NHTSA Complaint #10013799 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

DEAR SIRS: COMPLAINT AGAINST: VOLKSWAGEN (VW) OF AMERICA, ROCHESTER HILLS, MI BURLINGTON VW (BVW) AND ENTERPRISE CAR RENTAL (ECR), BOTH IN BURLINGTON, NJ. "IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE INCONVENIENCE TO CUSTOMERS DURING REPAIR, (VW) WILL OFFER ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION AT NO COST." - FROM VW WEBSITE, IGNITION COIL PROBLEM. I OWN A 2001 VW JETTA WOLFSBERG T1.8. PURCHASED: 8/23/01. CURRENT MILEAGE: 17,200. WARRANTY: UNTIL 8/23/03. ON 3/1/03, THE 2ND ENGINE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED. ONE IGNITION COIL MALFUNCTIONED & THE CAR WAS TOWED TO VW. WHEN A NEW COIL BECAME AVAILABLE, CAR WAS REPAIRED ON 3/11/03. VW ALLOWANCE FOR RENTAL CARS IS $25/DAY. I COULDN'T FIND A RENTAL AT THIS PRICE. BVW HAS ARRANGEMENTS W/ ECR (OPEN M-F) NEXT DOOR ON RT. 130 -- VW CUSTOMERS CAN GET A CAR FOR $25/DAY. THOUGHT I HAD INSURANCE THROUGH MY CREDIT CARD, SO I TURNED DOWN LOSS DAMAGE WAIVER ($13/DAY). ECR FOUND DAMAGE ON CAR. I AM UNCERTAIN HOW OR WHEN DAMAGE OCCURRED. I TOLD THEM I WOULD CALL MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY, AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULDN'T COVER ME -- I DIDN'T PAY FOR THE RENTAL. WHY WASN'T THIS MADE CLEAR AT THE TIME OF RENTAL BY BVW OR ECR? I CONTACTED VW TO ASK THEM WHY THEY DON'T NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THIS PITFALL, AND THEY SAID THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO -- VW CUSTOMER CARE # 30127362. I HAVE $500 DEDUCTIBLE ON MY INSURANCE, COST OF DAMAGES TO RENTAL $548.90, INCLUDES LOSS OF USE. I WILL PAY ECR IN GOOD FAITH. ONLY ONE COIL (OF 4) REPLACED 3/11/03. ANOTHER ONE WILL LIKELY MALFUNCTION, LEAVING ME STRANDED AT ANY TIME. BECAUSE I HAD INSUFFICIENT INSURANCE, I PAID $548.90 THIS TIME. WHAT WILL I PAY NEXT TIME? WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS IN DEALING WITH VOLKSWAGEN? IF PARTS WERE READILY AVAILABLE ON MY CAR, WHICH IS UNDER WARRANTY, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO WAIT TEN DAYS FOR CAR REPAIRS. ALL FOUR IGNITION COILS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT ONE TIME FOR MY SAFETY. RIGHT NOW I HAVE A NEW CAR THAT IS UNRELIABLE. *JB