NHTSA Complaint #10429989 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

LOST MOST OF POWER WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. DROVE VEHICLE (2006 PASSAT 3.6L) TO VW DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED A "TIMING CHAIN ISSUE". VW DEALER CLAIMED THEY WOULD FIX ENGINE FOR $5000, USED REPLACEMENT FOR $8000, OR NEW ENGINE FOR $10,500... AFTER HEARING THAT GOOD NEWS, TOWED VEHICLE TO LOCAL VW PRO WHO ALSO DIAGNOSED "TIMING CHAIN ISSUE", AND WAS GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD TO FIX. PROBLEM ISOLATED TO INTERMEDIATE SHAFT BOLT, WHICH HAD BACKED OUT, ALLOWING TIMING SPROCKETS TO WANDER. BOLT ITSELF IS NEARLY SHEARED IN HALF - GOOD THING WE STOPPED WHEN WE DID. BOLT WAS ALSO RUBBING ON TIMING CHAIN COVER, AND WOULD HAVE LIKELY BROKE OR GROUND THRU TIMING CHAIN COVER. THIS PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BY MY LOCAL VW GUY FOR $3300, WHICH INCLUDED ALL OEM PARTS, NEW WATER PUMP, PLUS PLUGS. IMHO, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR OWNERS WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. MINIMAL RESEARCH ON THE WEB INDICATES I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE. THE LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WAS ALARMING ENOUGH WITHOUT THINKING OF WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE BOLT BROKE, OR WORN THRU THE TIMING COVER. FROM A MECHANICAL PERSPECTIVE, I'M EXTREMELY DISMAYED AT HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. I HAVE ABOUT 30 YEARS OF MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CAR ENGINES - MOSTLY WITH 60'S AND 70'S ERA VEHICLES. MY EXPERIENCE WOULD HOLD SUSPICION THAT A BOLT BACKING OUT OF THE TIMING SPROCKET WOULD BE THE FAULT OF THE MECHANIC WHO INSTALLED IT, EITHER BY APPLYING THE INCORRECT TORQUE, OIL UNDER THE BOLT, OR NOT APPLYING LOC-TITE TO THREADS. *TR