NHTSA Complaint #10915569 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED IN APRIL 2016. IN JANUARY 2016, AS PART OF THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING RECALL, A COVER WAS PLACED OVER THE CLOCK SPRING TO PREVENT THE CABLE FROM TEARING (SEE HTTP://MEDIA.VW.COM/RELEASE/1042/). LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR, THE CLOCK SPRING TORE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN MY VEHICLE. THE "FIX" FAILED TO PREVENT THE KNOWN DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING. WHEN I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CLOCK SPRING, AS THE ONE-YEAR PARTS WARRANTY ONLY APPLIED TO THE COVER THAT WAS ADDED TO PROTECT THE CLOCK SPRING, AND NOT THE CLOCK SPRING ITSELF, AS THE CLOCK SPRING WAS DEEMED TO BE IN WORKING ORDER AT THE TIME THE COVER WAS ADDED. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSED TO COVER THIS $765.00 REPAIR , EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE RECALL PROBLEM. I SUSPECT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PRODUCT FAILURE, AND VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE CLOCK SPRING IN INSTANCES WHERE IT FAILS WITHIN A YEAR OF THE SO-CALLED "FIX". I WAS IN THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, BACKING OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION (ALBEIT SLOWLY) AT THE TIME. THE CAR HORN NO LONGER FUNCTIONS, WHICH IS MY PRIMARY ISSUE.