Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#10037035September 2, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY ON DRIVERS SIDE BROKE AND POPPED OUT OF BODY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CONTROL LINKAGE FROM THE MOTOR BROKE AND PUSHED THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER OUT. THE WIPER BLADE IS TWO TO THREE INCHES OFF THE WINDOW. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER IS ALSO NOT FUNCTIONING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037085September 2, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
I WAS DIRIVNG THE CAR WHEN SMOKE STARTED ENTERING THE CABIN AREA. PULLED OVER, AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGLUFED IN SMOKE. HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO FLAMES, BUT THE FIREFIGHTERS HAD TO USE A HOSE TO KILL THE SMOKE. VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN TALLAHASSEE INDICATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR "MALFUNCTIONED". I'D LIKE AN INVESTIGATION INTO HOW A MALFUCNTION INT HE ALTERNATOR COULD CAUSE A NEAR FIRE HAZARD, AND IF IT WAS A MALFUCNTION -- WHAT CAUSED IT, AND A BULLETIN POSTED AS TO HOW TO AVOID IT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS MATTER AS THE CAR WAS PARACTICALLY IN FLAMES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031369September 2, 2003
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL BELOW , HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO THE VIN. NHTSA: RECALL 00-V-414-000: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY. *AK *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031372September 2, 2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A CONSTANT GROANING AND SQUEAKING IN THE FRONT END SUSPENSION WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE DEALER SAID THE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM. *AK *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10027080September 2, 2003
TIRES, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY RIGHT REAR MICHELIN MXV4 TIRE DISINTEGRATED. PARTS OF THE TIRE RUPTURED THE GAS TANK. ON 6/18/2003 THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL# 02V026000. ON 6/20/2003 THE DEALER CALLED AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER ALL DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE WOULD BE FIXED PER THE RECALL. A RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE CALL FROM THE DEALER WAS MADE. *AK *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036873August 29, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
HEADLIGHTS CONTINUALLY GO OUT. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP SUPPOSEDLY DID ELECTRICAL PART OF IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT, BUT HEADLIGHTS STILL DID NOT WORK. FURTHER REAIRS BY AN INDEPENDANT MECHANIC WORKED FOR A SHORT TIME, THEN ONE OF THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER A YEAR. DEALERSHIP COMPLETELY UNINTERESTED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036771August 28, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
BURNING HOT ANTI-FREEZE AND STEAM CLOUDED THE CABIN OF MY VW PASSAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING AN UNSAFE DRIVING SITUATION AND POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS FROM BREATHING THE HOT FUMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036807August 28, 2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ON AUGUST 16, 2003, WE WERE DRIVING ON THE NEW JERSEY PARKWAY IN OUR 1997 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT STATION WAGON WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL BROKE. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC, HE CONFIRMED THAT THE CLUTCH WAS FINE BUT THAT THE PEDAL HAD BROKEN, A FAILURE HE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036663August 27, 2003
AIR BAGS
2/18/03 - REPORTED AIR BAG LIGHT ON TO DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AND RESET LIGHT. AIRBAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN IN MAY '03. RETURNED TO DEALER ON 6/28/03 FOR SERVICE. TOLD THAT AIRBAG SPIRAL SPRING AND HARNESS BE REPLACED. COULD NOT CHANGE ON THAT DAY (SATURDAY) DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS. RETURNED TO DEALER ON 8/26/03 TO REPLACE SPIRAL SPRING AND HARNESS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037770August 27, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT
WHILE DRIVING ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING WARNING BELL TO SOUND, WHICH INDICATED FOR THE DRIVER TO STOP. DEALER STATESD PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR VEHICLE WERE ON BACK ORDER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037804August 27, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT OIL WAS A QUART LOW. THE MECHANIC ADDED A QUART OF OIL. THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON THE DASHBOARD. THE NEXT DAY THE VEHICLE HAD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10034591August 26, 2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE FRONT UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE CRACKED ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND LEAKING OIL. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036625August 26, 2003
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE RIGHT REAR DOOR HAS BECOME MISALIGNED. IT DOES NOT SHUT SOLID AND IT STICKS OUT ABOUT AN 1/8 OF AN INCH WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10034495August 25, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER NOTICED AFTER FILLING VEHICLE WITH FUEL VEHICLE INTICATION LIGHT WOULD FLASH, STATING LOW ON FUEL. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033454August 25, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
AT ABOUT 61000 MILES MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT DISPLAYED A "CHECK ENGINE" SYMBOL AND A DASHBOARD MESSAGE INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE LIGHT AND MESSAGE WERE RELATED TO A SERVICE CAMPAIGN RELATING TO A VACUUM LINE AND THAT THE ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED. AT ABOUT 74K MILES, THE SAME LIGHT AND EMISSIONS CONTROL MESSAGE REAPPEARED. I RETURNED TO THE SAME DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, THAT IT WAS TESTED AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. THE CODES WERE RESET AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HOWEVER, THE LIGHT AND EMISSIONS CONTROL MESSAGE REAPPEARED. THIS TIME, THE SHOP FOREMAN AT THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT I ARRANGE TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE FOR EXTENDED TESTING. I AGREED TO DO SO. AFTER A DAY OR TWO OF TESTS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ON THE VEHICLE WERE MALFUNCTIONING. I WAS TOLD, HOWEVER, THAT DESPITE THE 7 YEAR/70,000 MILE FEDERALLY MANDATED EMISSIONS SYSTEM WARRANTY, VOLKSWAGEN WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE NOW HAD ABOUT 79K MILES ON IT. FROM SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL SOURCES, INCLUDING THE DEALERSHIP'S FOREMAN AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF VOLKSWAGEN, I LEARNED THAT THE VACUUM LINE REPAIR PERFORMED AT 61K MILES WAS NOT RELATED TO THE EMISSIONS MESSAGE THAT FIRST APPEARED AT THAT TIME. IT APPEARS THAT, ALTHOUGH THE VECHILE HAS CLEARLY INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM SINCE THE INCIDENT AT 61K MILES, NO ONE TOOK THE TIME TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM UNTIL, UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD HAD RUN.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10019716August 22, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ONE NIGHT BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM BOTH OF THE HEAD LIGHT WIRING HARNESS' FAILED AND CAUSED MULTIPLE HEAD LIGHT FAILURES. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR 3 OF THE 4 FAILURES OUT OF POCKET. *SCC *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033270August 21, 2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
POWER DOOR LOCKS (PASSENGER SIDE) - LOCKS OPERATED BUT DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033193August 20, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
OIL PAN FAILED OR WAS DAMAGED BY "OUTSIDE INFLUENCE" RESULTING IN SEVERE OIL LOSS AND RISK OF FIRE. OIL PAN IS CONSTRUCTED WITH A THIN SHEET OF ALUMINUM AND IS PROTECTED BY A SIMPLE SHEET OF PLASTIC.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10032926August 16, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TIMING BELT TENSIONER ON MY 1999 VW PASSAT 1.8T (VIN # [XXX]) FAILED AT 76,623 MILES CAUSING TIMING BELT TO SLIP OFF, THUS CAUSING MAJOR ENGINE VALVE DAMAGE. I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME AND CALL A TOW TRUCK, BUT HAD I BEEN FURTHER AWAY FROM HOME I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. VW ADVISES OWNERS TO HAVE TIMING BELTS CHECKED AT 40,000 AND 80,000 MILES AND TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AT 106,000. BECAUSE THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILS EARLY I BELIEVE THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED OR AT THE VERY LEAST THAT VW SHOULD ADVISE OWNERS TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER AT 60,000--70,000 MILES IN ORDER TO AVOID SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE.*AK 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
#10034030August 15, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
LTR RE HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE WAY NHTSA HANDLED SITUATION RE OPENING AN INVESTIGATION ON DEFECTIVE IGNITION,...*MR FAILURE OF THE IGNITION COILS IN CERTAIN 2001, 2002, AND EARLY 2003 AUDI AND VW OF AMERICA VEHICLES. REFER TO 10011100 AND 10022428. *SCC ALL OF THE IGNITION COILS WERE REPLACED PRIOR. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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