NHTSA Complaint #10561615 — 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WHILE DRIVING MY 2010 VW JETTA TDI AT 45 MPH THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH WITH NO WARNING AND ENGINE POWER BECAME DRAMATICALLY REDUCED. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED ON A BUSY ROADWAY AND WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN ABRUPT EXIT FROM THE ROAD TO AVOID CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. USING BACK ROADS WITH LOW SPEED LIMITS I WAS ABLE TO REACH A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. AFTER ARRIVING THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. AFTER 3 DAYS OF INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THE METAL SHAVINGS FROM THE FAILED PUMP CONTAMINATED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM AND CLOGGED IT WITH RUST. EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA COVERED THE COST OF THE REPAIR WHICH ENTAILED REPLACING THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE TYPE OF HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED ON MY CAR WHICH IS WHY VWOA WAS COVERING THE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NO RECALL. GIVEN THE HIGH POTENTIAL FOR INJURY WHEN THIS KNOWN FAULT OCCURS, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY ALL VEHICLES (WHICH INCLUDE ALL 2010+ AUDI AND VW TDI ENGINES) THAT FEATURE THIS FAULTY FUEL PUMP HAVE NOT BEEN SUBJECT TO A RECALL TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. *TR