NHTSA Complaint #10535249 — 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

VW JETTA SPORTSWAGEN TDI 2010 53,000 MILES. ON AUG 7, 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:20, WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, ENGINE BEGINS TO RUN SLIGHTLY ROUGHLY, BUT NOT SUFFICIENT TO BE OF CONCERN. ACCELERATE FROM TRAFFIC SIGNAL TOWARDS ONRAMP TO I195. SUDDENLY ENGINE DIES (BEFORE ONRAMP). COAST CAR INTO PARKING LOT AT SIDE OF ROAD. TOTAL TIME FROM BEGINNING OF ROUGH IDLE TO ENGINE SHUTDOWN WAS ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS. HAD FAILURE OCCURRED ON INTERSTATE I195 OR I95 DURING RUSH HOUR, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS CONDITION -- POSSIBLE STRANDING OF CAR IN A TRAVEL LANE OR DANGEROUS CROSSING IN FRONT OF FASTER MOVING TRAFFIC TO REACH SHOULDER. CALLED FOR TOW AND CAR TOWED AT ABOUT 19:00 TO VW DEALER - WEST BROAD VOLKSWAGEN IN RICHMOND VA. DEALERSHIP IS CLOSED SO LEAVE CAR AT DEALER. SPOUSE DRIVES FROM HOME ABOUT 100 MILES TO PICK ME UP. REACH HOME BY 23:30. ON AUG 8 DEALER DIAGNOSES AS A FAILED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (TDI DIESEL ENGINE) WITH METAL PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM. VWOA TECH LINE INDICATES THAT ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT DEALER ASKS VWOA TO COVER PART OR ALL OF COST. ON AUG 9 VWOA APPROVES REPAIR AND AGREES TO PAY IN FULL. WORK COMPLETED ON AUG 12. *TR