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Volkswagen Passat Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    If this problem only happens after a heavy rain as you say, then it's not the A/C drain that's the issue. More likely, it's water collecting in the area under the hood at the bottom of the windshield. VW calls this area the plenum, but I've also heard it called the cowling area. There are two drain holes there - one under the battery and another under the brake booster. If they clog with leaves, pine needles, dirt, or whatever, water can collect and then enter the car through the cabin air filter housing gasket. The cabin air filter sides on the passenger side of the vehicle (right above the glove box!).

    See this webpage for cleaning the drain holes:

    http://www.weirdlittlebiscuit.com/passat/leak/

    Or you can refer your dealer to TSB Group 87 Number 04-03. This directly deals with this issue.

    Oh, and BTW, they will tell you that cleaning the clogged drains is not covered by the warranty. Repairing the gasket might be covered.
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    Someone may have already replied to this, so if they have, please forgive me! If you have a 1.8T, you only use Premium Unleaded, never anything else. Sometimes if you fail to shut the door to the gas tank completely, you'll get the MIL blinking light. That's happened to me before. I drive an '03 Passat that has a turbo engine. When I got it, I didn't give a hoot that it was a turbo. I do now because of the gas! It also is a big deal when I get the oil changed because I can only use synthetic oil due to a sludge problem. If I'd known this my "cute" little car would've stayed on the lot. One of my friends said that I need to realize that I drive a "high performance" car, not a "mommymobile" like I used to. Huh?
    Good luck on getting everything fixed. I no longer trust my dealership for anything, nor do I trust many other people in the automotive business.
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    Unfortunately I am quickly coming to the same conclusion. Right now my car is running fine. My brakes aggravate me, but that's another long story. I'm afraid that this car will eventually be too expensive for me to drive. Wish I'd known that before I bought it. :(
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    Hindsight is indeed 20/20. There are a lot of things I wish I'd known about the Passat before I ever drove it off the lot. Hmmmmm.... the fact that the little booger has a turbo engine and you can only use Premium gas in it, synthetic oil. It is so very special.
    Here are my questions, though. I have recently become disgusted with my dealership. I have a friend who also drives a Passat and they treat him entirely differently than they treat me. I just want people to be honest. Don't lie to me. Now............ is it safe to use 10w40 synthetic oil in a 1.8t engine? I admit, I went somewhere else other than the dealership because they offer a a discount to school district employees. Won't be doing that again. In my car manual it says to use 5w30. For the last 3 oil changes that's what's been put in my car, because I've bought it myself and brought it in. When the yahoos at this place called my dealership, the service people couldn't answer the question about using 10w40 oil, they were transferred to the parts department. Wonder how is that because when I've called and talked with the service people, they're the ones who told me to purchase that grade of oil?? I can just see myself being set up for maximum deniability should my car blow up.
    Second problem: When I brake my car is like riding a bucking bronco! I've mentioned it to the dealership numerous times. They can't duplicate it, they say. Uh-huh..... In March, they could. The problem? My rotors are out of round and it will cost me $826 to fix this problem. I wouldn't do it, the service manager advised. See if you can live with it. I want to know how this happened so fast. The car is not 3 years old, and doesn't even have 30k on it yet. I've already replaced two tires, and I'm going to have to replace the other two at the end of this summer because I can't rotate my tires until I do. If I don't rotate my tires, I'll be in the same boat I was in back in March when I had to replace the first two! Lesson learned: I'm not letting the dealership replace my tires ever again. I've had it. So my second question is this: is having the rotors go out of round so quickly common? I have read all about the Passat's problems, and to be honest, I sure wish I'd seen this forum before I bought it. If I weren't upside-down in my payments I'd probably get rid of it. I like my little car, but I am really concerned about its future. And I'm sure neither my dealership or VWoA will stand behind this car. :(

    Thanks!
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    Let's try to answer some of your questions:

    Oil - the turbo requires synthetic oil meeting VW spec 502.00. I've never seen a 10w-40 meet that spec. I suggest Mobil 1 0w-40 or Valvoline Synpower 5w-40 (NOT 5w-30, which doesn't meet the spec). VW's website has a list of compliant oils. I have an '03 1.8T also - the manual says to use 5w-40 and to use 5w-30 for topping off only, if 5w-40 is not available. Read this pamphlet:
    http://www.vw.com/vwcom/content/objects/pdf/service_maint/engoil_gas.pdf

    Here is the list:
    http://www.vw.com/vwcom/content/objects/pdf/service_maint/oilchart.pdf

    But note that they show Valvoline Synpower 5w-30 as approved. It's not, according to Valvoline. Incredible error on VWoA's part. :surprise:

    Brake rotors - Warpage isn't an unheard of issue on Passats. I've heard it theorized that it's due to undersizing; others have speculated it's due to improper torquing of the wheel bolts. The rear rotors are thin, and can't be machined ("cut") without increasing the risk of warping. The rear pads are prone to quick wear. High quality aftermarket rotors are under $30 each for the rear. Try online places like stopshopanddrive.com and getcoolparts.com for very good pricing. Dealer brake parts are over priced. I replaced my rear rotors and pads for about $80 (DIY). Parts for all rotors and pads for this car is a bit over $200. $800+ is high, but in the ballpark at the dealerships, if that's all 4 corners.

    Tires - I never replace in pairs. If you rotate tires as recommended, you'll find all 4 tires pretty much worn out at the same time. I'll be purchasing my second set of tires before the end of summer and before the car hits 35,000 miles. OEM Michelins lasted 20K and the Continentals (OEM style) wore worse, with maybe 15,000 miles out of them. I'm going to try Nokian WR's this time around.

    What you need to do is to find a good independent garage that is used to dealing with VW's and/Audi's. You might find them cheaper, more knowledgeable and perhaps more truthful. Good luck.
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    Thanks for answering my questions. I still have to wonder why the dealership told me to get the 5w30 oil, though. And why they told the guys who just changed the oil in my car that 10w40 was ok.
    About the tires-- it's normal for them to be worn at about 20k? That's scary, considering I don't do an awful lot of driving. They replaced the front two with Michelins. Is there any reason why I have to replace the back two with Michelins?
    Now the brakes-- I read in my manual that the Passat has a sensor that lights when your brake pads are worn. Do I need to wait for that clue, or take the "bucking bronco" as a clue? I usually drive in tiptronics mode(for lack of a better description). I have noticed that if I downshift before stopping, the problem eases somewhat. However, for all I know I'm probably tearing up my transmission! I should've done more research before I got this car. I don't think I even understood the implications of it having a turbo engine until I'd had it for a year! To be honest, I've had to wonder what makes a turbo so darned special. I have a lead foot, but it's not like I'm in that much of a hurry!

    Thanks for your help. :D
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    I can't tell you why the dealership is telling a customer that it's okay to 10w-40. However, it's possible, if you read the list of approved oil, that the 5w-30 they are using meets the spec. You'd have to do more research on that to determine exactly what they put in the engine. But if it were me, and I discovered that the oil they used didn't meet the spec, I'd be on the phone to VWoA pretty darn quickly and complaining. This topic has been covered by TSB's to the dealers - it should be a non-issue by now.

    About the tires - that wear rate is normal for me. All of my local roads are top coated with "tar and chips". It's a very abrasive road material. I've read about other owners getting significantly (more than double) what I get. For me, it's normal for where I drive.

    I don't know that you have to match up your new tires to the Michelins you've already bought. Personally, it's what I would do, however.

    There's an interesting fact about that brake sensor you mentioned. It's only wired to the front pads. However, it's not uncommon for the front pads to outlast two sets of rear pads! I think you can see the implication of trusting that sensor and just waiting for the light...

    I'll tell you what makes a turbo so special. It allows me to drive a car weighing somewhere north of 3,300 lbs with a reasonable amount of aceleration, yet regularly get over 32 mpg on the interstates. Yes, it generates a lot of heat and requires more attention to details in maintenance...but it's worth it to me. A normally aspirated engine may have been a better choice for you. I'm not even going to ask if you cool the turbo down before stopping the engine.... ;)
  • tapp3tapp3 Member Posts: 12
    I know there have been a couple of posts about the engine light coming on. I can't seem to find an answer though. I have a 02' Passat 1.8 Turbo, right at 50K miles. Just after purchasing (2 months ago) I had it serviced at a local independent shop. He hooked it to the computer for a good once over and replaced my bellypan, and CV joints replaced & greased, he ordered a air mass sensor and reset the codes. This worked for about 2 days and then the light came back on again.?????? :confuse: Can anyone advise? Next issue, On extremely hot days it sounds as if I have the TinMan living under my hood. It makes a "creaking" noise as if the tinman needs oil. :cry: :confuse: Does anyone know what I'm talking about? When I describe the sound as I just have to passengers riding with me.... they agree that it sounds just that way... it's not a knock,it's not a clicking. HELP?
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    Post the codes pulled from the engine.

    This creaking sound - when do you hear it? Only on bumps, or when the car is moving, change with road speed? Or is it related to engine speed?

    While you are at it, you might describe your oil change interval and what type of oil you've been using.

    If the noise is at hot idle, then I'd suspect a cam chain adjuster issue.
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    Uh.... yes, actually I do cool the turbo down before stopping the engine.... but only because one of my friends told me to! Do ya see my problem here?? Believe me when I say that I didn't even know the car had a turbo engine for a loooonnngggggg time(too late to carry the darned thing back!)
    Back to my oil issue briefly, I think! I didn't go to my dealership to get the oil changed this last time. This is the first time I haven't. I've brought my own oil the last couple of times, and seriously, that's what the VW dealership told me to bring. Now, I went to this other place, because they had free tire rotation, and I just decided to get my oil changed. Stupid me, I thought if I told them that my car required synthetic oil, they'd either ask what grade or look in my manual or something! That's what I get for thinking. According to their manual it was ok to use 10w40, and then the guy tried to tell me that the VW dealership hadn't used synthetic oil. Ok, I'm looking at him because I'm the one who took the oil in. Hello?? Then they called the service department at my dealership, who then passed them on to the parts department, who ultimately said it was ok. I don't know who's telling me the truth. That's why I didn't go back to my dealership. To be quite honest, the next time my car needs to be repaired I'm sending my friend's husband in with the car because I know they won't lie to him, and by the time he gets through with them, they'll be glad to see me! Like when the service manager at the dealership told me that my rotors were out of round and it would cost $826 to repair them. Of course I about had a heart attack. He said that if I could live with it, to try. What I want to know is this: is it going to ultimately damage my car? Am I going to run in the ditch because I can't stop? My friend's baby rides in my car a lot. I care about her safety. I know the car has 5,000 airbags, but I'd like them not to deploy!
    I understand what you mean about the tires. I'm having to wait until the end of the summer because I simply can't afford to get them right now. Don't get me wrong, I love my car. I love the whistling sound it makes when I accelerate past the slow people. But, I've had a four wheel alignment twice in the last four months, two new tires, oil confusion, brake confusion, and lots of uncertainty about repair people and their truthfulness. Got any truth serum out there? Granted these repairs are probably nothing in the grand scheme of things. It is just overwhelming. And when you take your car in for an oil change and come back with new tires, alignment, and an $826 quote for a brake job, you just want to start your day over!

    Thanks for reading! :cry:
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    How could you not know your Passat has a Turbo engine (1.8t)? Cool Down? The owners manual does reference to cool down the Turbo after spirited driving.

    Also, that whistling sound you mentioned when passing slower traffic? Thats your turbo working (spooling).
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    here is what I do.
    I use my nearest mechanic, whom I have no reason not to trust.
    I buy Mobil 1 0w40 at Walmart at 4.76 1qt. If Walmart does not have it I buy it at Autozone for slighly more.
    I buy 5 qt for 1 change.
    I go to Autozone and buy proper oil filter. Since sludge disaster VW changed specification of the filer. It is HUGE and holds probably 1 qt itself. The only filter at Autozone that matches this spec is Mobil 1 at 10.99. I checked at local dealer and their price is 14.99 so I passed. Mobil 1 oil filters are quite good but expensive.

    Total price without taxes:
    5*4.76 + 10.99 + labor (20.00) = 54.79

    Krzys

    PS You can buy nice Brembo replacement rotors at www.tirerack.com along with brake pads. Use their phone they will help you to pick proper set.

    Rotors:
    F 56.00 * 2 = 112.00
    R 38.00 * 2 = 76.00

    Brake pads Satisfied Pro Perform OEM Pads
    F 41.00
    R 25.00

    Parts total 112 + 76 + 41 + 25 + S&H = 254 + S&H

    You just need to find a place that will do this for you.

    PS2 Tire rotation. I do not know how old you are but I use tire rotation as work out. When I am 60 I suspect I will pay somebody to do this, but maybe not - I WILL do this myself or die trying ;-)
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    I suspect that dealer charged you arm, leg and few other body parts for tires. I buy tires at tirerack.com or take printout with me and then talk to local tire store.

    Where do you live?
    Very nice all season tires in default size 195/65R15 Bridgestone Potenza RE 960 A/S are 75.00 each. More budged oriented ones are Dunlop SP Sport A2 Plus for 62.00 and cheap are Fuzion HRi for 49.00 (Fuzion is manufactured by Bridgestone).

    Krzys
  • alman08alman08 Member Posts: 282
    I think you do worry a tad too much about your car. Many people had posted the cost of oil change on here and I think it's averaging between $60 - $80 at the dealer for the 1.8T. If you get a quote that's significantly higher or lower, something is wrong and just find another dealer. Sorry that you feel your dealer was trying to rip you off, and I'm not sure where you live, however, you should try another VW dealer especially if your car is still within the warranty period. Chances are, it's a lot easier to deal with the dealer if something went bad after a repair has been done than an independent shop (just my opinion).
    As far as brakes are concerned, have you tried brakes specialists like Midas? Not that I'm here making any recommendation, but if $826 was a quote by the dealer which you felt it's too high, get a quote elsewhere from someone who will back his service with a good written warranty.
    Lastly, I feel that spending $60 every 5k miles isn't that much to ask for at the dealer for oil changes since many independent shops would charge $30 for a regular oil change with conventional oil for every 3k miles.
    Enjoy your car :shades:
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    How could I not know that a 1.8t was a turbo? Hmmmmmm............. maybe because at the time I was trying to replace a car that had been stolen and engine type was not high on my list of priorities? Perhaps because at the time I didn't even know what a turbo engine was?
    Let's realize something here: I ask so many questions because I am not familiar with Volkswagen. This is my first(and probably last)Volkswagen. Yes, I find out a lot by reading my manual, but the folks on this board(altair in particular)have been very generous and kind in their answers to me. Yes, I know to cool the engine down before shutting it down, and believe it or not, I
    do know what the "whistling" sound indicates when I accelerate. I was just saying that I like hearing it. :P
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    I will keep all of this in mind. I really, really regret going somewhere other than my dealership to get my oil changed. It was spur of the moment, and I shouldn't have done that.
    I do enjoy my car. Thanks for reminding me that I need to! :shades:
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    Thanks for the advice on the oil and the brakes! Tire rotation myself? No way! You know if it took me that long to figure out I was driving a 1.8t that I can't be trusted to rotate my own tires! Thanks for the vote of confidence, though!
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    Hey, Krzyss!

    I just reread your post. You can get even better pricing on line from www.getcoolparts.com or www.stopshopanddrive.com.

    For example, check these prices from getcoolparts:
    Brembo front rotors: $55.23 * 2 = $110.46
    ATE rear rotors: $25.43 * 2 = $50.86

    Brake pads:
    PBR Deluxe Plus:
    Front: $46.81
    Rear: $26.75

    110.46 + 50.86 + 46.81 + 26.75 = $234.88

    So that's a savings of $19, plus shipping is free for orders over $49.99!

    I'm running the PBR's on my rear pads right now on ATE rotors - performance is at least equal to OEM with a dramatic reduction in dust (compared to OEM). The PBR's have a good reputation on a number of Passat boards.

    I've placed orders on weekdays by 11:00 AM and had the parts on my back porch by 2:30 PM the next weekday. Incredible service.
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    I was at Walmart yesterday and I checked Mobil 1 0w40.
    By the way, how is it that when you do not need something it sits right there and if you need something it cannot be found?
    The price for quart is 5.52.

    When I need brakes I will check suggested places.

    Krzys
  • tanguyen85tanguyen85 Member Posts: 1
    I replaced the driver-side low-beam bulb on my 2003 Passat Wagon yesterday. This morning, after a couple of minutes of driving, the MIL light came on. I stopped and did a cursory check on everything (fluids, belts, etc.) but couldn't detect anything obvious. The car seems to drive fine. It has 40K+ miles. I'm thinking about taking it to the dealer.

    But to be sure that I'm not wasting my time, could it be that replacing the light bulb triggers the MIL light?

    Thanks for your help.

    Tuan Nguyen
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    just strange coincidence.

    Krzys
  • tapp3tapp3 Member Posts: 12
    This creaking sound - when do you hear it? Only on bumps, or when the car is moving, change with road speed? Or is it related to engine speed?

    It seems only to make the noise while slowly crossing a bump or making a slow turn, while coming to a stop at the light. As for the oil change It's been changed on or abouts the 4 to 5k mark with synth oil for sure. I had even ask the mec when he gave the very first once over if the eng oil had slug problems or did him seem to think it didn't look as if it had been cared for. He said all was fine.
    I'll get the codes from the garage and post them. Thanks for any help you can give.
  • xando05xando05 Member Posts: 42
    I hope the CEO of VW of America and VW Worldwide reads my post and all the other posts from unhappy Passat owners. My wife and I purchased a 2007 VW Passat Wagon 3.6 4-Motion with Luxury Package 2.

    I only have 600 miles on the car and it has been in the shop for almost a total of 14 days. If anyone has read my earlier post, it becomes quite obvious what kind of vehicle I'm dealing with. The car is unsafe to put it frankly.

    My "ride" started off with the following:
    1. creaks and rattles from the B-Pillar in the driver's side door. OUTCOME: After 4 attempts to fix and locate the problem the Dealer removed and reinstalled rear door panels and lubricated door seals.

    2. Slow air leak from front right tire. Dealer patched tire. Dealer pointed finger at me. The tech who serviced the car found a screw from a AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIP license plate bracket. In addition, all other tires were overinflated.

    3. The car at 350 miles was difficult to start. The refused to crank over on various occassions. A warning light and message appeared on the dash display. MY wife and I looked for the warning in the auto literature but nowhere to be found. OUTCOME: Dealer replaced battery.

    4. Car leaked oil at approx 250-300 miles. Car spent 7 days in dealership before dealer and VW could diagnose and fix problem.
    Outcome: Oil leaking from high pressure fuel pump. Replaced Cam Roller and Fuel Pump.

    5. Car has delayed acceleration/pause when starting at standstill and when rolling. Outcome: Service technician experienced acceleration delay during test drive. No codes detected per dealer service department. Dealer placed call to VW to try and solve this issue.

    6. Drum roll please....Car stalled on freeway today. Attempted to restart car for fifteen minutes on side of road. Restarted car after 15 minutes. This is very scary. Called dealer to make appt.

    I need a full time job just to take care of this car. I have kept very detailed documentation from day one regarding the poor customer service from my local dealer and poor quality from VW.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The lemon Law may be the best route!
  • tapp3tapp3 Member Posts: 12
    When I ask what the code was he reset with he said it was the FUEL TRAM "TOO LEAN"
    I dropped by yesterday and he reset it again. We'll wait and see I guess. As for the creaking...it's really not an engine noise, it's really only when I'm stopping or turning slowly. Slowly is a key part in this. With any speed at all it's fine. For the oil change it's no more than 5k and with synthetic oil. This is the shop where I have my oil changed.

    Any ideas or suggestions?
  • mpedenmpeden Member Posts: 1
    I likewise had/have similar problem. VW service dept could not find anything wrong eventhough they were able to reproduce the problem. After paying for a useless diagnostic, they recommended changing boots as one was cracked. I actually recently had CV joints replaced but still having same problem. Has this problem recurred following boot replacement? Does anyone else have any ideas? Thanks
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    Okay, my first suspicion was wrong, based on the add'l info you gave. It sounds like a steering/suspension issue. Do a yahoo on "Passat control arms" and look for the FAQ. It sounds like your description, based on what you've written.
  • tapp3tapp3 Member Posts: 12
    Thanks Altair4 you always seem to have good clues. I'll check that out.

    Thanks again.
  • brozhnikbrozhnik Member Posts: 172
    To set the scene for this question: I was driving west in my 2003 1.8T, around 7:10 PM (civil twilight is 9 PM) - the sun was slanting in at me.
    Okay... the AC was on and working fine, as it always has. Then I noticed a thin white vapor coming out of the AC vent, driver's side. I turned off the AC and the vapor stopped. I turned it back on and the vapor started again. It was odorless, through all of this - no smell of smoke or anything. Eventually, I didn't see it anymore, i.e., either it stopped or I could no longer see it.
    Anything to worry about? One hypothesis: (a)it's something that goes on all the time and and I only noticed it because of the unusual slant of light. (b) Something is going wrong (if so, what?). (c)It's unusual but not a problem. (d)?
    Again, during and after this event, the AC continued to work fine, in the sense that it kept things cool. And again, it was odorless, so it wasn't something burning, right?
    Thanks!
    PS Still haven't reached 60K (soon), and still haven't got the dealer quote on the timing belt - will post it once I find out...
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    That "vapor" is completely NORMAL. It is just the difference in outside temp and inside temp and especially the humidity. As the warm outside air hits the cool/cold interior it causes this mist. Just think about when it gets cold outside and you exhale warm breath and what do you see......vapor. I think the humidity is really bad where you live(southeast?), so this vapor is totally normal. I have gotten this on EVERY car I have ever owned.
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    What Fish8 said, x2.
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    It is not water vapor. It is invisible. It is water vapor (a gas) that liquified into droplets. The fog is made of it ;-)

    A jet of cold air goes through air that contains moisture (water vapor). In lower tempereature less water vapor can mix in air so it changes from gas to liquid. And you can see it happening.

    I thought it is basic chemistry or physics.

    Krzys
  • alman08alman08 Member Posts: 282
    maybe some dopehead is hiding under the hood sniffing crack! :P
    just kidding
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    true story... when i still smoked, i had a rental in south GA on a gosh aweful humid / hot night with AC on blast. i turn on the map light and lo and behold, i see what i thought was smoke pooring out of the vents. i pulled over immediately thinking something in the cabin caught on fire because of the cigarette or something was very wrong in the engine compartment. took a moment for me to re-enter the vehicle and realize everything was OK.

    perhaps you've seen this on airplanes at the gate as well. i have several times here in atlanta.
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    This message is specifically for altair4. Thanks for all of your advice. After some searching I have found a repair shop that deals with Volkswagens. I am going to have my brake work done there Monday. The mechanic is even going to look and see how much wear is on the pads before I make the decision as to which pads (more pricey/less pricey) I purchase, which I thought was pretty decent. I don't know, maybe every shop does that. Since I know nothing about brake pads I'm kind of dependent on him, though I did ask questions! I will follow your advice about the oil. Actually, I am going back to my old system of purchasing the oil myself, which I've done for nearly every oil change on my car except this past one. This has taught me to be more proactive and knowledgeable about how my car works. This car's gonna be my "baby" (and has been!) for the next couple of years, so it's up to me to take care of it. My new motto is gonna be "Be diligent, but don't panic!"

    Thanks again!
    Michelle :shades:
  • brozhnikbrozhnik Member Posts: 172
    ..so to speak. Thanks, guys, for the explanation. It was in fact hot and humid here (temp 92, heat index 105 - or something like that). Still is, in fact, and the AC keeps on working great (though today no visible vapors - next time I'll enjoy it)
  • xando05xando05 Member Posts: 42
    My dealer received a upgrade disk from the local VW rep this week. The CD is supposed to upgrade the car's computer to help solve the problem of delayed acceleration/pause experienced by many new Passat owners.

    VW is due to release a technical bulletin regarding this issue very soon.

    The cd was installed in the vehicle on Friday. The test drive revealed an slight improvement. If you're experiecnng such an issue contact you dealer and inquire about the disk.
  • siennamisiennami Member Posts: 116
    After about a year of doing the "herky-jerky" dance whenever I came to a stop, my car has been cured! I finally realized what's so special about a turbo. I was driving my friend's Kia while mine was being repaired. I did my usual merging into traffic thinking I was going to just zoom along. Boy, was I wrong! I really missed my Passat yesterday, and I was glad to get it back! :shades:
  • eabeab Member Posts: 2
    I have the white vapor out of AC also But with a distinctive odor ? Living in Houston and yes it's been very hot and humid. Did you determine any problems having it? I have 2004 Passat GLS.
  • user777user777 Member Posts: 3,341
    i think this is quite normal and observed by many in many makes and models of vehicles. when you have cold air colliding with warm moist air, i think you form your own local weather system. :surprise:
  • blueberry01blueberry01 Member Posts: 5
    Hello

    I have a 2001 GLX V6 passat that i would like to add a
    upgraded exhuast sytem to give my car a mellow sound and
    allow more air flow to my engine.

    Nothing loud just a nice mellow tone that will take nothing
    away from the passat.

    Does anyone have any suggestions or know where i may get this? There seems to be one for every Volkswagen accept the V6 Passat



    Thanks
    Mark
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    You wrote:

    I have the white vapor out of AC also But with a distinctive odor?

    Is that distinctive odor like a old gym locker room? If so, it's likely that you have mold growing on the A/C components in the HVAC system.

    First, make sure you car is dripping condensate under the car when the A/C is running. If not, you need to address the blockage.

    Then you need to treat the problem. The dealers supposedly have something to kill the mold. And I've seen a product called Klima-Clean from Einszett (a German company) on the web - but I've never used it. Here's an excerpt from their webpage:

    Klima-Cleaner - A/C Odor + Bacteria Cleaner 250 ml (8,5 fl oz)

    | Removes bacteria and fungi from air conditioning units and ducting.
    | Reduces allergens for clean, healthy, and fresher smelling air.

    Don't mask odors with fragrances -- treat them. Klima-Cleaner is an effective means for removing odors from the air conditioning unit by eliminating odor-causing bacteria, fungi and other germs. Works by effectively cleaning the evaporator -- the source of the problem. Simply insert included spray hose into the center air vents in your vehicle's interior and spray. Allow to work for 30 minutes. Creates a healthy and fresh smelling environment that lasts for months.


    While I don't live in as humid a place as you do, I've always run my ventilator for about a minute or two with the A/C shut off to dry out the evaporator. I don't know if this really helps or not, but none of my cars have had the moldy smell. That's probably not going to be an easy task in Houston. Since I have a turbo, I do the turbo cooldown and A/C dryout simultaneously.

    Good luck.
  • blueberry01blueberry01 Member Posts: 5
    Hello

    I have a 2001 GLX V6 passat that i would like to add a
    upgraded exhuast sytem to give my car a mellow sound and
    allow more air flow to my engine.

    Nothing loud just a nice mellow tone that will take nothing
    away from the passat.

    Does anyone have any suggestions or know where i may get this? There seems to be one for every Volkswagen accept the V6 Passat



    Thanks
    Mark
  • tapp3tapp3 Member Posts: 12
    Recently I posted a problem I'm having with my orange engine light. I took it to have it checked and the mechanic said I needed to replace a sensor so we did and the Tranm Fuel code (???) was reset. The light went off for two days and then reappear ed. When I took it back the mechanic said it was giving the same reading and he didn't think it was the sensor. He reset the code and again for 2 days the light stayed off. Then Friday I received a letter from VW saying that they had a problem with an emissions hose that was making the MIL (???)light come on and stay on.
    I guess I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem and do you think this is emissions hose will help me?
    Thanks for any help,
    Vicki
  • vsjvsj Member Posts: 1
    We received an Oil Pressure Indicator message on Sunday evening and immediately had our 2004 Passat Wagon (V6 4motion) towed to the Lindsay VW in Dulles, Virginia. I rented a car from them because they had no idea when they would be able to fix my vehicle and they told me the rental car would be covered if the problem was warrantable. I fully expected the problem would fall under a warranty category as I maintain my car in excellent condition and was not due for an oil change. Less than 2 hours later, they called and claimed their diagnostic showed there was a break where the wiring goes into the sensor for the oil pressure indicator. Their opinion was that a rodent selectively chewed this one wire under my hood (mind you, we are not aware of rodents in or around our Northern Virginia neighbor, but I guess it could happen). I was very frustrated to learn that their opinion would cause this repair (they didn't even replace the wire) and the rental not be covered under my warranty, I received customer ABUSE from the technician and overcharged. They ended up charging me $9.18 for "wires, connector and electrical tape" and a whopping $242 for labor and $20 for shop supplies. This is ludicrous. I ended up filing an insurance claim and would hope that someone would weigh in on this issue. I'm not sure what's most upsetting to me -- the non-warranty (how do they know the wire damage wasn't from a faulty wire), the rude and abusive service, the overcharge, etc!! Of course, I have many of the other problems folks have complained about (poor radio coverage, acceleration/shifting problems when slowing down and accelerating). I really love my car so I'm trying to keep everything in perspective, but this experience the past couple of days has been very disheartening.
  • sirishkrsirishkr Member Posts: 1
    Hey all,

    My 2001.5 1.8T GLS has been acting up for the past week or so: the car alarm goes off intermittently while driving the car. Curiously, this seems to happen in the first drive of the day, usually in the mornings.

    BTW, in case this helps anyone, I had a strange problem last month wherein the car wouldn't recognize its key: it wouldn't start/lock/unlock. I got around that by "rebooting" it (disconnecting the battery for a bit), and not using that particular key anymore.

    Wonder if the latest drama has anything to do with the key again...

    Thanks!
  • vwjaneyvwjaney Member Posts: 4
    Hi everyone, I'm new to this spot...so far so good, 2004 wagon, Turbo...I take my car to my Sunoco for oil change, $60...they only use synthetic oil for vw
    love my passat....does anyone know the cost for the 20,000 mile check-up?? I was a little miffed to learn that vw does not do the warranty work for free as most dealers do...I researched everything about the car except that...just never thought that wouldn't have been covered...let the buyer beware, right?? :surprise:
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    Waranty work IS free.
    did you mean maintenance? Maintenance is not free for many cars, only some luxury makes offer it (SAAB, BMW).

    And even then it is not free. It is "free" as its price is included in the price of the car ;-).

    Krzys
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The 20K service calls for an oil and filter change, cabin airfilter change and tire rotation. Remember, the brake fluid need to be changed every 2 years regardless of miles.

    What weight of oil is the Sunoco place using?
  • altair4altair4 Member Posts: 1,469
    You wrote:
    we are not aware of rodents in or around our Northern Virginia neighbor

    You must have squirrels, chipmunks and the like down there.

    Not to make light of your situation, but I overheard a conversation at the service counter at my dealer last fall - turns out the customer's Passat was an electrical nightmare due to chipmunks chewing through the insulation on the main wiring harness.

    They spent hours getting to that point and couldn't even begin to give the guy any sense of how much this was going to cost to even complete the diagnosis, let alone how much to repair it.
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