Volkswagen Passat Complaints (1998)

331 consumer complaints on file.

#10100466November 24, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LIKE MANY, MANY OTHERS, MY 1998 VW PASSAT 2.8 LITER WITH TIPTRONIC (AUTOMATIC) TRANSMISSION HAS THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: 1) ABS LIGHT ON (ABS NOT WORKING); 2) BRAKE LIGHT ON (BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER ALL ROTORS & PADS WERE REPLACED AND FLUID CHANGED); 3) TACHOMETER NOT WORKING; 4) OIL LIGHT ON (BUT OIL LEVEL AND PRESSURE ARE OKAY). THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT BEGAN EARLY THIS YEAR BUT IS NOW ALMOST CONSTANT. ALL PROBLEMS APPEAR TO BE CAUSED BY A BAD ABS CONTROLLER, WHICH IS ALSO USED IN AUDI A4 MODELS (PART # 8E0 614 111R). VW DEALERSHIP QUOTES OVER $1000 FOR THE PART ALONE. SOMETIMES, IF THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING A FEW DAYS OR IF IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, THE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON AND THE TACHOMETER WORKS CORRECTLY FOR AWHILE. THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PROBLEMS HAPPEN. OR, I WILL BE DRIVING THE CAR WITH THE PROBLEMS, THEN THE TACH JUMPS TO LIFE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS GO OUT. AS I SAID BEFORE: THERE ARE NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE (NO ABS COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS) AS WELL AS A QUALITY ISSUE: ABS CONTROLLERS SHOULD NOT FAIL SO FREQUENTLY ON SUCH RELATIVELY NEW VEHICLES. A RECALL SHOULD BE PERFORMED BY VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE ABS CONTROLLERS IN THEIR 1998-ON PASSAT AND 1996-ON A4 MODELS. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *NM 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
#10098423November 7, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I OWE A 1998 VW PASSAT GLS( 77,000 MILES). ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON A MONTH AGO. I CONTACTED VW DEALER AND THEY ASKED ME TO BRING THE CAR IN. BUT BEFORE I DID THAT I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH THAT CAR BECAUSE OF THE ABS PROBLEM. IT WAS RAINING AND I HAD TO BRAKE SO THE ABS TURNED ON. IT BLOCKED BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL AND THE CAR KEPT SLIDING. ABS WAS CLEARLY NOT WORKING. THE CAR KEPT SLIDING FOR ABOUT 30 YARDS AND I ALMOST RAN TROUGH THE RED LIGHT AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED I'VE NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAD SHUT ITSELF DOWN. SEVEN MONTH PREGNANT WIFE AND MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WERE WITH ME IN THE CAR AND WE ALMOST LOST OUR LIVES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS MODULE MUST BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME ABOUT $2000.00. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND I FOUND THAT THERE IS HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT APPARENTLY VW OF AMERICA DO NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE WEBSITES WHERE YOU CAN READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HTTP://WWW.MYVWLEMON.COM/UBB/FORUM2/HTML/000120.HTML. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BECAUSE THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BECAUSE BEFORE YOU HEAR ABOUT DOZENS OF PEOPLE LOOSING THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF THIS. THANK YOU, ENES SKOPLJAK. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096427October 26, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
FAILURE OF COMPUTER MODUAL FOR ABS (AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM). ABS SYSTEM NO LONGER WORKS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10096340October 25, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
EARLIER THIS MONTH (10/2004), THE ABS BRAKE FAILURE WARNING (LIGHT AND SOUND) ON OUR 1998 VW PASSAT GLS STARTED COMING ON SPORADICALLY.*AK ON OCT. 20, I TOOK THE CAR TO WHEATON SERVICE CENTER, A VW-ONLY INDEPENDENT SHOP. THEY HOOKED THE UNIT UP TO THE DIAGANOSTIC COMPUTER AND GOT NO SIGNAL. THEY ALSO GOT NOT SIGNAL WHEN THEY TRIED TO ACCESS TO ENGINE COMPUTER, INDICATING THAT THE ABS COMPUTER HAS A SHORT (THE ENGINE COMPUTER WORKED FINE AFTER THEY DISCONNECTED THE ABS COMPUTER.) I CONFIRMED THIS DIAGNOSIS OVER THE PHONE WITH FTIZGERALD VW IN FREDERICK, MD. I LATER TESTED THE BRAKING ON A WET ROAD -- THERE WAS NO ABS, ALTHOUGH THE CONVENTIONAL BRAKES WORKED FINE. THE 1998 CAR, WHICH WE HAVE OWNED SINCE NEW, HAS BEEN SCRUPULOUSLY MAINTAINED, AS THE REGIONAL VW FACTORY REP CAN ATTEST (FROM A DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY REPAIR DONE 5,000 MILES AGO). THE CAR NOW HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT. THE WSC MECHANICS TELL ME THAT THEY SEE NUMEROUS ABS FAILURES IN LATE '90S PASSATS, THE WEB SEEMS TO CONFIRM THIS. THE WIDESPREAD, PREMATURE FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEMS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. SINCE THE REPAIR COSTS $2,500, MANY OWNERS WILL SIMPLY DISCONNECT THE ABS COMPUTER TO AVOID THE ANNOYING LIGHTS AND SOUNDS, AND AVOID THE EXPENSIVE FIX. HAVING BECOME ACCOSTOMED TO ABS, HOW MANY WILL ADJUST THEIR BRAKING ACCORDINGLY, ESPECIALLY THE NEED TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO AVOID SKIDDING?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10093881October 10, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ON MY 1998 PASSAT WITH 86,000 MILES THE ABS LIGHT GOES ON INTERMITTENTLY AND THE ABS DOES NOT WORK. THE DEALER STATES THE PROBLEM IS THE ABS MODULE 8E0-614-111-Q WHICH WILL COST $2,036 PLUS LABOR OF $111. UPON RESEARCH, A LARGE NUMBER OF OTHER VW OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS CAUSES A SAFETY HAZARD. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10093260September 28, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
(1) WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER AGAIN. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT DELIVERED TO MY MECHANICS GARAGE. (2) MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE TIMING BELT THAT WENT, AND THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAD REMANUFACTUERED THE TENSIONER AND PULLEY FOR WHAT EVER REASON. AFTER BUYING NEW PARTS AND REBUILDING THE HEAD BECAUSE THE VALVES WERE DESTROYED UPON CONTACT WITH THE PISTONS( NATURALLY). AFTER PUTTING THE ENGINE BACK TOGETHER WITH THE NEW PARTS AND REBUILT HEAD, THE CAM SEIZED UP AND BLEW THE MOTOR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10094408September 27, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH TIMING BELT FAILED. VEHICLE LOST POWER AND IT VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10092971September 21, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS SYSTEM FAILURE ON 1998 VW PASSAT. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS ABS UNIT FAILURE AND SAID REPAIR WOULD COST $2500. SEARCH OF INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS INDICATES THAT THIS AN INCREASINGLY COMMON PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10091943September 13, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OIL PUMP FAILED. WHILE DRIVING THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, PREVENTING ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. A TSB WAS ISSUED FOR AN ENGINE PERFORMANCE. *AK DETERIORATE /SEIZE BECAUSE OF SLUG BUILT UP. THIS FAILURE CAUSE THE OIL PUMP TO FAIL WITHOUT SLUG BUILT UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10091413September 7, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER ARM
THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090556September 7, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AT 105,000 MILES THE ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY ON MY 1998 VW PASSAT. I TOOK IT TO A VW MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. REPLACED CLUSTER FOR $600, DIDN'T RESOLVE BRAKE PROBLEM. RESEARCH INDICATES THE PROBLEM TO LIKELY BE ABS PUMP ELECTRONIC SYSTEM (INTEGRAL TO ABS PUMP). THE INSTALLED PART IS 8E0614111P, VW PRESCRIBES REPLACING WITH 8E0614111Q (UPGRADED PART). LIST PRICE FOR THE "Q" PART IS $2400. COMPLAINING BECAUSE: 1) PROBLEM IS LIKELY FAILED ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS WHICH ARE SOLD ONLY INTEGRAL TO MECHANICAL PUMP, THEREBY GOUGING PURCHASERS, 2) RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND DISCUSSIONS WITH PART DEALERS AND SERVICE SHOPS INDICATES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON AND BASIC TO PASSATS AND AUDIS; VW SHOULD EITHER PAY THE TOTAL COST OR MAKE IT CHEAPER TO REPAIR. SEE: HTTP://TECH.BENTLEYPUBLISHERS.COM/THREAD.JSPA?THREADID=2447&START=0&TSTART=0. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090567September 7, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING. BRAKES WORK BUT ABS MAY NOT. DEALER QUOTES $1450 FOR REPAIR PART ALONE, PLUS LABOR. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THESE CARS AND VW REFUSES TO EITHER RECALL OR COVER REPAIR COST.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079374August 31, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARM BROKE AND IT WAS NOTICED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THIS PROBLEM WAS UNDER RECALL BEFORE THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING. *AK *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088777August 29, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ABS CONTROLLER FAILED ON MY 1998 VW PASSAT. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 70K MILES ON IT. THIS APPARENTLY IS QUITE A COMMON FAILURE ON THE VW/AUDI VEHICLES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088647August 26, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT
1998 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT 1.8 TURBO 39, 250 MILEAGE. FRONT END NOISE, REDUCED CONTROL IN HANDLING, RESULTED IN THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL CONTROL ARMS & TIE ROD ENDS ON DRIVER SIDE- THE LOWER FOUND TO HAVE CORROSION IN THE SOCKET.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088401August 23, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT
ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY INDICATING ABS FAILURE.DEALER SAID IT IS A BAD ABS COMPUTER $1500+ 2 TO 3 HOURS OF LABOR. THIS STARTED THIS MONTH AND GOES ON AND OFF .*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10082693July 26, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER ARM, STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY, SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
1998 VW PASSAT: HEARD LOUD CLANKING NOISES ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING VEHICLE. REPORTED TO VW SERVICE DEPARTMENT LOCAL DEALERSHIP. ADVISED THE THE UPPER CONTROL ARM JOINT IS WORN AND NEED REPLACEMENT. FURTHER, BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS ARE TOTALLY SHOT AND NEED REPLACING. CHECKED AND FOUND THAT THE TIE ROD PROBLEM WAS RECALLED BY NHTSA SEP. 1999 (99V-248) BUT THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. DO NOT KNOW WHY AS THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IS THE SAME. ADDITIONALLY, NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN NOTED ON THIS SITE, YET VW OF AMERICA, WHO ADVISED ME ARE AWARE AND SENSITIVE TO THE PROBLEM, REFUSED ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. ALSO THE RECALLED TIE RODS REPLACEMENT WAS REFUSED TO BE FIXED BY THEM. PLEASE FOLLOW UP AND INVESTIGATE VW OF AMERICA FOR THESE VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUES SINCE I WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN CAUSE SERIOUS DRIVER ACCIDENTS. I AM ALSO WONDERING WHY THE BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED REPLACEMENT WHEN NEW BRAKES WERE INSTALLED. DO NOT TRUST VW TO BE A SAFE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10081140July 15, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
I OWN A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT AND I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I HAVE DONE ALL [EVEN MORE THAN] THE RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE ON THE PASSAT. I HAD THE CONTROL ARMS REPLACED ONCE ALREADY 2 YEARS AGO [NOT UNDER RECALL OR REIMBURSED FOR THIS PROCEDURE]. I AM ONCE AGAIN GETTING CONSIDERABLE CRAKING NOISES FROM MY CONTROL ARMS IN MY FRONT SUSPENSION. I DO NOT DRIVE MY PASSAT ABNORMALLY NOR HAD ANY ACCIDENTS WITH IT. I FEEL THAT THIS HAPPENING TO MY PASSAT IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE, BUT SOMETHING ELSE - BAD DESIGN OR MATERIALS? *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10081067July 14, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
CONTLOR ARMS ON MY CAR HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. THE RUBBER USED TO PRODUCE TIE RODS IS TOO SOFT AND THE CAR MAKES NOISE WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS. THE FAILURE ALSO DOES NOT ALLOW TO PERFORM ALIGMENT ON MY VEHICLE UNTIL FIXED. COST OF REPAIR OVER $600.*AK THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE SUSPENSION FOR VW, AUDI AND CAR OWNERS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10080540July 7, 2004
SUSPENSION:FRONT, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER ARM
I PURCHASED A PRE-OWNED 1998 VW PASSAT SEDAN WITH 36,000 MILES ON IT IN 2002 WHICH WAS A GREAT DEAL!! OR SO I THOUGHT. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE STARTED HEARING A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE.. OR SUSPENSION .. LIKE A CREAKING, CRUNCHING, KNOCKING NOISE. I TOOK IT TO A VW DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CONTROL ARMS ON THE RIGHT AND THE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I FOUND OUT THAT THE TIE RODS HAD BEEN RECALLED AND THE ONES ON MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPLACED UNDER THAT RECALL IN 2001, BUT HAD AGAIN WORN OUT. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT TIE RODS WOULD WEAR OUT OVER A 3 YEAR PERIOD SINCE THE CAR BARELY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE VIEWED THIS WEBSITE AND FOUND OVER 200 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM AND AM CURIOUS WHAT VW PLANS TO DO.. WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE DIES WHEN A CONTROL ARM SNAPS? VW NEEDS TO RECALL THIS ITEM NOW!*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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