NHTSA Complaint #10689703 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

WITHIN SECONDS OF STARTING, THE ENGINE STALLS (MAKING A SPUTTERING SOUND) AND DIES. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN ON WARM STARTS, NOT HOT, NOT COLD. I'M TYPICALLY ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR (ONLY A FEW FEET) BEFORE THE STALL OUT OCCURS. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE SEEMS TO BE AROUND THE 11 O' CLOCK MARK WHEN THIS OCCURS. SPECIFICALLY, IT'S HAPPENED AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 20-40 MINUTES, THEN LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR 1-2 HOURS. THE CAR STARTS UP AGAIN AND RUNS ANYWHERE FROM 30 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR AFTER THE INCIDENT - CLOSER TO THE 30 MINUTE MARK, PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR SEEMS TO HELP THE CAR FROM STALLING. IT IS DIFFICULT TO DUPLICATE THIS BEHAVIOR, THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING WHAT THE ISSUE MAY BE, AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS EITHER NO FAULT CODE GENERATED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OR IT IS BEING ERASED PERIODICALLY. THIS HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED BY DEALER SERVICE CENTERS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, CONSIDERING IT MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO STOP IN TRAFFIC LEADING TO AN INCREASED RISK OF CRASH. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED REPORT, THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND ON SEVERAL VW FORUMS POSTED ONLINE (THESE ACCOUNTS INCLUDE SEVERAL VIDEOS THAT CONFIRM THIS IS A CONSISTENTLY EXPERIENCED PROBLEM). POTENTIAL ISSUES COMMONLY IDENTIFIED INCLUDE THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, OR THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE. ANOTHER VW VEHICLE - VW TIGUAN, MODEL YEAR 2007-2014, HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE ATTRIBUTED TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) OF THE VEHICLE. *TR