NHTSA Complaint #11375997 — 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A 40 MPH ZONE TO A 65 MPH HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THEN ENTER A LIMP MODE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND COULD SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF GAS. I RAISED THE HOOD TO SEE AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF FUEL SPRAYING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST CERTIFIED MECHANIC, VALLEY MOTOR HONDA, SHERIDAN WY. THERE WAS NOT A VW SHOP WITHIN 100 MILES OF THE BREAKDOWN. UPON ORIGINAL INSPECTION, A TORQUES HEAD BOLT WAS DISCOVERED LOOSE FROM THE FUEL RAIL AND THE FUEL RAIL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE INJECTOR ON THE DISTAL CYLINDER (SEE PICTURE). SIMPLY TIGHTENING THE FUEL RAIL DID NOT SATISFY THE PROBLEM. THIS IS REPORTEDLY THE RESULT OF THE INJECTORS SHIFTING POSITION AND/OR BEING DAMAGED. AFTER LEARNING ABOUT THIS COMMON VW JETTA PROBLEM, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST VW DEALERSHIP IN BILLINGS MONTANA. IT APPEARS THAT THE PRESCRIBED RECALL FIX FOR THIS ISSUE MIGHT ONLY REQUIRE SOME LOCTITE AND WRENCH TURNING FOR THE CARS THAT HAVE NOT YET EXPERIENCED THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE FIX LOOKS TO BE MORE EXTENSIVE FOR CARS LIKE MINE THAT WERE NOT CAUGHT IN TIME. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT BILLINGS VOLKSWAGEN FOR 14 DAYS WITHOUT RESOLUTION. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT PARTS ARE INVOLVED OR WHY THE REPAIRS NOT AVAILABLE. I CAN PROVIDE A COPY OF THE REPAIR BILL FROM VALLEY MOTOR HONDA IN WHICH THE FUEL RAIL WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE SOURCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE.