Volkswagen Passat Complaints (2001)

432 consumer complaints on file.

#10039457September 24, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHT FAILURE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022511September 23, 2003
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF, THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *PH *JB
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
#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
#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
#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
#10032539August 11, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 3000 MILES. CAR WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. NOW THERE IS AN EXTREME TURBO LAG HESITATION ON ACCELERATION. THERE IS A GOOD 1-2 SECOND HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030730August 4, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
OWNER OF A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE AND PARKING CAR WILL NOT RESTART. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES; REPLACED ELECTRICAL RELAY AND PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030372July 29, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FAILURE OF THE FUEL GAS SENDER RESULTED IN A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHEN THERE WAS REMAINING GASOLINE IN THE FUEL TANK. AUTOMOBILE WAS ASENDING A STEEP GRADE ON US 580 WEST BOUND TOWARD LIVERMORE CA, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 106 DEGREES F, FUEL GAUGE REGISTERED 1/8 TO 1/4 TANK OF FUEL REMAINING. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART BY THE DEALER TECHNICIAN ON LEVEL GROUND. THE 1 3B0-919-673-S SENDER WAS REPLACED. DUBLIN VW REPAIR IVOICE NUMBER 268745. DEALER REPORTED TWO OTHER CARS WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM DURING THE PRIOR WEEK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030354July 29, 2003
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THE DOOR LOCK IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OPENS UP WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING. ALSO IT POPS UP WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAR AND TRY TO LOCK THE DOORS USING YOUR REMOTE KEY OR WITH THE BUTTONS INSIDE THE CAR. SO POTENTIALLY ANYONE CAN OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. TO AVOID THIS, YOU HAVE TO PRESS IT DOWN MANUALLY BEFORE LEAVING THE CAR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023746June 25, 2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AIG IS ATTEMPTED TO COLLECT ON A POLICY I DISPUTE, NOT A CLAIM DISPUTE AND I DON'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT FOR ASSISTANCE AND MEDIATION. BASICALLY, I FEEL THEY CHANGED MY POLICY AND RATE WITHOUT GIVING ME A QUOTATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEND YOU THE ENTIRE HISTORY AND LETTER I HAVE DRAFTED FOR THE COLLECTION AGENCY. I HAVE CONTACTED AIG AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO WORK WITH ME. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020895June 2, 2003
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR GLASS EXPLODED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE SOUND WAS LIKE A GUN SHOT. THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF GLASS PIECES. THE WINDOW WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. MUCH OF THE GLASS FELL IN, CAUSING MINOR CUTS TO THE PASSENGER. SOME OF THE GLASS FELL DOWN INSIDE THE DOOR. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE DEFECTS IN THE WINDOW (CRACKS, STARS, ETC.) AND NOTHING IMPACTED THE WINDOW TO CAUSE IT TO BREAK.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10016924May 2, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HEADLIGHT BUILD CONNECTOR SHORTED AGAINST ADJACENT METAL DUE TO EXPOSED WIRE. CHARRING AND MELTED HARNESS CONNECTOR RESULTED. POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THIS TO CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE WITH POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. HEADLIGHT IS INOPERABLE UNTIL WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN BE REPLACED. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10017333April 28, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CONSUMER WAS DISSATISFIED WITH NHTSA'S RESPONSE TO SENATOR LARRY CRAIG IN REFERENCE TO THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS IN THIS VEHICLE, AND QUESTIONED WHY THE DEFECT WAS NOT A MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ISSUE, ES03-001397/S/BRENNER. MR SCC *JB....*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10016147April 18, 2003
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
SEVERAL TIMES NOW, I RAN OUT OF GAS WHEN DRIVING MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW PASSAT V6 GLX. THE LAST TIME IT WAS ABSOLUTELY IRRITATING BECAUSE THE FUEL GAUGE STILL SHOWED A QUARTER TANK AVAILABLE AND DID NOT GIVE ANY INDICATION OR WARNING OF LOW FUEL. WORSE, THE CAR STOPPED AT THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER. WORST, WHEN CONTACTING THE DEALER, THEY OFFERED TO HAVE A LOOK AT THE GAS TANK, BUT THEY DID NOT NOTIFY ME AT THAT TIME, THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THEY DID NOT EVEN CONTACT ME AND INFORM ME THAT THERE IS A SAFETY RELATED PROBLEM AND A RECALL ON THAT VEHICLE!!! PLEASE CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL VOLKSWAGEN NEW PASSAT OWNERS GET INFORMED OF THE SAFETY RELATED RECALL!!!! IF I WOULD NOT HAVE FOUND YOUR WEBSITE PER PURE INCIDENT, I WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN OF THIS ACTUAL PROBLEM KNOWN TO VOLKSWAGEN. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011100March 28, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE IGNITION COILS REPLACED EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE DID NOT EXPERIENCE A FAILURE. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10010846March 21, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, AIR BAGS, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER, EQUIPMENT
WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK ON RAINY DAYS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. A LADY HIT MY CAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE COLLAPSING THAT SIDE ALONG THE DOORS AND SOME OF THE REAR AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I PUT MY FEET ON ACCELERATOR FOR SPEED AND THE CAR REFUSES TO RESPOND. THE MORE I ACCELERATE THE SLOWER THE CAR GOES. *NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10010783March 20, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR WENT INTO PASSING GEAR WHILE PASSING SLOW VEHICLE ON TWO-LANE ROAD. WHEN PASS WAS COMPLETED AND FOOT WAS LIFTED FROM ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE DANGEROUSLY EVEN THOUGH ACCELERATOR PEDAL RETURNED TO NORMAL POSITION. ONLY BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, BRAKING WITH BOTH FOOT AND HAND BRAKE AND SWITCHING IGNITION OFF WAS DRIVER ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL AVOIDING COLLISION WITH OTHER CAR AHEAD IN SAME LANE. AFTER A MINUTE, DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO RESUME JOURNEY AND RESTARTED ENGINE IN PARK. ENGINE RACED TO FULL RPM. THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) AND ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL (EPC) AND AIRBAG WARNING LAMPS WERE LIT AT THIS TIME. DRIVER SWITCHED OFF IGNITION, DEEMED VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND CALLED FOR LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP TO SEND TOW TRUCK. AFTER WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK ABOUT 30 MINUTES, DRIVER RESTARTED ENGINE NORMALLY. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE SHOWING EXCEPT THE AIR BAG LIGHT, BUT DRIVER ELECTED TO WAIT FOR VEHICLE TO BE TOWED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10009514February 27, 2003
TIRES
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HEAVY VIBRATION, WHICH WAS DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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