NHTSA Complaint #10482472 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

VOLKS 2012 JETTA TDI. AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF APPROX 55-60 MPH, WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO COME OUT OF GEAR, ENGINE REVVED AND TACHOMETER RED-LINED, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT LOOSE POWER AS EVIDENCED BY TACHOMETER AND HIGH RPM'S ON ENGINE. AFTER TACHOMETER RED-LINED, TACHOMETER THEN BEGAN TO DROP AND AT ABOUT 5,000 RPM, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN OPERATION OF VEHICLE WAS BACK TO NORMAL. ODDLY, CRUISE DID NOT HAVE TO BE RESET AND SEEMED UNAWARE OF THE EVENT THAT HAD JUST OCCURRED. ENTIRE EVENT OCCURRED IN THE SPAN OF ABOUT 5 SECONDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. SERVICE DOCUMENTATION SAYS "WE SCANNED FOR FAULTS AND HAD A SPORADIC FAULT FOR GEAR SHIFT CONTROL MODULE. PERFORMED TEST PLAN AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. WE CLEARED FAULTS." ANOTHER SERVICE SHOWED THE ERROR CODE WITH VERBIAGE SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF "LOST COMMUNICATION WITH GEAR SHIFT CONTROL MODULE." DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE GEAR SHIFT CONTROL MODULE AND STATED THAT IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, RETURN AND THEY WILL REPLACE. CLEARLY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT OCCURS ON A HIGHWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH CONGESTED HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND CLEARLY COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR