2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

THE CAR WOULD NOT START. TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. DEALER REPLACED A MODULE. PROBLEM REOCCURRED. DEALER REPLACED RELAY. PROBLEM REOCCURRED. DEALER NOW NEEDS TO REPLACE ENTIRE STEERING RACK FOR $2,000, BUT CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND VW WILL NOT COVER. MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS .

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ALONE IN OUR 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH THE 3.6 LITER ENGINE ON A REMOTE, LONELY RURAL ROAD WHEN THE "CHECK ENGINE AND OIL" LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. SHE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BUT WAS FRIGHTENED AT BEING ALONE AND STRANDED ON A REMOTE ROAD. FORTUNATELY A TEXAS STATE TROOPER DROVE BY, STOPPED AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK FROM THE NEAREST TOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A VW DEALERSHIP. THE ENGINE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS, APPARENTLY DUE TO LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. AN ESTIMATE OF $12,000 WAS QUOTED TO ME FOR REPLACING THE ENGINE. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA REFUSED TO AUTHORIZE REPAIRS UNDER THE 60,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY IN SPITE OF THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGISTERED ON LINE FOR THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS EXACT SAME YEAR, MAKE, MODEL AND ENGINE INCLUDING NHTSA ODI NUMBERS 10229007, 10203527, 10203183 AND 10193036 AND ADDITIONAL NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE VW VORTEX WEBSITE. I HAVE THE ORIGINAL ODOMETER DISCLOSURE STATEMENT SHOWING THAT VW HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE 195 MILES BEFORE I PURCHASED IT. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF PERSONAL INJURY TO OCCUPANTS DUE TO FIRE OR HARM FROM PASSING MOTORISTS DUE TO BEING STRANDED IN A REMOTE LOCATION. VW HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME BUT HAS REFUSED TO TAKE ACTION TO REMEDY THE ISSUE PRIOR TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

IN BELOW FREEZING WEATHER, I WAS TRYING TO LEAVE MY CHILD'S DAYCARE. WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED PROPERLY INTO THE IGNITION, THE CAR BEEPS AND PRESENTS A WARNING "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE!" IT WOULD NOT START FOR 45 MINUTES - JUST KEPT TURNING OVER AND IMMEDIATELY DIEING (LOST SPARK, PRESUMABLY, AS PART OF THE IMMOBILIZATION SYSTEM). TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND JOKING SARCASTICALLY IMPLYING THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME - THE STALLING AT STARTUP IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK PROBLEM. THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH A NEW CONTROL MODULE (AROUND $200 IN PARTS) ALONG WITH 4 HOURS OF LABOR (QUOTED AROUND $375 FOR ME). THIS PROBLEM IS WIDELY REPORTED ON PASSAT MESSAGE BOARDS WITH INITIAL COSTS BEING AS HIGH AS $1,900 UNTIL VW OF AMERICA RECENTLY DISCOVERED A MORE COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO FIX THE ISSUE. ALSO, VW OF IRELAND HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS A SOFTWARE DEFECT (SEE IRISH TIMES ARTICLE FROM 11/4/2009 ENTITLED "STARING PROBLEMS WITH A VW PASSAT"). THERE ARE REPORTS THAT VW OF CANADA ARE REPAIRING THIS FOR FREE ON OUT OF WARRANTIED VEHICLES AS WELL. HOW MANY HAVE TO FAIL IN AMERICA BEFORE IT'S A RECALL? WOULDN'T A COMPUTER FAULT KEEPING A CAR FROM STARTING BE A SAFETY ISSUE? WHAT HAPPENS IF THE MODULE FAILS WHILE DRIVING - EITHER THE CAR DETERMINING THE KEY ISN'T CORRECT WOULD STOP THE ENGINE, OR IF THE STEERING COLUMN DOES LOCK WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS? *TR

THE CAR WILL IDLE AT 900-1000 RPM WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. BRAKE MUST BE HELD HEAVILY AND IF RELEASED, CAR WILL LUNGE FORWARD WITHOUT DRIVER ENGAGING ACCELERATOR. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AFTER CAR HAS SAT IN THE HOT SUN. TEMPERATURES ARE NOT ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE AREA THIS SUMMER. TOOK CAR TO DEALER (MILEAGE 38,000). PROBLEM REPLICATED FOR DEALER AND SERVICE DEPT CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA (VWA) FOR ASSISTANCE. VWA CONTENDS THAT OPERATION IS WITHIN NORMAL SPECS AND THAT CAR IS COMMANDING THE HIGHER IDLE SPEED TO BUMP UP ALTERNATOR OUTPUT. VWA STATES THIS IS DUE TO HIGH SUMMER TEMPS ALTHOUGH SUMMER TEMPS FOR THE AREA ARE AVERAGE THIS YEAR. WE AND DEALER ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH ANSWER BUT VWA REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER AND CLOSED THE ISSUE. DEALER REPORTS ANOTHER CAR OF SAME MAKE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

WAS DRIVING 50 MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. SHIFTED CAR TO NEUTRAL UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE WHILE COASTING INTO A PARKING LOT. I WAS FIRST TOLD IT WAS A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THEN ON FURTHER INSPECTION I WAS NOTIFIED IT WAS A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE OIL PUMP ASSEMBLY COMING UNBOLTED. CAR IS IN THE SHOP & VW HAS OFFERED TO REPLACE ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ENGINE. STILL BEING RESOLVED AT THIS TIME. *TR

A/C WAS NOT COOLING AS NORMAL THEN THE A/C WAS NOT COOLING AT ALL. THE DAY THE A/C SYSTEM FAILED I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE SPEED OF 70 MILES PER HOUR AND IT WAS RAINING HEAVILY. ALL WINDOWS TO THE VEHICLE FOGGED TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD NO VISIBILITY. I PULLED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE STORM TO PASS TO OPEN MY WINDOWS AND BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH ALL WINDOWS. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A VW SERVICE SHOP THE NEXT DAY. THE SHOP CHECKED THE A/C SYSTEM FOR REFRIGERANT AND FOUND THAT IT WAS CONTAMINATED. THEY VACUUM/DRAINED THE SYSTEM, REFILLED IT WITH NEW REFRIGERANT, AND REPLACED THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR FOR THE A/C SYSTEM. THE A/C WAS WORKING AS NORMAL FOR TWO MONTHS THEN WITHOUT WARNING MY A/C SYSTEM WAS NOT COOLING AT ALL. I TOOK IT BACK THE NEXT DAY TO VW SERVICE. THEY FOUND THAT THE A/C COMPRESSOR SHAFT WAS SEIZED TO THE COMPRESSOR HOUSING. TO REPAIR IT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR, EXPANSION VALVE, AND CONDENSER. THEY ALSO CLEANED TO A/C LINES, VACUUMED THE SYSTEM AND REFILLED IT WITH REFRIGERANT AFTER PUTTING ALL THE PARTS TOGETHER.I WAS WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR A WEEK. TILL THIS DAY MY A/C SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. FOR EXAMPLE, I DRIVE THE CAR ONE DAY, THE A/C WORKS AND NORMAL, AND THE NEXT DAY IT DOES NOT COOL AT ALL. IT WORKS AT RANDOM TIMES. TO ADD, THE SAME TIME MY A/C WAS BROKEN MY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. VW CHECKED IT AND FOUND THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE IGNITER HAD TOO MUCH RESISTANCE. TO FIX IT THEY REMOVED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND BYPASSED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG PLUG. THEN THEY CHECKED THE SEAT HARNESS AND REINSTALLED THE SEAT. MY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. MOREOVER, THE SUNVISORS LIGHTS DIDN'T WORK, SHIFT KNOB WAS CORRODED, THE RUBBER SEAL TO THE SATELLITE ANTENNA ROTTED AWAY, AND BOTH TAIL LIGHTS ON THE INTERIOR STARTED TO BURN AND LOOK MELTED. ALL WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. GOOD FOR THAT BECAUSE I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PAY FOR ALL THE REPAIR COSTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR LIGHT ALSO WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE AND THE LIGHT WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. IN ADDITION, THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES AND MOST RECENTLY FAILED AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRAIN HAD TO BE CLEANED OF CONTAMINATED SOLVENT AND REPAIRS WERE ALSO MADE TO THE TEMPERATURE SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO ANY OF THE ABOVE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,578 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

2007 VW PASSAT "STEERING COLUMN DEFECTED". MY KEY "FOB" TO THE IGNITION GETS STUCK INSIDE THE IGNITION SLOT. CAR WILL NOT START. SOMETIMES IT WILL START BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY DIE. I HAVE TO VERY SLOWLY PUSH THE FOB BACK AND FORTH TO FINALLY GET THE CAR TO START EVENTUALLY. PROBLEM IS, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OTHER 2006-2007 VW PASSATS AND JETTAS THAT HAVE THIS ISSUE. IT IS UNSAFE. THE VW DEALER IS CHARGING ON AVERAGE $1,400 TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR

TIRE PRESSURE ISSUES WITH VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BACK IN 2007 AND ABOUT NEARLY A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH TIRE PRESSURE. NO ONE FROM THE VW DEALER I PURCHASE THE CAR FROM OR ANOTHER VW DEALER CAN TELL ME WHAT THE ISSUE IS. THE REFRAIN IS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. EACH MONTH UP UNTIL JULY I HAVE TO PUT AIR IN MY TIRE, WHEN I REACHED THE 50K MARKER AND TIRES WERE ROTATED I HAVE TO INFLATE THE TIRE EVERY 3-4 DAYS. *TR

I AM WRITING YOU TO ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN EXPEDITING THE REPAIR OR REPURCHASE BY VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA OF THE 2007 PASSAT VIN [XXX] OWNED BY MY COMPANY, THE LUNT MARYMOR CO., INC.. THIS VEHICLE HAS A MOLDY SMELL THAT IS PERSISTENT AND IS A LIKELY HEALTH HAZARD. WHEN ANYONE GETS INTO THE CAR THEY START TO COUGH. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND UNSELLABLE. THE MOLDY CONDITION IS A RESULT OF PLUGGING OF BOTH THE A/C DRAIN SYSTEM AND THE SKYLIGHT DRAINS. THE OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN REPAIR DEPT, LEAD BY LEE MOLINONI, HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEY'VE TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IF IT CAN'T BE FIXED I AM DEPRIVED OF ITS USE. I DID NOT CREATE THIS PROBLEM. WHILE YOU HAVE READY ACCESS TO ALL THE SVC RECORDS AT OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN ALLOW ME TO SHARE WITH YOU A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM. THE MOLDY SMELL STARTED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS PROMPTLY DIAGNOSED BY OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN AS A PLUGGED A/C DRAIN. THE DRAIN WAS CLEARED AND THE A/C DUCTING SYSTEM WAS TREATED BY A MACHINE DESIGNED TO CLEAN THE DUCTS. THE MACHINE BROKE WITHOUT COMPLETING THE TREATMENT AND A NEW MACHINE HAD TO BE ORDERED. THIS TOOK A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET AND I HAD TO DRIVE A MOLDY CAR WHILE OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN WAITED FOR IT TO ARRIVE. ON RETURNING TO THE DEALER, WHEN THE NEW MACHINE ARRIVED, THE DUCTS WERE CLEANED BUT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL VALVE OPERATED DUCTS HAD FAILED. THIS REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD TO REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP SUBSEQUENTLY THOROUGHLY CLEANED THE CAR. THE MOLDY SMELL PERSISTED. MY WIFE AND I THOROUGHLY CLEANED THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR TO NO AVAIL. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY THEN FOUND 3 OF 4 SKYLIGHT DRAINS WERE PLUGGED. THESE WERE CLEARED. IN THE COURSE OF ALL THESE VISITS THE MECHANIC ALSO FOUND A FAULTY BRAKE MODULE (THE PRKG BRAKE WOULDN'T RELEASE) AND A FAILED BATTERY. THE DEALER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR