NHTSA Complaint #10350155 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

"OIL SLUDGE" RELATED REPAIRS ON '98-04 MODEL YEAR VW PASSAT EQUIPPED WITH 1.8L TURBO ENGINES. WAS NOT NOTIFIED UNTIL ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON MARCH 2010. LETTER FROM VW OF AMERICA DID NOT PRESCRIBE 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE, BUT WHEN CONTACTED, SAID IN ORDER FOR "EXTENDED WARRANTY TO BE ENFORCED" VEHICLE MUST HAVE 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE. LETTER FROM VW SUBSEQUENTLY FAXED OVER ON 3/22/10 DOES NOT STATE RULES REGULATING OIL CHANGE OR SUBSEQUENT LIMITATIONS ON "EXTENDED WARRANTY". MY 04 VW PASSAT WITH 35K MILES HAD TO HAVE A NEW ENGINE, AND HAD I SEEN THE AUGUST '04 LETTER PRIOR TO 03/10 WOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF CAR AS SOON AS I READ LETTER. THE ENGINE IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE, AND VW HAS AN OBLIGATION TO INFORM ALL VW OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO INFORM THEM OF THIS DEFORMITY. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2004 AND NEVER SAW A COPY OF THIS LETTER UNTIL MY ENGINE FAILED. THE LETTER STATES 5000 MILE OIL CHANGE INTERVALS, BUT WHEN I PRESENTED PROOF TO GUNTHER VW OF COCONUT CREEK FLORIDA, THAT MY CAR WAS IN COMPLIANCE, THEY STATED THAT IT HAD TO BE 3000 MILE INTERVALS. THERE ARE OVER 197000 WEBSITES, AND BLOGS DEALING WITH THE VW 1.8 TURBO, BUT NO ONE HAS ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM, AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BUY THESE CARS OFF USED CAR LOTS, UNAWARE THAT THEY ARE BUYING A CAR WITH LIMITED EXPECTATIONS, AND POSSIBLE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT [XXX]. SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS SAVING SOMEONE'S LIFE BEFORE THIS CAR'S ENGINE FAILURE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. YOU HAVE OFFICIALLY BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE DANGERS OF THIS ENGINE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR