NHTSA Complaint #10524360 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF

CAR PURCHASED NOVEMBER 2011. AUGUST 29, 2012 (MUCH <10,000 MILES) REPORTED ROUGH SHIFTING OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO VOLKSWAGEN OF ALEXANDRIA. TOLD THAT EXPERIENCE WAS NORMAL. TRUSTED MECHANIC AND USED VEHICLE. MARCH 18, 2013--COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT. ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE MOVING AND ABRUPTLY BROUGHT CAR TO A STOP. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT PROMPTED RECALLS FOR THIS CAR IN AUSTRALIA, CHINA, AND JAPAN. BROUGHT INTO VOLKSWAGEN OF ALEXANDRIA AND TOLD PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO COMPUTER ERRORS CONTROLLING TRANSMISSION. JULY 10, 2013--(@15,000 MILES) CAR LOSES REASONABLE AMOUNT OF POWER, MAKES GRINDING NOISE, ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS. BLOCKS FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF ALEXANDRIA. JUST ABLE TO MAKE IT IN. TECHNICIANS REPORT THAT A NUMBER OF FAULTS WERE REPORTED AND HAVE CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA TO ADVISE WHAT TO DO NEXT. ULTIMATELY THEY DECIDE THAT THE MECHATRONICS UNIT (PART OF TRANSMISSION) SHOULD BE REPLACED BUT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE SOON. ALEXANDRIA VOLKSWAGEN ADVISES ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK INTO MY POSESSION AND DRIVE IT AS IS UNTIL THE PART ARRIVES. THEY CLAIMED IT TO BE JUST A NOISE ISSUE. I OBJECT AND HAVE TO POINT OUT THE COMPLAINT ABOUT SEVERE LACK OF POWER AND PREVIOUS COMPLETE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION FAILURE (WHICH THEY CLAIMED TO BE UNRELATED). AFTER COMPLAINT TOLD I COULD RENT A CAR. FINALLY ABLE TO COMPLAIN MY WAY INTO A LOANER. I HAVE READ ABOUT THIS TACTIC FOR WAYS AROUND LEMON LAW LIABILITY. WAS ADVISED TO REPORT IT HERE. *TR