Volkswagen Passat Reviews

I have a 2001 VW Passat with oil sludge issues. The oil pressure stop engine warning lights have come on at 50,000 miles, 60,000 miles and 75,000 miles. My mechanic has flushed my engine twice, replaced the sensor (didn't work) and I may need to replace my engine. VW has denied my warranty extension based upon my lack of receipts showing maintenance/oil changes.

As many others have complained I know, I have a $2000 Passat; and my driver's window just wouldn't roll up one day. When I tried to roll it up one last time, half the window fell into my door. So the window was half up and sideways. I am furious, because I've been told that it's going to cost me $400-$700.

My Volkswagen has serious engine damage due to oil sludge and all the dealer has to say is, “Would you like to purchase a new car?” My car would not have serious engine damage if it was not for the oil sludge. I also have another Volkswagen Passat. Always, there has something wrong with it and I wonder if the dealer sold me a lemon. The Passat is a beautiful car but they are constantly breaking down and Volkswagen gets away with it.

I am the 2nd owner of a 2001.5 Volkswagen Passat. I purchased the car with 37,000 miles on it and had no problems for 4 years. Then the car left me sit hours from home. I towed to my local Volkswagen repair shop and spent $3,000+ on a valve replacement. The valve was chipped and the piece missing was never found. I have the valve in hand. I was told that the chipped off piece went out to the exhaust.

Heater core failure - I own a 2002 Passat. When I purchased the car used, it had a musky smell inside. I asked if it had been in a flood and they assured me it had not been. Windows seem to have a film on them at that time. I was told the previous owner was a smoker. The smell continued to get worse. The car is now undrivable due to antifreeze vapor filling the passenger compartment. There is also hot antifreeze dripping onto the passenger's legs.

I am an owner of 2003 VW Passat with 1.8L Turbo engine. Oil pressure warning light came on at 120000 miles. Towed to the dealer, found that the whole engine has to be replaced. At 120K? Browsing the net I found about the now famous sludge issue with this cr_p engine. Contacted VW, they told me that since I have proofs of oil change for only last 50K (shop that did it before went out of business) they won't cover this problem. Even though I mention that since this engine is a lemon from the very beginning and regardless of normal oil changes it still goes bad, VW rep didn't want to accept it, of course. Now I got stuck with a piece of German junk. Wonder what happened to that supposedly famous German craft? For sure, will never buy any German car again..

I have purchased a VW Passat 2003 1.8T in December 31st 2006. The car had then around 28k miles. At the actual time the car has around 67k miles. Driving around the sign STOP link on my screen. I took the car into a VW dealership and they told me it has a ENGINE SLUDGE problem. They said VW might or might not pay for the damage. I purchase the car as a certified used car from VW Fort Myers. It means I do not have any receive for services before that time and VW is responsible for it. I have taken my cars to service and recalls to VW Naples, VW Fort Myers, Walmart Naples, Calypso Naples, and other two companies down in Naples for Oil changes. They have all the receipts. I kept only some of those, but I am sure that I can obtain copies of all of them. I just need to go to those places. I am in Illinois now so, it has been difficult for me to get them.

2000 Passat, at 60k, oil leaked into the cooling system. Fixed, then went another 60k. 15 check engine lights - each with a $100 price tag, each time a different sensor. 2005 Passat 4Motion. 40K - ignition coil. 95k oil leaked into the cooling system. See a trend? What are the chances that one person would have 2 Passats that had the oil leak into the cooling system. Freak accident or faulty engineering. I have asked to talk to a Regional Manager, but no success.

My 2005 VW Passat has been in the car dealer shop 5 times since 44,000 each time becuase of OIL pressure low stop engine and ignition coils and N80 value. It's all a cover up to get the car over the 50,000 mile warranty. Now it is at 60,000 and VW customer care says too bad , VW dealer says pay another $600 in diagnostic and repair, and Better Bureu says too bad over the warranty. The 2006 has an extended warranty by the MFG due to same OIL LIGHT issue.

I bought a certified Volkwagen Passat GLX 4 motion. And 2000 miles later it went to 0 oil, took it to the dealer got it filled up and another 2000 miles 0 oil again, again took it to the dealer have them take a look at it and then they say keep it under observation, and that I should bring it back after the oil reaches a certain level. I take it back they put some oil in it and say that everything is normal, bring it back after 5000 miles. Now if the oil levels go to 0 after 2000 miles, I will be there before that right. But as my certification expires in another 5000 miles they are trying to avoid me.

Oil cooler pumping oil to Coolant system.

I bought a 99' VW Passat about April 08' and I should have listened to people when they said oh VW's are good cars... But they always have something wrong with them. I wasn't expecting THIS. First it was something minor like two tires with slow leaks. Then my front passanger window came off the track and FELL completely into the door and my regulator broke (still haven't gotten it fixed- but I got it back up for the mean time), also my brakes are going out, my alignments off, all things I was eventually going to fix.

I have a 2004 passat, at 45000 the oil light come on -STOP ENGINE. The same issue as many other car owners I have been reading about. After 3 months of trying to find out the problem, changing oil every 2000 miles. Then switching to synth., changing that every 3000 miles. I got the right VW dealer rep to help. VW extented the service for this problem, they replaced the oit purge valve sensor and and seems to be working. I am now at 4000 miles and no problems.

I bought an 06 VW Passat. The car has been back and forth to the dealership approximitly 20 times in two years. In Januarey 06 I filed with the BBB autoline and have just reopened my case. The car just continues to have problems.

oil pump blow out , sludge build up in my 2003 passat vw

This happened to me. I was in the car. In fact there was damage to my car twice due to the heat shield, once due to negligence on VW's part. They had repaired the heat sheild and three days later on my way home from a business trip on the NJ turnpike, the heatsheild they had just repaired fell off and under the right front passenger wheel at around 65-70 mph. The car swerved all over the beltway, it was a miracle I was not killed and that trip my son was with me. When I got back into Baltimore, I called the dealership and left a message for the manager of the VW dealership, James A. and no one ever returned my call, nor did anyone else.

2006 VW Passat 2.0 Turbo. Essentially the same experience as JP from Texas. Break problems reported year and a half ago. Breaks reportedly fine. Recent check-up, no mention of break problems despite reporting a noise and delay in break response time.

Lets see in the course of one week my leased 2008 passat had the following problems: Suddenly the car accelerated for no reason and I now have a bruised rib. Im a very cautious driver and out of nowhere BAM. Next the passenger side window decides to not work anymore. No obstructions just dead control. And finally the ignition conke dout at a traffic light and I had the joy of calling triple A at rush hour. Im so unnerved by the car suddenly speeding up that I just wnat it gone.

Purchase VW Passat 2003 1.8T 4 cyclinder Pre-owned. 03/10/2005 Oil Pressure Light came on took it Reydel VW in Edison NJ. Oil Sludge Problem. Repaired Engine. 06/04/08 oil leak, took car to Linden VW, said need new Turbo. Installed new Turbo cost $900.00, 06/09/2008 Oil Pressure Light came back again towed to local Auto Service, In the garage with the same Oil Sludge Problem. VW will not do anything with this on going problem with their 1.8 Turbo models.

Well, let's see. I am down 2 ignition coils, and multiple A/C problems since we purchased our 2005 Passat. From the number of comlaints I have seen on this board about the ignition coils, I am very surprised that there has not been a recall on this problem. The VW slogan should change from Drivers Wanted to Suckers Wanted. On top of the coil problem, my A/C has not worked correctly in the last 2 years. I had aspired to purchase an Audi TT in the near future, but you can forget that. I suspect the higher the price of the car, the more costly the repairs will be. The Saturn Silstice is looking good right now.

We purchased a 2004 VW Passat with 21,000 miles on it in 2005. Do not buy one of these cars. This car is a lemon! After not even having it for two years the lights blow out twice and have to be replaced and of course only VW dealers can fix them because no one else can figure how to. This is the first of many issues with the car. In 2007 we spent $750 getting the car fixed because of some really weird issue that arose with the break line. Then starting in March 2008 the big problems started rolling. Abouth two days later the car is overheating and not giving any signal.s The cars just starts flashing instructing us to stop driving and showing engine trouble.

In 2006 I purchased VW Passatt with Smart Key System. Prior to purchase I explained I was nervous with cost of key replacement in case I lost it. They said it would only be $65, so I purchased the car.

Car has had multiple problems from failure to start for continued unknown reason. Fuel pumd failure with final recall after I was told by the company that there was no recll and I had to pay for it out of pocket. Now the car has failed due to failure of oil pump

I bought a 2000 VW Passat and since then have had oil burning and several other problems. I have had a whole engine overhaul done. Its my first and last passat!

In 2004, I purchased a brand new 2004 VW Passat. On or about the year 2006, my first ignition coil failed. My car was out of power in a second. I was stuck in the middle of the highway/bridge during rush hours. I was horrified, thinking at the time, I may just get hit very soon. My car was towed to VW dealer and they notified me that it was the coil problem. Less than a year passed, in 2007, the other coil failed. This time, better luck, I was still able to drive, but with very little power. Then here we go again, now in 2008, my other coil failed. The service manager advised me that usually when one coil fails, he recommends that we change all 4 at the same time, but since warranty would only cover defective coils, he doesn't encourage you to change it. Since I have 1 more old coil in this case, I am not going to risk my life. I asked for my remaining coil to be changed regardless. This is not to the end of it. I was called back advising me that I would need to pay out of pocket cost for a software upgrade for my car since my extended warranty only covers for mechanical. They will not be able to diagnose my car unless they upgrade the software first. I called VW customer relation and they refused to do anything about it. I am so upset with the overall VW. At this point, I have no trust in this company and am pretty sure that there are so many of us out there that are facing the same problem.

Last fall the window on my 1999 VW passat fell into the door. A regulator needed replacing. Just this week the same thing happened on another window. After internet research it seems clear this is a problem in VWs.

I bought a VW 2006 Passat from a Buick/GMC dealer. I had the vehicle inspected by a VW dealer before purchasing the Vehicle. A month later I was involved in a sudden breaking situation where the vehicle infront of me stopped suddenly at the light in a 35mph zone. I braked too, but my vehicel didnt stop in time . I was well behind him, at least 50metres, going at around 35mphs. It bumped into the mini pick up truck in front of me and front Grill and bumper buckled a bit and all of that had to be replaced. It was very shocking that the vehicle didn stop for such a normal braking scenario. My insurance company took care of the body repairs are Caliber Collision center which cost aroudn $5000. After I got the vehicel back I immediatly called VW america customer service and reported the incident. I described my situation to them and they asked to be check my brakes at the nearest VW dealer. I took it to the VW dealer in town. He certified it was fine. But I was not satisfied even after the dealer checked it out and told me everything was fine. because everytime I braked there was definitely a delay or slow reponse in braking. Then 10 days ago I had taken my vehicle to get it checked for a bad battery at the VW dealer in town, the same one who had checked the brakes. My battery was replaced and the service engineer told me they took care of some Recall as well. One thing I noticed after I checked out my care was significant improvement in the Braking. It was awesome. It responed so quickly and I felt very safe.Then I called the service engineer to find out what was the recall and he told it was a Brake Recall . I checked online and found that there are Brake Recalls for 2006VW passats, which could lead to increased stopping time during braking. Thats when i realised that I definitely needed to take this issue up. 4-5 months of driving in fear and unsure of whether the vehicle would stop or not was terrible. Please let me know if this is a case for a class action suite and compensation in any form.

I purchased a 2006 VW Passat. I only had the car for about 4 months when the check engine light came on and said stop oil pressure. I pulled it into a super lube and it began making a loud noise. My winshield washer has never worked and at 50,000 miles I had to replace the CV Joints. I am now being told that the car is out of line and the brakes are bad. Today I find out there is a recall on this model car. What can I do?

I took my 2004 V.W. Passat to the dealership because the oil light came on and STOP IMMEDIATELY began to flash. The dealer said there was oil sludge in the motor and needed repair at a cost of $2800.00. I did not get the repair because I wanted to check with another repair shop for a better price to fix the problem. I went online to check for complaints and found out there are several others who had this same problem out of their passat. I am outraged that this defect in the automobile has been passed on to the consumer to fix when the dealers know its a defect in their automobile.

2005 Volkswagen Passat has had spark plug coils burn out 3+times and has cost $500.00 each time plus towing to be fixed. This has all taken place in less than 80,000 miles. The problem has not been addressed by volkswagen and it appears that there has been several hundred complaints.

I purchased a 2001 vw Passat from a dealership with about 140,000 miles on it. I drove it for about two months and one day when I was driving to work the engine light went on followed by brake stop light and ABS brake light sign with some noise. I spent $1100 to fix the brakes. The dealer is asking $3100 for fixing the engine light issue which I can not afford. I will never buy vw car in my life again. This is the worst car in my life.

Add me to the list of disappointed VW Passat owners. I bought my 2002 VW Passat in 2005. This is my first car. Everyone thought it was a good car but it hasn't turned out to be. Right from the beginning, a few days after purchase, the check engine light came on. I took it back to the dealership and was told it was the coils and the sensors were faulty. I

My own reincarnation of Satan is how I refer to my 2000 VW Passat V6. It was the first car I bought on my own in 2004, with about 65,000 miles on it, under the horribly inaccurate presumption that VW's last forever. Well within a month I was rudely awakened. It started with a small leak. No check engine sign or anything. I took it to a relatives shop and they were booked a week out so I left with the car planning on bringing it back later. So a couple of weeks later my husband was driving on the freeway when it flashed stop and as soon as he pulled over it died. The timing belt had broke and took out the water pump which had blown all 36 valves in the engine. Well that was a nice $2800 repair. Ignorantly, I decided to keep the car because I had already lost so much money on it and figure not much else could go wrong. Boy, was I mistaken. I have had to replace three different power window regulators. And honestly so many other things I cannot even remember. The speakers short out and crackle when it is cold. When the heater is running it sounds like something is burning up so I took it to a shop and they were sure what was wrong. It could be the heater core but that is a $800 fix. So instead they just replaced some filter and tightened the caps on my valves for $90. This summer the check engine light was on so I brought it in and they replace a few switches and hoses or something. All I know is that it cost me almost $500. Not a damn thing on that car has cost less than $200 to fix, even if my dad is doing the repair. Just recently my car stopped running. The engine just wouldn't turn over so first we replaced the battery. No go. Then we replaced the starter which we found out was bad. Then it ran for a good 20 miles. Now it is doing the same thing. That was another $200. I could go on and on with the many repairs I have do to the car. It is no use dumping more money into the worthless piece of German engineering (if you can even consider it engineering.) I will just make the payments and let it sit and rust. It will be cheaper that way. I know I will never recoup my expenses from the worst purchase I have ever made. I just want to warn people that VW's might be cute and perform well for a while at least, but they are not worth it. Volkswagen deserves to go out of business that is how bad their products are. They charge such a high price for inefficiency and unreliability. They refuse to recall most things that should be recalled. I have never had anything cause me more stress than that car. Every time I put a dollar in it, it needs 20 more. I can never sell it because there is always and I mean always something wrong with it. I just want to take out all my frustrations on it with a baseball bat. It would be worth paying off the remaining $6000 with nothing but a pile of metal and plastic left of it. I am especially unlucky because I bought it from a private seller without a warranty. But even with a warranty expect to be without a vehicle while your car is in the shop every few months. VOLKSWAGENS ARE WORTHLESS!!!!!!!!! Please reconsider if you want to buy a VW. They are not worth it.

I purchased a 2000 Passat 1.8L Turbo,new and thought it was the most well built car i had seen. I did began to notice that repairs even minor ones were a bit pricey but I attribute that to the cost of owning a foreign car. However at about 60k miles I got a STOP message stating that I should not drive the car any more as my brakes could fail at any time. upone going to the shop they said and doing some research ..this turned out ot be a known issue but if the warranty is out, i am out of luck..estimated cost to repair (a faulty sensor)nearly $2k. Needless to say if its only a sensor, i did not get it repaired and the car ran fine..i just had to live with the STOP error on the dash! which is not something i really want to have to wander about..what if there were another real issue? would i get the message?. Now at 90k miles the oil lamp comes on and it appears to be a compression/sludge problem. From my research this looks like a known issue as well.VW wants $2300 to fix a problem with a defect in THEIR workmanship and even more money of course if i have an engine failure . I cant afford this..and like everyone else in the forum, i dont have every receipt for oil changes..I have moved several times since we purchased the car. Asking us to produce the receipts is just wrong..they know it to be a sludge problem no amount of changing the oil would prevent it. If there is a an existing or new class action suit..count me in!! Chris Fox

My 2005 Volkswagen Passat's engine caught on fire after driving 2 miles. My check enging light started to blink and then I saw my hood start to melt. There was black smoke bellowing from under my hood and I called 911 before my car even stopped. I was on a busy interstate and I thought my car is going to explode and/or be struck by an on coming vehicle. My car is 2 years old. I am renting a car that I am not sure if Volkswagen will pay for. I am surprised that Volkswagen would not recall something like this. I am looking around on the web and I am not the first nor will I be the last to have this happen to.

I purchased a 2001 vw Passat from a dealership with about 60,000 miles on it. I am 22 years old and this is the first car I bought on my own. I drove it for about two years and one day when I was driving to school the oil light went on followed by a horrific grinding noise. I had it towed to Howard Cooper VW in Ann Arbor, Mi and they told me the engine was shot and a new one would cost $8,000-$9,000. The problem the dealership told me was thats its an engine sludge problem and VW offers an extended warrenty for the problem. HAHA yea right. I submitted all the maintence paperwork I had since I bought the car I kept everything. Of course VW denied my claim because I bought it used from a dealership and did not have the previous owners maintence records my mistake right?. So here I sit still oweing about $7,000 on the car making my payments but have no car to drive! I cant go to school next semister if this doesnt get taken care of. What do I do now?

Oil Pressure Low warning light on my 2002 Passat came on. Took car to nearest dealer right away. Sludge buildup in engine found. Am told I need engine replaced at cost of $9000. Have changed oil as recommended, including at VW dealer 8 weeks ago! No sludge problem ever mentioned! Dealer and VW Customer Care center informed me that I am covered under an 8-year extended warranty on engine, but they will not honor since I cannot produce all dated/numbered receipts showing oil changes since Dec. 2001! Two of the places I have had oil changed at cannot give me records prior to 2005! I am stuck -- and I am guilty, in VW's eyes, unless I can prove myself innocent. Ridiculous -- they know they have a faulty engine/oil pump problem that causes sludge, otherwise, why did they automatically extend the 4-year warranty to 8 years for EVERY Passat owner?

We too have had lots of problems with my 1999 Passat (Turbo). The car has had the turbo replaced, valve work, and gasket work. All this and we're still < 100K miles. VW 'says' oil consumption on this car is typical. EHHH!? We have a Toyota Tundra with 150K miles; 5 quarts go in. 4.99 quarts come out. I found this on the web: http://www.shulaw.com/unfair/vw-audi.asp We called them and plan on getting on their list. We figure what do we have to lose beside just more oil??? Sincerely, Raymundo Rivera, P.E. Electrical Engineer Alane Rivera, P.E. Civil Engineer San Antonio, TX

I am the owner of a 2000 VW Passat. On Sunday, January 28, 2007, I watched my car go up in flames. I was at a friends house for lunch and we were preparing to take another friend to the airport. As we walked out to my car, which was parked in the driveway, we noticed smoke coming off of the hood and immediately knew something was wrong. In a matter of seconds, I noticed flames beginning to come out of the hood. We were able to contact the local fire department, and they came out and were able to get the fire out, but by that time it was too late. The entire front half of my car is destroyed, as well as the interior. The cause of the fire is unknown, but since my insurance company can do nothing about the situation, I am left with a car that is basically worthless. Volkswagen sent an engineer out to inspect the car, but no compensation was given. I am aware now that 78 reports have been filed with Volkswagen concerning engine fires. What actions can or should I take regarding this matter? I would appreciate any helpful information.

2003 Passat Wagon, 1.8T Engine hell. This car has had recall work done, other problems fixed under warranty, but all pale after having the oil sludge issue come up. The first time the car's oil warning lights came on was last May, when I pulled over and had to be towed from a desolate rural freeway. The car was repaired at a reputable shop and gave me no problems until July, when I was driving across the country. The same warning light came on outside of Kansas City and again, I pulled over.

My wife took the 2003 VW Passat Wagon, V6 to Sunrise Volkswagen, Inc. in Lynbrook on 8/7/07 at mileage of 36,135 as the engine light kept coming on. Was told that there was charcoal in the swap lines and the purge valve and charcoal cannister needed to be replaced. On 8/12/07 on my way home from work, the engine shut down. The car was towed back to the dealer and I was told that there was an oil pressure build up in the engine and that the engine would have to be replaced. I was told that I needed to show all of my oil change receipts since the car was purchased. I did not have the receipts but the oil was changed every 3000 miles by my mechanic whom has serviced all of our cars for more than 15 years. I might add that the VW manual recommends 5000 miles. The VW service advisor told me that they had never seen a problem such as this. Sunrise VW and Volkswagaon of America refused to pay for the engine. I have since move the car from Sunrise Volkswagen, Inc. in Lynbrook, NY to G/C Volkswagen in New Hyde Park, NY.

Since about the 40,000 mile mark, my 2003 VW Passat Wagon has been consuming oil. My VW dealer identified the issue as a 'wiring problem with the oil indicator' and that mice must be damaging the wire. They said they fixed the problem. I continued to have the same problem during the my next 8000 miles (including having them check the engine and wiring). They indicated it was the same problem and sent me on my way. After the warranty expired, the problem started getting worse and require me to fill up the oil frequently (typically adding 3 to 4 quart of oil between 5000 mile services). The problem got so bad that I complained again to the dealer and they conducted an oil consumption test. After doing this they told me the engine was consuming about 1 quart every 1000 miles and that this is 'normal'. I also complained to VW customer service and they also said it was normal. I have never had a car consume this much oil (e.g., my BMW 330i goes 15000 miles without any oil addition or change whatsoever). I think I've been mislead by VW and they kept a major engine issue from me during my warranty period and now hope that I'll go away and live with the issue.

I was the proud owner of a 1999 VW Passat 1.8T. I loved this car. It was fun to drive also . I bought this car in 2002 used with low miles. I ride my bicycle to work most days so it accumulated very few miles. It had less than 30K mi. On only two occasions I smelled some odor after driving. This odor seemed like electrical insulation getting hot, but not sure. In August of 2002 our family went on vacation and left the Passat at home with my son (then 19). He drove the car with his girlfriend to an awards banquet. When he returned home he parked the car in the garage. In less than ten minutes the car was completely on fire. He tried to slow it down but was overcome with smoke. Our house caught on fire. The garage was structurely damaged and the whole house inccurred smoke damage and water damage. The cause of the fire, from fire report was the Passat. I was never compensated a dime from VW. My insurance payed for damages to the house.

I recently purchased a used to me, but considered new to the bank 2006 VW Passat 2.0T. I have owned the car since March 21, 2007 and it is now July 24, 2007. Since I have owned the car, I have had a faulty wiring sensor problem in the front seat airbags, the check engine light came on only to have it go off once at the dealer, and finally yesterday the trunk flooded. I have an appt tomorrow to see what the dealer will do with the flooded trunk and spare tire well(filled with water). I DO want to note that the dealer told me when the check engine light came on that I could drive the car still as long as the check engine light was not blinking. Upon arrival to the dealership(the light had gone off)- I was told no problem that the computers would pull the info as to what happened from the chip. Well, guess what - there was no info. Like everyone on here, I am doing my due diligence and maintaining my car. However, after reading all of these complaints I am petrified that my car is heading down the same road; to the junkyard.

Driving 2002 VW Passat GLX 4motion. 72 year old man had a diabetic shock blacked out and came across the median at a rapid speed and slammed into another car as well as mine head on. The impact totaled the car and smashed the engine way beyond repair. The car was in 100 pieces, bumper off as well as the engine compressed in half. The impact was more on the driver side yet there is massive damage to the whole front.

I bought a brand new 2005 VW Passat. Had my heart set on it ever since I was young but what I didnt have my hearts set on was the problems that would come with it. I have had the car for two years, and in April of this year the engine blew out. Was out of a car for 23 days, and when I got it back, the turbo blew out. Out aNOTHER 10 days. truth is ever since I have bought it, VW repairmen have been behind it more than I have but because I drove it so much it passed the 50,000 mile warranty and now VW is basically telling me to just forget about it. When I was 18, I got a 1997 ford f150. Never saw the shop once. Still have it and wish I would have just stuck by it. Never anticipated I would be stuck with a lemon. is there ANY type of class action suits against VW for the 2005 Passat? If not, anyone wanna join?

On, May 21,2007, I purchased a 2000 VW Passat, on May 23, 2007, the Check Engine Light came on, at that time Gossett motors agrred to what they have called a Courtesy Repair on a, As Is deal. On, May, 25, 2007, the Oil Pressure light came on, and Iwas advised by the dealership to have the vechicle towed into the dealership.

My 2002 Passat would not start. After I had car towed to dealer, was told that a exhaust valve had dropped and cylinder head had to replaced. The car has 73000 miles on the car. The car has regular service, no short cuts. I have owned VW's for over forty years. The last VW before the Passat had over 200,000 miles before I donated it to the homeless shelter. Their first response was they would not help any of the cost $4200. VW called me June 6, 2007 and offered a final offer to help with $2200 to repair the car. The rest of the cost was mine. After being a faithful and loyal customer for so long I quess I expected to be treated better and stand by their product and win me back. It both cases they failed me miserably. I will never recomend VW or any other car that the Gurley-Leep dealership sells in Northern Indiana.

I have a 2005 Volkswagen Passat, which I had to take my vehicle into the shop 7 times or more for the engine coils. I had to spend alot of money before they found out what the problem was a dealer issue. I really some advice in this matter. I realize my vehicle falls under the Lemon Law (Federal Law). Do you have anyone that is able to assist me in this matter. I am not sure if I am getting the best with the free lawyers.

I own a 2002 VW passat with 135,000 miles on it. I am the second owner and have maintained the car properly. Recently, the stop, low pressure light came on. It was the day after an oil change. I contacted VW and was told that there is a sludge problem with the 1.8t engine and that they will replace or repair the engine if all records can be established. I explained that I bought the car used and that the records should be with Volkswagon as the warranty required such actions. They stated that they do not have access to individual dealer records and that it is my responsiblity. They will not repair or replace the engine. It is obvious that there is a problem with this engine in both Audi's and VW's but VW will not stand behind the solution, only denying it as a service neglect issue when the two mechanics I spoke with stated that the oil pan is too small for the turbo to cool properly.

Purchased a brand new 2003 Passat from Gene Langdon Volkswagon. In 50K had a seat catch on fire, had the fuel pump go (had to be towed), had the water pump go (had to be towed) and was told @ 50,001 miles the boot on the front axle was cracked and needed to be replaced. Management after selling me a lemon refused to replace the boot. DO NOT BUY A VW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of interest is when the seat caught on fire I checked the web and VW had numerous recalls on seats (heaters), when I inquired I was told MY CAR was not under recall. When the fuel pump went the service representative asked me if they had done the fuel pump recall on my car. Was later told MY CAR was not under the fuel pump recall. Obviously they are under-reporting the recalls and screwing customers.

Owned a 2001 Passat wagon (bought new). Got sheduled maintenance and oil changes. In the summer of '06 my check engine light went on, and brought it to dealership. They found a faulty catalitic converter signal, reset computer. Immediately after, returned the car b/c oil pressure/temp was going up and down. Would register sometimes, was at 0 other times. They reported that they did not see it happen. Returned again to complain about it, nothing done. seven mos later, Feb 11th 2007, at 64,000 mi, my timimg belt snaps and the left cylinder head needs replacement just to get it running- or buy a new engine. After researching, found out that 2001 passats with turbo engine have been reported to have oil sludge problems, resulting in engine seiaures, blown belts and other problems requiring engine replacements. Furthermore, there was a warranty extention (8 yrs) due to this problem as well as a recall.warning sent to owners, none of which we were informed

I've had a lot of issues dealing with VW, starting with a faulty temp sensor, 1,000 miles over warranty. Next, I let my mother drive my car while I was in Europe and she broke in the clutch a little. ;-)

Was driving my 06 VW passat, came to a red light when my brakes completly went! Thankfully I was driving on a side road and not a busy hwy. Apparently a recall was sent but never recieved. I think in this matter better measures should have been attempted to contact me regarding this issue. Shortly after purchasing the car in 05 there was some other issue with the breaks that was fix. Also, my passenger side door does not currently open and the visor mirror is cracked for the second time from simly opening it. The costumer service recieved is most of the time unpleasant and quite frankly rude!

One of our family cars is a 1999 Volkswagen Passat 1.8L Turbo (station wagon model). This past June the engine failed without warning as we were on a trip to visit my sister-in-law and family for the weekend.

In June 2004, my husband and I purchased a used 2001 Turbo Passatt and have been having problems with the car ever since. I do not prefer to work with our local VW dealer here in Wichita, KS, but I have had to take my car into it several times after getting the message STOP! regarding the oil pressure.

I leased a VW 2002 Passat GLS with the 1.8L turbo engine. I got it brand new and when the lease was up, I bought it. It has 83,000 miles on it and has developed the much touted oil sludge problem. The oil pressure warning light came on and the dealer is now saying that I have to pay $9,000 to replace the engine. If VW has admitted to a problem with this motor, then why should I have to pay to fix it?

This is a follow-up to the first letter of complaint I filed with you. After having our VW towed for the 4th and final time to a reputable repairman, our car is on the road. The job was done for a fraction of the price the VW dealership quoted us, and I believe it was what they claimed the problem to be. Although I paid the VW dealer for troubleshooting, I also believe I received incorrect analysis from them. (please see my first letter)

At end of Dec 2000 I purchased a new 2001 VW Passat station wagon, 1.8L GLS from VW South, Charlotte, NC. At the same time, I purchased an Extended Warranty policy. While in TN late August 2002 the Oil Pressure light came on intermittently, so I took it to Hallmark VW, Madison, TN. They kept it for 2 days, & found no problem. En route back to NY, the Oil Pressure light came back on, & I had it towed to Smith VW, Wilmington, DE at 39,688 mi.

False statement made by Volkswagan in your report dated: December 18th 2006/ regarding: Passat -2006 Recall Volkswagan ruled out the danger of total brake failure -untrue as I've experienced and wouldn't want any others to be hurt under this misconception.

My 2003 Passat 1.8 Turbo assist engine seized up at 72,000 miles from the now infamous oil sludge problem. Dealer wanted over $8,000 to repair the car with a new engine and turbo. After searching on the internet for information regarding this, I found a letter which was supposedly sent to owners. I had never received one. When I mentioned this to the service manager, he claimed to know nothing of the letter or oil sludge problem.

We purchased a 2004 VW Passat in Jan of 2005 new from the dealership. At about 45,000 miles, the oil pressure light went on indicating that we STOP! the car. The car was towed to the dealership. They charged us $200 for diagnostic services to conclude that it was an oil sludge problem in the turbo engine. The dealership service department told us that unless we had had our oil changes done at the dealership with exclusively synthetic oil, warranty would not cover the recommended engine replacement costing $5,800.

I brought my 2005 Volkswagen Passat from H&D Linden Motors, 400 East St. George Avenue, Linden, New Jersey on 5/4/06. I had my vehicle in the service department on 12/18/06 because of my check engine light being on, I was advised from the service dept. that I needed to have my 40,000 maintenance performed on my vehicle because my vehicle was at 38,423. The service department claims that was the reason for my check engine coming on. I spent $737.18 to have this service done.

I have owned my VW Passatt 2004 Wagon for one year. I bought it used. I have had numerous problems with the electronic indicator lights indicating engine problems. After 3 months through on dealership we finally got it fixed. Now just 3 weeks after an oil change my oil indicator light came on saying that I needed to STOP driving immediately.

In June 2006 I purchased a new 2006 Volkswagen Passat from McDonald Automotive in Littleton, CO, I have taken the car in for the same issue (oil leak) 3 times. Each time the dealer claimed the issue was resolved but to no avail I was back at the dealership a month or two later. Today, just about 6 months after purchasing this new vehicle I was driving to work (7 mile commute) and the transmission went out. The car only has 6000 miles on it! Had the vehicle towed to the dealership and have discussed a number of times that this car is a lemon and that I need to speak to VW corporate.

I am the owner of a 2002 Volkswagon Passat wagon, which I bought new in April 2002. For the past year or so, I have a recurring problem with water entering the car. I have recently discovered that many owners of this car have the same exact problem. The dealer, who is the only mechanic who has ever worked on the car, believed that the water is entering the car because the sunroof drains get clogged. Nowhere in the Volkswagon manual does it say anything about making sure the sunroof drains are not clogged, as a matter of fact, nowhere does it mention that the sunroof has drains, or that there is any maintenance suggested or required concerning the sunroof. I never open the sunroof anyway, so it is a mystery what it could be clogged with. Another time when the footwell of the car was wet, the dealer said it was water entering the pollen filter, which I think is under the battery.

I bought a 2001 VW Passat 1.8T in 2004. The first time I changed my oil I looked in the manual to see what kind of oil the engine took. It said to use 5w-30 and that is what I used every 3000 miles for the next year or so. Then my engine started making a horrible noise and a mechanic said it sounded like a collapsed lifter. Of course it turned out to be the infamous oil sludge problem. I too called VW and was told that they wouldn't do anything about it. It seems like poor customer service when I was following their guidelines straight out of their owner's manual. It cost me almost $2000 to get my car fixed. After that I immediately brought it in and traded it in for a Dodge. I have driven VW's for the past 9 years and I am sad to say I will never buy another one again...EVER! I suggest to everyone out there that they do the same. I guess I should just be happy that my engine didn't seize up like some people's. It could have been much worse and much more costly. At least I am done with VW and won't ever have to deal with them again.

I leased a VW Passat in 2004 for 48 months. About a year ago, at the 36,000 mile mark, I got a SHUT ENGINE DOWN error message on my dash. I had it towed to Curran Volkswagon in Stratford, CT. They first told me that I was in big trouble due to major sludge build up in the engine. They told me that I had to provide every oil change receipt or the warranty would be void!

I bought the car in December of 2004. I was told the timing chain was replaced and some minor stuff as well. The car was at 50,000 miles when I drove it off the lot. When the car was at 67,000 miles the timing chain broke. The factory warranty for timing chain expired at 60,000, but since Mac Haik told me it was replaced, no need to look into replacing it for about 60,000 miles.

2002 VW Passat was taken in because oil and engine light came on and it said to not drive it. Called VW customer service, was told there was an extended warranty, because of a defect in the engine, but we would have to prove we had the oil changed every 5000 miles or it would not be covered. The car only has 78000 miles on it, I don't think we should be having this problem, they should be responsible for the car, expecially since they new this was a problem with these Passats (these year 1998-2004) why was there not a recall or a letter sent to buyer to tell them about this problem. You can go on the internet (goole-2002 VWPassat engine trouble and see all the people with the same prolem. It weems like VW does not want to take any responsibilty for the problem of the car they knew has a problem. Now they are saying we will have to payfor repair, unless we can prove oil change. They should be able to see that the oil changes have been done and the car has been taken care of. We have most of receipts, but it sounds like it won't matter.

I have had similar problems as the other VW owners. I have a 1999 Passat Wagon that I bought September 14, 2006. My wife and I are expecting our first child in March, so I wanted to get her a reliable car for her and the baby. We had only had the car for two weeks, we were sitting in the drive-through window of a fast food joint when the car started to vibrate real bad. It was getting late and we were about 45 minutes from home, so I parked it in a well lit parking lot and called my father to take us home. The next day I took the Passat to the shop and had it tested. The mechanic said that the number 2 cylinder wasn't firing. So he ordered a NEW one and put it in. The Passat still was misfiring. I was then told that it was the ECU that was bad. I drove the car to my father's house (where it has sat for over two months) and started looking for a new ECU. I finally found one at a decent price and swaped it with the old one. The problem is still there. It doesn't seem to be as bad, however the engine still vibrates. I'm going to try one more mechanic then I'm going to start calling VW until the either buy back my Passat or completely fix the problem.

Electrical system failures - Since 2001 my Passat has had total failures with electric sensor/contrllers on each of seats, windows & doorlocks, trunk latch, key fobs/ignition, and now the HVAC system. At least the electric seats are operating for my drive to NYC this weekend. Each of these modules requires a $300 - to $600 art, plus associated labor. Is it just me, or are others having the same problem?

Only 8 months after purchasing (new) a VW Passat Wagon in 2003, the rear rotors went, part of the inside wheel housing cracked, part of the moonroof frame fell off, windshield wipers were replaced 3X. 10 months later, rotors again squealed and grinded all the way to the dealership to be replaced - again. (I might add this car at present - Sept.2006 - has a total of 19,754 mi. It's obviously not used all that much, is garaged and never driven agressively, unless I'm trying to accelerate out of the way of a semi barreling down on my rear and the car, as usual, doesn't respond immediately.

My Passat's oil and check engine light would go on and off periodically. Then the car overheated and said to stop, which I did. When I opened the hood, there was sludge all over the engine and I had to have it towed to my mechanic. My mechanic advised that he had never seen anything this bad before. It cost $1,600 (that time)to fix it. Two days after I picked up the car, it happened again!

I have a '99 Passat that I bought with a 100 year/100,000 mile drive train warranty. I haven't passed either of those marks. The oil changes have been maintained according to manufacturers guidelines. Recently the oil pump went out which should be covered by the warranty as a lubricated part. The problem was oil sludge. The dealership where I bought the car and where all but a few the most recent oil changes and other maintenance have been performed has been sold twice since I bought the car. Some of my maintenance records were purged.

I brought my 2001 Passat in with 50,000 miles. My car is kept in a garage and has maintenece every 3000 miles. The engine light came on. My car was diagnosed with clogged water drains under my rugs causing my computer on my Transmission to fail. New part $1200 plus labor. Dealership says it is a design defect but VW America wont stand behind their product. I have called VW America about 9 times, my car is still not fixed a week later. VW America says it is due to outside forces so not covered. Meaning my car was out in the rain!!!

My 2000 Passat wagon with 119,000 miles, broke down last week with a broken timing belt. I will need to replace the engine at a cost of over $5000. After some research, I have heard that VW has admitted to an oil sludge problem and has extended warranty to 8 years/unlimited miles for this problem. I was never notified of this problem or the extended warranty. If I had been notified, I would have made it a point to replace the timing belt earlier.

I have a 99 VW Passat. I have had to replace both front window regulators, (at over $300 a pop,) for a faulty plastic window clip attached to the regulators that is a KNOWN problem. Now both of my back windows are bad. The window glass has fallen down inside the door on three of the four windows thus far, leading to severe security/protection from elements issue. VWoA has admitted to putting plastic window clips that are not up to industry standard, (to quote the supervisor at VWoA,) in their cars, and as a result of a class action lawsuit, have issued a partial recall for these parts in Jettas, GTI's, Beetles, and Golfs, but for some ridiculous reason, Passat and Cabriolet owners are out of luck.

I took my 2003 Passat in because, while driving down the highway, a red light came on, saying STOP MOTOR, OIL PRESSURE. So, I took it to the nearest gas station, and it was checked. It had oil, which was fairly clean. Nevertheless, I got an oil change anyway. The car ran fine for several days but then the light came back on. I took it to the Volkswagen dealer in York, PA. They informed me that unless I could produce EVERY receipt for EVERY oil change I had, the warranty was null and void.

Check engine light came on and took to Volkswagen Dealer. Apparently, oil sludge a problem with VW Passat engines. Due to hurricane power loss, local garage now out of business and local Walmart said they lost prior records so couldn't back track all oil changes since I purchased vehicle.

After being towed a 5th time with a STOP engine/low oil pressure warning, Southern VW can't fix my 2003 VW Passat w/ the 1.8L turbo engine. There is a recall from VW on a sludge problem. Neither Southern VW or VW of America can tell me when they'll fix my car. Case #60268656

have a 2002 passat - 44,333 miles - bought new from kings volkswagen - oil changed every 3-4000 miles - have all receipts - engine seized 2 weeks ago - car still under original 5 year power train warranty - vw stalling with same EXACT lines/experience of others reporting same problem - almost like it was scripted from central office - first they accuse you of not changing oil - then they try to say u have to do it at the dealer - then they say its not under warranty, then they take your receipts and tell you they are forged then they wait for their unamed, top secret, area rep who makes the call - vw corporate just gives you a runaround and claims the dealer is in charge - the dealer refers to the rep and corporate vw - so far the only thing i have is towing charges and a rental that they dont seem to be paying for.

Like several (probably hundred, maybe thousands) others with a VW Passat 1.8 Turbo engine, I've been bombed by the oil sludge issue to the tune of $2400. A similar experience occurred with my brother-in-law and his Diesel Bug. Same story -- STOP NOW sensor light came on, etc. etc. I am not aware that any other vehicles in my experience have ever suffered from this issue, and -- not being a mechanic -- I assume that the issue is due to faulty engineering requiring a major tear-down of the engine to fix a small problem.

My 2003 Passat with 48K miles had the enginge light come on then stoppped running on the the highway. I called VW Assistance and they towed me to Life Quality Auto. I produced all of the oil change recipts - but VW or the dealer is refusing the warrenty work - since the owner of the garage where the work is done used the same phone number for 2 different businesses.

Have a 2000 1.8T Passat with 96000 miles. In 2005, due to oil sludge issues when using normal oil, VW issues an advisory for owners to immediately begin using synthetic oil, which I did. Since that time, my vehicle has been using 1-2 qts of oil between oil changes (every 5000 miles). I changed the oil from 0W40 up to 5W40 to see if this helped, which it did (both are acceptable to VWoA). I change my oil myself and buy my filters aftermarket (although they are from the same manufacturers as the VW filters, i.e. Mann, Bosch, and Mahle) and only use brand name Synthetic oils, which are specified by name in the VW Bulletin.