NHTSA ID Number: 10158302
Incident Date: 2005-06-06
Manufacturer's Name: Volkswagen
Group of America, Inc.
Vehicle/Equipment Make: VOLKSWAGEN
Vehicle/Equipment Model: GTI
Model Year: 2005
9999 If Unknown Or N/A
Vehicle Identification Number: 9BWDE61J054
Vehicle Mileage At Failure: 2000
Vehicle Speed:
Number Of Occurrences: 4
Was Vehicle Towed: No
Consumer Location: DALE CITY, VA
Summary of Complaint
I BOUGHT A NEW VOLKSWAGEN GTI IN '02. EVERY SIX DAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WENT OVER 85 DEGREES, THE CAR DIED AND LEFT ME STRANDED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED IN MOVING TRAFFIC, AND I LOST THROTTLE, STEERING, TRANSMISSION, AND BRAKING ABILITY. VW REPLACED THE CAR TWO MONTHS LATER. THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED. EVERY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE CAR THEN BEGAN TO FAIL. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, SINCE I AM A RETIRED FEDERAL ENGINEER, I NOTICED THAT THE FACTORY WAS PUTTING 90 AMP ALTERNATORS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS, AND WHEN IT GOT HOT, AND THE COOLING FANS CAME ON, THE ALTERNATOR COULD NOT SUPPLY ENOUGH POWER TO THE BATTERY, WHICH DISCHARGED OVER A 5 OR 6 DAY INTERVAL, THEN STRANDED PEOPLE. I REPORTED THIS TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. THEY THANKED ME FOR SOLVING A PROBLEM THEIR ENGINEERS HAD BEEN UNABLE TO FIX. I WAS HORRIFIED, WHEN I GOT A 2005 GTI, TO AGAIN FIND MYSELF STRANDED ON THE ROAD, HELPLESS, WHEN IT GOT HOT. SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS A 90 AMP ALTERNATOR IN THAT CAR, NOT THE REQUIRED 120 AMP. THIS WAS 3 YEARS AFTER THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAD A PROBLEM. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT A FACTORY ERROR, BUT A DELIBERATE DECISION BY VW TO SAVE MONEY BY USING THE CHEAPER ALTERNATOR. THEY HAVE STRANDED TOTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, AND FAMILIES, FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS. I WAS TOLD BY VW THAT WHEN THE OWNER GETS STRANDED, THE CORRECT ALTERNATOR IS THEN PUT IN THE VEHICLE. BY THEN, THE ELECTRONICS HAVE BEEN FRIED, AS HAS HAPPENED WITH MY NEW CAR. I ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN, AND ORDER VW TO RECALL ALL 2002-2005 VW GTIS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, AND TO REPLACE MY VEHICLE, WHICH HAS FAILED 4 TIMES SO FAR, WITH A VEHICLE WITH THE PROPER ALTERNATOR IN IT. *JB
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Complaint 10158302 Documents
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Technical Service Bulletins TSB's List
Search NHTSA Database for Vehicle Investigations
CRASH: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH
FIRE: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FIRE
INJURIES: 0
NUMBER OF PERSONS INJURED
DEATHS: 0
NUMBER OF FATALITIES
Was Medical Attention Required: No
Was Incident Reported To Police: No
Date Of Incident: 2005-06-06
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Added To File: 2006-05-25
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Complaint Received By NHTSA: 2006-05-25
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Purchased: 2005-01-20
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Was Original Owner: Yes
Product Type: Vehicle
V = Vehicle T = Tires E = Equipment C = Child Restraint
Specific Component's Description: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
Anti-Lock Brakes: Yes
Cruise Control: Yes
Number Of Cylinders: 4
Drive Train Type: FWD
[AWD, 4WD, FWD, RWD]
FI = Fuel Injection TB = Turbo
Fuel Type: Gas
BF = BiFuel CN = CNG/LPG DS = Diesel GS = Gas HR = HybridElectric
Vehicle Transmission Type [Auto, Man]: AUTO
(DOT) Department Of Transportation Tire Identifier:
Tire Size:
Location Of Tire:
FSW = Driver Side Front DSR = Driver Side Rear FTR = Passenger Side Front PSR = Passenger Side Rear SPR = Spare
Type Of Tire Failure:
BST = Blister BLW = Blowout TTL = Crack OFR = Out Of Round TSW = Puncture TTR = Road Hazard TSP = Tread Separation
Was Defective Tire Repaired:
Was Part Original Equipment:
Date Of Manufacture:
(YYYYMMDD)
Type Of Child Seat:
B = Booster C = Convertible I = Infant IN = Integrated TD = Toddler
Installation System:
A = Vehicle Safety Belt B = Latch System
Dealer's Name:
Dealer's Telephone Number:
Dealer's City:
Dealer's State:
Dealer's Zipcode:
SOURCE OF COMPLAINT CODE:
CAG = Consumer Action Group CON = Forwarded From A Congressional Office DP = Defect Petition,result Of A Defect Petition EVOQ = Hotline VOQ EWR = EARLY WARNING REPORTING INS = Insurance Company IVOQ = NHTSA Web Site LETR = Consumer Letter MAVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MIVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MVOQ = Optical Marked VOQ RC = Recall Complaint, Result Of A Recall Investigation RP = Recall Petition, Result Of A Recall Petition SVOQ = Portable Safety Complaint Form (PDF) VOQ = NHTSA Vehicle Owners Questionnaire
Incident State Code:
Vehicle Operator's Name:
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