2002 Volkswagen Golf Engine Problems

VEHICLE JERKS HEAVILY AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND REMAIN ON. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF WITH A TDI ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO POP THE CLUTCH AND KILL THE IGNITION, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNTIL THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL. THE CONTACTS MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE TURBO CHARGER SEALS WERE NOT LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000. *TR

HIGHWAY ON RAMP ENGINE REVVED UNCONTROLLABLY UNTIL FAILURE NEW ENGINE NEEDED. *TR

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, MY WIFE AND I OWN A WHITE, 2002, VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. MY WIFE HAS HAD THE OIL CHANGED ON THE VEHICLE AT A JIFFY LUBE IN NAPA, CA. SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY SHE NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. MY WIFE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC IN CLEARLAKE, CA. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE OIL FILTER WAS LOOSE AND SUBSEQUENTLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LEAK OIL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE MECHANIC IN CLEARLAKE. UPON RAISING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC LOCATED THE OIL DRAIN PLUG. THE DRAIN PLUG WAS LOOSE. THE DRAIN PLUG WAS REMOVED AND DETERMINED TO BE A CHEVY TRUCK DRAIN PLUG. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE OIL PAIN, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT IT HAD BEEN STRIPPED AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. I HAD THE OIL PAN REPLACED AT A COST OF $401.71. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE JIFFY LUBE IN NAPA. BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OWNER, SENIOR MANAGER AND THE MANAGER, IT IS THEIR CONTENTION THAT THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT FOR THE DAMAGE ON MY VEHICLE. THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAS THE HIGHEST INCIDENT OF PAN STRIPPING COMPARED TO OTHER MANUFACTURES. IT IS THEIR OPINION THAT THE NEW OIL PAN WILL ALSO STRIP. JIFFY LUBE HAS AGREED TO PAY ME THE ABOVE MENTIONED COST OF REPAIRING MY VEHICLE. AS PART OF THE REPAYMENT, THEY HAVE REQUIRED ME TO WRITE TO NTSA AND THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION TO RECEIVED MY FUNDS. PLEASE USE THIS LETTER AS PART OF ANY ON GOING INVESTIGATIONS AS TO THE FAILURE OF VOLKSWAGEN OIL PANS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *JB

I HAD AN OIL CHANGE DONE ON MY CAR AND THE DRAIN PLUG STRIPED OUT THE THREADS. THE OIL PAN IS MADE OF ALUMINUM AND THE PLUG IS MADE OF STEEL. *NM

OWNER WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC - MERGING ONTO THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY - WHEN A DULL "POP" SOUND WAS HEARD. THE ENGINE QUICKLY LOST POWER. OWNER WAS ABLE TO STEER VEHICLE FROM RIGHT LANE TO SHOULDER AND ENGAGE HAZARD LIGHTS. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER EXAMINED VEHICLE AND ADVISED OWNER THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS MISSING. DEALER ADVISED THAT ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND MUST BE REPLACED. OWNER LOST USE OF CAR FOR 5 WEEKS. ENGINE AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED. *JB

CAR WAS DRIVEN TO AND PARKED OUTSIDE A STORE 1 MILE FROM HOME. WHEN OWNER RETURNED TO CAR (LESS THAN 10 MINUTES AFTER PARKING), THE CAR WOULD NOT START. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT OIL PAN WAS CRACKED & ENGINE HAS SEIZED. DEALER SAID THAT DAMAGE WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND OWNER MUST CONTACT INSURANCE COMPANY TO FILE COLLISION CLAIM. HOWEVER, NO COLLISION EVER OCCURRED. OWNER LOST USE OF VEHICLE FOR FIVE WEEKS. OIL PAN, SHORT BLOCK & TURBO WERE REPLACED. *JB

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS INCLUDED: MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON, VEHICLE CUT OFF, TRUNK SWITCH FELL OUT, DRIVER DOOR LOCK INOPERATIVE, FUEL GAUGE INOPERATIVE, ENGINE RATTLE. MULTIPLE REPLACEMENTS - CAMSHAFT SENSOR, TRUNK SWITCH, POWER DOOR LOCKS, FUEL LINES INSTALLED, FUEL SENDER UNIT, TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER. *TT *JB

THE VEHICLE HAD A DAMAGED MOTOR. *TT *SCC *JB

OIL PAN CRACKING/ENGINE SEIZING- BECAUSE THE OIL PAN IS MADE OF ALUMINUM WITHOUT ANY SORT OF SKID PLATE PROTECTING IT, THE COLD TEMPERATURES OF WINTER MAKE IT BRITTLE AND IF ANY SORT OF NATURAL OCCURING HAZARD, SUCH AS ICE OR ROCKS, OR MAN MADE HAZARD, SUCH AS ROAD DEBRIS HITS THIS OIL PAN THE CHANCE OF ENGINE FAILURE/SEIZING IS GREATLY INCREASED.

THE COIL PACK WAS DAMAGED. *MR THE COIL PACK WAS REPLACED. THEN THE COIL PACK IN THE CYLINDER FAILED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED FOR VW TO COMPENSATE HER FOR LOST TIME. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON DUE TO THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM EXPERIENCED AN INCORRECT PURGE FLOW. THE WINDSHIELD WASHER RESERVOIR LEAKED COOLANT. THE EXPANSION TANK WAS REPLACED. SCC *JB

1. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO START. WAS TOWED FOR REPAIR. THIS CHIP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. 2. CAR BEGAN MAKING SEVERE JERKING MOVEMENTS, RANDOMLY. USUALLY THESE JUMPS OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE BUT CAN OCCUR LATER. THE SEVERITY OF THE JERKS IS ALSO VARIABLE. 3. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER A MONTH. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED. 4. THE CAR CONSUMES AN UNUSUAL HIGH AMOUNT OF MOTOR OIL (MORE THAN A QUART APPROXIMATELY EVERY 1,000 MILES). 5. VW WAS RUNNING A OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BUT THEY INSISTED THE CONSUMPTION LEVEL WAS NORMAL FOR THIS TYPE OF ENGINE. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING NUMEROUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SOON AFTER PURCHASE IN 2002. I HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO NEGOTIATE WITH VW. I HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS AND THEY HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN A SATISFACTORY WAY. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE LEMON LAW BUT MY TIME ALLOWANCE HAS EXPIRED. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL JANUARY 2006. IN ADDITION TO THE ENGINE/ TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH ALL MY WINDOWS ROLLING DOWN AUTOMATICALLY AS I TRY TO CLOSE THEM. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS. THIS HAS BEEN EXAMINED OVER 5 TIMES. THE PANELS WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. I AM NOT ABLE TO GIVE AN EXACT DATE OF AN INCIDENT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY. ALL OF THESE DATES HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED. I AM GIVING A DATE OF JANUARY 2002 AS THE INCIDENT DATE (WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED). I FEEL VW HAS EVADED RESPONSIBILITY IN CORRECTING THE PROBLEMS AND HAS CREATED AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. THE NUMBER OF FAILURES AND THE INABILITY TO CORRECT THEM IS UNACCEPTABLE. I FEEL MY PROBLEMS WERE NOT ADDRESSED SERIOUSLY AND WERE DISMISSED WITHOUT CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD IS CLOGGED ON VEHICLE DUE TO CARBON BUILD UP FROM THE EXHAUST VALVE.*MR CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY LOCAL DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T PASS FEDERAL EMISSION REQUIREMENTS. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS WILLING TO CHARGE $380.00 FOR THE TASK. CONSUMER DECLINED DUE TO THE HIGH PRICE BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT. CONSUMER RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME DEFECT. *PH