NHTSA Complaint #10169440 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WENT OUT AND I DIDN'T KNOW I DIDN'T HAVE BRAKES UNTIL SOMEONE AT A LIGHT TOLD ME. WHO KNOWS HOW LONG I'VE DROVE AROUND LIKE THAT. AND IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO. I OWN TWO VW'S (2003 PASSAT & 2004 GOLF), BOTH HAVE HAD THIS SWITCH FAILURE. THE 2004 WAS REPLACED/FIXED UNDER WARRANTY; THE 2003 WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY & COSTS WERE EXORBITANT. THE SERVICE DEPT AND SERVICE MANAGERS BOTH ADMITTED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND OFTENTIMES THEIR MECHANICS WILL BREAK THE NEW SWITCH WHILE INSTALLING IT. I BROKE TWO SWITCHES MYSELF ATTEMPTING A SIMPLE INSTALL. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE WAS THAT THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED & YES I HAVE BOTH THE ORIGINAL BROKEN PART, PLUS ANOTHER NEWER REVISION OF THE SWITCH THAT I PERSONALLY BROKE, PLUS THE NOW WORKING SWITCH INSTALLED IN BOTH VW'S. *NM