NHTSA Complaint #11019005 — 2009 VOLKSWAGEN EOS

THIS AFFECTS TIGUANS, JETTAS, EOS, AND OTHER VWS WITH 2.0TSI ENGINES MANUFACTURED PRE 2013. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS HAVE A DESIGN FLAW AND ARE PRONE TO FAILURE AT UNACCEPTABLY LOW MILEAGES. THESE WERE REPLACED WITH A NEW DESIGN TO CORRECT THIS FLAW BEGINNING IN SOME 2012 MODELS. HOWEVER, VW HAS NEVER FORMALLY RECALLED THESE OR ACKNOWLEDGED THE DESIGN FLAW. IF/WHEN IT FAILS, IT CAN RUIN THE ENGINE OFTEN CAUSING OVER $5K IN DAMAGES. THE WORKSHOP CONFIRMED I HAD THE OLD STYLE AND REPLACED MINE AT THE COST OF $873.68. THIS IS A WIDELY SPREAD, WIDELY DOCUMENTED PROBLEM THAT VW IS ONLY TREATING WHEN IT CAUSES ENGINE FAILURES. WHILE THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM MOST OWNERS ARE IN THE DARK ABOUT IT, 'TAKING IT ON THE CHIN' AND SHELLING OUT MONEY PRESUMING IT'S JUST A NORMAL ERROR AND NOT KNOWING IT'S A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CAR. FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 85K MILES, I JUST PAID OVER $2K TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REDONE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING 1,800 IN REPAIRS FOR BROKEN SENSORS. WHILE I UNDERSTAND CERTAIN ITEMS WILL BRAKE OR REQUIRE REPAIR ON ANY CAR, THE TENSIONER DESIGN FLAW WITH THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS UNACCEPTABLY EGREGIOUS.