NHTSA Complaint #11015858 — 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I WAS IN MY DRIVE WAY AND STARTED MY CAR WHEN THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CAR. AT THAT POINT THE HORN, CRUISE CONTROL, PHONE, AND RADIO FUNCTIONS ALL STOPPED WORKING ON MY STEERING WHEEL. I LOOKED IN MY OWNER MANUAL AND IT SAID TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I CALLED - THE VW DEALERSHIP I NORMALLY GO TO SAID IT WOULD BE 2-3 WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD GET ME IN. I ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AND THEY, OF COURSE, WOULD NOT TELL ME "YES OR NO." ONLY TO FIND OUT LATER THAT THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS DRIVING WITH THIS LIGHT ON - MY AIRBAGS WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AND IF WE WERE IN A WRECK AND ME OR ONE OF MY CHILDREN WERE INJURED DUE TO MY AIRBAGS NOT WORKING -- VW WOULD HAVE A LAWSUIT ON THEIR HANDS. IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS OCCURS. SO,I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED VW DEALERSHIP. AFTER RUNNING A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE CAR - I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING WAS FAULTY. I LEFT THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED. WHILE I WAS WITHOUT MY VEHICLE (ONE WEEK DUE TO HAVING TO ORDER PARTS, ETC.) I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE. I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THAT VW HAD ISSUED A RECALL IN AUG. 2015 FOR THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS ONLY FOR 2010-2014 PASSAT. MY PASSAT IS CONSIDERED A 2015; HOWEVER, THE PRODUCTION DATE IS DEC. 2014. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I CONTACTED VW CARE CENTER AND EVEN EMAILED SEVERAL MANAGERS FROM THE CORPORATE LOCATION. MY EMAILS WERE NEVER ANSWERED AND THE CUSTOMER CARE CENTER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I AM LEFT WITH PAYING OVER $500 IN REPAIRS AND ALMOST $200 FOR THE RENTAL CAR I HAD TO GET FOR THE 7 DAYS MY CAR WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL WHEN IT HAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUES.