2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

VW PASSAT 2003, PURCHASED01/09/03, 4 MOTION SEDAN, FOR $32,766.50. ON 10/7/2004, I WENT THROUGH A 2" OR LESS, RAIN PUDDLE. BECAUSE OF THE AIR INTAKE ON THE PASSAT LOCATION BEING VERY LOW, THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE WATER INTAKE IN THE AIR INTAKE PORTION OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AND COST $11,077.53. THE CAR MILEAGE WAS 29,143. VW REFUSED TO PAY, SAYING IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT. MY INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSED TO PAY BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS A DEFAULT IN THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, I HAD TO PAY THE $11,077.53 TO KEEP A VEHICLE THAT I HAD PURCHASED NEW IN 2003. IT WAS 1/3 THE COST OF THE NEW VEHICLE WITH ONLY 29,143 MILEAGE. THE AMOUNT OF RAIN CAN BE DETERMINED ON THE DAY IT HAPPENED, IN MIDDLEBURY, IN. I DID CONTACT CARTALK, AFTER NO RESULT FROM VW, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN CONTACTED BY OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT ENOUGH TO POST A RECALL, BUT IT IS STILL SOMETHING I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED, EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENED IN 2004. I DO STILL OWN THE CAR, BECAUSE OF MY INVESTMENT, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER $44,000, BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE COMPARED TO THIS ONE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. HE CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT RELEVANT RECALLS AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NONE. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V375000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP), BUT WAS INFORMED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,100 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 46,000.

I HAVE AN AIR BAG FAILURE WHICH WILL PROHIBIT ME FROM PASSING THE STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. THE AIR BAG REPAIR IS OVER $1000. IS THERE A WAIVER OR A PROCESS TO DISPUTE THIS? ARE THERE RESOURCES TO HELP CONSUMERS IN THESE TYPE OF CASES? *TR

EVERY TIME IT RAINS, I HAVE AN ACCUMULATION OF WATER UNDER BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE CARPETS. THE CAR SMELLS OF MOLD AND MILDEW. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MANY YEARS OF VW'S AND THE DEALERS KNOW ABOUT IT. MY RESEARCH INDICATES DESIGN PROBLEMS WITH POLLEN FILTER. MAJOR PROBLEM IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE IS LOCATED IN THE SAME VICINITY AS THE PUDDLED WATER. I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR A WHILE ALTHOUGH HAVE NOT HAD TO REPLACE TCM YET. CHECK THE WEB FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 2002 MODEL YEAR. 2003 IS NO DIFFERENT. FIRST NOTICED PROBLEM AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT. *TR

I OWN A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH A 1.8T ENGINE. THE CAR HAS 70,000 MILES AND I JUST FOUND OUT IT HAS ENGINE SLUDGE. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AROUND MAY 2004 WITH AROUND 34,000 MILES AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM (NOT VW DEALER) ABOUT SLUDGE PROBLEMS AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM VW OF AMERICA ABOUT ALTERED OIL CHANGE SCHEDULE AND USING FULLY SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL. BEING UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THESE ENGINES WERE HAVING I FOLLOWED THE OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES OF 5,000. I WAS NOT AWARE OF SAVING RECEIPTS OF CHANGES AND PERFORMED SEVERAL MYSELF. MY DISPLAY SHOWED A STOP ENGINE LOW OIL PRESS MESSAGE SO I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED SOME TESTS AND TOLD ME I HAD ENGINE SLUDGE. AS OF NOW I HAVE NO RECOURSE WITH VW OF AMERICA AS FAR AS FIXING AN ENGINE THEY KNOW IS FLAWED. *TR

ANALOG GAS GAUGE AND DIGITAL FEEDS FROM GAS TANK INACCURATE MOST OF TIME - SOMETIMES HALF A TANK OFF. TOOK MULTIPLE TIMES AND 5 WEEKS FOR DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR (GAVE UP ONCE - THEN TOOK TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP). GAUGE ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE STICKING POINTS. SOMETIMES MOVES WHILE BEING WATCHED. *TR

I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY APARTMENTS WHEN MY CAR LOST ALL HORSE POWER AND PRETTY MUCH SPUTTERED THEN DIED; I WAS LEFT EXPOSED TO TRAFFIC ON A BUSY ROAD. THEN, I WAS TOWED TO THE VW DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT MY IGNITION COILS FAILED AND THAT IN TURN RUINED MY OXYGEN SENSOR AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. ALL THESE HAD TO BE REPLACED BY VW AT MY COST. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME WHEN I WAS BEING TOWED THERE HE ALREADY KNEW WHAT IT WAS BECAUSE THEY GO OUT ALL THE TIME. DOING FURTHER RESEARCH IT SEEMS MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

2003 VOLKWAGEN PASSAT WAGON W8 (4MOTION/ALL-WHEEL DRIVE) FUEL TANK LEAK AT/OR NEAR ROLLOVER VALVE AT FUEL TANK. FUEL TANK HAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE OR ABRASIONS AND FUEL TANK HEAT SHIELD IS ORIGINAL UNDAMAGED CONDITION, VEHICLE HAS NO DAMAGE OR CRASH HISTORY. VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH W-8 4.0 L W/ AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND HAS 62,215 MILES. AFTER REFILL OF FUEL ,STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AND/OR VAPOR. INSPECTION FOUND FUEL TANK LEAKING FROM ROLLOVER VALVE AND FROM FUEL PUMP COVER IN TOP OF TANK. IMMEDIATE ACTION WAS TAKEN AND VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO DEALER FOR REMEDY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR A RECALL REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT THE CV BOOT ON THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER WHEELS WERE CRACKED. THE TECHNICIAN STRONGLY ADVISED THAT THE FAILURES BE REPAIRED TO AVOID FURTHER DAMAGES WITHIN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST WAS $700. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHT LENS WERE COVERED WITH A FOGGY MATERIAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,332. UPDATED 10/16/08. *LJ UPDATED 10/20/08. *JB