NHTSA Complaint #10638209 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

OUR PASSAT IS THE TDI (DIESEL) MODEL. WE PURCHASED IT USED AND AT AROUND 185,000-190,000 (LOW MILES BY DIESEL ENGINE STANDARDS), THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE BEING DRIVEN. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. DIAGNOSTICS REVEALED THAT THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP ASSEMBLY HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE CHAIN BROKE AND GOT ALL UP IN THE ENGINE AND OIL WAS NO LONGER BEING PUMPED INTO THE ENGINE SO THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED REQUIRING A COMPLETE ENGINE REPAIR. ABOUT 16,000 MILES LATER, I WAS DRIVING AND THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED. DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE. VOLKSWAGEN HAS ISSUED AN INTERNAL TECHNICAL BULLETIN TELLING THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE FIX IS CHANGING OUT THE CHAIN DRIVEN ASSEMBLY WITH A GEAR DRIVEN ONE. THEY ALSO NEVER MADE ANOTHER MODEL WITH A CHAIN DRIVEN ASSEMBLY AFTER THAT MODEL YEAR. SO THEY BASICALLY ADMITTED THAT THIS IS A FAULTY SYSTEM YET WON'T ISSUE A RECALL. CHANGING OUT THE ASSEMBLY IS $1500 FOR THE PART ALONE AND IF YOU'RE CHANGING OUT THAT PART, THE CHANCES ARE GOOD IT'S BECAUSE IT FAILED AND YOU NOW HAVE A DESTROYED ENGINE AS WELL WHICH IS A SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLAR JOB EVEN FOR A USED ENGINE. THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL WHEN IT'S GOING TO FAIL AND IT'S NOT PART OF ANY MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. VOLKSWAGEN HAS TOLD ME THAT IT'S NOT A COMMON ENOUGH PROBLEM TO ISSUE A RECALL AND YET IT'S A COMMON ENOUGH PROBLEM TO HAVE TO ISSUE A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ABOUT IT. I FIND IT ABOMINABLE THAT THEY KNOW THIS HAS AND IS HAPPENING WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THEY ARE NOT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT. EVEN IF THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED, THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THEY ARE DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB. SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED IF THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN ON THEM WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY. NO POWER STEERING. NO BRAKES. IT'S COMPLETELY UNETHICAL. *TR