NHTSA Complaint #10203434 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

THE RIGHT REAR HINGE ON THE TRUNK OF MY 2004 JETTA CRACKED ON A JOINT. THIS CAUSED THE TRUNK TO CLOSE IN AN IMBALANCED WAY. I RECENTLY CLOSED MY TRUNK AND THE LEADING EDGE OF THE TRUNK LID MADE CONTACT WITH THE BACK LIGHT (REAR WINDSHIELD) GLASS AND SHATTERED THE GLASS COMPLETELY. THE GLASS FELL INTO THE CAR CREATING A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. WHEN I CONTACTED MY LOCAL VW DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT GETTING THE HINGE FIXED, THEY EXPLAINED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON VW JETTA AND PASSATS AND THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SIMILAR FAILURES. I ALSO CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY (GEICO) AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING, THAT THEY HAD AN UNUSUAL NUMBER OF CLAIMS FROM VW OWNERS OF SHATTERED BACK LIGHTS (REAR WINDSHIELD) AFTER THE TRUNK LID WAS CLOSED BY THE OWNER. IF MY KIDS WERE SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SHATTERED WITH GLASS. BECAUSE MY CAR HAS OVER 50,000 MILES I AM OUT OF WARRANTY. I CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS BASICALLY GIVEN THE RUN AROUND. I SAID THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT A MILEAGE BASED ISSUE AND THEY SHOULD FIX MY CAR, BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED. *TR