2005 Volkswagen Jetta Fuel System Problems

MY FUEL TANK EXPLODED ON MY 2005 JETTA WAGON TDI. I WAS FILLING THE TANK UP WITH DIESEL AND ALL OF SUDDEN DIESEL FUEL STARTING GUSHING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. THE BACKSEAT BULGED UP SO MUCH THAT I COULD NOT LIFT IT UP. THE UNDERNEATH PART OF THE CAR HAS BEEN DAMAGED AS WELL. I CONTACTED VW AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE CAR TO A LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP. VW HEADQUARTERS HAS INFORMED ME THAT THEY WILL COVER THE COST OF PARTS, $900, BUT THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR THE CONSEQUENT DAMAGES WHICH HAVE BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $4,000, DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE EXPANSION OF THE FUEL TANK. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE CAR IS WORTH ONLY ABOUT $5,000, BUT THAT WAS WITH A WORKING FUEL SYSTEM, I'M SURE. VW HEADQUARTERS ALSO GAVE ME THE OPTION OF RECEIVING A $1,000 LOYALTY VOUCHER SHOULD I CHOOSE TO PURCHASE/LEASE A NEW CAR THROUGH THEM. I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT THESE TWO OFFERS ARE GOOD FOR 30 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF 6/19/2014. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE NHTSA IN THE PAST BY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL IN NORTH CAROLINA. THIS INDIVIDUAL'S CLAIM TO VW WAS ORIGINALLY DENIED BY VW, BUT LATER, VW REIMBURSED HIM FOR ALL EXPENSES TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. IN APRIL OF 2007, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V063000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH BEGAN TO FAIL AGAIN. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WOULD NOT STOP ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF APPROXIMATELY THREE TIMES AND, FINALLY, THE BRAKE LIGHT DIMMED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME MOBILE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ONE MONTH AND THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE THAN TWELVE MONTHS LATER, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,707 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,207. UPDATED 03-09-09 *BF THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK. THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOISEY AND WHICH WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. UPDATED 03/12/09.*JB

ON THE NIGHT OF 25 DEC 2008 MY VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BACK UP, THE IGNITION WAS CYCLED SEVERAL TIMES AND ASSISTANCE WAS REQUIRED TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE INTERSECTION TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE NEXT MORNING THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH NO ISSUES. IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL FILTER BE REPLACED AND THAT WAS DONE IMMEDIATELY ON THE MORNING ON 26 DEC 2008. THE SAME EVENING THE VEHICLE STALLED ONCE MORE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAIN ROAD. IT IS FORTUNATE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON A DECLINE AND TRAFFIC WAS MOVING RATHER SLOW WHICH ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COAST TO A SAFE TURN-OFF POINT. THREE HOURS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START ONCE MORE AND MADE IT TO A SAFE LOCATION WHERE THE FUEL PUMP (AKA IN TANK LIFT PUMP) COULD THEN BE REPLACED. A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS ORDERED AND REPLACED ON 29 DEC 2008 AND THE OLD PUMP WAS TESTED AND DEEMED TO HAVE FAILED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS OF FAILURE, NO ERROR CODES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE AND NO MEANS OF SAFELY BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AFTER IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OPERATING WITH THE NEW FUEL PUMP WITHOUT INCIDENT. *TR

MY FUEL PUMP FAILED WITH NO WARNING, LEAVING MY WIFE STRANDED IN WINTER. THIS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER - THE CAR WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY, AND THEN STALLED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL CAR. *TR

DT: CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON 7-13-05 CONCERNING THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE CLAMP. A RECALL NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE. SHE CALLED THE DEALER , AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT GET HER IN UNTIL WEDNESDAY 7-20-05 BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIT HER INTO THEIR BUSY SCHEDULE, AND BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE CLAMP YET. CONSUMER REQUESTED A LOANER AND THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A LOANER. CONSUMER CALLED A CUSTOMER CARE ADVOCATE LISTED ON THE RECALL LETTER TO SEE ABOUT GETTING A LOANER, AND THE ADVOCATE TOLD HER TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL SHE SMELLED GASOLINE, AND THEN HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER. THE ADVOCATE SUGGESTED CONSUMER CONTACT OTHER DEALERS TO TAKE HER CAR IN FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS, BUT SHE DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ANY FURTHER THAN NECESSARY. ALL OF THE OTHER DEALERS WERE VERY FAR AWAY, AND THE RECALL STATES THERE WAS A DANGER OF A FIRE. SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. CONSUMER WAS ONLY ABLE TO PROVIDE THE NAME, CITY, AND STATE OF THE DEALER SHE CALLED .*AK

ON THE 'NEW' 2005.5 JETTA TDI DIESEL VEHICLE, THE FUEL NOZLE INLET IS TOO SMALL TO USE A MOAJORITY OF THE DIESEL FUEL PUMPS MORE COMMONLY FOUND AT TRUCK STOPS. SINCE WHEN TRAVELING CROSS COUNTRY YOU WOULD MOST LIKE STOP AT A TRUCK STOP TO FUEL UP, YOU WOULD MOST LIKELY BE OUT OF LUCK -AND HAVE 'SEARCH' FOR A GAS STATION IN A STRANGE TOWN, AWAY FROM YOUR ROUTE, THAT 'MIGHT' HAVE A SMALLER NOZLE THAT WOULD FIT YOUR FUEL TANK. THE OLDER JETTA, GOLF AND PASSAT CARS USE A LAGER FUEL INLET THAT IS UNIVERSAL IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO FUEL UP ANYWHERE. THE CURRENT 2005 PASSAT HAS THE LARGER INLET, SO WHAT GIVES WITH THE NEW JETTA? TDI OWNERS TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES AND WOULD LIKE TO NOT BE STRANDED OR MADE TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY JUST TO FUEL UP. VW SHOULD RETROFIT THE OLDER STYLE NOZLE ON THESE CARS, OR PURCHASE A SMALLER FUELING PUMP NOZLE FOR EVERY GAS STAION OR TRUCK STOP THAT SELLS DIESEL IN THE COUNTRY. WHICH IS EASIER?