NHTSA Complaint #10454849 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

ALMOST HOME ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL (CC) ON, AND IT SUDDENLY GOES OFF - CAR RUNNING FINE BUT IT WON'T GO BACK ON CC. CHECKED OTHER ELECTRICAL CONTROLS AT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND NONE WERE WORKING - NO HORN, NO TURN SIGNALS, NO W/S WIPERS, NO LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS STILL WORKED AS THEY ARE ALWAYS ON WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING). MADE IT SAFELY HOME, AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF - BUT, THE HEADLIGHTS WON'T GO OFF. TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEN TRIED TO GET THE KEY OUT, BUT IT WOULD NOT COME OUT SO I WAS LEFT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND UNABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT. DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO GET THE LIGHTS OFF. MONDAY PREPARED TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO THE NEAREST VW DEALER 35 MILES AWAY - CONNECTED THE BATTERY AND STARTED THE ENGINE, BUT IT QUIT RIGHT AWAY - TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. FINALLY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE VW DEALER AT MY EXPENSE. VW DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY STEERING MODULE, AND SAID THE BILL WOULD BE OVER $1,000 BUT THAT I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE AND THEN FOUND THAT THE IGNITION/STARTER SWITCH WAS FAULTY. FINAL BILL CAME TO MUCH MORE THAN A $1,000.00, OF WHICH I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY $382.75 IF I WANTED MY CAR BACK. *TR