NHTSA Complaint #11187159 — 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

CLOCK SPRING FAILURE!!! CLOCK SPRING FAILURE!!! CLOCK SPRING FAILURE!!! WHILE MOVING AND EXECUTING A RIGHT TURN A CRUNCHING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IMMEDIATELY CAME ON. ALSO, THE HORN & ALL STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS/CONTROLS FAILED. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED A WEEK PRIOR FROM CARVANA. 49,300 MILES ON THE ODO. TOO LATE TO RETURN IT. THE CLOCK SPRING FAILURE MEANS THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS NOT ACTIVE UNTIL THE PART IS REPLACED, INSTALLED, AND THE SYSTEM IS RESET. A QUICK READ THRU OF THESE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM MODEL YEAR 2015 SHOW THESE FAILURES OF A SAFETY-CRITICAL PART OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS ARE NOW OCCURNG WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS TO ME THAT VWOA/CHATTANOOGA INSTALLED THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART, FROM THE SAME SUPPLIER, THAT FAILS AFTER ABOUT 2.5-3 YEARS IN SERVICE. THIS PROBLEM IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF THE THOUSANDS OF IDENTICAL FAILURES IN VW PASSAT MODEL YEARS 2012, 2013, & 2014 LEADING TO A RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED BY DOT TO READDRESS AND RECALL THIS PREVIOUSLY RECALLED PART. VW DEALERS ARE CURRENTLY CHARGING 2015 PASSAT OWNERS BETWEEN $500 AND $800 TO INSTALL A $35 PART. IF THEIR PASSAT IS OLDER THAN 2015, THE PART IS INSTALLED GRATIS AS PART OF THAT RECALL.. VW WILL NOT ACT UNTIL PROMPTED/ORDERED TO DO SO. SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN WOLFSBURG AGAIN! LET'S QUICKLY ACT BEFORE MORE ARE HARMED/KILLED BECAUSE AN AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN PARAMETERS DICTATED IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.