2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

TURBOCHARGER FAILURE ON A TDI ENGINE. ENGINE DIED WITH VEHICLE TRAVELING IN THE LEFT-MOST LANE OF 3 LANE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. RESULTED IN VEHICLE STRANDED IN EMERGENCY LANE AWAITING A TOW. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT TDI SEL ON 03-31-2014. I WAS DRIVING IT HOME WHEN I WENT THROUGH A FREEWAY INTERCHANGE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE ROAD WAS DRY AND OTHER VEHICLES WERE GOING THROUGH THE INTERCHANGE AT A SPEED FASTER THAN ME. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) APPLIED THE BRAKES IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT TRIED TO STRAIGHT MY VEHICLE OUT INTO THE TURN, CAUSING ME TO NEARLY HIT THE GUARD RAIL. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE VW DEALER THE NEXT MORNING AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ESC ISSUE AND THE FACT THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT (ALIGNMENT ISSUE). THEY CHECKED IT AND FOUND NOTHING AND EVEN SAID THE ALIGNMENT WAS FINE. THEY SAID THE ESC SOUNDED NORMAL TO THEM. I'VE BEEN DRIVING THE SAME ROADS FOR 20 YEARS AND I KNEW THIS WASN'T NORMAL. I MADE VIDEOS OF THE ESC CAR SLOWING ME DOWN BELOW HIGHWAY SPEEDS AROUND SWEEPING CORNERS. I WAS TAKING MY DAUGHTER HOME ONE DAY AND A FORD EXPLORER NEARLY REAR ENDED ME. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES, DURING WHICH THEY CORRECTED THE ALIGNMENT AND FIXED A TRIM PANEL THAT WAS FALLING DOWN. THE ESC THEY MAINTAIN IS WORKING PERFECTLY. THE FUNNY THING IS I ALSO HAVE A 2014 VW JETTA TDI THAT NEVER ENGAGES THE ESC, THOUGH IS EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME SYSTEM. I DROVE A 2014 VW CC AS A LOANER AND THE ESC NEVER ENGAGED. THIS SYSTEM IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE IF VW IS ALLOWED TO TELL CONSUMERS THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM WITH THEIR PROGRAMMING OR HARDWARE. *TR

THE CAR TENDS TO HAVE JERKING MOVEMENTS DURING SLOW TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. THE CAR WILL NOT STOP SMOOTHLY AND GIVES WHIP LASHES AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKES PEDAL TWICE TO ENSURE THE CAR STOPS. THE DSG SYSTEM FAILS TO ENGAGE SMOOTHLY WHILE IN AUTOMATIC BUT RUNS SMOOTHLY WHILE IN "SPORT" MODE. WE HAVE ALMOST REAR ENDED SEVERAL CARS WHILE DRIVING IN AUTOMATIC DUE TO THE JERKY DSG GEAR SHIFTING AND POOR RESPONSE TIME IN THE BRAKING SYSTEMS WHILE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. A VW SALES PERSON INFORMED ME YESTERDAY THAT THE CAR IS DESIGNED FOR FULL TIME "SPORT" MODE ON OPEN HIGHWAYS. THIS IS NOT REALISTIC AS LARGE CITIES NATURALLY HAVE HORRIFIC TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. I FEAR THAT THIS DSG SYSTEM WILL CAUSE ACCIDENTS OR EVEN DEATHS DUE TO THE "JERKY" RESPONSE IN AUTOMATIC MODE. I HAVE CONTACTED VW CORPORATE AND LOCAL DEALERSHIPS TO CHECK THE CAR BUT THE DEALERSHIP MAINTAINS THE CAR IS WORKING AS IT WAS DESIGNED. THIS IS A NEW CAR AND THE FIRST CAR I FEARED DRIVING. *TR

I RENTED A 4 DOOR VW PASSAT (LICENSE PLATE[XXX]; MVA #[XXX]) FROM AVIS AT THE BATON ROUGE AIRPORT ON TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014. TODAY, APRIL 11, 2014, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY FROM NEW ORLEANS TO BATON ROUGE MY CAR ACCELERATED TO 80 MILES AND STAYED AT THAT RATE (WITHOUT ME HAVING MY FOOT ON THE GAS), APPROXIMATELY 7 OR 8 TIMES. MY SPEED DID NOT GO DOWN UNLESS I PRESSED ON THE BREAKS, SIMILAR TO WHAT OCCURS WHEN SOMEONE ENGAGES CRUISE CONTROL (BUT I HAD NOT ENGAGED CRUISE CONTROL). ALTHOUGH THIS ISSUE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, I COULD NOT POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE MOVEMENTS NECESSARY TO RECREATE THE EFFECT. HOWEVER, I DO KNOW THAT IT OCCURRED AT LEAST SOME OF THE TIMES (AND POSSIBLY EVERY TIME) WHEN I WAS ACCELERATING TO PASS A CAR *AND* MOVED TO THE RIGHT HAND LANE. TOWARDS THE END OF MY DRIVE I MADE SURE TO ONLY BE TOUCHING THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE BOTTOM, THEREFORE IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE THAT I ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL VIA ANY OF THE SIDE LEVERS, AND ON MY MODEL THE ONLY BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL ITSELF WERE FOR RADIO VOLUME AND STATION. I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, BUT I COULD IMAGINE DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES HAD THIS ISSUE ARISEN DURING DENSER TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH WHEN A CAR TRIED TO MERGE INTO MY LANE. I TRIED TO BLOW THE HORN AND THE HORN FAILED TO WORK. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BUT NOT AT A POINT WHERE I HAVE BEEN THIS CLOSE TO BEING CRASHED INTO. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE CHANGE TRACK AND VOLUME BUTTONS DO NOT WORK, AS WELL AS THE HANDS FREE CALLING BUTTON. IT'S LIKE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL GOES DEAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SLOW TO START UPON DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WOULD ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT WHEN TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT CENTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT AN ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED. THE DEALER REPLACED FOUR TIRES BUT THE FAILURE STILL RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO WAS THEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7.

TURBOCHARGER FAILED. STARTED MAKING NOISES, THEN POWER LOSSES, THEN DASHBOARD LIGHTS. BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT WAS NO LONGER DRIVABLE. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED TURBOCHARGER FAILURE DUE TO 'INTERNAL MALFUNCTION' AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY DRIVING STYLE, EXTERNAL FACTORS. *TR

WHILE GOING AROUND A RIGHT CORNER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON A DRY DAY AND OTHER VEHICLES GOING MUCH FASTER THAN MY VEHICLE. THE CAR APPLIED THE BRAKES IN AN AGGRESSIVE MANNER IN THE OPPOSING DIRECTION OF THE TURN AS IF IT WANTED ME TO GO STRAIGHT I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE LEFT LANE. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN ABOUT THE ISSUE. I FIRST BROUGHT THE CAR IN ON 1/13/14 AND WAS TOLD NO MALFUNCTIONS FOUND. I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN ON 2/15/14 AND WAS TOLD VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN ON 3/14/14 TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND THIS TIME THEY FOUND THAT THE TIRES WERE SET AT 41.5 PSI. THE RECOMMEND PRESSURE IS 30PSI. I WAS TOLD THAT WITH HIGHER PSI THE WHEELS WOULD BOUNCE AND COULD LOOSE TRACTION. I NEVER HAD TO A AIR TO ANY OF MY TIRES SINCE PURCHASE. DURING THESE OCCASION MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FOR A NUMBER OF REASON ALONG WITH A SQUEAKING SUSPENSION AND BACKUP CAMERA ISSUES AND AT NOT TIME NO ONE NOTICED THE ADDITIONAL 11 PSI. AFTER DRIVING FOR A WEEK IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN ON 3/21/14 EVEN AFTER THE TIRE PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. I AM SCHEDULE TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER 3/27/14. ALL THIS TIME I'M LEFT TO DRIVE THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE BECAUSE VOLKSWAGEN WANTS TO TRY AGAIN AND FIX THE PROBLEMS WITHOUT GIVING ME A LOANER TO AVOID THE LEMON LAW OF 30 OUT OF USE IN MARYLAND. SO FAR IT'S BEEN 20DAYS OUT OF USE BECAUSE OF THE REPAIRS. *TR

EXITING INTERSTATE AND MERGING ONTO STATE ROUTE, VEHICLE LOST POWER, COULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED IN TRAFFIC. TOWED TO DEALER NEXT DAY, FOUND TURBOCHARGER HAD FAILED WITH NO WARNING. *TR

WHENEVER OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE REACHES BELOW 20 DEGREES F THE DRIVER SIDE LOCK FREEZES MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THIS DOOR. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AS THE ONLY MEANS OF ENTRY AND EGRESS IS THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, SUBMERGING IN WATER, FIRE, OR OTHER TYPE INCIDENT, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT RISK, SHOULD THE DRIVER NEED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CALLED VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS (CASE NUMBERS ARE DOCUMENTED, CALLS RECORDED), ONLY TO BE REASSURED THAT THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER CALLS REGARDING THIS. THE SOLUTION (HELP) THAT THEY OFFER IS TO HAVE ME BRING THE VEHICLE TO MY DEALERSHIP WHEN THE LOCK IS FROZE, SO THE DEALER CAN SEE THE LOCK WHEN IT IS IN THIS CONDITION. IN ESSENCE, THEY ARE ASKING ME TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THEY MANUFACTURED WITH A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN TO MY DEALERSHIP WHEN IT IS THE MOST UNSAFE TO DRIVE. SHOULD I OR ANYONE ELSE HAVE A NEED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE LOCK IS FROZEN, THERE IS NO WAY TO DO THIS. THIS POSES AN IMMINENT HEALTH THREAT, AND COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF LIFE OR LIMB. AS I STARTED INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE FOUND COUNTLESS WEBSITES AND FORUMS THAT ADDRESS THIS SAME CONCERN WITH DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK FREEZING ON VOLKSWAGEN PRODUCTS, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT REALLY MAKES ME WONDER WHY OUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT ENTRENCHED IN THIS ISSUE. I WOULD APPRECIATE A RESPONSE TO THIS CONCERN THAT I RAISE. IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS ISSUE PRIOR TO MY WRITING, PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION THAT I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN THAT WARRANTS GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION. FURTHERMORE, THIS ISSUE PRESENTS A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, AND IMMANENT RISK TO CONSUMER HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND NOW YOU HAVE NOTIFICATION. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR