NHTSA Complaint #11268366 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

CAR WAS PARKED IN AN OUTSIDE PARKING LOT AFTER RETURNING FROM A 160 MILE TRIP. AFTER MY LUGGAGE WAS UNLOADED INTO MY APARTMENT, I WENT BACK TO THE CAR TO GO PARK IT IN THE DETACHED GARAGE. UPON STARTING THE CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. THE SHAKING STOPPED AFTER A FEW SECONDS AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED IN POSITION AND COULD NOT BE TURNED. AT THAT POINT THE STEERING POWER FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A LOUD WARNING SOUND (I HAVE A VIDEO OF THIS EVENT THAT I CAN PROVIDE VIA EMAIL. I AM NOT ABLE TO UPLOAD IT HERE, THOUGH). I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO LEAVE THE CAR AS IT WAS. I CHECKED THE CAR THE NEXT MORNING AN IT TURNED ON WITHOUT ISSUE. LATER THAT DAY I TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST VW DEALER. I SHOWED THEM THE VIDEO OF WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY CONCERNED, BUT WHERE NOT ABLE TO OFFER ME AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING WEEK. THE NEXT WEEK (TODAY), I DROPPED THE CAR OFF AT THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. I RECEIVED A CALL LATER INFORMING ME THAT THE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE OF THE STEERING RACK AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY STATED THAT IT IS A MAJOR HAZARD AND THAT THE DO NOT RECOMMEND DRIVING THE CAR. IF I DID WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR I WOULD HAVE TO SIGN A WAIVER OF LIABILITY.