1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD WHEN DRIVING 5-30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE GRINDING NOISE WAS FIRST NOTICED 1 YEAR PRIOR TO REPAIR. THE NOISE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD WHEN THE VEHICLE AT LOW SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION, AND THE VEHICLE NEEDED FRONT AND REAR PADS, ROTORS. THE GLOVE BOX WAS BROKEN. *SC

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND DID NOT GO OUT. REPAIRED AND RECURRED EIGHT TIMES. *BF *SC

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT SIMULTANEOUSLY CAME ON FOLLOWED BY A BEEPING NOISE. THIS RENDERED THE ABS BRAKE INOPERATIVE. ABS CONTROL MODULE PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE ITS INTERNAL RELAY WAS CLICKING AND BUZZING. THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE PART ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK

HAD NEW FRONT TIRES PUT ON THE CAR AND THEN NEW BRAKE SHOES, ROTORS, ETC. ON THE BACK. ABS LIGHT KEEPS FLICKERING ON AS IF THE VEHICLE THINKS IT IS SKIDDING.*AK

THE CONSUMER HEARD A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MANY OTHER DRIVERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE ON THE INTERNET HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TC

OUR 1999 PASSAT WITH THE 1.8 LITER ENGINE STALLS REPEATEDLY WHEN DECELERATING, THIS IS DANGEROUS. WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND HAD A PROBLEMS BEFORE 20,000 MILES. VW CANNOT DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK VW TO THE BBB SINCE THEY WERE VERY UNCOOPERATIVE IN REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM, AND THEN THEY CHANGED THE THROTTLE BODY. THEN THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A FEW YEARS AND IS NOW BACK AND VW AGAIN REFUSES TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY. THE THROTTLE BODY IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE AND THEY WILL NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM OR FIX IT. *AK

CAR WOULD LOSE POWER WITH A BLINKING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THEN THE CAR'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT QUIT BLINKING AND IT WOULD SUDDENLY SURGE FORWARD. I ALMOST REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR WHEN IT SURGED. DEALER DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE.

I OWN A 1999 VW PASSAT V6. I HAD NOTICED THAT NOISES WERE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION, AND RECENTLY STEERING FELT A LITTLE FUNNY. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND FOR THE STATE INSPECTION, AND I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARMS HAD DETERIORATED TO THE POINT OF MAKING DRIVING THE CAR QUITE DANGEROUS. I HAD THEM BOTH REPLACED AT A STEEP COST. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING TO THIS ISSUE. I CALLED VWOA TO INQUIRE WHETHER THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, BUT THEY DECLINED. CONTROL ARMS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO FAIL EASILY, CERTAINLY NOT HAVE JOINTS BLOWN UP AS IN MY CASE. ALMOST ALL OF MY MILES ARE HIGHWAY MILES, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN HITTING POTHOLES OR DRIVE OFF-ROAD FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I AM SURPRISED NHTSA HASN'T INVESTIGATED THE ISSUE OR ORDER A RECALL, SINCE THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM IN PASSATS, THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS SO HIGH, AND A FAILURE COMPROMISES ROAD SAFETY SIGNIFICANTLY (FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARMS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING AND LEAD TO CRASH OR EVEN DEATH). *NM

THE EVENT THAT LED UP TO THE ISSUE, WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND THE CAR BEGAN TO COMPLETELY SWAY TO ONE SIDE. THE CAR ALMOST SEEMED AS IF IT LOST ITS ALIGNMENT IMMEDIATELY. I BROUGHT IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY IMMEDIATELY INFORMED ME THAT THE CONTROL ARM ON THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE WAS SHOT. I HAD TO THEN TAKE A USED CAR THAT WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN SIX MONTHS OLD TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE PART AT A PRICE OF 1100 DOLLARS. *NM

CONTROL ARMS/BALL JOINT FAILED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT UNDER 50K MILES. PURCHASED CAR NEW . *AK