NHTSA Complaint #10135529 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

ON SEPT 1,2005 ON MY WAY TO THE E.R. AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON TELLING ME TO STOP ENGINE/CHECK OIL PRESSURE. I TURNED ENGINE OFF, AND CHECKED OIL LEVEL, ALL OK. TRIED TO START ENGINE TO GET OFF OF NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY, ENGINE MAKING TERRIBLE NOISE, TURNED OFF HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. WAS TOLD BY DEALER IT WOULD BE AT LEAST $400.00 TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND DIAGNOSE IT. AFTER ONE WEEK DEALER CALLED AND SAID IT WOULD COST $9000.00 TO REPLACE ENTIRE MOTOR, ON SEPT. 2 2005 CALLED V.W. OF AMERICA THEY STATED TO ME AT THAT TIME THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE 1.8 TURBO BUILDING UP OIL SLUDGE IN THE MOTOR, AND THAT THEY HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE. THEY SAID THAT THEY NEEDED MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO PROVE MY CASE, THEY GAVE ME A FAX # WHICH WAS THE WRONG #. AFTER THE LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND I PHONED V.W. OF AMERICA AGAIN AND THEY STATED , TO FAX THE DOCUMENTS DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER THAT THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THEM, THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE THAT I WAS SPEAKING WITH WAS NEW AND DID NOT KNOW THE FAX #. THE DEALER STATED THAT MY RECORDS WERE NOT DETAILED ENOUGH AND THAT I WAS MISSING SIX RECEIPTS, I MOVED ONE YEAR AGO AND THE VALVOLINE STATION WHERE I HAD THE OIL CHANGED FAITHFULLY STATED THAT IF YOU DO NOT USE THERE SERVICES FOR 6 MONTHS THAT THE COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY DROPS YOUR RECORDS. I SEEM TO BE CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, V.W. AND THE DEALER KEEP SHUFFLING ME BACK AND FORTH, IN THE MEAN TIME I HAVE NO VEHICLE AND I AM RENTING A CAR TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. AFTER SEARCHING YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND 8 COMPLAINTS INCLUDING MY OWN OUT OF 50 THAT'S ALMOST 20% OF THE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE OTHER PEOPLE ARE GIVEN THE SAME RUN AROUND. THIS HAS TO STOP SOMEWHERE AND SOME ONE HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AN OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. I HAVE CONTACTED AN ATTORNEY AND ARE PREPARED TO LITIGATE IF NECESSARY. *NM