NHTSA Complaint #10000417 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I DRIVE A 2000 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT GLX 4MOTION. I HAVE FELT THAT I GOT A BAD CAR SINCE VERY EARLY ON IN MY LEASE (I NOW HAVE 8 MONTHS LEFT). ON THIS PARTICULAR OCCAISION, I HAD A SEVERE OIL LEAK. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN MY OIL PAN THAT MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK (I DON'T RECALL FEELING ANYTHING HIT THE CAR HARD ENOUGH TO PUT A HOLE IN ANYTHING). I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTEED ITEM, RATHER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE OWNED 5 OTHER CARS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS SHAKING WHEN THE BREAKS ARE APPLIED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS DUE TO WARPED ROTORS. I ONLY HAVE 20,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANY KIND OF BREAK PROBLEMS WITH THAT FEW MILES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTEE EITHER, AGAIN, NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE OTHER 5 CARS THAT I OWNED EASILY HAD OVER 20,000 MILES ON THEM AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH BRAKE ROTORS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A TREND WITH THIS VEHICLE. EARLY ON IN MY LEASE, I HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR NOT STARTING. EACH TIME IT WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP ON MY SPARK PLUGS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THERE WAS ONLY 2,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE DEALER HAD THE NERVE TO TELL ME THAT SPARK PLUGS WERE STANDARD MAINTENENANCE ITEMS AND I MUST NOT BE TAKING CARE OF MY CAR PROPERLY. 2 YEARS LATER, THERE WAS AN EMISSION CONTROLS RECALL WHICH FIXED THIS PROBLEM, WHICH THE DEALER INITIALLY CALLED DRIVER ERROR, NOT A VEHICLE PROBLEM.