NHTSA Complaint #11124168 — 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WE TOOK OUR CAR IN FOR SERVICE ON 8/11/18 DUE TO THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON AND STEERING WHEEL FUNCTIONS NO LONGER WORKING. THE DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE ISSUE WITH THE CLOCKSPRING AND STATED THAT BECAUSE OUR CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THAT WE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. WE STATED THAT THIS SEEMS LIKE AN ISSUE WITH DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT SINCE THE CAR IS ONLY 5 YRS OLD AS WELL AS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. WE ESCALATED THE ISSUE TO THE CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE REP STATED AGAIN THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE CAR WAS PAST ITS WARRANTY. WE CONDUCTED OUR OWN RESEARCH ON RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE AS THERE HAS BEEN OTHERS (I.E. AIR BAG AND ADBLUE HEATER). WE LOCATED THE 2015 RECALL ON THE CLOCK SPRING AND DISCUSSED THIS WITH VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WELL. THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR VEHICLE AS ONE OF THE ONES AFFECTED EVEN THOUGH WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE AS WE ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THE HORN, THE AIRBAG IS INOPERABLE AS WELL.