NHTSA Complaint #10347821 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I JUST READ THAT THE NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE OF COILS ON 2002/2003 VW PASSATS. I HAD A 2003 PASSAT THAT HAD THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER COIL FAIL AT ABOUT 28,000 MILES IN 2007. THE DEALER REPLACED IT, BUT I HAD TO PAY APPROXIMATELY $150. AT ABOUT 29,000 THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER COIL FAILED. I STILL HAD TO PAY ABOUT $100 WITH THE DEALER ABSORBING THE COST OF THE PART ITSELF. THE VW DEALER TOLD ME THAT VW DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR COILS OTHER THAN ON A RANDOM BASIS, AND THAT THERE WERE NO MANUFACTURING DEFECTS WITH THE COILS. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS JUST COINCIDENCE THAT I HAD TWO COILS FAIL. BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF TWO COILS AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE I DECIDED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT RELIABLE, AND TRADED IT IN FOR A HONDA ACCORD. NOW IT APPEARS THAT VW DID HAVE A PROBLEM FOR WHICH I WAS PENALIZED BOTH BY HAVING TO PAY FOR THE COST OF THE TWO REPAIRS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THOSE PROBLEMS CAUSED A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE RELIABILITY OF THE VW RESULTING IN MY TRADING IT IN WELL BEFORE ONE WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE TO TRADE IN A CAR. MY 2007 HONDA ACCORD HAS OVER 45,000 MILES, AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND. *TR