2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS TDI. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RATTLE VIOLENTLY IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE NOISE SOUNDED LIKE MARBLES ROLLING AROUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE NOISE WAS LOUDER DURING START UP AND WHILE DRIVING LOWER SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE WHO REPLACED THE GLOW PLUGS AND FUEL FILTERS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REDESIGNED BALANCE SHAFT ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 VW PASSAT STATION WAGON FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED. AS I WAS PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE ENGINE, AS WELL AS A BROWN BURN CIRCLE. I GOT MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND CALLED 911. WITHIN 2-3 MINUTES, THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIREMEN INFORMED ME THAT THEY BELIEVE IT STARTED WITH/NEAR THE BATTERY. IT WAS CONSIDERED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN ACTING UP, NOR HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEEN COMING ON IN RECENT WEEKS OR MONTHS. THE CAR IS A COMPLETE LOSS. THE VW PASSAT WAS ONLY 6 YRS OLD, WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT. REGULAR TUNE-UPS AND MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THIS VEHICLE. IT WAS SHOCKING HOW QUICKLY IT WENT UP IN FLAMES. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2005 VW PASSAT AND NEEDED TO HAVE TWO OF THE IGNITION COILS REPLACED. IN BOTH SITUATIONS, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. IN ADDITION TO LOSING POWER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTING FLASHING AND I NEEDED TO EXIT THE ROADWAY. I DISPOSED OF THAT VEHICLE AND PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2005 VW PASSAT 4 MOTION. I HAVE NOW HAD TO HAVE ONE OF THE IGNITION COILS REPLACED. AGAIN I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGH. THIS TIME I WAS IN AN AREA WITH VERY LITTLE POPULATION AND A SEVERE SNOW STORM WITHOUT CELL SERVICE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED; SHE ALSO COULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE FRONT AND REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,015 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000. UPDATED 06/17/11*LJ UPDATED 06/21/11

EXCESSIVE AND INCREASED RATTLING NOISE NOTICED ON MY 2005 PASSAT TDI. EVALUATION REVEALED THAT THE CHAIN AND TENSIONER DRIVING THE BALANCE SHAFTS AND OIL PUMP WAS FAILING AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND VW HAS ISSUED A GEAR DRIVE TO REPLACE THE CHAIN, HOWEVER THERE IS NO RECALL OR TSB THEREFORE THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY. OVER $2000 TO REPAIR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE COULD HEAR A CHAIN NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. AFTER A YEAR, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BALANCE CHAIN WOULD BREAK SOON. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,000. UPDATED 01/24/11 *BF UPDATED 04/14/11

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT PASSENGER VEHICLE MODEL YEAR 2004 AND 2005 WITH 2.0L DIESEL TDI ENGINE. BALANCE SHAFT AND OIL PUMP ARE DRIVEN WITH A CHAIN MECHANISM WHICH HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES USAGE. THIS PROMPTED A DESIGN CHANGE AND A RECALL OF AFFECTED VEHICLES IN EUROPE. NO RECALL IN NORTH AMERICA. RECALLED VEHICLES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD WERE RETROFIT WITH A GEAR DRIVE MECHANISM THAT IS RELIABLE. FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AND RAPID ENGINE DAMAGE INCLUDING POSSIBLY ENGINE SEIZURE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT WOULD BE A CLEAR SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ARRIVING TO HIS RESIDENCE, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE GRILL OF THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND SENT HIM A REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT INSTALLED A REPLACEMENT GRILL AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE GRILL FRACTURED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE GRILL STAYING ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

VW PASSAT WAS INVOLVED ON HEAD-ON COLLISION (35MPH), WITH MOST OF THE DAMAGE OBSERVED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED BY THE SEATBELT. *TR

SMALL HOLE HAS BURNED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WHEN HEATED SEATS ACTIVATED. WHEN THE SEAT IS ACTIVATED, IT BURNS THROUGH TO MY SKIN, MAKING HEAT FEATURE NOT USABLE. *TR