Dec 9, 2015Electrical systemEngine
I JUST EXPERIENCED THIS ERROR "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE: STOP!" ON THE WAY HOME FORM SAN FRANCISCO TO OAKLAND THANKFULLY I WAS ALREADY OVER THE BAY BRIDGE. THE CAR JUST LOST POWER AND STOPPED. AFTER THE CAR STOPPED I PUT ON THE HAZARDS PUT ON THE BREAK AND TURNED THE CAR OFF I HAD TO DO ABOUT 5 ATTEMPTS TO TURN THE CAR OFF, WHILE STILL IN THE CAR I LOCKED THE CAR THEN RE OPENED IT WITH THE KEY FOB AND PUSHED THE START BUTTON THE CAR CAME BACK TO LIFE AND THE DASH READ "READY" IN GREEN. I WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME. I DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TODAY INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL TOMORROW NO POINT IN WASTING A DAY. THE ERROR "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE: STOP!" HAPPENED AGAIN 3 TIMES EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO TURN OF THE CAR WAIT AND TURN IT BACK ON AGAIN ALTHOUGH IT DROVE IT DEFINITELY FELT WRONG AND I KEPT IT UNDER 25MPH.
NHTSA ODI 10809311
Dec 1, 2015Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine
THE E-GOLF WAS IN MOTION ON A PEDESTRIAN ROAD, THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THEN, A MESSAGE DISPLAYED STATING SOMETHING LIKE "ERROR: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM." THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN, YET NOTHING HAPPENED; IT COULD NOT BE RESTARTED, THE WINDOWS WOULDN'T ROLL DOWN, AND THE CAR HAD TO THEN BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN "NEUTRAL" FOR SAFETY. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS UNKNOWN. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP/SERVICE CENTER. THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND THEY CALLED VOLKSWAGEN FOR A SPECIALIST TO COME OUT. A SPECIALIST CAME ABOUT A WEEK LATER AND THE SPECIALIST ALSO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, A WEEK LATER THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER CONCLUDED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR VIA VOLKSWAGEN (THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER CLAIMS THAT VOLKSWAGEN CALLED THEM AND TOLD THEM THAT).
NHTSA ODI 10807870
Sep 18, 2015SteeringTransmission & drivetrainElectrical system
I WAS DRIVING MY 5-MONTH OLD VW E-GOLF ON A CITY ROAD WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND TRAVELING ABOUT 35-40 MPH WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN MY ELECTRIC CAR SHUT OFF AND CAME TO A SHUDDERING STOP. IT FELT ALMOST LIKE ANOTHER CAR HAD HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THE ELECTRIC VW GOLF CAME TO SUCH AN ABRUPT STOP THAT THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY HIT ME. BUT, THEY WERE ABLE TO SWERVE AROUND ME. BUT MY CAR REMAINED STUCK IN THE ROAD AND WITH AN ELECTRIC FAILURE MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR WOULD NOT START OR EVEN MOVE. I WAS FRIGHTENED BY THIS INCIDENT. THE VW CAR DEALER WORKED ON THE CAR AND CONSULTED VW. VW STATED THAT IT WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY THE DRIVER HITTING THE START/STOP BUTTON BY ACCIDENT. BUT, I DID NOT PRESS THE BUTTON. THE VW DEALER WAS ABLE TO RE-SET ALL THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN WITHOUT FURTHER ERROR MESSAGES OR INCIDENTS. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN READING OF SIMILAR ONLINE REPORTS OF THIS ELECTRICAL MOTOR FAILURE HAPPENING WITH OTHER E-GOLF DRIVERS. I DO NOT BELIEVE VW HAS A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THEIR E-GOLF IS SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, AND THIS TYPE OF MID-TRIP FAILURE IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND INJURY/DEATH IF NOT FIXED BY VW. BASED ON THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS I HAVE READ ONLINE, THIS FAILURE WARRANTS A RECALL BY THE US GOVERNMENT. HERE IS A LINK TO THE OTHER REPORTS: HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?7108546-DOH!-ERROR-ELECTRICAL-SYSTEM-STOP! HTTP://WWW.MYVWEGOLF.COM/FORUM/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?F=12&T=422
NHTSA ODI 10765206