1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

MECHANIC IS TELLING ME ALL FOUR TIE ROD ASSEMLBIES AND CONTROL ARMS NEED REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN HEARIN A LOUD CRUNCHING NOICE EVERYTIME I GO OVER A SMALL BUMP OR TURN A CORNER. *AK

MY 1998 VW PASSAT HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT AND A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. THE ABS LIGHT STAYS ON STEADILY AND THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHES WITH AN AUDIBLE FOUR-CHIME TONE. THE VW DEALER TESTED AND CONFIRMED THAT I NEED A NEW ABS CONTROL MODULE. THE COST OF PARTS AND LABOR IS $1900. . VW OF AMERICA DECLINED TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. *JB

MY 1998 VW PASSAT HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT AND A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. THE ABS LIGHT STAYS ON STEADILY AND THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHES WITH AN AUDIBLE FOUR-CHIME TONE. THE VW DEALER TESTED AND CONFIRMED THAT I NEED A NEW ABS PUMP/CONTROL. THE COST OF PARTS AND LABOR IS $2,100. SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH IT FROM REPLACING THE TURBO CHARGER TO A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE FRONT-END SUSPENSION TO NAME A FEW. VW OF AMERICA DECLINED TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE. I USED TO OWN A TOYOTA WITH 250,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I SOLD IT AND NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT LIKE I HAVE WITH THIS CAR.*AK

VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER ON FREEWAY TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. WOULD NOT TURN OVER. LINKAGE TO TIMING BELT MALFUNCTIONED @ 100,710 MILES. FOUND OUT THAT BOTH TIMING BELT AND LINKAGE ARE NOT DUE TO BE CHANGED UNTIL 105,000. FAULTY PRIOR TO VW'S SPECIFICATIONS. *JB

1998 VW PASSAT 20V GLS SEDAN VIN: [XXX] ABS FAULT INDICATED BY ABS AND BRAKE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS FLASHING AND INSTRUMENT ALARM SOUNDING. 1 FAULTS FOUND: 01203 - ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN ABS AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER 03-10 - NO SIGNAL - INTERMITTENT DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY ABS CONTROL MODULE. SAFETY ISSUE - ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL: "IF ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT LIT UP TOGETHER, IT IS POSSIBLE REAR WHEELS WILL LOCK-UP EARLY UNDER HARD BRAKING. THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND MAY BE DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION NOT FUNCTIONING. HAVE YOUR VEHICLE SERVICED IMMEDIATELY BY AN AUTHORIZED VOLKSWAGEN DEALER OR A QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP" MODULE IN CAR: [XXX] CURRENT VW REPLACEMENT MODULE: [XXX] I HAVE CALLED AROUND TO AT LEAST 6 DEALERS, "LIST" PRICE RANGES FROM $1500 - $1900 FOR THE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE "Q" MODULE. MY LOCAL DEALER TOLD ME THEY HAD STOCK AND LIST PRICE WAS $1000, BUT WHEN THE PART WAS DELIVERED THAT PRICE HAD CHANGED TO $1600 LIST. I SURELY WOULD NOT HAVE ORDERED THE PART IF IT I HAD BEEN QUOTED THAT PRICE! PART WAS REFUSED, HOWEVER ACCORDING TO THE PARTS DRIVER I TALKED TO A YEAR AGO (AND AS RECENTLY AS THIS FALL) THE PART WAS $1000 LIST, AND LATELY THEY HAVE BEEN DELIVERING 4 - 5 OF THEM A WEEK TO INDEPENDENT SHOPS DOING THESE REPAIRS. FROM VARIOUS FORUMS (VWVORTEX, CLUB B5 PASSAT, AUDI WORLD, BENTLEY TECHNICAL WEB, VAG COM TECH FORUM) I HAVE LEARNED THE FAILURE RATES FOR THE 97 - 2000 MODEL YEAR B5 PLATFORM CARS (AUDI A4, VW PASSAT) THAT SHARE THE SAME [XXX] (B OR P) MODULES HAVE BEEN FAILING AT AN ALARMING RATE. IN MY OPINION VWOA NEEDS TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL TO ADDRESS THE PREMATURE ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURES IN THESE VEHICLES. *LA UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

CAR WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE. FINALLY AFTER TRYING AGAIN IT DID AND BROUGHT TO MECHANIC. PROBABLY A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. TOWED TO DEALER. FROM THEN ON ITS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. TWO WEEKS LATER AND THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN), JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY GET A CALL THAT SOMETHING ELSE NEEDS REPLACING. WAS TOLD THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW CENSOR NEEDED REPLACING AND WAS COVERED. GAVE APPROVAL. WEEK LATER GOT CALL THAT ITS NOT COVERED (ANY OTHER STORE WOULD HAVE TO HONOR THE INCORRECT PRICE TAG AND EAT THAT COST-NO-NOT THE DEALER!). ALL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ERROR CODE FLAGGED 10 PROBLEMS WHEN ORIGINALLY BROUGHT IN. OUTER CV BOOTS WORN, HARNESS (SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL WIRING GOING TO CENSOR), COOLANT HOSE, 2ND AIR HOSE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THAT CAR HAS BEEN INFERIOR SINCE DAY ONE. HOSES AND PARTS REPLACED WITHIN FIRST MONTH OF OWNING NEW CAR. INFERIOR ON VW AND AWFUL RESPONSE FROM VW. HAD RECALL ON FILTER LEADING TO AIR FLOW CENSOR. SEEMS TO ME THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW CENSOR IS ALSO PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL. HAVE READ PRIOR COMPLAINTS ON THIS YEAR/MODEL AND SEEMS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ITSELF IS MAJOR PROBLEM. *AK

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT AND THE DRIVERS COAT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

I TOOK MY CAR TO JIM ELLIS VOLKSWAGEN OF ATLANTA TO GET THE TIE RODS REPLACED AS PART OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN ON MY 98 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT THIS WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN MARKED AS COMPLETED IN THEIR SYSTEM BY ANOTHER DEALER . I HAVE NEVER TAKEN MY CAR TO THE OTHER DEALER. PLEASE ADVICE.

THE CAR IS A 1998 VW PASSAT 1.8. THE CAR HAS 61,000 MILES. ABS/ BRAKE LIGHT INCLUDING THE WARNING CHIMES TURNS ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE ALARM TURNS OFF AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND THEN GOES AGAIN. MY MECHANIC TESTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IS FAULTY. REPAIR COST IS ESTIMATED AT $1,800. NO OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED WITH ABS HAS EVER HAD THIS KIND OF FAILURE. *LA

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF SPORATICALLY ON MY 1998 VW PASSAT. DEALER SAYS ABS CONTROL UNIT (VW PART NO. 8E061411Q) HAS GONE BAD. VW OF AMERICA REFUSES TO COVER IT EVEN THOUGH CAR HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. REPLACEMENT COST IS ABOUT $2500.00. *AK