NHTSA Complaint #10060203 — 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 VOLKWAGEN PASSAT. I TOOK IT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT 48,000 MILES AND FOR MY STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. SINCE I HAD JUST BEGUN HEARING NOISES IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR, I ASKED THAT IT BE LOOKED INTO. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR, ALBEIT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND ROUTINELY MAINTAINED, WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION DUE TO A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE CONTROL ARMS. IF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED THE CAR COULD LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED (RECALL UL) FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND YEAR OF CAR. BUT, THAT FOR NO EXPLAINABLE REASON MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED VW AND THEY CONCURRED BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS NOT ONLY UNETHICAL, BUT VW IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO DRIVE AROUND WITH CARS THAT THEY KNOW HAVE A SERIOUS DEFECT. NOT ONLY DIDN'T VW COVER ALL THE APPLICABLE VINS IN THEIR RECALL, BUT THEY DID NOT INFORM THEIR CONSUMERS OFTHE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS PROBLEM, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM IF THE CONTROL ARMS FAILED AT HIGH SPEED. VW WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THIS PROBLEM. IT SHOULD BE NOTED ONCE AGAIN, THAT THIS DEFECT IN THE CONTROL ARMS OCCURED AT ONLY 48,000 MILES. NOT ONLY DID I HAVE TO PAY $1200 FOR A SERIOUS, AND ACKNOWLEDGED, DESIGN DEFECT, BUT THE REPAIR PARTS THAT WERE INSTALLED ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE POORLY DESIGNED ONES. THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THE ONLY QUESTION IS WHEN. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR EVEN KILLED. VW REFUSES TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED THAT THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY STOCK THE FRONT END REPAIR KIT. IF IT IS SO COMMON WHY AREN'T ALL THE APPLICABLE VINS COVERED?