2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

I CURRENTLY LEASE A 2005 VW PASSAT. WARRANTY OFFERED: 5 YR/ 50,000 MILE. APPROX. NOV 7, 2008 VEHICLE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO REGISTER "STOP OIL PRESS LOW". IMMEDIATELY PULLED INTO CLOSEST GAS STATION AND PURCHASED A SYNTHETIC OIL FOR VW THINKING THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ON NOV 17, 2008 DASHBOARD LIT UP AGAIN WITH SAME MESSAGE AND IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT VEHICLE INTO VISTA VW, POMPANO BCH, FLORIDA. WAS INSTRUCTED THAT ISSUE WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO FAULTY OIL PRESSURE DIP STICK CYLINDER AND NEED OF OIL CHANGE. (CYLINDER REPLACED AND OIL CHANGE COMPLETED) PRIOR OIL CHANGE WAS COMPLETED AT VISTA VW POMPANO BEACH. VW MECHANIC PLACED A CLEAR OIL CHANGE MAINT. STICKER WITH INCORRECT MILEAGE DUE AT NEXT OIL CHANGE. OIL CHANGE SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT 38,000 MILES VS. 45,000. VISTA VW STATED I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO BE COMPLETED (APPROX $166.00) AS WELL AS AN HOURLY CHARGE FOR LABOR (APPROX. $110 P/HR) NOT INCLUDING ANY AND ALL REPAIR TO BE PAID FOR UPON COMPLETION. THIS DUE TO WARRANTY EXPIRED. BROUGHT VEHICLE IN AT 792 MILES OVER 50,000. DUE TO THE EXPENSE THAT I WOULD HAVE INCURRED IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE FOR ME TO GO AHEAD AND PERFORM THIS DIAGNOSTIC TEST HENCE CAUSING ME TO LEAVE NO FURTHER CHOICE BUT TO DECLINE SERVICE. I ATTEMPTED TO TRADE MY PASSAT IN EARLY AND RELEASE A NEW VEHICLE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN DOING SO. APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH LATER I WAS AT GUNTHER VW COCONUT CREEK AND INFORMED FINANCE MGR THAT I NOW HAVE AN ENGINE LIGHT ON. I WAS TOLD TO TRY AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME AND SEE IF THE LIGHT GOES OUT. THAT MAYBE IT'S A FAULTY SENSOR. UPON ARRIVAL AT MY RESIDENCE THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AND ENGINE FAILED. THE FOLLOWING DAY I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC STATED THAT THE APPROX. COST FOR REPAIR WOULD BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN $8,000 - $10,000. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN RESEARCH AND FOUND THERE IS A LAWSUIT FROM THE CONSUMERS OF VW PASSATS IN REGARD TO THIS EXACT SAME MECHANICAL ISSUE & VW WILL NOT COMPLY WITH THIS ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE NOT HAD FAILURE YET, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN THE SAME EXACT CAR I OWN, A 2005 VW PASSAT TDI. THERE IS AN ONGOING CONCERN AT SEVERAL NEWS GROUPS INCLUDING WWW.TDICLUB.COM AND OTHER DIESEL ENTHUSIAST NEWSGROUPS ABOUT THE OIL PUMP CHAIN UNIT THAT IS IN THE VW BHW 2.0 TURBODIESEL ENGINE. MANY OF THESE CARS WHEN THEY GET OUT OF WARRANTY AT 60K WILL START TO HAVE ENGINE NOISE WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF THE OIL PUMP CHAIN UNIT CHAIN WEAKENING. THIS CONDITION LEADS TO COMPLETE FAILURE WITHOUT GENERAL WARNING. THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. VW IN EUROPE HAS DEVELOPED A FIX FOR THIS ENGINE THAT INVOLVES INSTALLING A GEAR SYSTEM INSTEAD OF THE CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM FOR THE ENGINE BALANCING SYSTEM. THERE ARE SEVERAL EPISODES OF PEOPLE HAVING THE ENGINES FAIL WHILE ON THE ROAD. I AM CONCERNED AS AN OWNER OF THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE VW PASSAT. THERE WERE ABOUT 12 THOUSAND OF THESE IMPORTED INTO THE USA. I KNOW OF AT LEAST FOUR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD THIS SITUATION HAPPEN TO THEM AND THEIR PASSAT. THE REPAIRS ARE NOT CHEAP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $3000 AT A BARE MINIMUM WITH UP TO 9 THOUSAND FOR A NEW MOTOR, EVEN DESPITE OWNERS USING THE PROPER SPECIFIED MOTOR OIL. *TR

LTR FROM SENATOR MURKOWSKI ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT WHO HAS CONCERNS RE THE SAFETY OF THE 2005 VW PASSAT TDI STATION WAGON. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A DESIGN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER STATED VW USED AN UNUSUAL COMBINATION OF A CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP (NORMALLY GEAR DRIVE) AND ASSOCIATED WITH THAT A COUNTER BALANCER TO REDUCE VIBRATION IN THE DIESEL ENGINE. THE OIL CHAIN IS PRONE TO FAILURE, AND THE BALANCER SHAFT IS NOT A TIGHT ENOUGH FIT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIR IS COSTLY AND THERE IS NO REAL FIX FOR THE ISSUE. *JB

I HAD A 2005 VW PASSAT HEATED LEATHER SEAT BURN MY LEG AND SEAT. CAUSED BY FAULTY SEAT HEATER. *TR

I HAVE NOT HAD FAILURE YET, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN THE SAME EXACT CAR I OWN, A 2005 VW PASSAT TDI. THERE IS AN ONGOING CONCERN AT SEVERAL NEWS GROUPS INCLUDING WWW.TDICLUB.COM AND OTHER DIESEL ENTHUSIAST NEWSGROUPS ABOUT THE OIL PUMP CHAIN UNIT THAT IS IN THE VW BHW 2.0 TURBODIESEL ENGINE. MANY OF THESE CARS WHEN THEY GET OUT OF WARRANTY AT 60K WILL START TO HAVE ENGINE NOISE WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF THE OIL PUMP CHAIN UNIT CHAIN WEAKENING. THIS CONDITION LEADS TO COMPLETE FAILURE WITHOUT GENERAL WARNING. THIS IS A DISASTER AWAITING TO HAPPEN. VW IN EUROPE HAS DEVELOPED A FIX FOR THIS ENGINE THAT INVOLVES INSTALLING A GEAR SYSTEM INSTEAD OF THE CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM FOR THE ENGINE BALANCING SYSTEM. THERE ARE SEVERAL EPISODES OF PEOPLE HAVING THE ENGINES FAIL WHILE ON THE ROAD. I AM CONCERNED AS AN OWNER OF THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE VW PASSAT. THERE WERE ABOUT 12 THOUSAND OF THESE IMPORTED INTO THE USA. I KNOW OF AT LEAST FOUR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD THIS SITUATION HAPPEN TO THEM AND THEIR PASSAT. THE REPAIRS ARE NOT CHEAP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $3000 AT A BARE MINIMUM WITH UP TO 9 THOUSAND FOR A NEW MOTOR, EVEN DESPITE OWNERS USING THE PROPER SPECIFIED MOTOR OIL. *TR

THE BALANCE SHAFTS IN THIS ENGINE (2005 VW B5 PASSAT TDI) ARE DRIVEN BY A CHAIN OFF THE MOTOR WHICH ALSO DRIVES THE OIL PUMP. THIS UNFORTUNATE DESIGN SUBJECTS THE CHAIN TO STRESSES IT CANNOT WITHSTAND. OURS LET GO AT SPEED WITH MY FAMILY OF FIVE ON BOARD. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED AT THE SUDDEN DECELERATION IN TRAFFIC. A FIX HAS BEEN MANDATED IN THE ECU BUT NOT IN THE US. THERE IS NO CURRENT OFFICIAL "FIX" FROM VW AMERICA. THE EXPECTATION IS THE ENGINE WILL SELF DESTRUCT AND THE CUSTOMER WILL BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE AN ENTIRE $5000-8000 MOTOR WITH A REPLACEMENT GEAR ASSEMBLY. VOLKSWAGEN TECHNICAL PRODUCT INFORMATION 016429. *TR

2004-2005 PASSAT TDI W/ BHW ENGINE CODE. THE BALANCE SHAFTS IN THIS ENGINE ARE DRIVEN BY A HEX SHAFT OFF THE CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS UNFORTUNATE DESIGN SUBJECTS THE CHAIN TO STRESSES IT CANNOT WITHSTAND. ON VARIOUS TDI FORUMS, ESPECIALLY TDICLUB.COM, THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF CHAIN FAILURES BEING REPORTED. OF COURSE, WHEN THE CHAIN DRIVING THE OIL PUMP FAILS, THE ENGINE IS STARVED OF ESSENTIAL LUBRICATION. IF THE FAILURE OF THE CHAIN CAUSES ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, OR PASSING ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS CONDITION COULD EASILY CAUSE DANGER TO ALL CITIZENS NEARBY, POSSIBLY LEADING TO DEATH. WHEN THE CHAIN FAILS, THE PARTS TO REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $1800 PLUS APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER $1500 IN LABOR BILLS TO HAVE THE PARTS INSTALLED. IF THE ENGINE IS DESTROYED, IT WILL COST THE OWNER APPROXIMATELY $8000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

I WENT TO START MY 05 PASSAT AND GOT SEVERAL ERROR WARNINGS: AIRBAG FAULT, ESP, CHECK ENGINE, ABSORBER INTERMITTENT WARNINGS. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) GOT WET FROM A (KNOWN BY VW) WATER LEAK PROBLEM FROM THE SUNROOF AND HVAC SYSTEM. VW HAS A RECALL TO TRY AND SEAL THE LEAKS, BUT WILL NOT FIX RESULTS OF THE LEAKS. I AM LUCKY I WASN'T GOING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TCM MALFUNCTIONED. I'VE RESEARCHED, AND THIS PROBLEM IS A RECURRING ONE WITH NOT ONLY PASSATS, BUT ALSO GOLF AND JETTA MODELS FROM THE LATE 90S TO 2005. A MALFUNCTIONING TCM ISN'T THE ONLY ELECTRICAL COMPONENT THAT CAN BE AFFECTED BY THE WATER LEAK. THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE CAN ALSO GET WET AND MALFUNCTION, CAUSING SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES IF THIS OCCURS WHILE MOVING. *TR

I OWN A 2005 VW PASSAT GLS TDI SEDAN DIESEL AND THE OIL PUMP BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY INCLUDING OIL PUMP DRIVE CHAIN, TENSIONER, AND SPROCKET ARE BAD AND MAKING A HORRENDOUS NOISE. THE VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 60,000 MILES BUT, IS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY. THE VW DEALER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HAS NO IDEA OF SUCH A PROBLEM. MY RESEARCH HAS PROVEN OTHERWISE. IT IS SAID THAT IF SUCH A FAILURE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DISASTER COULD RESULT. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A FIX FOR THIS ISSUE WHICH ENTAILS THE REMOVAL OF THE WHOLE OIL PUMP CHAIN DRIVE ASSEMBLY AND REPLACING IT WITH A GEAR DRIVEN ASSEMBLY. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A FACTORY DEFECT AND SAFETY ISSUE TO WHERE VW ISSUES AN IMMEDIATE SERVICE BULLETIN FOLLOWED BY A MANDATORY RECALL CAMPAIGN. *TR

THIS REFERENCE A VERY SPECIFIC VEHICLE, I.E. NAMELY THE 2005-2005 VW PASSAT TDI (DIESEL) CAR, BOTH SEDAN AND STATION WAGON VERSION, WITH THE VW BHW ENGINE. WHAT STARTED OUT AS AN OCCASIONAL NEED TO REPLACE THE CHAIN THAT DRIVE THE OIL PUMP, BECAME A CERTAINTY THAT THE CHAIN WOULD BREAK. IF THE CHAIN BREAKS, YOU LOOSE OIL PRESSURE IMMEDIATE, AND THE ENGINE IS GOING TO SEIZE (NOT TO MENTION THE CHAIN ITSELF FLOPPING AROUND IN THE CRANK AREA WHICH COULD LODGE IN THE DRIVE SYSTEM AND DO THE SAME). IN ANY SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE ACCELERATING, THAT IS GOING TO BE CATASTROPHIC , AND CERTAINLY ANY HIGHER SPEED ON A FREEWAY/HIGHWAY BEING THE SAME) VW HAS RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE AND HAS NOW ISSUED A TSB ON THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT INSTITUTED A RECALL. THE CHANGE IS TO REMOVE THE CHAIN DRIVE SYSTEM AND CONVERT THE ENGINE TO A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP. THIS IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. WHAT THIS DOES TO THE COUNTER BALANCER SHAFT IS UNKNOWN (I.E. WHAT CAUSED WHAT TO FAIL HAS NOT HAD ANY INDICATION FROM VW). WW SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BE MANDATED TO RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES WITH THE TDI BHW ENGINE AND OR ISSUE A RECALL NOTICE THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE BROUGHT IN BEFORE THE 100K TIMING BELT CHANGE INTERVAL LISTED IN THE MANUAL AND HAVE THAT TSB CHANGED TO A RECALL AND SAFETY REPAIR. ANY OWNER HEARING THE SIGNATORY NOISE OF THE FAILURE DEVELOPING SHOULD HAVE THAT REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED NOT LATTER THAN THE 100K POINT. THIS IS BASED ON A SURVEY OF A FEW AT 40 TO 60K, MOST HAVE IT DEVELOPING BY 100K (IF NOT FAILED OR CLOSE TO FAILURE AT THAT POINT. ALL OTHER VW DIESEL ENGINE USE A GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP SYSTEM. *TR