1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

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

(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

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

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

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.

THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. *JB

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

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

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

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