Other Engine Info: 50-St./Can. LEV emission.
Emissions Certification Test Group: 1VWXV02.0227 / 1VWXV02.0223
Other Restraint System Info: Active Seat Belt
Plant City: Curitiba
Plant Country: Brazil
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GL
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL PAN ON MY 2000 VW GOLF IS MADE OF CAST ALUMINUM OR MAGNESIUM, VERY BRITTLE. BY DESIGN, THE CAR HAS MINIMAL GROUND CLEARANCE. A HOLE WAS PUNCHED IN THE OIL PAN BY CONTACT WITH THE ROADWAY ON PASSING OVER A SMALL BUMP. LED TO DISCHARGE OF ALL ENGINE OIL ONTO THE ROADWAY, POSING A HAZARD FOR OTHER MOTORISTS. WHILE VISITING THE VW SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR, I HAVE HEARD THE SERVICE MANAGER DEALING WITH OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. BELIEVE NHTSA SHOULD QUERY VW ABOUT RATE OF OIL PAN DAMAGE ON CARS WITH CAST ALUMINUM OIL PANS, AND IF STATISTICS WARRANT, REQUIRE VW MAKE AVAILABLE STURDIER OIL PANS, PERHAPS OF STEEL. I HAVE INSTALLED A STEEL SKIDPLATE ON MY VW (COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE, WHICH TELLS YOU SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT THE MARKETPLACE FEELS ABOUT THE ISSUE OF VW OIL PAN TOUGHNESS) TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. I AM CONVINCED IT HAS SAVED MY ENGINE MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS IN NORMAL DRIVING ON PAVED ROADS. *JB
2001
SEAT BELTS:REAR
REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT LATCH BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK