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Volkswagen Jetta Engine And Engine Cooling Safety Report | Jan 14, 2012
Reported on Jan 14, 2012
| DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME FROM WORK FRIDAY 1/13, WEATHER WAS BELOW FREEZING CAUSING ICE BUILD UP. PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE ~45 DEGREES. ICE BEGAN MELT, AND WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON IT TURNED 1/4 TURN AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE ENGINE INHALED WATER CAUSING A HYDRO-LOCK, I CONTINUED TO TRY TO START THE VEHICLE A TOTAL 5 TIMES (IT TURNED OVER ONCE AND RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND DIED ONCE). THE LAST TIME TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE I SMELLED SMOKE, I POPPED THE HOOD TO FIND THE STARTER AND WIRING ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE RELATIVELY QUICKLY, CONSIDERING THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE ATTACHED TO MY HOUSE THIS COULD HAVE EXTREMELY CATASTROPHIC IF I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT. *** THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THE HARD / NO START PROBLEM, THIS ONE HOWEVER RESULTED IN THE FIRE. VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT FOLLOW THE BELOW TSB SINCE THE VEHICLE STARTED AFTER WIRING AND STARTER REPLACEMENT. ISSUE MIRRORS TSB # 21 11 06 / 2025464, WHICH INCLUDES ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER, DEAD BATTERY STARTER ACTION (DUE TO HYDRAULIC RESISTANCE IN CYLINDER), AND STARTER/ELECTRICAL FIRES (DUE TO STARTER OVERHEATING DURING ATTEMPTS TO START LOCKED ENGINE). *TR | |
| Make: | Volkswagen |
| Model: | Jetta |
| Manufactured by: | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | |
| Was a death reported? | |
| Was a fire reported? | Y |
| Location: | BROOKSVILLE KY |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 3VW3L7AJ8CM |
| Mileage: | 17000 miles. |
| Speed: | 0 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | 4 |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | DIESEL |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
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