NHTSA Complaint #10195278 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THE 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLX 4 MOTION WITH JUST OVER 66,000 MILES HAD JUST BEEN REFUELED WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS AND DRIVEN INTO OUR GARAGE WHEN MY WIFE SMELLED STRONG GASOLINE FUMES AND NOTICED PUDDLES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT IT TO VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP, AND WAS CHARGED $70 FOR THE DIAGNOSIS , AND THEN A TOTAL OF $302.77 TO REPLACE THE GASKET FOR THE FUEL PUMP. THEY DID NOT FILL THE TANK TO CONFIRM THAT THE PROBLEM NO LONGER EXISTED, BUT SAID THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. A WEEK LATER THE SAME SITUATION, GASOLINE FUMES AND PUDDLES UNDER VEHICLE. RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY KEPT CAR FOR 4 DAYS TO DIAGNOSE. BOTTOM LINE ,THEY INFORMED ME THAT "THE VEHICLE MAY NEED A NEW FUEL TANK , $1,622. AND /OR NEW FUEL LINES, $922.25. THEY WILL NEED TO LOWER THE FUEL TANK TO COMPLETELY DIAGNOSE" AT A COST OF $700 BECAUSE OF 5 HOURS. LABOR. WE HAD ALREADY SPENT OVER $300 FOR REPAIRS THAT APPARENTLY WASN'T NECESSARY BECAUSE IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY DID NOT REFUND OUR $300. ALSO , MY WIFE CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO THEY WOULD OFFER NO HELP. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW. IT WAS TOP OF THE LINE I EXPECT BETTER PERFORMANCE AND SERVICE AS I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF VOLKSWAGENS AND NONE HAD GIVEN ME GRIEF UNTIL THIS ONE. A GASOLINE TANK AND FUEL LINES WERE SAFETY ISSUES AND IF THEY FAIL IN SUCH A SHORT TIME THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE EITHER DEFECTIVE OR POORLY DESIGNED, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECT THEM SHOULD LIE WITH THE MANUFACTURER. ANY REASONABLE PERSON WOULD THINK THAT THE $300 REPAIR BILL WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE BUT NOT ANYWHERE BETWEEN $2000 AND $3000. WHY SHOULD THE CUSTOMER PAY FOR A POOR DESIGN THAT INVOLVED $700 JUST TO DIAGNOSE? FROM THE LOOK OF SOME OF THE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THIS SITE THEY WOULD ALREADY KNOW AND GLADLY EXTEND SOME GOOD WILL TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. *AK