NHTSA complaint #11243343

Owner complaint summary

AUTO BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSES CAR TO BRAKE WHEN EXITING A DRIVEWAY. ALERTS TO THE ROAD AS AN OBSTACLE WHEN GOING DOWN AN INCLINE. THE SYSTEM READS ROAD AS AN OBSTACLE, LIKE A PERSON OR CAR. BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSES CAR TO BRAKE LEAVING DRIVEWAYS. CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, ENGINE CUTS OFF WITH CAR IN TRAFFIC - ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS THE BRAKE MANUEVERING SYSTEM - READS ROAD AS A HAZARD CAUSING THE CAR TO AUTOMATICALLY APPLY THE BRAKES. BRAKES ARE APPLIED SUDDENLY AND THE FORCE IS AS IF I AM BEING HIT AT A HIGH SPEED FROM BEHIND. THAT IS WHAT I THOUGHT HAPPENED. TAKES 15-20 SECONDS TO RESTART THE CAR, DURING WHICH TIME I 'M IN TRAFFIC OR HALF IN TRAFFIC AND HALF IN THE DRIVEWAY SUBJECT TO GREAT BODILY HARM FROM OTHER CARS THOSE THAT DO NOT EXPECT ME TO BE STOPPED THERE OR FROM CARS BEHIND ME THIS PLACES ME, MY FAMILY, PASSENGERS AND OTHER DRIVERS AT GREAT RISK OF HARM. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND AT NUMEROUS DIFFERENT SPEEDS. EACH TIME I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE AVOIDED BEING HIT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS HOW THE CAR IS DESIGNED AND THAT THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS EXCEPT TO TURN OFF THE SYSTEM WHICH ALSO TURNS OFF THE SYSTEM SHOULD A HAZARD APPEAR BEFORE MY VEHICLE. I WAS REQUIRED TO TURN OFF THE SYSTEM MYSELF BECAUSE VW HAS STATED IT IS A LIABILITY FOR THEM TO TURN IT OFF. THE DATE LISTED IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED BUT IT HAS HAPPENED CLOSE TO A DOZEN TIMES. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TWICE ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AS THE SYSTEM IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. VW HAS TOLD ME THAT THE SYSTEM CANNOT DIFFERENTIATE AND TO ENSURE THE BRAKING DOES NOT GO ON (ALTHOUGH IT WILL STILL BEEP AND ALERT) I MUST EXIT ALL DRIVEWAYS NO FASTER THAN 3 MPH. WHEN EXITING INTO HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, SUCH AS WHERE I LIVE THIS WILL PLACE ME AT GRAVE DANGER.