NHTSA Complaint #10763852 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

A WOMAN AND A YOUNG CHILD DEPARTED A PRESCHOOL ON A CLEAR, DRY DAY. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET 250 FEET FROM THE PRESCHOOL WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF TROUBLE. THE VEHICLE HAD RUN WELL TO DATE. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT SHUT DOWN AGAIN WITHIN TWO SECONDS OF STARTING. A GOOD SAMARITAN PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO THE CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE WAS DIESEL FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE, NECESSITATING TOTAL REPLACEMENT. THE FUEL SYSTEM IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, FOR WHICH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY APPLIES TO 120,000 MILES. THE DEALER HAD A FUEL SAMPLE TESTED FOR CONTAMINATION. RESULTS WERE ALL STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN VW SPECIFICATIONS. VOLKSWAGEN CONTENDS, HOWEVER, THAT THE FUEL SAMPLE FAILED THE TEST DUE TO ITS OWN ROUNDING ERROR AND REFUSES TO HONOR ITS EXTENDED WARRANTY.