NHTSA Complaint #10342088 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

AS WE WERE DRIVING HOME, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH STARTED BLINKING. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE CAR ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING, BUT IT JUST STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. SO WE COASTED THE CAR FOR ABOUT 1.5 MILES TO A FAMILY MEMBERS HOUSE. WHEN WE ARRIVED, WE TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TRIED TO RESTART IT, IT WOULD NOT START. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD WE NOTICED THAT THE FUSE BOX/HARNESS THAT SITS ON THE BATTERY WAS VERY HOT. WE OPENED IT AND SAW THE FAR LEFT BLACK WIRE/CABLE WAS BURNT UP AND MELTING THE PLASTIC IN THE HARNESS. THE BLACK WIRE WAS EXTREMELY HOT. I HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, IT WAS 3 YEARS AGO, BUT I DID NOT KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. I SPENT OVER $500 FIXING WHAT SEEMS TO ME THE SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE. ON THE DEALERSHIP RECEIPT IT SAID "FOUND GENERATOR HARNESS AT BATTERY FUSE BOX MELTED CAUSING HIGH RESISTANCE IN VOLTAGE CIRCUIT.....REPLACED FUSE BOX AND GENERATOR CABLE". ON THAT OCCURRENCE IT WAS SO BAD THE BURNS HAD RUINED MY BATTERY CAUSING IT TO LEAK. I CALLED VW MANUFACTURING, BUT THEY WERE NOT VERY HELPFUL AND JUST TOLD ME TO CALL MY LOCAL DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, EVEN IF THERE WAS A FIRE HAZARD. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING LOOKED, LOOKING FOR AN UNDERLYING CAUSE FOR THIS...IF IT IS THE CABLE OR SOMETHING ELSE IN THE ENGINE. THE CONNECTION WAS RESET BUT THE WIRE/CABLE CONTINUED TO GET EXCESSIVELY HOT. *TR