Volkswagen Passat Complaints (2006)

576 consumer complaints on file.

#10261394March 10, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
EMERGENCY BRAKE AT TIMES DOES NOT DISENGAGE OR ENGAGE. I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF WAIT A WHILE AND SOMETIMES IT DOES AND SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT ENGAGE/RENGAGE. GIVES ME A PARKING BRAKE FAULT MESSAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10260360March 1, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHT SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY FAILS. HAS BEEN REPAIRED OVER FIVE TIMES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259212February 18, 2009
STEERING
2006 VW PASSAT "STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE". CAR WILL NOT START CONSISTENCY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257234February 2, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL MODEL OR FUEL PUMP FAILED AT LEAST THREE TIMES ON HER VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED HER TO STOP BRINGING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT COULD NOT MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE LANE AND ONTO THE SHOULDER. THERE IS NEVER ANY WARNING BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256227January 24, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE GAS TANK OF MY CAR WAS DAMAGED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OF 380 NEAR THE SCRANTON, PA. AT THE BEGINNING I DID NOTICE THIS PROBLEM UNTIL I PARKED MY CAR IN THE CITY MALL NEARBY THE HIGHWAY. THE GAS LEAK WAS SIGNIFICANT. 10 GALLONS OF GAS WAS LEAKED OUT IN LESS THAN 15 MIN. THE FIRE-FIGHTER HELPED ME CLEAN THE PARKING AREA AND AVOID A POTENTIAL FIRE. BASED ON AN INSURANCE DAMAGE ADJUSTER'S INVESTIGATION, THE DAMAGE COULD RESULT FROM AN IMPACT OF A HARD OBJECT SUCH AS ICE OR A SMALL ROCK ON THE HIGHWAY. THE GAS TANK IS GOING TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1400. I AM REALLY SURPRISED THAT GERMAN ENGINEERS HAVE NOT THOUGHT SUCH AN ACCIDENT DURING THE WINTER. OBVIOUSLY THE CHEAP MATERIAL OF THE GAS TANK AND LACK OF PROPER TANK SHIELD COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS DAMAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255596January 19, 2009
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING, SUSPENSION:REAR
GOSH WHERE DO I START VW PASSAT 51000 MILES ALOT OF THINGS WENT WRONG.. CAR STARTER VOLKS CAME OUT CAUSING THE STARTER TO BREAK MY TRUNK DOESN'T CLOSE POPS OPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD/FREEWAY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE THING FROM MY TRUNK EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN THE FREEWAY MY STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS DEFECTED DOES NOT LOCK I HAVE CALLED NUMEROUS OF VW DEALER SHIPS AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME CAUSE ITS WARRANTY EXPIRED AND FOR STEERING LOCK I WENT BEFORE WARRANTY AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME 90 DOLLARS I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY LYING AROUND I HAVE CAR PAYMENT. INS ECT... IM SCARED IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPENED WHILE ME DRIVING WITH MY KIDS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10255383January 16, 2009
PARKING BRAKE
THE VEHICLE I HAVE THE PROBLEM WITH IS A 2006 VW PASSAT 3.6L 55,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE. ON DEC 27 2008, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY APROX 60MPH AND THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED INSTANTLY WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSE ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, SPIN 180 AND I GOT HIT BY AN SUV DRIVING BEHIND ME ON THE SAME DIRECTIONAL LANE. AFTER THE INCIDENT I TRY TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE TRAVEL LANE BUT THE WHEELS WERE STILL LOCKED. AFTER TRYING TO DISENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES I DRAGGED THE VEHICLE OF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER TRYING SEVERAL TIMES TO DISENGAGE THE PARKING I WAS ABLE TO DO IT AND LEAVE THE SCENE DRIVING ON THE SHOULDER UNTIL I EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE THAT HIT ME LEFT AND BECAUSE I HAD MINOR DAMAGES AND I DECIDE NOT TO REPORT THE INCIDENT TO THE AUTHORITIES. IMMEDIATELY I CONTACT THE LOCAL DEALER AND VW OF AMERICA AND INFORMED THEM ABOUT THE SITUATION AND OPEN UP A CASE #80411298. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER LOCATED IN NAPERVILLE IL AND AFTER 7 DAYS THE TECHNICIAN SAID: WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THEY CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AT THE HIGHWAY SPEED. AFTER DOING A RESEARCH ON VW FORUM CALLED VW VORTEX, WWW.VWVORTEX.COM, I FOUND OUT THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO OTHER VW PASSAT OWNERS. THE REASON I'M WRITING YOU IS BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE AND I SHOULD SAY I WAS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE I DID NOT GET HIT BY A HEAVY TRUCK, I DID NOT GET INJURED OR MAYBE KILLED. AS OF TODAY THE LOCAL DEALER DON'T KNOW WHAT TO FIX ON THIS VEHICLE AND THEY WANT ME TO PICK UP THE CAR BECAUSE THEY SAID IT?S SAFE TO DRIVE. I THINK YOU SHOULD INTERVENE AND ANALYZE THIS ISSUE AND MAYBE WE CAN FIND A SOLUTION QUICK BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR MAYBE KILLED. PLEASE FELL FREE TO CONTACT ME ON MY EMAIL ADDRESS OR MY PHONE NUMBER AT ANYTIME I CAN ASSIST WITH MORE DETAILS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254746January 12, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FAILURE OF CAR TO REMAIN RUNNING WHEN STARTING; HAS HAPPENED FOR TWO DAYS IN A ROW NOW. TWICE IN ONE DAY. START CAR AND THEN IT STALLS RIGHT AWAY. ALSO RECEIVE STEERING COLUMN ERROR SOMETIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254749January 12, 2009
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT RELEASE. HAS BEEN SERVICED THREE TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED FIRST TIME. THE OTHER TWO TIMES I WAITED A WHILE AND TRIED AGAIN AND THE BRAKE DID RELEASE. HAD TO HAVE THE ENTIRE BRAKE REPLACED. ALSO, PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED BY ITSELF ONCE. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS TURNING THE CAR OFF AND NOT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254227January 8, 2009
STEERING
BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2008, I WAS HAVING MINIMAL ISSUES WITH HAVING THE KEY STICK INTO THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE EASILY PUSH THE KEY IN AND TAKE IT BACK OUT WITHOUT A PROBLEM. AROUND DECEMBER 2008 I HAD A "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE" APPEAR ON MY DASHBOARD AND MY CAR SHUT OFF. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ABOUT ONCE EVERY 10 TIMES I TURN THE CAR ON. I TOOK IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE COMFORT SYSTEM MODULE. TOTAL COST: $1,500. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253543January 2, 2009
STEERING
2006 VW PASSAT WITH STEERING ISSUE. MESSAGE IN DASH INDICATES "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE." LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP SAYS ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT MY COST SINCE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY WITH 69,000 MILES. COST OF REPAIR IS CLOSE TO $2,000. THE CAR HAS PROBLEMS STARTING DAILY BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE. AFTER SEARCHING VARIOUS INTERNET SITES IT LOOKS LIKE OTHER 2006 PASSAT OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA, TRYING TO HAVE THEM COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE/DEFECT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A COMMON TREND FOR THE 2006 MODEL AND SHOULD POSSIBLY BE A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252954December 28, 2008
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING MY VW PASSAT 2006 2.0T TODAY WITH MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR. WE STOPPED FOR A SHORT BREAK. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR, I GOT THE "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE" MESSAGE ON THE CAR COMPUTER. AFTER I RESTARTED THE CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE MESSAGE WAS GONE. WHEN I CHECKED THE PASSAT OWNERS FORUM, I REALIZED THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. I DECIDED TO INFORM NHTSA ABOUT IT. I WILL SEE THE DEALER TOMORROW TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252596December 22, 2008
STEERING
STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT OFF VERY OFTEN. VW DEALER REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN AND COMPUTER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10251913December 16, 2008
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE TRUNK ON MY 06 PASSAT WON'T ALWAYS STAY CLOSED. NOTHING IN PARTICULAR PRECIPITATED THE FIRST EVENT. I HAVE TO SLAM IT SHUT EVERY TIME AND IT'S BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO CLOSE. I WAS REAR-ENDED IN MARCH 2008 AND THE TRUNK WAS REPLACED. THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL TRUNK. THE ORIGINAL TRUNK WAS NOT WANTING TO LATCH PROPERLY AND THE "REPLACEMENT" TRUNK DOES THE EXACT SAME THING. IT MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT 06 PASSAT TRUNKS. I DID NOTICE THAT BEFORE THE TRUNK HAD ISSUES CLOSING, IT WOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY OPEN WHEN I PRESSED THE TRUNK BUTTON ON THE KEY. ONCE AGAIN, EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED WITH BOTH THE ORIGINAL TRUNK AND THE "REPLACEMENT" TRUNK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250550December 2, 2008
POWER TRAIN
FAILURE OF BOLT FOR OIL PUMP AND TIMING CHAIN CAUSED SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. CAR CURRENTLY AT DEALER AWAITING PARTS INCLUDING NEW REINFORCED BOLT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE AND HAS LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURES DUE TO LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. ACCORDING TO DEALER PARTS ARE RESTRICTED DUE TO THE FREQUENCY OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250551December 2, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
DRIVING DOWN SNOW AND ICE COVERED MOUNTAIN PASS IN COLORADO WHEN I SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED HEAVY RESISTANCE OF BRAKE PEDAL AND LOSS OF BRAKING. BRAKE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. FORTUNATELY, I MADE IT HOME SAFELY. SUBSEQUENTLY BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE VACUUM LINE FOR THE BRAKE HAD CRACKED CAUSING LOSS OF VACUUM PRESSURE AND DECREASED BRAKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250269December 1, 2008
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
2006 VW PASSAT 2.0T TRUNK WILL NOT LATCH WHEN IT'S COLD. BROUGHT IT TO VW DEALER WHO TOLD ME THEY'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE AND THEY'VE REPLACED SEVERAL LOCKS AND THEY COULD REPLACE THE LOCK FOR $305. THEY LUBRICATED THE LOCK IN THE HOPES THAT IT MAY RESOLVE THE LATCH ISSUE. IF THIS IS HAPPENING WITH OTHER PASSATS IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT. - I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND HAVE HAD THE CAM SHAFT REPLACED, CAM SEAL LEAK REPAIRED 4 TIMES, CD PLAYER REPLACED, HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR REPLACED TWICE AND BLOWER MOTOR REPLACED ONCE. ALL WAS UNDER WARRANTY EXCEPT THE CAM SEAL LEAK AND THE TRUNK THAT WON'T CATCH AND CLOSE. A FORMAL COMPLAINED WAS LODGED WITH VW OF AMERICA GIVEN ALL OF THE REPAIRS THE VEHICLE NEEDED; VW OFFERED ME $750 TOWARDS A NEW VW! NO OFFER TO PAY FOR A TRUNK THAT WON'T LATCH. RESEARCH ON LINE FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS OF TRUNKS NOT LATCHING AND SOME OPENING WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON A HIGHWAY. VW REFUSES TO RECALL THE VEHICLE TO REPLACE THE TRUNK LOCK . I WAS TOLD THEY DON'T MAKE RECALL DECISIONS BASED ON LINE COMPLAINTS. I TRAVEL ALONE FOR BUSINESS AND DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE MY SUITCASE, LAPTOP, ETC VISIBLE IN THE CAR BUT CAN'T USE THE TRUNK BECAUSE I COULD BE STUCK WITH A TRUNK THAT WON'T LATCH. THIS HAPPENED TO ME YESTERDAY AND I WAS STUCK IN FREEZING RAIN WITH A TRUNK FULL OF HOLIDAY GIFTS AND NO WAY OF CLOSING MY TRUNK. AFTER 20 MINUTES OF TRYING TO GET THE TRUNK TO LATCH IN THE FREEZING RAIN A GENTLEMAN WHO OWNS AN AUTO SHOP STOPPED AND TRIED WORKING ON THE LOCK ; COULD NOT GET IT TO LATCH. HE ENDED UP TRYING THE TRUNK DOWN WITH ROPE HE HAD IN HIS TRUCK SO I COULD GET HOME. AFTER 4 HOURS OF WARMING UP IN MY GARAGE I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO CLOSE THE TRUNK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250058November 28, 2008
AIR BAGS, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL, EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
ME AND MY WIFE WERE TRAVELING RT. 80 WEST BOUND TO EXIT 61 ELMWOOD PARK AT ABOUT 12:45 AM, WEATHER CONDITION WAS WET WITH RAIN AND ROADS WERE SLICK. AS MY WIFE(DRIVER) MERGED TOWARDS THE EXIT THE JEEP IN FRONT OF US DEAD STOPPED BECAUSE AS WE LATER FOUND OUT THERE WAS A CAR BEFORE IT THAT SPUN OUT EARLIER. OUR CAR COLLIDED WITH THE STOPPED VEHICLE HITTING IT ON THE REAR RIGHT SIDE AND OURS WAS THE LEFT SIDE FRONT . MY WIFE HIT HER CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND I HIT MY KNEES IN THE DASHBOARD NEEDLESS TO SAY THE AIRBAGS ON OUR VEHICLE DIDN'T DEPLOY. IT WAS A 2006 VW PASSAT. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA AND ACCORDING TO THEM THE OTHER SAFETY FEATURES DID WORK AND THAT AIR BAGS WERE THE LAST RESORT TO SAVE LIVES. THIS COLLISION AND IMPACT WOULD HAVE SERIOUSLY INJURED US IF WE DIDN'T WEAR OUR SEATBELTS. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE PRODUCT LIABILITY OF VW OF AMERICA WITH THIS, THEIR DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10249766November 25, 2008
AIR BAGS
DEFECTED AIRBAG. MY LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON MY 06 VW PASSAT. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES (LIKE ONCE A MONTH) TO HAVE THEM REPLACE SENSORS. THE PROBLEM KEEPS RE-OCCURRING AND IS GETTING EXPENSIVE. THE DEALERSHIPS SOLUTION IS OBVIOUSLY TEMPORARY AND CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249768November 25, 2008
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
MY TRUNK LATCH ON MY 2006 VW PASSAT WILL NOT LATCH. THIS CAUSES THE TRUNK TO OPEN UNLESS I HAVE IT DUCK TAPED DOWN. THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN I OPENED IT TO GET SOMETHING OUT AND IT WOULD NOT SHUT. I TAPED IT DOWN AND THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS CLOSED PROPERLY. AFTER GROCERY SHOPPING, I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE TRUNK AND PUT THE STUFF IN IT, BUT IT WOULD NOT CLOSE AGAIN. IT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CLOSE SINCE. I CALLED THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME I WAS THE 5TH OR 6TH PERSON THAT DAY WITH THE PROBLEM. I CALLED VW AMERICA WHO SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE TAPE CAN FAIL AND THE TRUNK WILL SPRING OPEN WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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