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my 04 passat is falling apart

I was wondering if this ever happened to anyone else.

This weekend I noticed something hanging underneath the engine. I figured I must have picked up some trash when traveling on the freeway. As it turns out, what has happened, is the screws holding the radiator splash guard had fallen out. Without the screws, when driving (especially on the freeway) this forces the plastic around the inside of the wheel wells to brush up against the tires. As a result the tires wore clear through the plastic. What was hanging under the car, on both the right and left sides, was the piece that I believe attaches the guard to the frame.

I have both of them, but don't think there salvageable.

The dealer, who never got close to investigate, said this is not be covered by the warranty, because it was caused by me hitting a bump, and that this happens to people all the time.

At first it sounded logical, but then I thought, I don't remember hitting a bumps with such force, and even if I did, would this really cause the screws to come off.

I haven't gone back to the dealer (yet), but I would think its' obvious the screws are missing. Shouldn't something like this be covered under the warranty?

It's possible this was removed by a dealer doing repairs, and just not put back on correctly, but I have no way to check this out.

thanks

Reply to
ItBeMe
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Welcome to the club. That is our common bond in this group. Try another dealer. Perhaps they will help you to encourage future business. Then tell the other dealer.

Reply to
Charles

Yea, it should be covered. Check with the district office or another dealer and remember not to go back to the first dealer.

One alternative is to move on to a metal replacement. They are available as third party parts. Not too expensive and offer better protection.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

Going over a bump would not make your sound sheild fall off IMHO unless the screws were not all in place.

Who does your oil changes? The sound shield that you are describing comes off to do an oil change. Almost certainly the screws were not all replaced or they were not installed correctly after the most recent oil change.

YES, this has happened to me but in my case I do my own oil changes and I chose to leave the sheild off for a week. This was enough to ruin the fender liners. I replaced my own fender liners but I cannot recall the cost.

My car is a 2001 Passat.

ItBeMe wrote:

Reply to
Mark

The underbody "belly pan" design on the Passat is, at best, a marginal design. Three or four different types of fasteners, some look identical except for about 1/8 difference in length. The end result is even trained VW techs cannot always reinstall it correctly, much less the quick lube techs. It only comes off if it is not installed correctly or if you hit something large enough to cause underbody damage (you'd remember this, I'm sure). (BTW, Audi got it right on my TT-- 10 screws, all the same size/type).

Push the dealer, then call VWOA (number in your Owner's manual). If you end up eating the cost, replace it with a "W8 bellypan"-- it is an exact fit and costs about $50, compared to $200 for the part used on the non-W8 models. While a fancy metal pan might be nice, for daily driving, you don't need the expense.

Reply to
Keep on Plonkin'

Who did the last oil change?

Reply to
Lost In Space/Woodchuck

Well, I called VOA corporate, I explained the situation, but all they said was they have to support the dealers. So if the dealer says it's not covered under the warranty, then it's not. .

I have an appointment Saturday morning for an oil change at the same dealer who did it last time. IMHO there is no way they'll fix this under warranty, because that would be admitting guilt. It's obvious the screws fell out, if I had noticed this the day after getting the oil change, maybe I would have something to go by, but it's been a few months, and 5,000 miles later, there's no way there going to admit screwing up. Once we hash this out, I plan on leaving the dealership and getting my oil changed at a mechanic I use to go to before I purchased the Passat, and never ever going to a dealer auto repair shop again.

Every dealer I've ever been to, Volkswagen or not, at one point or another have screwed my cars up. Things like paying for a tire rotation that wasn't done, paying for an alignment that wasn't done, getting a tire rotation where the 2 of 4 lug nuts where missing from one of the tires, .....and on and on

Reply to
ItBeMe

Well, it is clear that you have been taking your 'smart pills' regular and that they are working...

Reply to
<HLS

I agree with you I had same problems. I live in Croatia, small Balcan coutry.In our school system kids that learn for car mechanics help in Service, and get necesary practice to work later. One week they are in school, other they are at work. I do not know for US. And there is the main problem, car is taken by older mechanic but kid does service at the end! When failure happens they say that it's inposibile to find who was working at the time, so there is no responsibility(And warriany too). I recomend you to change oil by your self, you will save money,nerves and time:-).

Reply to
Marko ©arkanj

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