NHTSA Complaint #10204376 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

ON SEPTEMBER 6TH OF THIS YEAR, A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY LOW OIL PRESSURE, STOP MOTOR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN POMPTON PLAINS, NJ (THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP TO MY HOUSE) TO ARRANGE SERVICING, SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT TO BE DRIVEN. THE VOLKSWAGEN REPRESENTATIVE WITH WHOM I SPOKE ON THE PHONE INSTRUCTED ME TO BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I FINALLY BROUGHT THE CAR IN, SERVICE MANAGER JOE INFORMED ME THAT WHAT I EXPERIENCED WAS LIKELY ENGINE TROUBLE REQUIRING OF MULTIPLE PART REPLACEMENT AND CALLED OIL SLUDGE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST $2,800 FOR REPAIRS BECAUSE THE WARRANTY ON MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD/56,000-MILE CAR RAN OUT. I CALLED CUSTOMER CARE AT 1-800-822-8987 AND SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVE NAMED FRODET AND HER SUPERVISOR, JAMES CUSTER, BOTH OF WHOM TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNHEARD OF AND HAS EVEN BEEN TERMED OIL SLUDGE AND IS COVERED UNDER VW'S SPECIAL EXTENDED WARRANTY 8 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILES. FRODET OPENED CASE NO. 70295194 IN MY NAME AND CALLED SERVICE MANAGER. I RECEIVED A CALL NEXT DAY. I WAS TOLD THAT IN ORDER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM UNDER VW?S SPECIAL EXTENDED WARRANTY, I NEEDED TO PROVIDE ALL ELEVEN RECEIPTS FOR OIL CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE WITHIN THE ENTIRE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP. AFTER SCOURING MY FILES, I FOUND THAT I HAVE A TOTAL OF 20 RECEIPTS PERTAINING TO SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE OF THE VEHICLE, SEVENTEEN OF WHICH WERE NOT FROM THE CREST MONT DEALERSHIP. I FAXED THESE SEVENTEEN RECEIPTS TO THE ATTENTION OF SERVICE MANAGER JOE. THE VERY NEXT DAY SEPTEMBER 18TH, JOE CALLED ME AGAIN TO LET ME KNOW ME THAT A FIELD FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE REVIEWED THESE RECEIPTS AND REFUSED TO ADMIT SIXTEEN OF THEM. THESE RECEIPTS WERE FROM MY PERSONAL MECHANIC TO WHOM I HAD ENTRUSTED THE CARE AND SERVICE OF EVERY CAR I HAD. BUT, BECAUSE MY MECHANIC FAILED TO SPECIFY MY CAR'S VIN, LICENSE PLATE NUMBER, AND OIL FILTER PART NUMBERS IN THE RECEIPTS, I WAS OUT OF LUCK. *TR