NHTSA Complaint #10178845 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP IN MY 2000 VW PASSAT, THERE WAS A 1 TO 2 SECOND DELAY IN BRAKING POWER. THE ROADS WERE WET AND THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WET DUE TO LACK OF SHIELDS TO PREVENT WATER FROM MAKING THE BRAKE ROTORS WET. THE 1-2 SECOND DELAY (FROM THE TIME I APPLIED THE BRAKE) CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO NOT STOP IN THE TYPICAL STOPPING DISTANCE AND CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO IMPACT ANOTHER VEHICLE. VW PASSATS FROM 2003-NEWER SEEM TO ALL HAVE THESE BRAKE ROTOR SHIELDS "SPLASH SHIELDS", BUT NOT THE OLDER 1998-2002 PASSATS. A CALL TO THE VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE HOTLINE (800-822-7661) DID NOT ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT TO MY SATISFACTION. THE AGENT KEPT SAYING "THERE'S NO CURRENT OPEN CAMPAIGN FOR YOUR VEHICLE". I KNOW OF NUMEROUS VW PASSAT OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. *NM