2006 Volkswagen Passat loss of oil

ROBERT EHLENFELDT

MEMBER
2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

Engine Mechanical problem
2006 Volkswagen Passat 4 cyl Automatic 25,000 miles

I leased a 2006 Passat. At 25,000 miles took it to dealer because of grinding noise under hood. Oil found to be 3.5 quarts low; engine was damaged beyond repair. No oil pressure alert appeared. No leakage where we parked. Filter housing found to be cracked. Valvoline last changed oil, 3500 miles earlier. VW attributes oil loss to cracked housing and assigns liability to Valvoline: no warranty coverage. Valvoline's inspector found no evidence of blow back. The vehicle had a previous low coolant warning. If oil had been lost through the broken filter housing, wouldn't a low pressure warning have illuminated? What would account for the loss of oil? VW suggests Valovoline did not add enough oil. Wouldn't a problem have appeared earlier, in that case?

3 Replies

JAMES W.

MECHANIC
2,394 POSTS

The oil pump housing failure could have been caused by the overtightening of the oil filter. It may have been a defective casting from the factory. They may never know but I'm someone will catch the blame. The real issue is why the low oil warning light didn't come. Testing this circuit should tell the story. I am assuming the light never came on at "any" time. Even if the housing cracked on the way back to the dealer, there should have been oil dripping off the frame of the vehicle.