NHTSA Complaint #10533320 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

MY WIFE AND I WERE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THE 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN TDI ENGINE STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD ONTO A GRASS EMBANKMENT BEFORE A SEMI TRUCK PASSED WITHIN INCHES OF DRIVER SIDE. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. WE CALLED VW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WERE TOWED TO THE NEAREST VW DEALERSHIP. UPON MECHANIC INSPECTION, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM HAD FAILED, SPECIFICALLY THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE REPAIR REQUIRED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM TO BE REPLACED, AS SHARDS OF BROKEN METAL AND DEBRIS CONTAMINATED THE FUEL TANK, PUMPS, LINES, FILTERS, ETC. VW AGREED TO MAKE THE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY (ESTIMATE $6K) BUT NOT WITHOUT ADVISING ME THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE TO MAKE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO "DIESEL FUEL CONTAMINATION". I WAS ADVISED TO PURCHASE FUEL FROM "REPUTABLE" DIESEL FUEL STATIONS WITHOUT BEING ASKED WHERE I BOUGHT GAS (SHELL AND GULF NEAR MY HOME). VW ASKED MECHANIC TO PULL 1 LITER FUEL SAMPLE FOR TESTING AT VW. MECHANIC REPORTS THE SAMPLE PULLED APPEARED TO BE A CLEAN DIESEL FUEL SAMPLE. HE LEFT THE SAMPLE OUT OVERNIGHT TO SETTLE AND LOOK FOR PHASE SEPARATION OF WATER/FUEL. HE SAW NO SEPARATION IN THE MORNING. I HAVE LOVED MY DIESEL CAR, BUT VW HAS NOT YET SATISFIED ME WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. MY SAFETY AND RELIABILITY CONCERNS HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH DISCOUNTED, AND I HAVE BEEN MADE TO FEEL LIKE THIS WAS MY FAULT. *TR