NHTSA Complaint #10188759 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

ON THE MORNING OF 27 APRIL 2007, I STARTED MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 1.8T. THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING VERY ROUGH AND DID NOT SOUND NORMAL. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS COLD. AT THIS POINT IT BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND DROVE DOWN THE ROAD. APPROXIMATELY A MILE OR TWO DOWN THE ROAD I CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND AFTER STOPPING AND THEN PROCEEDING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION MY VEHICLE SEEMED LIKE IT HAD LITTLE OR NO POWER TO THE ENGINE. AT THIS POINT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING SO I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT OFF MY ENGINE. I THEN OPENED MY HOOD AND SMOKE POURED OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AT THIS POINT I CHECKED MY OIL TO SEE IT IT SMELT BURNT WHICH IT DID NOT. I THEN CHECKED MY COOLANT LEVEL AND IT WAS FULL AND WASN'T EVEN WARM. I THEN HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED MY VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT 1 OF THE 4 COILS IN MY ENGINE HAD STOPPED WORKING AND HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THAT'S WHAT HAD CAUSED THE SMOKE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HE ALSO SAID THE ALL FOUR NEED TO BE REPLACED OR THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. AT THIS POINT ALL FOUR COILS WERE REPLACED AND THE OLD ONES WERE GIVEN TO ME TO KEEP AS PROOF THAT THE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *JB