1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY AT SPEEDS OF 25-65 MPH. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 10-15 TIMES, CANNOT FIND A CAUSE. *AK THE MIRROR SWITCH IS INOPERATIVE DUE TO WINDOW SWITCH FAILURE. THE DRIVER SEAT WARMER WAS INOPERATIVE. ENGINE HAS A BURNING SMELL DUE TO OIL LEAK. VEHICLE MADE NOISE IN FRONT END ON LEFT TURNS DUE TO A STABILIZER BAR CLAMP BEING LOOSE. FRONT BRAKES MAKE NOISE. STEERING MAKES NOISE AND LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. STEERING COLUMN SLIDING COVER CRACKED. *YH

CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO WORK WHEN IT IS RAINING, DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE WIPER MOTOR, THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. *SLC

AIR BAG INDICATION LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHIILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE IDLE WILL DROP FROM 750 TO 400 WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY AFTER THE CAR HAS WARMED UP AND I'VE MADE A FEW COMPLETE STOPS AFTER DRIVING INTERMITTENT DISTANCES. THE CAR FEELS AS IF IT WILL STALL, AND MAKES THE DRIVER WANT TO HIT THE GAS, WHICH WOULD BE UNSAFE AT A FULL STOP. HAS BEEN IN TO DEALER 2 TIMES FOR THIS, DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE, THEREFORE CANNOT FIX.*AK

CAR HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR REPAIRING DEFECTIVE TIE ROD - ONCE FIXED THE ENTIRE FRONT END AND TIRES HAVE GONE BAD AND THE DEALER ESTIIMATES $ 1500 FOR REPAIRING TIRES. MANUFACTURER IS ADAMANT AND OBNOXIOUS AND THINKS THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BASED ON TELEPHONE CONVERSATION. AT 38,000 MILES FRONT END FAILURE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.

APPROXIMATELY SIX TO EIGHT TIMES SINCE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT, AS THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP THE ENGINE RACED WITH THE TACHOMETER RISING TO ABOUT 2200, AND IT REQUIRED MAXIMUM FORCE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM ACCELERATING INTO A STOPPED CAR AHEAD OR INTO A BARRIER OR INTERSECTION. IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK OR NEUTRAL, THE TACHOMETER SWUNG UP INTO THE RANGE OF 6000 TO 7000, AND THEN DROPPED BACK TO ITS NORMAL IDLING SPEED OF 750. ONLY THEN DID THE CAR STOP PULLING DANGEROUSLY. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, AND ON ONE OCCASION HE HELD IT FOR THREE DAYS, HOPING TO HAVE A MECHANIC EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM OCCURS TOO INFREQUENTLY TO REPRODUCE IT. THE DEALER HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY REPAIR, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, OCURRING MOST RECENTLY ON 10/1201. *AK

I HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE PARTS FAILING ON AT LEAST 100 VW PASSATS 1998-2001. I'M SURE THERE ARE MORE. THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL OR REDESIGN PARTS MADE AND SUBSTITUTED.*AK

TWICE, WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON MY 1999 PASSAT, BOTH UPPER CONTROL ARMS HAVE FAILED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO NUMEROUS AUDI A4 AND VW PASSAT OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURES. THE COST TO REPAIR THE CONTROL ARMS IS IN EXCESS OF $1200 AND VW HAS DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY PITIFUL TO DEAL WITH AND HAVE NO REASONABLE EXPLANATIONS AS TO WHY THESE PARTS ARE FAILING. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. IN A CAR THAT COSTS OVER $25,000 THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

TIRE SHREADED, 5 TO 15 MINUTES AFTER PULLING OVER, TIRES CAUGHT ON FIRE AND DID 3700 DOLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE.

RIGHT REAR POWER WINDOW MECHANISM WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY (2 YEARS/20,000 MILES) TWICE. ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO (CAR ONE MONTH OUT OF WARRANTY) LEFT REAR WINDOW MECHANISM FAILED. TODAY RIGHT REAR WINDOW MECHANISM FAILED. I DRIVE CAR 99% OF TIME. NO ONE IN BACK SEAT, SO NO KIDS PLAYING, ETC. THE REAR POWER WINDOWS APPEAR TO HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT. OF COURSE, THE CAR IS NOW 3-4 MONTHS & 2,370 PAST TWO YEAR/20,000 MILE WARRANTY. I REQUEST THAT THESE REPAIRS BE COVERED BY MAUFACTURER AS THE PROBLEMS FIRST OCCURRRED BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND CONTINUE. APPEARS TO BE DESIGN DEFECT. WINDOWS WIL ONLY RETRACT 1" AND THEN FAIL.*AK