NHTSA Complaint #10811366 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THE REAR AXLE OF THIS VEHICLE WHEREBY ROAD DEBRIS CAN STRIKE THE AXLE CAUSING IT TO BEND. I THINK THE DESIGN FLAW IS TWO-FOLD. 1. THE AXLE IS PLACED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IT IS TOTALLY UNPROTECTED FROM ROAD DEBRIS. 2. THE METAL OF THE AXLE AND TRAILING ARMS IS NOT HARDENED TO A STRONG ENOUGH DEGREE TO WITHSTAND DEBRIS STRIKES AND SUBSEQUENT STRESS. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, I RAN OVER A 4-6" PIECE OF TWO BY FOUR OR POSSIBLY ANGLE IRON (NOT SURE WHICH). THE OBJECT WAS KICKED UP BY THE FRONT COWLING. THE OBJECT MADE MULTIPLE IMPACT STRIKES UNDER THE CAR FROM FRONT TO BACK AS EVIDENCED BY THE MARKINGS LEFT ON THE ALUMINUM COVERED INSULATION THAT COVERS THE UNDERCARRIAGE, ULTIMATELY STRIKING THE REAR AXLE, CAUSING IT TO BEND. THE BEND IN THE AXLE IS FRONT-TO-BACK. THIS IS NOT FROM BACKING OVER ANY OBJECT (SEE CAMPAIGN 14V656000). THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE REAR AXLE AND TRAILING ARMS ARE EXPOSED TO ROAD DEBRIS AND NOT OF SUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO WITHSTAND IMPACT AND SUBSEQUENT STRESS ON TRAILING ARMS. A THIN PIECE OF SHEET METAL IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE AND IS EXPOSING AMERICAN DRIVERS TO SERIOUS CRASH POTENTIAL AND DEATH. YOU CAN ALSO SEE CHINA'S INVESTIGATION OF THIS ISSUE HERE: HTTP://WWW.DPAC.GOV.CN/XWDT/GZDT/201509/W020150911606237827139.PDF AND HERE: HTTP://WWW.DPAC.GOV.CN/VIDEO_XINSUTENG/