NHTSA Complaint #11240607 — 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

IN AUGUST OF 2017, MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND MY HORN STOPPED WORKING. THERE WAS ALSO A CLICKING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VOLKSWAGEN AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER CONDUCTING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT OTHER 2014 PASSATS HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, AND SO I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A NEW CLOCK SPRING. I BELIEVE THAT THE VOLKSWAGEN RECALL WAS NOT BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED. I REPORTED THIS TO THE NHTSA AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. HOWEVER, ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER, MY VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE SECOND CLOCK SPRING HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BECAUSE THE PART WAS NEW, VOLKSWAGEN COVERED THE REPAIRS. I DID NOT REPORT THIS SECOND OCCURRENCE OF CLOCK SPRING FAILURE AT THE TIME. I AM REPORTING THE RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE CLOCK SPRING FAILURE NOW, AS I STILL HOPE THE INITIAL RECALL WILL BE EXPANDED AND THAT I WILL GET REFUNDED FROM REPLACING IT THE FIRST TIME. I HOPE THIS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN HELP WITH ANY ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS. I AM PROVIDING DOCUMENTATION OF BOTH INSTANCES OF CLOCK SPRING FAILURE IN MY 2014 PASSAT.