NHTSA Complaint #11058610 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THE FRONT RIGHT FENDER LINER DOES NOT COVER A HOLE THAT ALLOWS SNOW AND WATER TO GET INTO THE FRESH AIR BLOWER INSIDE THE CABIN. WHEN IT IS VERY COLD OUTSIDE (WHICH IS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME IN MONTANA) THE WATER THAT HAS CONTACTED THE BLOWER MOTOR WILL FREEZE, IN TURN NOT ALLOWING THE FRESH AIR BLOWER TO TURN. WHEN THE FRESH AIR BLOWER DOES NOT TURN, THERE IS NO DEFROST OR HEAT IN THE CABIN. I DROVE HOME AND HAD TO GO THROUGH SNOW THAT WAS ON THE ROAD. THIS SNOW WAS THROWN UP INTO AN UNCOVERED HOLE AND GOT INTO THE BLOWER HOUSING. THE NEXT MORNING I WENT TO START THE CAR AND HAD NO BLOWER MOTOR. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE HAPPENED, AND I HAD TO SCRAPE THE WINDOW EVERY 30 SECONDS TO ENSURE THAT I COULD SEE WHERE I WAS GOING. I WAS ALSO VERY VERY COLD CONSIDERING THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 0 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN A SITUATION THAT I WAS TO GET TO A WARM PLACE FAST ENOUGH THAT MY FEET DID NOT FREEZE OFF. VOLKSWAGEN HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THIS PROBLEM AND HAS CREATED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE ISSUE. THEY WILL NOT COVER ANY COST OF THIS OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THE BULLETIN NUMBER IS GROUP 87, NO. 15-15. THE REPAIR REQUIRES A NEW FENDER LINER, A NEW HVAC AIR INLET COVER, A NEW WATER DEFLECTOR, A NEW PLENUM CHAMBER COVER, AND A NEW CABIN AIR FILTER, AS SEEN IN THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN.