Other Engine Info: 50-St./Can. TLEV emission.
Emissions Certification Test Group: YADXV01.8336
Other Restraint System Info: Active Seat Belt
Plant City: Curitiba
Plant Country: Brazil
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GLS
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1994
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STOPPED SUDDENLY TO AVOID A DEER, AND DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARD. DRIVER HIT STEERING COLUMN, BUT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES, THE SEAT BROKE ON THE LEFT SIDE. *SLC
2000
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, AS I WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE FOR WORK, I POWERED DOWN MY FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW. WHEN I WENT TO POWER BACK UP, THE WINDOW WOULD NOT MOVE AND IT MADE A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE. THE WINDOW WAS FROZEN IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE WINDOW WAS RARELY POWERED UP/DOWN IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF USE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH A LOCAL DEALERSHIP (NOT NIELLO), I COULD NOT BE SEEN FOR SEVERAL DAYS. DUE TO MY BUSY WORK SCHEDULE, ONE FORTY-FIVE DOLLAR CAB RIDE TO WORK, AND A RECENTLY EXPIRED AUTOMOBILE WARRANTY, I ASKED MY HUSBAND TO REPAIR THE CAR. AFTER CAREFULLY REMOVING THE GLASS, THE INTERNAL DOOR PANEL, AND ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS, HE REMOVED THE INTERNAL DOOR PANEL/LIFTER ASSEMBLY. THE PROBLEM WAS IMMEDIATELY VISIBLE. A POORLY DESIGNED, CHEAPLY MANUFACTURED, INFERIOR PLASTIC SLIDER HAD BEEN UNABLE TO RESIST THE WEIGHT OF THE WINDOW, THE RESISTANCE OF THE RISER, OR THE PULL OF THE CABLE WHEN POWERED BY THE WINDOW REGULATOR. ON MAY 29, 2002, I VISITED ROSEVILLE VOLKSWAGEN'S PARTS DEPARTMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, ONE CANNOT PURCHASE JUST THE PLASTIC SLIDER (THE DEFECTIVE PART). THIS PART IF SOLD ALONE, COULD NOT AMOUNT TO MUCH MORE THAN $20. INSTEAD, THE WHOLE INTERNAL DOOR PANEL PART MUST BE PURCHASED AT $160. ACCORDING TO THE PARTS DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE, VOLKSWAGEN IS COVERING THIS REPAIR UP TO 40,000 MILES. THUS, I SUBMITTED THE INVOICE FOR THE $160 PART, THE DEFECTIVE SLIDER, AND A LETTER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PART TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. MY REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT WAS DENIED. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, I WAS NOT IN AN UNSAFE PLACE WHEN THE WINDOW FROZE IN THE DOWN POSITION. CONSIDERING ALL OF THE LISTINGS FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE ALONE, I WOULD HOPE THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS MAKING AN EFFORT TO CHANGE THIS FLAWED DESIGN. I WOULD ALSO EXPECT THAT VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD MAKE THE SLIDER AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AS AN INDIVIDUAL PART. THANK YOU.*AK