Owners of Volkswagen Jetta vehicles of various model years have been experiencing stalls, check engine light coming on at highway speeds, sudden stops.  Some of the problems have been traced to failures and defects in the fuel pump.  Even after multiple attempts by dealers to fix the problem, Jetta owners still experience potentially dangerous stalls and other issues.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated several investigations into the fuel pumps in 2009-2015 vehicles.  Many consumers have experienced the results of fuel pump failures, and some reports are as follows:

1.
WHILE DRIVING, OUR 2009 VW JETTA TDI STALLED AND STOPPED IN AN INTERSECTION. WHEN RESTARTED THE GLOW-PLUG LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE THE CAR LIMPED TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL VW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THE TOTAL FUEL SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED DO TO CONTAMINATION. I WAS SURPRISED WHEN THE EST’D COST OF $7,500 TO REPAIR MY CAR WAS PRESENTED TO US WITH NO OFFER OF HELP BY VW. I WAS EVEN MORE SURPRISED WHEN THE SERVICE WRITER SAID THAT PART HAS BEEN REDESIGNED A NUMBER OF TIMES TO HELP DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

2.
THE CAR IS A 2009 VW JETTA TDI CLEAN DIESEL. WHILE ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY AT 55 MPH, SUDDENLY THE CAR’S WARNING CHIME SOUNDED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE GLOW PLUG WARNING LIGHT FLASHED AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER, AND I COASTED TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. IT WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM AT VW’S COST. THEY SAID IT WAS THE HPFP (HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP) THAT DISINTEGRATED AND DESTROYED THE FUEL SYSTEM, FROM THE FUEL TANK FORWARD. *TR

3.
VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER, NO CONTROL OVER ACCELERATION, HAD TO PULL OFF OF INTERSTATE TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. CAR RESTARTED FINE. TAKING TO VW DEALER FOR EVALUATION. *TR

4.
AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TOWARDS A STOP SIGN AT A RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR DIED. AS SHE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS, SHE STOPPED THE CAR AND WAITED FOR THE OTHER TRAFFIC TO CLEAR. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE IT HOME AS SHE WAS LESS THAN A MILE AWAY. AFTER I RETURNED HOME, I STARTED THE CAR AND NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AT THAT POINT THE CAR SEEMED FINE. I WENT TO AUTOZONE TO SEE IF THEY COULD DOWNLOAD THE ERROR CODES THAT MIGHT PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT COMPONENT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THEY COULD NOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO CA LAW. I PURCHASED A OBDII CODE READER AND DISCOVERED CODE P0191 AND P0087, BOTH RELATING TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. P0191 INDICATED THE FUEL RAIL PRESSURE SENSOR A CIRCUIT RANGE / PERFORMANCE. THE P0087 INDICATED THE FUEL RAIL / SYSTEM PRESSURE TOO LOW. WHILE RESEARCHING THESE CODES ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED A HUGE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION RELATING TO THIS ISSUE. I AM THANKFUL MY WIFE WAS NOT IN A HUGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC AS SHE COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON WITH THE TDI DIESEL ENGINE SINCE 2009. *TR

What can you do?

Owners of defective Volkswagen Jettas may be entitled to reimbursement of repair costs or other compensation.  Depending on vehicle year and mileage, lemon law may apply or other claims can be pursued.  Call the Law Office of Howard Gutman for a free telephone consultation on your options, 973-598-1980.

*(unfortunately if you are seeking a repurchase under the class action, but the car is not operating and you seek to have VW pay for the repair and then repurchase the car, we cannot take these claims).