NHTSA Complaint #10251546 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THIS REFERENCE A VERY SPECIFIC VEHICLE, I.E. NAMELY THE 2005-2005 VW PASSAT TDI (DIESEL) CAR, BOTH SEDAN AND STATION WAGON VERSION, WITH THE VW BHW ENGINE. WHAT STARTED OUT AS AN OCCASIONAL NEED TO REPLACE THE CHAIN THAT DRIVE THE OIL PUMP, BECAME A CERTAINTY THAT THE CHAIN WOULD BREAK. IF THE CHAIN BREAKS, YOU LOOSE OIL PRESSURE IMMEDIATE, AND THE ENGINE IS GOING TO SEIZE (NOT TO MENTION THE CHAIN ITSELF FLOPPING AROUND IN THE CRANK AREA WHICH COULD LODGE IN THE DRIVE SYSTEM AND DO THE SAME). IN ANY SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE ACCELERATING, THAT IS GOING TO BE CATASTROPHIC , AND CERTAINLY ANY HIGHER SPEED ON A FREEWAY/HIGHWAY BEING THE SAME) VW HAS RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE AND HAS NOW ISSUED A TSB ON THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT INSTITUTED A RECALL. THE CHANGE IS TO REMOVE THE CHAIN DRIVE SYSTEM AND CONVERT THE ENGINE TO A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. WHAT THIS DOES TO THE COUNTER BALANCER SHAFT IS UNKNOWN (I.E. WHAT CAUSED WHAT TO FAIL HAS NOT HAD ANY INDICATION FROM VW). WW SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE MANDATED TO RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES WITH THE TDI BHW ENGINE AND OR ISSUE A RECALL NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE BROUGHT IN BEFORE THE 100K TIMING BELT CHANGE INTERVAL LISTED IN THE MANUAL AND HAVE THAT TSB CHANGED TO A RECALL AND SAFETY REPAIR. ANY OWNER HEARING THE SIGNATORY NOISE OF THE FAILURE DEVELOPING SHOULD HAVE THAT REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED NOT LATTER THAN THE 100K POINT. THIS IS BASED ON A SURVEY OF A FEW AT 40 TO 60K, MOST HAVE IT DEVELOPING BY 100K (IF NOT FAILED OR CLOSE TO FAILURE AT THAT POINT. ALL OTHER VW DIESEL ENGINE USE A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP SYSTEM. *TR