Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#10099650November 9, 2004
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH CLUTCH FAILED. VEHICLE LOST POWER. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099721November 9, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SLUDGE WAS INSIDE OF THE ENGINE, AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10095224November 9, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN DRIVING 5-30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE GRINDING NOISE WAS FIRST NOTICED 1 YEAR PRIOR TO REPAIR. THE NOISE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD WHEN THE VEHICLE AT LOW SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED FRONT AND REAR PADS, ROTORS. THE GLOVE BOX WAS BROKEN. *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098423November 7, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I OWE A 1998 VW PASSAT GLS( 77,000 MILES). ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON A MONTH AGO. I CONTACTED VW DEALER AND THEY ASKED ME TO BRING THE CAR IN. BUT BEFORE I DID THAT I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH THAT CAR BECAUSE OF THE ABS PROBLEM. IT WAS RAINING AND I HAD TO BRAKE SO THE ABS TURNED ON. IT BLOCKED BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL AND THE CAR KEPT SLIDING. ABS WAS CLEARLY NOT WORKING. THE CAR KEPT SLIDING FOR ABOUT 30 YARDS AND I ALMOST RAN TROUGH THE RED LIGHT AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED I'VE NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAD SHUT ITSELF DOWN. SEVEN MONTH PREGNANT WIFE AND MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WERE WITH ME IN THE CAR AND WE ALMOST LOST OUR LIVES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS MODULE MUST BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME ABOUT $2000.00. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND I FOUND THAT THERE IS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT APPARENTLY VW OF AMERICA DO NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE WEBSITES WHERE YOU CAN READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HTTP://WWW.MYVWLEMON.COM/UBB/FORUM2/HTML/000120.HTML. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BECAUSE THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BECAUSE BEFORE YOU HEAR ABOUT DOZENS OF PEOPLE LOOSING THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THIS. THANK YOU, ENES SKOPLJAK. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099818November 5, 2004
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND DID NOT GO OUT. REPAIRED AND RECURRED EIGHT TIMES. *BF *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098308November 5, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2001.5 PASSAT HAVE BURNED OUT AT A RATE THAT IS MUCH HIGHER THAN NORMAL. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ONE HEADLIGHT TWICE AND THE OTHER FOUR TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED MY CAR. BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS THAT ONLY A DEALER REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH ONE OR THE OTHER LAMP OUT. FORTUNATELY THEY HAVE NOT FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. DURING A VISIT TO MY LOCAL DEALER WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AT THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR HEADLIGHTS TO BE REPLACED THIS FREQUENTLY. SINCE THAT VISIT, AND SEVERAL MORE LIGHT REPLACEMENTS, THEY HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING TO THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS FAULTY AND HAVE SINCE REPLACED IT, ALTHOUGH THEY CHARGED ME FOR THE REPAIR. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PASSATS THAT I SEE WITH ONE HEADLIGHT OUT, I SUSPECT THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098310November 5, 2004
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
2003 VW PASSAT; HEATED SEAT BURNED THROUGH CUSHION AND STARTED SMOLDERING. DEALER REPLACED SEAT. SAID THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE HEATING ELEMENT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098317November 5, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IDENTICAL TO COMPLAINTS 10089069 AND 10097846. SUDDEN WARNING LIGHT APPEARANCE WHILE DRIVING IN HIGHWAY. INDICATED "LOW OIL PRESSURE -- STOP MOTOR". BY THE TIME AN EXIT WAS REACHED ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING AND KNOCKING. MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATE -- CAR IS AT DEALER ABOUT 50 MILES DISTANT. AR IS WITHIN WARRANTY MILEAGE AND YEARS (7 YEARS/70,000 MILES FOR POWER TRAIN). VOLKSWAGEN IS REFUSING TO PROVIDE WARRANTY COVERAGE BECAUSE MILEAGE WAS NOT RECORDED ON RECEIPTS AT TIME OF OIL CHANGES. HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH BOTH THE VW DEALER RECEIVING THE CAR AS TOWED, AND VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER SERVICE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098198November 3, 2004
STEERING:COLUMN
AT 13,000 MILES, STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO "CLUNK" WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. NEW STEERING COLUMN INSTALLED UNDER WARRANTY. AT 27,000 MILES, SAME PROBLEM RETURNED. INFORMED BY A MECHANIC THAT ISSUE MAY BE DUE TO DESIGN OF COLUMN UNIVERSAL JOINT WHEN PASSING THROUGH FIREWALL (SHARP ANGLE LEADS TO MORE STRESS AND LIKELY FAILURE OVER TIME.) WHEN WARRANTY EXPIRES, THIS WILL BECOME MY ISSUE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099296November 3, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT SIMULTANEOUSLY CAME ON FOLLOWED BY A BEEPING NOISE. THIS RENDERED THE ABS BRAKE INOPERATIVE. ABS CONTROL MODULE PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE ITS INTERNAL RELAY WAS CLICKING AND BUZZING. THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE PART ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099307November 3, 2004
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
CLUTCH FAILED THREE TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. CONSUMER FIRST HAD IT REPLACED AT 3000 MILES. THE SECOND TIME AT 30,000 MILES, AND THEN AT 40,000 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10095274November 3, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
THE DEALERSHIPS STATED RECALL 01V157000 CONCERNING FUEL SENDING UNIT EXPIRED, AND DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. LITHIA AUTO GROUP, 775-852-3300, RENO,NEVADA. *AK *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099215November 2, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE OIL PUMP ON THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES. THE OIL PUMP HAS DAMAGED THE ENGINE AND THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE OIL PUMP BECAUSE IT DAMAGED THE ENGINE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098080November 1, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
HAD NEW FRONT TIRES PUT ON THE CAR AND THEN NEW BRAKE SHOES, ROTORS, ETC. ON THE BACK. ABS LIGHT KEEPS FLICKERING ON AS IF THE VEHICLE THINKS IT IS SKIDDING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10098976October 28, 2004
TIRES:VALVE
A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER CHANGED THE TIRE, AND DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VALVE STEMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074291October 28, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
THE CONSUMER HEARD A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MANY OTHER DRIVERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE ON THE INTERNET HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096478October 27, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DRIVER'S SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLAMP ("PROJECTOR TYPE") FAILED WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF REPLACEMENT. ASKED DEALER TO FIND SOURCE OF PROBLEM. DEALER FOUND LAMP SOCKET MELTED AND WIRING BURNED. REPLACED WIRE HARNESS AND SOCKET AND BULB. VW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 9404-01, "HEADLAMP ELECTRICAL CONNECTION REPAIR", ISSUED 3/11/04, SUGGESTS THIS IS A RECOGNIZED DEFECT IN AFFECTED CARS. THIS ALSO SUGGESTS THAT REPLACEMENT HARNESSES MAY BE A REDESIGNED PART (E.G. HEAVIER WIRE, IMPROVED MATERIALS, ETC.). IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE HARNESS USED RESOLVES THE PROBLEM FOR BOTH SIDES OF CAR OR NOT. CHARGED $54.45 FOR HARNESS, $188.30 FOR ENTIRE JOB. THIS WAS PARTIALLY COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRANTY. REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FROM BOTH DEALER AND VWOA FOR OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES FOR REPAIRS TO APPARENT DEFECTIVE COMPONENT, BUT WAS DENIED BASED ON AGE / MILEAGE (86,485) OF VEHICLE. CONSEQUENCES OF DEFECT: POTENTIAL UNDERHOOD FIRE HAZARD. LOSS OF VISIBILITY FOR DRIVER/ONCOMING VEHICLES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10097846October 27, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OIL SLUDGE BUILDS UP IN THE ENGINE. THE OIL IS BREAKING DOWN WHICH IS CLOGGING THE ENGINE. WHILE DRIVING A LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE DASHBOARD, STATING STOP DO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM, AND COULD DAMAGE THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO WARNING UNTIL IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. CONSUMER CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096427October 26, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
FAILURE OF COMPUTER MODUAL FOR ABS (AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM). ABS SYSTEM NO LONGER WORKS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096431October 26, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
VEHICLE SERVICED BY FINDLAY VW ON SAT 10/16/2004- 30,000 MILE SERVICE. 3 DAYS LATER THE BRAKE FAULT WARNING SOUNDED. I THOUGHT PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS. ON SAT 10/23/2004 IT SOUNDED AGAIN. AT THIS POINT, I DID NOT DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL BRINGING TO DEALERSHIP ON MON 10/25/2004. I REVIEWED MANUAL AND HAD SURMISED THAT POSSIBLY NOT ENOUGH BRAKE FLUID HAD BEEN PUT IN. I WAS INFORMED THAT AT ONLY 30, 600 MILES, CAR NEEDED REAR BRAKES AND ROTOR-DOWN TO 2%. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT VW SHIPS CARS WITH MINIMAL AMOUNT THICKNESS ROTOR AND ANY WEAR AT ALL REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. THIS IS MY 3RD CONSECUTIVE VW, I NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. 30,000+ MILES SHOULD NOT WARRENT REAR BRAKES / ROTORS, EVEN IN TOUGH CITY CONDITIONS. I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY SQUEAKING OR RUBBING NOR DID BRAKES REQUIRE ADDED PRESSURE TO ADEQUATELY SLOW OR STOP THE VEHICLE. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS NECESSARY WORK OR IF TRUE OF ROTOR SHIP CONDITIONS IS UNFAIR. AT THIS POINT, I WILL NOT PURCHASE A 4TH VW. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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