NHTSA Complaint #10598867 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN EOS

MY WIFE WAS SITTING IN HER VEHICLE AT WORK WHEN A DUMP TRUCK WAS BACKING UP TOWARDS HER VEHICLE. SHE TRIED TO ALERT THE TRUCK DRIVER USING THE HORN. THE HORN DID NOT MAKE A SOUND. THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. AFTER CONTACTING VW DEALER ABOUT THE HORN I WAS TOLD THAT THE KEY HAS TO BE IN THE IGNITION TO POWER THE HORN. I FIND THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. I ALSO ASKED IF THE AIR BAG WOULD FUNCTION UNDER THE SAME CONDITION AND I WAS TOLD PROBABLY NOT. I COULD THINK OF A SCENARIO WHERE THIS COULD ALSO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AN ENGINEERING SOLUTION NEEDS TO BE UPDATED FOR A PASSIVE SITUATION SUCH AS IN MY WIVES CASE. *TR