Other Engine Info: BIN 5 emission. Emissions Certification Test Group: DADXJ02.03UA
Other Restraint System Info:
Plant City: Wolfsburg
Plant Country: Germany
Seat Belts All: Manual
TPMS: Indirect
Transmission Style: Automatic
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2006
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
ON APRIL 4, 2009 I DISCOVERED THAT MY FUEL PUMP, CAM FOLLOWER AND INTAKE CAM LOBE HAVE PREMATURELY WORN AS DESCRIBED IN A JUNE 2007 VW TSB #15 07 04. THE CAM FOLLOWER CAP WORE THROUGH, CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP PLUNGER TIP TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE CAM LOBE, WEARING ALL THREE PARTS TO THE POINT THAT THEY MUST BE REPLACED, AS PER THE TSB, EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS MAINTAINED AT THE DEALER DURING WARRANTY PERIOD PURSUANT TO VW SPECIFICATIONS, AND IN EXCESS OF THE INTERVALS CALLED FOR IN THE MAINTENANCE BOOKLET THAT CAME WITH THE CAR SINCE THE WARRANTY PERIOD EXPIRED. BECAUSE MY CAR NEVER DISPLAYED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE CAM WEAR WAS NEVER CHECKED BY THE SERVICING DEALER SINCE THEY ARE INSTRUCTED IN THE TSB NOT TO PROCEED IN THE ABSENCE OF A WARNING INDICATOR, AND BY THE TIME THE ISSUE WAS FOUND, VW DENIED WARRANTY CLAIMS DUE TO MILEAGE ON THE CAR (80,100 +/- AT THE TIME OF DISCOVERY). IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT THE PARTS WILL CONTINUE TO WEAR TO THE POINT THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND/OR CAM SHAFT MAY FAIL DURING HIGHWAY OPERATION, POSSIBLY CAUSING A COLLISION OR THE RELEASE OF FUEL INTO THE ENGINE BAY THEREBY CAUSING A RISK OF FIRE. THE VW MAINTENANCE BOOKLET MAKES NO MENTION OF THE NECESSITY OF REPLACING OR EVEN CHECKING THESE PARTS FOR WEAR THROUGH 100,000 MILES, AND IF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, THE OWNER MAY HAVE NO WARNING OF AN IMPENDING FAILURE OF THE PARTS. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED ONE CAM FOLLOWER, AND HAVE THE ORIGINAL DAMAGED PART. AN UNSCIENTIFIC REVIEW OF VW OWNER WEBSITES INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE, AND IN SOME INSTANCES HAS OCCURRED IN AS FEW AS 25,000 MILES. I HAVE CONTACTED VW DIRECTLY, AND WHILE THEY HAVE NOT DISPUTED THE FACT THAT THE PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE, THEY REFUSE TO OFFER ANY REPAIR ASSISTANCE. *TR
2013
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TOOK CAR FOR FIRST DRIVE. AFTER TRAVELING 145 MILES INTO THIS TRIP WHEN TROUBLE STARTED. AMBIENT TEMP WAS 101F. DRIVE TIME WAS JUST OVER 2.5 HOURS. GAS TANK WAS SLIGHTLY OVER HALF EMPTY. CAR STALLED TAKING OFF FROM STOP. ENGINE RUNNING BUT CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. ENGINE THEN STOPPED. CRANKED OVER (STARTED) AND WENT ABOUT 2 BLOCKS. CAR STALLED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET STARTED AGAIN. HAD TO CRANK IT 3-4 TIMES. STARTED THEN STALLED. ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON. EVENTUALLY STARTED. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 55MPH ENGINE TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. I POINTED CAR TO THE SHOULDER AND BRAKED TO A STOP. TWO MORE STOP LIGHT INCIDENTS WHERE CAR STALLED AND QUIT RUNNING AT AND IN INTERSECTIONS. PULLED OVER AND CALLED DEALER. TALKED TO SERVICE CONSULTANT. DISCUSSED OPTIONS. ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME. EVEN THOUGH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED, SERVICE CONSULTANT STATED THAT SINCE THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS STEADY AMBER IT SHOULD BE OK TO DRIVE IF I WAS COMFORTABLE DOING IT. I DETERMINED MY BEST OPTION WAS TO DRIVE IT BACK TO TUCSON. WAITING FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ON HWY 191 BETWEEN SAFFORD AND WILLCOX IN 100F+ SUNSHINE WOULD HAVE BEEN UNACCEPTABLE, IF NOT MORE DANGEROUS THAN DRIVING THE CAR - BECAUSE OF THE REMOTE LOCATION AND THE EXTREME HEAT. MADE IT BACK TO TUCSON. DROVE STRAIGHT TO SERVICE AND DROPPED THE CAR OFF. TOTAL MILEAGE ON CAR 353 MILES. NOTE THAT I HAD NOT ADDED ANY GAS TO THE VEHICLE, AND WAS STILL USING THE GAS PROVIDED BY DEALER UPON DELIVERY. (I MENTION THIS BECAUSE A TECH ASKED IF DIESEL FUEL WAS PUT IN THE TANK INSTEAD OF GAS. NO!) DEALER SERVICE CONFIRMED FUEL PUMP NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND REPLICATED PROBLEM. NOTED FUEL PUMP EXTREMELY HOT AND DISCOVERED ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL DAMAGE TO FUEL CONTROL MODULE WITH STRONG POTENTIAL FOR FIRE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *TR