NHTSA Complaint #10307857 — 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

EVER SINCE MY 2009 VW TDI DIESEL AUTO WAS NEW, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HESISTATION IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THAT IS AN EMERGENCY. IF I SUDDENLY STOP, SUCH AS THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP ON THE INTERSTATE, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TURN THE WHEELS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, THEN IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATION, DISASTER. THE CAR WILL MOVE INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC (FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS), THEN HESITATE, LEAVING ME STUCK ON THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC! IN ABOUT 3 TO 4 MORE SECONDS, IT WILL IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATE, SPINNING THE WHEELS AND MOVE! THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, NEARLY PLACING ME IN FATAL ACCIDENTS! THE DEALER WILL NOT RESPOND, OR EVEN CONTACT THE VW MAIN FACTORY/ENGINEERING REGARDING SOFTWARE UPDATES, ETC. THE ENGINE JUST MOMENTARILY 'GOES TO IDLE' BEFORE KICKING IN. IT IS AS IF THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED (IN THIS CAR, IF YOU TOUCH THE BRAKES, THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DROPS TO ABOUT 600 RPM THRU SOFTWARE CONTROL). SO IT APPEARS THERE IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM, NOT AN ENGINE PROBLEM. ENGINE OTHERWISE PERFORMS BEAUTIFULLY, AND SO DOES THE TRANSMISSION. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL RECURRENT OCCASIONS, BOTH IN HOT AND COLD WEATHER, SINCE SEPT 2008. *TR