NHTSA Complaint #10957114 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I WAS NEITHER ABLE TO TURN OFF MY CAR, NOR TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO LOCK THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE. LEAVING AN UNLOCKED, RUNNING CAR JUST TO BE ABLE TO PROCURE THE SPARE KEY IN THE HOPES THAT THE CAR COULD AT LEAST BE LOCKED BY UTILIZING THE SECOND KEY ARE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISKS. FURTHERMORE, THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED LATE ON A WEEKEND NIGHT, NOWHERE NEAR THE SPARE KEY, RENDERING ME INCAPABLE OF TAKING THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME, FORCING ME TO LEAVE AN UNLOCKED CAR RUNNING FOR MANY HOURS. RUNNING EVENTUALLY OUT OF OPTIONS TO STAY WITH THE CAR, THE KEY BROKE OFF IN A LAST DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO TURN OFF THE CAR. LIVING IN A MAJOR CITY WITH MANY UNSAFE NEIGHBORHOODS UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO START AND TURN OFF A VEHICLE WHEN NEEDED, AS WELL AS TO LOCK THE VEHICLE TO KEEP ITS PASSENGERS AND CONTENTS SAFE AT ALL TIMES.