Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#10250843December 5, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
VOLKSWAGEN HAS A RECALL DUE TO FIRE HAZARD. BECAUSE I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN, THE NEAREST VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP IS IN THE NEXT STATE. WHEN I EXPLAINED THIS TO THE VOLKSWAGEN PEOPLE THEY SAID I HAD TO DO THIS RECALL AT A DEALERSHIP WITH NO COMPENSATION FROM THEM FOR MY TIME OR MY EXPENSE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT SINCE I CALLED THEM, THEY ARE NO LONGER LIABLE FOR THIS PROBLEM IF MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. I TOLD THEM THAT I AM NOT WAIVING ANY OF MY RIGHTS WITH THIS PHONE CALL AND ASKED TO HAVE THE CALL RECORDED. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP IS A SIX HOUR DRIVE FROM MY RESIDENCE AND BE EXPECTED TO WAIT THREE OR MORE HOURS FOR THE REPLACEMENT ON MY VEHICLE TO BE DONE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT I AM DISABLED AND ON A LIMITED INCOME. WE HAVE A VOLKSWAGEN REPAIR SHOP HERE IN MY TOWN. GERMAN MOTORS 1065 K ST ARCATA CA 95521 THEY WILL NOT LET ME HAVE THE RECALL DONE THERE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250580December 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
HEATER CORE BAD IN 1993 VW GLX, VERY COMMON IN MY EXPERIENCE. *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
#10250363December 1, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 65 MPH SHE SMELLED GAS. SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WHILE FUEL WAS ESCAPING FROM THE FUEL LINE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD NOT TOW THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT SHE NEEDED APPROVAL FROM THE FIRE MARSHALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHICH REPLACED THE FUEL LINE FOR $700. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 40,000. UPDATED 01/14/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/21/09. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250182November 30, 2008
STRUCTURE
WATER INTRUSION IN PASSENGER SIDE REAR FOOTWELL. ANYTIME IT RAINS. I HAVE CLEANED SUNROOF DRAINS, BATTERY COMPARTMENT DRAINS, CABIN FILTER AREA AND PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250029November 28, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR ACCELERATOR PEDAL LOCKS UP WHEN DECELERATE AND ACCELERATING WHEN MAKING A "U" TURNS. *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
#10249905November 26, 2008
AIR BAGS
I HAVE AN AIR BAG FAILURE WHICH WILL PROHIBIT ME FROM PASSING THE STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. THE AIR BAG REPAIR IS OVER $1000. IS THERE A WAIVER OR A PROCESS TO DISPUTE THIS? ARE THERE RESOURCES TO HELP CONSUMERS IN THESE TYPE OF CASES? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
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
#10249807November 25, 2008
POWER TRAIN
EVERY TIME IT RAINS, I HAVE AN ACCUMULATION OF WATER UNDER BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE CARPETS. THE CAR SMELLS OF MOLD AND MILDEW. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MANY YEARS OF VW'S AND THE DEALERS KNOW ABOUT IT. MY RESEARCH INDICATES DESIGN PROBLEMS WITH POLLEN FILTER. MAJOR PROBLEM IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE IS LOCATED IN THE SAME VICINITY AS THE PUDDLED WATER. I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR A WHILE ALTHOUGH HAVE NOT HAD TO REPLACE TCM YET. CHECK THE WEB FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 2002 MODEL YEAR. 2003 IS NO DIFFERENT. FIRST NOTICED PROBLEM AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249824November 25, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
FIRST COLD EVENING OF NOVEMBER 2008 (BELOW FREEZING) BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO DEPRESS, AND BRAKES APPEARED TO BE COMPLETELY LOCKED. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF WARMING UP, BRAKE FUNCTION PARTIALLY RETURNED, BUT WITHOUT POWER ASSIST. HUSBAND FLUSHED DOT4 BRAKE FLUID THROUGH ABS REGULATOR, BRAKE LINES AND BLED BRAKES. NO CHANGE WHATSOEVER. WAITING FOR DEALER TO RECOGNIZE PROBLEM. DEALER FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM OVER PHONE, HOWEVER, THIS MAY HELP. BELIEVED THAT AIR/POWER BOOSTER SUCKED WATER IN TO BRAKE BOOSTER FROM DEFECTIVE DRAIN. SUNROOF ALSO LEAKS, AND 3RD SET OF CV BOOTS FOR CAR IN 3 YEARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249881November 25, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM MY HOUSE CAR INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL PRESSURE ISSUE AND DISPLAYED "STOP ENGINE". PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME AND LET THE CAR COOL OFF AND CHECKED OIL LEVEL. OIL LEVEL WAS FINE, BASED ON THE DIP STICK. STARTED THE CAR UP AND THE CAR WAS VERY LOUD AND EXHIBITED A ROUGH AND IRREGULAR IDLE. "STOP ENGINE" INDICATOR CAME ON AGAIN. DID RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OTHER ISSUES WITH EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE. ISSUE APPARENTLY SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT REPAIR SHOP AND I HAVE NO FAITH THAT THIS WILL BE RESOLVED IN A POSITIVE WAY (IE NOT COSTING ME AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY) AS APPARENTLY THERE IS A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE AND MANUFACTURER, REPAIR SHOP RECOMMENDED CHANGING THE OIL FILTER AND OIL, YET THE MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE WAS PERFORMED JUST ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. NEXT THEY ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THEY TAKE THE OIL PAN OUT AND LOOK FOR "REPAIRABLE CULPRITS", WHICH I BELIEVE IS JUST NONSENSE AS I'M SURE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE DEALT WITH THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE. THIS IS A CASH COW FOR THE REPAIR SHOPS/DEALERS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IF ANY RECOURSE I HAVE. I'VE SEEN OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AS WELL, HAS VOLKSWAGEN ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE? I'VE STUCK WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED SERVICE INTERVAL AND PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS, SO I AM AT A LOSS IF THIS IS NOT BEING INVESTIGATED AS SOME FORM OF NEGLIGENCE ON VW'S PART. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249711November 24, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE FILLING THE FUEL TANK WITH GASOLINE, THE CONTACT OBSERVED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL SPILLING ON THE GROUND FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V156000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249400November 20, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE HEATER CORE FAILED ON OUR 1995 VW PASSAT WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING IT. WITHOUT WARNING IT FAILED AND POURED 190 DEGREE ANTIFREEZE OVER HIS ANKLES. FORTUNATELY HE WASN'T SEVERELY BURNED OR CRASHED THE CAR, BUT IT WAS SERIOUS ISSUE. WE SPOKE TO VW BUT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THE CORE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE RANDOMLY SELECTED. I HAVE READ ON THE FORUMS OF THIS HAPPENING OFTEN AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS RECALL THAT VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10249199November 19, 2008
POWER TRAIN
I OWN A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH A 1.8T ENGINE. THE CAR HAS 70,000 MILES AND I JUST FOUND OUT IT HAS ENGINE SLUDGE. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AROUND MAY 2004 WITH AROUND 34,000 MILES AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM (NOT VW DEALER) ABOUT SLUDGE PROBLEMS AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM VW OF AMERICA ABOUT ALTERED OIL CHANGE SCHEDULE AND USING FULLY SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL. BEING UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THESE ENGINES WERE HAVING I FOLLOWED THE OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES OF 5,000. I WAS NOT AWARE OF SAVING RECEIPTS OF CHANGES AND PERFORMED SEVERAL MYSELF. MY DISPLAY SHOWED A STOP ENGINE LOW OIL PRESS MESSAGE SO I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED SOME TESTS AND TOLD ME I HAD ENGINE SLUDGE. AS OF NOW I HAVE NO RECOURSE WITH VW OF AMERICA AS FAR AS FIXING AN ENGINE THEY KNOW IS FLAWED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249203November 19, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE: NONE - SUDDEN FAILURE. WAS ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. POWER SUDDENLY DROPPED AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS LIT UP. SPEED DROPPED VERY QUICKLY BUT WAS ABLE TO AVOID INCIDENT AND GO THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FAILURE: OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR BOLT BROKEN. CAR WAS AT DEALER FOR 15 DAYS TO REPLACE OIL PUMP, TIMING CHAIN, SPROCKETS, ADJUSTER TENSIONERS. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CAR WAS AT SECOND DEALER FOR ADDITIONAL 19 DAYS TO CORRECT PROBLEMS CREATED BY FIRST DEALER WHILE FIXING THE ENGINE. (RECEIVED APOLOGY BY PHONE FROM SERVICE MANAGER OF FIRST DEALER.) ISSUES: 1.SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. 2.FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS IN MANUAL, I DROVE CAR TO NEAREST DEALER ? A DISTANCE OF 10 MILES ? WITH REDUCED OR ZERO OIL CIRCULATION. LONGEVITY OF THE ENGINE MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED. 3.VW OF AMERICA DECLINED TO INSPECT THE ENGINE IN MORE DETAIL OR TO REPLACE ENGINE. 4.THIS IS A MODERATELY COMMON FAILURE OF THIS ENGINE. I FOUND 38 ALMOST IDENTICAL FAILURES AT: A.HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3462993 B.HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3193697 SUMMARY & REQUESTED ACTIONS: 1.RECALL ISSUED FOR AFFECTED ENGINES. 2.MY ENGINE REPLACED / VEHICLE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249305November 19, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
UNEXPECTED ABS AMBER LIGHT FAULT AND FLASHING RED BRAKE LIGHT. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE THIS AND WILL COST A LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO TRY AND REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Volkswagen Passat