NHTSA Complaint #10682400 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

TRAVELING ALONG AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CAR SPUTTERED AND DIED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. APPARENTLY THERE IS A WELL-KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN THE INTERCOOLER INTAKE PIPE ON ALL VOLKSWAGEN TDI (DIESEL) ENGINES SINCE 2009 THAT CAUSES MOISTURE TO DEVELOP IN THE INTERCOOLER INTAKE PIPE DURING COLD WEATHER. IF ENOUGH MOISTURE COLLECTS IN THIS PIPE, IT WILL GET CHANNELED TO THE ENGINE AND BE FED INTO THE CYLINDERS, CAUSING THE CAR TO SPUTTER AND STALL EXACTLY AS MINE DID - OR TO SIMPLY NOT START ON COLD DAYS. OTHER SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS, ARE SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. VW IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND HAS ISSUED A TSB ABOUT IT. "TSB# 21 11 06 / 2025464 FROZEN AIR CHARGE COOLER" AND THERE IS A REPAIR PART THEY HAVE ALREADY DESIGNED - # COLD WEATHER IC KIT 1K0-198-803-B... HOWEVER, THE PART IS ONLY MADE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST AND AT OWNER EXPENSE IF OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE; THIS IS HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AND A DESIGN FLAW THAT VW NEEDS TO CORRECT FOR ALL OWNERS. THIS SITUATION ALSO, APPARENTLY DOES NOT THROW ANY CODES TO THE VEHICLE COMPUTER, AS THERE ARE NO SENSORS OF ANY TYPE IN THIS INTERCOOLER PIPE. THE ONLY WAY TO DETERMINE THAT THIS IS THE CAUSE, IT TO PUT THE VEHICLE UP, AND REMOVE ONE END OF THIS HOSE AND SEE IF WATER OR 'SLUDGE' DRAINS OUT OF IT, AND THIS PIPE WOULD PROBABLY BE DESTROYED IN ANY FRONT-END COLLISION, AS IT'S FAR FORWARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE IS A TON OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. HERE IS A LINK TO JUST ONE OF THE ARTICLES I FOUND AFTER THIS HAPPENED TO ME. HTTP://FORUMS.THECARLOUNGE.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?5574701-TDI-INTERCOOLER-ISSUE-DESIGN-FLAW. *TR