NHTSA Complaint #10653034 — 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WHILE MERGING ONTO AN ON-RAMP ON A TOLL ROAD, AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING TRIED TO PULL THE CAR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE ONE I WAS TURNING. THIS WAS A "CLOVERLEAF" ON-RAMP, WITH A TIGHT TURNING ANGLE. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 30 OR 35 MPH, AS I WAS BEGINNING TO COME OUT OF THE TURN AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS TURNING THE RIGHT AND STEERING WOULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT FOR A SECOND OR TWO. I WAS FORCED TO TRY TO MAINTAIN THE CORRECT DIRECTION AND AVOID CRASHING. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. IT ONLY SEEMED TO HAPPEN ON THIS ONE PARTICULAR ON-RAMP AT THE TIME. APPROXIMATELY A MONTH LATER (ON A MONDAY, 10/20/2014), I WAS ON ANOTHER SIMILAR "CLOVERLEAF" ON-RAMP BUT AT DIFFERENT LOCATION AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, WHILE TURNING TO THE RIGHT. LATER THAT DAY THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS TURNING TO THE LEFT ON A LESSER EXIT RAMP, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD "GLITCH" AND TRY TO PULL THE CAR TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. BEING AWARE THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES, I WAS VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT MY SPEED ON THESE RAMPS. REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED, THE ISSUE WOULD STILL OCCUR. THE NEXT DAY, THE STEERING ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION, THREE TIMES WHILE ON THE RAMP, PULLING THE CAR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SAME WEEK ON FRIDAY (10/24/2014). THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE AND SAID I NEEDED TO HAVE THE ENTIRE STEERING RACK REPLACED. SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS GETTING WORSE AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, I WAS FORCED TO HAVE THE REPAIR MADE, WHICH COST MORE THAN $1,700. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY ISSUE AND I WAS VERY AFRAID IT WOULD CAUSE ME TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR