VW recalling 150,000 Passats; hood can damage headlamps if closed roughly

[Alaric Darconville]

See here.

I try to close the hood of whatever I'm driving firmly, but not *roughly*. Seems like their system is overly sensitive to hood closings, if the damage is so frequent it spurs a recall.

 

[-Virgil-]

The actual problem is that the headlamp connector/socket can come disconnected; there's no actual damage involved. No, it shouldn't happen (the auto industry has been aware of how to make headlamp sockets for how many decades, now?) but it looks to me as if the channel you found the story on selectively rewrote it in keeping with their philosophy. The recall also includes 10,000+ Passats sold in Canada, and a yet-unknown number sold outside the US/Canada market, all built in Tennessee (another detail the channel you found left out, also looks well fitted to that network's philosophy).

 

[Alaric Darconville]

The actual problem is that the headlamp connector/socket can come disconnected; there's no actual damage involved. No, it shouldn't happen (the auto industry has been aware of how to make headlamp sockets for how many decades, now?) but it looks to me as if the channel you found the story on selectively rewrote it in keeping with their philosophy. The recall also includes 10,000+ Passats sold in Canada, and a yet-unknown number sold outside the US/Canada market, all built in Tennessee (another detail the channel you found left out, also looks well fitted to that network's philosophy).

It was that 'channel' or StarTribune, the local channel had fewer obnoxious ads and didn't seem as likely to be a Java 'sploit waiting to happen. I tried to find it on the VW site, but to get any recall information, you have to put a valid VIN in-- and then it'll be the recalls for that particular VIN. Uncool on their part. Seems like the recall is also not on the NHTSA site yet, either.

I guess it wasn't a UNION shop-- they'd have mentioned that, then. "The defect, which could possibly kill SOLDIERS' BABIES, was present in cars made by commie fascist union thugs..."

 

[-Virgil-]

I tried to find it on the VW site, but to get any recall information, you have to put a valid VIN in-- and then it'll be the recalls for that particular VIN.

What a great way of keeping their recall tendencies out of the spotlight. Guess that won't work for GM at the moment!

I guess it wasn't a UNION shop-- they'd have mentioned that, then. "The defect, which could possibly kill SOLDIERS' BABIES, was present in cars made by commie fascist union thugs..."

...and we've received word that some of the affected models might have been sold in BENGHAZI.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

What a great way of keeping their recall tendencies out of the spotlight. Guess that won't work for GM at the moment!

Toyota also lets you search by VIN, but their "newsroom" also shows recent recalls, so you don't have to use your VIN to access them (toyota.com/recall). They link to the NHTSA site, also -- so that's another nice touch.

...and we've received word that some of the affected models might have been sold in BENGHAZI.

LOL!



The "complaints" section for VW has one bit of hilarity:

From www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov
Crash:No
Fire:No
Number of Injuries:0
Number of Deaths:0

Manufacturer: Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Vehicle Identification No. (VIN): 1VWCN7A38EC...
SUMMARY:
PURCHASED 2014 FULLY LOADED PASSAT ON 10/26/13, SAFETY ISSUE WITH CAR DUE TO MY 1.5 HR DAILY COMMUTE. EXTREMELY POOR QUALITY WHEN USING BLUETOOTH THROUGH CARE STEREO, NOT RECOGNIZING NAMES ON IPHONE 4S CAUSING DRIVER TO REMOVE EYES FROM ROAD TO LOOK UP NUMBER WHICH IS A MAJOR DISTRACTION ESPECIALLY DURING NIGHT DRIVING.

Translation: I try to use my phone while driving. (He could, I dunno... PULL OVER?)