1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

TIMING BELT FAILURE CAUSED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. NO WARNING IS DESCRIBED IN OWNERS MANUAL OR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. ENGINE FAILED AT 91000 MILES DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, REQUIRED SOME IMMEDIATE ACTION TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT.*AK

GRINDING SOUND WHILE TURNING STEERING WHEEL. WAS TOLD THAT BOOTS ON TIE ROD ENDS WERE PERFORATED ALLOWING WATER AND DIRT TO DAMAGE TIE ROD ENDS. ALTHO VOLKSWAGEN HAS ISSUED A RECALL THEY REFUSE TO MAKE THE FREE REPAIR. RECALL # RECALLUL. SEP 99. TIE ROD END REPLACEMENT. NHTSA RECALL # 0014/VWOA.RECALL # UL/KW. DID NOT RECIEVE ANY RECALL NOTICE ON THIS ITEM! FOUND ON INTERNET.*AK

THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 VOLKWAGEN PASSAT. I TOOK IT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT 48,000 MILES AND FOR MY STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. SINCE I HAD JUST BEGUN HEARING NOISES IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR, I ASKED THAT IT BE LOOKED INTO. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR, ALBEIT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND ROUTINELY MAINTAINED, WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION DUE TO A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE CONTROL ARMS. IF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED THE CAR COULD LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED (RECALL UL) FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND YEAR OF CAR. BUT, THAT FOR NO EXPLAINABLE REASON MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED VW AND THEY CONCURRED BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS NOT ONLY UNETHICAL, BUT VW IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO DRIVE AROUND WITH CARS THAT THEY KNOW HAVE A SERIOUS DEFECT. NOT ONLY DIDN'T VW COVER ALL THE APPLICABLE VINS IN THEIR RECALL, BUT THEY DID NOT INFORM THEIR CONSUMERS OFTHE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS PROBLEM, IF LEFT UNCORRECTED, COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM IF THE CONTROL ARMS FAILED AT HIGH SPEED. VW WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THIS PROBLEM. IT SHOULD BE NOTED ONCE AGAIN, THAT THIS DEFECT IN THE CONTROL ARMS OCCURED AT ONLY 48,000 MILES. NOT ONLY DID I HAVE TO PAY $1200 FOR A SERIOUS, AND ACKNOWLEDGED, DESIGN DEFECT, BUT THE REPAIR PARTS THAT WERE INSTALLED ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE POORLY DESIGNED ONES. THIS PROBLEM WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THE ONLY QUESTION IS WHEN. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR EVEN KILLED. VW REFUSES TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED THAT THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY STOCK THE FRONT END REPAIR KIT. IF IT IS SO COMMON WHY AREN'T ALL THE APPLICABLE VINS COVERED?

MY VW PASSAAT DEVELOPED EXCESSIVE PLAY AND NOISE IN STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION. CAR WOULD WANDER ON ROAD AND WOULD NOT TRACK STRAIGHT ON A HIGHWAY. THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY LOCAL VW DEALER SAID TO BRING CAR IN IMMEDIATELY. DEALER SAID 4 CONTROL ARMS HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $1400. CAR HAD BEEN MAINTAINED WELL AND DRIVEN GENTLY PREVIOUSLY. DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARMS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE A SAFETY ISSUE.

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH. *AK WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, ONE FOOT WAS LIFTED FROM THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACK TO 80 MPH. THE VEHICLE DID NOT CEASE TO ACCELERATE UNTIL PLACED INTO NEUTRAL,TURNED OFF, AND HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *SC

TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER SEALS LEAKING AND VW WILL NOT HONOR THEIR REPLACEMENTS UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY.*AK

WHILE TURNING A CORNER, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. ALSO WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT A BOLT SHEARED OFF INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR ANY OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *NM

IGNITION COILS FAIL ON MY 1999 PASSAT V6 2.8L ...VW CONSUMER OFFICE CLAIMS THAT ONLY 2001 AND 2002 VEHICLES WERE PART OF A RECALL CAMPAIGN...BUT THOUSANDS OF OTHER VW'S OUTSIDE OF THESE YEARS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM...PROBLEM: POWER FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD...I REPORTED TO VW AND HAD THEM NOTE IT IN MY CASE FILE FOR MY VEHICLE...COMPLAINT IS THAT VW SHOULD COVER THE CHARGE OF IGNITION COIL REPLACEMENT FOR CARS EXPERIENCING THESE TYPE OF POWER FAILURES. *AK

WHILE BRAKING ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON . VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD BEFORE STOPPING. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE OIL PUMP AND OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

THE CONTROL ARMS ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED AND THE CAR COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE REPAIRS ARE COSTLY. THE DEALERSHIP AND VOLKSWAGEN ARE NOT RECEPTIVE TO PAYING THE REPAIRS OR A DISCOUNT. *JB