NHTSA Complaint #10263256 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I OWN A 2004 VW PASSAT TDI (DIESEL) WITH 64, 500 MILES ON IT. I DID NOT HAVE A FAILURE BUT I WAS SO CONCERNED ABOUT IT, THAT I HAD IT PRE- FIXED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BALANCE SHAFTS IN THIS ENGINE ARE DRIVEN BY A CHAIN OFF THE MOTOR WHICH ALSO DRIVES THE OLL PUMP. THIS UNFORTUNATE DESIGN SUBJECTS THE CHAIN TO STRESSES IT CAN'T WITHSTAND. ON VARIOUS TDI FORUMS, ESPECIALLY TDICLUB.COM, THERE HAVE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CHAIN FAILURES REPORTED. WHEN THE CHAIN DRIVING THE OIL PUMP FAILS,THE ENGINE IS STARVED OF ESSENTIAL LUBRICATION AND IF IT FAILS IT CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE AND THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE UP WHICH WOULD BE LIFE-THREATENING. RECENTLY, VW 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. SINCE, UNLIKE VW OF AMERICA, I AM UNWILLING TO PUT MY AND MY CHILD'S LIFE AT RISK, I RECENTLY PAID ALMOST $3000 TO HAVE THE BALANCE SHAFT MODULE REPLACED WITH THE GEAR DRIVEN ONE. MOST OF THE PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM ARE EXPERIENCING IT AFTER THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND VW DONE NOTHING TO NOTIFY THE NEARLY 12, 000 OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. MOST OF THE PEOPLE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES HAVE NO IDEA THAT THEIR CAR IS A POTENTIAL TIME BOMB. IT IS NOT A MATTER OF IF, BUT WHEN, BECAUSE OF THE POOR DESIGN, THEY ALL WILL FAIL. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE; THERE HAS BEEN A SHORTAGE AND PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO WAIT SEVERAL WEEKS JUST FOR THE PARTS TO COME IN. IF THE PART FAILS AND DESTROYS THE ENGINE, THE COST FOR THAT REPAIR IS $8-10,000. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY VW OF AMERICA AND WE NEED YOUR HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE MODULE AND CHAIN DRIVE HAD NOT FAILED, BUT THEY WERE SHOWING SIGNS OF FATIGUE. UPDATED 04/15/09. *JB