NHTSA Complaint #10190373 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

IGNITION COILS ON 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 1.8T CONTINUE D TO FAIL EVERY 3-4 MONTHS. I HAVE GONE THROUGH 6 COILS IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. NUMEROUS TIMES A COIL FAILED WHILE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, ESPECIALLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC FLOW. I COULD RECALL TWICE WHERE I CAME VERY CLOSE TO BEING REAR ENDED BECAUSE OF THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD BRIEFLY FLASH LETTING ME KNOW THAT THE CAR WAS HAVING A MISFIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS AND PLENTY OF OTHER PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. THE SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED THAT I DO A TUNE-UP ON THE VEHICLE ONLY 5,000 MILES AFTER ONE WAS PERFORMED. HE COULD NOT PINPOINT' THE PROBLEM OR DUPLICATE IT EITHER. APPARENTLY, VOLKSWAGEN WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAD NOT TAKEN ACTION TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THIS WAS SOMETHING VERY SERIOUS THAT SHOULD BE MORE OF A PRIORITY TO VOLKSWAGEN CONSIDERING I HAVE FOUND PLENTY OF ARTICLES ON THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM.*AK