Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#10838863February 28, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
HEATER CORE WAS PLUGGED. VW DID REPLACE IT UNDER A TSB BUT FRIENDS OF MINE STATE THEIR HEATER CORES PLUGGED AGAIN AFTER HAVING THEM REPLACED ONCE. I WAS WARM DEFROST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND COLD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. WOULDN'T EVEN DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD SO I COULD SEE WITH FROST ON IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10838711February 26, 2016
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE SHIFTER WAS MOVED INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 208,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10837985February 24, 2016
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN AND CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE UPPER AND LOWER BACK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10838073February 24, 2016
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE "PLEASE STOP, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE IS LOW" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE OIL PICKUP TUBE WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10837553February 22, 2016
VISIBILITY/WIPER
THE HEATER CORE IN MY CAR HAS BECOME CLOGGED AND IS NOW FAILING TO PRODUCE HEAT FOR INSIDE THE CAR AND IN TURN IS FAILING TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS AND IT IS RAINING. I HAVE READ MANY CASES FROM ONLINE FORUMS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE HEATER CORES IN THESE CARS SHOULD NOT BE FAILING ALREADY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10837359February 21, 2016
STEERING
WENT TO WORK ON A SUB ZERO TEMPS DAY. CAR WAS WARMING UP. WENT TO PULL AWAY SHE THE STEERING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WITH A 3 CHIM TONE WARNING AND LOCKED UP THE STEERING COLUMM. HAD CAR TOWED TO AN OTHERIZED DEALSHIP WHERE THEY SCANNED VEHICLE AND FOUND FOUR CODES FOR STEERING RACK BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETECT ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH BOARD.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10837203February 19, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
BACKUP CAMERA/NAVIGATION/RADIO SYSTEM SYSTEM DOES NOT WORKING IN A CONSISTENT MANNER (CAMERA WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO-BIG SAFETY CONCERN, SCREEN GOES BLANK, ETC.). RADIO/NAVIGATION CONTROLS ARE INOPERABLE AT RANDOM OCCASIONS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR EVEN AT A STOP POSITION. RADIO SCREEN GOES BLANK EVEN IF RADIO IS ON AND USER IS UNABLE TO CONTROL IT FOR UP TO A FEW MINUTES. ON 2 OCCASIONS, EVEN AFTER TURNING THE ENTIRE CAR ON AND OFF MULTIPLE TIMES THE RADIO WAS ON BUT ALL CONTROLS WERE INOPERABLE AND UNABLE TO TURN OFF. EVENTUALLY THE SYSTEM BECAME OPERABLE A FEW MINUTES LATER. SAFETY ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH VW DEALER AND THEY STATED VW KNOWS ABOUT ALL THE OWNER INQUIRIES INTO THIS ISSUE BUT IT HAS YET TO MAKE A RECALL. MY CONCERN IS THAT BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK AS IT SHOULD AND THEREFORE THE SAFETY FEATURE THAT THE VEHICLE CAME WITH DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO GO IN REVERSE WITH ONLY THE HELP OF MIRRORS. IF SAFETY EQUIPMENT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY THEN IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. SECOND, WHEN THE SYSTEM CONTROLS MALFUNCTION THE VOLUME AND ON/OFF BUTTONS CANNOT BE USED AND THEREFORE DRIVER IS LEFT FOCUSING ON HOW TO FIX THIS ISSUE NOT ON KEEPING THEIR EYES ON THE ROAD. AS PER MY DISCUSSION BOTH WITH THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CORPORATE OFFICE, THEY ADMITTED TO THE RECURRING ISSUE FOR MANY VW OWNERS BUT SAID IT HAD NOT BECOME A BIG ENOUGH ISSUE OR SAFETY CONCERN SO THERE WAS NOT RECALL. MY QUESTION IS IF SYSTEM (BACKUP CAMERA/RADIO/NAVIGATION) IS ALREADY A DOCUMENTED ISSUE FOR MANY OWNERS AND DOES NOT ALLOW A SAFETY FEATURE TO WORK PROPERLY (BACKUP CAMERA) OR CAN CAUSE A DISTRACTION FOR A VEHICLE OPERATOR THEN WHY IS NOT A RECALL. I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT ALL EQUIPMENT WOULD WORK AS DESCRIBED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10837269February 19, 2016
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A NIGHTMARE! FIRST THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING BROKE GOT THAT FIXED AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE WENT DOWN HILL! OIL PRESSURE LIGHT STARTED GOING AND THEN IT STARTED OVERHEATING. THE HOSES ALL BREAK AND LEAK THE COOLANT OUT PLUS THE TRANSMISSION CODE P742 WHICH THE TRANSMISSION IS STUCK OFF IS ON . I CAN'T AFFORD THE CAR WORST CAR EVER. IT IS FINE IF IDLE BUT ONCE YOUR DRIVING EVERYTHING STARTS BEEPING AND WHEN I'M TURNING YOU HEAR A NOISE ON THE SIDE THAT YOUR TURNING!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10836594February 17, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEATS
MY FRONT DRIVER SEAT WARMER WAS TURNED ON LOW. I COULD FEEL THE SEAT GETTING WARMER AND CHECKED TO BE SURE THE SETTING WAS NOT ON HIGH WHICH IT WASN'T. I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS BEING SENSITIVE AND STUCK MY MITTEN UNDER MY THIGH. I THEN NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL AND SUDDENLY THINGS GOT VERY HOT AND STARTED TO BURN MY LEG AS I WAS DRIVING. I LOOKED DOWN AND ACTUALLY STARTED TO SEE SMOKE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO JUST PULL OVER BUT QUICKLY TURNED THE SEAT OFF. I PULLED OUT MY MITTEN AND FLEECE WAS ACTUALLY MELTED. I WAS A BLOCK OR TWO FROM WORK AND TRIED TO KEEP FROM SITTING COMPLETELY DOWN AS IT BURNED. I ARRIVED AND JUMPED OUT TO SEE A BLACKENED AREA AND HOLE IN MY SEAT!! THE CAR WAS SMELLING AND I AM STILL IN SHOCK OVER THIS. I HAVE LOOKED AND CAN'T FIND A RECALL ON THE SEAT. THIS IS VERY DISTURBING AND DANGEROUS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CAR IS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10836217February 15, 2016
ENGINE
THE TURBOCHARGER BLEW UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. PRIOR TO THE TURBOCHARGER BLOWING UP, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS FROM THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE OR INDICATOR LIGHTS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. WHEN THE TURBO SEIZED UP THE PRE-GLOW INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON SHORTLY FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT. I PULLED THE CAR OFF TO THE SHOULDER AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY ACCUSED ME OF NOT MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE AND ASKED ME IF I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP DRAINED THE OIL FROM THE ENGINE AND SENT IT TO THEIR LAB AND HAD A VW REP COME OUT TO VALIDATE THEIR CLAIM THAT THE CAR WAS NOT MAINTAINED. AT NO POINT IN TIME DID THE DEALERSHIP TELL ME THAT VW HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS OR 120K MILES. MY PASSAT HAS 75K MILES AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED, INCLUDING THE MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE AT 63K MILES. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE TURBOCHARGER WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY BASED ON THEIR ASSESSMENT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MAINTAINED SO I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE TUNE OF $2.3K. MY PERCEPTION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VW DEALERSHIP WAS THEY WERE BUILDING A CASE. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA AND CONFIRMED THAT MY VEHICLE IS COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I FILED A CLAIM WITH VW OF AMERICA TO RECOUP THE ENTIRE $2.3K CHARGED TO MY CREDIT CARD AND DISPUTED THE CHARGE WITH AMEX. THE BURDEN OF PROOF FOR DENYING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE TURBOCHARGED IS ON VW. THIS IS KNOWN ISSUED THAT VW HAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND UNDERWRITTEN WITH THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE FACT THAT THERE NO INDICATIONS OF FAILURE ONLY MAKES THE SITUATION WORSE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT CAUSED BY CAR'S SUDDEN DECELERATION. I WILL HEAR BACK VW TODAY WITH REGARD TO COMPENSATION. THAT SAID, I EXPECT NTSB TO APPLY PRESSURE ON VW TO STAND BEHIND THEIR WARRANTY COVERAGE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825942February 13, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
VEHICLE CLUSTER ILLUMINATION LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, NOT FUSE OR RELAY RELATED. MAIN ELECTRICAL HARNESS MALFUNCTION. MAJOR ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSIS.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825523February 11, 2016
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
I STARTED MY CAR AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE DOWN AROUND CITY STREETS FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. I WAS GOING SPEED LIMIT(25-30 MPH) DURING A COOL NIGHT(60*F). I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE SPIKED(CAR WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURE PRIOR(190*F; ACCORDING TO GAUGE); THIS GAUGE SPIKE WAS FOLLOWED BY A BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY CUT OFF MY ENGINE. MY CAR BECAME IMMOBILE AND I LOST BRAKE AND STEERING FUNCTION. HOWEVER, MY RADIO AND CAR LIGHTS STILL WORKED! LUCKILY THERE WAS NO SURROUNDING CARS AND MY PARKING BRAKE WAS FUNCTIONAL. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN OVER THE ENGINE ONCE MORE. IT DID START HOWEVER I AM WORRIED THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN UNDER LESS FORGIVING CIRCUMSTANCES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825546February 11, 2016
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825560February 11, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD CODES READ. THE CODE WAS P205C AND THIS INDICATES THE EMISSIONS ADBLUE HEATER AND SENSOR HAD A PROBLEM. THE UNIT (HEATER AND SENSOR) IN THE ADBLUE TANK IS A NON SERVICEABLE UNIT AND MUST BE REPLACED. OVER $950.00 TO REPLACE. HAPPENED AT 50,466 MILES AND DEALER HAD NO HELP EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF TDI'S ARE HAVING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS. SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT IN DESIGN, MANY MANY TDI'S ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825639February 11, 2016
AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE:BODY
I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I WAS NOT AT FAULT, BUT I WAS T-BONED WITH ALMOST OVER $11,000 IN DAMAGE. THE CASE WAS SETTLED BUT THE VEHICLE IS STILL NOT IN GOOD SHAPE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF IN THE ACCIDENT AND I JUST RECEIVED A RECALL FOR A STEERING WHEEL ELECTRONIC CLOCK ISSUE THAT COULD PREVENT THE AIR BAGS FROM GOING OFF. I ACCRUED OVER $7,000 IN MEDICAL BILLS, AND I OWE OVER $15,000 ON THE VEHICLE. I AM NOT SURE WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I FEEL I AM DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT ISN'T SAFE
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10825265February 10, 2016
VISIBILITY/WIPER
NO HEAT COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THIS WAS FOUND OUT WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON A VERY COLD DAY AND NOT HAVING THE DEFROST WORKING VERY WELL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. TAKING IT TO THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE HEATER CORE IS CLOGGED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS A MONTH AGO. I FOUND OUT THAT THE PARTS WERE BACK ORDERED AND THAT I WAS #502 IN LINE FOR A REPLACEMENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825519February 10, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PASSENGER HEADLAMP (DIPPED LOW BEAM) IS HELD IN PLACE BY FRICTION ONLY. NEW LAMPS INSTALLED FALL OUT OF SOCKET WHILE IN USE DAYTIME RUNNING AND NIGHT TIME VISION). NEW HARDWARE WAS PURCHASED PER MANUFACTURER ILLUSTRATION, BUT THERE WAS NO PLACE TO ATTACH HARDWARE TO BACK OF LOW BEAM SOCKET. ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY (INCLUDING HIGH BEAM AND MARKER LIGHT) HAD TO BE REPLACED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825085February 9, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO REPOND. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMSHAFT LOBE SHEARED OFF AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND FUMES OF SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GASKET AND THE VACUUM PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,700.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10825233February 9, 2016
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
PURCHASED A USED 2004 VW PASSAT GLX 4MOTION WITH 91K MILES AND NO ACCIDENT OR DAMAGE HISTORY PER CARFAX.. FIRST FILL OF THE GAS TANK REVEALED A SEVERE LEAK OF GREATER THAN 180 DROPS PER MINUTE. THE LEAK OCCURRED AT ALL TIMES WITH THE CAR RUNNING OR TURNED OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE LEAK STOPPED AFTER THE GAS GAUGE MOVED BELOW F. REMOVED REAR SEAT AND NOTICED FUEL WETTING ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE TANK ADJACENT TO THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. USING A MIRROR FUEL WAS VISIBLE COMING FROM THE VENT BOSS ADJACENT TO THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. THIS EXACT ISSUE IS COVERED UNDER VWOA RECALL 26E5/R5 NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 08V156000. I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY INFORMED ME MY VEHICLE VIN [XXX] IS NOT ELIGIBLE HOWEVER THEY DID NOT SAY WHY. THE CARFAX REPORT STATES THAT A HEAT SHIELD WAS REPLACED 8/11/2008. RECALL 26E5/R5 INVOLVES A HEAT SHIELD AS WELL AS THE FUEL TANK. IT'S POSSIBLE THE TANK WAS OK AT THE TIME. IF THE VEHICLE HAS ALREADY HAD THE RECALL AND THE FUEL TANK DEVELOPED THE PROBLEM AFTER IS THERE ANY RECOURSE UNDER THIS RECALL? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10824754February 8, 2016
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DRIVING NORMALLY ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. AAA ADVISED AND VEHICLE DELIVERED TO MY LOCAL VW MECHANIC. I ADVISED VW AND THEY NEVER HEARD OF THAT PROBLEM. FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CAR HAS 35000 MILES. VW CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISED ME THAT THE 2008 PASSAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY CAMPAIGN, SUCH AS A RECALL OR WARRANTY EXTENSION. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. COST $600
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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