NHTSA Complaint #10183325 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

ON 1/25/2007 OUR VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR REPAIR OF AN ENGINE VIBRATION. INITIAL DIAGNOSIS WAS THE TIMING BELT AND IT WAS ADJUSTED APPROXIMATELY 4 DEGREES AND PROMISED TO BE READY ON 1/27/07. BELT ADJUSTMENT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND CAR WAS NOT PICKED UP. ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSIS WAS PERFORMED, INCLUDING COMPRESSION TEST OF ENGINE, AND TECHNICIAN CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN FOR ASSISTANCE. AFTER WEEKS OF DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IN TANK FUEL PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED AT A DIFFERENT VW DEALERSHIP ON 9/11/06 HAD FAILED. RESEARCHING NHTSA I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A RECALLED PUMP. BECAUSE THE MILEAGE WAS ALMOST 3K OVER THE WARRANTY OF THE PART AND VW ALREADY SATISFIED THE RECALL VW WOULD NOT COVER A REPLACEMENT. THE NEW FUEL PUMP ALSO DID NOT FIX THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. DEALERS DIAGNOSIS WITH VOLKSWAGEN'S ASSISTANCE CONTINUED UNTIL 2/8/07 WHEN WE WERE TOLD THAT A VALVE LIFTER IN THE CAM ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED CAUSING THE VIBRATION. DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE "CYLINDER HEAD REPLACEMENT" AT A COST OF ABOUT $4,500. MY HUSBAND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE MECHANIC AND DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS ONLY TO ONE VALVE LIFTER. MY HUSBAND AND I DECIDED TO FIX WHAT WAS BROKEN AND ONLY FIXED THE DAMAGED LIFTER WHICH WAS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $500. THE DEALER AGREED TO PERFORM THIS REPAIR, BUT WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE WORK BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT CYLINDER HEAD MIGHT BE FAULTY. OUR VEHICLE WAS FINALLY REPAIRED AND ABLE TO BE PICKED UP ON 2/19/07. COST OF REPAIRS WAS NEGOTIATED WITHIN OUR SATISFACTION, HOWEVER, THE SERVICE WAS NOT TIMELY AND FEEL THAT THE PARTS IN THE VEHICLE ARE BELOW STANDARD. NOW WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM WE DID NOT HAVE BEFORE TAKING IT IN FOR REPAIR. TWO DAYS AFTER WE RECEIVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALERSHIP WE FIGURED OUT THE FUEL GAUGE IS NO LONGER WORKING PROPERLY AND HAS A FALSE READING OF APPROXIMATELY 1/4 TANK WHEN THE TANK IS EMPTY. *JB