NHTSA Complaint #10643842 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THE RCD-510 PREMIUM 8 RADIO WITH BLUETOOTH CELL PHONE CONNECTIVITY COMPLETELY FAILED IN MY 2011 JETTA SPORTWAGON TDI MANUFACTURES IN 2010 AT ABOUT 3 1/2 YEARS AND 77K MILES. RADIO WAS FINE ONE DAY AND BLACK SCREEN WITH NO FUNCTION AT ALL THE NEXT INCLUDING THE BLUETOOTH AND HANDS FREE CALLING CAPABILITIES WHICH ARE BUILT INTO THE RADIO. THIS FAILIURE RESULTS IN ANY USE OF A PHONE WHILE DRIVING REQUIRING THE USE OF HANDS, WHICH IS DANGEROUS AS WELL AS ILLEGAL IN MANY STATES THROUGHOUT THE US. OTHERWISE, PULLING OFF OF THE ROAD TO PLACE/RECEIVE PHONE CALLS PUTS THE DRIVER AT INCREASED RISK OF BEING STRUCK. RADIO SCREEN APPEARANCE IS AS IF NO POWER TO RADIO. HAD VW DEALER SERVICE CHECK FUSES AND ALL CONNECTIONS TO RADIO AND FOUND NO POWER PROBLEMS. DEALER SERVICE REPORTED TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE THAT THE RADIO WENT DEAD AND IS NOT DUE TO ANY OPERATOR ACTIONS. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF RADIO WITH A $600 REFURISHED UNIT W/1YEAR WARRANTY PLUS THE TRADE IN OF FAILED RADIO TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. VW REPRESENTATIVE COULD NOT ANSWER WHAT PARTS ARE REPLACED ON THE REFURBISHED UNIT AND WAS UNWILLING TO FIND OUT AND PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION. *TR