NHTSA Complaint #10260338 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THE BALANCE SHAFT CHAIN DRIVE IN THE BOTTOM END OF OUR 2004 PASSAT TDI HAS STARTED TO MAKE NOISE. THEY WILL ALL FAIL. I AM A CAR ENTHUSIAST AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THROUGH THE PAINS OF MANY THAT HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THEIR FAILED OR FAILING CHAIN DRIVEN BALANCE ASSEMBLY, MANY BREAK APART COMPLETELY, AND CAUSE THE OIL PUMP TO QUIT TURNING AND THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP SUDDENLY. VW HAS COME UP WITH A FIX FOR THIS, TO RETROFIT A GEAR DRIVEN UNIT, BUT AS OF YET HAS NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED THIS VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT MORE TIMES THAN NOT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN THE 60 TO 80K MILE RANGE. THE COST TO REPAIR PROACTIVE IS ABOUT $2500, BUT IF THE ENGINE IS DAMAGED, THE COST IS ABOUT $9000. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SUDDENLY SEIZE WHILE UNDERWAY! CURRENTLY THERE IS NOT EVEN A WARNING OF ANY KIND FROM VW TO OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. IF NOT FOR AN INTERNET FORUM, FRED'S TDI CLUB.COM, I LIKE MANY OTHERS WHO STILL ARE, WOULD BE COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. *TR