NHTSA Complaint #10281329 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

DRIVING ON I-95 IN JACKSONVILLE, FL, IT WAS RAINING WITH SOME POUNDING (APPROX. 1 INCH OF WATER) ON THE ROADWAY. I WAS MAINTAINING A SPEED OF 35-45 MPH WHEN THE EPC AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. AT FIRST THE CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY BUT AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES IT LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 1500 RPM. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY TAKE AN EXIT RAMP OFF THE FREEWAY AND COAST INTO A GAS STATION, THE CAR CONTINUING TO REFUSE TO ACCELERATE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAITED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. I STARTED UP AGAIN AND DROVE AROUND THE GAS STATION AND THINGS SEEMED NORMAL AGAIN, ALTHOUGH THE EPC LIGHT WAS STILL ILLUMINATED. STOPPED AGAIN AND WAITED ANOTHER 5 MINUTES. UPON STARTING UP AGAIN, BOTH WARNING LIGHTS WERE GONE AND THE CAR BEHAVED AND ACCELERATED NORMALLY. THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO GET STOPPED IN TRAFFIC ON A BUSY FREEWAY POSSIBLY CAUSING A CRASH AND INJURIES. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED WHERE IT DID AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO SAFETY. *TR