NHTSA Complaint #10541728 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

THIS PAST MAY, WE BOUGHT A VW JETTA GLI AT JENNINGS VOLKSWAGEN (GLENVIEW, IL) FOR OUR SONS LAST YEAR OF COLLEGE. THE CAR LOOKED GREAT AND HE LOVED IT. AT ABOUT 1000 MILES, WHILE HE WAS DRIVING WITH HIS FRIENDS, THE CAR HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND A SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN. LUCKILY, HE WAS CROSSING A PARKING LOT SO HE WAITED UNTIL IT RESTARTED. WE MADE NO BIG DEAL OF IT AND TOOK IT TO JENNINGS WHERE THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THEN, JUST LAST WEEK, AT 3000 MILES, THE SAME HAPPENED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR DAUGHTER IN THE CAR ON WEST LAKE AVENUE. THIS TIME, WE WERE CONCERNED, SINCE THIS HAPPENED DURING RUSH HOUR IN A CONGESTED STREET. WE WORRIED NOW, SINCE THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED. OUR SON DRIVES TO THE CITY ON A DAILY BASIS TO ATTEND SCHOOL AND HE TAKES THE HIGHWAY. WHAT IF THAT HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AND A TRUCK HAD BEEN BEHIND HIM? IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. WE DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT IN AUSTRALIA WITH ANOTHER VW, WITH THE SAME TYPE OF TRANSMISSION, EXPERIENCING SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL OF CERTAIN OF THESE CARS IN CHINA, JAPAN, AND AUSTRALIA FOR SIMILAR ISSUES SO WE ARE REALLY CONCERNED. OUR SON TOOK THE CAR TO JENNINGS AGAIN, AND WAS SENT HOME WITH A RENTAL CAR WHILE THEY LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE. THEY APPARENTLY DID VARIOUS DRIVING AND MECHANICAL TESTS AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SCENARIO, SINCE APPARENTLY THE CARS COMPUTER HAD NOT REGISTERED ANY OF THE FAILURES. THE CAR DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO BUY BACK OR REPLACE THE CAR.*JB