I HAVE A NEW 2009 VW TIGUAN THAT JUST HIT 10,000 MILES AS OF THE DATE OF THIS COMPLAINT. I BOUGHT ON OCTOBER 31ST, 2009. WITH THE FIRST HEAT OF SPRING I STARTED THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND THERE WAS A TERRIBLY RANK SMELL OF MOLD. I TOOK IT TO LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDER ON MAY 5TH WHO CLAIMED THAT THE DRAIN FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS CLOGGED AND A POOL OF STAGNANT WATER HAD FILLED THE BASIN. HE DIDN'T KNOW FOR HOW LONG THAT POOL HAD BEEN THERE. THEY CLEANED OUT THE BASIN, REPLACED THE FILTER, AND DISINFECTED THE CAR. ONE MONTH LATER AND THE VENTILATION SYSTEM STILL REEKS OF MOLD. IN SOME WAYS IT'S WORSE, BECAUSE NOW THE ODOR ISN'T JUST WHEN RUNNING THE AC. IT NOW IS THERE WHEN RUNNING NORMAL VENTS AND THE SMELL IS STARING TO OOZE INTO THE MAIN COMPARTMENT. LAST NIGHT, THE 4TH OF JUNE, IT WAS 85-90 DEGREES AND VERY HUMID. DURING A 15 MINUTE DRIVE THE ODOR WAS TERRIBLE. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I HAD A 20 MINUTE COUGHING SPASM. I PRACTICALLY CANNOT RUN THE VENTILATION. MY NEXT STEP IS TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM, CONTACT VW OF NORTH AMERICA, AND START LOOKING INTO THE LOCAL LEMON LAWS. *TR
2013
STRUCTURE:BODY
WE RENTED THE VEHICLE FROM HERTZ AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. WHEN WE PARKED THE CAR TO GO TO A RESTAURANT, WE COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS AND THUS COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR. WE PHONED HERTZ AND WERE TOLD WE COULD EXCHANGE THE CAR FOR A DIFFERENT CAR AT THE AIRPORT. ON THE WAY TO THE AIRPORT, WE KEPT SEEING SPORADIC WARNING SIGNALS ON THE DASHBOARD THAT VARIOUS DOORS WERE OPEN. THEY WERE NOT OPEN. THE ATTENDANTS AT HERTZ HAD TROUBLE UNLOCKING THE DOORS AS WELL. FORTUNATELY, WE CONTACTED OUR DAUGHTER BY CELL PHONE WHO DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE CAR ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A HIDDEN KEYHOLE ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR THAT WAS COVERED BY A SNAP-ON PIECE OF MOLDING. OUR DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE HOW TO ACCESS THE KEYHOLE TO THE HERTZ ATTENDANTS WHO THEN SUCCEEDED IN OPENING THE DOORS. THE WINDOWS WERE OPERATIVE, BUT WERE TOO SMALL FOR OLDER FOLKS LIKE OURSELVES TO USE AS AN EGRESS, CERTAINLY NOT WITHOUT HELP. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SITUTATION SINCE IT COULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO EXTRACT PASSNEGERS FROM A VEHICLE THAT SUFFERS AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, PASSENGERS COULD ARRIVE AT A DESITINATION LATE AT NIGHT AND WITH INSUFFICIENT FUEL, AND FIND THEMSELVES UNABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR OR DRIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR HELP. *TR