2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

ALMOST HOME ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL (CC) ON, AND IT SUDDENLY GOES OFF - CAR RUNNING FINE BUT IT WON'T GO BACK ON CC. CHECKED OTHER ELECTRICAL CONTROLS AT THE STEERING WHEEL, AND NONE WERE WORKING - NO HORN, NO TURN SIGNALS, NO W/S WIPERS, NO LIGHTS (HEADLIGHTS STILL WORKED AS THEY ARE ALWAYS ON WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING). MADE IT SAFELY HOME, AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF - BUT, THE HEADLIGHTS WON'T GO OFF. TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEN TRIED TO GET THE KEY OUT, BUT IT WOULD NOT COME OUT SO I WAS LEFT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND UNABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT. DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO GET THE LIGHTS OFF. MONDAY PREPARED TO DRIVE THE CAR INTO THE NEAREST VW DEALER 35 MILES AWAY - CONNECTED THE BATTERY AND STARTED THE ENGINE, BUT IT QUIT RIGHT AWAY - TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. FINALLY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE VW DEALER AT MY EXPENSE. VW DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY STEERING MODULE, AND SAID THE BILL WOULD BE OVER $1,000 BUT THAT I WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE AND THEN FOUND THAT THE IGNITION/STARTER SWITCH WAS FAULTY. FINAL BILL CAME TO MUCH MORE THAN A $1,000.00, OF WHICH I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY $382.75 IF I WANTED MY CAR BACK. *TR

APRIL 6, 2012 WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT CAME ON - DROVE IT IMMEDIATELY TO THE CLOSEST VW DEALER WHO SAID THE REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY, AND THE ENTIRE BILL WOULD BE MY RESPONSIBILITY. PROBLEM COULD BE CAUSED BY ONE OF SIX POSSIBILITIES, AND THE COST TO REPAIR COULD NOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL IT WAS DIAGNOSED BY A SHOP TECH. COMPLAINT MADE DIRECTLY TO VW THE FOLLOWING DAY, WITH NO REPLY YET. AM NOW DRIVING A CAR WITH 8 AIRBAGS THAT WON'T WORK IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT - A CAR I PURCHASED NEW IN 06 WITH CASH SPECIFICALLY FOR THE AIRBAG SAFETY FEATURES AND WHICH HAS HAD ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER EARNING IT THE LEMON DESIGNATION. *TR

AT THE MORNING OF 3/30/2012 WHILE WAS DRIVING TO WORK BRAKES FEEL FUNNY( SOMETIMES LIKE HARD, SOMETIMES SOFT) STARTED THAT MORNING. WHILE I WAS BARKING MY CAR BRAKES FAILED, HARDLY STOPPED AND CRASHED TO ELECTRIC POL. BROKE FRONT GRILL AND EMBLEM PUT A DENT ON CHROME PIECE ON THE FRONT.I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER. FOUND BRAKE BOOSTER NEPRENE HOSE HAD MULTIPLE CRACKS.. THAT REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE FREE BUT THEY CHARGE ME SOME$200.00. I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. GOOD THINK DID NOT HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY 70 MPH. *TR

I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT. EVERY TIME I HAD IT CHECKED, IT CODED SOMETHING DIFFERENT (PO455, PO171, PO441) WITH THESE RESULTS: FUEL CAP LIGHT CAME ON, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM , AND LEAN BANK 02 CENSOR BEFORE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT BECAME HARD TO CRANK, AND ONCE SHOOK WHEN IT DID CRANK. THE STEERING WHEEL MODULE AND COMFORT CONTROL MODULE WERE REPLACED IN 2008 UNDER WARRANTY AFTER I TOOK VOLKSWAGEN TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP IN ATLANTA (THERE ISN'T ONE CLOSE TO WHERE I LIVE) AND THEY COMPLETED THE FOLLOWING REPAIRS: CODE PO444, THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM PURGE CONTROL VALVE CIRCUIT; CODE PO193, FUEL MEASURING SYSTEM 2 ABNK 1; AND P2187 SYSTEM TOO LEAN AT IDLE. TOTAL= $884.84 ($619.95 LABOR; $204.31 PARTS; $43.25 WASTE DISPOSAL CHARGE; AND $17.33 TAX). AT NO CHARGE, THEY CHECKED THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE @ TWICE A YEAR AND INSPECTED HIGH PRESSURE PUMP, GFF GUIDED FUNCTIONS AND A COURTESY VISUAL SERVICE INSPECTION. *TR

THE OIL PUMP BROKE AND DESTROYED THE MOTOR. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP; THEY TOOK A MONTH TO REPLACE PARTS AND REPAIR THE MOTOR. THERE HAVE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SUCH INCIDENTS; THIS HAS BEEN ADMITTED BY VW TO BE A MANUFACTURER PART FAULT, BUT THEY FAIL TO RECALL '06-'07 PASSATS AND COVER THE COSTS. I JUST SAW THIS SITE OR I WOULD HAVE REPORTED IT SOONER. I DID NOT OTHERWISE FIND ANY OTHER SUPPORT. *TT

DRIVING IN THE S CITY 45 MILES/P/H GIVING A WAY TO AMBULANCE I ACCELERATE THE CAR PULLING RIGHT LANE, CAR FELL ON HIS FACE NO POWER AMBULANCE ALMOST WAS GOING TO HIT ME SAME TIME EPC LIGHT CAME ON. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS KIND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. *TR

BOLT FAILURE IN CAM SYSTEM, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE "OIL PUMP BOLT FAILURE". THE "CHECK ENGINE" & "EPC" LIGHTS CAME ON. THE ENGINE WENT INTO IT'S "SAFE" MODE, LIMITING ACCELERATION AND POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY & TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE BOLT FAILURE AND REPAIRS WERE MADE AND COVERED BY WARRANTY. THE REPAIRS TOOK APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH TO MAKE. MAJOR COMPONENTS REPLACED WERE AS FOLLOWS: 2 - TIMING CHAINS OIL PUMP GEARS OIL PUMP BOLT TIMING CHAIN COVER TENSIONERS SOFTWARE UPDATE THE REPAIRS REQUIRED THE REMOVAL OF SOME MAJOR COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, VALVE COVER, TRANSMISSION AND SIDE COVERS. IN MY CASE, THE TIMING CHAIN COVER PREVENTED THE TIMING CHAIN SYSTEM FROM COMPLETELY FALLING APART. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE ENGINE REQUIRING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE. MY VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS AND 2000 MILES INSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD. IN FACT, MY WARRANTY RAN OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR THE REPAIRS.

I NOTICED THAT I WAS RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS TO CHANGE THE OIL MORE OFTEN PRIOR TO 3000 MILES. WHEN I WENT TO DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE WHY I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT REQUIRE AN OIL CHANGE USUALLY UNTIL 6000 MILES. I WAS TOTALLY BAFFLED BECAUSE I AM BARELY MAKING THE 3K MARK. SO, AFTER ANOTHER OIL CHANGE SHORTLY 3000 MILES...I GOT THE NOTIFICATION TO SHUT OFF ENGINE, OIL LEVEL TOO LOW. I PANICKED AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT WAS ALRIGHT AND SOME CAR ASORB MORE THAN OTHERS. A FEW WEEKS LATER, I RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THIS WAS SUPPOSEDLY THE CAM SHAFT. THIS WAS REPLACED IN FEB 2011. CONTINOUSLY I EXPERIENCED THE LOW OIL LEVEL AND HAVE HAD IT MONITORED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE NEXT DAY AFTER IT WAS MONITORED. THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHY I AM EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. I WENT TO A LOCAL AUTO STORE WHO STATED IT WAS THE CAM SHAFT. AT HALLS VOLKWAGEN, A VOLSKWAGEN SPECIALIST WAS THERE AT THE TIME AND SUGGESTED THAT THEY CLEAN MY ENGINE COMPLETELY. THIS WAS ONE WEEK AGO AND GUESS WHAT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK. I WENT BACK TO ANOTHER AUTO STORE WHO CONFIRMED AGAIN IT WAS THE CAM SHAFT. YES, THERE IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAM SHAFT. THIS IS TWICE IN A YEAR IT WILL REQUIRE REPLACING? MY WARRANTY IS ABOUT TO END. IM NOT COMING OUT OF POCKET TO GET A CAM SHAFT EVERY YEAR. SOMETHING ELSE HAS TO BE WRONG. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE IT NOTED THAT I PURCHASED THIS CAR AT CAR MAX. THE CAR FAX STATED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT IN ANY ACCIDENTS. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND HAS THE STICKER INFORMATION FROM WHEN IT WAS REPLACED. I THINK THAT I WAS MISLEAD ABOUT THE STATE OF THIS VEHICLE. TOTAL CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS SINCE PURCHASE - 9 TOTAL NOTIFICATIONS TO SHUT OFF ENGINE DUE TO LOW OIL LEVEL 9. *TR

IN AUGUST, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD BEEN COMING ON AND OFF FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY FOUND SEVERAL FAULTS AND RECALLS (MY CAR ONLY HAD 39,000 MILES) AND TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE AROUND $800. I PAID THIS AMOUNT ONLY FOR THE LIGHT TO COME ON ABOUT A WEEK LATER. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT BUT THE LIGHT WENT OFF AND STAYED OFF ABOUT A MONTH AND WAS TOLD TO TRY CHANGING OR TIGHTENING THE GAS CAP. I DID BOTH, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND STAYED ON AND IN NOVEMBER, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAM SHAFT AND THAT THE CAR WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE CAM SHAFT ATTACHED TO THE HIGH PERFORMANCE FUEL SHAFT WAS COMPLETELY WORN THROUGH. ADDITIONALLY, THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER FOR A FEW WEEKS!!! OBVIOUSLY VW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO NOTIFY OWNERS. I HAVE BEEN TO THE SAME DEALER THREE TIMES AND WAS ONLY TOLD RECENTLY AFTER COMPLAINING ABOUT SEVERAL STRANGE NOISES AND ENGINE LIGHT ISSUES. 1) HOW DID YOU NOT SEE THIS BEFORE? 2) IF THIS WAS COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, THEN WHY DIDN'T IT GET FIXED THE FIRST TIME? I BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THIS "CAMSHAFT" ISSUE AND I WAS RIPPED OFF. *TR

I'VE ENCOUNTERED LOTS OF ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE AND AM VERY TIRED OF TAKING IT TO THE SHOP LIKE IT IS AN OLD PIECE OF JUNK. THIS TIME I HAVE A NOISE WHICH IS COMING FROM THE UNDERHOOD. IT'S A CLICKING NOISE THAT IS VERY UNUSUAL. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. AND I ALSO FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THAT NOISE, THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM THAT POSTED THEIR SAME PROBLEM ONLINE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. *TR