1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 25, 2007 I WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN WHEN I RELEASED PRESSURE FROM THE GAS PEDAL. IT THEN BECAME APPARENT TO ME THAT THE CAR WAS STILL ACCELERATING DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND THE TACHOMETER SHOWED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING IN THE 5,000 RPM RANGE WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL, THEN SHIFTED TO PARK. I ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO RESTART THE CAR, BUT EACH TIME THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED UP TO THE 5,000 RPM RANGE AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS FLOORED. AFTER ABOUT 4 ATTEMPTS OF SHUTTING DOWN THE CAR AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE FINALLY IDLED AS IS SHOULD UPON START UP AND I WAS ABLE TO FINISH MY DRIVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. *JB

1999 VW PASSAT 1.8 TURBO. ABS LIGHT CAME UP ON 74000 MILE FOR NO REASON. LIGHT WAS COMING AND GOING. NOW IT IS ALWAYS ON. READING CODES SAYS: "NO COMMUNICATION" BETWEEN CONTROL MODULE AND COMPUTER. DIAGNOSE WAS: BAD CONTROL MODULE. MODULE COST $700 US DOLLARS, AND DEALER IS ASKING FOR $700 TO REPLACE( FOR ME IT WILL TAKE 15-20 MIN). STILL, THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR BAD DESIGNED AND IN A WRONG SPOT PLACED MODULE. *JB

FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND OUTER TIE RODS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST TIME AT 55,552 MILES AND SECOND TIME AT 75,959 MILES. THAT'S ONLY 20,407 MILES DIFFERENCE FOR THE $1200.00 REPAIR TO BE DONE AGAIN. ABSURD. CALLED THE VW CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY REFUSE TO REIMBURSE IN ANY WAY STATING THE 2 YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED. THIS DEFECT WOULD NEVER FALL WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD SO THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE. I ALREADY ABSORBED THE COST FOR THE 1ST REPAIR SO IN ALL FAIRNESS THEY SHOULD COVER THE 2ND TIME. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH VW'S. I'M NOT GOING TO PAY $1200 EVERY 20,000 TO HAVE MY CAR REPAIRED. I WILL GO LEGAL AND FORWARD THIS COMPLAINT TO CONSUMER REPORTS, THE BBB, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. *JB

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED ON MY VEHICLE. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON TO WARN ME SO I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED AND WOULD COST ME $1500 TO REPAIR. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS EXACT PROBLEM WITH PASSATS - IN PARTICULAR ABS BOSCH 5.3 ,5.4, 5.7 CONTROL MODULES. *JB

OVER TIME LEAVES COLLECTED IN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT OF MY '99 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THIS LED TO RAIN WATER LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CORRODING THE ECU UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE ALARM AND LOCKS STARTED WORKING ON THEIR OWN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER START. THE INITIAL REACTION FROM VOLKSWAGEN WAS TO "CHEAPLY FIX" AND THE SELL THE CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE LIFELONG PROBLEMS WITHOUT A "PROPER FIX" WHICH WOULD COST MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH (~$6-$8K). *JB

99 VW PASSAT'S OIL PUMP FAILED. **CC THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THREE OIL PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT VW IS AWARE OF PROBLEM WITH OIL SLUDGE IN VW'S BUT REFUSES TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS 105000 MILES.

THE CAR STALLS WHEN STOPPING AT INTERSECTIONS, AND SOMETIMES WHEN JUST RELEASING FOOT OFF OF ACCELERATOR. *NM

1999 PASSAT ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO A OIL PUMP FAILURE. *TS THE CONSUMER HAD THE OIL LEAK REPAIRED ON 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE CONSUMER HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SUCH AS A FAULTY DRIVE SHAFT, RIGHT CV JOINT, THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LATCH, THE CONTROL KNOB FOR THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS, THE HEATER CONTROL UNIT, ENGINE CONTROL UNIT, WATER PUMP SEAL RINGS, A POWER STEERING LEAK WHICH WAS HAD TO BE FIXED TWICE, THE COOLANT PUMP, O-RINGS AND THE OIL PUMP AND PUMP ROD BEARINGS. THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL, OIL IS LEAKING FROM THE VALVE COVERS. *JB

1) CAR STALLS OR HESITATES WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED. 2) CAR HAS STALLED AT INTERSECTIONS AND OTHER UNSAFE PLACES. 3) FUEL PUMP IS FAILING AND WILL BE REPLACED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE, THE RIGHT TIRE BLEW OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARDS SEEN. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED BOTH FRONT TIE ROD ENDS WERE WORN, LACKED LUBRICATION, WERE RUBBING INTO THE FRONT TIRES, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 00V414000, REGARDING THE STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 1/31/2007 - *NM