NHTSA Complaint #10045297 — 1989 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I OWN A 1989 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA, VIN WVW PA01G4KW724572. I HAD A LEAK OF MY HEATER CORE (PER A NON-VW MECHANIC). THE NHTSA WEBSITE REPORTS THAT THERE WAS A RECALL OF 1989 JET'S FOR THEIR HEATER CORE. I CONTACTED WES GREENWAY'S ALEXANDRIA VOLKSWAGEN TO HAVE THE WORK DONE. I DID SO THROUGH AN ONLINE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE COMPANY, IN WHICH I DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE SITE, MR. TONY HUYNH, IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL INVOLVING HEATER CORES FOR 1989 JET'S. WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD SEEN THAT THERE WAS ONE, THROUGH A WEBSITE, HE CHECKED MY VIN ON HIS COMPUTER AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NO "OPEN RECALL" ON MY SPECIFIC CAR. I WENT TO MY OFFICE AND FOUND THE NHTSA NOTICE AND CALLED MR. HUYNH, SO THAT I COULD LET HIM KNOW THAT I FOUND THE RECALL ON AN OFFICIAL SITE, NOT SOMETHING UNOFFICIAL AS HE HAD SUGGESTED WHEN I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP (AT WHICH POINT I COULD NOT RECALL THE WEB SOURCE FOR MY INFORMATION). HE CONTINUED TO DENY THERE WAS A RECALL. IN BOTH INSTANCES, HE SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, AND HE GAVE ME AN 800-NUMBER TO CALL. (INCIDENTALLY, WHEN I WAS AT THE VW DEALER, MR. HUYNH SAID I SHOULD HAVE CALLED FOR AN APPOINTMENT RATHER THAN USING THE WEBSITE. I SUGGESTED TO MR. HUYNH THAT THE WEBSITE SHOULD SAY THAT PEOPLE SHOULD CALL IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A VERY SIMPLE PROBLEM. HE SAID THE WEBSITE INSTRUCTED PEOPLE TO CALL IF THEY HAD COMPLEX PROBLEMS. I WENT BACK TO THE GREENWAY VW WEBSITE AND FOUND NO SUCH INSTRUCTION AND HAVE PRINTED OUT THE RELEVANT WEBPAGES.) THANKS FOR ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS ISSUE. *LA