NHTSA Complaint #10147351 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I BOUGHT A 2005 JETTA TDI, BRAND NEW. WHEN IT HAD LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON IT, IT DIED WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO COAST OUT OF TRAFFIC, AND AFTER 20 MINUTES IT FINALLY RESTARTED. THEN 6 WEEKS LATER, WITH LESS THAN 4500 MILES ON IT, IT DIED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE FREEWAY. I HAD MY 3 KIDS IN THE CAR. AGAIN, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO COAST OUT OF TRAFFIC AND ONTO A NARROW SHOULDER. I CALLED FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, BUT AGAIN, AFTER 20 MINUTES I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RESTART IT. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WITH MY CHILDREN SINCE WE TRAPPED BETWEEN A GUARDRAIL AND THE FIRST LANE. IT WAS TERRIFYING. THE ONLY INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WAS THAT AFTER IT DIED QUIETLY, A LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAID "EMISSIONS WORKSHOP." THE DEALER SAYS IT'S RUNNING TO SPECIFICATIONS. THAT DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHY A BRAND NEW CAR HAS QUIT TWICE WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART FOR 20 MINUTES EACH TIME. *JB