NHTSA Complaint #10554986 — 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE TODAY (DECEMBER 5, 2013), AT +15 DEG F (MORNING LOW WAS -22 F), THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING AND A WARNING BELL RANG, SIGNIFYING "CHECK ENGINE". THE ENGINE STARTED IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUED TO RUN BUT HAD NO POWER ABOVE 2,000 RPM. THIS IS THE SECOND (APPARENT) HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE, THE FIRST OCCURRING ON AUGUST 20, 2013 AT ~55,000 MILES, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WITH THE SAME LOSS OF POWER SYMPTOM AND "CHECK ENGINE" INDICATION. THAT INCIDENT WAS LUCKILY WITHIN TEN MILES OF THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL WAS NOT CONTAMINATED AND THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THEN REPLACED IT UNDER THE ORIGINAL POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. PRIOR TO THAT FIRST FAILURE THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING SLIGHT 'MISSING' DURING ACCELERATION OR STEADY SPEED IN THE 2100-2500 RPM BAND. THE SAME MISSING WAS OCCURRING SOON AFTER THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, PRIOR TO THE CURRENT FAILURE. I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS EVER FUELED THE VEHICLE AND THERE IS 0% CHANCE THAT THE FUEL CURRENTLY (OR EVER) IN THE VEHICLE CONTAINED ANY GASOLINE OR BIODIESEL, UNLESS A GAS STATION WAS SELLING CONTAMINATED FUEL. THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED THE PREVENTIVE FILLER RECEPTACLE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW A GAS HOSE NOZZLE SOON AFTER THE FIRST FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, DURING A NORMAL OIL CHANGE SERVICING. AS OF THIS WRITING, ON THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 5, 2013, THE DEALER'S SERVICE AGENT HAS REQUESTED THAT I DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 220 MILES OVER A HIGH MOUNTAIN PASS, TO DELIVER THE CAR FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. *TR