NHTSA Complaint #10142474 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WE WERE DRIVING OUR NEW 2005.5 JETTA 5 SPD AT AN INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE STALLED AS A RESULT OF THE CLUTCH BEING LET OUT TO QUICKLY. I TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT SUCCESS. I PULLED THE BRAKE UP; PUSHED THE CLUTCH PEDAL COMPLETELY IN AND PUT THE STICK SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. STILL WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER JUST MISSED US BY INCHES. FINALLY GOT THE CAR STARTED MADE OUR WAY HOME. AT HOME WE DUPLICATES WHAT HAPPENED AND DETERMINED WE NEEDED TO TURN THE KEY COMPLETELY TO THE OFF POSITION, THEN WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY RESTART THE ENGINE. WE DRIVE MOSTLY MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND CANNOT THINK OF ANY TIME WE HAVE HAD TO TURN THE KEY COMPLETELY TO THE OFF POSITION TO GET OUR VEHICLES STARTED. WE CALLED AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS A NEW FEATURE VW INSTITUTED THIS YEAR TO KEEP DRIVERS FROM TRYING TO RESTART AN ENGINE THAT MAY ALREADY BE RUNNING AND POSSIBLY RUINING THE STARTER. RUINING THE STARTER WAS THE LEAST OF OUR PROBLEMS. WE ARE CONCERNED THE DOCUMENTATION THAT OUTLINES THAT THE DRIVER MUST RETURN THE KEY TO THE 0FF POSITION EVERY TIME TO RESTARTED THE ENGINE IS BURIED ON PG 92 OF BOOKLET 3.1 IN SECTION IGNITION LOCK POSITION OF THE KEY. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT SOMETHING A DRIVER WOULD NORMALLY LOOK FOR OR EXPECT FROM THE VEHICLE THEY ARE DRIVING. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THIS FEATURE BE CHANGED SO THAT IF A DRIVER STALLS THEIR VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IN A COMPROMISING SITUATION, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY BEING ANYWHERE IN THE ON POSITION. IN ADDITION, UNTIL THIS COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS INFORMATION BE INCLUDED IN THE JETTA QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE. THIS IS A MORE REASONABLE PLACE THE DRIVER MAY LOOK INSTEAD OF BEING BURIED DEEP INSIDE THE DRIVERS MANUAL. I ALSO RECOMMEND THIS BE INFORMATION THE DEALERSHIP IS REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THE DRIVER KNOWS BEFORE LEAVING THEIR LOT. THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING OF A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. *NM