1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

THE FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO MANY PASSAT OWNERS, VW HAS FAILED TO ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS A CLEAR WORKMANSHIP FAILURE AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL. MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO VW AND NO RESOLVE HAS BEEN TAKEN. *AK

CONTROL ARM: NOTICED A LOUD GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM FRONT SUSPENSION AREA. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE LOWE RCONTROL ARM/ BALL JOINTS. LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. COMPLAINED TO VOLKSWAGEN, WHO COVERED COST OF PARTS BUT NOT LABOR. AFTER REPAIR LEARNED THAT A FRIEND HAD THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM IN A 1999 PASSAT AT ALMOST THE IDENTICAL MILEAGE. THEN SAW ON THIS WEBSITE THAT ABOUT 17 OF 160 COMPLAINTS RELATING TO THE 1998 PASSAT ARE FOR EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS CLEARLY AN ENGINEERING OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. VW SHOULD REPLACE THIS PART FOR ALL PASSAT OWNERS AND REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD IT REPLACED. SUNROOF: SUNROOF OPENS SPONTANEOUSLY WHEN SWITCH IS IN THE "OFF" POSITION. PROBLEM IS MOST PRONOUNCED ON WARM DAYS WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN OVER SHARP BUMPS. PROBLEM OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND IS ALARMING TO DRIVER AND COULD POSE A SAFETY RISK. OBSERVED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY SEVERAL OTHERS ALREADY.

AFTER SPEAKING WITHTHE SERVICE MANAGER, PARTS MANAGER, AND TECHNICIAN AT DOVER VW IN DOVER, DELAWARE-THEY ALL AGREED THAT THE POWER STERING RACK HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO BATTERY ACID DRAINING ONTO THE POWER STEERING RACK. THEY ALL AGREED THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN A VEHICLE THIS NEW AND RE-ROUTED THE DRAIN OUTLET FOR THE BATTERY SO THAT THIS DAMAGE COULD NOT OCCUR AGAIN. THEY ALL AGREED THAT THE DRAIN WAS POSITIONED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND TRIED TO ASSIST ME IN WORKING WITH VOLKSWAGON AMERICA TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR, $920.16. AFTER MUCH DEBATE WITH VW AMERICA, THEY WOULD ONLY OFFER 50% OR $460.08 SUPPOSEDLY MAILED TO ME 7/26/01. I BELIEVE ALONG WITH VW'S OWN TRAINED PERSONNEL AT THE DEALERSHIP, THAT THIS REPAIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY VW, AS IT IS THE WAY THEY DESIGNED THE BATTERY DRAIN TO DRAIN AWAY FROM THE BATTERY. IT IS MY INTENTION TO RAISE THIS CONCERN THAT IN THE EVENT YOU CAN RECOVER THE BALANCE OF THE REPAIR, THAT WOULD BE PHENOMENOL. I ALSO WANT TO ALERT OTHER OWNERS THEY MAY HAVE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR LURKING UNDER THE VEHICLE'S HOOD. BECAUSE TE ACID DRIPPED ONTO THE STEERING RACK, IT CAUSED A HOLE IN THE PART, WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOOSE ALL OF MY POWER STEERING FLUID, WHICH NEARLY CAUSED ME TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH VW AMERICA 800 822-8987 (3)THEY SAY THEY REVIEW THESE MATTERS INTERNALLY, BUT REFUSED TO LET ME KNOW IF THERE WERE OTHER REPORTS ALTHOUGH NO " CAMPAIGNS " WERE EVER ISSUED FOR THIS DEFECT.*AK

QUADRA-LINK SUSPENSION PRODUCES METALIC RUBBING NOISE WITH VEHICLE MOTION. DEALER HAS DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS QUADRA-LINK SUSPENSION FAILURE BASED ON INSPECTION AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. DEALER HAS INDICATED THAT LEFT SIDE IS ALSO LIKELY TO FAIL AND THAT ANY REPAIR DOES NOT GUARANTEE A RECURENT FUTURE FAILURE. VW CORPORATION HAS REFUSED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING PROBLEM. NHTSA LISTS NUMEROUS CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. CUSTOMERS POSITION IS THAT A PART AS BASIC AS THIS SHOULD NEVER FAIL AND THIS REPRESENTS A FAULTY ORIGINAL DESIGN.

SQUEAKING NOISE FROM FRONT END. OUT-OF TOWN VW DEALER SAID "BALL JOINTS" $800 TO REPAIR. "DANGEROUS TO DRIVE". CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY SAID IT MUST BE CHECKED BY DEALER USED FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THAT DEALER SAID "LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEED REPLACING" "SAFE TO DRIVE" $1200 TO REPAIR. TOOK TO 3RD MECHANIC, WHO SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG, "JUST NOISY". IT CONTINUES TO GET WORSE, AND I AM CONCERNED WITH SAFETY.

THE A/C VENTILATION SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED SUCH THAT IT PROMOTES THE GROWTH OF BACTERIA WHICH CAUSES AN AWFUL ODOR WHEN TURNED ON. I WOULD GUESS THAT IT AEROSOLIZES THE BACTERI AND OR FUNGI AND SPRAYS THEM AT HIGH SPEED THROUGH THE VENTILATING SYSTEM OUTLETS. I DO NOT KNOW BUT WONDER WHAT POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK THIS POSES TO CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSED PEOPLE OR OTHERS WITH CHRONIC RESPIRATORY ILLNESS SUCH AS ASTHMA AND COPD. FINALLY, I WONDER IF THERE IS A THEORETICAL OR REAL RISK OF LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE SINCE THE SAME RISK FACTORS FOUND IN AIRCONDITIONERS AT HOTELS AND BUILDING MAY BE REPLICATED IN THIS AUTOMOTIVE FORMAT. I WOULD LIKE YOUR FEEDBACK AND ASSESSMENT OF RISK. *AK

VEHICLE HAS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM SUSPENSION WHEN STEERING OR GOING OVER BUMPS OR BRAKING. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS FAILURE OF THE BUSHINGS IN THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS.*JB

VEHICLE WAS MAKING A METAL-TO-METAL SQUEAKING NOISE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR EXAMINATION. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT BOTH UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 53,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *AK *JB

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER BECAUSE STEERING COLUMN WAS MAKING SOME NOISE. DEALER SAID CONTROL ARMS AND TIE ROD END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND WHEELS NEEDED TO BE ALIGNED. *AK

CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED EARLY ON IN OWNERSHIP. WATER PUMP, OIL PUMP, TIMING BELT REPLACED TWO MONTHS AGO. TURBO REPLACED TWICE AND STILL DEFECTIVE. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW, HEATED SEAT, TRUNK LIGHT. SUSPENSION SYSTEM BUSHINGS NEED REPLACEMENT @ ONLY 56,000 MILES. STEERING COLUMN REPLACED EARLY ON.