Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#10074344June 25, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SLOWED DOWN THE GEARS WOULD SLAM INTO PLACE. ALSO WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE DIDNT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST THIRTY TIMES SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE IN MARCH. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND VW AMERICA IS WORKING ON A SOLUTION. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078721June 24, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT, SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
IN MID MAY, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN MY 1999 PASSAT GLS (ONLY 49K MILES), THE ABS LIGHT CAME ONE, THE BRAKE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, AND IT STARTED TO BEEP. THIS PROBLEM THEN WENT AWAY AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS. THIS PROBLEM THEN STARTED TO RECCUR WITH GREATER FREQUENCY, FROM ONE OR TWO TIMES A WEEK, TO NOW SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. DURING MY RECENT 50K MILE SERVICE, THE DEALER (SUNNYVALE VW) DETERMINED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO A FAILED ABS CONTOL MODULE. THE COST TO REPLACE IT IS OVER $1700. AS I CANNOT AFFORD SUCH A REDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY, I AM NOW DRIVING A CAR WITH A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE FURTHER I DISCOVERED THAT THIS PROBLEM AFFECT 1998 - 2000 VW PASSATS, AS WELL AS 1997 - 2000 AUDI A4 AND S4 AUTOS. SEARCHING THIS SITE FOR PAST COMPLAINTS OF THIS ISSUE I FOUND 50 COMPLAINTS. MORE TROUBLING, HOWEVER, IS THAT WHEN I SEARCHED DISCUSSION FORUMS OF WEB SITES DEDICATED TO THE B5 PLATFORM VW PASSAT AND AUDI A4 I FOUND OVER 1500 (ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED) POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THE CONSENSUS IS THAT THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ABS CONTROL MODULE MANUFATURED BY BOSCH. THE DEFECT IS DUE TO EITHER POOR ENGINEERING OR MANUFACTURING. I'VE ALREADY COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, AND THEY REFUSE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE BY REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE ABS CONTROL MODULE IN MY CAR. I WILL BE SENDING A LETTER TO THE CEO OF VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND DEMAND THAT THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY DEFECT BE REMEDIED. MY HOPE IS THAT MY COMPLAINT, IN COMBINATION WITH THE DOZENS OF OTHER FORMAL COMPLAINTS TO THE NHTSA, AS WELL AS THE HUNDREDS OF POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE WILL RESULT IN VW ISSUING A RECALL TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE ABS MODULES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079877June 23, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
PROBLEMS GETTING RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON 1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT.*MR CUSTOMER CARE INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN COULD NOT BE PERFORMED OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE PARTS AND REPAIR TECHNICIANS WERE NOT OBTAINABLE BY ANY DEALERSHIPS OUTSIDE THE U.S. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078676June 23, 2004
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
AM RADIO RECEPTION IS VERY POOR (STATIC) WITH THE ON STAR FEATURE.DEALER REPLACED THE RADIO TWISE & ANTENNA SYSTEM.... STILLS FAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074080June 23, 2004
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
THE CONSUMER LIFTED UP THE HOOD TO CHECK THE OIL AND THE HOOD UNEXPECTEDLY CAME DOWN. NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067385June 23, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE TIMING BELT LOOSENED, FLAPPED UP, AND SEVERED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RUN AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A ROUGH IDLE AND RATTLED. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES, PER DEALERSHIP. *AK THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE TIMING BELT BROKE AFTER THE TENSIONER SHREDDED IT. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK WHILE IN MOTION. THE POWER BRAKES AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH 52,515 MILES AND THE FAILURE HAD ALREADY OCCURRED. LESS THAN 4K MILES LATER. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078625June 22, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
STEERING WAS MAKING A FUNNY NOISE - BROGHT CAR IN FOR SERVICE WAS TOLD IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IT HOME. HAD TO REPLACE ALL CONTROL ARMS (4) DEALER SAID THIS WAS COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE. CAR HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT. THESE ITEMS SHOULD NOT FAIL SO SOON - COST $1600 TO REPAIR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079560June 21, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
AFTER THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMED THE FUEL SENDING RECALL 01V157000 REPAIRS THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO WORK. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS WORKING PRIOR TO HAVING REPAIRS DONE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS CAUSING THE FUEL GAUGE NOT TO WORK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078448June 18, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
THE ABS CONTROL MODULE ON MY CAR SEEMS TO HAVE FAILED. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BOTH VW AND AUDI. RIGHT NOW THE BRAKES WORK BUT ABS DOES NOT...SO THE WHEELS CAN LOCK UP. ONCE IN A WHILE, THE ABS LIGHT TURNS OF AND ABS STARTS WORKING, BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT DOES NOT WORK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS OR SO. AGAIN, THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE WITH VW AND AUDI.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078450June 18, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE DISPLAY READ"STOP, BRAKE FAILURE IMMANENT". AFTER TALKING ON MY CELL PHONE WITH MY REGULAR VW MECHANIC HE SAID IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE EXCEPT I WOULD NOT HAVE ANY ANTI-LOCK BRAKING CAPABILITY. I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOST THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE CONTROLER AND PUMP. THE DIAGNOSTIC COST ME $90.00 AND LATER WHEN THEY FOUND THE PART THAT BILL WAS $1580.85. WHY IS A SAFETY ITEM LIKE THAT NOT PAYED FOR BY THE MANUFACTURER? THE CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. SEEMS A LITTLE TO SOON TO BE REPLACING SUCH A SELDOM USED AND EXPENSIVE PART.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078401June 17, 2004
SUSPENSION
PURCHASED MY 1999 VW PASSAT 1.8T WAGON IN AUGUST, 2002. IT HAD APPRX. 53,000 MILES ON IT. BY SEPTEMBER, 2003, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT SQUEAKING, CREAKING, GROANING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. AT THAT TIME, CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY. 75K MILES. DIAGNOSIS WAS FRONT END SUSPENSION PARTS INCLUDING CONTROL ARMS, BALL JOINTS, BUSHINGS WERE DANGEROUSLY WORN AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. VW DEALERSHIP PROVIDED ME WITH A COPY OF TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA DATED MAY 31, 2001. IT CALLS FOR INSTALLATION OF PARTS IN REPAIR KIT NO 3BO498 798A. BECAUSE OF EXISTENCE OF THE TECH SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM, MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY (WYNN'S WARRANTIES) REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. REPAIRS STILL NEEDED TO TUNE OF $1100. FRONT END IS NOW SO LOOSE FOR SAFETY REASONS I WILL HAVE TO MAKE REPAIRS IMMEDIATELY AT MY OWN EXPENSE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078349June 16, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
2000 VW PASSAT 4 MOTION RAN OUT OF GAS WHILE GAUGE SHOWED FUEL. UPON CHECKING I DISCOVERED THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ISSUED OCT. 2001. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT WHEN I GOT THE CAR BACK THE GAUGE DID NOT WORK AT ALL. I TOOK IT BACK IMMEDIATELY AND THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT BACK ANOTHER TIME AFTER THEY CALLED TECH SUPPORT. WHEN I TOOK IT BACK THEY SAID IT NEEDED A FUEL PUMP (THE FUEL PUMP HAS A FUEL SENDING UNIT BUILT IN). THE RECALL STATED THAT THERE ARE 3 SENDING UNITS IN THE TANK AND ANY ONE OF THEM CAN GIVE TROUBLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO DO ANY MORE WORK UNDER THE RECALL. I HAVE CALLED THE VW CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPT BUT THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME. WHAT CAN I DO? CAN YOU HELP ME? THE DEALERSHIP IS PETE MOORE VW PENSACOLA FL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079331June 16, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
CONTROL ARM MADE A CLUCKING SOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE NOISE OCCURRED BECAUSE THE CONTROL ARM WAS LOOSE, AND IF THIS PART FAILED, THE BALL JOINTS COULD BREAK WILL DRIVING. THE CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078291June 15, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON TWICE. THE FIRST TIME FRONT AND SIDE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS WERE REPLACED, COSTING $1200. THE SECOND TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON VW WAS CONTACTED AND THEY AGREED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, $300 FOR A WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE ADVISE, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAPPEN CONSIDERING THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. SERVICE MANAGER AT VOLKSWAGEN COMPARED AIR BAG TO A "LIGHT BULB." SAYING THAT LIKE LIGHT BULBS AIRBAGS ALSO BURN OUT AFTER A WHILE, A RATHER POMPOUS STATEMENT TO MAKE. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075354June 14, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ON 6/10/2004, I HAD MY VW PASSAT REPAIRED AT MITCHELL VOLKSWAGEN, CANTON, CT, FOR ROUGH IDLE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. DEALER FOUND SCAN CODES FOR CYLINDER #2 MISFIRES AND RANDOM/MULTIPLE MISFIRES. DEALER REPLACED ICM IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND CLEARED FAULT. THEN DEALER ATTEMPTED TO SET BASIC SETTINGS AND A NEW PROBLEM WAS GENERATED, THROTTLE BODY WOULD NOT ADAPT. I NOW HAVE A CONTINUOUS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. DEALER DID NOT EXPLAIN WHY THEY TRIED TO SET THE BASIC SETTINGS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ICM. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THE BASIC SETTINGS ARE NOT PERFORMED CORRECTLY A MALFUNCTION TO THE THROTTLE VALVE CONTROL CAN OCCUR. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE THIS PROBLEM MAY BE SELF CORRECTING. IF IT DOES CORRECT ITSELF, I NEED TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY FOR APPROX. $500.00. I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $539.00 TO HAVE MY ICM REPLACED AND NOW HAVE A NEW PROBLEM. NOW I AM TOLD "MAY REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY TO CORRECT, WILL NOT CAUSE VEHICLE TO RUN ROUGH, MAY CAUSE SURGING AT IDLE OR SLIGHT HESTITATION ON ACCELERATION, PART NEEDS TO BE ORDERED. IT MAY CORRECT ITSELF IN 200 MILES. THE DEALER SAID IT'S OK TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND HESTITATION AND SURGING). I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY AGREE WITH THE DEALER. I THINK THIS IS A MANUFUCTURE'S DEFECT IN DESIGN AND YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH HESTITATION AND POSSIBLE SURGING, THESE ARE SAFETY ISSUES. THE VW CUSTOMER SERVICE WOULD NOT GIVE ME SOMEONE ELSE AT VW TO EXPRESS MY SAFETY CONCERNS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075375June 14, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM, STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
OUR 1998 PASSAT HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES ON IT, AND YET ALL OF THE EXPENSIVE FRONT CONTROL ARMS ARE STARTING TO GO BAD. THEY ARE GETTING PLAY IN THE BALL JOINTS, WHICH ARE ONLY REPLACEABLE BY REPLACING THE WHOLE CONTROL ARMS. SINCE THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 8 CONTROL ARMS, THE COST OF REPAIR IS POTENTIALLY VERY HIGH. AND IF THEY ARE NOT REPLACED, THE POTENTIAL FOR HAZARD AND INJURY BECOMES VERY GREAT IF THE JOINTS GET SO SLOPPY THAT THEY AFFECT THE HANDLING OF THE CAR AND EVENTUALLY COME APART. VW SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH BUILDING SUCH AN UNDER-ENGINEERED SUSPENSION SYSTEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075381June 14, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER ARM
BOTH CONTROL ARMS FAILED ON 1999 PASSAT GLX @ 60000 MILES ON LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. REPAIR COVERED BY VW EXTENDED WARRANTY TO THE TUNE OF $689 PER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THESE CONTROL ARMS SHOULD NOT BE FAILING! STEERING, CONTROL, AND TIRE WEAR SUFFER SERIOUS IMPAIRMENT AS A RESULT OF THESE FAILURES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075127June 10, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ENGINE SPEED PULSATES AT IDLE WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS IN GEAR AND BRAKES APPLIED. NO FAILURE OR WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED. TO PREVENT SURGING OF CAR WHILE STOPPED, TRANSMISSION MUST BE PUT IN NEUTRAL. ALSO HESITATES SIGNIFICANTLY DURING SOME ACCELERATIONS FROM STOP DUE TO CONDITION, AND IDLES ROUGH WHEN COLD. SAME FAULT LAST YEAR IN JAN. 2003, RESOLUTION THROUGH REPLACEMENT OF COOLANT SENSOR AND THROTTLE BODY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075130June 10, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
IDLE PULSATES HEAVILY AT STOPS WHEN IN GEAR. IDLE IS ROUGH WHEN CAR IS COLD. CAR HESITATES HEAVILY SOMETIMES WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. NO FAULT CODES DISPLAYED. HAVE REPLACED COMBINATION VALVE DUE TO FAULT CODE STORED IN ECU, VALVE SHOWED HEAVY BUILDUP OF CARBON. HAVE REPLACED SECONDARY AIR PUMP DUE TO WATER BUILDUP IN PUMP. PROBLEM OCCURRED 1 YEAR AGO, WAS RESOLVED BY REPLACEMENT OF THROTTLE BODY AND COOLANT TEMP SENSOR AT COST OF $600. PROBLEM NOW BACK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075177June 10, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR SHIFTS SHARPLY IN LOWER GEARS CAUSING SEVERE JERKING OF THE VEHICLE AT TIMES. DEALER "REBOOTED" THE CONTROL MODULE BUT NO CHANGE. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP LET IT SLIP THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THERE IS NO SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY SOLD THE CAR KNOWING OF THIS PROBLEM. I CONTACTED VW AND COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS OFFERED 2 MONTHS OF FREE LOAN PAYMENTS BY VW. I RECENTLY RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP SAYING THAT THE SOFTWARE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. I AM TAKING CAR IN THIS WEEK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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