2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

I PURCHASED TIRES FOR MY 2008 VW PASSAT TURBO 4 DOOR SEDAN. I SELECTED FOUR COOPER CS4 TOURING TIRES. I BOUGHT THEM ABOUT A MONTH AGO, SEPTEMBER 17, 2012. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF THE COOPER TIRES, I NOTICED A PULSATING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT; THE NOISE FREQUENCY IS A FUNCTION OF SPEED. SO, TWO DAYS LATER, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER. A MECHANIC CHECKED THE TIRES, WHEELS, AND MOUNTING; HE COULD FIND NOTHING OBVIOUSLY WRONG. SO, I TOOK THE MECHANIC FOR A RIDE. HE HEARD THE NOISE, AND TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD DISAPPEAR AFTER THE TIRES WERE BROKEN IN OR WORN IN. THE NOISE HAS SEEMED TO INCREASE OF LATE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE TIRES MAY BE DEFECTIVE. WHAT DO YOU THINK? *TR

COMING HOME FROM THE GROCERY STORE MY WIFE NOTICED A FUEL SMELL COMING FROM THE BACK SEAT. I REMOVED THE BACK SEAT TO SEE A ACCESS PANEL TO THE FUEL TANK. I REMOVED THE RUBBER CAP AND SAW THE TOP HOUSING OF THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS PLASTIC, HAD A CRACK AND FUEL WAS SPRAYING OUT OF THE CRACK. CALLED DEALERSHIPS IN AZ AND THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING, NO FUEL PUMPS AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY HAVE DISCONTINUED THE PART # 3C0919051AG AND REPLACED IT WITH 3C0919051AM. WHY DID THEY HAVE ALL DEALERSHIPS RETURN THAT PART AND NO RECALL WAS ISSUED? *TR

WHILE PARKED IN THE LOT, THE ENGINE AREA CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THE FRONT HALF OF THE CAR BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES PRIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT APPROACHED A TRAFFIC STOP AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THERE WERE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED WITH EXTREME FORCE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE MALFUNCTION AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH AND HEARD A SCRAPING SOUND WHENEVER HE SHIFTED GEARS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERNS OVER A POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THE FUTURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. SHE WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY SHIFT THE GEAR IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE MAIN ROADWAY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A FAULTY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND ADVISED HAVING IT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE DEALER HAD BEEN WAITING FOR THE PART NEEDED FOR REPAIRS FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY STARTING IN MARCH 2010 WITH A LOW FUEL PRESSURE FAULT. CAR RUNS FINE MOST OF THE TIME, BUT SPUTTERS WHEN THE FAULT OCCURS AND FUEL ECONOMY SUFFERS. AFTER RECEIVING THIS FAULT MULTIPLE TIMES, REPAIR SHOP SUGGESTS WE TRY A NEW FUEL FILTER TO SEE IF THAT CLEARS IT, BUT IT WILL LIKELY NEED A NEW FUEL PUMP. NEW FUEL FILTER HELPS FOR 3 WEEKS, BUT FAULT STARTS OCCURRING AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THEY AGREED THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP SENSOR, WHICH I HAD DONE IN NOV 2010 AFTER THE FUEL GAUGE STOPS REPORTING ACCURATE FUEL LEVELS. THIS CLEARS BOTH ISSUES UNTIL FEBRUARY 2011, WHEN LOW FUEL PRESSURE FAULT STARTS FIRING AGAIN INTERMITTENTLY EVERY 2-3 WEEKS AS IT HAD BEFORE AND FUEL GAUGE IS NOT REPORTING ACCURATE FUEL LEVELS AGAIN. NOW VW STATES THE FUEL PUMP IS NOT THE PROBLEM (A $1K REPAIR!) AND IS RECOMMENDING A NEW HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND CAM SHAFT - A $2,300 REPAIR! TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY MY CAR NOW SMELLS LIKE FUEL AFTER DRIVING IT. VW REFUSES TO PROVIDE ANY SORT OF WARRANTY FOR ANY OF THIS WORK, INCLUDING THE FIRST TWO REPAIRS THAT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE THESE REPAIRS AT THIS TIME AND I AM CONSIDERING ASKING VW CREDIT TO TAKE BACK THE CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PSSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR DOORS HOUSED PIVOTING TABS FOR A SHADE TO KEEP THE SUN OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DESIGN WAS POORLY MANUFACTURED BECAUSE THE CHILD OCCUPANT IN THE BACK SEAT COULD PULL THE TABS UP AND DOWN AND COULD POTENTIALLY CATCH HIS FINGERS IN THE TAB. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I GOT HOME AFTER WORK SATURDAY NIGHT AROUND 7PM AND PARK MY 2008 VW PASSAT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND TWO MINUTES AFTER SMOKE START COMING OUT THROUGH FRONT GRILLE I OPEN THE HOOD AND IT SMALL LIKE BURNED PLASTIC. I SOW COIL AND WIRE WHERE IS CONNECTED ALL MELTED. I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. *TR