NHTSA Complaint #10292671 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

DURING TRIP IN 2008 THE "LOW OIL PRESSURE" LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 PASSAT 1.8T (W/ AUTO TRANSMISSION) ON THE FREEWAY- I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF THE CAR AS THE WARNING LIGHT ADVISED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP & I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW OIL PUMP DUE TO OIL SLUDGE ($1300). THE CAR HAD APPROX. 120K MILES ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP DID TELL ME ABOUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 02 PASSATS FOR OIL SLUDGE-RELATED REPAIRS, HOWEVER, VOLKSWAGEN WOULDN'T HONOR THIS WARRANTY WITHOUT RECEIPTS FOR EVERY OIL CHANGE DONE ON THE CAR - WHICH I DID NOT HAVE. APPROX. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING.THIS IS ALL DUE TO OIL SLUDGE ISSUES. I HAD ABOUT 90% OF ALL OF MY OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS AND VW WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. AS AND ENGINEER IN KNOW THAT THE 1.8T ENGINE WAS NOT DESIGNED CORRECTLYBECAUSE IF IT WERE, VW WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED THE SIZE OF THE ORIGINAL OIL FILTER TO A LARGER ONE AND THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO USE SYNTHETIC OIL. *TR