NHTSA Complaint #10355857 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I HAVE A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T WITH 65,000 MILES ON IT. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS I'VE BEEN RECEIVING SEVERAL ERROR MESSAGES FROM THE HUD / HEADS-UP DISPLAY: "DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN LOCK" AND "IMMOBILIZER ACTIVE". THIS IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY THE CAR FIRING FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STALLING OUT. ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR AGAIN IMMEDIATELY ONLY RESULTS IN A STRANGE AND LOUD ON/OFF "CLICKING" TYPE SOUND (AS IF IT'S TRYING TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND FAILING TO DO SO). WAITING 2-3 MINUTES AND TRYING AGAIN USUALLY SEEMS TO DO THE TRICK, BUT TODAY THE CAR WOULDN'T START AT ALL. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED-- NEARLY $2000 IN REPAIRS. OF COURSE, CURIOSITY GOT THE BEST OF ME, AND I DECIDED TO RESEARCH INTO THIS A BIT MORE. TURNS OUT THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POSTS ONLINE OF VW CUSTOMERS HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE EXACT SAME YEAR AND MODEL. IT'S SORT OF INSULTING, ESPECIALLY LEARNING THAT VW INITIATED A RECALL IN IRELAND FOR THE SAME ISSUE, JUST NOT IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS HAS CLASS-ACTION LAW SUIT WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. OBVIOUSLY I WAS NOT HARMED BY THIS DEFECT, BUT I CAN SEE HOW IT *COULD* HARM SOMEBODY, AND READ OF SEVERAL OTHER VICTIMS WHO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. IT'S JUST SAD THAT IT TAKES SOMETHING AS AWFUL AS PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE BEFORE SOMEBODY STEPS UP AND TAKES ACTION. THIS IS NOT RIGHT... *TR