NHTSA Complaint #10747217 — 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2010 VW JETTA CLEAN DIESEL TDI ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER; SHE PUSHED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT TO NO AVAIL. AS THE CAR SLOWED DOWN, SHE WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE NEARBY OFF RAMP AND GET CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. BY THE TIME THE CAR WAS COASTING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THERE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER - STEERING, BRAKES, EVERYTHING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INFORMED WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND IT WOULD COST $8,000 TO REPAIR. THE VOLKSWAGEN APPROVED MISFUELING GUARD WAS INSTALLED AT THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP SOON AFTER WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM VW REGARDING IT. A WEEK PRIOR WE HAD RECEIVED IN THE MAIL FROM VW THEIR HPFP WARRANTY EXTENSION LETTER. HOWEVER OUR CAR IS AT 131,000 MILES. WE CONTACTED THE VWOA CUSTOMER CARE GROUP AND EXPLAINED OUR CASE ASKING THEM TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. WE HAD PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM THE VW DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. WE EVEN POINTED OUT THAT WE HAD BEEN LOYAL VW CUSTOMERS OVER THE YEARS - HAVING PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED A JETTA, PASSAT AND BEETLE AND MY WIFE'S FAMILY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF VW PURCHASES. VW RESPONSE WAS THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR US AS THE WARRANTY ONLY WENT UP TO 120,000 MILES AND WE WERE OVER IT. IT APPEARS BEING A LOYAL VW CUSTOMER IS NOT WORTH ANYTHING TO VW. WE HAVE APPEALED SEVERAL TIMES BUT KEPT GETTING THE SAME RESPONSE - NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND THEY HAVE NOW REFUSED TO FORWARD UP OUR CASE UP IN THE VWOA ORGANIZATION. WE HAVE PUT NOTHING BUT DIESEL INTO THE CAR AND URGE THE NHTSA TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THE HPFP. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A PART THAT COSTS LESS THAN $1,000 CAN CAUSE $8,000 IN DAMAGES IS POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN. ONE EXPECTS BETTER AND FOR A DIESEL ENGINE TO LAST AT LEAST 200,000 MILES.