NHTSA Complaint #10743484 — 2008 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY 08 GTI WITH THE FSI MOTOR, I WAS SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR COMMON ISSUES TO WATCH OUT FOR. THE CAM FOLLOWER WHICH SITS BETWEEN THE CAMSHAFT AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS SEEN MULTIPLE TIMES ONLINE AS AN ISSUE DUE TO WEARING THROUGH ALLOWING THE CAM SHAFT TO INTERACT WITH THE PUMP. I ASKED A VW DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT EARLIER MODELS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT 2008 WAS NOT DUE TO THE PROBLEM BEING FIXED BY THE FACTORY FOR THIS YEAR. I DECIDED TO CHECK ANYWAY AND FOUND THAT THE FOLLOWER WAS COMPLETELY WORN THROUGH ALLOWING THE CAM SHAFT TO INTERACT WITH THE PUMP. THIS WAS AT 56K MILES. WHEN I RETURNED TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS SHOWS THAT THE PROBLEM WASN'T SOLVED, AND WHILE EARLIER MODELS ARE COVERED FOR THEIR DAMAGE IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG DUE TO METAL SHAVINGS IN MY ENGINE, OR OTHER ISSUES I'LL BE FORCED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. I AM NOW REPLACING THE FOLLOWER MYSELF EVERY 15K JUST TO BE SURE, BUT THE FACT THAT ONE YEAR ISN'T COVERED IS NOT RIGHT. SINCE THE ISSUE PERSISTS THEY SHOULD COVER IT.