NHTSA Complaint #11031892 — 2009 VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE AND CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. VW QUOTED ME MORE THAN $8,000 TO FIX AND VW AMERICA ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY. THIS CAR WAS IMPECCABLY MAINTAINED AND REPLACING/SERVICING THE TIMING CHAIN IS NOT ON THEIR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 121,000 MILES AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE MECHANIC, AS WE ALREADY HAD AN OIL CHANGED SCHEDULED. WHEN THE MECHANIC WENT TO START THE CAR TO REPLACE THE CAM SENSOR (WHAT THE COMPUTER/ENGINE INDICATED WAS THE PROBLEM), THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I THEN HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL VW DEALER, WHERE THEY TRIED TO GET ME TO BUY A NEW CAR. WHEN I CALLED VW AMERICA, THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE TENSIONER HAS A FAULTY DESIGN AND ONLY SAY THAT THEY CANNOT HELP WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIR SINCE THE CAR IS OUTSIDE ITS WARRANTY.