2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

ON 3/23/13, WHEN TURNING LEFT IN TRAFFIC, THE "SEALED FOR LIFE" 5-SPD AUTO TRANSMISSION MADE AN INCREDIBLY HARD SHIFT, BEGAN SLIPPING BADLY, AND QUICKLY LOST 3 FWD SPEEDS, "LIMPING" IN FOR SERVICE. NORMALLY, A TRANS FAILURE AT 143K WOULD NOT PROMPT AN NHTSA COMPLAINT. IT IS NOT THE CAR, BUT RATHER VWOA AND ITS DEALER NETWORK, THAT ARE THE PROBLEM. MY LOCAL DEALER REFUSED TO CHECK AUTO TRANS FLUID LEVEL, AND WOULD ONLY GRUDGINGLY DO A FLUID CHANGE IF I WANTED, FOR AN EXTORTIONATE $700, STEADFASTLY MAINTAINING THAT NEITHER WAS NECESSARY. VWOA TODAY 4/5/13, IRONICALLY, CRITICIZED ME FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE OWNER'S MANUAL RECOMMENDATION OF CHECKING FLUID EVERY 40K MILES. LOCAL DEALER WANTED OVER $4400 + MISC FEES & TAX TO REPLACE THE TRANS. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY INDICATED MY NEW TIRES WITH 500 MILES ON THEM WERE IN A MARGINAL TREAD WEAR CONDITION. DITTO THE RECENTLY RENEWED (AT THE SAME DEALER!) REAR BRAKES. BTW, THE TRANSMISSION MANUFACTURER, ZF, RECOMMENDS COMMUNICATING TO CUSTOMERS THE BENEFITS OF FLUID CHANGES AT 50K MILE INTERVALS. VW WON'T LISTEN TO EITHER CUSTOMER OR TRANS MFR. TRANS WAS REBUILT AT QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT SHOP. THERE WAS ALSO AN EARLIER RECALL (THANKS, NHTSA!) OF CERAMIC GLOW PLUGS THAT WOULD FALL INTO CYLINDERS AND CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE. FORTUNATELY, I HAD THE REPAIR DONE INDEPENDENTLY, AS THIS CONDITION WAS KNOWN FOR AT LEAST 2 YRS BEFORE VW'S OFFICIAL RESPONSE. VW DID COMPENSATE ME FOR THIS, BUT I WONDER HOW MANY $9K ENGINES WERE DESTROYED WHILE VW CONTEMPLATED ITS COLLECTIVE NAVEL. BTW, AFTER THE OFFICIAL VW FIX (DONE AT DEALER), THE CAR STARTS IN WINTER LIKE A 1980 RABBIT DIESEL. I FITTED A ZEROSTART AS CORRECTIVE MEASURE. VW ALSO REFUSES TO DISCUSS THE BALANCE SHAFT CHAIN DRIVE ISSUE WITH ME. A TICKING TIME BOMB AT 143K. THEY KNOW IT. I KNOW IT. NHTSA, PLEASE TAKE VWOA TO TASK! AS FOR ME, I'M NOW SHOPPING COMPETITORS. *TR

BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ON WITHOUT BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE, AND REMAINED ON AFTER TURNING OFF IGNITION. I INVESTIGATED PRIOR RECALLS AND SAW: REPORT RECEIPT DATE: FEB 20, 2007 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V063000 COMPONENT(S): EXTERIOR LIGHTING I WENT TO LOCAL VW FOR RECALL REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THAT BRAKE LIGHT REPAIR WAS ALREADY PERFORMED IN 2004, SO THIS REPAIR WAS NO LONGER COVERED. ( I AM SECOND OWNER, SO COULD NOT CONFIRM.) A 2004 REPAIR ON A 2005 MODEL YEAR CAR FOR A RECALL ISSUED IN 2007? THE BRAKE SWITCH REPLACEMENT COST $176. IS THIS NOT THE SAME RECALL FAILURE AGAIN? I HAVE HAD MANY CARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A SINGLE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAIL, EXCEPT FOR THIS VW, WHICH AS OF TODAY HAS HAD THREE! (ORIGINAL, 2004 REPLACEMENT AND NOW 2013 REPLACEMENT.) IS THE RECALL STILL IN EFFECT? SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR AN OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE PART REPLACEMENT? *TR

THE INTERIOR HEATER DOES NOT WORK CORRECTLY. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A VW MECHANIC OASIS AUTO CENTER IN REDDING, CA. HE SAID HE CLEARED THE COIL BUT THAT A VALVE MAY ALSO BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. THIS OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER 2011. SINCE WE LIVE IN N. CALIFORNIA IT HAS NOT BEEN A BIG ISSUE SINCE IT IS WARM MOST OF THE YEAR. I DID HOWEVER SEE THIS IS A RECALL ITEM. PLEASE ADVISE ME IF WE CAN STILL GET THIS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. *TR

MY 2005 PASSAT IS LEAKING GAS, LOCATION IS CLOSE TO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. I CALLED LOCAL VW DEALER (WHERE I PURCHASED CAR FROM ) ALONG WITH VW 800 NUMBER- BOTH TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL REPAIR PLACE WOODYS IN ANKENY, IOWA. THE MECHANIC CALLED ME BACK TO TELL ME THAT HE DID BELIEVE THERE WAS A RECALL 26E5-R5. I CALLED BACK VW AND HE TOLD ME THAT INDEED THERE WAS A PRIOR RECALL HOWEVER THE MECHANICS FIXED THE CAR PRIOR AND WOULD NOT FIX IT AGAIN. HE TOLD ME THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL VW MECHANIC, PAY FOR THE TOW, PAY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC SCREENING TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A TRUE GAS LEAK SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WAS RECALLED/FIXED, THEN VW WOULD POSSIBLY CONSIDER COVERING THE CHARGES. I'M LEFT PAYING FOR 2 TOWS NOW (ONE TO THE PLACE ITS AT SINCE THEY TOLD ME IN THE FIRST PLACE IT WASN'T COVERED) AND THEN A TOW TO VW, PLUS THE DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT, AND POSSIBLY THE ENTIRE COST TO FIX IT, IF VW DECIDES THEY DON'T WANT TO COVER THE COST AGAIN. THERE WAS A RECALL, THE RECALL OBVIOUSLY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED AND THEY DID A POOR JOB, MY CAR IS LEAKING FUEL OUT OF IT (RAW FUEL) AND SMELLS HORRIBLE, AND THEY WANT ME TO 'CHECK' TO SEE IF THERE IS AN ISSUE AND POSSIBLY PAY TO FIX IT. THIS DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 125,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN THE ALARM MESSAGE "OIL PRESSURE LOW: STOP ENGINE" CAME ON. I GOT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. BENT VALVES, BROKEN PISTON SHAFT, ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. I'VE SEEN THIS SO MANY TIMES ON THE INTERNET AS I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO MY OPTIONS SINCE THEN. VOLKSWAGEN WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP NOR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THEY OFFERED ME $1000 TOWARD A NEW VOLKSWAGEN. SERIOUSLY? I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE. THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IT IS CRIMINAL TO SELL THESE WITHOUT RECALLING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IF I WASN'T ABLE TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, OUTSIDE OF CHICAGO, MY PASSENGER AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN SMASHED WITH COUNTLESS OTHER INJURIES. I DIDN'T STOP THE CAR ONCE I GOT OFF THE ROAD, IT STOPPED ITSELF. VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR PRODUCTS. *KB

2.0L VW PASSAT TDI HAD A RATTLING, VIBRATING CHAIN NOISE FROM THE OIL PUMP BALANCE SHAFT MODULE IN THE OIL PAN. THE OIL PUMP CHAINS/SPROCKETS/TENSIONERS WERE WORN AND CAUSED NOTICEABLE VIBRATION AND RATTLING NOISE FOR THOUSANDS OF MILES; HOWEVER, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE. WE HAD THE ENTIRE OIL PUMP ASSEMBLY REPLACED BY A VW DEALERSHIP AT APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES WITH OEM GEAR DRIVEN PUMP WHICH INCLUDES THE BALANCE SHAFTS AND OIL PUMP. IT WAS A $3700 REPAIR TO EXCHANGE THE ORIGINAL OIL PUMP WITH THE GEAR DRIVEN PUMP. NOT A CHEAP SERVICE. THE SOUND BEFORE AND AFTER THE MODULE CHANGE WAS MUCH IMPROVED BECAUSE THE GEARS ARE QUIETER. THE REPLACEMENT GEAR DRIVEN OIL PUMP/BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY USES A SIMILAR BALANCE SHAFT BUT WITH A DIFFERENT OIL PUMP AND GEAR DRIVE. THE GEAR DRIVE SMOOTHES OUT STRESS ON THE OIL PUMP HEX SHAFT SO RUNS MUCH BETTER. IN SUMMARY, I AM NOT HAPPY WITH HAVING TO DO SUCH AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR DUE TO A POOR DESIGN AT THE LOW MILEAGE OF 120,000 FOR A DIESEL THAT SHOULD LAST TO AT LEAST 400,000 MILES. THIS IS A RECURRING EXPENSIVE PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE REIMBURSED BY VW. *TR

I RECENTLY HAD ISSUE WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER LEAKING AND FAILED, I RESEARCH THIS ONLINE TO SEE IF IWAS THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS ISSUE, BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE VW TO RECALL THEIR VW PASSAT TDI FOR THEIR TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE. THIS SHOULD NOT GO OUT FOR SOMETHING RIGHT AFTER THE MANUFACTURE WARRANTY. SOME ALREADY HAS ISSUE WHEN IT WAS ONLY 51,000 MILES. HERE ARE SOME OF THE WEBSITE, WHICH REPORTED THE TC PROBLEM FROM INDIVIDUAL OWNERS LIKE MYSELF: HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=307836 HTTP://WWW.PASSATWORLD.COM/FORUMS/68-B5-GARAGE/327420-GOT-P0741-TORQUE-CONVERTER-CLUTCH-CIRCUIT-CODE-MY-NEW-B5-5-TDI-PASSAT.HTML. *TR

THE TDI (DIESEL) ENGINE IN THE '04 & '05 NORTH AMERICAN VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS WAS EQUIPPED WITH A CHAIN DRIVEN OIL PUMP/BALANCE SHAFT MODULE. THE CHAIN TENSIONER FAILS CAUSING THE CHAIN TO SEPARATE WHICH STOPS THE OIL PUMP AND DESTROYS THE ENGINE. IF A PERSON IS LUCKY, LIKE I WAS, AND HEARS THE CHAIN NOISE BEFORE IT FAILS, THE ENGINE CAN BE SAVED. THE FIX INVOLVES INSTALLING A NEW GEAR DRIVEN BALANCE SHAFT MODULE WHICH CONTAINS A NEW OIL PUMP. THE REPAIRS COSTS ~ $2,500 PARTS AND LABOR. VOLKSWAGEN HAS IGNORED THIS FAULT IN THE US (AND CANADA), DENYING THE PROBLEM EXISTS, EVEN THOUGH HUNDREDS OF CASES OF FAILURE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED. IN FACT, THE NEW DESIGN MODULES ARE CURRENTLY ON BACK ORDER AT THE VW PARTS FACTORY. THE OIL PUMP CHAIN DRIVE PROBLEM IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A DEFECT. THE FACT THAT VW RE-ENGINEERED AND REPLACED THE ORIGINAL OIL PUMP DRIVE ASSEMBLY IS AN ADMISSION THAT THE DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE. REFERENCE VW'S TECHNICAL PRODUCT INFORMATION NO. 2016429/2 DATED 29-JAN-2008. I SEE THIS AS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ONE OF THESE CHAINS FAILED, ON THE HIGHWAY DURING FREEWAY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DESTROY ITSELF AND SPILL OIL AND OTHER FLUIDS ONTO THE ROAD SURFACE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU REQUIRE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLATTERING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE CHAIN DRIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE OIL PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,500.