NHTSA Complaint #10064238 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

IN NOV 2003, OUR 2001 JETTA TDI WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK, CAUSING MYSELF AND MY SONS NUMEROUS TIMES TO BE STRANDED. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. AL SANCHEZ VW IN GILROY, CA, DIAGNOSED A SHIFTER PROBLEM AND REPLACED IT. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. I CONTINUED TO DISCUSS IT WITH AL SANCHEZ VW, EVEN LEAVING IT WITH THEM FOR ONE WEEK TO DRIVE. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, THE PROBLEM AGAIN OCCURRED. I PHONED A TOW COMPANY WHO NOTED THE VEHICLE STUCK IN PARK AND MENTIONED THE BRAKE INVOLVEMENT. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND FUSSING WITH THE BRAKE/SHIFTER, IT ENGAGED. THE NEXT MORNING, I PHONED AL SANCHEZ AND WAS TOLD THAT IT SHIFTED FINE. LATER THAT DAY, I WAS TOLD THAT IT GOT A LITTLE STICKY.THEY DIAGNOSED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. I HAVE SPOKE TO SERVICE ADVISORS AND THE SERVICE MANAGER. THEY MAINTAIN THE POSITION THAT THE SHIFTER NEEDED REPLACING IN NOV 2003, AND NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDS REPLACING. I AM OF THE OPINION THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. SINCE THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO PERSIST, THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN UNREASONABLE ASSESSMENT. ON 2/21/04, I DOWNLOADED INFO FROM YOUR SIGHT. THERE WERE TWO RECALLS FOR MY CAR. TODAY, 3/31/04, THERE ARE THREE, INCLUDING AN EXTERIOR LIGHTING;BRAKE LIGHTS;SWITCH. I DECIDED TO CHECK THIS SITE TODAY ONLY BECAUSE DURING DURING ONE OF MY MORE RECENT CONVERSATIONS TO NHTSA, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE THREE RESULTS. I HAVE NOT CONFIRMED IF MY VEHICLE IN ONE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. IF MY VIN IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, THIS IS TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE TO OVERLOOK. ALSO, THE LACK OF COOPERATION OF AL SANCHEZ VW AND VOLKSWAGON ADVOCATES CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED AS WELL. IDEALLY, I WOULD LIKE THE REPAIR COST OF THE SHIFTER REFUNDED TO ME AND THE RECALL TO COVER MY SHIFTING PROBLEM. *AK