NHTSA Complaint #10368277 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WE OWN A 2002 VW PASSAT WAGON AND ARE SO HAPPY WITH IT WE BOUGHT ANOTHER ONE WITH LOWER MILEAGE. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE SECOND VW THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THE FIRST VEHICLE. OUR MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION COIL PACK - $600 TO REPLACE. CAR HAD OVER 120,000 MILES SO WE WEREN'T UNDULY ALARMED, AND PAID IT. THREE WEEKS LATER ENGINE WARNING CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT GARAGE - ONE THAT USED TO BE THE LOCAL VW DEALER - AND THEY SAID THE IGNITION COIL WAS BAD AGAIN. WE ASSUMED THE REPLACEMENT PART HAD TURNED OUT TO BE BAD SO PAID ANOTHER $600 TO HAVE IT FIXED. TOOK THE OLD PART BACK TO THE ORIGINAL GARAGE BUT THE MECHANIC DID NOTHING ABOUT IT. 'CHALKED IT UP TO EXPERIENCE. THREE MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THE SECOND VW. TOOK IT TO THE SECOND MECHANIC AND HE SAID - VOILA! - IGNITION COIL BAD AGAIN! PAID ANOTHER $600 TO GET IT REPLACED, AND THEN WENT HOME TO RESEARCH IT ONLINE. WAS STUNNED TO SEE ALL THE PROBLEMS LISTED ABOUT THE IGNITION COIL PACK. CALLED VW AND ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TWO OF THE THREE IGNITION PACKS BUT WAS TOLD OUR VWS WERE NOT LISTED IN THE CORRECTION BULLETINS. THEY ALSO DENIED THERE WAS A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THEIR OWN PR DEPARTMENT HAD SENT OUT A PRESS RELEASE SAYING ALL 2002 V6 PASSATS HAD BEEN RECALLED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED VW SEVERAL TIMES AND FOUND THEIR 'CUSTOMER ADVOCATES' TO BE VERY COURTEOUS AND POLITE BUT ABSOLUTELY STONEWALLING ANY REIMBURSEMENT. WHEN PRESSED WAS FINALLY TOLD I NEEDED THE OLD IGNITION PACKS, THE REPAIR BILLS (ORIGINAL ONLY, NO COPIES) AND COULD SEND ALL TO THEM AND THEY WOULD CONSIDER IT BUT WOULD PROBABLY NOT MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT! *TR