NHTSA Complaint #10259818 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2005 PASSAT TDI GLS WAGON WITH 58,000 MILES ON IT. I AM WRITING TO SEEK HELP IN GETTING VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO RECOGNIZE THERE IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE'S BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY. I AM A TDICLUB.COM FORUM MEMBER, WHICH HAS PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE CAREER MECHANICS WHO WORK ON TDIS SPECIFICALLY. THROUGH THEIR EXPERIENCE THEY NOTED THIS PROBLEM WILL SOONER OR LATER AFFECT THE SOME 20,000 2004-2005 PASSAT TDI'S WITH THE BHW ENGINE CODE. THE BALANCE SHAFTS IN THIS ENGINE ARE DRIVEN BY A HEX SHAFT OFF THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS UNFORTUNATE DESIGN SUBJECTS THE CHAIN TO STRESSES IT CANNOT WITHSTAND. ON VARIOUS VOLKSWAGEN (VW) FORUMS, ESPECIALLY TDICLUB.COM, THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CHAIN FAILURES BEING REPORTED. OF COURSE, WHEN THE CHAIN DRIVING THE OIL PUMP FAILS, THE ENGINE IS STARVED OF ESSENTIAL LUBRICATION. RECENTLY, VOLKSWAGEN IN EUROPE RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND DESIGNED A REPAIR WHICH CHANGES THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP TO A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PERMANENT FIX TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN DEFECT. HERE IN THE STATES, YOU CAN NO LONGER ORDER THE ORIGINAL CHAIN PIECES AS A REPLACEMENT. THE REPAIR IS QUITE EXPENSIVE. PARTS WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $1,400 AND LABOR WILL BE IN EXCESS OF $1,500. I BELIEVE IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT ALL THE BHW ENGINES WILL FAIL UNLESS THE GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP/BALANCE SHAFT MODIFICATION IS UNDERTAKEN. OUR OWN PASSAT HAS BEEN GETTING A BIT LOUDER THIS PAST YEAR WHICH IS THE FIRST SIGN OF THIS IMMINENT FAILURE. IT IS UNFAIR TO EXPECT OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED WITH A FLAWED DESIGN WHICH WILL LEAD TO TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THE FAILURE HAPPENS WHILE THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD. THE NHTSA CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO AMERICAN OWNERS. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA HAS TO RECOGNIZE AND INFORM THE PASSAT TDI OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM, AND HELP TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION TO THE SATISFACTION OF THEIR LOYAL OWNERS. *TR