NHTSA Complaint #704289 — 1998 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

IF BATTERY IS OVERFILLED OR LEAKS AND DRIPS ONTO THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR THE RESEVOIR WILL FAIL. THIS FAILURE IS CATASTROPHIC IN NATURE AND CAN CAUSE THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING, VEHICLE CONTROL AND EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE LOSS OF FLUID OCCURED ON MY VEHICLE WITH ONLY 9 MONTHS OF SERVICE. FORTUNATELY THE CAR WAS PARKED AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS NOT IMPACTED. THE DEALER SUPPORT AT RANDY HILEY VOLKSWAGEN IN ARLINGTON TEXAS WAS IMMEDIATE AND THOROUGH. AFTER DISCUSSION, VOLKSWAGEN REFUNDED ALL BUT THE TOWING CHARGES FOR THIS REPAIR THROUGH RANDY HILEY VOLKSWAGEN IN ARLINGTON, TEXAS. ON THE 1999 MODEL THE PART HAS BEEN MOVED FROM UNDERNEATH THE BATTERY. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE 1ST TIME THIS FAILURE HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT THEIR FRANCHISE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS REPAIR CURED THE IMMEDIATE SYMPTOM BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF ACID CONTACTS THIS COMPONENT AGAIN DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, LATER LIFE BATTERY CHANGEOUT ETC. THE PART IS STILL LOCATED BENEATH THE BATTERY. THE MATERIAL OF CONSTRUCTION IS UNCHANGED. CAN THIS PART BE REPLACED IN A RECALL WITH A MATERIAL THAT IS BETTER SUITED FOR CONTACT BY ACID?