NHTSA Complaint #718079 — 1999 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 91 ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 21ST WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN EVEN THOUGH I WAS PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE EXIT AND THINKING THAT I MAY NOT HAVE HAD ENOUGH DIESEL ADDITIVE, I NURSED IT TO A TRUCK STOP AT THE BASE OF THE EXIT AND ADDED ENOUGH ADDITIVE FOR 75 GAL. AFTER 3 MINUTES THE CAR DIED AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED. IT WAS TOWED TO A VW DEALER AND THEY CONTACTED VW. THE VW REP SAID THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT AND DIRECTED THE DEALER TO DRILL OUT THE CHECK VALVE ON THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. I PICKED THE CAR UP ON WEDNESDAY THE 19TH AND DROVE IT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. ON FRIDAY, I HAD DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 1/2 HOUR ON INTERSTATE 91 AND THE CAR DID THE SAME THING. I COASTED TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE AND THE CAR STALLED. ONCE AGAIN IT COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. IT WAS TOWED TO GENE LANGAN VW IN GLASTONBURY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT IF THE DRIVER CANNOT SAFELY NEGOTIATE THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I SPOKE WITH VW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 21ST, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GETTING HUNDREDS OF CALLS ABOUT THE 1999 DIESELS JUST DYING AFTER PROLONGED PERIODS OF DRIVING. APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN JUST MY VEHICLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 JETTA DIESELS. THANK YOU. *AK