NHTSA Complaint #10515491 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, I HEARD A RATTLE FROM THE ENGINE, FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF SOMETHING RATTLING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THEN FALLING OUT. THE ENGINE DIED IMMEDIATELY AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER. AFTER THE DEALER INSPECTED THE CAR THEY FOUND THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS FAULTY AND IT CAUSED THE WATER PUMP PULLEY TO COME OFF AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER HEAD, VALVES, COVER, WATER PUMP, AND TIMING BELT, IN ADDITION TO THE WATER PUMP PULLEY FALLING OFF. THE DEALER THEN TOLD ME THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND THAT THEY HAD MADE THE SAME REPAIR TO SEVERAL OTHER MODELS IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY ADVISED THERE WAS AN UPDATED WATER PUMP PART THAT HAD COMPONENTS MADE OF METAL RATHER THAN PLASTIC TO WITHSTAND THE ENGINE HEAT, WHICH WAS WHAT CAUSED MY WATER PUMP TO FAIL. ADDITIONALLY, MY VEHICLE WAS IN FOR A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE APPOINTMENT DAYS EARLIER AND THE DEALER NEGLECTED TO CHECK THE WATER PUMP OR ADVISE ME THAT IT MIGHT BE FAULTY, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW AND ADMITTED LATER TO IT BEING A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. *TR