NHTSA Complaint #10299097 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

MY 2003 VW PASSAT 1.8T HAS THE WELL DOCUMENTED SLUDGE ISSUE THAT THOUSANDS OF VW/AUDI OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING. INITIALLY I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED B/C A GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE SPARK PLUGS, AND MY ENGINE COIL PACK WAS BAD. I PAID $700 TO REPAIR AND REPLACE THE PARTS. 80 MILES AFTER LEAVING THE MECHANIC SHOP, THE OIL LIGHT AND STOP ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. TOWED THE CAR AGAIN; NO OIL PRESSURE. COLLECTED ALL OF MY MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND TOOK THEM TO VW TO GET APPROVAL OF THE WARRANTY ISSUE BEFORE LETTING THEM "CONFIRM" ENGINE SLUDGE ($500 DIAGNOSIS FEE FOR DROPPING THE OIL PAN). IF THE ISSUE IS ENGINE SLUDGE, THE ENGINE IS A LOST CAUSE BECAUSE THE LOW OIL PRESSURE STARVED THE ENGINE HEAD FOR OIL. THE VW DEALERSHIP IS WAITING FOR MY MONEY BEFORE THEY'LL DIAGNOSE THE ENGINE SLUDGE- WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THE ENGINE HEAD WITH YOUR EYES. VWOA HAS ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, UNLIMITED MILEAGE, 8 YEARS FROM SALE DATE, TO OWNERS WITH ALL OF THEIR OIL CHANGE/MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS. YET, DESPITE THE "EFFORT" BY VW, THEY DENY ALL THE CLAIMS I'VE RESEARCHED- SAYING EVERYONE WAS IRRESPONSIBLE WITH THEIR MAINTENANCE- NO ONE TOOK CARE OF THEIR ENGINE. LOOPHOLES LEFT AND RIGHT TO BLAME THE CONSUMER, WHILE WE SIT POWERLESS TO GET OUR CARS BACK ON THE ROAD. YET, THIS ISSUE LEAVES ME WITH NO CAR. ALL OF US "SLUDGE" OWNERS ARE LEFT WITH CARS DEAD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND VW TURNING THEIR HEADS THE OTHER WAY. *TR