1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

THE SUNROOF OPENS AND CLOSES BY IT SELF, OPENS AND DOESN'T CLOSE BY IT SELF WHILE DRIVING MY 1998 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT. IT FIRST OPENED/CLOSED BY IT SELF IN JANUARY, 2005. IT SCARED ME AND WAS/IS UNBELIEVEABLE. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL A MONTH LATER, THE SUNROOF WOULD SLIDE BACK 3/4 OF THE WAY AND THEN CLOSE BY ITSELF. I TOOK THE CAR INTO ROYAL VOLKSWAGON IN FL ON 02/28/05 AND IN ADDITION TO REGULAR SERVICE I ASKED TO CHECK THE SUNROOF. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CUSTOMER CONCERNS. NO REPAIRS RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME."

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A PASSAT THAT HAD BEEN DRIVEN 72000 MILES. AT THAT TIME THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS WERE NOTED AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED: 1. OUTER TIE ROD AND CV BOOT. 2. COOLING SYSTEM: ALL COOLING HOSES, OIL COOLER, WATER PUMP, RADIATOR, & ASSOCIATED ITEMS. VW OF AMERICA REFUSED TO REIMBURSE FOR THE COST OF THESE UNTIMELY REPAIRS THAT WERE DUE IN PART TO FAULTY INFORMATION IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, THAT STATES THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS SEALED AND DID NOT NEED ANY MAINTENANCE. THESE ENORMOUS AND COSTLY REPAIRS AT A MILEAGE WHEN COMPARABLE CARS OF OTHER MANUFACTURERS NEED LITTLE OR NO REPAIRS UP TO AND WAY PAST 100,000 MILES, ARE EXCESSIVE IN MY OPINION. (THE FIRST OWNER GETS A WARRANTY OF 100,000 MILES AND 10 YEARS, SOMETHING THAT FOR THE SECOND OWNER IS REDUCED TO 50,000 MILES/5 YEARS. I WONDER IF THE CAR IS SUDDENLY NOT AS GOOD ANYMORE WHEN SOMEBODY BUYS IT FROM A PREVIOUS OWNER?) CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE LISTS REPAIR RECORDS FOR ENGINES AND SUSPENSION SYSTEMS OF THAT YEAR AND MODEL AS BEING "WORSE THAN AVERAGE," AND I CAN SEE WHY. I WOULD WELCOME TO JOIN OTHERS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES FOR A POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION AGAINST VW. *NM

MORRISON AUTO GROUP REPAIRED REAR BRAKES AS THEY WERE STUCK. AFTER THIS REPAIR THE ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT CAME ON BLINKING. THE TACHOMETER ALSO ZERO'S OUT. A WARNING NOISE ALSO OCCURS. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE THIS WARNING LIGHT IS ON THE ABS SYSTEM IS DISABLED. BRAKING WORKS BUT NO ABS AVAILABLE. I LIVE IN ALASKA AND CAN'T HAVE MY CAR WITHOUT ABS ESP DURING CRITICAL TIMES OF BRAKING. I HAVE READ ON TECH FORUMS FOR THIS TYPE OF CAR THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD (MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF CARS). THE EXORBIRANT COST OF THIS REPAIR (AS STATED BY OTHERS) FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE FAILING WITHIN ITS LIFETIME.

ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILED. $2200 FOR PART NO LABOR, SEARCH ONLINE SHOWS MASSIVE FAILURES OR BOSCH 5.3 AND 5.3I UNIT USED IN PASSAT AND A4.

WHILE DRIVING ON I95 (MD) SOUTHBOUND FROM ELKTON, MD TO ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS, MD, THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED. OBVIOUSLY, WITHOUT ENGINE POWER, THE STEERING AND BRAKES WERE DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. TRAFFIC WAS HOWEVER AVOIDED DUE TO AID OF A HIGHWAY PATROL RIGHT BEHIND ME. THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP AND TOWED WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS AND TAKEN TO A LOCAL GARAGE. CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS FAILED TIMING BELT. CAR HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES AND IT'S ONNLY 7 YEARS OLD. HOWEVER, VW REFUSE TO HONOR THE 100,000 MILES/10YEAR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY.

1) ON EARLY MODEL VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS WITH THE 4CYL. 1.8 LITRE TURBO MOTORS, THE IGNITION CONTROL UNIT WILL FAIL WITH NO WARNINGS AT ALL. 2)THE CAR DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY. THE OWNER IS LEFT WITH CONSTANT MISFIRING, AND IF DRIVEN CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS EMISSION TROUBLES DOWN THE ROAD. SINCE THE FAILURE IS COMPLETELY RANDOM AND SHOWS NO SIGNS OF A PROBLEM, THIS CAN AND USUALLY WILL LEAVE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS STRANDED. 3)THE UNIT MUST BE REPLACED OR THE CAR WILL NOT RUN PROPERLY. I PURCHASED A UNIT OF THE BRAND HUCO, BECAUSE THE OEM UNIT (BOSCH) LISTS FOR NEARLY $400.

1) NORMAL DRIVING, HIGHWAY SPEED. 2)ABS WARNING LIGHT, ABS FAILURE UPON TESTING, ANNOYING BRAKE/ABS LIGHTS AND WARNING TONE 3) REPAIRED ABS CONTROL MODULE THROUGH REPAIR SERVICE. NOT THROUGH DEALER

ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN I START THE CAR AND IT STAYS ON WHILE I DRIVE MY CAR. THE BRAKE LIGHT BLINKS CONTINUOUSLY AND IN BAD WEATHER YOU CAN FEEL THAT ABS IS NOT WORKING. FROM VW PASSAT FORMS I UNDERSTOOD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 98+ PASSAT MODELS. I TALKED TO SOME LOCAL SHOPS AND THEY TOLD THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM AND I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE VW DEALER. I TALKED TO A DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT IS $150 TO CHECK THE PROBLEM AND IF THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO ABS CIRCUIT OR SOMETHING THEN IT IS GOING TO COST ME AROUND $2000+. THAT IS AROUND 25% OF MY CARS CURRENT VALUE AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FACING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT VW'S RELIABILITY.

DT: CALLER SAYS WITHOUT WARNING THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN CALLER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER THEY TOLD HIM HE HAD SOME RECALLS ON HIS CAR. HE WANTED TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC DONE AT THE SAME TIME ON THE AIR BAG PROBLEM AS ON THE RECALLS. MANUFACTURER SAID TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY WOULD PAY FOR IT. MANUFACTURER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS A SENSOR PROBLEM, AND THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE IT SHOED IT WAS A LOW BATTERY SIGNAL. DEALER SAID MANUFACTURER WILL NOT PAY FOR IT, BUT WHEN CALLER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BACK THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE DIAGNOSTIC BACK TO MAKE THAT DECISION . CALLER WAS CONFUSED BY WHAT DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE SAYING TO HIM. CALLER DID NOT KNOW FOR SURE IF RECALL WORK WAS DONE BECAUSE OF NO FEEDBACK FROM DEALER.*AK

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY LIGHT UP AND SOUND AN EMERGENCY. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO GARAGES, AND NEITHER PLACE CAN DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES I CANI FEEL MY ABS SYSTEM LOCK UP IF I AM TURNING (NOT IN ANY WET CONDITIONS); AND IN THOSE OCCASIONS, I WAS FORTUNATE THAT NO CARS HAD BEEN COMING TOWARD ME B/C I WAS UNABLE TO GAIN CONTROL. NEITHER MECHANIC SAW ANY FAULT IN MY BRAKES, BRAKE PADS, SHOES, ETC., SO THERE IS SOMETHING ELECTRICAL TO BLAME; AND THIS IS A COMPLAINT HEARD OFTEN WITH 1998-1999 VW PASSATS. EITHER WAY, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, ONLY 300.00 IN DIAGNOSTICS.