NHTSA Complaint #11093955 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

STEERING COLUMN LOCK HOUSING IN 2014 & 2016, WE BOUGHT 2013 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLES FOR OUR COLLEGE-BOUND KIDS. SINCE THOSE PURCHASES WE'VE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF EACH VEHICLE'S IGNITION KEYS BEING STUCK IN ITS IGNITION SWITCH. THESE OCCURRENCES HAPPENED BOTH WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE RUNNING (INABILITY TO TURN THE VEHICLES OFF) AND WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE NOT RUNNING. WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE RUNNING, THE INABILITY TO EXTRACT THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE VEHICLES ENGINES OFF. THIS PRESENTED SAFETY HAZARDS. IN APRIL, 2018, WE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. REGARDING A 'WARRANTY EXTENSION' AFFECTING BOTH VEHICLES. IT EXTENDED COVERAGE OF THE 'STEERING COLUMN LOCK HOUSING' ON EACH VEHICLE FOR 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURRED FIRST. BOTH VEHICLES ARE JUST 5 YEARS OLD. HOWEVER, ONE HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES (ANGELA'S) AND THE OTHER 105,000 MILES. SO WE CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN REGARDING THEIR LETTERS AND STATED THAT BOTH VEHICLES HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THEY EACH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE. SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET CONFIRMED THAT THIS ISSUE IS SYSTEMIC WITHIN VOLKSWAGEN AND SHOULD HAVE LED TO SOME TYPE OF VEHICLE RECALL BEFORE NOW. WE NEED FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS ISSUE AND PROVIDE SOME RELIEF FOR THOSE OF US VEHICLE OWNERS WHO ARE STUCK WITH MASSIVE REPAIR BILLS DUE TO A LACK OF OVERSIGHT OF THIS SYSTEMIC ISSUE BY NHTSA. YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO OUR CONCERN IS SOLICITED AND GREATLY APPRECIATED. THE MOORES, BRASELTON, GA