NHTSA Complaint #11154690 — 2017 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF ALLTRACK

THE SUBJECT VEHICLE, VIN: [XXX] A 2018 GOLF ALLTRACK SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING DOWNSHIFTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION. THIS OCCURRED ON A TWO-LANE RURAL HIGHWAY AND AT ABOUT 60 MPH DOWN TO 40 MPH. THE YELLOW "!" ILLUMINATED WITH A MESSAGE LIKE "TRANS ERROR, REV UNAVAILABLE, SEE DEALER". WHILE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROADWAY SAFELY, THE TWO VEHICLES BEHIND WERE CAUGHT OFF-GUARD BY THE SUDDEN AND RAPID DECELERATION. I CONFIRMED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT OPERATE IN REVERSE AND THE PADDLE SHIFTERS WERE ALSO NOT ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. MAXIMUM ROAD SPEED WAS 41 MPH @ 9100 RPM, SO UNSAFE TO CONTINUE. THERE WAS NO DEALER IN THE AREA, SO I CYCLED THE KEY OFF THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE AND OBTAIN SERVICE. THE DEALER REPORTED THERE WAS AN "INTERNAL PART FAILURE" OF THE TRANSMISSION. HAD THIS CONDITION PRESENTED IN A HIGH TRAFFIC OR ADVERSE WEATHER SITUATION, IT WOULD HAVE LIKELY RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR