2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

THE FAILURE IS WITH (1) THE BALANCE SHAFT OIL PUMP CHAIN DRIVE SYSTEM ON THE VW PASSAT 2.0 TDI DIESEL AUTOMOBILE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIME TO OTHER VW OWNERS AND PRESENT AN IMMINENT THREAT TO VEHICLE SAFETY SHOULD SUCH FAILURE OCCUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. (2) CERAMIC GLOW PLUGS FOR THE TDI DIESEL ENGINE HAVE A TENDENCY TO BREAK OFF AND CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO A RUNNING ENGINE. BOTH DEFECTS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY VWOA AS EVIDENCED BY UPGRADES MADE TO THEIR EUROPEAN CUSTOMERS. HOWEVER VWOA IS TOTALLY IGNORING THE AMERICAN CUSTOMERS AND RESULTING IN EXORBITANT REPAIR PRICES. VW CONTINUES TO VIOLATE EPA RULE BY NOT RELEASING ECU REFLASH DATA TO NON VW SERVICE FACILITIES, HERE AGAIN CAPITALIZING ON A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW. LET IT BE KNOW THAT ONLY THE SYMPTOMS OF THESE IMPENDING FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT THIS POINT IN TIME. JUDGING FROM REPORTS OF OTHERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED ALREADY THIS VEHICLE IS IN IMMANENT DANGER. *TR

THE BALANCE SHAFTS IN THIS ENGINE ARE DRIVEN BY A HEX SHAFT OFF THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS UNFORTUNATE DESIGN SUBJECTS THE CHAIN TO STRESSES IT CANNOT WITHSTAND. MY OWN PASSAT HAD THE OIL PUMP AND BALANCE SHAFT REPLACED 2/16/09 WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES. THANKFULLY, A GOOD MECHANIC DETECTED THE PROBLEM BEFORE I HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. A $3,500 REPAIR IS NEVER WELCOME, BUT IT WAS BETTER THAN REPLACING THE ENGINE LIKE THE VW DEALER RECOMMENDED. I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND INQUIRED AT SEVERAL VW DEALERSHIPS AND CHOSE THE MOST EXPERIENCED MAN TO DO THE JOB. RECENTLY, VOLKSWAGEN IN EUROPE RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND DESIGNED A REPAIR WHICH CHANGES THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP TO A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PERMANENT FIX TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN DEFECT. THE REPAIR IS QUITE EXPENSIVE. PARTS WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $1,400 AND LABOR WILL BE IN EXCESS OF $1,200 AT MOST SHOPS. I BELIEVE IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT ALL THE BHW ENGINES WILL FAIL UNLESS THE GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP MODIFICATION IS UNDERTAKEN. IT IS UNFAIR TO EXPECT OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED WITH A FLAWED DESIGN. THIS IS NOT A SMALL PROBLEM, AS THIS DESIGN FLAW WILL LEAD TO TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. MY WIFE NORMALLY DRIVES THE CAR AND SHE SHOULD NOT BE PUT THROUGH THIS. IF THE FAILURE OF THE CHAIN CAUSES ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, OR PASSING ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS CONDITION COULD EASILY CAUSE DANGER TO ALL CITIZENS NEARBY, POSSIBLY LEADING TO DEATH. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT STEPS VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA IS TAKING TO INFORM 2004 AND 2005 PASSAT TDI OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM. GOOD CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP WOULD RECOGNIZE A PROBLEM OF THIS SEVERITY AND SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO THE OWNERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THESE ENGINE FAILURES COULD LEAVE MOTORISTS STRANDED UNDER DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THEIR SAFETY IS AT RISK. *TR

ENGINE NOISE, RATTLE, OIL LIGHT. ENGINE (TURBO DIESEL // PASSAT) DOES NOT SEEM NORMAL AND MUCH NOISIER THAN USUAL. OTHER FIENDS WITH TDI'S HAVE HAD MAJOR CONCERNS WITH THEIR CARS (SAME CIRCUMSTANCES). *TR

LOUD NOISE IN THE LOWER HALF OF ENGINE PROMPTED EVALUATION BY MECHANIC. PROBLEM WAS FROM FAILURE OF CHAIN DRIVEN BALANCE MODULE. THIS FAILURE WAS DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN THAT VW HAS ADMITTED TO BY VIRTUE OF NO LONGER MANUFACTURING THIS UNIT AND REPLACING IT WITH A TOTALLY RE-ENGINEERED BALANCE SHAFT MODULE THAT IS GEAR DRIVEN. COMPLETE FAILURE OF THIS UNIT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE FATAL. VW REFUSES TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND ADMIT THEIR ERROR IN DESIGN TO THE PUBLIC, HOPING TO AVOID A COSTLY RECALL CAMPAIGN. IN THE MEANTIME VW OWNERS ARE HAVING TO PAY $2500 TO $3000 FOR THIS REPAIR. AT THE SAME TIME THIS IS A RECOGNIZED PROBLEM WITH THE SAME ENGINES IN EUROPE AND VW HAS RE-ENGINEERED THE PARTS FOR NORTH AMERICA FOR REPLACEMENT. VW NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DESIGN FAILURE AND THE AFFECTED ENGINES IN NORTH AMERICA NEED TO BE REPAIRED AT VW'S EXPENSE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

IMMINENT FAILURE OF MAJOR ENGINE COMPONENT DUE TO POOR VW DESIGN. THIS INVOLVES THE OIL PUMP DRIVE CHAIN MECHANISM THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH VWS NEW GEAR DRIVE VIA A RECALL. BROKEN CHAIN DRIVES ARE PILING UP YET VW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE POTENTIAL HARM AND DAMAGE THAT COULD OCCUR. VISIT HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=233651 FOR DETAILS. *TR

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2005 PASSAT TDI GLS WAGON WITH 58,000 MILES ON IT. I AM WRITING TO SEEK HELP IN GETTING VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO RECOGNIZE THERE IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE'S BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY. I AM A TDICLUB.COM FORUM MEMBER, WHICH HAS PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE CAREER MECHANICS WHO WORK ON TDIS SPECIFICALLY. THROUGH THEIR EXPERIENCE THEY NOTED THIS PROBLEM WILL SOONER OR LATER AFFECT THE SOME 20,000 2004-2005 PASSAT TDI'S WITH THE BHW ENGINE CODE. THE BALANCE SHAFTS IN THIS ENGINE ARE DRIVEN BY A HEX SHAFT OFF THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS UNFORTUNATE DESIGN SUBJECTS THE CHAIN TO STRESSES IT CANNOT WITHSTAND. ON VARIOUS VOLKSWAGEN (VW) FORUMS, ESPECIALLY TDICLUB.COM, THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CHAIN FAILURES BEING REPORTED. OF COURSE, WHEN THE CHAIN DRIVING THE OIL PUMP FAILS, THE ENGINE IS STARVED OF ESSENTIAL LUBRICATION. RECENTLY, VOLKSWAGEN IN EUROPE RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND DESIGNED A REPAIR WHICH CHANGES THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP TO A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PERMANENT FIX TO THE ORIGINAL DESIGN DEFECT. HERE IN THE STATES, YOU CAN NO LONGER ORDER THE ORIGINAL CHAIN PIECES AS A REPLACEMENT. THE REPAIR IS QUITE EXPENSIVE. PARTS WILL COST IN EXCESS OF $1,400 AND LABOR WILL BE IN EXCESS OF $1,500. I BELIEVE IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT ALL THE BHW ENGINES WILL FAIL UNLESS THE GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP/BALANCE SHAFT MODIFICATION IS UNDERTAKEN. OUR OWN PASSAT HAS BEEN GETTING A BIT LOUDER THIS PAST YEAR WHICH IS THE FIRST SIGN OF THIS IMMINENT FAILURE. IT IS UNFAIR TO EXPECT OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE PROBLEM ORIGINATED WITH A FLAWED DESIGN WHICH WILL LEAD TO TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THE FAILURE HAPPENS WHILE THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD. THE NHTSA CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO AMERICAN OWNERS. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA HAS TO RECOGNIZE AND INFORM THE PASSAT TDI OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM, AND HELP TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION TO THE SATISFACTION OF THEIR LOYAL OWNERS. *TR

I HAVE RECENTLY COME TO THE NEED OF HAVING TO REPLACE A CRITICAL PART OF THE ENGINE OIL SYSTEM IN MY 2005 PASSAT TDI. FOR VARIOUS REASONS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS AN INFERIOR DESIGN, THE BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY ON THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE (2004-2005 MODEL YEARS) WILL CAUSE OIL FLOW TO THE ENGINE TO CEASE, DISRUPTING SAFE TRAVEL OF THE CAR IMMEDIATELY, REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED OF TRAVEL. THIS FAILURE IS EXCEPTIONALLY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 70+ MPH. IF THIS FAILURE WERE TO OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE DRIVER WOULD NOTICE A SUDDEN DECELERATION AND A NEED TO MOVE TO THE SHOULDER ABRUPTLY. NOT ONLY WOULD THIS ENDANGER THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS OF SAID VEHICLE, BUT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROADWAY AS WELL. VOLKSWAGEN HAS YET TO ISSUE A STATEMENT, RECALL OR WARNING TO OWNERS OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE, NOR IS IT MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL AS PART OF A VEHICLE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. *TR

DESIGN FLAW OF 2004-2005 PASSAT TDI VEHICLES SOLD IN USA AND CANADA INVOLVING THE BALANCE SHAFT MODULE AND ITS CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP DESIGN. THE CHAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED TO FAIL WITH NO WARNING. VW HAS ISSUED NEW DESIGN TO REPLACE THE OLD BUT HAS NOT COMMENCED AND RECALL AS OF YET. *TR

2005 VW PASSAT TDI HAD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE LIKE MARBLES IN A BLENDER. THE CAR ALSO SHOOK VIOLENTLY. IT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME UNTIL IT WAS UNBEARABLE. THE NOISE AND VIBRATIONS WERE CONSTANT - WHENEVER THE CAR WAS RUNNING. I FINALLY TOOK THE CAR INTO THE SHOP AND IT TURNS OUT THE TIMING CHAIN THAT DRIVES THE OIL PUMP AND BALANCE MODULE WAS BAD. THE SHOP HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE OIL PUMP AND BALANCE MODULE DUE TO A REDESIGN FROM VW. THE NEW DESIGN IS NOW GEAR DRIVEN. THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE SHOP THAT DID THE REPLACEMENT. IT LOOKS LIKE VW DID UPGRADE THE PARTS BACK IN THE EARLY PART OF 2008 BUT THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED THEIR CUSTOMER BASE NOR HAVE THEY ISSUED ANY RECALL. IF THE CHAIN WERE TO BREAK THERE WOULD BE OIL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE CHAIN DRIVES THE OIL PUMP. THIS COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE AND ALSO LIFE THREATENING INJURIES IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. I'M VERY LUCKY THAT I REPAIRED MY CAR WHEN I DID. TOTAL COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS AROUND $2400.00. *TR

EVENTUAL FAILURE OF CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP AND BALANCE SHAFTS, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE, LEADING TO A POTENTIAL LIFE/SAFETY SITUATION IN THIS 2005 PASSAT TDI. THIS METHOD OF DRIVING THE OIL PUMP AND BALANCE SHAFTS IS A VOLKSWAGEN ACKNOWLEDGED ENGINEERING FLAW AS NOTED IN TECHNICAL PRODUCT INFORMATION BULLETIN 2016429/2. NOT WISHING TO REPLACE AN ENGINE THAT AS A RESULT OF SAID FAILURE, MIGHT POTENTIALLY PLACE MYSELF AND PASSENGERS IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION, I HAVE PROACTIVELY CHANGED OUT THE CHAIN-DRIVEN OIL PUMP/BALANCE SHAFT MODULE FOR A GEAR DRIVEN ASSEMBLY AT A COST TO MYSELF OF $3000. I BELIEVE VW NEEDS TO STEP UP AND ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS MODEL. *TR