NHTSA Complaint #10546338 — 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I DROVE HOME FROM WORK ON 9/28/2013 GOT OFF THE FREEWAY, CAME TO A STOP AT END OF OFFRAMP AND THE FIRST WARNING LAMP CAME ON INDICATING A GLOW PLUG FAILURE. IT CONTINUED TO RUN AND I DROVE TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT AT APPROX. 50% POWER, PARKED, CYCLED THE IGNITION FROM ON TO OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN. THIS CLEARED THE FAULT TEMPORARILY, I DROVE TOWARD HOME AND WITHIN ANOTHER 2 MILES THE SAME GLOW PLUG FAULT RETURNED ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE SYMBOL AND A WARNING INDICATING WORKSHOP WAS NEEDED. THE FOLLOWING DAY I BOUGHT A CODE READER, READ THE CODES AND FOUND SEVERAL LOGGED, SOME OF WHICH IM CERTAIN WERE RESIDUAL FAULTS FROM THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WHICH WAS INDICATED BY A RECURRING "LOW FUEL RAIL PRESSURE" FAULT. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALER WHICH INSTRUCTED ME TO LOOK AT THE FUEL FILTER AND AIDED BY AN ONLINE TECH INFO BLOG I INSPECTED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ACTUATOR FOR METAL DEBRIS. THE FUEL FILTER INSPECTION SHOWED SMALL, TRACE AMOUNTS OF METAL DUST WHILE THE FUEL PUMP INSPECTION SHOWED LARGER AND MORE SUBSTANTIAL METAL SHAVINGS UNDER THE ACTUATOR. THE INSPECTION OF THE TWO COMPONENTS ARE INDICATIVE AND INLINE WITH SIMILAR FINDINGS THAT PROVE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NO TRACE OF GASOLINE WAS FOUND IN THIS SYSTEM AND ONLY CLEAN DIESEL FUEL WAS PRESENT DURING INSPECTION. FUEL FILTER WAS JUST CHANGED IN AUG 20 2013 AT SAME TIME AS TIMING BELT WHERE HPFP DRIVE GEAR WAS RETORQUED. I NOW HAVE A CAR THAT IS NOT FUNCTIONAL AND I'M NOT HAPPY. I BOUGHT A DIESEL FOR LONGEVITY AND HIGH FUEL ECONOMY NOT THIS. *TR