2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

I,M SENDING THIS COMPLAIN ON BEHALF OF MY BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO WILL NOT PURSUE THIS MATTER.HOWEVER, I'M ADIMANT AS TO THE NATURE OF THIS COMPLAINT.HE HAS A 2001 VW PASSAT.AFTER HITTING A BUMP AT NORMAL SPEEDS, TWO OF HIS AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VW SAID THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE AS THE SENSOR DECIDED IT WAS THE THING TO DO. HE'S LUCKY HE DIDN'T LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. OBVIOUSLY IF THIS WERE A COMMON MALADY IN VEHICLES TODAY, I DARE SAY MANY ACCIDENTS WOULD OCCUR. VW WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT SINCE HE'S OUT OF WARRANTY. SIMPLY SPEAKING, THIS AIN'T RIGHT!! DON BROWN. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS ON 2001 (B5) PASSAT MODEL ARE DEFECTIVE AND FAIL PREMATURELY AT 30,000-50,000 MILES. FAILURE IS SYSTEMIC AND WIDESPREAD. FAILURE OF FRONT CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS CAN LEAD TO THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, INJURY, AND POSSIBLY DEATH. INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET HAS SHOWN THIS PROBLEM TO BE WIDESPREAD BOTH IN EUROPE AND THE US, YET VW HAS NOT TAKEN ANY OWNERSHIP OF THIS SERIOUS PRODUCT DEFECT. CORRECTIVE ACTION BEING TAKEN IS TO INSTALL AFTERMARKET COMPONENTS THAT HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED TO ELIMINATE THE DEFECT AND ARE MANUFACTURED BY MEYLE OF GERMANY. AS THIS MODEL AGES, THE DEFECT PROBLEM WILL INCREASE.*AK

I HAVE A 2001 NEW PASSAT GLX AWD SEDAN WITH 23,000 MILES. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS, AT LEAST TWO WITH SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS: (1) FROM A STANDSTILL START, THE TRANSMISSION WILL OFTEN PRODUCE A SEVERAL SECOND LAG BEFORE SYNCHRONIZING WITH THE ENGINE - THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE AT A RATE OF SPEED THE DRIVER COULD NORMALLY EXPECT AND MAY LEAVE THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS EXPOSED TO COLLISION FROM ON-COMING CARS AT DIFFICULT TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS AND MERGES; (2) AT LOW SPEEDS, 15 MPH AND LOWER, THE TRANSMISSION OFTEN CLUNKS INTO GEAR CAUSING A FORWARD SURGE OF THE VEHICLE, CREATING THE RISK OF THE VW REAR ENDING A VEHICLE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. VW HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS.*AK

I WAS TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEED OUTSIDE OF PENDELTON OREGON WHEN THE WIND BLEW MY SUN ROOF OFF OF MY CAR. THE SUN ROOF WAS CLOSED, AND THE CAR JUST ERUPTED AND THE ROOF WAS LITERALLY PEELED OFF THE TOP OF MY CAR. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS OF THE PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS VOLKSWAGEN IS USING A PLASTIC CALIPER SYSTEM TO CONNECT THE SUNROOF GLASS ASSEMBLY TO THE DRIVE MECHANICS ON THE MOTOR DRIVEN CARRAIGE. THE PLASTIC FATIGUED BECAUSE OF USE AND VOLKSWAGEN COULD CARE LESS. THE NEW ASSEMBLAGE IS $2200 AND THERE IS NO SECOND CHOICE, PURCHASE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY OR GO WITHOUT A SUNROOF..... AFTER CALLING VOLKSWAGEN AND GETTING NOWHERE I AM PROCEEDING TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT IN OREGON FOR PURSIUT OF MY MONEY BACK.*AK

LOWER RIGHT SIDE NEAR THE VENT CONTROL OF DASHBOARD RATTLES AND MAKES A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ON UNEVEN ROADS. HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I BOUGHT IT, BUT IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE WITH TIME. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON IT. TOOK IT TO THE VW SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE WAS JUST THE LEATHER RUBBING; HOWEVER, WHEN THEY APPLIED FELT TAPE TO THE AREA, THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. ASKED IF IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH HOW THE DASHBOARD WAS MOUNTED, POSSIBLY A FAULTY CLIP, AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR WAS QUITE RUDE SAYING THERE WAS NO PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH HE HEARD THE NOISE DURING TEST DRIVE. I READ ON SOME VW MESSAGE BOARDS THAT THERE IS AN UPDATED CLIP KIT FOR THE PASSAT BECAUSE SO MANY VW/PASSAT DRIVERS HAVE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS. IS THIS TRUE? *AK

POWER BRAKE BOOST FAILED; BRAKE APPLICATION REQUIRED INCREASED PEDAL FORCE AND DISTANCE TO STOP. PROBLEM ABATED AFTER 30 SECONDS, THEN RECURRED AT NEXT VEHICLE START- ALSO SUBSIDED AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME. *AK TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT 2 SUPPLY LINES TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAD FAILED AND CRACKED. WAS TOLD THAT REPAIR WOULD COST $150, BUT COULD NOT BE FIXED THAT DAY. OLD PARTS AVAILABLE (INCLUDING IMAGES PRIOR TO REMOVAL).

IN JULY 2003 MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW PASSAT 1.8L TURBO HAD SYMPTOMS RELATED TO OIL PRESSURE PROBLEMS. AS I WAS TRAVELING ON VACATION THE CAR GAVE WARNING OF THIS SITUATION AND THE SYSTEM ADVISED THAT THE CAR BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. I STOPPED THE CAR AND BEGAN PURSUING OPTIONS TO GET THE CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS OIL SLUDGE. THE REPAIR WAS AS SIMPLE AS CLEANING THE OIL PUMP STRAINER AND OIL PAN. THE REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $500.00. NOW, SOME 20K MILES LATER MY CAR HAD ANOTHER OIL RELATED ISSUE. THIS TIME THE OIL COOLER MALFUNCTIONED AND RUPTURED CAUSING $8,000 - $10,000 IN REPAIR COST. OF COURSE THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND RECENT ACTIONS BY VOLKSWAGEN TO EXTEND WARRANTIES FOR OIL SLUDGE DO NOT INCLUDE THE OIL COOLER. THE OIL SLUDGE ISSUE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR CONCERN OF VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICAN BY THEIR ACTIONS TOWARD THE WARRANTY EXTENSION, BUT THEY ARE AVOIDING PARTS AND THE MECHANICAL OPERATIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO THE PROBLEM BEING CORRECTED. OBVIOUSLY OIL THAT IS NOT PROPERLY COOLED WILL BREAK DOWN QUICKER THAN OIL RUNNING AT MORE ACCEPTABLE TEMPERATURES. CURRENTLY, VOLKSWAGEN CAN MAKE NO CONCLUSIVE ANALYSIS AS TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN OIL COOLER MALFUNCTION AND OIL SLUDGE. THIS WOULD BE KEY IN DETERMINING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CAR REPAIRS. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA'S CUSTOMER CARE ADVOCATES HAVE REFERRED ME TO MY DEALERSHIP ON TWO OCCASIONS AND MY DEALERSHIP SEEMS TO BE UNABLE TO MAKE 100% CONCLUSIVE DECISIONS. I BELIEVE IT IS VOLKSWAGENS RESPONSIBILITY TO GUARANTEE THEIR PRODUCTS. THEY ARE IN NO POSITION TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY ESPECIALLY AFTER ALLOWING THE OIL SLUDGE ISSUE TO CONTINUE FROM 1998 MODELS CARS TO CURRENT 2004 MODELS WITHOUT OFFERING CONSUMER ASSISTANCE. SIX YEARS IS A LONG TIME TO HAVE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS MECHANICAL ISSUES UNADDRESSED. THANK YOU. *JB

2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT - OIL SLUDGE - MY CAR HAD A STOP LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW OIL PUMP FOR $900. VOLKSWAGEN WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR, SO I DID. 10,000 MILES LATER MY ENGINE FAILED AND I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE FOR $11,000. AGAIN VW WOULD NOT COVER THIS FIALURE.. VOLKSWAGEN IS TRYING TO LOOK LIKE THE NICE GUY WITH THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE BIG CATCH--MUST HAVE EVERY RECEIPT FOR EVERY OIL CHANGE TO PROVE THEY WERE DONE EVERY 5,000 MILES. VOLKSWAGEN IS NOT STANDING BY THEIR CAR. HORRIBLE TO DEAL WITH. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH MANY PASSAT OWNERS AFFECTED.*AK

2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT - OIL SLUDGE - MY CAR HAD A STOP LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. I PULLED OVER, CHECKED OIL AND OIL PRESSURE WAS NOT LOW. PROCEEDED AND CAR LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS PULLING OVER.*AK VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT PAY FOR THE $6000 REPAIR. ENGINE SEIZED. VOLKSWAGEN IS TRYING TO LOOK LIKE THE NICE GUY WITH THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE BIG CATCH--MUST HAVE EVERY RECEIPT FOR EVERY OIL CHANGE TO PROVE THEY WERE DONE EVERY 5,000 MILES. VOLKSWAGEN IS NOT STANDING BY THEIR CAR. HORRIBLE TO DEAL WITH. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH MANY PASSAT OWNERS AFFECTED.

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER HAD TO PUT HER SHOE UNDER THE PEDAL AN PULL IT UP. *AK