NHTSA Complaint #10551179 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WAS OUT OF TOWN IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND EXPERIENCED A NEAR COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE DO NOT OPERATE VEHICLE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. WAS ABLE TO PULL VEHICLE OFF TO SHOULDER OF THE BUSY FREEWAY AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS I RE-STARTED THE VEHICLE. IT STILL WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON SO I SHUT IT DOWN AGAIN. WAS ABLE TO CALL THE VW SERVICE CENTER WITH CELL PHONE AND A TOW TRUCK DISPATCHED. GOT IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE THE SERVICE CENTER WAS CLOSED. LUCKILY A MOTEL WAS CLOSE BY. THE NEXT MORNING THE SERVICE CENTER ADVISED THERE MAY BE A BAD FUEL PROBLEM. IT WAS SHELL DIESEL FROM A FAIRLY LARGE CITY STATION. SUPPOSEDLY THE FUEL WAS "MURKY." IF IT WAS FUEL PROBLEM I TOLD VW SERVICE ADVISOR I WANTED A SAMPLE OF THE FUEL SO I COULD RECOUP MY REPAIR EXPENSE FROM SHELL. LATER I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO METAL SHAVINGS, AND THE PARTS AND LABOR EXPENSE TO DRAIN THE FUEL, PURGE THE LINES, AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT CHARGED TO ME PER "GOOD WILL" SERVICE. THEY DID NOT SAVE ANY FUEL FOR ME. I DID INCUR MOTEL AND FOOD EXPENSES AND AM WORRIED VW WILL NOT REIMBURS MY TRIP INTERRUPTION EXPENSES BECAUSE IT IS "BAD FUEL" AND SINCE I HAVE NO FUEL I CANNOT PROVE TO SHELL THE FUEL WAS BAD. ACCORDING TO INVOICE THE CAUSE OF MY PROBLEM WAS A P0087 = FUEL/SYSTEM PRESSURE TOO LOW. SEEMS VW VEHICLES ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM MORE THAN THEY SHOULD AND THE CUSTOMER IS KEPT IN THE DARK. I AM AFRAID THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR