NHTSA Complaint #10163816 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WE HAVE A 2001 PASSAT AND PUT ABOUT 10K MILES/YEAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED ABOUT TWICE EVERY YEAR AT OUR LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP SINCE WE BOUGHT IT NEW. WE ORIGINALLY BOUGHT THE CAR WITH SAFETY IN MIND. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ABOUT A WEEK AGO, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR SEIZED/STALLED AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE. THIS COULD EASILY HAVE LED TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR DEALERSHIP. ONCE THEY REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THEY BECAME VERY HOSTILE. THEY ASKED US FOR ALL OF OUR RECORDS. THEY HAD INCOMPLETE ONES FOR US AS THE DEALERSHIP HAD CHANGED HANDS A FEW YEARS AGO. WE HAVE ALMOST EVERY RECORD BUT THIS WILL NOT SUFFICE FOR THEM. THEY ARE ASKING FOR HALF OF THE 11K REPAIR BILL (AND SUGGESTED THAT WE REPAIR IT AND TRADE IN FOR ONE OF THEIR USED CARS). WHAT REALLY BOTHERS US IS THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM OF MISSING RECORDS IS DUE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT WHEN THE CAR HAD FAILED, THE TOW GUY SHOWED ME THAT THE OIL CAP WAS ENCRUSTED WITH SLUDGE. WHEN I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THAT WHILE THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE SEEN THIS AT THE LAST OIL CHANGE, THAT THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO INFORM THE CUSTOMER OF SUCH A POTENTIAL HAZARD. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND VW/VW DEALERSHIPS SHOULD BE OBLIGED TO WATCH FOR THIS AND AT LEAST SUGGEST AN ENGINE FLUSH. AFTER TOO MUCH TRUST, WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH VW FOR THIS. THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER. *JB