NHTSA Complaint #10330886 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

PASSAT 2004 ID [XXX] WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH - THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT SIMILAR TO A POSSIBLE FLAT TIRE. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND CHECKED EACH TIRE WITH A FLASHLIGHT ' THEY WERE FINE. I RETURNED TO THE ROAD AND CONTINUED. THE STEERING QUICKLY BECAME STIFF, LESS RESPONSIVE, WITH A SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I DECREASED MY SPEED, PUT ON FLASHERS, AND VERY SLOWLY CONTINUED THE LAST MILE TO MY HOME WHEN A LOUD METAL-ON-METAL SCRAPING SOUND STARTED. THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO CONTROL BECAUSE THE STEERING WAS UNRESPONSIVE. HAD MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER BEEN DRIVING, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS, POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING PROBLEM. THIS IS INCONCEIVABLE. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR VOLKSWAGEN DEALER TO BE EVALUATED AND WERE TOLD ' BOTH AXLES NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL THE STEERING PUMP. THIS IS NOT 'NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR'. THIS VEHICLE HAS 96,000 MILES, HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT, IS DRIVEN ONLY ON PAVED ROADS, AND IS KEPT IN THE GARAGE. MY SERVICEMAN REPORTED HE'D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. PLEASE CHECK TO DETERMINE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR