NHTSA Complaint #10005217 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I HAVE A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS 1.8T WHOSE ENGINED HAS STALLED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCASIONS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEEDS ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. VW DEALERS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON 3 DIFFERENT OCASIONS AND I AM NOT SATISFIED THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY RESOLVED. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS AN IGNITION COIL FAILURE WHICH CAUSES ONE CYLINDER TO SHUT-DOWN DURING THE ENGINE OPERATION. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY DUE TO A FAULTY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT PART. ON TWO OF THESE OCASIONS THE CAR HAS LOST POWER AND SHUT DOWN WHILE OPERARING THE VEHICLE ON I-95. ON THE SECOND OCASION I WAS BEING TAILGATED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER WHICH ALMOST OVERRUN ME AFTER THE SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED. I HAD TO VEER OUT OF THE HIGHWAY CROSSING SEVERAL LANES TO GET OUT OF THE TRUCK'S WAY AT THE SPRINGFIELD INTERCHANGE IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. VW HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY LETTERS OR REQUESTS TO PERMANENTLY FIX THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO FORCE THEM TO RECALL ALL 1.8T ENGINE-EQUIPPED VEHICLES WITH THIS KNOWN PROBLEM (SEE NEW YORK TIMES AUTO SECTION FEB 2/2003) BEFORE THERE ARE INCIDENTS OF THIS FAILURE WHERE THERE ARE FATALITIES.