NHTSA Complaint #10345055 — 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I AM WRITING YOU TO ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN EXPEDITING THE REPAIR OR REPURCHASE BY VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA OF THE 2007 PASSAT VIN [XXX] OWNED BY MY COMPANY, THE LUNT MARYMOR CO., INC.. THIS VEHICLE HAS A MOLDY SMELL THAT IS PERSISTENT AND IS A LIKELY HEALTH HAZARD. WHEN ANYONE GETS INTO THE CAR THEY START TO COUGH. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND UNSELLABLE. THE MOLDY CONDITION IS A RESULT OF PLUGGING OF BOTH THE A/C DRAIN SYSTEM AND THE SKYLIGHT DRAINS. THE OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN REPAIR DEPT, LEAD BY LEE MOLINONI, HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEY'VE TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IF IT CAN'T BE FIXED I AM DEPRIVED OF ITS USE. I DID NOT CREATE THIS PROBLEM. WHILE YOU HAVE READY ACCESS TO ALL THE SVC RECORDS AT OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN ALLOW ME TO SHARE WITH YOU A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM. THE MOLDY SMELL STARTED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS PROMPTLY DIAGNOSED BY OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN AS A PLUGGED A/C DRAIN. THE DRAIN WAS CLEARED AND THE A/C DUCTING SYSTEM WAS TREATED BY A MACHINE DESIGNED TO CLEAN THE DUCTS. THE MACHINE BROKE WITHOUT COMPLETING THE TREATMENT AND A NEW MACHINE HAD TO BE ORDERED. THIS TOOK A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET AND I HAD TO DRIVE A MOLDY CAR WHILE OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN WAITED FOR IT TO ARRIVE. ON RETURNING TO THE DEALER, WHEN THE NEW MACHINE ARRIVED, THE DUCTS WERE CLEANED BUT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL VALVE OPERATED DUCTS HAD FAILED. THIS REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD TO REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP SUBSEQUENTLY THOROUGHLY CLEANED THE CAR. THE MOLDY SMELL PERSISTED. MY WIFE AND I THOROUGHLY CLEANED THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR TO NO AVAIL. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY THEN FOUND 3 OF 4 SKYLIGHT DRAINS WERE PLUGGED. THESE WERE CLEARED. IN THE COURSE OF ALL THESE VISITS THE MECHANIC ALSO FOUND A FAULTY BRAKE MODULE (THE PRKG BRAKE WOULDN'T RELEASE) AND A FAILED BATTERY. THE DEALER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR