1996 Volkswagen Passat complaints

WHILE DRIVING 60MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED FOR NO REASON. THIS CAUSED A TRAFFIC HAZARD. HAD NO WARNING. TOWED TO DEALER. INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE PROBLEM WAS ALTERNATOR. THE BATTERY WAS ALSO DEFFECTIVE. BOTH ALTERNATOR & BATTERY NEEDED REPLACING. WAS GIVEN NO REASON CONCERNING ALTERNATOR. *AK

FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINES. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

ABS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, AND THE ABS SYSTEM IS LOCKING UP. ALSO, HORN KEEPS GOING OFF, AND CRUISE CONTROL KEEPS COMING ON. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ABS LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT KEEP COMING ON. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL COMES ON, AND THE ABS SYSTEM LOCKS UP. WHEN CONSUMER GETS OUT OF VEHICLE, HORN WILL KEEP BLOWING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND SHIFTS GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE VACUUM HOSE BROKE AT 55000 MILES, WAS REPAIRED AND FAILED AGAIN AT 60000. SINCE A DEALER WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME IT WAS REPAIRED WITH DUCT TAPE. (THE DUCT TAPE PROVED TO BE MORE RELIABLE). THE HOSE WAS THEN REPAIRED AT 70000 MILES AND FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME AT 72500 MILES. IT IS CURRENTLY REPAIRED WITH DUCT TAPE. THIS PROBLEM IS FURTHER AGREVATED BY THE FACT THAT NONE OF THE THREE DEALERS I HAVE CONTACTED HAVE HAD THE PART. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED IN RAPID CITY, SD. THE DEALER THERE DID NOT HAVE THE PART AND THE NATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR DID NOT HAVE THE PART. ONE WAS FINALLY LOCATED IN TEXAS AND FED-EXED TO RAPID CITY. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED IN NORTHERN CALIF. THE DEALER IN PALM SPRINGS DID NOT HAVE THE PART AND THE NATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR DID NOT HAVE THE PART AND HE COULD NOT LOCATE A DEALER THAT HAD ONE. I DROVE BACK TO FL WITH THE DUCT TAPE REPAIR. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER IN TALLAHASSEE, FL HE DID NOT HAVE THE PART BUT HE ORDERED ONE FROM JACKSONVILLE. I RETURNED TO THE TALLAHASSEE DEALER AFTER THE THIRD FAILURE ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON. HE DID NOT HAVE THE PART AND COULD NOT GET ONE UNTIL THE NEXT TUESDAY. I HAVE NOT RETURNED! I ACTUALLY FEEL SAFER WITH THE DUCT TAPE THAN I WOULD WITH THEIR REPAIR PART. *AK

ON THIS MODEL VW--I.E., DIESEL, FAILURE OF IGNITION SWITCH RESULTS IN PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER BRAKING, HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION--THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PROBLEM WAS CALLED TO MANUFACTURER'S ATTENTION VIA LETTER AND VIA BRINGING INTO A VW DEALER FOR REPAIR. DEALER WAS NOT SELLING DEALER MENTIONED ABOVE. *AK

ON TUESDAY, OWNER NOTICED THAT THE DRL WERE NOT WORKING AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR A/C FAN. DRIVER HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED BY DEALER TO 'JIGGLE' SWITCH IN ORDER TO GET BOTH WORKING. INSTRUCTIONS DID NOT MAKE EITHER TO WORK. DRIVER SWITCHED OFF ENGINE WHILE MOVING, TRYING TO GET EITHER TO WORK. AFTER TRYING THIS SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO LUCK, ONE INCIDENT CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO 'SET'. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL EITHER BY SWITCH, BRAKE PEDAL OR CLUTCH PEDAL. DRIVER ENDED UP TURNING OFF CAR IN ORDER TO CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL. AFTER LETTING CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, BOTH ITEMS WORKED AGAIN, BUT AFTER THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT, BOTH ITEMS DID NOT WORK AGAIN. *AK

LOCKING MECHANISMS ON VEHICLE IS BAD. ALL FOUR DOORS GET STUCK. CONSUMER HAS HAD TO GET A MECHANIC TO GET THE DOORS OPEN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING A MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, CAUSING THE SPEED OR FUEL NOT TO REGISTER, AND OTHER FUNCTIONS BECAME INOPERABLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ODOMETER REPLACED: NEW MILAGE IS ZERO(0): USED-CAR BUYERS BEWARE OF THIS PROBLEM... INACCURATE MILAGE READINGS

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEP COMING ON, AND NOW THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD DON'T WORK, INCLUDING THE SPEED GAUGE/GAS GAUGE, AND ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE OPERATED BY THE COMPUTER. CONSUMER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED INTERMITTANTLY CAUSING LOUDNESS AND VIBRATION, MAKING CAR UNDRIVABLE AND TO FAIL STATE INSPECTION.

GAUGE CLUSTER AND HVAC CONTROL UNIT BOTH FAILED AT STARTUP. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE CAUSE OF FAILURES. *AK

ALL DOORS AT 32 DEGREES AND BELOW INTERMITENTLY WILL NOT STAY CLOSED/ INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITENTLY WOULD NOT SHOW MILAGE 1 YEAR AGO BUT NOW THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INCLUDING SPEED,FEUL LEVEL, AND TACH DO NO WORK AT ALL

"O" RING AND SEAL WERE CRACKED, CAUSING OIL LEAKAGES. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPLACE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAILED PARTS FOR NO CHARGE. *AK *ML

THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT ALWAYS CLOSE. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR PASSENGER'S DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DOOR LATCH ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS REPLACED IN DEC OF 1996. THE MANUFACTURE/DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH BOTH DOORS. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. SEEMS TO BE MORE OF A PROBLEM IN THE COLDER MONTHS. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN THE OFF POSITION THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ABS FAILURE.

RIGHT REAR AND RIGHT FRONT DOOR LOCK AND LATCH HAS FAILED. THE DRIVER AND FAMILY WENT OUT OF TOWN WHEN THE RIGHT REAR DOOR CAME OPEN WHILE THE DRIVER WAS ON A BRIDGE, ON A MIXMASTER ABOUT 75 FT. IN THE AIR. THE DRIVER PULLS THE CAR OVER TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND THE DOOR CAME OPEN AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.

WHEEL BEARING FAILED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAUSING VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL.

ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED REAR WINDOWS OPEN BY THEMSELVES. IN ORDER FOR WINDOWS TO REMAINED CLOSED, THE CONTROL BUTTON MUST BE DEPRESS UNTIL WINDOWS ARE CLOSED AND VEHICLE TURNED OFF. WINDOWS REOPEN WHEN VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED.

CONSUMER BEGAN TO SMELL BURNING OR SMOKE. HE CHECKED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE SCENT WAS THE BRAKES LEFT REAR WHEEL. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED BRAKES TWICE AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. LEE HIGH VALLEY VOLKSWAGEN--ALLENTOWN, PA. *AK

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED.

THE LATCH FAILED ON THE DRIVER SIDE SAFETY BELT. WHILE BRAKING, THE LATCHING DEVICE ABOVE DRIVER'S LEFT SHOULDER FAILED CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT THEIR HEAD ON THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS IN TURN CAUSED REPEATED FAILURE OF THE SPIRAL SPRING IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM - THE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO ACTIVATE ON AN IRREGULAR BASIS.

THE LATCH FAILED ON THE DRIVER SIDE SAFETY BELT. WHILE BRAKING, THE LATCHING DEVICE ABOVE DRIVER'S LEFT SHOULDER FAILED CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT THEIR HEAD ON THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAS IN TURN CAUSED REPEATED FAILURE OF THE SPIRAL SPRING IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM - THE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO ACTIVATE ON AN IRREGULAR BASIS.

GAUGES FAILED.

OVER TIME GAS MILEAGE TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE DIMINISHED. THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED AND SHIFTED IMPROPERLY.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN REAREND COLLISION TRAVELING ABOUT 15 MPH AND BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE DRIVER. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE FRONT END HAS LITTLE OR NO DAMAGE.

UPON PLACING TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE GEAR WITH BRAKES APPLIED, ENGINE SURGED, THEN ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, OVERPOWERING BRAKES, RESULTING IN A CRASH, VEHICLE HIT A BUILDING, DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE HOUSING TO CORRECT. *AK

INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. *AK

ENGINE STALLS SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING.

TRUNK SWITCH FAILED 2 TIMES.

WAS DRIVING AND TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO THIRD GEAR AND WOULDN'T MOVE, PUT INTO NEUTRAL SO CONSUMER COULD DRIVE . *AK

WINDSHIELD SEALS LEAK.

MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL UNTIL MANUALLY PUT BACK INTO GEAR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED MALFUNCTION IN TRANSMISSION WHEN AT 60 MPH VEHICLE SHIFTS ON IT'S OWN FROM THIRD GEAR TO NEUTRAL, RESULTING IN THE INABILITY TO ACCELERATE.*AK

VACUUM PIPE BROKE, CAUSING PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER ASSIST DURING BRAKING. POWER LOSS INCREASES GREATLY WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE STOP.

PLASTIC SHROUD ON TOP OF ENGINE IS CHAFFING THE FUEL LINE. *SD

WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT, WIRE TO THE CORE WAS LOOSE. *AK