NHTSA Complaint #10108483 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF

OIL PAN ON MY 2000 VW GOLF IS MADE OF CAST ALUMINUM OR MAGNESIUM, VERY BRITTLE. BY DESIGN, THE CAR HAS MINIMAL GROUND CLEARANCE. A HOLE WAS PUNCHED IN THE OIL PAN BY CONTACT WITH THE ROADWAY ON PASSING OVER A SMALL BUMP. LED TO DISCHARGE OF ALL ENGINE OIL ONTO THE ROADWAY, POSING A HAZARD FOR OTHER MOTORISTS. WHILE VISITING THE VW SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR, I HAVE HEARD THE SERVICE MANAGER DEALING WITH OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. BELIEVE NHTSA SHOULD QUERY VW ABOUT RATE OF OIL PAN DAMAGE ON CARS WITH CAST ALUMINUM OIL PANS, AND IF STATISTICS WARRANT, REQUIRE VW MAKE AVAILABLE STURDIER OIL PANS, PERHAPS OF STEEL. I HAVE INSTALLED A STEEL SKIDPLATE ON MY VW (COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE, WHICH TELLS YOU SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT THE MARKETPLACE FEELS ABOUT THE ISSUE OF VW OIL PAN TOUGHNESS) TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. I AM CONVINCED IT HAS SAVED MY ENGINE MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS IN NORMAL DRIVING ON PAVED ROADS. *JB