NHTSA Complaint #10403451 — 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN

I HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OWNING A 2010 ROUTAN. (THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM, RATHER THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE WAY THE NEW TRANSMISSIONS WORK.) WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS SET NEAR 50 MPH AND THE VEHICLE GOES DOWNHILL IT WILL DOWNSHIFT AUTOMATICALLY AND THE ENGINE WILL INCREASE ITS RPMS, ESSENTIALLY CREATING A MOTOR-BRAKE THAT KEEPS THE SPEED LESS THAN ABOUT 55 MPH. I ACCEPTED THEIR EXPLANATION AND THEIR ASSURANCE THAT IT WAS SAFE AND WOULD NOT DAMAGE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ONLY OBSERVED THIS HAPPENING AT SPEEDS NEAR 50MPH. HOWEVER, THIS SUNDAY WHEN IT HAPPENED ON A PARTICULARLY LONG, WINDING HILL, I DECIDED THAT I WOULD PREFER TO MANUALLY USE THE BRAKE, SO AFTER IT BEGAN DOWNSHIFTING I PRESSED THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON TO TURN IT OFF. IT DID NOT TURN OFF. I PRESSED THE BUTTON SEVERAL MORE TIMES, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT. I PRESSED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE STAYED IN THE LOWER GEAR WITH THE ENGINE REVVING AND IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE WERE WORKING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. I DECIDED TO LET THE VEHICLE CONTROL ITSELF UNTIL WE RETURNED TO LEVEL GROUND. ONCE WE REACHED LEVEL GROUND AND I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE BEGIN TO REDUCE ITS RPMS, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED. THIS WAS SCARY BUT CONTROLLABLE BECAUSE THE ROAD WAS DRY AND THE ROAD, THOUGH STEEP, WAS WIDE AND EASY TO NAVIGATE. HOWEVER, ON A SNOWY OR WET ROAD, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND IF IT HAPPENS TO ANYONE ELSE THEY MAY PANIC AND DO SOMETHING EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. THEN, AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR WILL NOT REALIZE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE, AS IN MY CASE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL BE TURNED OFF. BUT THE DRIVER WILL NOT HAVE BEEN IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS, I BELIEVE IS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION. I HAVE NOT REPORTED THIS SUNDAY'S INCIDENT TO THE DEALER OR TO VW.