NHTSA Complaint #10412489 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WHILE ON AN OUT OF STATE ROAD TRIP. WE STOPPED AT A FUEL STATION AND SMELLED A REALLY STRONG DIESEL SMELL. THINKING THERE WAS JUST DIESEL SPILL AT THE FUEL STATION WE CONTINUED ON OUR WAY ON THE INTERSTATE. APPROX. 30 MILES LATER DOWN THE INTERSTATE OUR GLOW PLUG LIGHT STARTED TO BLINK, WHICH INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. WE WENT TO THE NEAREST EXIT AND STOPPED THE CAR. WHEN WE GOT OUT THE DIESEL SMELL WAS EVEN STRONGER. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE HOOD AND DIESEL WAS HEAVILY DRIPPING FROM THE WHOLE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP IN OREGON. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS A #2 FUEL INJECTOR LEAK AND THAT VOLKSWAGEN WANTS THEM (THE DEALERSHIP IN OREGON) REMOVE THE ENTIRE ENGINE AND SEND IT TO GERMANY FOR EXAMINATION ON A TEST STAND. THREE WEEKS AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE OREGON DEALERSHIP THEY CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME I COULD COME GET IT. I DROVE BACK TO OREGON TO GET THE CAR AND IT STILL SMELLED EXTREMELY STRONG OF DIESEL AND THE EXTERIOR WAS STILL COVERED IN THE DIESEL THAT LEAKED FROM THE ENGINE. I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CHANGE THE FIBER ENGINE COVER. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO REASON TO DO THAT AND WOULD HAVE TO GET THAT APPROVED. I DROVE THE CAR BACK HOME TO CALIFORNIA AND THEN CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO GET MY CAR FIXED RIGHT. THEY HAD ME BRING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM IN ROSEVILLE, CA. ROSEVILLE VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE WORKER IDENTIFIED THE CAR HAVE A STRONG DIESEL SMELL JUST WALKING NEAR THE CAR. THEY WROTE ON THE SERVICE TICKET THAT THEY FOUND THE FIBER ENGINE COVER "SOAKED WITH DIESEL FUEL. ROSEVILLE VOLKSWAGEN HAD THE CAR FOR NINE MORE DAYS TO CLEAN AND DETAIL THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR.