NHTSA Complaint #10930197 — 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT WARNING ON MY DASH AND THE CAR OFTEN WILL NOT START WITHOUT REPEATED ATTEMPTS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON AND VERY EXPENSIVE DEFECT WITH PASSATS AND THE VW PASSAT BLOGS ARE FULL OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS DEFECT. I CONTACTED VW AND THEY WERE NO HELP. THE REP OFFERED HER SYMPATHY BUT NOTHING AS FAR AS VW TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT THIS DEFECT CAN RESULT IN STEERING WHEELS LOCKING WHILE DRIVING, ENGINES CUTTING OFF WITHOUT WARNING, AND THE CAR NOT STARTING LEAVING DRIVERS STRANDED. I WILL BE DELIVERING THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL VW AGENCY FOR REPAIR AND REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA REQUIRE VW TO REIMBURSE ALL PASSAT OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL RELATED EXPENSES TO CORRECT THIS VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT. *TR