NHTSA Complaint #10860562 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

AT AROUND 50,000 MILES I WAS TOLD BY MY VW DEALER AND VWOA THAT MY DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE NEEDED TO HAVE ITS INTAKE VALVES CLEANED DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP. AND IT WOULD BE LABOR INTENSIVE, AS THE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REMOVED AND WALNUT SHELLS NEEDED TO BE SANDBLASTED INTO THE VALVES TO REMOVE THE BUILD UP. THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING MISFIRES DUE TO THE BUILD UP. THIS CARBON BUILD UP IS A KNOWN NEGATIVE RESULT OF A DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE, AND I'M NOT THE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE IT. MY DEALER ADDED A FUEL ADDITIVE TWO DIFFERENT TIMES TO TRY TO REMEDY THE SOLUTION, AT VWOA'S ADVICE, BUT THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM--AND REALLY, HOW COULD IT SINCE THE DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE DOES NOT LET FUEL INTO THE VALVES (WHERE FIRING WOULD BURN OFF THE CARBON BUILD UP). THE DIRECT INJECTION ENGINE SEEMS FINE FROM AN MPG STANDPOINT, BUT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH REGULAR CLEANING ARE VERY EXPENSIVE AND A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT VW AND OTHER AUTOMAKERS SHOULD AT LEAST DISCLOSE AT PURCHASE, OR RESOLVE VIA ENGINEERING.