Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#10001766December 31, 2002
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER STATES WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE. CONSUMER CAN NOT SHIFT THE CAR OUT OF PARK. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000446December 31, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
THE IGNITION COIL HAS HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED THREE TIMES IN MY 2002 PASSAT. VW KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT DUE A SHORTAGE OF PARTS, THEY WILL ONLY FIX THEM ON A NEEDED BASIS. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000447December 31, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
FAILED COIL PACK ON VEHICLE AFTER ONLY 16000 MILES. DEALER SERVICE ADVISER STATED THAT VW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN ALL 2001 THRU 2003 VW PASSATS WITH 1.8 LITER TURBO ENGINES. SERVICE ADVISER STATED THAT VW IS HAVING SO MANY FAILURES ON THIS PRODUCT THAT THE PART HAD TO BE ORDERED THROUGH VIN DIRECT FROM GERMANY. THEY WILL NOT REPLACE ALL FOUR COILS, ONLY THE FAILED ITEMS. VEHICLE FAILED ON HIGHWAY AND BECAME A SAFETY HAZARD TO OTHER MOTORISTS UNTIL I COULD NEGOTIATE TO SAFE AREA TO INVESTIGATE FAILURE. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001661December 30, 2002
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY, SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CONSUMER FELT THAT VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO DRIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ,AND THEY REPLACED A PART. CONSUMER IS NOT AWARE OF WHICH PART WAS REPLACED PROBLEM STOPPED. CURRENTLY, SUNROOF AND REAR SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 NOT IN THE DIMS SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001698December 30, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER STATES HIS VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH. DUE TO FAULTY ENGINE COIL. ON NOVEMBER 10, DEALER CHANGED THE ENGINE COIL #4 ON DECEMBER 26, DEALER CHANGED ENGINE COIL #3, CONSUMER ASKED THE DEALER TO CHANGE THE OTHER 4 INOPERABLE COILS AND DEALER REFUSED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000415December 29, 2002
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
AFTER DRIVING FROM CT TO WASH, D.C., I WAS PARKING MY 1993 VW PASSAT. I HEARD A "POP" SOUND, AND IN < 5 SECONDS, THE CAR FILLED WITH ANTIFREEZE STEAM & SCALDING ANTIFREEZE POURED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE COMPARTMENT. AS THE CAR WAS NEARLY PARKED, WE WERE ABLE TO JUMP OUT OF THE CAR. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE WHEATON SERVICE CENTER IN WHEATON, MD. VIA PHONE, THE MECHANICS IMMEDIATELY SUSPECTED THE HEATER CORE. IRONICALLY, THERE WAS ANOTHER 1993 PASSAT GETTING FIXED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I GOT THERE. ONCE INVESTIGATED, MY HEATER CORE HAD CRACKED. THEY NOTED THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM IN VWS. I CALLED THE VW CONSUMER CARE LINE. AFTER LENGTHY NEGOTIATION, VW AGREED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE $788 REPAIR, IF I BROUGHT THE BROKEN PART AND THE NEW PART'S PACKAGING TO THE CAR'S HOME DEALERSHIP, RIVERSIDE MOTORS, IN CT. I WAS REIMBURSED SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, AFTER WEEKLY FOLLOW UP PHONE CALLS TO "REMIND" VW OF THEIR REIMBURSEMENT COMMITTMENT. I AM UPSET AND CONCERNED ABOUT THIS MATTER FOR SEVERAL REASONS: 1) I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 1998. THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THE CAR WAS THAT THE WINDOWS TENDED TO "FOG UP", PARTICULARLY WHEN THE A/C OR HEAT WAS ON, WHICH HAD BEEN LOGGED AT SERVICE VISITS. AT NO TIME WAS THE HEATER CORE LOOKED AT. BUT, THERE ARE NUMEROUS HEATER CORE AND "DEFOGGING" CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. FURTHER, I BEGAN THE REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS AFTER LISTENING TO A RECENT NPR CAR TALK SHOW, B/C THEY REFERENCED THE PROBLEM WITH VW HEATER CORES. WHAT IS CONSPICUOUSLY MISSING IS A SAFTEY BULLETIN FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. 2) AS MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS NOTED, (SEE OID ID 755858 FOR EXAMPLE), THEY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED, AS WAS THE CASE FOR ME. 30 MINUTES EARLIER & I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY COMPLAINT CANNONT BE INVESTIGATED, THIS IS A FAILURE THAT CAN RESULT IN A LIFE-OR-DEATH SITUATION. I EXPECT THAT YOU WILL INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM FURTHER, AND AT MINIMUM ISSUE A SAFETY BULLETIN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10000417December 29, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I DRIVE A 2000 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT GLX 4MOTION. I HAVE FELT THAT I GOT A BAD CAR SINCE VERY EARLY ON IN MY LEASE (I NOW HAVE 8 MONTHS LEFT). ON THIS PARTICULAR OCCAISION, I HAD A SEVERE OIL LEAK. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN MY OIL PAN THAT MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK (I DON'T RECALL FEELING ANYTHING HIT THE CAR HARD ENOUGH TO PUT A HOLE IN ANYTHING). I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTEED ITEM, RATHER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE OWNED 5 OTHER CARS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS SHAKING WHEN THE BREAKS ARE APPLIED. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS DUE TO WARPED ROTORS. I ONLY HAVE 20,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANY KIND OF BREAK PROBLEMS WITH THAT FEW MILES. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTEE EITHER, AGAIN, NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE OTHER 5 CARS THAT I OWNED EASILY HAD OVER 20,000 MILES ON THEM AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH BRAKE ROTORS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A TREND WITH THIS VEHICLE. EARLY ON IN MY LEASE, I HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR NOT STARTING. EACH TIME IT WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP ON MY SPARK PLUGS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THERE WAS ONLY 2,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE DEALER HAD THE NERVE TO TELL ME THAT SPARK PLUGS WERE STANDARD MAINTENENANCE ITEMS AND I MUST NOT BE TAKING CARE OF MY CAR PROPERLY. 2 YEARS LATER, THERE WAS AN EMISSION CONTROLS RECALL WHICH FIXED THIS PROBLEM, WHICH THE DEALER INITIALLY CALLED DRIVER ERROR, NOT A VEHICLE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000408December 28, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
12/28/02 -- ON START UP, VEHICLE IDLED ROUGHLY AND FELT AS THOUGH IT WERE GOING TO STALL, SO WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT 2 IGNITION COILS ARE CERTAINLY BAD. THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY GIVEN OFF AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL 2 TIMES THAT WENT AWAY AFTER ONE MINUTE OR SO, AND AT A DIFFERENT TIME IT WAS DIFFICULT TO START AND IDLED ROUGHLY FOR ABOUT A MINUTE OR SO. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE IF ALL THE COILS CAN BE REPLACED AT ONCE INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL THEY GO BAD OR CATCH FIRE. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS PROBLEM, WE CERTAINLY FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY VOLKSWAGEN IN A TIMELY FASHION AND HOPE THAT THEY WILL DO SO IN OUR CASE. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000411December 28, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE ENGINE STARTED IDLING ROUGH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING. HAPPENED IN NEIGHBORHOOD, LIMPED CAR HOME AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED FAULTY COIL PACK. WITHOUT CAR FOR EIGHT DAYS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001553December 27, 2002
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THIS RESULTED IN DRIVER BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED. CONSUMER IS CURRENTLY ON DISABILITY AS THE RESULT OF THE INJURIES OBTAINED BY THIS ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001555December 27, 2002
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND THE PRESSURE OF THE DRIVER IMPACTING THE CONSOLE, CAUSED THE CONSOLE TO TWIST AND ACTIVATE THE SEAT BELT RELEASE BOTTOM. THIS RESULTED IN THE DRIVER BEING THROWN FROM THERE SEAT, WHICH CAUSE THEM TO HAVE HEAD INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000392December 27, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME ON 11/29/02; COILS 1 & 3. WAS TOLD "PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER" AND "IT COULD BE WEEKS" AND "MANY PASSAT OWNERS WERE EXPERIENCING THIS". DEALER ONLY REPAIRED THE COILS THAT FAILED. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 12/26/02--SAME THING; HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER AGAIN. AGAIN, DESPITE ALL THE KNOWN OCCURRENCES WITH THE COIL PACKS AND PASSATS, ONLY THE COILS THAT FAILED WILL BE REPLACED (AND WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE). I AM EXTREMELY WORRIED THAT THE NEXT TIME THIS OCCURS I WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND END UP BEING IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT AND/OR WILL BE STRANDED ALONE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD....I DO A LOT ( ~300 - 400 MILES/WEEK) OF SOLO DRIVING. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000399December 27, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CAR STARTED UP NOT RUNNING ON ALL CYLINDERS. REFUSED TO RUN ON ALL CYLINDERS. ENGINE WARNING LIGHT (MIL) CAME ON. MANUAL AND DEALER SAID TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER IN THIS SITUATION. CAR WENT TO DEALER. BAD IGNITION COIL IS DIAGNOSIS. DEALER SAYS NONE AVAILABLE IN U.S. OR CANADA. DEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHEN IT CAN FIX. CAR IS 4 MONTHS OLD WITH 3,800 MILES AND IS UNDRIVEABLE. NO DATE SET FOR WHEN IT WILL BE REPAIRED. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000612December 27, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER, STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS, STEERING, EQUIPMENT
I RECENTLY LEASED A VW PASSATT STATION WAGON AND THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH IT EVEN BEFORE THE CAR HAD 300 MILES ON IT. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS SPENT SOME 10 DAYS AT THE REPAIR SHOP. DEFECTS HAVE INCLUDED A TRANSMISSION THAT WOULD DISENGAGE, HEATED SEATS THAT WOULD NOT TURN OFF, A/C AND SIDE MIRRORS THAT WOULD NOT WORK, A MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE CAR HAD TO BE ALIGNED, THE FRONT SPOILER FELL OFF, A SPEAKER HAD TO BE REPLACED, PART OF THE TRIM ON THE BACK WAS FALLING OFF, THE MEMORY SETTINGS ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WERE NOT WORKING, AND THE SUN ROOF WAS RATTLING. THE SALES DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED TO ALL MY CALLS BY SAYING THAT I NEED TO TALK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR TO VW CORPORATE DIRECTLY. I HAVE DONE BOTH, WHEN I CALLED VW CORPORATE THEY RESPONDED THAT AS LONG AS THE CAR WAS DRIVEABLE THEY WOULD COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD NOT REPLACE THE CAR. THEY OFFERED ME A LUBE JOB AS A SETTLEMENT!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000613December 27, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA HAS A KNOWN COMPONENT FAILURE WITH THE IGNITION COILS ON ALL VW AND AUDI 1.8T ENGINES IN ALL 2002 MODELS. THESE COMPONENTS FAIL WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL AND/OR LOSE POWER DRAMATICALLY AND CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. VW HAS STATED THAT THEY KNOW THE COMPONENTS ARE BAD (4 PER ENGINE) BUT WILL ONLY FIX THESE ITEMS AS THEY FAIL. I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE TWICE AND THEY WILL NOT CORRECT ALL OF THE COMPONENTS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AND FORCE VW TO RECALL ALL OF THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE ALL OF THESE KNOW BAD COMPONENTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000380December 26, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
COIL DEFECT ON 2002 VW PASSAT 1.8 T. THIS CAR HAS 27K MILES ON IT AND 3 COILS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS (THERE IS ONE FOR EACH CYLINDER). VW HAS MADE REPAIRS AS NEEDED, BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE THE 4TH COIL. EACH TIME ONE GOES THE CAR HAS TO BE TOWED. WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR FEAR OF BEING STRANDED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10000590December 26, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF AND THE CAR MADE A VIBRATING NOISE ON 12-21-02. THE VEHICLE IS A 4 CYCLINDER 2002 VW PASSAST WITH 5200 MILES WHICH I PURCHASED IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR. I HAD IT TOWED TO FAIRFAX VW IN FAIRFAX, VA ON 12-22-02. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD TOWED A NUMBER OF PASSATS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS THAT HAD BURNED OUT COIL PACKS. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED ON 12-23-02 AND 2 OF THE 4 COIL PACKS HAD BURNED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT VW WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I ASKED THE DEALER WHY THE OTHER 2 COIL PACKS WERE NOT REPLACED AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT VW WILL ONLY APPROVE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BURNED OUT ONES. I FEEL THAT IF VW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT ALL OF THE COIL PACKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED SINCE THE OTHER TWO MAY EVENTUALLY BURN OUT, TOO. THIS COULD CAUSE SEVERE MECHANICAL DAMAGE IF THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001394December 23, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT THERE DRIVEWAY, AND VEHICLE STARTED HESITATING TO ACCELERATED, AND THE MIL(MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT) CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT ONE OF IGNITION COIL SPRING HAD BROKE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001315December 20, 2002
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
WHILE DRIVING GAS AND FUMES BEGAN EMITTING FROM VENTS CAUSING WINDOWS TO FOG ELIMINATING CONSUMER'S VISIBILITY. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT HAD A BROKEN HEATER CORE. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001351December 20, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE DIVING THE VEHICLE AT 45MPH SUDDENLY LOSS POWER DUE TO A FAULTY COIL DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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