NHTSA Complaint #10153789 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE ON THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO AN OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. TWO MONTHS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BROKEN DOWN TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE FAILED IN AUGUST 2005 WITH ONE YEAR/12000 MILE WARRANTY. A MONTH AFTER REPLACEMENT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED IN MARCH 2006. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE BROKEN DOWN IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND SINCE THE MILEAGE EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE CONTACT CONTACT THE DEALER, WHO INDICATED THE SAME THING AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS TOSSED BACK AND FORTH WITH NO ONE TAKING RESPONSIBILITY OR ACTION. AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VEHICLES, AND THAT VOLKSWAGEN WAS RANKED AMONG THE WORSE CAR COMPANIES FOR RESOLVING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. THEREFORE, THE CONTACT SOUGHT NHTSA ASSISTANCE. *AK