NHTSA Complaint #10420091 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT HAS HAD RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION COILS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS (HAVE ALREADY HAD TWO REPLACED AT PERSONAL EXPENSE, AS THEY WERE NOT UNDER RECALL/WARRANTY) MOST RECENT ISSUE WITH SUCH HAS OCCURRED THE PAST TWO WEEKS, BEGINNING WITH THE APPEARANCE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALONG WITH PERIODS OF MY VEHICLE RUNNING VERY ROUGH (A "RUMBLING" TYPE SENSATION, PARTICULARLY WHEN IDLING/WHILE STOPPED) THIS SOON ESCALATED INTO A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE OTHER DAY, WHICH NECESSITATED IN ME HAVING TO ABRUPTLY PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER, SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD FOR A MINUTE OR TWO. TOOK MY PASSAT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP THE NEXT DAY, WHERE THEY READ THE ERROR CODE(S) FOR MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT---TURNS OUT THERE ARE 10 IN ALL, 1 FOR EACH CYLINDER IN MY ENGINE (I HAVE A V6), 3 FOR EACH IGNITION COIL, AND 1 GENERAL ENGINE CODE. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME I HAVE DEALT WITH THIS ISSUE IN A VERY SHORT TIME FRAME. I WILL BE CALLING THE DEALERSHIP FIRST THING IN THE MORNING BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS ANY RECALL/WARRANTY OUT FOR THIS ISSUE STILL. I AM VERY UPSET AND DISPLEASED WITH VW AND THEIR LACK OF RELIABILITY/CREDIBILITY REGARDING THIS ISSUE. IT SEEMS THAT IT IS QUITE WIDESPREAD FROM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED AND READ AND I HOPE THAT SOMETHING WILL BE DONE ABOUT IT SOON, I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP PAYING FOR THIS AND CERTAINLY CANNOT AFFORD FOR THE SAFETY HAZARDS OF IT TO GET ANY WORSE, IM AFRAID AN ENGINE FIRE WILL BE NEXT!! *KB