Volkswagen Passat Complaints (2006)

576 consumer complaints on file.

#10249203November 19, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE: NONE - SUDDEN FAILURE. WAS ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. POWER SUDDENLY DROPPED AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS LIT UP. SPEED DROPPED VERY QUICKLY BUT WAS ABLE TO AVOID INCIDENT AND GO THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FAILURE: OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR BOLT BROKEN. CAR WAS AT DEALER FOR 15 DAYS TO REPLACE OIL PUMP, TIMING CHAIN, SPROCKETS, ADJUSTER TENSIONERS. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CAR WAS AT SECOND DEALER FOR ADDITIONAL 19 DAYS TO CORRECT PROBLEMS CREATED BY FIRST DEALER WHILE FIXING THE ENGINE. (RECEIVED APOLOGY BY PHONE FROM SERVICE MANAGER OF FIRST DEALER.) ISSUES: 1.SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. 2.FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS IN MANUAL, I DROVE CAR TO NEAREST DEALER ? A DISTANCE OF 10 MILES ? WITH REDUCED OR ZERO OIL CIRCULATION. LONGEVITY OF THE ENGINE MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED. 3.VW OF AMERICA DECLINED TO INSPECT THE ENGINE IN MORE DETAIL OR TO REPLACE ENGINE. 4.THIS IS A MODERATELY COMMON FAILURE OF THIS ENGINE. I FOUND 38 ALMOST IDENTICAL FAILURES AT: A.HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3462993 B.HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3193697 SUMMARY & REQUESTED ACTIONS: 1.RECALL ISSUED FOR AFFECTED ENGINES. 2.MY ENGINE REPLACED / VEHICLE REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249016November 17, 2008
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE TRUNK OF MY VEHICLE WILL NOT REMAIN CLOSED. IT APPEARS TO BE CLOSED AND THEN THE TRUNK OPENS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE FREEWAY. THE VEHICLE IS NEARLY THREE YEARS OLD AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245014October 9, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAD A 2006 PASSAT THAT I BOUGHT NEW IN NOV. 2006. THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE AFTER I PARKED IT AT WORK. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING IT AND I MAINTAINED MY CAR. MY CAR IS TOTALED AND THE FIRE WAS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I AM NOW WITHOUT A CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244001September 30, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE "IMPORTANT STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY STARTING THE ENGINE ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. ALSO, THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WITHOUT MAKING SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 66,700.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243527September 26, 2008
AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS HAD HIS AIR BAGS REPAIRED AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES WITHIN TWO YEARS. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATES APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER. THE CONTACT HAS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER EVERY TIME THE ILLUMINATION OCCURS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 48,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243282September 24, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY VEHICLE HAD 19K ON IT AND FROM A COLD START SOUNDED LIKE A DIESEL. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DAY OF THAT APPOINTMENT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW HAD MY CAR FOR 9 DAYS AND HAVE STILL NOT DIAGNOSED IT. APPARENTLY THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH CERTAIN YEAR PASSAT ENGINES. THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE OIL PUMP IN PLACE BACKS OUT AND SHEARS OFF, THUS REQUIRING AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH VW SERVICE AND UNHAPPY THAT MY VEHICLE HAD SUCH A FATAL PROBLEM SO EARLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242471September 16, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR BEGAN HESITATING AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. UPON PULLING OVER AND OPENING THE HOOD, THE TOP-REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE WAS GLOWING RED AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS OR SO BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY AN OFF-DUTY VOLUNTEER FIREMAN WHO ARRIVED PRIOR TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SUBSEQUENT REVIEW BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOUND THE IGNITION COIL WAS THE ORIGIN AND CAUSE OF THE FIRE. PERHAPS THIS IS SIMILAR TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : EA07014, HOWEVER THAT ACTION ONLY COVERED 1999-2005 PASSATS; THIS IS A 2006 PASSAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242056September 13, 2008
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE, 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T AT 61,000 MILES, VEHICLE STARTED SHUTTING ITSELF OFF ONE SECOND AFTER STARTING WITH NO MESSAGE. WITHIN 500 MILES, DIAGNOSTIC MESSAGE REPORTED STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE. VEHICLE IS 2,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY (LESS THEN 1 YEAR OLD), DEALER INSIST ON REPLACING STEERING COLUMN, STEERING COLUMN LOCK, STEERING COLUMN LOCK CONTROL MODULE AND THE CONVENIENCE CONTROL MODULE FOR A TOTAL OF $2400. I HAVE FOUND ON VARIOUS INTERNET FORUMS MULTIPLE IDENTICAL INCIDENTS. THIS STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS AND WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE START AND VW HAS AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE IT RIGHT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10241901September 11, 2008
STEERING
WHEN TRYING TO START OUR 2006 PASSAT THE INFO PANEL SHOWS "STEERING WHEEL DEFECTIVE". A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH CAME UP WITH 4 OF THE SAME SITUATIONS IN 2006 PASSATS ON ONE SITE. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT $1700. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. IT'S ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. VW TOLD THE DEALER THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE PART ONLY FOR "GOOD FAITH". NO, IT'S A FACTORY DEFECT FROM THE START WHICH IS ALSO A HUGE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPLETE COST IN ADDITION TO A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240044August 28, 2008
TIRES
I LEASED A NEW VW PASSAT IN 2006. THE TIRES WORE OUT IN 21,000 EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PROPERLY INFLATED AND BASICALLY DRIVEN ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. I HAVE NEVER HAD TIRES THAT LASTED LESS THAN 35K. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239646August 25, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHEN IDLING ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE LUNGES BACKWARDS SEVERAL FEET. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS IS TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO OFFSET THE STEADY DECLINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE DUE TO A POTENTIAL DESIGN FLAW WITH THE COMBINATION MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. A PERMANENT REMEDY HAS NOT YET BEEN DISCOVERED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239720August 25, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE FAILURE. BASICALLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BUSTED AT A FLANGE SEAM WHERE IT BOLTS TO THE MOTOR. THIS FURTHER CAUSED MY BRAKES TO FAIL AFTER HOT EXHAUST BLEW ON THE BRAKE VACUUM TUBE FOR THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER VOLKSWAGEN OR THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ARE WILLING TO BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE, SINCE IT IS 8,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. SUPPOSEDLY THE DEALERSHIP ORDERED THE PART 10 DAYS AGO, AND IT STILL HAS NOT ARRIVED. THE IRONY OF THIS IS THAT WHEN I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THEY WOULD RETURN THE DEFECTIVE PART TO ME, THEY SAID NO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO RETURN IT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR A WARRANTY EXCHANGE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10233531July 8, 2008
AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
AIR BAG FAULT LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IT HAS COME ON. FIRST CAME ON 10/2006 DEALER REPLACED MALFUNCTIONING R/FRONT SIDE AIRBAG, CONNECTERS TO HARNESS WERE FAULTY AS WELL. 1/2008 CAME ON AGAIN, DEALER REPAIRED FAULTY WIRING FOR PASSENGER SIDE. 5/2008 CAME ON AGAIN, DEALER DIO FOUND UPPER LIMIT EXCEEDED DRIVERS SIDE UNIT, FAULTY ELECTRICAL WIRING AGAIN. 6/2008 AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN, DEALER INSPECTION FOUND WIRES FOR DRIVERS SIDE FRONT CRASH SENSOR FAULTY/POOR CONTACT. 6/2008 TO PRESENT MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN, HAVE NOT TAKEN IT IN YET CAUSE I'M QUITE ANNOYED. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE WHOLE AIRBAG SYSTEM AND I PRAY TO GOD THAT IF I DO HAVE AN ACCIDENT ALL OF MY AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY BUT WITH ALL THE REPAIRS DONE I DON'T THINK THEY WILL. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10232807July 1, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ON A WARM DAY WITH THE A/C RUNNING, MY 2006 PASSAT 3.6L WILL HAVE AN ENGINE SURGE INCREASING RPM TO 1,000 WHILE STOPPED. THIS HAS ALMOST AMOUNTED IN A CRASH ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AS IT MAKES THE CAR DIFFICULT TO KEEP STOPPED AND CAUSES IT TO LUNGE FORWARD. IT ALSO RESULTS IN LOW FUEL ECONOMY AS THE CAR IDOLS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE NORMAL 600RPM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10232893July 1, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2006 VW PASSAT 3.6L. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS OR DURING HOT DAYS I TURN ON MY A/C TO HIGH. WHEN I DO THIS OCCASIONALLY, MY CARS ENGINE WILL RACE AND THE RPM'S WILL SHOOT UP FROM ABOUT 600 TO AROUND 900-1000. THIS IDLE RAISE CAUSES THE CAR TO SURGE FORWARD THUS MAKING ME THE DRIVER HAVE TO REALLY PUSH HARD ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING FORWARD. I UNDERSTAND THAT IS WHAT BRAKES ARE FOR, BUT I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN 3 OR 4 MINOR FENDER BENDERS BECAUSE OF THIS. I AM CONSCIOUS OF THIS ON A DAILY BASIS IN PHOENIX. I KNOW OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR SOME OF THE NEWER PASSAT VEHICLES, BUT NONE FOR MY 2006. I MUST STRESS THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WHEN THE A/C IS ON HIGH AND DURING THE HOTTER TIMES OF THE YEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10232475June 27, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SHEARED OIL PUMP BOLT AT 16,000 MILES. ENIGNE LOST ALL POWER. DEALER REPLACED OIL PUMP, TIMING CHAIN AND ALL RELATED HARDWARE. ASKED MANUFACTURER (VOLKSWAGEN) AND DEALERSHIP FOR NEW ENGINE DUE TO LIKLEY OIL STARVATION AFTER OIL PUMP WAS INOPERATIVE. REQUEST DENIED. VERY UNHAPPY AS THIS VERY LOW MILEAGE CAR MAY HAVE A SEVERLY DAMAGED ENGINE THAT VW IS UNWILLING TO REPLACE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10232470June 27, 2008
EQUIPMENT
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL LIGHT ACTIVATED DUE TO TO THE RESULT OF A CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ACTIVATING. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE IS A DEFECT WITH AN OIL PUMP BOLT THAT THROWS THE CAMSHAFT OUT OF POSITION. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A LOSS OF POWER AND CANNOT ACCELERATE AT A NORMAL RATE OF SPEED. THE RPM'S INCREASE UP TO 4K BUT THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE DOESN'T INCREASE. INSTEAD THE RPM'S DECREASE WHILE MAINTAINING THE SAME RATE OF SPEED. PER THE MANUFACTURER, THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE WITH THE VOLKSWAGEN 2006-2007 B6 3.6 LITER PASSAT. THE 2.0 LITER PASSAT IS NOT AFFECTED. VW IS CURRENTLY REPLACING THE APPLICABLE PARTS UNDER A GOODWILL WARRANTY SINCE THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 50K MILES. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND OWNERS AFFECTED CAN BE LISTED AT HTTP://FORUMS.MOTIVEMAG.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3462993
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10232562June 27, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE RPM INCREASES WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING CAUSING THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON BRAKES TO PREVENT CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231397June 17, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
I OWN A 2006 VW PASSAT, AND I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN THE PARKING LOT, AT 5 MILES/HOUR. MY PASSAT WOULD NOT STOP IN THE PARKING SPOT, IT WENT SLOWLY FORWARD, HIT THE LIGHT POLL ON THE LEFT SIDE, THEN IT WENT HEAD ON TO THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF THE SPOT I CHOSE TO PARK. IT HIT THIS CAR AND IT PUSHED THE CAR FOR 8 FEET BEFORE MY PASSAT STOPPED. IT ALL HAPPENED AT VERY LOW SPEED SO I COULD HAVE THE TIME TO SEE MY FOOT BEING ON THE RIGHT PEDAL, ON THE BRAKE, AND I KEPT PUMPING THE BRAKE, BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. AND ALL THIS WAS CAUSED BY A FAILED FUEL PUMP. SO IT SEEMS THAT VW DID NOT FIX IT'S OLDER PROBLEM, THEY HAD A RECALL FOR THE 2003 PASSAT. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS IN THE NEWER MODELS, TOO. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231408June 17, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
HIGH IDLE DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. IDLE IS RAISED TO 1000-1050RPMS DURING TEMPERATURES ABOVE 90F. THIS CAUSES LOADING OF THE TRANSMISSION AND ADDITIONAL BRAKE PRESSURE IS NEEDED TO KEEP THE CAR AT A STOP. THIS CAN OCCUR SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY PRESENTING A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE ALMOST RAN INTO SEVERAL CARS AT VARIOUS TIMES WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES DURING THE HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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