Like I said.......it`s a well known, well documented problem.
A few of 242,000.
=================================================
By Ralph Kisiel
Automotive News / August 30, 2004
DETROIT - In the latest example of Volkswagen of America Inc.'s quality woes, the automaker is warning 426,000 VW Passat and Audi A4 owners of an engine oil sludge problem.
Affected are 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines on 1998 to 2004 Passats and 1997 to 2004 A4s. VW won't say how many engines have been replaced or repaired, or what it is spending to fix the problem.
Owners began receiving letters from VWoA this month. Remedies range from extending warranties to covering repair costs. That includes replacing engines.
Sludge buildup causes engine performance to deteriorate. In extreme cases, sludge can cause engines to seize.
The timing couldn't be worse. VW Division has old products, and sales are down 11.5 percent for the first seven months compared with the year-ago period. And it has only been a year since VW voluntarily recalled more than 500,000 vehicles because of faulty engine ignition coils.
VW is not alone in grappling with engine oil sludge complaints. Last week the Center for Auto Safety in Washington demanded that the Chrysler group fix sludge problems and extend warranties on 2.7-liter V-6 engines in its 1998 to 2002 vehicles.
Confirming that VW has received "numerous reports of problems," VWoA spokesman Tony Fouladpour said that VW is extending factory warranties from five years to eight years. Warranties are transferable.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Count your blessings. Purchased my '98 A4 1.8T new and have adored it. Three days ago the engine seized, seconds after I exited a very high-speed expressway. Audi says it's a result of oil sludge buildup, but won't pay for a new engine because I've changed the oil as recommended in the Owner's Manual (7500 mi intervals), but not the Maintenance Booklet (5000 mi intervals for that engine only). During the 3-yr warranty period when I had service performed exclusively at the dealer, the mechanics never once used the Maint. Booklet to document service. So I never looked at it after the first time, and completely forgot that it said anything different than the Owner's Manual about oil change intervals. (The OM says change the oil at 7500 miles intervals, and consult the Maint Booklet for more detailed info about maintenance. It doesn't say to check the Maint Booklet for info specific to my engine. Nor does it say, anywhere in the manual, that some information may not be accurate for some vehicles.) Audi concedes that this is the only instance in which the Owner's Manual is not accurate for all varieties of A4, but they still say it's my fault.
They apparently sent a letter to owners in August 2004 about this problem, but I did not receive it. (The letter also referenced the Owner's Manual, not the Maintenance Booklet.) And I had the car in for service at the dealer last month, and nobody mentioned this potentially fatal problem (although they did mention some other recall issues that came up recently, which of course they didn't have time to fix unless I could leave the car with them for a week before Christmas). If I'd known, I would have done whatever necessary to resolve the problem before destroying the engine, and fought about the cost later. As it is, I'm looking at many thousands of dollars for a rebuilt engine (a new one would cost more than the car is worth).
The dealer told me they've had six or seven "oil sludge victims" come in so far, and I'm the first one for whom Audi has denied the extended warranty coverage.
I'm outraged, frustrated, frightened (by what could have happened on the freeway), and grief-stricken because I really love this car!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Volkswagen & Audi Sludge Problems
Volkswagen is requiring its dealers to use synthetic oil and a larger oil filter in the 2005 Passat and Audi A4 – up to 426,000 vehicles may be affected. Specifically, the 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines on 1998 to 2004 Passats and 1997 to 2004 Audi A4s. Sludge buildup causes engine performance to deteriorate. In extreme cases, sludge can cause engines to seize.
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration source said the agency has had 12 to 15 sludge complaints for 2000 to 2004 Passats and A4s. One complaint was about an engine seizure. VW dealers are seeing the problem mostly with owners who don't follow the recommended oil change intervals, said Gene Langan, of Gene Langan Volkswagen Inc. in Glastonbury, Connecticut.
"I've seen a few cases," he said. "It seems to happen mostly when we can't verify oil change history, when people don't do them for 20,000 miles. I think that this is a problem that is pretty broad in the industry right now."
In its letter to Passat and A4 owners, VW says that it will cover necessary engine repairs if oil sludge causes a problem and the vehicle owner could provide proof of oil changes. Oil changes would have to be according to VW-recommended maintenance schedules. VW recommends that oil be changed at 5,000 miles or six months.
How it occurs
The letter states that engine oil sludge occurs when old, dirty engine oil thickens and cannot continue to provide correct lubrication. It says the condition occurs primarily when the engine is operated at oil change intervals beyond those prescribed in the owner's manual.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Audi to Extend Warranty on Certain Models Due to Oil Sludge Problems
Source: Associated Press
Volkswagen of America Inc. has extended its warranty coverage of certain models for problems caused by oil sludge, which can cause engine damage.
In the past few days, the company has sent letters to about 400,000 Volkswagen Passat and Audi owners informing them of the extended warranty, Volkswagen spokesman Steve Keyes said Tuesday. The company took the measure after receiving reports of engine problems caused by sludge, a buildup of old or dirty engine oil that thickens and hinders engine lubrication.
The problem generally is caused by failure to change the oil on time or by the use of low-quality oil, Keyes said. It affects 1998 to 2004 Passats and 1997 to 2004 Audi A4s that have a 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder engine.
Volkswagen is extending its usual five-year, 50,000-mile warranty to eight years with no mileage limit on repairs related to sludge, Keyes said. The additional warranty is fully transferrable.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
New recalls for Audi and VW?
9/1/2004 OFFICIAL BELL & ROSS TIMESTAMP: 9:07:47 PM EDT
VW-Audi Oil Sludge issue
Volkswagen Extends Engine Warranties
Volkswagen and Audi are extending the engine warranty on two of their most popular models because of a sludge problem with the four-cylinder, turbocharged engine.
The vehicles are the 1998-2004 Volkswagen Passats and the 1997-2004 Audi A4s, both of which share the 1.8-liter engine
Volkswagen of America and Audi of America are part of Volkswagen AG.
In a letter being sent to owners, the automaker said it is extending the warranty because some consumers have complained of engine problems resulting from oil sludge.
Sludge is a thickening of the oil because moisture and contaminants build up and break down the oil, causing it to gel. That may reduce the flow of oil through the engine, causing excess wear or a failure.
The extended warranty is for eight years starting when the vehicle was new. There is no limit on mileage. The warranty covers subsequent owners.
To have repairs covered, owners must be able to prove that they changed the oil according to the automaker's recommendation, which is six months or 5,000 miles.
"An engine failure can cost consumers thousands of dollars. Volkswagen and Audi did the right thing by taking responsibility for oil sludge in their vehicles," said Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer group in Washington, D.C.
Volkswagen is not alone in having a sludge problem. In 2002 Toyota announced it would cover 3.4 million engines for eight years and unlimited mileage. Those were 3.0-liter V-6s from the 1997 to 2002 model years and 2.2-liter four-cylinder engines from the 1997 to 2001 model years.
Volkswagen began sending the notices to owners recently, spokesman Tony Fouladpour said Friday.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Publication: Automotive News
Publication Date: 30-AUG-04
Format: Online - approximately 712 words
Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Article Excerpt
Byline: Ralph Kisiel
In the latest example of Volkswagen of America Inc.'s quality woes, the automaker is warning 426,000 VW Passat and Audi A4 owners of an engine oil sludge problem.
Affected are 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines on 1998 to 2004 Passats and 1997 to 2004 A4s. VW won't say how many engines have been replaced or repaired, or what it is spending to fix the problem.
Owners began receiving letters from VWoA this month. Remedies range from extending warranties to covering repair costs. That includes replacing engines.
Sludge buildup causes engine performance to deteriorate. In extreme cases, sludge...
=============================================================================
About three weeks ago, Audi/VW started a voluntary recall campaign for all 1.8T engines in 1997 to present Audi A4s and VW Jettas. This is due to problems that can occur from oil sludge and oil powder buildup (known as "coking".) As part of the recall, Audi is extending the warranty of 1.8T engines by 8 years, unlimited mileage and transferrable to new owners.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
