NHTSA Complaint #11118433 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN CC

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE UPHILL WHEN I HEARD A STRANGE NOISE COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I MANAGED TO PULL INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND PARK AND DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT. A FEW HOURS LATER WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE ENGINE WOULD CRANK VERY LOUDLY BUT WOULD NEVER TURN OVER. I ASSUMED IT MIGHT BE THE OIL SO I CHANGED IT, FILLED IT WITH GAS SINCE IT WAS A BIT ON THE LOW SIDE, AND FINALLY HAD A NEIGHBOR CHARGE THE BATTERY WITH THEIRS IN CASE IT MIGHT BE THE BATTERY. FROM FEAR THAT I MIGHT FURTHER DAMAGE THE ENGINE I WAITED A WHILE BEFORE TRYING AGAIN. WHEN I DID NOTHING HAD CHANGED. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CALL A MECHANIC AND AFTER HIM HAVING NOT A CLUE WHAT MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM I RESORTED TO HAVING THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 2 HOURS AWAY IN SANTA MONICA, CA. ONE DAY LATER, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE VW DEALERSHIP INFORMING ME THAT MY TIMING CHAIN HAD UNEXPECTEDLY BROKEN AND FURTHER DAMAGED A FEW VALVES/PISTONS/ETC. WHEN I ASKED HOW IT MIGHT'VE HAPPENED THEY DID NOT HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ME BUT INSTEAD TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME UPWARDS OF $5,000 TO EVEN BEGIN REPARATIONS. AFTER A BIT OF MY OWN RESEARCH ONLINE I DISCOVERED THAT TIMING CHAINS SHOULD USUALLY LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR AND NEVER BREAK THAT SOON. I ALSO READ THAT VW HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT KNOWN TO HAVE FAULTY TIMING CHAINS AND THAT MY BEST BET WAS TO FILE SOME SORT OF COMPLAINT. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF HAVING TO GET THE TIMING CHAIN CHECKED NOR WAS I WAS THAT SUCH AN INCIDENT COULD OCCUR. AS A WAY OF HOPEFULLY NOT HAVING TO SPEND NEARLY WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH FOR A DAMAGE NOT INCURRED BY MYSELF I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT.