NHTSA Complaint #10206373 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A 2002 PASSAT 4-MOTION V6 CAR. GAS ODOR ENTERED MY HOUSE FOR 2 WEEKS AND I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I CALLED THE GAS COMPANY TO SEE IF I HAD A GAS LEAK WITH MY FURNACE. THE GAS COMPANY CAME AND TESTED BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH MY FURNACE OR EQUIPMENT USING NATURAL GAS. I DECIDED TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE AND BEGAN RULING OUT POSSIBILITIES. I OBSERVES THE GAS SMELL WAS IN MY GARAGE. I OBSERVED WHENEVER MY GAS TANK WAS FILLED, MORE ODOR CAME INTO THE HOUSE. I FILLED THE GAS TANK ON 10/1/07 AND PARKED THE CAR OUT ON THE STREET. ON 10/2/07, WHEN I ENTERED THE CAR IN THE EARLY AM HOURS, THE GAS SCENT MADE ME THROW UP AND I BECAME DIZZY. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG AND I DROVE - WHILE PRAYING - THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NOT LET ME DRIVE THE CAR OUT OF THERE WITHOUT FINDING OUT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE VERY STRONG GAS ODOR. I WAS LATER TOLD IF ANYONE HAD THROWN A CIGARETTE BY MY CAR, IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE! THE CAR WAS DRIPPING GAS AS I DROVE TO THE DEALER! THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSE BY A LEAK ON MY FUEL TANK. A NEW FUEL TANK WAS NEEDED - THAT IS THE ONLY WAY IT COULD BE FIXED. I REQUESTED MY OLD TANK AND SAID IT HAS TO BE BROUGHT AND SHOWN TO THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY OVER TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE I COULD HAVE DIED AND NO ONE WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WAS A FAULTY MANUFACTURER'S PART. THE OLD TANK SHOWS 3 PLASTIC TUBES USED ON THE GAS TANK THAT DRAINS THE GAS! PLASTIC ! ONE OF THE PLASTIC TUBES BROKE OFF CAUSING THE GAS LEAK! I VISITED A WEBSITE AND FOUND SO MANY OTHER PASSAT OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND VW IS DOING NOTHING TO CHANGE THE DESIGN! I SPOKE TO VW AND I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND I HAVE TO PAY THE COST OF THE REPAIR! I AM ASKING YOUR OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE TO ALL PASSAT OWNERS! I HAVE MY OLD GAS TANK AND WILL BE HAPPY TO BRING IT TO YOUR OFFICE . *TR