NHTSA Complaint #10261431 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

2003 JETTA GLS; TWICE WHEN RUNNING THE AC THE CAR SUDDENLY OVERHEATS, FUSE BLOWS. THE ENGINE TEMP GAUGE GOES FAR INTO THE RED ZONE. I TURNED ON THE HEATER TO DRAW HEAT AWAY FROM ENGINE, AIR WAS SO HOT IT LITERALLY MELTED THE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE IN THE CUP HOLDER. (DIDN'T HELP MY COMFORT THAT THE OUTSIDE TEMP WAS NEAR 100 DEGREES AND I'M DRIVING ALONG WITH SUNROOF OPEN, WINDOWS OPEN, AND HEATER TURNED ON HIGH!) I WAS CONCERNED THAT MY LEG WAS BURNED AS WELL BECAUSE THE AIR BLOWING FROM VENT WAS SO HOT. I HAD TO IDLE THE CAR EVERY FEW THOUSAND FEET TO ALLOW CAR TO COOL ENOUGH TO LIMP TO SERVICE STATION. FIRST TIME (JULY 06, CAR W/I WARRANTY @ 32K MILES), VW TOLD ME THAT THE FUSE WAS BLOWN; THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND INDICATED THAT IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN THEY WOULD NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHY. SECOND TIME (NOV. 2007, CAR OUT OF WARRANTY @ 51K)), NON-VW MECHANIC ABLE TO REPLICATE AND SAID THAT FUSE BLEW BECAUSE "COOLING FANS ARE DRAWING TOO MANY AMPS (UP TO 100 AMPS) WHEN STARTING. WHEN RUNNING THEY ARE STILL DRAWING 37 AMPS AND SHOULD BE LESS THAN 20 AMPS." ALTHOUGH THIS HAS HAPPENED ONLY TWICE, AND I HAVE YET TO REPAIR (TOO EXPENSIVE AT $800+ AND I'M UNEMPLOYED), I LIVE IN GREAT FEAR AS WARM WEATHER APPROACHES THAT I WILL BE "BURNED" BY THIS ISSUE AGAIN. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. *TR