1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

ROTORS ARE PREMATURLY WARPED AND THE FRONT END VIBRATES WHILE BRAKING AT SPEED OVER 45 MILES AN HOUR. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPLACE THEM UNDER WARRENTY AND THE DEALER FAILED TO TEST DRIVE AND INSPECT THE ROTORS WHEN THEY HAD THE CAR IN FOR THE 12,000 MILE CHECK UP IN JUNE 2000. ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SWEDISH DISTRIBUTOR RECALLED THE BRAKES FOR PREMATURE FAILURE DUE TO RUST AND ROAD SALT.

FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. IT WOULD NOT REGISTER A FULL TANK OF GAS EVEN WHEN THE TANK WAS FULL. DEALER REPLACED FUEL SENDING UNIT FROM THE TANK TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, BOTH AFTER IT HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE AND WHEN THE ENGINE IS STILL WARM, THE ENGINE REVS UP TO ABOUT 2000 RPM AND THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS DROPS BACK TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED. THEN, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RPM DROPS BACK TO NORMAL IDLE SPEED, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY ON. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITANTLY OVER THE PAST 2 MONTHS. THE DEALER HAS CHECKED THE VEHICLE TWICE AND CANNOT STOP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AT A LATER DATE. I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT.

SPEEDOMETER AND TACOMETER WILL PERIODICALLY NOT LIGHT UP. THEY START TO FLICKER AND GO OUT. SPEEDOMETER AND TACOMETER WILL NOT LIGHT UP UNTIL ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. DEALER HAS NOT PROVIDED A REMEDY, AND HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT A REMEDY WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL MATTER WAS CONSTANT.*AK

AFTER FOLDING REAR SEAT FORWARD THEN RETURNING TO UPRIGHT, REAR CENTER SEATBELT LOCKS IN RETRACTED POSITION; SEATBELT ASSY. REPLACED ONCE BY DEALER, REPAIRED BY DEALER FOLLOWING RECURRENCE APPROX. 1 MONTH LATER. SVC. ADVISOR AT DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH LATE MODEL PASSAT WAGONS, DUE TO APPARENT DESIGN FLAW.

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON 5 TIMES. IT SEEMS THAT ALL 5 TIMES HAVE HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WHIE DRIVING OVER 55 MPH. FIRST TIME, THE DEALER RESET THE AIRBAG SENSORS. SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH TIME, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER INVOICE, THE AIRBAG/SRS CONTROL MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED. I HAVE WRITTEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA INFORMING THEM THAT I BELIEVE MY CAR TO BE A LEMON AND AM DEMANDING RELIEF UNDER THE LEMON LAW OF MY STATE (MA).

WHILE DRIVING, THE MICHELIN MXV4 TIRE (P205 65 R15) FAILED, WITH ONLY 5600 MILES ON THE TIRE. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE WELL LINING BETWEEN THE TIRE AND THE FUEL TANK FOR CUSION PURPOSE WAS OBSERVED TO BE BENDED AROUND THE TOP PORTION OF THE TIRE. PIECES OF TIRE HIT FUEL TANK AND CAUSED A FUEL LEAK WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: M3TA CXYX TIRE SIZE: 15 )

THE LOWER RIGHT ARM OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAS FAILED. THIS IS AFTER ONLY 25,000 MILES. THE BUSHING HAS APPARENTLY COME LOOSE FROM THE ARM. IF ALLOWED TO PROGRESS FAR ENOUGH, THIS COULD LEAD TO UNSAFE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

OIL LINE BROKE WHILE DRIVING. ALSO, ABS/MASTER CYLINDER MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE ENTIRE ABS SYSTEM TO BE REPLACED.VEHICLE WAS NOT BRAKING PROPERLY WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. IN ADDITION, HAD PADS REPLACED TWICE/NEEDED A NEW BOOSTER INSTALLED, AND SUN ROOF WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT LEAKED AND MADE A SQUEALING NOISE.*AK