NHTSA Complaint #11053440 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 29, 2017 I FOUND THAT MY 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAS 73,530 MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2013. I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND PARKED IT IN MY GARAGE THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 28 WITH NO ISSUES OR INDICATIONS THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. THERE WERE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO BETTEN IMPORTS IN GRAND RAPIDS, MI FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN, KEVIN, FOUND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD JUMPED TIME DUE TO A FAILED TENSIONER WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE NOT ONLY TO THE TIMING CHAIN BUT ALSO THE HEAD. THE ESTIMATED COST OF THIS REPAIR IS $3700. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN CARE AND SPOKE WITH PAUL ON THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 4, 2017. HE INFORMED ME THAT SINCE I DID NOT PURCHASE THE VEHICLE FROM AN AUTHORIZED VOLKSWAGEN DEALER, VOLKSWAGEN WOULD NOT OFFER TO COVER ANY OF THE REPAIR EXPENSES EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF AN ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AND HAVE ACTUALLY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE PROBLEM. AT NO POINT DURING MY MAINTENANCE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP DID THEY EVER INFORM ME OF THE ISSUE OR POSSIBILITY OF PART FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR A NEW TIMING CHAIN WHICH IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ON DECEMBER 18, 2018.