NHTSA Complaint #10524629 — 2010 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN

DRIVING ON A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET WHEN A SUDDEN DROP IN THE AC POWER FOLLOWED BY A QUICK RISE IN THE ENGINE TEMP TO THE TOP OF THE GAUGE. WITHIN 2 MINUTES STEAM WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. QUICKLY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER COOLING THE ENGINE AND OPENING THE HOOD IT WAS OBSERVED THAT ENGINE COOLANT WAS ALL OVER THE ENGINE PARTS AND BOILING OFF DUE TO THE HEAT. WATER WAS POURED IN THE RADIATOR AND A LEAK WAS OBSERVED FROM A PLASTIC Y JOINT IN THE WATER COOLING PIPE/ASSEMBLY. VW PART NUMBER 7B0121086B. WITH THE WATER FILLED TO THE MAX AS SOON AS THE ENGINE WAS STARTED A STEADY STREAM OF WATER WAS OBSERVED COMING OUT OF THE Y JOINT. WITH OVER A GALLON OF WATER IN THE VEHICLE DROVE THE CAR HOME AND IN LESS THAN 3 MILES THE WATER WAS COMPLETELY DRAINED FROM THE SYSTEM. PLEASE CROSS REFERENCE THIS WITH ANY COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY MINIVAN AND THE DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AS THEY ARE ALL PRODUCED BY CHRYSLER CORP. THE Y CONNECTOR FAILURE WAS EASILY FOUND ONLINE AND APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE PART / DESIGN FLAW AS THE PLASTIC PIECE WAS NOT ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURE AND HEAT AND SEEMED TO SPLIT AT THE SEAM TO CAUSE THE LEAK. *TR