NHTSA Complaint #10679682 — 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CHECK OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE MADE TERRIBLE SOUNDS. THE CAR WAS PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. HAD TO BE TOWED 60 MILES TO THE NEAREST TOWN (MISSOULA MT). THE ENGINE WAS SEIZED UP DUE TO A FAILED OIL PUMP. THE DEALERSHIP AND A LOCAL SHOP BOTH WERE FAMILIAR WITH THIS FAILURE MODE. A DEFECTIVE OIL PUMP BOLT CAME LOOSE, CASING THE PUMP TO FAIL AND DESTROYING THE ENGINE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT. AS A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT VW DOES NOT RECALL THIS AND FIX THE PROBLEM. IT IS FORTUNATE THAT NO INJURIES WERE INCURRED, BUT AN ELDERLY WOMAN WAS STRANDED ALONG THE HIGHWAY IN A REMOTE AREA. THE ENGINE IS A VR6 CODE BLV, A 6-CYLINDER 24 VALVE ENGINE. THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. *TR