NHTSA Complaint #10273743 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

VEHICLE: 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS SEDAN WITH 2.0 TDI MOTOR PROBLEM: CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP HAS SERIOUS VIBRATION. IT IS NOT ON VOLKSWAGEN'S SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE LIST OR THINGS TO CHECK DURING PREVENTABLE MAINTENANCE. THE CAST METAL CHAIN TENSIONER CRACKS AND FAILS, CAUSING LOSS OF TENSION ON THE OIL PUMP DRIVE SPROCKETS WHICH LEADS TO : 1. WEAR ON DRIVE SPROCKETS. 2. CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP. 3. COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITHOUT WARNING AT ANY SPEED IN ANY TRAFFIC CONDITION. I DO NOT KNOW THE COMPLETE FAILURE RATE FOR THIS EQUIPMENT, BUT I DO KNOW THIS SETUP WAS SOLD ON APPROXIMATELY 20,000 2.0L TURBO DIESEL MOTORS, STAMPED BHW. THIS SETUP WAS ONLY SOLD IN NORTH AMERICA AND OTHER SIMILAR MOTORS IN EUROPEAN MARKETS HAVE A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP THAT DO NOT SHOW THE FAILURE RATE BEING SEEN IN THE N.A. MARKET. VOLKSWAGEN IN NORTH AMERICA HAS DISCONTINUED MAKING THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP, REPLACING IT WITH THE GEAR DRIVEN PUMP ORIGINALLY AVAILABLE ONLY IN FOREIGN MARKETS. VOLKSWAGEN CONTINUES TO STAND BY THAT THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH CHAIN DRIVEN PUMP, YET THERE A NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF FAILING TENSIONERS, CHAINS, SPROCKETS AND BALANCE SHAFTS (HEX SHAFT HOLDING THE DRIVEN SPROCKETS) DUE TO LOSS OF TENSION AND POOR DESIGN. EVERY CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP ON THE BHW MOTOR WILL FAIL. MILEAGE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A DETERMINATION ON WHEN THIS WILL FAIL AS REPORTS OF WEAR AND FAILURE FROM 45,000 TO 180,000 MILES ARE BEING REPORTED ON INTERNET VOLKSWAGEN DIESEL FORUMS. FOR PHOTOS OF FAILED PARTS, SEE: SEE POST #743: HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=233651&PAGE=50 NOTE: THIS COMPLAINT DOES NOT REFER TO THE TIMING BELT ASSEMBLY OR TIMING BELT. IT REFERS SOLELY TO THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP AND BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY ON THE BHW TYPE TURBO DIESEL MOTOR. *TR