Volkswagen Passat Complaints

7,897 consumer complaints on file.

#730875September 9, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
I LIVE IN ARIZONA. IN HIGH HEAT (90'S AND ABOVE) IS THE CAR SIT PARK FOR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#869601September 5, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
IGNITION SWITCH WORE OUT PREMATURELY. WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL PORTIONS HAD TURNED OFF, AFFECTING CONSUMER VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING LATE AT NIGHT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729816September 1, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
ROTORS ARE PREMATURLY WARPED AND THE FRONT END VIBRATES WHILE BRAKING AT SPEED OVER 45 MILES AN HOUR. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPLACE THEM UNDER WARRENTY AND THE DEALER FAILED TO TEST DRIVE AND INSPECT THE ROTORS WHEN THEY HAD THE CAR IN FOR THE 12,000 MILE CHECK UP IN JUNE 2000. ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SWEDISH DISTRIBUTOR RECALLED THE BRAKES FOR PREMATURE FAILURE DUE TO RUST AND ROAD SALT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729666August 31, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, BOTH AFTER IT HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE AND WHEN THE ENGINE IS STILL WARM, THE ENGINE REVS UP TO ABOUT 2000 RPM AND THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS DROPS BACK TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED. THEN, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RPM DROPS BACK TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY ON. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITANTLY OVER THE PAST 2 MONTHS. THE DEALER HAS CHECKED THE VEHICLE TWICE AND CANNOT STOP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AT A LATER DATE. I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729668August 31, 2000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. IT WOULD NOT REGISTER A FULL TANK OF GAS EVEN WHEN THE TANK WAS FULL. DEALER REPLACED FUEL SENDING UNIT FROM THE TANK TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729691August 31, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729781August 31, 2000
TIRES
RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT ON 2 OCCASIONS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729515August 30, 2000
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
AFTER FOLDING REAR SEAT FORWARD THEN RETURNING TO UPRIGHT, REAR CENTER SEATBELT LOCKS IN RETRACTED POSITION; SEATBELT ASSY. REPLACED ONCE BY DEALER, REPAIRED BY DEALER FOLLOWING RECURRENCE APPROX. 1 MONTH LATER. SVC. ADVISOR AT DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH LATE MODEL PASSAT WAGONS, DUE TO APPARENT DESIGN FLAW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729571August 30, 2000
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
THE HEATER CORE RUPTURED AND FLOODED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WITH STEAM AND HOT COOLANT. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR HAD JUST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS OCCURED IN THE ONLY OTHER VW VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED, A 1986 JETTA GL. THAT VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM. I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING THAT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE CAN BE AFFECTED BY SUCH AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE. I CAN ACCEPT THE HEATER CORE LEAKING IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, BUT NOT EXPLOIDING LIKE A BOMB. WITNESSESS THOUGHT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. LUCKILY, MY WIFE AND CHILD WERE NOT CRUISING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#869171August 30, 2000
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER AND TACOMETER WILL PERIODICALLY NOT LIGHT UP. THEY START TO FLICKER AND GO OUT. SPEEDOMETER AND TACOMETER WILL NOT LIGHT UP UNTIL ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. DEALER HAS NOT PROVIDED A REMEDY, AND HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT A REMEDY WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL MATTER WAS CONSTANT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729121August 25, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED AFTER CAR LEFT OUT IN COLD. HAD TO GET REPLACEMENT ACCORDING TO DEALER FROM GERMANY. TOOK 4-6 WEEKS TO GET REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY LEFT DRIVERS DOOR LOCK MECHANISM FAILED AND WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. THE ONLY WAY INTO THE DOOR WAS EITHER FROM PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR, OR ROLL DOWN THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS. IF CAR LEFT OUT IN COLD, WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN. LOCK COME UNLOCKED WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. DEALER SAID WOULD COST BIG BUCKS TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE DOOR HANDLE MECHANISM. I PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT THEY SAID NOT COVERED. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES AS WE ARE RAISING MY GRANDCHILD AND SHE RIDES IN THE BACK SEAT WHILE THESE LOCK MECHANISMS FAIL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868521August 24, 2000
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN, AND IT WAS MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE RACK AND PINION STEERING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#553899August 21, 2000
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER FELT A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT BY THE TIME THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE LEFT REAR TIRE COMPLETLY SHREDDED/BLOWNOUT (MICHELIN MXV4 PLUS TIRE 205/65R15P). NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728578August 21, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
NO SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#868065August 17, 2000
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY OR LOCKS ARE NOT SECURING PROPERTY. DOOR OCCASIONALLY WOULD FLY OPEN. CONSUMER HAS TO USE A BUNGY CORD & SEAT BELT TO KEEP SHUT. MANUFACTURER DENIED THE CLAIM. VEHICLE CAN'T BE SECURED TO KEEP OTHERS FROM GETTING IN. CONSUMER IS WAITING FOR THE PART TO ARRIVE AT THE DEALER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727636August 11, 2000
TIRES
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS (03/11/00 AND 07/03/00) I WAS TRAVELLING AT A SPEED IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH AND HEARD A SUDDEN SNAP COMING FROM ONE OF MY TIRES. HOWEVER, THE SOUND WAS VERY MUCH LIKE THE SOUND WHEN SOMETHING GETS CAUGHT UNDERNEATH THE CAR MOMENTARILY WHILE PASSING OVER IT. THE FIRST OCCASION INVOLVED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, THE SECOND INVOLVED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ON EACH OCCASION I FOUND THE TIRE'S TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE, LEAVING THE STEEL BELT UNDERNEATH TOTALLY EXPOSED. BOTH INCIDENTS INVOLVED THE SAME MODEL OF FIRESTONE TIRE, THE FIREHAWK SS10. THE AFFECTED TIRES REMAINED COMPLETELY INFLATED, SO HAD I NOT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER THE INITIAL SNAP, I WOULDN'T HAVE NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I FEAR THAT IF I HAD NOT PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY, I MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE REST OF THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE, PERHAPS ONLY A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD. I NOW HAVE 3 NEW BRIDESTONE TIRES ON MY CAR AND FEAR FOR MY SAFETY.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/60R14 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727190August 9, 2000
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON 5 TIMES. IT SEEMS THAT ALL 5 TIMES HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WHIE DRIVING OVER 55 MPH. FIRST TIME, THE DEALER RESET THE AIRBAG SENSORS. SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH TIME, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER INVOICE, THE AIRBAG/SRS CONTROL MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED. I HAVE WRITTEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA INFORMING THEM THAT I BELIEVE MY CAR TO BE A LEMON AND AM DEMANDING RELIEF UNDER THE LEMON LAW OF MY STATE (MA).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#726934August 7, 2000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
SIDE DRIVER'S AIRBAG INFLATED WITHOUT COLLISION. BECAUSE OF DEBRIS LODGED UNDER THE FRONT CARRIAGE FROM SOMETHING I MAY HAVE RUN OVER, VW REPAIR TECHNICIANS SUGGEST THIS MAY HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO TRIGGER THE AIRBAG MECHANISM. THIS SEEMS EXTREMELY UNLIKELY AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRBAG AND WOULD LIKE THIS INVESTIGATED. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND WILL LOOK AT THE CAR SOON.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#726502August 3, 2000
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER ARM
FRONT SUSPENSION IS MAKING CRUNCHING NOISES, ESP. AT LOWER SPEED. THE RIGHT STEERING CONTROL ARM WAS CHANGED UNDER WARRANTY AND SQUEEKING NOISES DISSAPPEARED, BUT STILL VERY NOISY WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. CAR WAS SERVICED BY AN AUTHORIZED VW SERVICE STATION, BUT DIFFERENT FROM DEALERSHIP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#726330August 1, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
THE DOOR HANDLE HAS BROKEN 4 TIMES AND I REALLY FEEL THIS IS A PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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