COMPLAINANT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 1.8T. DRIVING HOME THREE DAYS AGO, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR STARTS TO STAGGER AND PUTTER. WEIRD CLICKING NOISE. PARKED CAR IMMEDIATELY, RAN DIAG GOT CODE P0103 WHICH INDICATES CYLINDER MISFIRE. CHECKED INTERNET AND CAME UP WITH MANY MANY OTHER COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEM A…
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COMPLAINANT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 1.8T. DRIVING HOME THREE DAYS AGO, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR STARTS TO STAGGER AND PUTTER. WEIRD CLICKING NOISE. PARKED CAR IMMEDIATELY, RAN DIAG GOT CODE P0103 WHICH INDICATES CYLINDER MISFIRE. CHECKED INTERNET AND CAME UP WITH MANY MANY OTHER COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND STATING THAT IT IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF VW. CALLED MECHANIC, HE CONFIRMED. CAR DELIVERED TO MECHANIC WHO RECONFIRMED. PAID $500 FOR REPAIR. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, WHY DOES VW NOT RECALL? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10266849
15,000 miles · Mar 25, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE SERVICED AT CONSUMER'S COST. ALSO, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON.*AK
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE04081 · Inadvertent SIDE-AIRBAG Deployment
Opened Dec 16, 2004 · Closed Apr 1, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window
THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH SIDE-THORAX AND SIDE-HEAD CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO PROTECT THE FRONT AND REAR OUTBOARD OCCUPANTS IN A SIDE-IMPACT CRASH.THIS INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 499 REPORTS (482 OWNERS REPORTS AND 17 WARRANTY CLAIMS).THE CRASH SENSING SYSTEM?S ALGORITHM MAY RECOGNIZE CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS (WHEEL, TIRE AND UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS) AS DEPLOYABLE EVENTS.THE 97 ALLEGED INJURIES WERE MINOR IN NATURE AND CONSIST OF ABRASIONS, BRUISES, EAR RINGING AND HEADACHES.THERE WAS NO ALLEGED LOSS OF CONTROL CRASH AS A RESULT OF SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.ODI ALSO OBTAINED COUNTS OF ALLEGED INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS FROM PEER MANUFACTURERS.THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE NOT UNIQUE IN BEING SUBJECT TO SUCH ALLEGATIONS.THE COMPLAINT RATE FOR NON-SUBJECT INDIVIDUAL MODEL VEHICLES VARIES WIDELY.THE RATE FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS COMPARABLE TO THREE PEER MODELS, EACH WITH COMPACT CHASSIS/WHEELBASES.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY COMPONENT FAILURE OR MANUFACTURING TREND THAT MAY RELATE TO A COMPONENT OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
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