1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE FLASHING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ,WHO STATED, THE CONTROL MODULE WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMPUTER, WHICH WAS A SIGN THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED." THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS MADE DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE EXPENSE. *AK

AT 52K MILES, HAD INTERMITTENT EPISODES OF ABS LIGHT REMAINING LIT AND BRAKE LIGHT FLASHING. OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE WEEKS, HAD >100 SUCH INCIDENTS. ALSO OF NOTE, VIBRATION WAS FELT UPON BRAKING AT LOW SPEED. SERVICE MECHANIC AT DEALER REPORTED FAULTY ABS CONTROL MODULE, WHICH WAS REPLACED AT EXUBERANT COST. APPARENTLY, HUNDREDS OF SUCH COMPLAINTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ON THIS PROBLEM, AND VWOA HAVE TAKEN NO EFFORT TO RECALL SUCH PREVALENTLY FAULTY PARTS. *NM

LOOSE AIRBAG IGNITER CONNECTION UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO DEACTIVATE ITSELF. THIS INCIDENT IS FREQUENT AS REPORTED BY MANY OWNERS ON VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS (AUDIWORLD, VWVORTEX, USENET NEWSGROUPS, ETC). AN INTERNET SEARCH ON "AIRBAG IGNITER: DRIVER SIDE RESISTANCE TOO HIGH" ON GOOGLE RETURNED NUMEROUS REPORTING ON THIS ISSUE. IN MY PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH A 1999 VW PASSAT 1.8T/20V AND A 2000 VW GOLF 1.9L TDI. *NM

ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY OWNERS, AS REPORTED ON VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS (VWVORTEX, ETC). THE FAILURE IS WELL KNOWN AND FREQUENT ENOUGH THAT THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT SELL REBUILT/REMANUFACTURED PART. *NM

I OWN A 1999 VW PASSAT V6. IT CURRENTLY HAS APPROX 67,975 MILES. FROM THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE TO THIS CURRENT DATE, I'VE EXPERIENCED THE SUNROOF OPENING ON IT'S OWN DURING WINTER MONTHS. THIS SUNROOF HAS A MANUAL DIAL CONTROL, AND THEREFORE IT MYSTIFIES ME THAT THIS CAN OCCUR. MY RATE OF SPEED HAS NO IMPACT ON THE OCCURANCE, SINCE I COULD BE MERELY TRAVELLING AT 45 50 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENS. I'VE REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE DEALER,BUT OF COURSE IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT REPLICATED WHEN THEY TEST DRIVE THE CAR, IT IS CONSIDERED NON-EXISTENT (IN THEIR OPINION). I AM TIRED OF THE MULTIPLE PREMATURE COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE AND AT THIS POINT, I'M CONSIDERING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS WHAT MY TIME LINE LOOKS LIKE: 48,824 MILES REPLACED ALL UPPER LINKS REPLACE V BELT 49,576 MILES REPLACED WATER PUMP AND BATTERY 53,629 MILES REPLACED CV BOOT JOINTS AND BOTH FRONT AXELS 57,512 MILES REPLACED UPPER LINKS AGAIN 61,972 MILES, BEING TOLD THAT ALL GASKET SEALS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I'M CURRENTLY DRIVING WITH THE FOLLING CONDITIONS: NO HEAT AT MY FEET IF MY HEAT SETTING IS FOR BOTH BODY AND FEET. MY KEY KEEPS COMING APART AND GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION. MY SUNROOF OPENS ON ITS OWN WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. MY LEFT REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCK WOULDN'T LOCK WHEN I LOCK THE CAR. THE TRUNK LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IT FEELS LIKE. I HAVE TO FILL UP ON COOLANT EVERY 700 MILES OR SO. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE TOXIC FUMES IN VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TURBO, BUT THIS DID NOT HELP TO ELIMINATE THE FUME PROBLEM. CURRENTLY, THEY INSISTED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REMOVED AND ALL OF THE SEALS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SAFE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK

I OWN A 1999 VW PASSAT AND HAD TO HAVE MY ABS CONTROL MODULE REPLACED IN JULY OF 2005 AT A COST OF $1,300. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH MANY OTHER VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT OWNERS WHO HAVE ALSO HAD THEIR ABS CONTROL MODULE GO BAD AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE IT. SINCE THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM I FEEL THAT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PART AND FINANCIALLY REIMBURSE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE THE ABS. IT IS A VERY COSTLY EXPENSE AND WAS SURPRISING TO ME THAT IT NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT ONLY 75,000 MILES, IN MY CAR'S CASE. THANK YOU. *JB

TIMING BELT BROKE WITH NO WARNING BEFORE THE 90,000 MILE SUGGESTED CHECK WAS PERFORMED. THIS IS GOING TO COST ME SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2000 AND 4000 TO REPAIR. *JB

THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. ABS AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON PERIODICALLY WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY AND NO APPARENT CAUSE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH PASSATS AND AUDI A4S. I FOUND AROUND 40 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE AND THE FREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ELSEWHERE ON THE INTERNET. THE PROBLEM IS REPORTED TO RESULT IN LACK OF ABS AND INACTIVATION OF THE NORMAL BRAKING DISTRIBUTION MECHANISM. THE LACK OF ABS, WHILE SERIOUS, ONLY REDUCES BRAKING TO THAT OF MANY OTHER VEHICLES. THE ALLEGED EFFECT ON DISTRIBUTION OF BRAKING POWER IS A POTENTIALLY MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM, AS IT COULD RESULT IN POOR PERFORMANCE OF EVEN THE CONVENTIONAL BRAKING SYSTEM. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. UPON INSPECTION THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE STEERING ASSEMBLY CAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND BOTH TIE RODS. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP ALSO FOUND THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND THE ABS WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY WAS LOOSE TO THE POINT IT COULD HAVE FALLEN OF FROM THE FRAME. UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB