NHTSA Complaint #10143964 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I OWN A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT, WHICH I LEASE FROM VW. I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AT NO MORE THAN THREE MILES PER HOUR INTO THE STREET. AS I CUT THE WHEEL TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON MY SIDE OF THE TRAFFIC LANES, I RAN ASKEW OF THE DRIVEWAY AND OVER THE RISING EDGE WHERE THE DRIVEWAY RISES TO MEET THE CURB - A MERE 6". I HAVE PICTURES. I HEARD A FAINT SCRAPING NOISE AND LAMENTED THE FACT I SCRAPED THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR, BUT GIVEN THE MINISCULE HEIGHT OF THE DROP FROM MID-CURB EDGE TO THE STREET, I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT AND PROCEEDED TO MY DESTINATION AND THEN BACK HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE NEXT TIME I USED MY CAR I NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF OIL AND WAS SHOCKED TO FIND THAT THE OIL PAN, WHICH WAS STRATEGICALLY ENGINEERED TO RESIDE AT THE LOWEST AND MOST SUSCEPTIBLE PLACE ON THE ENGINE, HAD THE TINIEST CRACK AND WAS LEAKING OIL. I CALLED VW TO INQUIRE ABOUT A NEW PART WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE OIL PAN IS ALUMINUM AND COST $158 FOR A NEW ONE, BUT THAT BECAUSE IT IS BOLTED TO THE VEHICLES SUB-FRAME IT WILL COST ME $650 IN LABOR TO REPAIR THE PART. NEARLY $800 TO FIX AN OIL PAN? THIS IS CLEARLY AN ATTEMPT BY VW TO EXTORT MORE MONEY FROM ITS CUSTOMERS. WHO WOULD DESIGN A VEHICLE IN SUCH A MANNER AS THIS OTHERWISE? TO PLACE AN ALUMINUM OIL PAN AT THE LOWEST POINT OF THE ENGINE WITH NO PROTECTION IS CRIMINAL. LUCKILY I NOTICED THIS LEAK, BUT OTHERS WHO MAY BE LESS OBSERVANT COULD EASILY RUPTURE THIS OIL PAN AS INNOCUOUSLY AS I DID AND FAILING TO NOTICE THE LEAK, CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT LEAKS OIL - POTENTIALLY BURNING UP THE MOTOR AND CAUSING DANGEROUS ENGINE FIRES OR WORSE, THE ENGINE SEIZING AT HIGH SPEEDS. I CONTACTED VW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THAT THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME RECOUP THE COSTS OF THIS REPAIR. THIS CAR HAS A MAJOR SAFETY FLAW THAT COULD MAKE MILLIONS OF MOTORISTS SUSCEPTIBLE TO SERIOUS HARM AND I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WILL FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND HELP SAVE ANY FUTURE LOSS OF MONEY OR LIFE. *JB