NHTSA Complaint #10180801 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2005 V-6 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 15,000 MILES. APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AFTER OWNING VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE EXEMPLIFIED OBVIOUS SHIFTING CONCERNS AS WELL AS POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED IN HOPES TO CORRECT THE ISSUES DESCRIBED ABOVE, HOWEVER, IT HAS NOT IMPROVED. I WAS ASKED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR, TO BREAK IT IN. IN THIS TIME, MY CAR HAS WORSENED. THE SHIFTING IS MORE ERRATIC, LOSING POWER, JUMPING GEARS, AND NEARLY STALLING WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP AND AT INTERSECTIONS. AS A RESULT OF THE ERRATIC SHIFTING, I HAVE BEEN NEARLY REAR-ENDED. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN 5 TIMES FOR 3 TO 8 DAYS AT A TIME. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS ISSUE, SINCE IT HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THE ONLY SERVICE THE MANUFACTURER HAS DONE TO MY VEHICLE IN HOPES TO CORRECT THE POOR SHIFTING AND POOR GAS MILEAGE (11-12 MPG) IS COMPUTER SOFTWARE UPDATES. NONE OF WHICH HAVE EVER FIXED THE PROBLEMS. IN ADDITION, WITH EACH MONTH THAT PASSES, NEW MECHANICAL PROBLEMS ARISE. THE SEAT ADJUSTMENTS FAIL, ALONG WITH THE RADIO, THE TRUNK HATCH, THE AIRBAG, ETC. THE CAR OVERHEATS AND SMOKE COMES FROM THE TIRES & WHEELS, OF WHICH THE MANUFACTURER TOOK NOTICE TO, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT VOLKSWAGEN HAS HAD 5-6 ATTEMPTS TO SERVICE THE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS SINCE MAY 2005 AND IT IS NOW JANUARY 07 AND MY CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. IN ADDITION, THE TIRES (W/ PADS/ROTORS (SP?) ARE COMPLETELY WORN, AND THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 12K MILES. *JB