NHTSA Complaint #10152671 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

MY WIFE PURCHASED A 2002 PASSAT WITH A 1.8T ENGINE. ALL WAS WELL (EXCEPT FOR THE VERY EXPENSIVE MAINTENANCE ON THIS VEHICLE) UP UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE GOING TO CLEAN THE THROTTLE BODY AND REPLACE AN AXLE BOOT. THIS WAS A FRIDAY MORNING AND I HAD MY CAR FRIDAY NIGHT, $512 LATER. SATURDAY I TOOK THE CAR FOR INSPECTION AND IT FAILED DUE TO EMISSIONS. ON MONDAY (2 DAYS LATER) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TUESDAY MORNING. WEDNESDAY I PICKED IT UP. BELTS WERE CHANGED, INCLUDING THE TIMING BELT, THE WATER PUMP WAS CHANGED, AND VARIOUS OTHER REPAIRS NOT PROPERLY EXPLAINED TO ME. THIS TIME IT COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $1,087.00. SO FAR IN LESS THAN A WEEK I HAD SPENT $1,600.00. THURSDAY MORNING I DROVE TO WORK AND I CALLED THE DEALER TO REPORT THAT I STILL FELT A "TWITCH" IN THE ENGINE. HE SAID THAT WAS "STRANGE" AND ASKED ME TO BRING IT IN. ON THURSDAY I WAS DRIVING TO A LUNCH MEETING WITH A COLLEAGUE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOUD RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED ENGINE OIL ALL OVER THE GROUND. I CALLED THE DEALER WHO WAS "SHOCKED" AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. TURNS OUT THE ENGINE THREW A ROD RIGHT THREW THE BLOCK AND OIL PAN. BASICALLY MY ENGINE IS TOAST. COINCIDENCE? I HAVE A HARD TIME SWALLOWING THAT. THIS IS LESS THAN ONE WEEK AFTER I ORIGINALLY TOOK THE CAR IN AND THEY WORKED ON IT. NOW I HAVE TO SPEND UPWARDS OF $4,000.00 TO FIX THIS AND NO ONE, NOT THE DEALER AND CERTAINLY NOW VW, IS WILLING TO HELP ME WITH THIS. VW TOTALLY DISMISSED ME BECAUSE WHILE THE CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD IT HAS 91,000 MILES. I HAVE KEPT UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND AN ENGINE SHOULD NOT THROW A ROD AFTER 90,000. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT OF SOME KIND OR SOMETHING THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP DID TO IT. *JB