NHTSA Complaint #11181648 — 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR WITH 75000 MI ON IT 3 YEARS AGO, WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND START IT THE CAR SHUTS DOWN AND TELLS ME STEERING CONTROL LOCK MALFUNCTION. SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME TO CHANGE THE BATTERY, I DID SO AND THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. IT IS DUE TO A FAULTY IMMOBILIZER KEY. SOMETIMES THE CAR WON'T EVEN START, AND SOMETIMES IT DIRECTS ME TO TAKE IT TO THE WORKSHOP. I HAVE SPOKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN A NUMBER OF TIMES ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE IT WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2008 MODEL OF MY CAR, BUT THEY INSIST THAT 2009 DIDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM. I KNOW FROM SPEAKING WITH OTHERS THAT HAVE THE SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL THAT I AM NOT EXPERIENCING AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. JUST AS A NUMBER OF OTHER PROBLEMS VW NEEDS TO OWN UP TO IT'S MISTAKES AND OFFER A RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. EVEN IF IT IS CHANGING THE IGNITION SYSTEM TO A REGULAR TURN STYLE KEY.