NHTSA Complaint #10704790 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

DRIVING NORTHERLY ON I-95 AT HIGHWAY SPEED GOING UP THE INCLINE TO THE PISCATAQUA RIVER BRIDGE (THE BORDER BETWEEN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE), THE VEHICLE LOST FORWARD POWER ABOUT HALFWAY UP THE INCLINE OF THE BRIDGE APPROACH. THE ENGINE DID NOT STALL AT ANY TIME DURING OR AFTER THE EVENT. DRIVER WAS PREOCCUPIED WITH [1] TURNING ON HAZARD FLASHERS, [2] SAFELY NEGOTIATING ENTRY TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, AND [3] NOT BRAKING IN AN ATTEMPT TO COAST TO THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE SUCH THAT THE CAR COULD COAST DOWN THE FAR SIDE OF THE BRIDGE AND ALLOW EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEARBY EXIT #1 IN MAINE. THE DRIVER'S PREOCCUPATION WITH SAFELY ADDRESSING THE POWER LOSS EVENT DID NOT ALLOW HIM TO SCAN ANY OF THE GAUGES OR INDICATORS ON THE FRONT PANEL. UPON REACHING THE TOP OF THE BRIDGE THE CAR WAS COASTING TO A STOP AND THE DRIVER SHIFTED BETWEEN DRIVE / SPORT / NEUTRAL TO SEE IF ANY POWER COULD BE RESTORED. WITHIN 30 SECONDS OR LESS THE CAR AGAIN RESUMED FORWARD MOTION IN THE DRIVE SHIFT SETTING. CAR WAS DRIVEN TO THE NEARBY VW DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHECKED (DIESEL) FUEL QUALITY WHICH WAS GOOD, AND FOUND NO ERROR CODES WHEN A SCAN WAS DONE. A VTA CASE WAS OPENED AND OWNER CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER CARE IN AUBURN HILLS, MI. SUBSEQUENT TESTING AT THE SAME DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 9 APRIL 2015 ALSO RESULTED IN NO FINDINGS FOR A CAUSE. VW RECOMMENDS I CONTINUE DRIVING IT UNTIL THE POWER LOSS OCCURS AGAIN. I ASKED WHAT THEY WOULD THEN DO IF NO ERROR CODES WERE AGAIN FOUND. THEY INDICATED THEY WOULD ASK ME TO LEND THEM THE CAR TO DRIVE UNTIL THEY CAN GET THE PROBLEM TO REOCCUR. (= A NO-COST LEASE BACK TO VW!). OWNERS' OPINION IS THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FAULT IN THE VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT ENGINE/TRANSMISSION PAIRING THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO A DEFICIENCY OF MEANINGFUL ERROR SENSORS AND FAULT / ERROR CODE READOUT VALUES DURING A POWER LOSS EVENT.. *TR