NHTSA Complaint #11231962 — 2015 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

WHILE DRIVING, THE CEL CAME ON. WE HAD THE CAR SCANNED FOR CODES. RESEARCHING THE CODES, WE BELIEVED THE ISSUE TO BE CRANK WALK. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL SHOP WHO CONFIRMED THAT THRUST WASHERS HAD DISLODGED AND BEGUN DETERIORATING. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AS THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN WITHOUT CAUSING SIGNIFICANT FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. MOST COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ($3500 + LABOR). WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH VW AND PRESENTED THEM WITH 17 OTHER CASES OF THE SAME FAILURE SINCE 1/1/2019, BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO WORK WITH US SINCE WE DID NOT GO TO A VW DEALERSHIP. THE VW DEALERSHIP LABOR RATE IS ~50% MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OUR SHOP WHICH IS EQUALLY AS QUALIFIED TO IDENTIFY AN ISSUE SUCH AS THIS. VW EXECUTIVE GROUP ADVISED ME THAT IF WE TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, THERE WOULD BE POTENTIAL FOR GOOD FAITH ASSISTANCE BUT NOTHING IS GUARANTEED. THAT WOULD REQUIRE US BEING PREPARED TO TAKE ON UPWARDS OF $1000 ADDITIONAL EXPENSE FOR THE SAME REPAIR PROCESS. THIS EXPECTATION IS UNREASONABLE AND THIS TYPE OF FAILURE, WITH THE FREQUENCY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE INDICATES A SERIOUS ENGINEERING FLAW THAT IS COSTING OWNERS EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR REPAIR ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED.