NHTSA Complaint #10501271 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

ALL THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING WAS INTERMITTENTLY NOT WORKING. TURNING ON HEADLAMPS AND TURNING ON BRIGHT LIGHTS WOULD OFTEN FIX THE PROBLEM - HEADLIGHTS, BLINKERS AND FOG LAMPS WOULD WORK AGAIN. WHEN THIS WOULD NOT WORK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT TURNING THE CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN WOULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE. DEALERSHIP INITIALLY REPLACED A CONTROL MODULE IN JANUARY OF 2013. PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE. WHEN THE PROBLEM CAME BACK TODAY, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY HAD NOW HAD MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM AND SUSPECTED A MELTED FUSE BLOCK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER GAVE ME THE FAILED PART AND REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER, PERHAPS A REDESIGNED PART AS THE PART NUMBER IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. THE 30A FUSE WHICH CONTROLS THE HEADLAMPS IS OBVIOUSLY MELTED AT THE BLOCK. VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. SPOKE WITH VW OF AMERICA AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD COVER MY COSTS FOR REPLACEMENT AS DEALER CLAIMED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THIS ISSUE AND SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR THIS ISSUE ALSO RESULTS IN REPORTS OF MANY OTHERS HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE FUSE BLOCK IN THIS VEHICLE. VW OF AMERICA POLITELY DENIED THIS REQUEST. SUGGEST THAT YOU PURSUE THE ISSUE AND SUGGEST TO VW OF AMERICA THAT THEY ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS COMPONENT WHICH IS FAILING AND, AS IT IS AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT, MIGHT CAUSE AN UNDER THE HOOD FIRE. *TR UPDATED 09/17/13*LJ THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY.