NHTSA Complaint #11279822 — 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH. WHEN IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES, THE DOOR LATCH WILL NOT OPEN/CLOSE. WHEN UNLOCKING/LOCKING THE CAR, YOU CAN HEAR THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM TRYING TO UNLOCK/LOCK BUT WILL NOT. ALL OTHER DOORS ARE WORKING APPROPRIATELY. I'VE HAD TO CLIMB THOUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE TO ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE. IF I AM ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, IT WILL THEN NOT SECURELY CLOSE AND LOCK. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES WHERE I CANNOT GET THE DOOR OPEN-THUS RENDERING ME WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION/USE OF MY CAR. THERE WAS ONE INSTANCE LAST WINTER SEASON, ON A FREEZING MORNING, WHERE I HAD TO OPEN MY CAR DOOR THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS ABLE TO CLOSE AND LOCK MY DOOR, SO I DROVE TO WORK. HOWEVER, WHEN ROUNDING A CORNER WHEN TURNING, MY DRIVER DOOR SWUNG OPEN. THANKFULLY, MYSELF AND NO ONE ELSE WAS HARMED. I THEN HAD TO HOLD MY DOOR CLOSED WHILE DRIVING THE REMAINING 1/4 MILE TO WORK. THE LATCH ISSUE ONLY HAPPENS IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. IF IT WARMS LATER THE SAME DAY, IT WILL THEN WORK APPROPRIATELY. DURING THE INSTANCE WHERE MY DOOR OPENED-WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THERE WAS NO DOOR OPEN ALARM SIGNALING IN THE CAR, NOR CONTINUOUS NOISE OF THE LATCH MECHANISM TRYING TO LOCK. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN 11/11/19 TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND OTHER MAINTENANCE,, WHERE THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ADMITTED TO THIS BEING A COMMON COMPLAINT OF THIS ISSUE/SCENARIO AND THAT VW HAS COME OUT WITH AN UPDATED PART. THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE BY THEIR FACILITY.