NHTSA Complaint #10138623 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

MY WIFE OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA VR6 GLX. CURRENTLY IT HAS ABOUT 40,000 MILES ON IT. IN SEPTEMBER WE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, THE CAR HESITATES AND FEELS AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO STALL. WHEN IT WARMS UP THE CAR WORKS PERFECTLY. WE TOOK IT TO THE VW DEALER LAST MONTH TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND PERFORM THE NEEDED SERVICE. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY (WHICH WAS NEEDED) AND PERFORMED THE SERVICE, BUT DID NOT FIX OR ADDRESS THE STALLING ISSUE. THEIR THOUGHT WAS THAT THE STALLING WAS RELATED TO THE BATTERY. WHEN THE STALLING CONTINUED MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO A MIENEKE REPAIR SHOP. THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS BUT WERE NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THEY DID NOT CHARGE US AND SUGGESTED WE TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER. ON OCTOBER 3, 2005 MY WIFE CALLED THE DEALER (DICK HANNAH AT THE VANCOUVER AUTOMALL) TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. THEY ASKED WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, AND WHEN SHE MENTIONED THE STALLING THEY IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE PROBLEM. BEFORE MY WIFE COULD EXPLAIN WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY CONTINUOUSLY GET CALLS AT THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, IT ONLY OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD, AND IT IS OCCURRING WITH SEVERAL OF THE VW MODELS. THEY WENT ON TO SAY THAT THEIR MANAGEMENT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THERE CURRENTLY IS NO SOLUTION. WHAT THEY RECOMMEND IS THAT MY WIFE BUY A FUEL ADDITIVE AND SEE IF THAT HELPS. THEY HAVE NOTICED THAT AFTER ADDING IT TO A FEW TANKS OF GAS THE CARS SEEMS TO PERFORM BETTER, BUT THAT THE PROBLEM DOES NOT GO AWAY. VW THINKS IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE VALVES, AND THAT IS A PROBLEM SPECIFIC TO THE FUEL USED IN THE NORTHWEST. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION. WHEN MY WIFE IS ENTERING A ROADWAY I DO NOT WANT HER CAR TO STALL OR SLOW AND PUT HER IN A SITUATION WHERE HER SAFETY IS AT RISK. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES. JOE BESSMAN. *NM