NHTSA Complaint #10021412 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

2001 VW JETTA VR6 - CAR STARTED SHAKING A LOT UPON START UP AND LOST ALL POWER WHEN I TRIED TO PULL AWAY FROM AN INTERSECTION. WAS TOLD IT WAS A COIL PACK THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER THE RECENT VW SERVICE BULLETIN BECAUSE MY COIL PACK WAS FROM A SUPPLIER THAT WAS EXPERIENCING LESS PROBLEMS THAN THE ONES THEY ARE REPLACING (DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE PART HAD BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR 2 WEEKS). THEIR PRESS RELEASES AND WEBSITE SAY THAT THEY ARE NOTIFYING ALL 2001 AND 2002 JETTA OWNERS WHICH IS NOT TRUE. MY CAR IS A 2001 JETTA AND I WAS TOLD THAT MY FAILURE WAS BAD LUCK AND THAT MY CAR AND OTHERS LIKE MINE WOULD NOT HAVE THE PART REPLACED BY VW EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE REPLACING THE SAME PART FROM A DIFFERENT SUPPLIER IN THE SAME YEAR AND STYLE VEHICLE AS MINE. I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD EXPAND THEIR RECALL/SERVICE BULLETIN TO COVER A WIDER RANGE OF JETTAS AS IT APPEARS TO ME TO BE A PART PROBLEM NOT A SUPPLIER PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO HEARD (VIA INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT I WENT TO) THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM IN 2000, 2001, AND 2002. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PULLING ONTO THE MERRITT PARKWAY OR A BUSY INTERSECTION INSTEAD OF OUT OF MY STREET. THE CAR JUST BOUNCES FORWARD A LITTLE BIT, SHAKES VIOLENTLY, LOSES ALMOST ALL POWER, AND DIES.*AK