2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION AN ISSUE THAT IS HAPPENING WITH MY 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T. THE CARS AIRBAG FAULT INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAD AN INDEPENDENT CAR MECHANIC INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THE AIR BAG FAULT IS INDICATIVE OF A BAD SENSOR. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH KEFFER VOLKSWAGEN IN HUNTERSVILLE NORTH CAROLINA TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE ON 8/1/2014. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN (703-364-7000) ON 7/25/2014 AND SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER ADVOCATE TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AND ASK THEM IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE ISSUE HAS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE HARNESS RECALL FROM 3 YEARS AGO I EXPECTED THEM TO COVER IT. (I HAD THE HARNESS REWIRED WITH THE NEW HARNESS AS A PART OF THAT RECALL.) VOLKSWAGEN TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. CASE # [XXX]. I HAVE CONCERNS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE AND NOT JUST A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I HAVE PROVIDED SOME SCREEN PRINTS OF OTHER VOLKSWAGEN OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. SEVERAL DRIVERS HAVE BEEN IN ACCIDENTS WHERE THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING DURING AN ACCIDENT AND OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING WHILE DRIVING. I ALSO HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS A DESIGN FLAW / DEFECT THAT COULD LEAD TO A LARGER SAFETY RECALL. IF VOLKSWAGEN IS TO FIX THE ISSUE WITH THE SAME PARTS WILL THE ISSUES CONTINUE TO PERSIST? THIS IS DEEPLY CONCERNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN AN EMPLOYEE AT HUNTERSVILLE NORTH CAROLINA INFORMED ME THAT PARTS AND LABOR ARE ONLY COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR ONE YEAR AFTER THE REPAIRS. WILL I BE PAYING FOR THIS SAME REPAIR OVER AND OVER AGAIN? YOUR URGENT ATTENTION AND RESPONSE IS EXPECTED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AS MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR VOLKSWAGEN HOME FROM WORK, HE WAS MERGING ONTO AN INTERSTATE AT RUSH HOUR, AND JUST AS HE GOT UP TO SPEED, THE PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED (IT'S ELECTRIC--IT JUST TURNED ITSELF ON!). HE MANAGED TO STOP SAFELY AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE VW DEALER, WHERE THEY LOOKED AT IT AND CALLED US WITH AN LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE FIXED--THE VALVES BLEW, THE CV JOINTS CRACKED, THE TRANSMISSION BASICALLY EXPLODED, ETC ETC ETC. IT'S ABOUT $6K WORTH OF REPAIRS! WE HAD IT INSPECTED ONLY 2 WEEKS BEFORE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE, SO WE'RE PRETTY SURE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE SUDDENLY ENGAGES AT THAT 70 MPH. I DON'T KNOW HOW MY HUSBAND MANAGED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I AM CERTAIN I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. FURTHER RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THAT THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ON THE 2005-2010 PASSATS FREQUENTLY HAD PROBLEMS, DISENGAGING OR ENGAGING UNPREDICTABLY. THE VW DEALER SERVICE DESK TOLD US THAT THEY HAD SEEN A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON A CC SPORT JUST TWO WEEKS PRIOR (THEY ACTUALLY NOTED THIS IN THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT THEY GAVE US). I WAS TELLING THIS STORY AT CHURCH, AND A LADY OVERHEARD AND TOLD ME THAT THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED IN HER VW--THOUGH LUCKILY THEY WEREN'T GOING SO FAST AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND. *TR

ON 4/92014 THE AIR-BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. MANUAL STATES THAT THIS INDICATES THE AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY WHEN THEY SHOULD BUT THAT THEY MIGHT DEPLOY RANDOMLY WHILE THE CAR WAS DRIVEN.I TOOK THE CAR TO OPEN ROAD VW IN MANHATTAN A VW DEALERSHIP & SERVICE FACILITY WHERE THEY FOUND "FAULT 2513" FOR SEATBELT SENSOR AND REPLACED IT UNDER THE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY WITH WHICH THE CAR WAS SOLD. OPEN ROAD VW STATED THAT THIS REPAIR WAS COVERED UNDER THEIR 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON PARTS & LABOR AS WELL AS VW'S CPO WARRANTY. ON 5/14/2014 (MILEAGE 25,280), THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AGAIN I TOOK IT TO OPEN ROAD VW. THEY FOUND A FAULT FOR THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FORCE RECOGNITION SENSOR G453. FOUND DEFECTIVE BUCKLE AND REPLACED IT.THIS REPAIR WAS COVERED ONLY BY VW'S CPO WARRANTY AS, THE SERVICE REP SAID IT INVOLVED A DIFFERENT PART THAN THE FIRST REPAIR AND WAS THEREFORE NOT COVERED BY THE PARTS & LABOR WARRANTY PROVIDED BY THE DEALER. ON 6/23/2014, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. FOUND 1 FAULT N200 FOR RESISTANCE TOO LOW, REPLACED CONNECTORS FOR BOTH FRONT SEATS., CHARGED $50.00 DEDUCTIBLE AS, AGAIN, THIS WAS A DIFFERENT REPAIR THAN THE LAST. I CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA'S CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID I WOULD HEAR FROM A SUPERVISOR. THE SUPERVISOR E-MAILED THAT SHE WOULD CALL ME TODAY, JUNE 30, BUT I HAVE RECEIVED NO CALL. ON 6/28/2014 AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AT 10:PM COULD NOT TAKE IT THE DEALERSHIP ON SUNDAY BECAUSE IT IS CLOSED, BUT WROTE TO THE SUPERVISOR ON SUNDAY. CALLED VW CUSTOMER CARE THIS MORNING. SAID SUPERVISOR WOULD CALL ME, BUT ALSO THAT MY CPO WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AT MIDNIGHT JUNE 29, 2014. AS THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT BEGAN IN APRIL I EXPECT IT TO BE COVERED. IT SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT THIS RECURRENT ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT MAY INDICATE A POTENTIAL DANGER TO ME AND OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

THE HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY OF THIS CAR IS CLEARLY UNSAFE. REPLACING THE CAR HEADLIGHT AND/OR HIGH BEAM BULB CAN RESULT IN LOOSENING OR BENDING THE METAL HOUSING THAT HOLDS THE BULB IN PLACE WHICH CAN RESULT IN A LOOSE BULB. A LOOSE BULB CAN BURN AND CAUSE A CAR FIRE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON CONNECTICUT RTE 15 AT ABOUT 60 MPH ON THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 8, 2014, WHEN MY ENGINE SUDDENLY RACED AND I LOST POWER TO THE DRIVE (FRONT) WHEELS. I COULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED OR ACCELERATE; I COULD ONLY COAST. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE TWO-LANE ROADWAY. I HAD TO COAST BETWEEN VEHICLES IN THE RIGHT LANE, OVER TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS, AND MY VEHICLE COULD HAVE BEEN STRUCK. ONCE I CAME TO A STOP IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE I LEARNED THAT THE LEFT AXLE HAD POPPED OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND THAT BOTH AXLES HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOTE THAT THERE WAS NO IMPACT OF ANY KIND THAT PRECIPITATED THE AXLE'S POPPING OUT. ALSO NOTE THAT I HAD ALWAYS HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION. *TR

AIR BAG FAULT LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR, VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SAYS AIRBAG NEEDS REPLACED AND WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, WONDERING WHY WHEN ITS NEVER BEEN USED/ IN A WRECK? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY OVER A PERIOD OF SEVEN YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

CAR EITHER WILL NOT START OR SHUTS OFF. DISPLAY STATES "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT". THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP, THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, AND HIGH PITCHED ALARMS SOUND. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND REPAIRED UNDER SERVICE BULLETIN 4815, AT NO CHARGE. THIS HAPPENED IN 2011. THIS WEEK, IN 2014 THE SAME EXACT STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT REOCCURRED. DESPITE THIS BEING A KNOWN DEFECT AMONG VWS, AND THIS BEING A FAILURE OF THE PREVIOUS "FIX" VW REFUSES TO DO A WARRANTY REPAIR BECAUSE IT IS "OUTSIDE OF THE 12 MONTH 12,000 MILE" WARRANTY ON REPAIRS. THIS IS IN MY MIND, A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS AND THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, PEOPLE WOULD BE INJURED OR KILLED. *TT

MY CAR WAS BURNT ON HIGHWAY WEEK AGO. ALL MY FAMILIES WERE ON THE CAR THAT TIME. I CALLED THE POLICE OFFICE, THE POLICEMEN AND FIREMEN ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE IN 10 MINS. 2 DAYS LATER, AFTER WE CHECKED THE CAR WITH THE INVESTIGATORS FROM THE FIRE DEPT., THEY FOUND THAT THERE ARE 2 HOLES ON THE ENGINE, THE OIL SPRAYED OUT AND TOUCHED THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AREA INSIDE THE CAR SO THE FIRE HAPPENED! *TR

PUT KEYFOB IN THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD NOT START. THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH ILLUMINATED BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN. ALSO STEERING LOCK WARNING LOCK KEEPS BLINKING. CAR IS STUCK IN PARK, MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE IT TOWED, BEFORE FINALLY HAVING AN EXPERIENCED TOW TRUCK DRIVER DRAG IT ON TO A FLAT BED BECAUSE OF CAR BEING STUCK IN PARK, KEY FOB LOCKED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, HAS BEEN TOWED TO 3 DIFFERENT SHOPS WHO HAVE YET TO PINPOINT THE EXACT PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. ONE SHOP CLAIMED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THAT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH HOWEVER WERE UNABLE TO FIX IT. HAS SPENT XXX AMOUNT OF MONEY HAVING IT TOWED TO SEVERAL SHOPS AND STILL NOT FIXED. FRUSTRATED!!!!!! *TR