation system."

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