2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

ABS CONTROL MODULE ON MY 2003 VW PASSAT FAILED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE THAT DISABLES THE ABS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING 45MILES ON THE ROAD WHEN MY 2003 VW PASSAT 1.8T STARTED TO SHAKE LIKE CRAZY. THEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS GOING OUT..SMOKE CAME FROM MY HOOD. MY CAR STOPPED AND THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SWERVED OUT THE WAY BUT CLIPPED ME ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR MY OWN. *TR

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOLLOWED BY THE BRAKE LIGHT AND SOMETIMES THE ANTI-SKID INDICATOR. THIS IS A COMMON AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM FOR VOLKSWAGENS FOR MANY YEARS: HTTP://TECH.BENTLEYPUBLISHERS.COM/THREAD.JSPA?THREADID=2447&START=40&TSTART=0 VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD TO ACCOUNT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH WHEN THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 56,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE SMELL OF FUEL ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL LEAK ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 02V026000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP). THE DEALER INSPECTED THE FUEL LINES AND DID NOT FIND ANY ABRASIONS HOWEVER 20,000 MILES LATER, THE FUEL LINES WERE LEAKING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE RECALL AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

FUEL SUPPLY LINE BEGAN LEAKING AT MOUNTING POINT ON FIREWALL ABOVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. BREAK/CRACK IN LINE WAS SIGNIFICANT AND POSED A HIGH PROBABILITY OF FIRE, AS ANY FUEL LEAK, BUT SUBSTANTIALLY MORE SO DUE TO THE LOCATION ABOVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *TR

STRONG ODOR OF FUEL IN CAR (2003 VW PASSAT 4MOTION) AFTER THE TANK IS FILLED UP. TOOK CAR TO REPAIRMAN WHO DIAGNOSED A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK. TOOK CAR TO VW DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THE REPAIR SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL ON CRACKED FUEL TANKS (NEAR THE VALVES), BUT VW HAS STATED THAT THIS CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. *TR

2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL 26E5/R5 CONCERNING UNDERBODY HEAT SHIELD *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED DUE TO THE RECALL, THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD COST $ 1343.00 TO REPLACE. RECALL # 08V156000 *JB THE CONSUMER STATED EVEN IF THE DEALER PERFORMED THE RECALL, SHE WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 09/13/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A NOISE IN WHICH IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS LOW ON FUEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 113,008.

FRONT CONTROL ARMS FAILURE. VERY COMMON IN THIS SUSPENSION DESIGN. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ISSUED IN EUROPE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. LIKEWISE, THE AUDI A4 SHARES THE SAME CHASSIS AND SAME FRONT END SUSPENSION. THESE CONTROL ARMS ARE SERIOUSLY UNDER DESIGNED. THIS IS DANGEROUS! HAVING THIS FAIL WHILE DRIVING WILL RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND IS BEING OVERLOOKED. THE BUSHINGS ON MY CONTROL ARMS (ALL 4 FOR EACH OF MY FRONT WHEELS, EIGHT IN TOTAL) ARE SERIOUSLY CRACKED AND NEED REPLACEMENT. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE FAILING AT 50K AND 70K MILES. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING FAILED CONTROL ARMS. *TR