NHTSA Complaint #10203227 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

MAY OF 2004, VEHICLE BEGINS "LUNGING" WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP FINDINGS THERE WAS A TSB ON THIS ISSUE AND SOFTWARE WAS OUTDATED AND UPDATED BY DEALERSHIP. THIS SEEMED TO HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM UNTIL OCTOBER 2004 WHEN THE "LUNGING" BEGAN OCCURRING AGAIN. ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CODE WAS FOUND IN THE ABS SECTION OF THE COMPUTER AND THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. MARCH OF 2005, "LUNGING" SYMPTOMS RETURNED. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM THIS TIME. REPORTED SAME ISSUE AGAIN SEPTEMBER OF 2005, ISSUE NOT DIAGNOSED ONCE AGAIN. BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST 6 TIMES UP TO JANUARY 2006. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES, BUT SWAPPED CIRCUIT BOARDS FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER AND CHECKED RESISTANCE OF THE CIRCUITS. SWAPPED BULB SOCKETS AND CLAIMED ISSUE RESOLVED. REPORTED SAME "LUNGING" ISSUE AS ABOVE, AGAIN FEBRUARY OF 2006. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THROTTLE BODY EXTREMELY DIRTY. ISSUE RESOLVED FOR BRIEF STINT. JUNE OF 2006 TAIL LIGHTS CONTINUE TO BURN OUT. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS NO ISSUE FOUND. MAY OF 2007, BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN. LIGHT BULBS HAVE NOT BURNED OUT SINCE THIS REPLACEMENT. VW OF AMERICA, INC. REFUSES TO PAY FOR SERVICE CHARGES INCURRED TO SWAP CIRCUIT BOARDS EVEN THOUGH IT IS CLEARLY DUE TO FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACEMENT BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2004 (SAME DEFECTIVE SWITCH WAS USED AS REPLACEMENT). THERE IS A CLEAR LINE LEADING TO THE SWITCH BEING THE CAUSE OF ALMOST ALL LISTED PROBLEMS. ONCE THE RECALL WAS COMPLETE, THE ISSUES HAVE CEASED. *JB