NHTSA Complaint #10671157 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER STANDING IN COLD WEATHER X 10 DAYS. MOISTURE FROM THE INTAKE AIR CONDENSED & COLLECTED IN THE CHARGE AIR COOLER. THIS MOISTURE THEN FROZE, AND CAUSED BLOCKAGE OF THE INTAKE AIR SYSTEM. TSB ISSUED IN JUNE 2011, AMENDED SEPTEMBER 2011, RE: THIS ISSUE. VW REVISED THE CHARGE AIR COOLER DESIGN TO AVOID THE FORMATION OF MOISTURE AND FREEZING IN THE BOOST SYSTEM. PURPORTEDLY, 50,000 JETTAS ALREADY AFFECTED; LOCAL DEALER REPORTS A CAR/DAY ENTERING SHOP FOR SAME ISSUE, AND REQUIRES SAME REPAIR @ $1300. VW WILL REPAIR TDI'S UNDER WARRANTY @ VW EXPENSE; THOSE VEHICLES NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY ARE RESPONSIBILITY OF OWNER. HOWEVER, BECAUSE VW KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM, IS AWARE OF THE TSB AND ISSUED THE REVISED CHARGE AIR COOLER KIT, VW WILL NEGOTIATE WITH OWNERS WHOSE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS ISSUE WITH JETTA TDI'S, WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL? WHY IS VW NOT ASSUMING THE LIABILITY FOR ALL THESE REPAIRS, REGARDLESS OF WARRANTY STATUS? WOULD ASK NHTSA TO 1) RECALL THESE VEHICLES FOR REPAIR, AND 2) ASK VW TO ASSUME LIABILITY FOR ALL REPAIRS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT, & 3) ASK VW TO ASSUME ALL COSTS, INCLUDING PARTS, LABOR, TOWING, AND CAR RENTAL FOR US. *TR