1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE BECAME ERRATIC AND NOISY. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND WITH AUDIS ON THE SAME (B5) PLATFORM. I CANNOT BELIEVE IF THIS IS AS SERIOUS A SAFETY ISSUE AS I WAS LED TO BELIEVE, THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THESE PARTS OR A REDESIGN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THERE IS A LOOSENESS IN THE FRONT END, CONSUMER COULD HEAR KNOCKING NOISE LIKE METAL BANGING AGAINST SOMETHING, TOOK TO A MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACED STRUTS ON THE LEFT SIDE BOTTOM OF FRONT END. THEN 2 WEEKS LATER MECHANIC CHANGED RIGHT SIDE BOTTOM, 3 WEEKS LATER THE TOP STRUTS WERE LOOSE. CONSUMER FEELS VERY UNSAFE.*AK CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM.*JB

WINDOW TRIM CAN FAIL, LEADING TO "LOOP/NOOSE" WHICH CAN KILL CHILDREN/PASSENGER. *AK

HEAD GASKE LEAKING OIL CAN CAUSE SLICK FREEWAYS CAUSING ACCIDENTS. LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILURE CAN CAUSE SUDDEN DEATH OF VEHICLE IN MOTION. *AK

THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILS CAUSING THE BELT TO BECOME LOOSE AND FAIL PREMATURELY. VW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE IN FACT ISSUED AN UPDATED PART THAT CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER I KNOW OF MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT IS GOINGT O COST ME MORE THAN 1,500 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS AND I AM DOING IT MYSELF. IF I WERE TO HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP IT WOULD BE DOUBLE THAT. WHEN THE BELT FAILS THE VALVES GET BENT. I LOVE THIS CAR, BUT HTIS IS A JOKE. THE WHOLE REASON I BOUGHT THIS CAR WAS SO I WOULD NOT NEED TO WORK ON IT. *AK

FUEL GUAGE INTERMITTENTLY DISPLAYS INCORRECT LEVELS. FOR INSTANCE, WILL ONLY SHOW 3/4 FULL AFTER FILLUP. ALSO, WILL SPORATICLY JUMP BETWEEN 1/4 FULL AND FULL ON OCCASION. DEALER STATES "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. HAVE ALMOST RUNOUT OF GAS ON 4 OCCASIONS DUE TO PROBLEM. HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PASSAT OWNERS, AND MANY REPORT SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. CONCERENED ABOUT RUNNING OUT OF FUEL AND BEING STRANDED OR, MORE SERIOUSLY, FIRE HAZARD. PROBLEM FIRST STARTED TO OCCUR AROUND 45K MILES.*AK

REAR BRAKES MAKE LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE FROM MOMENT BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED UNTIL VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND SAID BRAKES/PADS ARE OK. DEALER DEGLAZED PADS WHICH FIXED NOICE PROBLEM FOR APPROX 2 WEEKS AND THEN IT RETURNED. PROBLEM STILL NOT RESOLVED. PROBLEM STARTED AT 20K, VEHICLE JUST HAD 40K MILE SERVICE-DEALER SAID BRAKES OK STILL. SAID FRONT BRAKES WILL NEED REPLACEMENT AT NEXT SERVICE. I FEEL DEALER IS TRYING TO FIX PROBLEM, BUT MANUFACTURER HASN'T PROVIDE DEALER WITH ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON PROBLEM RESOLUTION. *AK

I HEAR THE NOSIE BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRE AND I CAN'T TELL WHAT THAT WAS. SO I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK AND THEY SAID THE COMPUTER SHOW NOTHING WRONG. BUT THE NOISE STILL THERE AND THEY KNEW THAT BUT THEY SAID IF THE COMPUTER SHOW NOTHING WRONG, THEY CAN'T HELP ME FOR THAT. UNTIL MY WARRANTY EXPIRED THEY SAID IS COMING FROM LOWER ARM CONTROLLER(LEFT & RIGHT). IT COSTS $800-900+ TO REPLACE. I FEEL THAT THEY KNEW ALL ALONG AND USE THAT COMPUTER TO AGAINST ME. OF COURSE IT OPERATE OK BUT THAT NOSIE IS SO BORDER ME. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT PARTS RECALL. I ALSO TALK TO VW HEADQUARTER AND THEY CAN'T HELP ME. I DO HAVE THAT RECORD DURING 40+ MILES AND I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULDN'T PAY FOR THAT REPLACEMENT. PLS HELP- MY EMAIL ADDRESS: [email protected]

THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON THE 1998 VW PASSAT HAVE FAILED, SOMETHING THAT WAS KNOWN UNDER A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM VOLKSWAGEN ON MAY 31, 2001 (TSB: C 40-01-01). VOLKSWAGEN HAS NOT RESPONDED TO ME AS TO WHETHER THEY WILL PAY FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM IN THEIR VEHICLES YET.*AK

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 23,000 MILES, THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON MY 1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT FAILED. SYMPTOMS OF THE FAILURE ARE SQUEAKING AND/OR CLUNKING NOISES FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. MY DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE BALL JOINTS ON BOTH FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARMS HAD FAILED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF BOTH CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLIES. THE COST OF REPLACEMENT IS APPROXIMATELY $900. THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE NOT NORMAL WEAR ITEMS. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD RECALL THE AFFECTED CARS AND PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS.