Volkswagen Passat 4motion 2001

• Recall 102155 [USA]: A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
  The gates corporation (gates) is recalling certain aftermarket tru-flow water pumps, part number tfw 41127, sold at certain napa auto parts and/or installed by automotive service technicians after november 1, 2013 (and manufactured august 2013 through october 2013) that have a black-colored pulley/sprocket or do not have 'us9377' stamped on the water pump housing. These service replacement parts were sold for use in model year 1999-2005 audi a4, 2000-2006 audi tt, 1998-2005 volkswagen beetle, 1999-2006 golf, 1999-2008 and 2011-2013 volkswagen jetta, and 2000-2005 volkswagen passat. In the affected water pumps, the pulley or sprocket that turns the timing belt may develop microfractures causing the timing belt to fail.
  gates will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began during may 2014. Owners may contact the gates corporation at 1-303-744-1911.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 74823 [USA]: a heat shield that may contact the exhaust system can result in a vehicle fire. in addition, a fuel leak from a fuel line or fuel tank ventilation valve, in the presence of an ignition source, can lead to a vehicle fire.
  Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 passat (5th generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8t engines only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture.
  dealers will install additional underbody heat shields on vehicles with automatic transmissions to cover the possibly damaged areas and flash all 1.8t engines with a precautionary software update. Dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8t vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4motion/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge. The recall began on june 13, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
  vwoa recall no. 26e5/r5.Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 2081 [USA]: Fuel leakage can occur increasing the risk of a fire.
  On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.
  dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the event of tire disintegration. Owner notification began june 13, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
  also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 3545 [USA]: Running out of fuel without warning while the fuel gauge indicates that there is sufficient fuel in the tank lead to safety problems.
  Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Sulfur in fuel interacts with certain additives found in widely available gasoline causing sulfur to become deposited on the contact points of three fuel sending units mounted inside the fuel tank. This could cause the fuel gauge to read full while the fuel tank may not in fact be full or could be empty.
  dealers will remove the existing fuel level sending units and replace them with fuel level sending units using a new alloy composed of gold, silver, and a small amount of nickel, which will not chemically react with sulfur. Vw/audi will also call back vehicles that were repaired under a previous recall last june in order to install the updated fuel sending units nhtsa 00v137/audi lb). Owner notification began may 1, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact audi at 1-866-892-2834.
  also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 2008119 [Canada]: Fuel supply
  On certain passat and passat four motion vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, an underbody heat shield may become damaged. If this occurs, the heat shield may contact the exhaust system, which can result in a vehicle fire. In addition, the affected vehicles may have a fuel line (1.8t engine only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion / all-wheel drive vehicles only) that may leak due to fracture. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a vehicle fire. Correction: dealers will affect repairs.

To ensure accuracy and for your safety, it is recommended to do a free VIN recall check here or here [USA] - UK - Canada.

Bulletins are notices put out by manufacturers in conjunction with the NHTSA to notify the public of manufacturing issues or changes.

• Engine compartment fire investigation as of 20110126

  In july 2010, the agency opened pe10-027 to investigate allegations of coil on plug (cop) ignition coil fires in my2002-2003 vw passat vehicles.The investigation was upgraded in january 2011 to include all my2001-2007 4-cylinder vw passat, gasoline, turbo-charged vehicles.Based on the analysis of vws response, and including odis consumer complaints, odi has since identified 135 unique engine fire reports attributable to the cop coils.After further review of the details as contained in each report, odi determined that 43 of the 135 fire reports were actual fire/flame incidents, 83 fire reports were thermal events (smoke, spark, heat or wire melt), and another 9 fire reports were undetermined in severity due to the lack of information.These cop coil fires were characterized as initiated from within the cop coil circuit located at the top of the engine block and below the plastic engine cover.The fires observed were contained in the engine compartment and did not reach into the passenger compartment in contrast to those caused by an overheated catalytic converter examined in odi?S investigation in 2007 and 2008.There were no reports of crashes or personal injury in this examination.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstancessee the closing report for additional details.
  

  Show Content

• Fuel tank leak investigation as of 20080131

  There is no summary currently available
  

  Show Content

• Passenger engine compartment fires investigation as of 20070928

  The manufacturer notified nhtsa on 04-apr-08 that a safety recall action would be initiated to remedy the issue.In june 2008, the manufacturer issued a technical service bulletin (code 26e5/r5) regarding the specific procedures to be employed in this campaign.Vehicle owner notification letters were sent beginning approximately june 13, 2008.The campaign was assigned nhtsa no. 08v-156.This recall affects all my 1999-2005, 5th generation gasoline-powered passat sedans and station wagons.Approximately 412,000 vehicles are affected.Corrective action will consist of installing additional exhaust system heat shielding to mitigate the potential thermal effects of engine ignition problems.Based on this action, the subject ea has been closed.
  

  Show Content

• Passenger/engine compartment fires investigation as of 20070510

  Many of the fire reports allege that the vehicle fire was attributed to ignition coil failure.Vw provided additional data regarding its analysis of vehicle fires and a detailed description of the three different engines and ignition systems for the subject vehicles.Odifinds the need to further investigate this issue.To facilitate acquisition and analysis of additional information, this investigationhas been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea07-014).
  

  Show Content

• Engine stalling investigation as of 20050811

  By letter received on june 24, 2005, mr. Ronald m. Strickland of raleigh, nc, submitted a petition requesting that the agency investigate the performance of the ignition coil plugs on model year (my) 2000-2003 volkswagen jetta, golf and passat sedans.The petitioner alleges that he had experienced multiple stalling events as a result of one or more ignition coil plugs malfunctioning on his 2002 vw jetta sedan.As a result of the engine stalling, the petitioner experienced a loss of power steering and increased braking efforts when he pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road to control the vehicle.After a few minutes parked on the shoulder he was able to restart the vehicle although the engine operated at reduced power.Vw issued a customer satisfaction campaign (csc) on january 31, 2003 to instruct their dealerships to inspect the vehicles for any malfunctioning ignition coil packs and to replace them at no cost to the consumer.Consumers were notified to bring their vehicles to their dealerships via owner letters mailed out on june 6, 2003.While vw initially instructed the dealerships to only replace the malfunctioning ignition coil packs, a revised csc was issued to dealerships in december 2003 and january 2004, instructing dealerships to replace all ignition coil packs regardless of their performance.A reminder to the dealerships was sent by vw on april of 2004.Although the concerns of the petitioner could theoretically create a safety problem, the risk is very small, due to the engine still running on either 3, 5, or 7 cylinders.There are no reported crashes or injuries due to the alleged defect.Once drivers are aware of the problem (loss of power due to one of the ignition coil packs malfunctioning), drivers are able to take precautionary and compensatory measures and still maintain control of their vehicles.In addition, four fires were reported to odi.These were ignition coil burnouts with no additional damage to the vehicle and were localized on top of the engine. During the last 24 months the number of stall and drivability complaints reported to odi has greatly diminished from a peak of 195 in january of 2003 to only 3 in august of 2005.This coincides with the csc released by vw.A safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
  

  Show Content

• Passenger air bag lid failure investigation as of 20031007

  There is no summary currently available
  

  Show Content

• Passenger sir door mounting stud failure investigation as of 20030523

  There is no summary currently available
  

  Show Content

Common OBD Error codes specific to this vehicle.

• P0102 [1] Mass or Volume Air Flow "A" Circuit Low Input
• P1128 [1] Throttle Position Sensor In Range But Higher Than Expected
• P1296 [1] Injector High Side Short To GND Or VBATT - Bank 1
• P1250 [3] Alternator Load Input Failed Low
• P0234 [1] Engine Turbocharger/Supercharger Overboost Condition
• P0299 [1] Turbocharger/Supercharger "A" Underboost Condition
• P1297 [3] Injector High Side Short To GND Or VBATT - Bank 2
• P1557 [1] P1557
• P1603 [1] Throttle Control Unit Detected Loss of Return Spring
• P2841 [1] Shift Fork "D" Position Circuit Range/Performance

The driver's side airbag of my 2001 vw passat spontaneously deployed while i drove on hwy 494 in woodbury mn. Sometime within 24 hours before the airbag deployed, the airbag fault light turned on in the car's dashboard display. Within 15 minutes before the incident, the car's automatic locking locks unlocked twice while i was driving the car. After the second time, i tried to lock the car doors by pressing the lock button on the driver's door console but the doors would not locked. At that time i noticed that the two interior lights in the back seat area were turned on. All the doors of the car were properly shut. When the airbags deployed i was driving on the smooth 1 year old concrete section of hwy 494. I did not hit anything on the highway. After the deployment, i parked on the shoulder, shut off the engine and opened the passenger door to air out the car. After about 5 minutes, i got back in the car and drove home. The automatic locks worked again. The interior lights automatically turned off. The drive home was uneventful.

Took car to vw dealer to have timing belt replaced and was notified that there were several open recalls and they offered to take care of them free of charge. However, they were unable to perform recall #08v156. Manufacturer #26e5. They installed the heat shield but could not perform software upgrade. I never received any recall notices in the mail. Now vw wants to buy the car back because they can't fix it. It's a 2001 vw passat with 25k miles in showroom shape. Was never driven in snow and garaged it's entire life. They offered me $1500 out of which i owe $1300 for the timing belt. They said it may need a ecu but they are no longer available from vw but refuse to install a used one. The car has been at the vw dealer since 12/28/2020. I was under the impression that recalls never expire.

Took car to vw dealer to have timing belt replaced and was notified that there were several open recalls and they offered to take care of them free of charge. However, they were unable to perform recall #08v156. Manufacturer #26e5. They installed the heat shield but could not perform software upgrade. I never received any recall notices in the mail. Now vw wants to buy the car back because they can't fix it. It's a 2001 vw passat with 25k miles in showroom shape. Was never driven in snow and garaged it's entire life. They offered me $1500 out of which i owe $1300 for the timing belt. They said it may need a ecu but they are no longer available from vw but refuse to install a used one. The car has been at the vw dealer since 12/28/2020. I was under the impression that recalls never expire.

Abs light on and break light flashing

Started smelling gas and mileage started droppi g bad around the end of november. We see that there has been recalls on the gas tank and fuel lines for 01 volkswagen passats but unfortunately not for this vin # which happens to be my sons car. Now its at the shop because its gas mileage went way down and and smells like gas and he was told that he was driving a bomb basically. It could be around $1000 to fix it. None of us have that kind of $ and hes still has $800 left oweing on it. Help

Faulty cam chain tensioner failed and caused severe engine damage to valves, pistons, camshaft, cam timing chain. I was stationary waiting at a red light when i heard a sudden loud grinding noise from inside the engine compartment, the engine began to shake and sputter. The car lost most of its power and i was barely able to make it through the intersection when the light turned green. Upon inspection it was clear to see that the cam chain tensioner had self destructed and caused the engine to fail.

My 2001 volkswagen passat has had an r5 recall for fuel lines, fuel tank, and a heat shield. The hard (low pressure fuel return?) line, the middle one of the mounting bracket atop the firewall, has failed catastrophically. It now sprays gasoline directly down onto the catalytic converter heat shield. This is the same failure in the same exact point that many other owners have had. This part is dangerous and could have killed me and destroyed my car. Volkswagen refused to fix it. I've been in contact with vw customer care and my local dealer, both told me that once the recall is closed on my vehicle that there is nothing they'll do. They wanted me to tow my car to the dealership and pay $135 for a diagnostic until i showed them a video of the fuel line under pressure spraying everywhere.

My car is a 2001 model, and i'd like to know if it has takata airbags in it, even if it isn't covered by the recall. Dealer doesn't know if the airbags are takata or not. Can you give me this information?? I hope so, otherwise i don't know how to find out. Thanks [xxx] *dl information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6).*jb

Abs control module fault

As my son got on the highway the transmission felt like it was slipping and jerking to then catch back up to the original speed i was going. When he put his foot on the gas pedal the car would struggle to go, 5 seconds later it would get up to speed but then slow back down. At a stoplight the car would shake roughly and idle really high, then he saw the front of the hood start to smoke and i realized there was a problem.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the transmission would slip and then the vehicle stalled. The engine continued to run, but the vehicle would not move. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and it was determined that the teeth on the gears of the transmission had fractured and the entire transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 160,000. Updated 8/19/15*cn the consumer stated there was a recall for the same make, model, and year but, the consumer's vin was not included. Updated 9/30/2015*js

Vwofa have not taken steps necessary to facilitate this fire hazard recall!

So i got rear ended at the other party's fault at high speed while i was at a stop sign and they neglected to stop pushing me into an intersection full of traffic...No airbags deployed..And since my heater doesn't work but passenger seat heat burned my 12 year old daughters butt...Anyone help? I just want heat for my babies..Below zero here :( thank you!! [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

I was driving on i-95 at approx. 78 mph when the car suddenly says stop! Brake failure! See volkswagen service. In my research on the issue, i've found this happens on almost all 1998-2001 vw passats and audi a-4s. This needs to be addressed. *tr

I was driving and i pulled into my parking lot and my engine caught on fire. I put it out with snow thank god or it would have been a lot worse. I always have coolant and oil and i checked it a lot cause of the freezing weather we have had recently had -30 for quite awhile. I called vw customer care and they were very worried about my safety at 1st then they had a product something guy call me after see the picture i sent them. I understand they have people always looking for a quick escape goat but this was a fire it could have been so much worse if there was not snow near by. I want my car fixed but i am more worried about the next person this could happen too. I should tell you after ask him if he just wanted to find the reason behind it he said no. Personally a car fire is not a normal thing. *tr

I notice that fuel is leaking from my vw passat 2001's fuel tank. I fill out this complaint in order to seek a help from authorities on these matters and also knowing if my issues can be handled by volkswagen america. *tr

Abs module is out, can't get emissions passed unless i pay over 600 dollars. Also i don't have abs, can't see if my check engine light means anything because i'm told it all gets re routed thorough the abs module and can't get past that problem. *tr

2001 passat 1.8t manual transmission developed fuel leak on the firewall attachment area, on the middle line directly over catalytic converter; car compartment smelled heavily of gasoline. Stopping car and inspecting the fuel line showed the crack. This is a very serious issue and was very lucky in this case not to have car on fire. Please investigate this as there seems to be related recalls from vw on this issue. I'm scared to have kids on board the passat. *tr

I was stopped at a stop light that was out of order. The driver of the suv in front of me took her foot off the brake and i assumed she was going to subsequently depress the accelerator, so i instinctively put my foot on the accelerator to ease forward. Unfortunately, i miscalculated as the driver in front of me did not move forward. As a result of my actions, i rear-ended the driver in front of me. I was going between 5-10 mph. My car sustained about 90% of the damage. My complaint is regarding the deployment or lack thereof of the airbags. They never deployed. Maybe i was wrong to assume that they would deploy on such a low speed. Please advise as the impact from the accident was rather strong. *tr

2001 vw passat sticking gas pedal comments: this has happened to me recently 2 times....Gas pedal stuck to floor, redline, almost crashed. Researching i found it to be a common problem. Vw should be held accountable... This is a dangerous situation! Should i stop driving it??? More accounts at: http://www.Passatworld.Com/forums/42-volkswagen-passat-b5-discussion/236513-anyone-else's-gas-pedal-get-stuck.Html. *tr

Sending this e-mail to complain about the abs module on my 2001 volkswagen passat they are no reason why it should be out , i believe its a defective part, should last longer other people i talk with say they have been thru the same problem. I believe volkswagen need to have a recall on this abs module. *tr

Car had been sitting all day drove it once caught fire around 4am in the morning car total alot burn bad in the front. I had notice that some features were not working but i did not attribute it to a electrical problem according to the fire dept who came to put the blaze out. *tr

My car has been leaking coolant. I took it to a shop and was informed that the heater core was bad. I have had to replace the inside computer already and probably all the carpet since the water has been leaking into the car. I suffer from asthma and can no longer drive this car since it smells like coolant/mold and not to mention water leaking on my foot as i drive (very unsafe since the pedal gets slippery.) i have read online on many sites that there was a recall regarding this matter and the owners were never notified. I need this fixed before something bad happens; either i get into an accident or i end up in the hospital. Thank you very much for getting back to me and getting this matter fixed promptly. *tr

Anti-lock braking system (abs) module failure which causes permanent loss of anti-lock braking system. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact noticed that the fuel gauge indicated that the vehicle had more fuel than what was actually in the tank. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the mechanic found the failure in the fuel tank level sending units. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 01v157000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly) but was advised by the manufacturer that the vin was not included in the recall. The current and failure mileage was 78,370.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking coolant, causing smoke to be released. The dealer diagnosed that antifreeze leaked onto the electrical wires. The dealer denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied any assistance with repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 127,980 and the current mileage was 128,000.

Anti-lock brake control module failed causing "stop", and other lights to come on and stay on. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was sitting at a traffic stop when he noticed smoke and fire coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The fire department was called to extinguish the fire. A police and fire report was filed and available. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 70,000. The vin was unavailable.

The passat has been a well maintained family wagon. The car has always been garaged and has mostly easy highway miles. My wife was driving with my daughter on a rainy evening. After making a right hand turn, the steering wheel would not turn back to the left past centered. She stopped the disabled car on the right shoulder and called me and the tow truck. When i arrived i confirmed her analysis. The tow driver had never seen anything like it. The vw dealer called the next day and indicated that the steering rack had failed. They also replaced upper arms and the right axle. I spent $1950 for the repair and another $200 for the rack, if needed for analysis by nhtsa or others. If this failure had happened at a different place or at higher speed it could have resulted in a catastrophe. *tr

2001 passat glx my abs light/brake light/asl light flash on my dash panel randomly during the day which points to another failed abs module. I get the three beeps that accompany the flashing lights. This happens about 10 times a day or more. I can feel a kick from my brake pedal when this happens during braking. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, he would smell a strong odor of gasoline. He then inspected the engine and was unable to locate a fuel leak. He later discovered a trail of gasoline leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that there were no recalls on his vehicle. The failure and current mileages were approximately 198,000. Updated 07/21/11 *bf the consumer stated the fracture occurred without external stress of any kind. It developed without warning and given the position within the engine compartment, it could have easily resulted in a fire. The consumer was informed his vin was not included in the recall. Updated 02/03/12

Wiring and connectors for both headlights have melted under normal usage. *tr

The first things that is happen is that my digital instrument panel blink in and out and the second is that water be running in the car compartment on the passenger side. *tr

Headlamp wiring harness melts. *tr

My abs failure light and brake light continue to flash and alarm on my 2001 vw passat. I understand bas failure is common on the car. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact received notification that her vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repairs. The dealer inspected and adjusted the fuel line routing as well as the fuel tank ventilation valve but did not replace any components. After repairs, the vehicle began spraying fuel onto the engine and was causing overpowering gasoline fumes to emit through the defogger system. The dealer was contacted who informed her that they made repairs to the vehicle under the recall and they only had to inspect the failure. The contact was advised that any further repairs would be at her expense. The manufacturer was contacted who confirmed that the dealer repaired the exact components listed under recall and nothing more. They offered no further other assistance. The failure mileage was 137,000.

I own a 2001 vw passat 1.8 and i just got some info on oil sludge i been having that problem a long time and dealer always said it was the oil pump or some thing else my father has the same problem with his passat first the light comes on and then the engine starts to make noise we always change the oil with the recommended oil and still the problem in order to use the car after the light comes on you have to park the car and find another way to move around and try a couple of hours later to see if the noise and the light is gone my car i paid 7900 9 months ago and it has 138000 and its not far for vw say your not covered i come from a vw family my mom has a 06 jetta my dad a 99 passat my brother has a 03 golf my sister has a 07 golf and just to allow to just say sorry cant help you knowing that their are cars with more miles than 120 out their and even thy have records of us having service hour car with them it is not write. *tr

Abs light and brake light flashing dealer says it is an abs control module a 650 part dollar ending in a 1000 dollar all together repair car has 108,000. *tr

Ignition coil failure after 13 months after vw replaced all 4 coils under prior recall. *tr

"oil pressure. Stop engine" light came on. After several miles driving and lot of noise from back off the engine. Need new oil pump passable rebuilt engine. It is sitting parked in my driveway. *tr

Same turn signal issue as 04v584000 recall - turn signals and hazards worked periodically. Now they have stopped working all together.. Nhtsa recall 04v584000 for other vw models of this year, but not passat. Is common for this year of vw passat also per my internet research. Vw passat needs to be added to this recall. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 70 mph, the contact heard a creaking noise coming from the suspension. The contact stated the rear suspension control arms were wearing out prematurely. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. Updated 02/11/11 *bf updated 05/02/11

Class action law suit settled with vw for oil sludge. This makes no sense by the time the settlement was reached my 2001 vw passat, 1.8 turbo was not covered. 7 or 8 weeks ago i took my vehicle into the vw dealer (halmark vw of madison) they told me i had a sludge problem and did not even mention that it was a known problem or that the law suit was underway- very sneaky. They told me to replace my engine or to change the oil every 1000 miles for awhile. My abs and computer module failed at the same time with no one taking responsibility for it. Now i have the problem but have no way to get it resolved. *tr

Vw engine oil sludge problem.

After 130000 miles, 2001 vw passat abs/brake light lights up at random and beeps 3 times while driving, no break depression necessary for this light to go off. Mechanic diagnoses as abs control module malfunction. This occurs multiple times during operation. Part to cost $635.00 and labor and reprogram of new part totaling $900.00. Diagnosis of the issue 100.00. All together, $1000.00. Part has not yet been replaced. *tr

The gas pedal got stuck under the floor mat on our 2001.5 vw passat - while driving - when i pushed the pedal all the way to the floor. The car started speeding but i was able to control the speed and stop the car by braking. I will be trimming the floor mat so that will not happen again. *tr

01 vw passat heater core. It doesn't put out enough heat to clear the windshield from fogging up or defrosting it either. This is an on going problem in the colder months. It's very difficult to see where i'm driving at times. There has been occasion where i've driven off the edge of the road because i could not see clearly. I had the heater core cleaned thoroughly and back flushed. Still the problem persists. *tr

Kept smelling gas threw the vents, strong odor of gas wherever it was parked when you approached or got down from the vehicle. The last few times before the fuel line snapped there were small puddles of gas underneath the front passenger side tire when one drove away from a parked position. When i noticed the puddles i opened the hood and realized that one of the fuel lines had snapped, went to the auto parts store and bought rubber fuel line and clamps to temporarily patch the leak. Still smelling strong gas order even though does not seem like line is still leaking but cannot get it to the mechanic again until the weekend. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact was driving at a relatively low speed when the steering wheel locked without warning. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility for diagnostic testing. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the rack and pinion was defective. The contact stated the tie rods were previously replaced due to loose steering. The manufacturer advised they would assist with ten percent of the total cost of repairs. The vehicle was repaired by the dealer. The failure mileage was 109,000 and the current mileage was 113,747.

Vw passat windshield shatters for no apparent reason. This seems to be a trend that i discovered while talking with other vw owners and searching the web....This has happened to people while driving. Time bomb waiting to happen and money out of peoples pockets!! *tr

Recently i was in a rear end collision (i was car in the back) and i totaled my 2001 volkswagen passat. The passenger airbag deployed with no passenger and my driver airbag failed to go off at all. This worries me as to think if i had been going faster then 20mph whether the airbag would've gone off at all. My father in law who is a mechanic says he has never in his life seen the passenger airbag but not the drivers go off. He has seen it the other way around but not this way. *tr

My 2001 "new" passat gls v6 has been flooding every time there is rain and it soaks the driver footwell as well as the same side's rear passenger foot well. It's created a moldy unpleasant odor in the car that i'm concerned will sicken my family and me. *tr

Heater core failure,plugging up. Vehicle has no heat unable to clear windshield to see. Heater core porses too small and clogged from reaction from anti freeze calcified reaction with metal used in core. *tr

I brought my vehicle into firestone for a rountine tune-up and to replace my axle. Because of firestones mis-diagnosis of the tune-up, they determined it was the engine coil. My vehicle had to be towed to audi of brookline for a complete diagnostic and they found this.....A pre-existing condition - e.C.M..The engine coil was only a symptom of the bigger problem in the faulty e.C.M. Misfiring. Prior to bringing my vehicle into firestone, it was operable. Because of their tampering with the ignition coils; my vehicle was subsequently destroyed. Regarding the diagnostic report, the current and passed condition of my vehicle, which is normally a healthy, safe, vehicle, is as follows: "fuel delivery inspection at present time, ignition system check, and power provided to coils tech found no communication between engine control module (e.C.M.) and a.B.S. Control module because a.B.S. Control module was disconnected. Reconnect and access a.B.S. System and fault detected customer aware of the a.B.S. Problem and warning has been on for a while. That is true, and not the reason for this letter. Continued: found e.C.M. Fault for #3 ignition coil open circuit. Pin check wires on #3 ignition coil plug #3 post from connector to e.C.M. Found height resistance in wire, replaced #3 connector and re-tested ok. Also clean and replace terminal on top of valve cover for proper ground. Start engine and road test vehicle, found engine misfire on #1, #2, #3, #4 ignition coils". I have to replace all 4 ignition coils, catayltic converter, and e.C.M. This is the second ignition coil replaced in the 1 year i've owned the vehicle. This car has more mechanical errors than imaginable. The estimated cost of repairs is in the thousands. I can't afford to maintenance this tempermenatl vehicle. I will have to junk the car. I refuse to fix this vehicle. Pushing for a recall!! *tr

We hit a deer head-on and the air bags did not go off. We were travelling about 60 mph and did not brake. The car was declared a total loss by the insurance company because of the expense to repair. This seems unusual because air bags are designed to go off at very low speeds. *tr

My foster son was driving our 2001 vw passat when he noticed a large amount of smoke coming out from under the hood. He pulled over into a parking lot and there were flames engulfing the passenger compartment. Fire and police were on the scene. It was determined by the fire department and a mechanic that looked at the car later that the fire started in the computer located in the dash area of the car. The car is a total loss with the passenger compartment melted beyond repair. We have a fire report and pictures. *tr

I would like to report the failure of the automatic dimming rear view mirror on my 2001 vw passat. It is a donnelly mirror, part 3bo857511e (also has the number 4231909 on it). The electromagnetic fluid suddenly created a bubble and leaked when i had it replaced. I have since learned that these mirrors were used in a wide variety of cars and have routinely failed and may contain mercury and other very toxic substances. This presents a definitive safety hazard as one does not expect their rear view mirror to fail, absent being struck and broken, and to possibly leak toxic particles/fluid into the car or the air of the car. Also, one can't safely drive without the mirror and they often cost hundreds of dollars to replace (mine was $227.30) and must be replaced immediately if the health hazards are to be minimized. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The abs warning light was illuminated on the instrument control panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and a technician advised him that the abs was not functioning. The repair would cost a minimum of $1,000.00. The vehicle had not been repaired to-date. The manufacturer was notified, but no assistance was provided. The current mileage was approximately 99,000. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact noticed that the floor carpet behind the driver's seat became damp during rainy conditions. She took the vehicle to the dealer for another recall issue and they repaired the water leakage for free. However, the failure still occurred and the dealer charged $196 for the second repair. The manufacturer has not been notified. The current mileage was 89,210 and failure mileage was 88,647.

The rear middle seat belt on the car got stuck (or locked). No accident or misuse of the equipment happened. It happened when i was reinstalling my child seat. Now, i am unable to install the child seat. It is a big safety issue and i recommend the government have the manufacturer fix it. There are several other complaints about this incident that i could find when searching on the internet. Not sure if they have officially been reported to the government. Please feel free to reach me if you need more information. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The vehicle was serviced for a routine tune-up and a honda dealer wrote on the invoice that the control valve joints and boots were torn, in addition to the shaft. The contact stated that the failures were related to several complaints on the nhtsa website. There had been no failure to date. The current mileage was 56,511. Updated 05/08/09. *lj the consumer stated the cv joints were replaced. Updated 05/08/09.*jb

2001 1/2 volkswagen passat station wagon, manual, 1.8t persistent issues with ignition coils, and check engine light over 8 years. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. She stated that while driving with the heated seats on, she began to feel extremely hot. Upon further inspection, she noticed a hole in the driver seat. The dealer stated that she would have to pay $500.00 - $600.00 to replace the seat . No repairs were made. The failure and current mileages were 115,000.

Front ball joint failure at approx. 35,000 miles. Then a lower control arm failure at 95,000 miles. Old control arm is available. *tr

Failure of the abs control module in my 2001 vw passat. *tr

The interior and exterior of the lenses of both headlight assemblies of my 2001 vw passat station wagon have become very clouded. The result is that the brightness of the headlight is greatly diminished leading to unsafe driving conditions at night. I have cleaned and polished the exterior of the lenses and that helped somewhat but cannot do anything about the interior. The only solution is to replace the whole headlight assembly. It has gotten progressively worse over the last 18 months. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact received a recall notice regarding the r5 recall campaign. She was unable to locate the nhtsa campaign id number online. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for repair. The technician stated that the catalytic converter flex pipe must be disengaged to perform the recall repair. If any damages occur during the detachment of the component, the contact would be responsible for the expense. The contact was displeased to know that the recall remedy could possibly be expensive. The failure and current mileages were 101,803. Updated 04/24/09. *lj updated 04/27/09.8jb

Drive the car for long period of time and the outside start smell like oil it be smoking. The emission workshop light is on and smell like something is burning inside of the car. The heat and air be off and drive the car for a long period of time heat start coming out. Also when drive along time the numbers in front broad start looking like it going way. *tr

Abs controller failed. *tr

Dec 12th 2008 the interior of my passt was flooded with water, vw service removed 10 + gallons of water which entered from air plenum /pollen filter hosing(cabin area). Service informed me of the p9 recall for the passats manufactured nov '00 to dec '05. But, vw of america will not help me they said my vin # is not in the recall. The computers are on the floor of car. Air bag is in default damage from electrical damage from water damage.. My trans mod is wrecked from the water damage, just the part alone will cost $1,300. I have lost work and can not drive. The make of car & year is in recall so why is my vin not included?! Someone please, please help me. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. While filling the fuel tank with gasoline, the contact observed a small amount of fuel spilling on the ground from the lower portion of the fuel tank. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for a diagnostic and they stated that the fuel tank ventilation valve failed. The vehicle was repaired. The vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery), although the failures were identical. The vin was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 150,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The vehicle failed a routine inspection because the engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument control panel. The inspector advised the contact of a recall on her vehicle pertaining to the failure. The dealer stated that the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery). The vehicle has not yet been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 62,004. The consumer stated there was a strong smell of gas every time she turned the vehicle off. Updated 02/24/09. *jb

Faulty bosch abs module in 2001 volkswagen passat due to faulty design. The wire gauge is too small, causing overheating and component failure. Abs module unit rebuilt to correct standards. After researching, found that there are several thousand complaints of the same nature. Hoping to get vw to recall this problem. *tr

Abs module faulty in 2001 passat station wagon; brake fault/abs warning lights came on repeatedly. *tr

I have a vw passat 2001 model. I was driving my car to office. At around 8.10 am on 09/24/2008, a car collided from back while i was waiting at a signal. My bumper was damaged a little and my front passenger side air bag cover had popped out. Immediately i called my insurance and reported the accident explaining the series of events. The other party involved in accident complained his accident to his insurance company and accepted his fault, as per which their insurance company agreed on to pay for the damages. A estimator took an estimate after viewing the damaged car. A couple of days later there was a check issued on my name and also list of repairs to be done. The popped out airbag was not considered a part of accident by the estimator. I tried to clearly explain him saying that his client has seen the pop out happened because of the accident and has agreed on to proceed through his insurance. When i explained all this estimator was adamant that it was not a part of accident and said it would take 25-30 $ to fix it and as per which i took to a few mechanics to get it done and no one was willing to touch the air bag saying it is vulnerable and needs to be taken to the dealer. When i took to the dealer he was saying its going to incur a huge cost as it is airbag and the entire dash board needs to be removed to get this thing fixed. I have no idea what needs to be done about this and needed help in this aspect. I have all the claim numbers and also the required information in this aspect. I don't think my car is safe enough to drive as the airbag can deflate any tine. Please guide me in this aspect. *tr

Warning light and beeping sound on dashboard comes on frequently (about half the time) saying stop abs brake. According to mechanic, many many vws have the same problem (something to do with abs control module) which can cost $2,000 to fix at a dealer), and he's surprised there isn't a recall for it. *tr

Faulty wiring for tail lights, brake light, turn lights. Replaced fuse, replaced brake and tail light bulbs eight times, this correct the problem for one day. Bought new kit to replace old brake ,tail light , turning light. This worked for approx. Two months now nothing works. *tr

Abs alarm goes on with increasing frequency. Says that there is a brake fault. Brakes are apparently fine, but the problem is with the anti-lock braking system (abs) electronic control unit. When this alarm is on, the abs may not be working. Many people report the same problem in vw's and audi's. *tr

I was driving home and my car caught on fire from unknown defect my life was in big dangerous.*tr

Normal car operation. Abs lights came on - diagnosed as failure of abs control module. Abs brakes no longer work! Vw wants $1600 for repairs. After some research determined it is a fairly common failure on my car, 2001 passat that vw has yet to acknowledge or address. *tr

I have a '01 vw passat. I had to go to the vw dealer today since i was hearing a pinging noise when i drive. They checked and advised that the lower control arm and tie ends would need to be replaced since they were worn out. The car has 77k miles and on researching have found that other vw passat owners from the same time frame are having the same issue. It has been attributed to design flaws. I am worried that this is going to deteriorate and lead to an accident. Additionally they identified a valve cover camshaft seal leakage. This is another issue that has been identified by other owners. *tr

Fuel leaking near a rear wheel from a small hose connecting the fuel filter to the forward fuel line when starting in cold weather. *tr

Tl-the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat glx. While driving approximately 40 mph the vehicle engine light came on. The contact stated he drove the vehicle to his destination. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and he was told the catalytic converter needed replacing. The failure was constant since july 1, 2008. The vehicle has not been repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 51,000 and the current mileage was 62,000. Vwb

I was driving to my new employment when my 2001.5 passat lost power. The engine ran very rough and the idle was stable. The engine continued to stall and rendered the vehicle unusable. My passat was taken to a garage near my place of employment and i was told the cylinder #4 has failed. I had the vehicle towed home (90 miles) to my local garage to be told the same. Cylinder #4 has no compression and the turbo has also failed as a result of the failing cylinder. I was told by vw that i need to replace the coil packs and spark plugs and the error should clear up. I had the mechanic replace the spark plugs and all four coil packs on the vehicle. After the repair the mechanic stated to me that the vehicle performance and issue was not fixed with the repair and the cylinder #4 was still down. I have been left without a vehicle now for almost two months while still having to make payments on a vehicle that i can not use. *tr

The hard line mounted on the fire wall that guides the three fuel lines broke or failed. Plastic fuel line which cracks or is defective located at the site where the lines are clamped by a plastic housing. Gasoline sprays onto the engine block.

Abs control module has failed, resulting in warning beeps and flashing lights. Brakes will operate (?) however abs is now disabled resulting in a dangerous driving situation. This problem is absolutely very common across all years passats and is a very expensive repair. Vw does nothing and makes money for the repairs. *tr

My 2001 vw passat abs module became defective after 1 year of owning car from the original owner. Not sure if original owner had done repairs/replacements of the unit. Now there is no communication between the car computer and the module, therefore no abs brake is active. Abs light stays on and brake light flashes intermittently. There are also 3 beeps when car has been started. I am a very unhappy consumer of vw due to their faulty vehicle equipment and has deter me from purchasing any vw in the future. I have recently just had a repair to replace my maf sensor, 2 ignition coils, 4 spark plugs again after purchasing brand new ones just a month prior. It was very costly!! *tr

Owner driving the car when smoke began appearing from the right side of the dashboard. Fire density increased rapidly and owner drove into a safeway parking lot was able to get out of the vehicle when it immediately filled with smoke. Fire dept. Was called and broke all windows causing a tremendous amount of smoke to be released. The smoke was white and black. *tr

Abs and brake lights came on at no warning and unexpected. Each time ignition turned on it beeps 3 times and the abs and brake light remain on. This should not be failing this bad. I just got the car for less than 10 months with 106,000 miles on it and i am the 2nd owner. *tr

I have had my 2001 vw passat for 7 years now and have had it in the shop multiple issues including warped rotors (front and back), cracked chasse, electrical issues and various other problems. Before having this car, i had a toyota for 8 years and in the 8 years i had the toyota, i only had it in the shop for routine maintenance. This car is disappointing and everyone i talk to who has a similar model/year says the same thing. I think the 2001 vw passat is a lemon. *tr

I have suffered the same issues as others concerning the headlights for my 2001.5 volkswagen passat gls. I have replaced the drivers side light on 3 occasions. I have replaced it myself on all occasions. The driver side headlight assembly has completely melted and needs to be replaced. When the bulb is replaced, it usually lasts a week before going out again. My passenger side headlight went out last night. When i went to replace the bulb, i again found a melted headlight assembly. This one is not as severe as the driver side but also poses a safety issue. This will result in the neighborhood of $1,000 in repairs. Volkswagen needs to step up and correct this problem. *tr

Failure of multiple front control arms in 2001 vw passat. Was given quote of nearly $2100 to repair control arms. Was told this is a "wide spread" problem with vw passats and nothing has been recalled as of yet. *tr

1. Front and rear brakes inadequate for vehicle--had to have brake work at ~20,000 miles and again at just under 42,000 miles (this has never been a problem with any other car). Brakes repaired/parts replaced twice. Car should be recalled by manufacturer for brakes 2. Sunroof +/- windshield drain(s) became blocked and leaked and flooded passenger footwells, with risk of damage to transmission. This is a manufacturing defect with this make and model and has been widely reported on the web. Vw needs to recall cars for the problem with blocked drains/leakage and damage to vehicles. Cost to vacuum water out of footwells below the carpet > $600 with no guarantee that problem will not recur 3. Vw passat has a known problem with sludge build up in engine and consequent engine failure--i have not (?Yet) had the problem but feel that vw guarantee to repair problem only if owner can prove oil changes every 3000 miles in an unreasonable abnegation of duty. This is a design flaw and the company should have to recall all cars with the problem and repair at no charge without being able to shift blame to consumer. Now having to use expensive synthetic oil for oil changes on a very frequent basis. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. While parked in the driveway, the vehicle burst into flames underneath the hood. The fire department stated that the fire was due to an electrical malfunction. The vehicle only had liability coverage; therefore, the insurance company would not investigate. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact will give the manufacturer a report. The current and failure mileages were 87,000.

The abs light and a brake light are on on my 2001 volkswagen passat for the last eight months. I have been searching and looks like there has been a lot of complaints for this same problem. *tr

My car just stopped. There could have been an accident had i not gotten off the road in time. I was on route 68, a 4 line highway. Come to find out the timing chain and timing tensioner broke, which the manufacture knew would happen because all the repair books say to have it changed at about 65,000 to 75,000 miles. Nobody told me that. If my children would have been in the car at the time needless to say if my wife would have been driving instead of me what could have happened. It is costing me over $2,300.00 to have it fixed. Needless to say had i been warned i would have had it replaced. *tr

1. During my wife's morning commute the oil light stop engine light illuminated in our 2001.5 vw passat. Fortunately she was in a rural area and was able to get the car shut off immediately and coasted off the road without incident. 2. The failure was the result of severe oil coking with the 1.8t engine. Vw issued a notification letter dated august 2004 advising of the ?Oil sludge? Problem. The letter states ?Engine oil sludge occurs when old, dirty engine oil thickens and cannot continue to provide adequate engine lubrication.? The letter implies the issue is due to poor maintenance. In reality the failure is due to a latent design defect of improper heat rejection attribute of the engine sump. Basically not enough oil quantity and oil cooling capacity. The oil then cokes over time in a similar manner as is encountered on gas turbine engines under extreme temperatures. Eventually the coked particles accumulate and plugs the sump screen. The oil pump then resulting in the loss of oil pressure and engine failure. The loss of engine power at a critical time is a safety concern. 3. Fortunately as our car was not run without oil pressure i was able to save the engine. Vw would not honor the warranty despite providing a log book from all the maintenance performed from new. They required all receipts of oil changes. I perform all my own maintenance. Vw clearly has gamed the warranty and misrepresented the problem as poor maintenance and sludge. I have always changed the oil every 5k miles. This cost me nearly $2k in parts not including my labor. This is a major repair. The oil pump, sump screen, all crank case ventilation lines, turbo lines, etc. Had to be replaced. There was coffee grounds (coked oil) throughout the engine. What a mess. I hold a bs in aero engr tech and faa a&p license. I run the aftermarket for a large gas turbine engine mfg. I know engine design and warranty gaming when i see it. *tr

My car is a 2001 v6, we had heavy rain during the past week and one morning my car had a puddle in the passenger side and failed to start or even put in gear the mechanic explained the transmission computer was flooded and it took 4 days for them to take all water out of the car and test all sensors . *tr

I own a 2001 volkswagen passat with a 1.8 liter turbo engine and 85,000 miles. My oil light came on so i took it to the vw dealer right away. The dealer claims my motor is "sludged". Even though vw has extended the warranty for 8 years because of this problem it will not cover my vehicle repairs of over $2,000 and growing. I have kept excellent track of oil changes in my vehicle maintenance book and even changed every 3,000 when the service calls for only 5,000. I have use a good quality sae valvoline 5w-30 motor oil which my owners manual says is fine. Vw will not cover my repairs simply because i did not keep every single purchase receipt for my oil changes. They claim, without receipts there is no way of knowing that i put in appropriate oil. My response is, you spend $30,000 for a vehicle, i have proven i changed oil every 3,000, why in the world would i put in an oil that did not conform to my owners manual. This is the last vw my family will purchase. *tr

Failed abs module at 120,000 miles. Typically a $1000+ repair. *tr

I own a 2001 vw passat and i noticed a very strong odor of gasoline when driving at any speed in temperatures of 17 degrees. I brought my car to the alexandria vw dealership (alexandria, va) twice and they kept it for a few days but found nothing. After reading through the other reports online, i feel that vw corporation of america should replace all associated parts that could cause this and avoid potential vehicle explosions and loss of life. *tr

I have a 2001 vw passat, in the past month, my abs warning light, and e-brake light, have been coming on randomly. The abs light comes on and then the brake light flashes and beeps/rings for a few seconds. Half of the time the lights go out after a few seconds, sometimes the only way they go out is to stop, turn the car off and restart. And there are times when this doesn't work either. There have been suggestions by vw dealerships to replace abs control module which is approx, $1350-1400. After researching this seems to be a problem that thousands of vw owners are experiencing with their vehicles. The replacement of control module has not corrected problem, neither has replacing ignition switch. *tr

Brake alarm light on all the time and flashing abs light as well as stop. Brakes have been checked and are fine. Dealer says it needs a replacement abs control module - $1800. Have been researching this problem and many owners of vw's and audis in my year range having same problem. *tr

Heater core failed. I have always had the car serviced regular according to manufacturer specs. The cost is $1000.00 to replace the part. It failed on a very cold night traveling through a winter storm. Try driving a car in the middle of no where with no heat to defrost the windows. Wrecked due to the inability to see. *tr

Flasher switch is failing. Turn signals blink once or twice and then stop. Same with hazard lights. *tr

All 4 upper control arms failed at 62,500 miles. Oem control arms are unfit for purpose as designed and should be recalled by vwoa. *tr

I and thousands of other vw passat owners wish for vw of north america to issue a recall on the tie rods, control arms, ball joints, etc. (the whole front suspension of passats) due to the obvious failure of these systems. I personally know of a mechanic in stoughton, wi who has replaced this system on 3 passats this month alone and my car is next. We're talking to the tune of $1800.00-$2000.00 for parts alone. This is very expensive and one is completely handcuffed because one's car is not safe to drive if this issue is neglected. Further, when one contacts a local vw dealership (zimbrick vw of madison, wi) and inquires about this kit to rebuild the front end, the parts manager admits that they keep many of these kits in stock because they are very aware of this issue. So, why is vw of north american ignoring the obvious? Could it be that they would be out a handsome amount of money? Better to let the consumer take the brunt of this issue and hope it eventually goes away? Please help!!! *tr

The brake lights on my 2001 vw passat stopped working. I checked the fuses and the light bulbs; and both the fuses and bulbs are good. Vw of america recalled several vw models in 2007 for brake light failure due to a faulty brake light switch. However vw of america did not recall the passat. I when on line to a vw blog; and found lots of other vw passat owners who have the same problem with their brake lights. I also found out that vw will not replace the brake light switch free of charge on the passat, because the passat was not recalled. I will have to pay out of pocket to get my passat repaired. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. While driving 67 mph, the vehicle began to drastically decelerate and then coasted. There were no warning signs present. Ten seconds later, the vehicle completely stalled and was towed to the local dealer. The dealer stated that the fuel system delivery pump caused the failure. She contacted the manufacturer and they stated that her vehicle was not included in the recall and would not be repaired for free. The vin, engine size, number of cylinders, and recall number were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 140,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. While driving less than 2 mph, scalding hot radiator fluid suddenly spewed from the vents and onto the contact's feet. She is pregnant and stated that she had not been to a doctor to check if the radiator fumes harmed the unborn child. The instrument panel completely failed as well. The dealer stated that the heater core failed. No repairs were made. The vin and powertrain were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 124,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. She stated that the check engine light remained illuminated. The dealer stated that the engine coolant temperature sensor needed to be replaced. The dealer stated that they would make the repair; however, there would be a charge. The current mileage was 67,000 and the failure mileage was unavailable.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. While driving 30 mph the driver and passenger side air bags deployed without warning. The manufacture stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The vin was unavailable. The current and failure mileages were 148,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the on-board diagnostic indicated that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The dealer and manufacturer refused to replace the unit. The dealer stated that there were no recalls available. The vin, engine size, and dealer information were unknown. The failure and current mileages were 75,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. He stated that the main fuel line ruptured, which caused gas to cover the engine. The dealer stated that the fuel line ruptured and that they would repair the failure, however, there would be a charge. The current mileage was 105,000. The failure mileage and vin was unavailable.

Fuel line on firewall cracked and spraying fuel over engine

When attempting to adjust headlights, the plastic gears break easily rendering the headlights non-adjustable. The headlight lens also discolors easily reducing transmitted light level. The electrical supply also appears inferior as bulbs blow very quickly. The bulbs last less time than any other vehicle known in 30 years. *tr

Air conditioning issue: in the summer of 2006 my air conditioning was going out. The dealership changed the fan and it appeared to all work. The summer of 2007, (now) my car is in the shop again with ac problems that cannot be diagnosed because they can't find an error code. When the air went out, the lcd readings on the climate control system looked like scrambled digits. Doesn't work, and the shop can't seem to find the problem. *tr

While i was driving, my instrument panel starting flashing the "abs" light and beeping loudly, the information panel displayed "brake fault", then "stop" in large letters. I checked my brakes and they still worked. Then the beeping and display messages stopped, and the traction control light came on. The service advisor at the dealership told me that this is a known issue with the electronic control unit in 98-01 volkswagen passats. The hydraulic brakes still work, but the abs may fail to activate in a panic stop. The cost to replace the electronics is $876, and the new unit is not as prone to failure as the original. *tr

1) wyncote, pa, april 16, 2007, heavy rain 2) water enters the passenger front and rear floor board. Electronic modules located on the floor and wiring harness damaged. Vw dealer claims to not know how water entered my vechicle. They say that they have never seen the problem. Vw corporate suggests that if i had brought my car in to the dealer for oil changes the dealer would have cleared debris from drain holes as part of regular service. Without revealing my conversation with corporate i ask the dealer if they do any cleaning of debris at any point on the car during an oil change service and they told me that they don't. Research online reveals hundreds and hundreds of people telling my story. I have also found info on a class action suit being formed for those who again tell my exact story. 3) vw of america refuses to pay for any part of my damages. I have recieved no reason from the dealer for the failure and assume that i am in for the same during the next heavy rain. *jb

2001 passat 1.8l turbo. Car's engine pressure warning light came on. The car was towed to dwight harrison volkswagen. They checked the oil pressure and said it was fine. They changed the oil and said the oil pressure indicator might have been caused by not using a vw oil filter. Not one mention of the oil sludge problem that has been prevalent with this engine. Drove the car for around 5000 miles without any more problems. Then the oil pressure light came back on intermittently. I towed the car into heritage vw who said it could be an oil sludge problem but that i'll have to authorize 5 hours of labor to tell for sure (about $500). I cannot find all of my oil change receipts and vw won't advise if they will cover any of the repair until i spend the $500. What am i supposed to do after they've taken my car apart and i'll already spent $500 getting a diagnosis? I never received the letter vw said they sent about the problem in 2004. I've had the oil changed at vw dealerships after they acknowledged the problem in 2004 yet the dealership never once asked if i'd like to put in synthetic oil. Don't they have any responsibility for the faulty design of the turbo engine? Don't the dealers have a responsibility to tell you of the problem when you are getting the oil changed? This is typical of vw dealerships - they want you to spend money while they have a guessing game about the problem. They did this with a transmission problem i had, the cooling system and the check engine light. *tr

On two separate occasions the connector and wiring harness providing power to the driver's side and passenger's side headlights on the 2001 volkswagen passat gls melted and the headlights failed. If i did not take immediate action the electrical short in these connectors may have triggered a fire. The driver's side socket/wiring harness melted and the wiring harness was replaced in october of 2004. The passenger's side socket/wiring harness melted and the wiring harness was replaced in april of 2007. While at the volkswagen dealership to have passenger side wiring harness replaced i observed another passat owner complaining of the same problem. A google search on the internet resulted in finding many other people that had this potentially dangerous problem as well. *ak

Engine sludge in engine leading to failure of the oil pump and the turbo. In addition, also had to have the front control arms ,and tie-rods replaced , and even now there were still problems with the front suspension. I have researched and found these were similar problems with many passat owners. I still recall the major issue / recall over the ignition coil failures and how vw of america denied there ever was a problem. The entire car should be declared a lemon !!!! The oil pump failure leading to failures of the turbo, and seizure of the engine should be proof enough that this car has too many major problems and should be recalled . *ak

Took car for state inspection. Mechanic found both left an right upper ball joints and both tie rods defective at 53,000 miles. *ak

Heater core failed, causing sudden and substantial loss of visibility in rush hour traffic. Interiors of all windows were severely fogged with coolant mist. I was forced to make an emergency stop to avoid an accident. Aware that vw has frequently replaced this known deficient component out of warranty, i contacted vw of america three times. I was consistently told that i would receive no help. Cost of heater core replacement at dealership was $1600. *tr

Tl*- the contact stated that the 2001 volkswagen new passat driver's side airbag didn't deployed upon impact during a crash. While driving at about 40 mph on a cold dry day, another vehicle ran a red light and she hit another head on. The contact stated that the passenger's side airbag deployed, but no one was sitting on the passenger's side, but the driver's side airbag didn't deploy. The contact would like to know why the airbag didn't deploy. The contact had police and insurance reports. The current and failure mileage were both 85,580 . *ak

I have a 2001 volkswagen passat and the check oil pressure stop engine light came on yesterday. The oil level is fine. We had an oil change the day before. The car had to be towed to the volkswagen dealership. This comes three months after we had to send it to volkswagen to have a cooling problem worked on which cost over 3,000. They were told to fix anything that was wrong with the car. *nm

I have a 2001 vw passat that i purchased a 18 months ago. The car was a certified vw and had a warranty extended till 74,000 miles. At 70,000 miles while driving i had the stop low oil pressure light come on- it was time for an oil change so i took it in for an oil change and for the dealer to find the problem. No issue was found. Now at 75,500 miles the light comes on again- this time more issues. I pulled over immediately to find that all my oil was leaking out of the car. Towed vehicle to closest vw dealer as i was 120 miles away from home. Dealer informs me that the camshaft adjusters were leaking oil badly and the cost to fix is $2,600. - car is still in the shop and hopefully no more problems will be found. 1,500 mi outside warranty and vw can do nothing to help lower the expense- even though i had a issue w/ low oil while within my warranty period. *jb

Tl*- the contact took the 2001 volkswagen passat to a dealer, and they stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. All 8 tie rods and the one link arm were showing excessive wear. The dealer and the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was out of warranty so the repair would be at contacts expense. The current and failure mileage were both 79200.*ak the right outer cv boot was torn and the left outer tie rod end was worn. The abs control module was replaced. Updated 03/30/07. *jb

My 2001 passat is having brake problems. The abs and brake light blink and there are 3 beeps. The screen on the dash says brake failure and service manual. Now right now if something where to happen to my actual brakes i would not know and i believe that could be serious. I have read many sites and have found that this is a problem that a lot of people who are experiencing. Also, i have been experiencing stalling problems due to the abs module. Vw has said that it will cost around $1500. I personally don't have $1500 to just go out and spend nor do i feel like i need to due to the research i have done on this problem. Here is a forum website that i have found a lot of my information from http://www.Passatworld.Com/forums/showthread.Php?T=127734. Also, you can check around that website and find more. *jb

The fuel sensor fails after about one year of use. It has been replaced twice. The failure mode is that it always reports twice the actual amount of fuel available. *tr

I am the original owner of a 2001 volkswagen new passat. The headlight lenses that came with the car have clouded so much that the headlights barely illuminate the road. This is a dangerous situation and they need to be replaced. I have spoken with other passat owners from the similar years and they have experienced the same issue. I believe vw should be forced to issue a recall on the headlight lenses, and offer to replace them for free. Who knows how many accidents have occurred because the owners of these vehicles are not seeing the road well at night. The date below reflects when i first noticed the clouding in the lenses. *tr

Having an oil sludge problem with a 2001 1/2 model year vw passat with a 1.8t engine. Recently had a low oil pressure warning light come on, requiring the vehicle to be towed to a local vw dealership. Dealership diagnosed as an oil pump problem, most likely caused by an oil sludge problem. If it is caused by oil sludge, then engine damage is likely to be found as it seems to be a common problem based on web forum postings by other passat owners who have experienced the same problem. Vehicle is unoperable at this time. Vw is refusing to cover to the repair under warranty due to insufficient documentation of oil changes. All vw service intervals were completed for the vehicle including all oil changes and are backed up with documentation. I am still trying to get clarification from vw as to why the documentation is considered insufficient. Vehicle has 99,004 miles on it. Oil changes prior to 30,000 service interval were completed at vw dealerships and included vw approved non-synthetic oil. Oil changes from 30,000 miles/january 2002 forward were completed using synthetic oil. Vw recognized the sludge problem and issued a warranty extension in august 2004 along with requirement to use synthetic oils (nhtsa tsb #10009888 and #10009873). A previous problem occured at 78,400 where a defective head gasket was replaced. During that service the head gasket, oil cooler, oil pump, and associated parts were replaced under warranty. Based on web postings from other owners this may also be associated with the oil sludge problem. *nm

2001 vw passat, 1.8l 4 cylinder. At 89,000 miles on my odometer, i am now receiving a stop, brake fault, see service manual warning, with the abs warning light also. In reviewing the vw owners forums and other information online, it seems this is a likely failure of the abs control module -- which is said to cost $1,500 for the part alone. This is said to be a fairly common issue....*nm

I had a synthetic oil change on my 2001 vw passat, november 7,2006 at heritage vw (dealership) and then on november 22,2006 the vehicle slowed and the display showed stop with an oil icon. I immediately stopped the car and checked the oil. There was oil in the car but i called the dealership and they said do not drive the car, there is probably sludge in the car. I towed it in the dealership and they said it needed a new oil pump with a new oil screen and it did have sludge. This repair was $1267.00. I was not offered any warranty reimbursement at that time. Later i found out that this is a widespread problem with vw. Why did they not see the sludge when they did the oil change nov 7,2006? *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the airbag light illuminated intermittently without incident. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined the front driver side airbag inflater module needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was alerted. Updated 10/31/06. *jb

10/24/06 my 2001 volkswagon passat has a stop warning light come on stating low oil pressure. Come to find out the 1.8 litre turbo engine which my car has is non to have oil sludge problems and that vw is aware of this. I never received a letter from them stating this or the fact that i should use synthetic oil. Called the huntsville, al vw dealership and they said that unless i have pristeen serve records they will not pay to fix it at a cost to me of over $1800. My husband changes the oil in my car so of course i do not have the service records vw is requiring. I hear the no longer make the 1.8 liter turbo but are not willing to honor fixing a problem we knew nothing about.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the instrument cluster panel lights illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined there was a short in the airbag wiring harness, and needed to be replaced. The airbag and harness were replaced, but the problem persisted. The manufacturer was alerted.

With just about 70000 miles on the volkswagen passat, the engine started leaking oil from 4 areas: cam seals, valve gaskets and some leaks on top of the catalytic converter. The oils leaked onto the catalytic converter causing toxic fumes. The problem recurs consistently even after fixing it. The volkswagen passat 2001 model is extremely dangerous with such rudimentary engine problems and could potentially cause death. There is no clear documentation on what parts are covered under warranty available to the customer. With the nearest dealership 30 miles away, it becomes extremely difficult to take the car to the dealer everytime this happens just to check if the parts will be covered under warranty and it costs nearly $3000 to fix these problems. *nm

The abs module has failed in my 2001 passat, which only has 79000 miles on it... They are charging almost $1000 to get this fixed, if this is a safety issue, the part should be recalled and covered by volkswagen... I have read a lot of consumer complaints regarding this part and the need to replace it prematurely. *nm

Interior left front floor of car flooded with water after very heavy rain. There was an inch of standing water sitting on the vehicle's carpet. This is the 2nd incident in 5 weeks. After a similar heavy rainfall in august the interior left front and rear floor was flooded. Standing water was in the front and rear of the car. After doing research on-line this appears to be a problem with the sun roof drains. *jb

Purchased 2001 passat in may, 2005. Had same 'non-covered' oil pump problem as many on the list have. Last month, noticed a pool of oil on the garage floor after backing it out. Looked under the hood, noticed that the antifreeze overflow looked like a chocolate milkshake. Oil cooler and oil cooler seals had to be replaced. 76000 miles. *nm

2000 1.8l passat, brake fault on screen, stop on screen with brake light flashing and abs warning light on. Brakes sometimes very difficult to press with no stopping power. *nm

Tracking number: [xxx] date: september 09th 2006 11:24:34 am complainant: [xxx] - re: 2001 passat vws and the ongoing sludge problems!!! *jb complaint: my complaint is the same as everyone else with regard to vw passats. Sludge!!!! I just spent $2000 trying to fix the problem and it happened again 2 days later. My mechanic tells me that he did some research and that there is an inherent problems of sludge in these cars especially. I would like to file a complaint and ask if you have any referral attorneys familiar with this problem. Please let me know as soon as possible. I have to rent a car at $30 dollars a day and my insurance doesn't cover it. If this is been going on so long, why is there not a class suit? If you have a number i can call for same, please advise. Thank you, [xxx]. You can reach me by phone at either [xxx] home, or [xxx]i look forward to hearing from someone soon, and your help is much appreciated. *jb information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle lurched forward without warning. The vehicle was inspected by an independent repair shop who determined the rainwater drainage tubes under the carpeted floorboard area leaked onto the electrical wiring which caused the automatic transmission control module to malfunction. The mechanic determined the wiring to the transmission control module needed replaced. The dealership and the manufacturer were alerted updated 10/17/2006 - the manufacturer refused to offer any assistance. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph on the highway, the engine stalled and there was a loss of all power without warning. The engine would not restart and the contact pushed the vehicle off the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who determined there was excessive oil sludge and the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was alerted.

Dt*: the contact stated an independent mechanic determined the vehicle had oil leaks from every seal and gasket. Oil was all over the entire bottom of the vehicle. The dealership was not contacted.

Turn signals and hazards worked periodically. Now they have stopped working all together. Went to vw but was told that nhtsa recall 04v584000 doesn't cover my car because of the vin number and they couldn't tell me for sure what the problem is with out my paying the 150.00 diagnosis fee first, then i would have to pay almost 100.00 an hour for them to repair the problem. *tr

I am a private fire investigator that recently investigated a fire in 2001 volkswagen passat. The fire was very minor originating below the plastic engine cover at the ignition coil modules and plug connector between cylinders #3 & 4. Appears to be a high resistance connection at the plug connector causing the plug connector to overheat and ignite. *jb

Abs module on my 2001 vw passat failed. This was a $1000 repair. I t failed at about 81,000 miles. *tr

The squeaking and creaking of the front end of my vw passat 2001 is horrendous. My local vw and the vw of a have done nothing to remedy the situation and, regardless of the increasing number of complaints and increasing problems in controlling the car, are asking for approximately $1500 to "fix" the problem. *tr

For the past 2 years i have had an ongoing problem of not having any brakes after my car sits for more than 8 hours. It is currently in the shop at the dealership for the 4th time with the same problem. *nm

We have a 2001 passat and put about 10k miles/year. The car has been serviced about twice every year at our local vw dealership since we bought it new. We originally bought the car with safety in mind. While driving on the interstate about a week ago, the engine light came on. The car seized/stalled as i was getting off the interstate. This could easily have led to a serious accident. I had the car towed to our dealership. Once they realized what had happened, they became very hostile. They asked us for all of our records. They had incomplete ones for us as the dealership had changed hands a few years ago. We have almost every record but this will not suffice for them. They are asking for half of the 11k repair bill (and suggested that we repair it and trade in for one of their used cars). What really bothers us is that part of the problem of missing records is due to the dealership. The other issue is that when the car had failed, the tow guy showed me that the oil cap was encrusted with sludge. When i pointed this out to the dealership and that while they probably would have seen this at the last oil change, that they are under no obligation to inform the customer of such a potential hazard. This is a major safety concern and vw/vw dealerships should be obliged to watch for this and at least suggest an engine flush. After too much trust, we are very disappointed with vw for this. They should know better. *jb

Headlights burn out and constantly need replacing, only problem is it must be completed at the dealership. Have replaced at least 7 lights since purchase of car. *jb

Water pump failed on freeway, unable to drive vehicle. *jb

My 2001 passat------my husband and i were driving on the freeway, the stop engine light appeared in big red lettering and proceeded to say that the oil pressure was low. We got to a gas station and checked the oil and it looked fine. Got home and looked again with better lighting, still the same. We had the vehicle towed to the dealership. There the service center had told us that this was due to "oil sludge" and will be covered under our extended warranty if documentation was provided for all oil change services. Not to mention the vehicle was purchase in 2001 with 6 miles and has only got 53000 now in 2006. I have gotten the routine oil changes up to date and they are requiring me to show proof of all oil changes. I would like to know who keeps every oil change receipt!!! This is insane. I am so fed up with the way vw is taking care of this issue, they are using this as an excuse so that they do not have to repair my vehicle. I am still in the process of trying to find all the "documentation" that is needed. I can not believe that less than 3 weeks of my last oil change vw still will not provide me with moderate service. I will never, repeat never buy another vehicle or recommend vw to anyone!! I have read all other similar complaints and i can see that vw has no remorse for the fishy service it is providing. I will take this action further. I just wonder how many people got there vehicles with the "sludge" covered under warranty??? Why even purchase the warranty if it is not covering the problem??? *jb

Abs / traction control module failure not covered by bosch or volkswagen. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. In rainy weather conditions, water enters the floor on the rear passenger side of the vehicle. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that water entered through the ducts that distribute heat. The cause of the failure was unknown. The failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 99,000.

2001 volkswagen passat coolant warning light illuminated and engine shut off. Once the vehicle was restarted it ran at reduced power. Upon inspection mechanic determined there was a faulty sensor in the cooling jacket. *kb moisture invaded the sensor, migrated up the wiring harness and destroyed the computer which managed all engine functions. The consumer was billed $3200. The technician at the dealer explain that this was not an uncommon failure. The consumer contacted the manufacturer but they refused to provide any assistance. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated with the windows rolled up in the rain, water is leaking inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. However, the contact suspected the pollen filter in the air conditioner was the cause. *ak

Hi, i have a vw passat 2001.5 sedan. I recently have notcied that water enters into the rear passenger floor when it rains. I hear that the problem is noticed by a number of fellow passat owners on various forums. I have learnt that water can damage previous electronics and can be very expensive to fix. I feel that there is a design problem here with the vw passat that allows water into the car when it should be kept out. I strongly hope vw would recall the vehicle to fix this problem. -- aravind. *nm

For the 2nd time in 14 months the system that drains rain water out of my car has become clogged. The result is that water collects under the floor board on the front passenger side of the vehicle, where computers are located inside an unsealed plastic box. The first time this happened, in dec 2004, i was told the failure was due to an unusually strong rain storm and the resulting water damage effected the break system. At that time the car was still under warranty. This time it's happening off warranty and i'm being told that one of the computers has to be replaced and there could be further damage which will only be detected after a new computer is installed. In both instances, the seats and carpeting had to be removed and the carpeting and wiring system had to be fan dried. This time around i spoke with a vw mechanic at the dealership where the repairs are being done and he said this is not an infrequent occurrence after a rain storm. Now, it seems to me that locating a computer system in a flat, low lying area of the car where water can collect is a huge design flaw, but that being the case, had i been made aware of the fact that regular flushing of the drainage system could have probably prevented a now costly and time consuming repair, i would have gladly taken my car in for such a service. Records will show that i followed vws scheduled maintenance program, having the service done at an authorized vw dealership on time. Surprisingly, flushing the drainage system is not part of vws routine maintenance program even though they are aware that the potential for this problem exists. It seems to me that flushing the drainage system is far more important than, say, filling the windshield wiper fluid, but then i guess vw stands to benefit far more from repairing a water damaged computer system as opposed to replacing a windshield wiper blade. *nm

Consumer has had three instrument clusters replaced in his 2001 volkswagen passat. *ts according to the dealer and manufacturer this problem is rare and is likely a wiring problem. The manufacturer hasn't taken any steps to permanently fix the problem, instead they just keep replacing the instrument cluster. *nm

The dash module begins to smoke and blows out the instrument cluster. Although the fire is inside the dash, it causes a serious driving disability. It has occurred 3 times in the last year, and volkswagen refuses to assist. The local dealership also refuses, they just keep replacing the part. *nm

This failure is documented well by dozens of consumers: http://www.Theautobahn.Com/forum/showthread.Php?T=12789&page=1. Ak this complaint is against volkswagen for passat year gls 2001.5 (1) heavy rain (2) gallons of water collected in rear passenger footwell (3) pollen filter replaced (twice so far)

Dt*: the contact states there is nhtsa recall 04v584000 regarding the hazard flashing warning light switch. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however, it is not included in the recall due to the vin. The vehicle was seen by a dealer and repaired as instructed in the recall. *ak updated 2/24/2005 - the turn signal made a ticking noise although it wasnt activated. *nm

Abs module failed causing the abs braking to stop functioning. Because the module would only work intermittently it was hard to determine whether or not the abs module was working so extreme caution had to be taken with braking. Abs module was removed by myself and sent to a refurbisher to be repaired and then reinstalled.*ak

My 2001 volkswagen passat needs a new engine because it is filled with sludge. After researching this on my own i found that this is a common problem with the 1.8t engine. Vw issued an extended warranty on that engine provided the consumer can produce oil change receipts showing the car was maintained according to the owners manual. I sent them the proper receipts showing my car was maintained properly and they still denied me. My car only has about 43,000 miles on it and i just bought it 10 months ago. *jb

2001 volkswagen passat low mileage of 21,000 miles. Normally garaged and maintained according to schedule. After rain, found an inch of water in rear passenger floor. Transmission non-functional, air bag warning light and other warning lights on. Dealer said the pollen filter seal was no good and that water leaked in and destroyed the transmission control unit which is located in the floor behind the passenger seat. Cost of repair in excess of $3,100. Vw refuses to compensate in any way because warranty was only for two years. Transmission and power train are covered for 5 years, but vw says the failure was due to "outside influence". I have read many accounts on the internet from many angry owners of similar problems where leaks from this seal have caused catastrophic repairs. The service manager at the vw dealer told me that checking the pollen filter seal is not part of any regular maintenance and that in order to check it, you'd need to disassemble quite a few things in the engine compartment. When i asked him how an owner could possibly know if the seal needed replacement and he replied "you found out how". I am clearly not alone in having experienced a failure from a part that is not in any way maintainable (the pollen filter seal) and that has caused major damage to the car. I feel this is a consumer issue and that this is a design defect in the passat that vw should compensate owners for. There is no way for an owner to be able to avoid this situation -- it is not a matter of maintenance. It got to do with the passat leaking water and the location of an extremely expensive component in the rear passenger floor, the area where any water that leaks migrates to. If this failure had occurred during driving, i might have had an accident. *jb

My vw passat gls 2001's abs/asr light keeps on at all times now. Went to the technician to put a repair kit since the abs control module was not communicating with the main computer. On trying 3-4 different kits, taking to the dealerships, the error code showed sensor failure but all the sensors worked fine, electrical were without any opens or shorts. The abs control module fails to communicate. I am to know that this is a very common problem with vw/audi especially the bosch modules. It is a safety issue since abs doesn't work on this expensive vehicle. *jb

My 2001 volkswagen passat had a timing belt failure due to an internal component that caused the car to just turn off. This belt did not fail, but the component did which caused it to fail. Here is the concern: just think if you are traveling in bumper to bumper traffic and this part fails, you are all done. You lose the car, nothing is available to get you over to a safe spot. Its just a matter of time when someone is traveling and this happens. Note - volkswagen is aware of this issue and offers a upgrade kit to replace this part. Also, no where in their service guide lines will you be able to detect this part through the techs. I'm hoping by submitting this we make them accountable and to correct this issue. I do have the belt which shows that it did not fail as they pitched it.*ak

Dt: the contact stated while driving the front post of the driver's side seat broke. This caused him to fall into the back seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and is currently being repaired.*ak

Oil pump failure: the warning light turned on "stop, oil pressure low" contacted vw and was told that i needed to bring the car in for an inspection. It was determined that there was a sludge build up in the oil which caused the oil pump to fail. Recently vw has issued a new warranty for the replacement of the oil pump due to this problem, only if you have your oil receipts from day one. I wish to keep my vw for a long time and yes oil was changed on a regular basis, however receipts are difficult to find from day one. From my findings and what makes sense is that the turbo is over heating the oil and building up a sludge in the oil. As of today my pump was replaced along with the cam. The dealership did the necessary work but has not really informed me as to any future problems that will arise. Where as other oil repair shops know of vw with turbo that have failed at 20,000 miles and then again at 40,000 miles. As of today i question if the turbo was inspected for sludge or was an oil flush done. *jb

2001 volkswagen passat was parked, locked and sealed for period of one week. During this period, heavy rains fell and interior of car was flooded. Vehicle was taken to dealership for diagnosis and repairs on 10/21. Vehicle was diagnosed with defective sunroof frame as source of leak causing damage to "transmission computer and airbag module." manufacturer and dealership do not want to assume any responsibility for defect and i am concerned that they are avoiding and or concealing information about more than just monetary damages and vehicle's defect. Of particular concern is airbag module damage and any other components of this system that could be damaged or defective also. Please advise. *nm

I have a 2001 passat with 66,xxx miles on it and the transmission went out. It is going to cost 4000.00-5000.00 to have this fix. I do not think a car with this many miles should have a transmission go out and to top it off when i purchased this car 6 months ago with 51,060 from walsher in bloomington, mn they said i had a 10yr/100,000 mile power train warranty on it, well come to find out since i am a second owner it only goes to 50,000 miles which means *jbwhen i purchased the car it didn't even have the warranty.

Cowl drain became clogged for no apparent reason. During heavy rain the passenger compartment became flooded and the dashboard electronics became flooded resulting in over $2,000 worth of damage. Please note that i am filing this complaint on behalf of my parents who are elderly and frail. *jb

A couple of days ago my abs, brake and asr lights came on not necessarily together. The abs and brake would be together with the matrix display showing stop service manual and later the asr light would be on with the rest going off. Funny, i was going down a slope, no braking, the abs/brake came on and went off immediately! Its very random, comes on or off at any time. Checking on the internet, it seems like its a very common occurrence with vw cars. *jb

Purchased the vehcile (second-hand) from the lexus dealership on veterans drive in metairie,la back in march 2004. Here is my complaint: my family evacuated for hurricane 'katrina' and we left the vw behind at the house. Well, it sat for about a month. Once we got back to the vehicle, we noticed it was not running good at all. Very rough. Very different than before the storm. I checked the car out and found out it was very low on oil. Yet, we have no oil leaks. I could not explain where the oil had gone. And the oil in the case of the vehicle looked "grainy" and "sludgey". We thought it was storm related and filed a claim with state farm. We then took it to the local vw dealer near my office to have to locate the problem. The vw service guy said, yes, volkswagen has identified a mechanical problem with our model vehicle where the turbo can not handle conventional motor oil. They would fix that free of charge....However, they need the last 12 month history of our oil changes. Well, at first i thought this would be no problem. We have always gotten our regular oill changes so the receipts should be handy. Well, i didn't take into account that the destruction of our new orleans home by hurricane katrina. Our house was a total loss and so were those receipts. I think we managed to get our hands on two of them. Well, that's not good enough for vw. As a matter of fact, they won't even take hand-written receipts from the oil change places. I am extremely angry that they will not fix an existing problem with their vehicle without this information. They acknowledge the fact that it's the vehicle mechanisms but they refuse to fix it without copies of receipts i can never produce. All of new orleans was destroyed. Now, my wife, who has to commute 50 miles each way to work, has to drive her unsafe vehicle and endanger her life because vw refuses to fix a problem they admit their car has. We have no recourse but to file this complaint with the nhtsa. *nm

All bolts holding compressor in place broke. *nm

Engine oil sludge- i have been reading about volkswagens problem with 1.8 turbo engines creating a sludge that results in low to no oil pressure. I have one of the cars affected, a 2001 passat. Recently my "stop engine" light came on. I did stop and changed the oil and filter immediately. I called a volkswagen dealer and he said that yes my car was covered for 8 years from in service date. He did say however that trying to get everyone to "sign off" might pose some difficulty when the problem actually arises. My friend has a 2003 audi with the same 1.8 t and he has had his car in for this problem twice. I think there need to something from a government agency to document this problem and hold volkswagen accountable. I can't believe that they are still allowed to make these same engines. *jb

My vw passat is only 4 years old and i have already replace my exterior headlights/tailights replaced 9 times. This is unacceptable and the dealer along with the vw customer care says there is nothing they can do about it. Basically, i have to keep paying to get new headlights that only last about a year. *nm

I own 2001 vw passat with 43200 miles. This past year i noticed failures of outer cv joint boot both sides and rubber dust boots on all ball joints which causes a dirt and water to destroy ball joints. I changed outer cv join boot both sides and one upper control arm ball joint and others will fail soon. *jb

Dt: 2001 volkswagen passat. The plug in the bulb failed. The only way to fix it was to buy a headlight assembly for the driver's side and the passenger's side. All connectors don't resist heat. Called dealer, consumer did not want to pay for the repairs. *ak *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 55 mph, the "stop vehicle do not drive", and oil pressure warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The indicators remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer and they repaired the engine. The previous repair required the vehicle to remain at the dealer for one month. On three separate occasions, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for identical failures, but there were no resolutions. In addition, during rainy weather conditions, five inches of water leaked onto the front passenger side floor panel. There was electrical failure due to the water leakage that caused gear component damage. Recently, the contact received a recall notice that consists of installation of a drainage filter and fuel system component repair. The vehicle has not been repaired for these malfunctions. The nhtsa campaign id number was unknown. The failure mileage was 36,000 and current mileage was 85,000.

The check engine light came on with a message display of "emissions workshop!" around 73k mi. The car dealer i bought it from thought it might be the o2 sensors, but it turned out not be to. I took it to the local vw dealer and they told me that it was a "recall/service bulletin" problem of some sort so they reset my onboard computer. The check engine light came on again with the same message shortly there after. I took it in to the vw dealer again and they replaced both of my catalytic converters (which were covered by the vw emissions warranty). This seemed to have resolved the problem. (the problem occurred the same day i purchased the vehicle so it would be a good assumption that this problem had occurred before i attained the vehicle). *nm

The fuel gauge on my 2001 volkswagen passat has been malfunctioning for the past five weeks. The gauge displays a "full" reading for the first 100-150 miles of driving, after filling the gas tank. After 100-150 miles, the gauge displays 7/8 full, and the needle does not move until approximately 300-380 miles have been driven, at which point the needle displays 1/2 tank of fuel remains. This vehicle will generally yield 400 to 430 miles on a full tank of fuel. My wife drives this vehicle daily, and has nearly run out of fuel twice on the interstate due to a false reading on the fuel gauge. The local volkswagen dealership, and volkswagen of america states there is no recall campaign on my vehicle, and refuses to repair or replace the defective component at their expense. *nm

Dt: the contact states that the vehicle is a 2001.5 volkswagen passat. There is a problem with the windows fogging. This occurs when the temperature is around 50 degrees or less. The fog will appear on the window after the vehicle is started. Sometimes the fog will appear after the contact was driving. It will occur wither or not the heater or fan turned on. The problem seems to be less severe once the vehicle was heated . The only way the fog will go away is if the air conditioner is turned on high. She has already taken it to the dealership twice, each time they did a pressure check to the heater core , but no repairs were made. She is taking it back again to the dealer. There was a previous problem with the radiator leaking. The radiator was replaced on october 4, 2005. The fog problem appears to have gotten worse since the radiator was replaced. *ak

Dt: on august 25 onwer was upset because he had to replace tie rods, and had the vehicle aligned. He said the tie rods had to be replaced becuase they were frozen. The repair shop replaced the tie rods.*ak *nm

At approx. 74,300 mi. Our 2001 vw passat gls v6 automatic had an abs failure. We purchased the vehicle new from a vw dealer in 2001 and have it serviced by vw dealers. Other vw owners i have spoken to (some while in the service area of the dealership!) have also had abs failure. The abs unit is back-ordered and wait listed because so many have failed and been requested. I am on my 4th week of waiting for the part, after having to pay for it in full up front. This is a very expensive part: rebuild kit is $650 while the unit itself is approx. $1,100. I believe this part suffer chronic failure among vw's and audi's. I also believe the ignition coils should be recalled as mine are failing and so many others are failing.*jb

Lack of power when pressing the accelerator may have caused an accident, pulling out in traffic. This was due to water leak in pollen filter box (cracked) which affected the shift lock solenoid, affecting the transmission control module. *nm

The front control arms on my 2001 vw passat need to be replaced. The car only has 54k miles on it. *jb

Car was making noise at slow speed and would shake at faster speeds. I was told i needed 2 tie rods which were replaced. The problem continued and i was then told it was the control arms and i needed all 4 replaced. My car is not even 4 years old and has only 45,000. I understand from other sites that this is a problem on vw's and audi's. *jb

Function of turn signals and hazard lights on my 2001 passat (40,000 miles) has been degrading over time. Both systems are now completely inoperable. Vw (800-822-8987) claims they have never heard of this problem, although there is an active vw recall for this problem on 2000-2002 golf, gti and jetta, and the nhtsa representative to whom i spoke has told me there are many reports of this problem on 2001 passats (but no current recall). Obviously, we will be getting this fixed asap. However, i would request that 1) a recall be initiated and 2) vw provide reimbursement to all owners such as myself who will have paid for this repair out of their pockets. This is a very dangerous problem that is clearly widespread on 2000-2002 vw vehicles of all models. *nm

Dt: caller said the air bags deployed without warning. While driving caller said both curtin air bags deployed over the doors. Caller said he did not have a crash or hit a bump. Caller said an engine warning light came on ,and there wa sa blinking warning light. Caller made appointment to have it looked at, but did not make it before the air bag deployed. Vehicle was at dealer, and they said they have never seen this before. Manufacturer has not been contacted yet.*ak

I own a 2001 volkswagen passat station wagen and have had nothing but trouble with it since i bought it. I had to replace the engine due sludge and volkswagen of america would not reimburse me because i was missing one oil change receipt the lights keep coming on in the car telling me i have engine problems once again, and i bring it in for regular repairs and check ups. Currently the suspension part of the car has gone and that will cost another $2000 on top of the $7000 i already put into it. That does not include new tires and other things that have gone wrong with this idiot car. Volkswagen does not stand by its customers at all and i will never ever buy from them again and will tell people i know the car is a piece of crap. The place i bring in my car to for repair already knows that. Do not bring it into a volkswagen repair place to have it fixed> they are the biggest ripp offs and so totally dishonest!!!! I bought the car from jack daniels in fairlawn, nj and have had it repaired at trend motors, in denville, nj *jb

At approx. 70,000 miles my 2001 vw passat 4 cyl automatic has an abs failure. I purchased the vehicle certified used in 2002 from a vw dealer and have had it regularly serviced. Other vw owners that i know have had similar complaints. In act it is apparently well known in the automotive industry that vw`abs units are sub-standard and prone to defectiveness. When i returned to my local vw dealer, i was told that the unit cost $1300. The person at the dealership also made a comment the reflected on the sub-standard quality of passat abs modules. I have seen internet postings detailing the numerous failures of vw passat abs units. *nm

A/c slowly stopped blowing cold air, fumes or smoke began coming out of the vents. Coolant leaked all over the passenger floorboard which is now ruined. Dealer said the heater core needed replaced which was not covered under the extended warranty. Total repair cost was $1700, all this and the car only has 35,000 miles on it. I have heard that this is a common problem according to the dealer. Eyes have been burning lately from the smoke that was being blown through the vents. Dealer replaced heater core and there is still a bit of smoke being blown out. Very displeased.

Dt: consumer ran out of gas on a two lane street going over a [xxx], there was no place to pull to the side when vehicle ran out of gas. There was no warning of low gas from the vehicle. There was no warning light, no warning tone, or warning of any kind. Gauge did not show empty or show the correct gas level. This happened in the morning on wednesday with two kids in the vehicle.*ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6).* tr

Running out of fuel without warning while the fuel gauge indicates that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.

My abs and brake lights started blinking while i was driving on the freeway and i got a "stop", "brake failure", "service manual" signs with several beeps. I had to stop over the shoulder, took it to a dealer and it was detected that it was a abs computer module malfunction (not really an abs mechanical issue). The dealer said there was no recall. I called vw america and they said there was no known recalls. The dealer quoted $700 for this part. There are so many people who have experienced this problem and i'm surprised that vw has not responded so far. The effects of this are that the main computer module would eventually become defective and strange signs/warnings/beeps would come over the dashboard. Vw passat glx v6, 2001. (its only 5 yrs old and 60k miles). Please do something about this. It happens intermittently (once per driving session) we would not know when there is a real abs problem which could cause catastrophic incidents (per service manual). *nm

Automobile: 2001.5 vw passat 1)the headlights stopped working - both the left and the right side. The daylights, the foglights and the brights continued to work. 2) the left side headlight electrical connection had melted. This could have caused a fire. 3) we brought the car to a service center. They replaced the right headlight. Upon inspection of the left headlight, it was discovered that the headlight electrical connection had melted. We were told that this could have caused a fire. Question: if the electrical connection on the left side has melted, isn't there a good chance that the electrical connection on the right side will also melt?

Texas deceptive trade practices act breach of warranty regarding the 2001 volkswagen passat.***no answer required***.*mr *jb

Contact states: turn signal/ hazard switch malfunctioned. Had problem for two weeks. Dealer told consumer to call volkswagen. There were recalls on other models with the same problem. Safety recall 15.*ak

Failure to start when it does the fumes resemble paint thinner very concerned with possible explosion. *nm

Engine light continually goes on and off, when blinking on, the car shakes, as if it is about to stall, and a bad odor emits. When driving , the car would not exceed 20-30 mph, even when the gas pedal was to the floor. Brought the car to vw first time, they said the light came on because the car was idle for a day or so. The 2nd time, after going to an independent repair shop and having all the plugs replaced and a complete tune-up, same thing happened the next day. Independent shop said the only other thing was the ignition coils and that they were expensive. Called vw dealership(car is on extended warranty-less than 30 thousand miles & a 2001), waited 9 days before they could look at the car, however, the engine light was out again. I explained to them the problem, and all they said was that vw does not have a recall on the ignition coils, they replaced the newly purchased plugs again, and said there was nothing wrong with the coils??? Cost me $261.00 plus a rental car, but there was nothing wrong.*ak

Bad heater core needed to be replaced after 48,000 miles. Dealer service unwilling to cover repairs.*ak

Since buying the car, there has been an odor from the heater vents. On february 25, when using the heater, my son reported large amounts of mist coming from the vents. The dealer checked and foudn that there is a crack in the heater core, and the mist was from pooled antifreeze. The mist is clearly toxic, yet we were breathing it for weeks, only noticing when the crack worsened. The car has only 17,500 miles on it. Why did the heater core crack? *ak

1.Normal driving 2.Rear brake rotor warp and excessive pad wear 3. 3 seperate incedenses of rear brake repairs. (there have not been any on the front brakes to date) 4 rear rotors and 3 sets of pads in 52,000 miles. The service manager at the dealer insists this is the normal wear pattern for the vehicle, especially the inner pad on the drivers side rear..Vw of america is backing the stance that the dealer is correct. This has created an unsafe braking condition because th the brake pedal oscillates during all braking.

Upper left control arm bushing failure at 35,000 miles. Needs replacing.*ak

Failure occurred spontaneously. After turn signal (left or right) was deactivated (whether manually or automatically after completing turn, prominent scratching or "shorting" noise could be heard and vibration felt underneath the flasher switch for varying periods of time. Dealer replaced switch, however, a noise continued from behind the flasher switch at irregular intervals. Dealer said that this was caused by defect in turn signal mechanism in steering column. That repair is pending. Concern is for failure of either the flashers or turn signals and/or electrical short in the system which could lead to other problems. The situation bears similarity to the existing nhtsa campaign id number: 04v584000 involving some of the same components in vw jettas of the same manufacturing year.*ak

The consumer experienced a problem with the headlights. The owner stated that while trying to take the vehicle through state inspection the vehicle failed because the headlights would not adjust. The adjustments were done from the reflector. The adjustment screw vibrated, and eventually fell off, making this very difficult to maintain. *ak the consumer stated that the plastic gear vibrated. The light fell out of the adjustment. The plastic gear fell off and the lights went out of alignment. On feb 4 the vehicle failed a state inspection because the lights were out of alignment and could not be corrected. *tc both head lamps were defective due to a small adjustment screw on the lamp assembly. *sc *jb

The abs light comes on, but the car is not doing anything different, i also get the epo light on, took it to vw service ctr they said it will cost $1500 + 2.5 hrs labor. I called up volkswagen of america customer service they said they cannot help, even though 1000s of other volkswagens have the same problem.*ak

Nhtsa 01v157000 sites a problem with the fuel tank gauge my vehicle absolutely has this defective part. The gas gauge will record 280 miles then after driving a few hours it will say 380 miles left for fuel then in a 30 mile distance it will plummet down to 60 or less. The car is a 2001 passat and neither the dealership nor volkswagen of america has this as a recall as of 08/04/05 *jb

Strong smell of gas emanating from engine compartment and into cabin through heating system, drove to vw dealer, who told me i was lucky the car did not explode, the fuel line was leaking directly onto the catalytic converter, which heats to 1000 degrees. The dealership replaced the fuel line, although they charged a lot to do so.*ak

The steering wheel was loose. Dealer had to tighten the rack and pinion in order to alleviate the problem.*ak...Mechanic reported that part was almost out on one side, and had it come out ability to steer would have been lost. *ak

On three separate occasions, the 2001 vw passat v6 gls engine and all electrical quit for no apparent reason. One incident occurred on the freeway at approximately 65 mph. The vehicle was in the fast lane and the momentum allowed the vehicle to continue forward enough to get the vehicle restarted without coming to a complete stop. Luckily, there was not a lot of traffic because this could have resulted in a disastrous situation. During the incident that occurred today the vehicle had to be brought to a complete stop before being restarted. *nm

Trunk lid lock broke about 5 days before the 8th and it slowly drained the battery. Without my knowing that that would happen i did not attend the problem right away. The charges from vw to fix are: trunk-$ 120.85 battery- $318.18. *nm

I own a 2001 1.8 turbo vw passat with give or take 57,000 miles. The 1.8 turbo has an issue with oil sludge. While researching this issue i have discovered that this is not an uncommon problem with the 1.8 turbo and have concluded that this issue seems to be a manufacturing defect. Accordingly, vw has extended the power train warranty. I have records showing that all of my oil changes were done within a timely manner. However in two instances i exceeded the "recommended maintenance": in the first case it was by 26 miles and in the second case it was approximately 290 miles. If vw has denied my claim due to those situations, they should not state in the warranty that the owner follow the "recommended maintenance" schedule but that the owner should follow a "required maintenance" schedule. I would also like to point out that a 2001 car, that cost over $22,000, that has been taken care of, and has less that 60,000 miles, such as mine, should not have engine failure. Even if i went over the "recommended maintenance" by 500 or 700 miles, which was not the case, the engine should not give out. Vw needs to take accountability for this issue. I would also like to point out that i never received notification from vwoa regarding the oil sludge issue. I have all of my records stating that i have performed the "recommended maintenance" not required maintenance, in a timely manner. Yet vw has denied my claim to cover the engine under warranty. *ak

'recall campaign' issued for volkswagen passat 2001, oil sludge warranty extension. *bf the vehicle broke down on the highway without any prior indications of problems, the oil and engine lights illuminated and the engine began making a screeching sound. The vehicle was towed to the dealership where they determined the engine had locked up from lack of oil. The warranty department refused to authorize the warranty coverage for the repair, because the consumer could not provided receipts from an automobile service company documenting that he had the oil changed regularly. The warranty dept. Stated the consumer was not entitled to warranty coverage for the engine and the turbo charger repairs. (lawyer on behalf of consumer) *jb

While driving 5 mph, the upper control arm snapped. This caused the consumer to lose steering control. The consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. The dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. Please provide more information. *nm

The crank shaft screw got loose, backed out, and rattled throughout the engine at 50 mph. Consumer was informed by the dealer that a new engine was needed because the screw ruined the interior parts of the engine.*ak

Check engine light flashed on the dashboard intermittently. Consumer took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the sludge was inside of the engine, and engine needed to be replaced. *ak

The vehicle had a faulty fuel sending unit. *nm recall#01v157000. *sc

Identical to complaints 10089069 and 10097846. Sudden warning light appearance while driving in highway. Indicated "low oil pressure -- stop motor". By the time an exit was reached engine was sputtering and knocking. Mileage is approximate -- car is at dealer about 50 miles distant. Ar is within warranty mileage and years (7 years/70,000 miles for power train). Volkswagen is refusing to provide warranty coverage because mileage was not recorded on receipts at time of oil changes. Have tried to work with both the vw dealer receiving the car as towed, and volkswagen customer service. *ak

The lower control arms have failed and the vw dealer recommends replacement at just 67000 miles. This is premature. I understand it is a common problem and a safety risk.*ak

At 13,000 miles, steering column began to "clunk" when turning the wheel. New steering column installed under warranty. At 27,000 miles, same problem returned. Informed by a mechanic that issue may be due to design of column universal joint when passing through firewall (sharp angle leads to more stress and likely failure over time.) when warranty expires, this will become my issue.*ak

Front suspension control arm bushings on 2001 (b5) passat model are defective and fail prematurely at 30,000-50,000 miles. Failure is systemic and widespread. Failure of front control arm bushings can lead to the loss of vehicle control causing an accident, injury, and possibly death. Investigation on the internet has shown this problem to be widespread both in europe and the us, yet vw has not taken any ownership of this serious product defect. Corrective action being taken is to install aftermarket components that have been strengthened to eliminate the defect and are manufactured by meyle of germany. As this model ages, the defect problem will increase.*ak

At approx 60k check engine light came on read "emissions workshop". Dealer hooked up computer and told me it was an oxygen sensor and some of the vacuum hoses had to be replaced. I took the vehicle to a vw specialty shop and they confirmed the o2 sensor problem and replaced a few vacuum hoses. The cars computer was cleared and two months later both the check engine light and emissions workshop indicators were back. Shop hooked up to their computer and confirmed that now a pre cat o2 sensor was bad. Two sensors in three months, both more than $200 to replace is unacceptable. Vw is supposed to have extended portions of its warranties but the dealer claims it doesn't cover these parts or repairs. The car has approx. 62,000 miles. From what i have heard this is a common problem that vw should be help accountable for. *jb

Oil sludge builds up in the engine. The oil is breaking down which is clogging the engine. While driving a light illuminated the dashboard, stating stop do not drive the vehicle oil pressure problem, and could damage the engine. There was no warning until it actually happened. Consumer contacted volkswagen. *ak

Driver's side low beam headlamp ("projector type") failed within 2 weeks of replacement. Asked dealer to find source of problem. Dealer found lamp socket melted and wiring burned. Replaced wire harness and socket and bulb. Vw technical service bulletin 9404-01, "headlamp electrical connection repair", issued 3/11/04, suggests this is a recognized defect in affected cars. This also suggests that replacement harnesses may be a redesigned part (e.G. Heavier wire, improved materials, etc.). It is not clear whether the harness used resolves the problem for both sides of car or not. Charged $54.45 for harness, $188.30 for entire job. This was partially covered by extended warranty. Requested reimbursement from both dealer and vwoa for out-of-pocket expenses for repairs to apparent defective component, but was denied based on age / mileage (86,485) of vehicle. Consequences of defect: potential underhood fire hazard. Loss of visibility for driver/oncoming vehicles.*ak

2001 passat gls v6. Water collected in the engine due to faulty drainage plugs and ruined the computer. Water also entered into cabin and soaked the rugs. The pollen filter also did not work. Computer and pollen filter were replaced. *ak also door on front passenger side has become unaligned. Also brakes needed to be totally replaced after 24,000 miles because rotors got warped. Also faulty ignition sensor needed to be replaced because engine light kept coming on. Also cv joints are rippiing and need to be replaced. Don't know why this is happening. Only have 25,000 miles on car and service it regularly.

I was traveling at freeway speed outside of pendelton oregon when the wind blew my sun roof off of my car. The sun roof was closed, and the car just erupted and the roof was literally peeled off the top of my car. I have taken photos of the problem, and it seems volkswagen is using a plastic caliper system to connect the sunroof glass assembly to the drive mechanics on the motor driven carraige. The plastic fatigued because of use and volkswagen could care less. The new assemblage is $2200 and there is no second choice, purchase the entire assembly or go without a sunroof..... After calling volkswagen and getting nowhere i am proceeding to small claims court in oregon for pursiut of my money back.*ak

Volkswagen passat glx 2001, defective brakes. *bf on several occasions, the brakes locked up and the front wheel overheated and started to smoke. The brake booster and master cylinder was replaced. *jb

Power brake boost failed; brake application required increased pedal force and distance to stop. Problem abated after 30 seconds, then recurred at next vehicle start- also subsided after a period of time. *ak took car to dealer who indicated that 2 supply lines to the brake booster had failed and cracked. Was told that repair would cost $150, but could not be fixed that day. Old parts available (including images prior to removal).

Lower right side near the vent control of dashboard rattles and makes a clicking noise when on uneven roads. Has been doing this since i bought it, but it has gotten worse with time. Vehicle has less than 15,000 miles on it. Took it to the vw service department and was told that the noise was just the leather rubbing; however, when they applied felt tape to the area, the noise was still present. Asked if it was a problem with how the dashboard was mounted, possibly a faulty clip, and the service advisor was quite rude saying there was no problem even though he heard the noise during test drive. I read on some vw message boards that there is an updated clip kit for the passat because so many vw/passat drivers have had the same type of problems. Is this true? *ak

2001 volkswagen passat - oil sludge - my car had a stop low oil pressure warning light. I pulled over, checked oil and oil pressure was not low. Proceeded and car lost power on the highway. It was very dangerous pulling over.*ak volkswagen will not pay for the $6000 repair. Engine seized. Volkswagen is trying to look like the nice guy with their extended warranty. The big catch--must have every receipt for every oil change to prove they were done every 5,000 miles. Volkswagen is not standing by their car. Horrible to deal with. This is a huge problem with many passat owners affected.

2001 volkswagen passat - oil sludge - my car had a stop low oil pressure warning light. I had it towed to the dealer and was told i needed a new oil pump for $900. Volkswagen would not pay for the repair, so i did. 10,000 miles later my engine failed and i was informed by the dealer i needed a new engine for $11,000. Again vw would not cover this fialure.. Volkswagen is trying to look like the nice guy with their extended warranty. The big catch--must have every receipt for every oil change to prove they were done every 5,000 miles. Volkswagen is not standing by their car. Horrible to deal with. This is a huge problem with many passat owners affected.*ak

I,m sending this complain on behalf of my brother-in-law who will not pursue this matter.However, i'm adimant as to the nature of this complaint.He has a 2001 vw passat.After hitting a bump at normal speeds, two of his air bags deployed. Vw said this is a normal occurrence as the sensor decided it was the thing to do. He's lucky he didn't lose control of the car. Obviously if this were a common malady in vehicles today, i dare say many accidents would occur. Vw will have nothing to do with it since he's out of warranty. Simply speaking, this ain't right!! Don brown. *ak

Tl*the contact owned a 2001 volkswagen passat. While driving at speeds of less than 65 mph she smelled gas. She was able to continue driving while fuel was escaping from the fuel line. The insurance company would not tow the vehicle and stated that she needed approval from the fire marshall. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic which replaced the fuel line for $700. The failure and current mileages were less than 40,000. Updated 01/14/09. *lj updated 01/21/09. *jb

The accelerator sticks. You have to turn the vehicle off in order to stop. The consumer is responsible for the cost of the repair. *nm

Shielding on exhaust system separated and made contact with manifold, causing a fire. *ak

While driving 40 mph accelerator pedal stuck to the floor. As a result, consumer had to put her shoe under the pedal an pull it up. *ak

Control arms required replacement at substatial cost.*ak

When driving the vehicle, the cruise control kicks on by itself. I don't know what the maximum speed that the cruise control is set, but i let the vehicle get up to over 85 mph yesterday before i 'canceled' the cruise control. The 'cancel' button only temporarily solves the problem - a few minutes later, the cruise control kicks on again. It does not matter if i'm on a highway or a residential street - the car will suddenly kick in and increase speed. I have not taken it to a dealer yet.*ak

While approaching an intersection, the driver applied the brakes and pedal went to the floor. Placed both feet on the brake pedal the vehicle continue to accelerated. The driver pulled the emergency brake up, and down shifted in order to stop. This caused tread separation on both driver and passenger side tires. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic informed the driver that the problem could not be duplicate. Please fill in additional information. *la

In july 2003 my 2001 volkswagen new passat 1.8l turbo had symptoms related to oil pressure problems. As i was traveling on vacation the car gave warning of this situation and the system advised that the car be stopped immediately. I stopped the car and began pursuing options to get the car to the nearest dealership. The dealership diagnosed the problem as oil sludge. The repair was as simple as cleaning the oil pump strainer and oil pan. The repair cost approximately $500.00. Now, some 20k miles later my car had another oil related issue. This time the oil cooler malfunctioned and ruptured causing $8,000 - $10,000 in repair cost. Of course the car is not under warranty and recent actions by volkswagen to extend warranties for oil sludge do not include the oil cooler. The oil sludge issue has been identified as a major concern of volkswagen of american by their actions toward the warranty extension, but they are avoiding parts and the mechanical operations that could lead to the problem being corrected. Obviously oil that is not properly cooled will break down quicker than oil running at more acceptable temperatures. Currently, volkswagen can make no conclusive analysis as to the relationship between an oil cooler malfunction and oil sludge. This would be key in determining the responsibility for the car repairs. Volkswagen of america's customer care advocates have referred me to my dealership on two occasions and my dealership seems to be unable to make 100% conclusive decisions. I believe it is volkswagens responsibility to guarantee their products. They are in no position to avoid responsibility especially after allowing the oil sludge issue to continue from 1998 models cars to current 2004 models without offering consumer assistance. Six years is a long time to have potentially serious mechanical issues unaddressed. Thank you. *jb

Despite light use of the vehicle, both the upper and lower control arms on our 2001 vw passat wagon have failed and required replacement. Although the company recognized a defect with the lower control arms and replaced them at its expense, we were charged $600 by the dealer to replace the upper control arms -- even though the vehicle had fewer than 25,000 miles at the time.*ak

Car has twice, spontaneously and forcefully (july10 and july 12), accelerated as i removed my foot from the accelerator to prepare for a stop. Dealership service cannot evaluate the problem until july 22. Service rep can't tell me whether it's safe to drive the car, because she has no idea what may have caused the problem. There are several incident reports on this website, describing exactly the same problem, and in one case there was an accident-related injury. I'd like to see an evaluation of this problem in this particular model (vw 2001 passat v), just to see how common it is, and to determine if a service recall is in order. *ak

While driving 70 mph the vehicle decelerated without warning. The consumer was able to coast to the side of the road. Please provide additional information. *jb

While driving my 2001 volkswagen passat on highway 95 at highway speeds, the "stop engine" light came on. The oil pressure warning light came on and indicated no oil pressure. We had to have the vehicle towed to the nearest volkswagen dealer where it took a complete engine teardown and oil pump replacement. The vehicle had only 40,000 miles on it and had been maintained well. This occurred without warning and could have resulted in stranding a woman or children alone. No deaths occurred, however complete engine failure at highway speeds could have resulted in loss of control of vehicle, leading to same.

While driving at 10 mph vehicle stalled, vehicle was towed to independent shop, and mechanic determined that clutch pressure plate broke in two parts. The part was replaced at the consumer's expense of $1055. *ak *nm

Sunroof area rattles / klunks occasionally over bumps. Payed $69.95 fee and dealer could not diagnose the problem. *ak

I have a 2001 new passat glx awd sedan with 23,000 miles. The automatic transmission has multiple problems, at least two with safety ramifications: (1) from a standstill start, the transmission will often produce a several second lag before synchronizing with the engine - the safety concern is that the car does not move at a rate of speed the driver could normally expect and may leave the driver and occupants exposed to collision from on-coming cars at difficult traffic intersections and merges; (2) at low speeds, 15 mph and lower, the transmission often clunks into gear causing a forward surge of the vehicle, creating the risk of the vw rear ending a vehicle in stop and go traffic. Vw has been unable to fix the problems.*ak

For the third time in 6.5 months, the rear passenger window on my 2001 volkswagen passat wagon has shattered. The previous two occurrences were reported earlier. This time the car was parked in the parking lot at work and the window was open a few inches. Upon returning to my car after work around noon, i found the window shattered again and shards of glass all over the inside of the car. After the previous incident, the volkswagen representative indicated that there was not a defect in the car. He felt that outside influences caused the problem. That is difficult to believe after the third occurrence.

I took my 2001, vw passat vr6 with 46k miles on it for body work. I had no problems with the car. Received the car back from dealer with "emissions workshop" light on. I researched the problem to find that a significant number of other owners have had the same problem ("emissions workshop"). *ak

Heat exchanger (heater core) failure at 50004 miles. *ak

While driving at 25 mph air bag light came on and stayed on. Vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the o-ring in the driver's side air bag. *ak

2001.5 vw passat glx 2.8lv6. Intermittent starting problem. Worse when cold outside. Turn key to start, no cranking, drls and dash lights dim (relay cutout during starter operation), but will not turn over. Left me stranded at home. Has almost left me stranded numerous times, sometimes in traffic! I am afraid to drive the car far from home (long trip). This is not right on a 2.5 year old car that has been well maintained. It is unsafe. I am so close to switching back to japanese brand cars, though i love the interior and driving dynamics of my passat. $1200 in repairs in two months for a starter and ignition lock/switch assembly. Works for a few days then the problem comes back! Dealer says they have had several passats with the same problem. This is not an isolated case. Today i was in line for my state emissions test and it woudl not start, took 5 minutes, blocking the test lane! My 1978 lincoln is more dependable (but costs a fortune to drive with gas prices!). *ak

Continuing oil pressure problems on the 2001 vw passat. Widespread problem that is reported on the internet. Causes premature engine failure due to premature burning of oil. In my case, vw is not taking responsibility for this defect. *jb

Rear passenger window shattered while parked in garage. This occurred twice within a 5 month period. This complaint is filed for the most recent event. The first event occurred on 10/30/2003. The first time the window shattered it was closed. The second time it shattered,the window was open a few inches. *nm

Fuel gauge has stopped functioning properly. Fuel gauge reads full at all times even when fuel level is less than full. *jb

The consumer stated that the vehicle burned oil too fast. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the gaskets were leaking. *nm consumer made two oil repairs and headlights needed replacement on vehicle. Also, vehicle's rear brakes needed replacement. *la

I bought the car from a dealer and know from carfax report the car was recently off lease. I put 15 miles on it and internally inside the dash black smoke radiated from the vents and sparks fell under the car. Within seconds flames shot out from under the dash. The fire company arrived in less than 5 minutes but by then the car was an inferno. *ak

The car shut off traveling about 45 mph. I was told by a vokswagen warranty spokesperson that it does not fall under a saftey issue. I diagree. I lost all braking and turning power and was glad that i was not on the highway with my kids in the car. I am currently waiting for it to be fixed. I have been four days now without a vehicle. They will not pay for a loaner car.*ak

I have a 2001 vw passat. I turned the seat heater o onthe dirvers side and in about 5 minutes their was smoke coming from the seat and the heating coil had burned a hole in the seat.

The trunk latch broke when closing the trunk normally and would not latch. There was no visible damage and the dealer said the inside components were shattered. I had to pay for the deductible because my extended warranty covered the item. I have heard of this happening to other passat owners. Is this a manufacturing defect?*ak

This is the letter i sent to vw. They are maintaining "the vehicle now operates accorind to maufacturer's specifications" and are refusing to do anything. Help!!What do i do now???*ak vw customer care 3499 w. Hamlin road rochester hills, michigan 48309 to whom it may concern: i am writing in regards to our 2001 vw passat, . If you review the file, you will find that this car has now failed three times. The failures are such that all power cuts out and creates a potentially hazardous driving situation. We have been very fortunate in that so far it has not happened when traveling at freeway speeds. We feel that there is an inherent defect with the vehicle. Ideally, we would expect replacement of the vehicle or replacement of the entire electronic system and wire harness. If your company is unwilling to comply, we would like a letter acknowledging the past failures and our concern that we have a vehicle we feel is unsafe to drive. Furthermore, we would like written confirmation of our informing you that we hold your corporation liable if the vehicle fails and the end result is an accident. Frankly, this is a nightmare. We only wish that when we had the choice of toyota, volvo or vw, that we had not chosen vw. Stephen mcchrystal

2001.5 new passat 1.8 turbo i purchased in may of 04 with 26 k miles replaced the oil pump at 35000 and i picked the car up from the dealership yesterday and drove a block noticed a new noise went back to the dealership they say it needs a new turbo unit. *ak

While at a stop vehicle jerked forward.*ak

The front driver seat smelt like it was burning and a small amount of smokeor haze appeared in the car. Turned seat off and it dissipated. Is this a major porblem? Also on interior door handles a cheap repaint peels off after less than two years. I see this problem in all vws, so i look at this as a major problem . When i approached vw america, they offered to pay half the cost as the car is out of warranty, hmmm. Thank you. *ak