NHTSA Complaint #10428667 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING/RATTLING NOISE THAT MADE THE ENGINE SOUND LIKE IT WAS A DIESEL. THE ENGINE IN THIS CAR IS A 3.6 V6 GASOLINE ENGINE. I BROUGHT IT INTO MY MECHANIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND HE ADVISED AGAINST DRIVING IT ANY MORE AS IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TIMING CHAIN WAS LOOSE. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO GET AT THE NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD HE FOUND OUT HE HAD TO GET UNDER THE COVER ON THE BACK OF THE ENGINE TO GET TO THE LOWER CHAIN. THIS WOULD REQUIRE REMOVAL OF THE TRANSMISSION IN THE FRONT SINCE THE CAR IS A 4MOTION AWD. AT THAT POINT I HAD TO PUT $2000 DOWN BECAUSE OF THE LABOR TO TAKE EVERYTHING APART. I'VE SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE, DUE TO AN OIL PUMP BOLT THAT FAILS. THERE ARE LINKS TO THESE FAILURES HERE: HTTP://WWW.PASSATWORLD.COM/FORUMS/74-CLUB-B6/327507-3-6-OIL-BOLT-FAILURE-REFERENCE-MATERIAL.HTML I CALLED VW CUSTOMER CARE AND THE PERSON ON THE PHONE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT SAID THEY RECOMMENDED THE TIMING CHAIN BE REPLACED AT 100,000 MILES. WITH MY SERVICE BILL CURRENTLY UPWARDS OF $2,000 WITH JUST THE LABOR TO GET TO THAT CHAIN, I DON'T THINK ITS RIGHT THAT IT SHOULD COST THAT MUCH FOR A 100,000 MILE MAINTENANCE ITEM. *TR