1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

DESIGN FLAW IN TIE ROD ENDS AND PROTECTIVE BOOT. EXCESSIVE WEAR AND FAILURE OF JOINT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF ABILITY TO STEER. THIS MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AND VEHICLE DAMAGE.*AK

CONTROL ARMS NEED TO BE RECALLED BY MFG. FOR FREE REPLACEMENT - SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE FAILURES-CHECK WWW.CLUBB5.COM. LOTS OF THESE ARE BEING REPLACED OUT OF POCKET BY OWNERS. PLEASE HELP US AND ORDER A RECALL ON THESE. MY FAMILY'S LIVES DEPEND ON IT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

LEFT LOWER ARM LINK IS BROKEN AND CAUSES SOME NOISE WHEN DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER. AK

MY NAME IS [XXX], I AM IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY STATION IN STUTTGART, GERMANY. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING A 1998 VW PASSAT FROM MILITARY SALES, IN MANNAHEIM, GERMANY. I HAVE ADVISED THEM OF RECALL LIST BEFORE PURCHASING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST VW DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE PROBLEM. FROM READING INFORMATION FROM THE PAST OWNERS, THEY EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS. SINCE, I AM STATIONED IN GERMANY COULD I TAKE MY 1998 PASSAT TO GERMANY VW DEALERSHIP IN STUTTGART TO REPLACE ALL RECALL PARTS? I DO BELIEVE REPLACEMENT OF RECALLED PART. I STILL HAVE MY 1986 JETTA GL TODAY FROM YOUR PAST INFORMATION. HOWEVER, HERE'S THE INFORMATION: NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *TS *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***763021 PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

1)TRUNK LIGHT STOPPED WORKING JUST PAST THE WARRANTY PERIOD, WIRING PROBLEM, COST TO REPAIR $200. 2)ABS LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY, ABOUT 1 YEAR NOW,DEALER GETS 3 PAGES OF DIAGNOSTIC ERROR MESSAGES. CAN'T DETERMINE PROBLEM WITH LIGHT BUT ABS IS SUPPOSEDLY WORKING. COST: 3DAYS CAR RENTAL, AND $300 OUT OF POCKET. 3)FRONT END SUSPENSION: CRUNCHING NOISE AND BOUNCE. BOUNCE CORRECTED-DEALER REPLACED STABLIZER BAR, $284. NOISE CONTINUES(6 MONTHS), DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE PROBLEM. GETTING WORSE, AFRAID FRONT END WILL CRASH INTO GROUND. 4)TIMING BELT BROKE, DEALER REPLACED ENGINE AT NO COST. 5)ENGINE REPLACEMENT CAUSED PROBLEM WITH RADIO. RADIO WILL NOT ACCEPT CODE. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. 6)REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO DOWN WHEN INDICATED, FALLS DOWN A FEW MINUTES LATER. ALSO, DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WHEN UNLOCKED. 7)SOMETIMES THE IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN WHEN STARTING CAR.*AK

BOTH FRONT BALL JOINT/LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 33000 MILES, WHICH IS FAR EARLIER THAN IT SHOULD BE. IT'S ALSO AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1998 PASSATS. ASIDE FROM THE $900 COST TO REPLACE THESE COMPONENTS, THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ASSEMBLY WOULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IF THE CAR WERE IN MOTION. ALTHOUGH VW HAS REDESIGNED THESE COMPONENTS FOR LATER MODEL YEAR PASSATS, THEY'VE DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH 1998 MODELS. A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED ON THESE COMPONENTS SO NOBODY DIES DUE TO THEIR FAULTY DESIGN. *AK

WHEN TURNING WHEEL THERE WAS NOISE AT THE FRONT OF VEHICLE, DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK. CONSUMER STATES HE REPLACED THE TIE ROD END. *TT

THE AUTHORIZED VW DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM ON 03/23/2001 AND RECOMMENDED 2 UPPER CONTROL ARMS BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED VW WITH THIS INFORMATION DURING THIS TIME (VW CASE CASE# 10272316). INSTEAD OF REPAIRING THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS VW REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THE CAR IS STILL IN NEED OF UPPER CONTROL ARMS AND VW WILL NOT COVER IT.

CONSUMER STATES AFTER AJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE DRIVER SEAT, IT WOULD COME DOWN WHILE DRIVING.THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. NLM