Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#10242146September 14, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IS DEAD ON MT 1999 VW PASSAT. THIS RENDERS THE ABS USELESS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE PASSATS. I JUST HOPE THEY HAVE A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS BIG DOLLAR REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242038September 13, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ABS LIGHT STATED TO BLINK... CAN'T "TALK" TO ABS IN CAR WITH COMPUTER... ABS MODULE IS OUT :( *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242056September 13, 2008
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE, 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T AT 61,000 MILES, VEHICLE STARTED SHUTTING ITSELF OFF ONE SECOND AFTER STARTING WITH NO MESSAGE. WITHIN 500 MILES, DIAGNOSTIC MESSAGE REPORTED STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE. VEHICLE IS 2,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY (LESS THEN 1 YEAR OLD), DEALER INSIST ON REPLACING STEERING COLUMN, STEERING COLUMN LOCK, STEERING COLUMN LOCK CONTROL MODULE AND THE CONVENIENCE CONTROL MODULE FOR A TOTAL OF $2400. I HAVE FOUND ON VARIOUS INTERNET FORUMS MULTIPLE IDENTICAL INCIDENTS. THIS STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS AND WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE START AND VW HAS AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE IT RIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241901September 11, 2008
STEERING
WHEN TRYING TO START OUR 2006 PASSAT THE INFO PANEL SHOWS "STEERING WHEEL DEFECTIVE". A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH CAME UP WITH 4 OF THE SAME SITUATIONS IN 2006 PASSATS ON ONE SITE. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT $1700. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. IT'S ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. VW TOLD THE DEALER THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE PART ONLY FOR "GOOD FAITH". NO, IT'S A FACTORY DEFECT FROM THE START WHICH IS ALSO A HUGE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPLETE COST IN ADDITION TO A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241596September 9, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
ABS MODULE HAS FAILED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241196September 6, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2000 VW PASSAT. THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT FLASHES, AND "STOP"/"BRAKE MALFUNCTION"/"SERVICE MANUAL" CYCLES ON THE DASH DISPLAY. SOMETIMES THIS OCCURS WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES AS SOON AS I START THE CAR. SOMETIMES THEY GO RIGHT BACK OFF...BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY STAY ON FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES, AND THEN GO OFF AND THEN THE ASR LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL I TURN OFF THE CAR. IF THE CAR IS OFF FOR A FEW HOURS, THE LIGHTS WILL USUALLY NOT COME BACK ON UNTIL I DRIVE AGAIN FOR A FEW MILES. IT APPEARS AFTER DOING SOME SEARCHING THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ABS CONTROL MODULE AND IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS DOING NOTHING ABOUT EXCEPT REPLACE THE PART FOR AROUND $1300-$1500. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241143September 6, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
GOT INTO MY 2003 VW PASSAT AND SMELLED FUEL. GOT OUT CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND NONE WERE VISIBLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP FOR FURTHER CHECKING. WHEN REPAIR SHOP STARTED VEHICLE, FUEL SPRAYED ON CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND SURROUNDING COMPONENTS. A LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE WAS DETERMINED. THE AREA OF THE FUEL LINE ADJACENT TO THE FIRE WALL HAD RUBBED A HOLE. FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240990September 4, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
ABS CONTROL UNIT FAILURE ON MY 1999 VW PASSAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240603September 2, 2008
VISIBILITY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS OR HEADLIGHTS, THEY FAILED TO TURN ON. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240685September 2, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ON 12/28/2007 THE OIL COOLER ON MY 2004 PASSAT FAILED AND ALLOWED LARGE QUANTITIES OF OIL TO LEAK INTO THE COOLANT. THE OIL COOLER REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER VW'S POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. PER THE PASSAT OWNER'S MANUAL AND PER VERBAL CONFIRMATION FROM VW, WHEN A PART COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FAILS AND CAUSES DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS, THOSE OTHER PARTS ARE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS WELL. IN THIS CASE THE DEALER, FLOW VOLKSWAGEN OF GREENSBORO, NC, REPLACED NOT ONLY THE OIL COOLER BUT ALSO THE COOLANT RESERVOIR, AND FLUSHED THE COOLING SYSTEM 3 TIMES. DURING THE SERVICE THEY TELEPHONED ME AT WORK AND GAVE ME A QUOTE OF NEARLY $300 TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT BECAUSE THEY FELT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY THE FOULED COOLANT. AT THAT TIME I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE THERMOSTAT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, NOR DID I KNOW THAT THE DEALER ALREADY HAD THE THERMOSTAT COMPLETELY OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERS SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT THE COOLANT WAS THE CONSISTENCY OF MUD. THE $300 QUOTE THAT THE FLOW VOLKSWAGEN DEALER GAVE ME INVOLVED A DOUBLE CHARGE ON THE LABOR AS WELL AS VIOLATED VW'S WARRANTY POLICY THAT THE THERMOSTAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED. THE DEALER WAS ALREADY GOING TO CHARGE VW FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE THERMOSTAT AND OTHER COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENTS, YET THEY WERE CALLING TO ASK ME TO PAY FOR THE LABOR AS WELL AS FOR THE WARRANTY COVERED PART ITSELF (THE THERMOSTAT) THAT WAS DAMAGED BY THE OIL COOLER'S LEAK. DURING THE PHONE CALL WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE QUOTE THE FLOW VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE PERSONNEL TOLD ME THAT THE THERMOSTAT MIGHT BE OKAY SINCE THEY WERE CLEANING IT. IN AUGUST OF 2008, THE PASSAT'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ACCORDING TO FLOW VOLKSWAGEN THIS TIME, THE THERMOSTAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE TOTAL CHARGE WOULD BE $478. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240330August 30, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
MY 2007 VW PASSAT HAS BROKEN DOWN 4 TIMES IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS WITH REAR BRAKE FAILURE. THE MFG. HAS NEVER FIXED THIS PROBLEM, AND IS UNRESPONSIVE TO MY NUMEROUS REQUESTS, TO REPURCHASE OR FIX MY VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS DEFECT AS IT CAUSES MY REAR BRAKES TO BE INOPERABLE. THIS IS THE FIRST PRODUCTION YEAR FOR VW ELECTRIC REAR BRAKES, AND I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240344August 30, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
I DRIVE A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.8T AND WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE ABS LIGHT WOULD TURN ON. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER THE BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN APPEARING WITH IT AND MAKING A BEEPING SOUND. I TOOK IT TO A VOLKSWAGEN SPECIALIST AND GOT THEY REPLACE THE ABS MODULE. SINCE THEN THE ABS LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240189August 29, 2008
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
MY 1998 VW PASSAT GLX BEGAN EXHIBITING A FLASHING/BEEPING RED LIGHT TO INDICATE A FAILURE IN THE ABS SYSTEM. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS FAILURE IS FAIRLY COMMON ON 1998-2001 PASSATS, BUT NO ACTION HAS EVER BEEN TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER. I HAD THE ABS MODULE REBUILT AND DID THE REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION WORK MYSELF; THE RESULT WAS $220 OUT OF POCKET. HOWEVER, MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOUGHT DEALERSHIP SERVICE WORK FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM HAVE SPENT WELL IN EXCESS OF $1,000. GIVEN THE APPARENT FAILURE RATE OF THIS MODULE AND THE FACT THAT IT IS A CORE SAFETY FEATURE OF THE CAR, IT IS MY OPINION THAT IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR RECALL (INCLUDING COMPENSATION FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY MADE THE REPAIR). THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240044August 28, 2008
TIRES
I LEASED A NEW VW PASSAT IN 2006. THE TIRES WORE OUT IN 21,000 EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PROPERLY INFLATED AND BASICALLY DRIVEN ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. I HAVE NEVER HAD TIRES THAT LASTED LESS THAN 35K. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239888August 27, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
NORMAL CAR OPERATION. ABS LIGHTS CAME ON - DIAGNOSED AS FAILURE OF ABS CONTROL MODULE. ABS BRAKES NO LONGER WORK! VW WANTS $1600 FOR REPAIRS. AFTER SOME RESEARCH DETERMINED IT IS A FAIRLY COMMON FAILURE ON MY CAR, 2001 PASSAT THAT VW HAS YET TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR ADDRESS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239874August 27, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ABS MODULE BOSCH 5.3 FOR 2000 VW PASSAT - DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DISCONNECTED SMALL WIRE IN THE MODULE CAUSES NON-COMMUNICATION TO VW VAGCOM COMPUTER TO ABS SYSTEM, THUS RENDERING THE ABS BRAKES INEFFECTIVE AND DEEMED DANGEROUS CAUSING BRAKE LOCKING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239771August 26, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM MODULE ON MY 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT HAS FAILED LEAVING ME WITH NO FUNCTIONING ABS SYSTEM. THE FAILURE OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE OCCURS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN, THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD APPEAR TELLING ME THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED, THE ONLY CONSEQUENCE SO FAR IS A FAILED ABS SYSTEM, AS OF RIGHT NOW NO CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BECAUSE A BRAND NEW MODULE IS ~$800 DOLLARS, AND TO HAVE THE MODULE REBUILT REQUIRES REMOVING IT FROM THE CAR AND MAILING IT TO A MODULE REBUILDING COMPANY(WWW.MODULEMASTERS.COM) AND COSTS $200+ AND AT THIS TIME I CAN'T AFFORD EITHER OF THE COSTS EASILY. THE CAR AND BRAKES FUNCTION FINE, BUT THERE IS NO SAFETY OF THE ABS SYSTEM INCASE OF EMERGENCY AN EMERGENCY STOP OF A 4000LB CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239794August 26, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ABS MODULE IS FAULTY, RESULTING IN NO ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239854August 26, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
1. ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT LIGHTS UP DASH, WHILE BLARING A LOUD BEEP. ABS BECOMES INOPERATIVE, WHICH RESULTS IN LONGER STOPS. 2. EACH TIME CAR IS STARTED 3. CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239646August 25, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHEN IDLING ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE LUNGES BACKWARDS SEVERAL FEET. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS IS TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO OFFSET THE STEADY DECLINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE DUE TO A POTENTIAL DESIGN FLAW WITH THE COMBINATION MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. A PERMANENT REMEDY HAS NOT YET BEEN DISCOVERED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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