What 526 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALER ON 10/03/12 AT 11:00 A.M. IT WAS NEW---HAD 47 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. DROVE IT TO WORK AND THEN ARRIVED HOME AT 6:45 THAT EVENING WITH ODOMETER READING 81 MILES. AS I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN THE GARAGE I PUT IT INTO REVERSE TO BACK IT INTO THE SPOT AND THEN SWITCHED THE GEAR(THIS IS A AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) TO DRIVE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE BACKWARDS IN REVERSE AND IF I HAD NOT HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I WOULD HAVE CRASHED INTO THE CONCRETE WALL OF THE GARAGE. TRIED TO PUT THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE--THE GEAR SHIFT WAS STUCK IN REVERSE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND OF COURSE, COULD NOT START IT AGAIN BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE. THE ELECTRICAL PANEL ON THE DASHBOARD CONTINUED TO READ THAT THE CAR WAS IN PARK. TOW TRUCK DRIVER ARRIVED AND HE HAD TO MANUALLY PULL THE CABLE WIRE IN THE ENGINE WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING TO CHANGE GEARS AND GET THE CAR TO START. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM---THE DEALER AND VOLKSWAGEN CLAIM IT HAS BEEN FIXED BY SIMPLY TIGHTENING A CLASP ON THE TRANSMISSION CABLE. WHY WAS THE CLASP LOOSE? I MAINTAIN THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. IF I HAD BEEN TRYING TO MAKE A U TURN IN TRAFFIC OR PARK ON THE STREET THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN HORRIFIC. . I AM PETRIFIED TO DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN AND THE DEALERSHIP AND VOLKSWAGEN WANT TO SWEEP THIS INCIDENT UNDER THE RUG. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE. THANK YOU *TR

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THE CAR WILL OCCASIONALLY SHUTTER UPON ACCELERATION. *TR

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DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MPG, ENGINE CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND ENGINE LIGHT BOTH CAME ON AT ONCE AND VEHICLE LOST POWER ALL OF THE SUDDEN. AT THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE PASSING A VEHICLE IT COULD HAVE ENDED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10473648

HELLO, PURCHASED A VW JETTA SE ON 7/20/12 AND ALMOST 1 MONTH AFTER THE PURCHASE I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY AT APX. 50 MPH AROUND 5:30PM WHEN CAR HEADLIGHTS BLINKED AND CAR DIED (STALLED). ATTEMPTED TO RE-START A CAR WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. SINCE VW DEALER WAS CLOSED ALREADY - CALLED A LOCAL AUTO SHOP AND THEY TOWED A CAR TO A SHOP TO FIND AN ISSUE. MECHANIC COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS SO HE RE-SET A COMPUTER IN MY CAR AND HE WAS ABLE TO START IT. DROVE HOME. LATER IN THE EVENING - DROVE TO PICK-UP SOME FOOD AND ON THE WAY HOME (INSIDE A DEVELOPMENT) - WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APX. 15-18 MPH - PRESSED BRAKES AND REALIZED I HAD NONE AND AT THE SAME TIME CAR STALLED AND SINCE IT WAS RAINING AND I WAS ALREADY SLIGHTLY TURNING LEFT - CAR SLID IN THE DIRECTION ON MY TURN AND RIGHT REAR TIRE HIT THE CURB, TIRE FALL OFF, CAR HIT A STREET SIGN AND AN ELECTRIC POOL (BOTH FELL TO THE GROUND) AND BROUGHT ME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE GRASS. POLICE WAS CONTACTED AND A CAR WAS TOWED TO A NEAREST BODY SHOP. FILING A COMPLAINT WITH VW - WILL SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. *TR

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AFTER LESS THAN 3 MINUTES OF OPERATION, THE VEHICLE CAN STALL UNDER A SPECIFIC SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES. THE INCIDENCES (13 AND COUNTING IN 2 MONTHS) ALWAYS OCCUR WHEN IN SECOND OR THIRD GEAR AT ~30-35 MPG. THE DRIVER IS SLOWING DOWN (AS TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT) AND THEN ACCELERATES (LIGHT CHANGES TO GREEN). ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS AFTER ACCELERATION BEGINS THE ENGINE STALLS AND MUST BE RESTARTED. THE ENGINE JUST CUTS OUT DURING ACCELERATION. *TR

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HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPAIRED AND SAID THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEM. *TR

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VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 25 MPH, SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND DIED. *TR *JS

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VEHICLE HAS VIBRATION OVER 50 MPH. IT IS FELT THROUGH OUT CAR. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE, DEALER STATES THAT ITS CHARACTERISTIC. I HAVE TESTED SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME LINEAGE AND DISAGREE. IT IS EITHER DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL OR OUTER AXLE FAILURE, HOWEVER DEALER STATES UNLESS VW AUTHORIZES, THEY WILL NOT REPAIR. VEHICLE IS WITHIN WARRANTY. *TR

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RECENTLY, I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH ON MY WAY HOME. I DEPRESSED MY BRAKE PEDALS TO STOP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE A VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 3-4 CAR LENGTHS FROM ME HAD COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THIS RESULTED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT AND THE JETTA SE REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE THAT HAD STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THE DAMAGE WAS TO MY FRONT BUMPER AND THE OTHER VEHICLES BUMPER. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND A VEHICLE CUT ME OFF AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE BRAKE WENT DOWN TO THE ROAD. THANKFULLY, I WAS NEXT TO THE SHOULDER ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS IS HOW I AVOIDED THE ACCIDENT. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I WAS LEAVING WORK AND SOMEONE TURNED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND I HAD TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE LEFT TURN LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. TWO TIMES I WAS LUCKY, UNFORTUNATELY THE 3RD TIME I WAS NOT AND THE ISSUE RESULTED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE A 3 YEAR LEASE. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE SHOP TOMORROW BECAUSE I DO NOT TRUST WHAT THE VW DEALER WOULD SAY TO PROTECT VW THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. I SEE THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE TDI. THIS IS A JETTA SE. *TR

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PER SERVICE ADVISOR RATTLE OCCURS FROM REAR DECK ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH "FENDER" SOUND SYSTEM AND THEY HAVE A "CAMPAIGN" TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT NOT ON THIS MODEL YEAR. *TR

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REVERSE LIGHTS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE ARE NOT WORKING WITH 580 MILES ON THE CAR AND AFTER 1 MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES AND BECAME INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 700.

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WHEN FUELING WITH DIESEL, SOME DIESEL PUMP HANDLES DON'T FIT INTO FILL NOZZLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REFUEL VEHICLE. FUEL WILL SPILLED OVER ONTO PERSON FILLING, GROUND AND VEHICLE. YOU ARE UNABLE TO SAFELY FILL VEHICLE WITHOUT SPILLING FUEL. *TR

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I PURCHASED A NEW VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI IN 2012. I AM UNABLE TO ADJUST THE LEFT OUTSIDE MIRROR SO THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE A BLIND SPOT. THAT BLIND SPOT ALLOWS A CAR SLOWLY PASSING IN THE LEFT LANE TO BE OUT OF VIEW OF THE INSIDE MIRROR BUT NOT YET IN VIEW OF THE LEFT OUTSIDE MIRROR! THE PILLAR SEPARATING THE TWO DOORS ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS LOCATED SO THAT A DRIVER CANNOT SEE A CAR IN THE DESCRIBED BLIND SPOT. *TR

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ON 9 MARCH 2012, I BOUGHT A VW TDI JETTA SPORTSWAGEN WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. FROM THE TIME I TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION BUCKED, HESITATED, AND LUNGED. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 26 APRIL TO HAVE IT EXAMINED, BUT THEY SAID THAT IT WAS ?NORMAL? AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM THAT IF THAT WAS NORMAL, I WAS SURPRISED THAT ANYONE WOULD WANT TO BUY ONE. AFTER 2 MONTHS OF THIS, I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND EXCHANGED IT FOR ONE WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THE SO-CALLED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (WHICH IS REALLY A MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH 2 CLUTCHES CONTROLLED BY A COMPUTER) IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. *TR

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WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY ROAD. CHECK ENGINE AND GLOW PLUG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WAS JUST ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. CAR WOULD TURN OVER, BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT START. CAR TOWED TO DEALER. WAS TOLD THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, AND METAL SHARDS WERE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM. VW REPLACED THE ENTIRE FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM (INCLUDING FUEL TANK) AND FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. I CAN PROVIDE LIST OF PARTS, IF NEEDED. *JS

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2012 VW JETTA TDI SPORTWAGON 10408 MILES. FLASHING GLOW PLUG LIGHT, AND CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE. DAY AFTER REPAIR BOTH THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, WOULD NOT GO OVER 40 MPH. DEALER THEN REPLACED THE HPFPUMP PER VW TECH RECOMMENDATIONS. FUEL (DIESEL) WAS CHECKED ON BOTH REPAIRS AND NOT FOUND TO BE FAULTY. A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR, THOUGH SUPPOSEDLY "FIXED". MY CONCERNS ARE FOR ADDITIONAL FAILURE, POTENTIALLY LEAVING US STRANDED OR ON A FREEWAY GOING 40MPH. *TR

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FIRST COMPLIANT NUMBER-10442730 I AM REPORTING YET ANOTHER OCCURRENCE WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR AT THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE DEALER FIXED A CHECK VALVE BECAUSE THE FUEL RAIL PRESSURE WAS TOO LOW. APPROX. 1600 MILES AFTER IT WAS FIXED THE CAR STARTED TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING SHUTTERING AND STALLING. THE CAR IS NOW BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT IT IS THE FUEL THAT WE ARE USING IN MY CAR. THEY TOOK A FUEL SAMPLE AND ALSO DROVE THE CAR 300 MILES AND CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR ANY LONGER FOR FEAR OF BEING IN A WRECK. THE CAR HAS STALLED ON MY 3 TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH. VW DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK THIS IS A BIG DEAL I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AND THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES I AM PAYING FOR MY CAR TO SIT IN THE SHOP! I WANT MY MONEY BACK. I WILL NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THERE FUEL SAMPLE TEST FOR THREE WEEKS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER. THE VEHICLE ALSO FAILED TO ACCELERATE ON ANOTHER OCCASION.THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1500.

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DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME FROM WORK FRIDAY 1/13, WEATHER WAS BELOW FREEZING CAUSING ICE BUILD UP. PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE ~45 DEGREES. ICE BEGAN MELT, AND WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON IT TURNED 1/4 TURN AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE ENGINE INHALED WATER CAUSING A HYDRO-LOCK, I CONTINUED TO TRY TO START THE VEHICLE A TOTAL 5 TIMES (IT TURNED OVER ONCE AND RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND DIED ONCE). THE LAST TIME TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE I SMELLED SMOKE, I POPPED THE HOOD TO FIND THE STARTER AND WIRING ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE RELATIVELY QUICKLY, CONSIDERING THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE ATTACHED TO MY HOUSE THIS COULD HAVE EXTREMELY CATASTROPHIC IF I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT. *** THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THE HARD / NO START PROBLEM, THIS ONE HOWEVER RESULTED IN THE FIRE. VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT FOLLOW THE BELOW TSB SINCE THE VEHICLE STARTED AFTER WIRING AND STARTER REPLACEMENT. ISSUE MIRRORS TSB # 21 11 06 / 2025464, WHICH INCLUDES ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER, "DEAD BATTERY" STARTER ACTION (DUE TO HYDRAULIC RESISTANCE IN CYLINDER), AND STARTER/ELECTRICAL FIRES (DUE TO STARTER OVERHEATING DURING ATTEMPTS TO START LOCKED ENGINE). *TR

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48 HRS AFTER DRIVING OFF DEALER LOT, "DIESEL ' ODOR THRU FAN AND IDLE AT STOP SIGNS/LIGHTS, DEALER NOTIFIED TOLD IT WOULD GO AWAY AFTER BROKE IN, CONTINUED W/O IMPROVEMENT, TOOK TO DEALER, STATED CHECKED EVERYTHING NO PROBLEM, BRING BACK MAY BE ANIMAL OR SOMETHING BLOCKING EXAHUST (WITHIN DAYS). RETURNED TOLD SEAL WAS BROKE JUST UNDER INTAKE MANIFOLD, PICS SENT TO VOLKSWAGEN,, CALLED TO CHECK STATUS ONLY TO BE TOLD "TURBO CRACKED." 2 WEEKS LATER CAR PICKED UP, STATED ALL RECALLS PERFORMED PRIOR TO DRIVING OFF LOT NOV 26,2011, STILL HAVENT BEEN PROVIDED WITH DOCUMENTATION. CONCERNED FOR SAFETY, AS WELL AS NAUSEA ASSOCIATED WITH ODOR IN CABIN.

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2012 JETTA TDI MANUAL, THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED AFTER TRAVELING ON A DOWNHILL GRADE WHEN I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT THE STOPLIGHT THE CAR STARTED TO SHUTTER AND ACTED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL. THIS EXACT INCIDENT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH FOR NO RHYME OR REASON. THE CAR HAS NOW STARTED TO DO THE SAME THING MORE FREQUENTLY AND WILL NOW STALL OUT. IT USED TO BE ON COLD STARTS AND WOULD HAPPEN WITHIN THE FIRST 10 MILES OF DRIVING. IT NOW DOES IT ANYTIME YOU ARE DRIVING. I TRIED TO START THE CAR AFTER WORK THREE DAYS AGO AND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR IT SHUTTERED AND STALLED, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR THREE MORE TIMES BEFORE IT FINALLY STAYED STARTED. WHILE DRIVING HOME THE CAR ACTED UP AGAIN AT THE STOP LIGHT SHUTTERING AND ACTING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. I AM SCARED THAT I WILL BE OUT IN THE INTERSECTION OR WORSE BE ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE CAR WILL STALL OUT AND I WILL END UP GETTING HIT. *TR

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UPON ENTERING AN ON-RAMP AND ALSO ACCELERATING AROUND A TURN, EXPERIENCED NO RESPONSE TO DEPRESSION OF GAS PEDAL. BASICALLY CAR HAD SERIOUS LAG BEFORE TAKING OFF. WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY ISSUE WHEN TRYING TO GET OUT OF SOMEONE'S WAY. VERY UNPREDICTABLE IN OCCURRENCE AND DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A WRECK. ALSO EXPERIENCED "STUTTERING" AROUND 30 MPH AS IF VEHICLE DID NOT KNOW WHICH GEAR TO GET INTO. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND CREATES A PHYSICAL SHUTTER OF VEHICLE FELT BY DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP PROPERLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1500.

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2012 JETTA TDI AND IT WENT INTO LIMP MODE ON THE HIGHWAY, LOSING NEARLY ALL POWER. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE PROBLEM HAD GONE AWAY. IT OCCURRED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND WE TOOK IT IN AGAIN. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. MY FUEL PUMP DID NOT FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY AS OTHERS HAVE, BUT IT STILL FAILED. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC ISSUE WITH COMMON RAIL VW DIESELS AND IS SOMETHING THAT I FEEL SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. I WAS LUCKY THAT MY PARTICULAR PUMP DID NOT FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY AND JUST SUPPLIED LOW FUEL PRESSURE AND THAT I'M STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SEEMS TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN AND VW SHOULD DEFINITELY ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PART. *TR

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