NHTSA Complaint #10534814 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

STEERING: VEHICLE PULLS TO AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT POTENTIALLY LEADING TO INJURY OR DEATH. IT DOES NOT TRACK STRAIGHT AT ALL, NO MATTER IF IT'S ON THE LEFT LANE OF THE ROAD, CENTER CROWN OF THE ROAD OR IN THE RIGHT LANE (NO CURVES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP OVER 4 TIMES THINKING IT MAY BE AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THE SECOND TIME THAT IT PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT AS A "SAFETY MEASURE", TO LEAD THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER TO GET OFF THE ROAD ON TO THE SHOULDER. ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISOR TO SHOW ME WHERE VW HAD DISCLOSED THIS AS A "SAFETY" MEASURE. THERE WAS NO SUCH DOCUMENTATION. I TOOK IT IN TO ANOTHER VW DEALERSHIP IN MY SAME CITY. THEY DID WHAT THEY SAID WAS THE 'BEST THEY COULD DO WITHOUT EXCEEDING VW'S SPECIFICATIONS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AND THE SECOND DEALERSHIP ADMITTED TO ME THAT VW WAS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THIS ISSUE. LIGHTS/ELECTRICAL: THE LOW BEAM LIGHT WENT OUT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO ONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS IN MY CITY. I THOUGHT IT WENT OUT TOO SOON BUT SUSPECT IT WAS AN ISSUE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE MORE THEN A SIMPLE BURNT OUT BULB. THE WHOLE LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF WHAT THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME WAS INDEED A PROBLEM VW WAS HAVING WITH THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MAKING CONTINUOUS CONTACT (LIKE A PLUG & RECEPTACLE). HE STATED THAT THEY HAD CHANGED THE DESIGN IN THE 2014 MODELS BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT IN THE 2013 MODELS. I REQUESTED THAT SINCE IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE THEM TO RETROFIT OR CHANGE OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT. HE STATED TO ME HE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO CHANGE THE DEFECTIVE UNIT UNTIL IT ACTUALLY FAILS. THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AS IT CAN HAPPEN AT NIGHT WHEN LIGHTS ARE REALLY NEEDED, AND DURING THE DAY IF LIGHTS NEED TO BE ON FOR SAFETY WHERE IT IS REQUIRED ON SOME OF THE MORE DANGEROUS ROADS. GET IT IN WRITING WHAT IS WRONG-NO GLOSSING OVER. *TR