Problems with 99 VW Passat GLS

bam6161

Here's my latest. Got the warped windshield replaced. Now the new one is warped. Cracking problems others are having can be attributed to the structural stress, but warping? The service manager could not be sure why this is happening. The problem concerns me, but so far the treatment from my dealer has been excellent.

So the VW field reps will look my car over in a few weeks. Hopefully they will be as nice about it. I'll let you know.

randall6

I own a '98 Passat GLS. Loved it until recently. First I got the recall for the tie rod ends (if they fail you can't steer)Then I received the recall notice for the vacuum boost system for the brakes (freezes in the winter). I am glad that the car is well made just in case I loose steering and can't stop before I hit a tree. Besides this there are problems with the lube lines to the turbo plugging and causing failures (read all about it on the VW Tech site)

Beside that, the engine needs more power and has been making odd sounds lately. Also, there are funny klunks from the suspension.

I knew I should have bought a Maxima.

gus

#210> Please try asking your question in the Smart Shopper question. Once you buy your car, feel free to post your maintenance and repair related questions here.

Gus
Conference Host

koffedrnkr

reliability is very difficult to define because it means different things to different people. if your dashboard rattles every time you drive, but the car has never failed to start...do you have a reliability issue? if a car's fit and finish is top rate, but one day it simply dies, is it still a well built car? these are tough questions.
we all want fast, stylish, safe, affordable cars that will never break. it's the dream of perfect ownership which we feel we're entitled to given the price we've paid. if that's our standard then every honda, toyota, mercedes, vw, or yugo will eventually let us down. cars are such lousy investments that even the best of them are still long-term money pits. the only true compensation is our enjoyment of the vehicle.
which brings me to the passat. those searching for information on this thread shouldn't be alarmed about the frequency of reported problems. after all, this is a thread specifically about PROBLEMS. if you want warm fuzzies, simply find an enthusiast group or an "i love my new passat!" thread and you can quickly experience the other side of the ownership coin. after reading each post here, it certainly seems to me that the majority of the problems reported are annoying or mysterious, but few are severe or life threatening. more criticism seems to be directed at dealerships than at the cars themselves. this, to me, says that while the passat may have some issues, it's basically solid.
my current car is a '92 saab. it creaks, rattles and shakes. it has fit and finish problems. it costs alot to maintain and good dealerships are hard to find. it's also been a very safe and very reliable car. it's quirky and stylish. it fits my personality. i've enjoyed it.
my next car will be a 2000 passat and no doubt it will have issues of its own, but i know i'm going to enjoy driving it and that's the payoff. after the car loan is through, the insurance is paid, the gasoline is pumped, and the maintenance is finished, all anyone has left is the enjoyment factor. did you have fun? did it serve your needs? did it take you where you wanted to go?
if you want a passat and have reasonable proof that the model itself is not a lemon, then go for it. don't expect your car to be perfect and it won't disappoint you. take every reasonable precaution, but after that...it's really out of your hands.
to those with bad passat experiences, it's easy to blame yourself and say, "this wouldn't have happened if i had just bought the camry". what you don't know is that at the precise moment you think that, some camry owner across town is waiting for his car thinking, "this wouldn't have happened if i had just bought that passat." in the end, it all evens out....you do what you can to avoid poor craftsmanship, shady dealers and clueless mechanics. past that, the only thing you can really do is shut up and drive.

squanto

well said... we share the same struggle...

atlantarwp

I'm considering ditching my '96 Maxima for a Passat. I've been spoiled with excellent reliability, and I need it because I commute 80 miles round-trip. There seem to be some genuine mechanical and quality issues with the Passat. Should I get a 2000 Maxima instead?

construct99

Want to get a passat wagon...had two Jettas, both were excellent and reliable. Sure they had a little quirkiness here and there, but they were nothing compared to the aggravation Ive experience d with cars like GM, Ford and Dodge. Having trouble locating a 2000 model however, any suggestions??

Sporin

koff,
Well said.

contardo,
This is my first VW (long-time Honda owner) and I certainly don't have any stake in VW (do you really think VW "plants" people here?...do you watch the X-files too much?)

I have had my Passat for 5 months and 10k miles with not a squeak, rattle, or problem. My service managers' name at Kinney Motors in Rutland, VT is Hans N. Pfadt. They're in the book. :-)

huynhmic

re: # 180/181
Hi there, I'm looking for some instructions or procedures to set up the CD Changer to play in a mix-random mode. I've tried everything in the manual and can't get the thing to work. Do I need to go back to the installer - I bought the unit aftermarket - to have it checked?
Please help.

mbc

I have a'99 Passat GLX V6 with 5k miles on it. I've had no mechanical/electrical problems with it. Except when I drive it over rough or uneven pavement, or have the speakers going with a lot of bass, there's a rattiling and/or squeeking sound coming from the front passanger side. I can't tell if its the speaker (it makes the noise with or without the radio on), whether the seat is loose, or something else. I think it's coming from the interior, one culpret might be the door bin, but I have no idea. It sounds like a rusty bed spring, and doesn't happen when the car is stopped, or going over smooth pavement. Its more anoying than dangerous, but I'd like to get it fixed! The first service apointment is coming up, except I doubt the mechanics will ever really check it. Has anyone had this problem before? Any respones is much apreciated.

mclaren22

I have a 99 Passat 1.8T, with 3000 kilometers on it, and have the exact same sound that you have described. I plan to take into dealer to have it looked at at 8k. Let me know what your dealer says.

dszbj

Since so many of you have so many problems with VW, why do you still insist that is an excellent car???. And please don't give that German, engineering, handling, etc...
I have been driving VW for the last 10 years, I still like them, but you have to understand it is not the car for everybody.
I was thinking about buying 2K Passat for my wife, until we test drove Nissan Maxima, well, we are getting one this coming weekend. It handles nicely, excellent engine and power that comes out of it, and you can get it with 5 spd (I found that to be a problem for a Passat, especially station wagon).
All I am saying is just test drive 2K Maxima, than make your decision...

advocat

actually, the noise comes when i'm driving. straight, around corners, up hills, etc. nothing to do with the parking break, i don't think.

lghiron

I bought a 99 gls 1.8t wagon last week. Could anyone explain how the turbo works in this car. Can anyone explain where the full throttle position is in relation to the kick down device. According to the manual "the kick down device gives maximum acceleration when the accelerator pedal is pressed down past the full throttle position. Depending on road speed and engine speed, the upshift is either delayed (forced throttle) or the transmission changes down in the next lower gear." What do people think, would the kick down device explain the slow down in speed and engine noise I am experiencing at around 60-65 mph. I noticed other people have mentioned this problem. I called the service dept. and the guy did not know what I was talking about. He told me to bring the car in. Any feedback would be appreciated.

quicheman

I've been pondering the purchase of a Passat wagon or an A4 Avant. At A4.org, I found 470 postings of complaints regarding serious troubles with front suspensions. Have any Passat owners out there had front suspension problems? My understanding is that the Passat and A4/A6 all share same design? Thanks!

artp

The suspension in 1.8 Passat is wonderful. VW did a nice job of making a car that handles well but has a nice ride too.

vasudev_g

Hi,
I am looking to buy a passat and saw an advertisement in newspaper for a used Passat.
99 Passat GLS, Triptronic,CD, Sunroof and 14K miles.
How much should I offer for it.Since it has 14k miles on it it is a one year old car.How much should I depreciate from a new 99 Passat GLS ?
thank you

lkroll

My 99 GLS 5-spd wagon clicks when the clutch is depressed. The dealer states that it is normal, the noise comes from a switch of some sort. There are no performance issues and the car has been otherwise very enjoyable and reliable. Does anybody have any data on this?

Just to add to the debate, I had a Honda Accord which had a failed master brake cylandar, resulting in a collision.

wilson19

Stoli in post #71 talked about technical bulletins. Is this on the vwvortex? Also, is the whole "you must program the radio" true or false if you buy an after market CD changer?
How much should the VW CD changer really cost me?
Is the Panasonic better?

kendallr

Tech bulletins are on tech.vw.com

Not usually. Ive heard of a few cases but my sister just installed the pan 801 and didnt have to reprogram.

i got the vw changer for about 250.

the pan is faster switching between disks and can hold 8 disks. you should be able to get it for around 215 but then you have to buy an adapter. if i had it to do over, i would have got the pan 801.

Hope this helps.

Rick

mitch22

Despite three trips to dealership, a loud and
annoying clicking/creeking noise continues in my 1999 GLS V6 Passat. I have noticed one thing that may be of help to others with the same problem. It appears to be an expansion issue. The warmer it is outside, the more apparent the problem. My dealership agrees there is a noise, but so far we have been unable to completely correct. Any thoughts on next step? Should I ask for the dash to be removed? Otherwise, this has been a great
car. However, I refuse to define this noise as
"acceptible performance."

mbc

mitch22- is your sound comming from the right side too? I took my car to the dealership, and they too noticed the noise, they checked to see if the door was fitted together, it was, they checked to see that the seat was all bolted down and fit correctly, it was, and lastly they relubricated the seat rails and door. It has seemed to help a little, but the sound is still there slightly, my dealership also mentioned it was probably an expansion issue too, becuase it does seem to creek/squeak a lot more when it is hot. But mitch22, if your dealership will take of the dash for you and check it out without extra cost, please go ahead and try it out and tell us if they found anything else, for the rest of us! But other than this minor annoyance, I've had no problems for 6K miles, and still has the new car smell. I've also been very pleased with the dealership too.

eleung

Dear Mitch22:
Does that noise really bother you to a point that
is unbearable?
Take off the dash? No way, its gonna destroy the original fit and finish. It might make it worse.
My expreience with dealers is that don't tell them to fix unless it's really necessary. Chances are they might solve one problem but cause another one.

ekkoh99

my check engine light went on. my dealer says its a switch that need to be reset bc of a sensitive emission control . anyone else have similar expereinces

jb0023

I experienced the same problem. I think it's crazy that the engine light be so 'sensitive'...if there is nothing to be worried about then the light shouldn't go off...and of course you have to go to the dealer to have it reset...BUT make sure that if it's blinking...you stop the car and don't drive any further...you can do some damage then.

jb0023

I recently bought a 1999 Passat GLS V6...it's my first VW. I love the car, but have been experiencing some problems...which is not sitting well with me considering the cost of the car. I've had to bring my car in for 1. the engine light to be reset 2. glove compartment handle broke and the entire drawer had to be replaced (took 1 month) 3. wood trim split 4. blinkers suddenly stopped working completely(not even a light came on)...and then started working again

I am very concerned of all the issues that have come up. My experiences make me want to sell my car and get something other than a VW...

Sporin

Dude, I sympathise, it stinks to have things go wrong, but I think your jumping the gun a little. Those things could have happened with ANY make.
• The Check Engine light can be triggered by something as small as not tightening your gas cap enough, common now on MOST new cars do to tightening emissions standards.
• Glove boxes are plastic, they might break for a variety of reasons, it is no reason to ditch a car IMO, replace and move on.
• Wood trim is supplied by many different companies to VW, perhaps yours was stored in the warehouse inproperly or something, tell the dealer to replace it and move on.
• Blinkers, make sure you or the dealer checks to see that the fuses are all in TIGHTLY, if it happens again, let them run a diagnostic at the shop, probably a fluke.

Only ONE of your issues was even remotely disabling, the others are annoying sure, but let the dealer fix them and move on, It would be a shame to dump your car for these VERY small issues.

This makes little sence.."...which is not sitting well with me considering the cost of the car." If the car cost less, would you have no problem with things breakng? I'm just ribbing you there, no harm intended.

I see so many people who have one or two LITTLE problems (rear cupholder breaking when they kick it!!!!) and want to bash VW and return their car, it makes me wonder what folks expect from ANY car?

When my brand new Honda Civic was delivered, the passenger side window was off track and the AC didn't work, so it can REALLY happen to anyone or anything.

Give it a chance, let the dealer fix the problems, If they don't, can't or won't, THEN you have a problem, right now, IMO, you're just over reacting.

I have over 11k miles on my 99 GLS in about 5 months and I have not had ONE SINGLE PROBLEM! I have been very public that by no means should anyone put up with gross problems with their VW, JUST because it drives so great, so keep good records and try to stay positive. There was a guy on the Vortex that flipped out because the latch on his Passat Wagon was stuck, litterally wanted his money back, the dealership came ot his house, fixed it and he was thrilled. These are machines built by people, nothign is perfect.

Don't overreact...ACT!

koemtzopoulos

Hello all,

I have a 99 Passat for a year now and I very happy with it. Only one problem. I can hear a lot of wind noise at highway speeds, something like I forgot a window open... At first I thought it was coming from the rear window, but I was wrong. I cannot find where it comes from. I took it to the dealership and they told me that other Passats have this problem, but they do not know how to fix it... Anyone else have a similar problem ? Anyone fixed it already ?

Thanks, Robert

Lacho

I have had this problem for the lsat two months:

Whenever I open the car with the sidewinder key the side mirrors move up. I have already programmed them to position #1 of the MEM buttons. It does not matter if I do not adjust the mirrors, as long as I lock the car and open it again with the remote the mirrors keep moving upwards until they fully point to the roof.

Weird thing is this happens every time, except...

You guessed it, when I go to the dealer tha car does not exhibit this problem.

Any comments?

vizag

I took delivery of my 1999 Passat GLS Wagon on August 8th 1999. The noise I hear is an extremely high pitched whistle (sort of like air blowing over an extremely tiny hole) when the car is traveling at speeds in excess of 75 mph. I can only say that it has something to do with the aerodynamics ........... haven't yet been able to pinpoint the source of this nor have I brought it to the attention of the dealer.

kceesar

I will definitely buy a 2000 GLS Passat V6. I was wondering if anyone has upgraded their tire size to a 16 or 17 inch wheel. If so, was there an extreme compromise in ride comfort. I think nowadays, cars with V6's should have no less than a 16 inch wheel. I just hope I can get a good deal that I've been reading about in this townhall.

yikes

For the Passat Wagon owners, I believe the cause of the wind noise is the roof rack. My GLS sedan does not have that wind noise at high speed.

However, I have been experiencing with dash/passenger side noises. If anybody is able to pinpoint the cause of this problem, please advise. From the posts I have read, I am not the only one with this type of problem.

It kind of make me wonder: do other models of VW have the same problems?

jgallagher7

I owed my 1999 Passat for 10 days and had a flat
tire on a major highway. My road side repair mechanic told me he changed 3 other 1999 Passats with flat tires in the last 10 days. The mechanic indicated this was very unusual. Michelin tire will not honor the warranty on tire. I continued driving for 300 feet after flat occurred to avoid causing a traffic jam/accident.
The reason for flat can not be determined. Michelin would not honor any tire warranty.

Has anyone else experience problem with Michelin tires?

m9431

Seems that most all of us are comparing Maximas, Accords, to Passats. As an ex-VW owner and now Honda owner in the "looking" stage, it seems that all have real pros and cons. I'd like to provide some input and ask some questions: The Passat, like all my past VWs, is solid and fun to drive. But it seems that the 1.8T has too much vibration, othewise it is strong enough with the 5-spd. I'm not too excited about the Maxima's rear-end styling, and driving it was not quite as good as I had hoped, even though the 5-spd 6cyl. engine did a fine job. Today I drove an Accord LX; the VTEC engine is smooth quite and adequate with the 5-spd, yet it doesn't have the Passat's "fun factor." Just for the heck of it, I drove a V6 5-spd Camry--spun the front wheels alot, but otherwise "dull." So, I'm back to the Accord VTEC vs. the Passat 1.8T, both with 5-spd gearboxes. Gees. The Accord is about $2k less, has a smoother, well-proven engine, but is less fun. I'm probasbly going to ask the same questions that others have about the Passat: 1) is it reliable, 2) can dealers fix it, and, 3) is it really worth $2k more than the Accord? (At this point, I could go either way, depending on my mood on a particular day!)

m9431

Seems that most all of us are comparing Maximas, Accords, to Passats. As an ex-VW owner and now Honda owner in the "looking" stage, it seems that all have real pros and cons. I'd like to provide some input and ask some questions: The Passat, like all my past VWs, is solid and fun to drive. But it seems that the 1.8T has too much vibration, othewise it is strong enough with the 5-spd. I'm not too excited about the Maxima's rear-end styling, and driving it was not quite as good as I had hoped, even though the 5-spd 6cyl. engine did a fine job. Today I drove an Accord LX; the VTEC engine is smooth quite and adequate with the 5-spd, yet it doesn't have the Passat's "fun factor." Just for the heck of it, I drove a V6 5-spd Camry--spun the front wheels alot, but otherwise "dull." So, I'm back to the Accord VTEC vs. the Passat 1.8T, both with 5-spd gearboxes. Gees. The Accord is about $2k less, has a smoother, well-proven engine, but is less fun. I'm probasbly going to ask the same questions that others have about the Passat: 1) is it reliable, 2) can dealers fix it, and, 3) is it really worth $2k more than the Accord? (At this point, I could go either way, depending on my mood on a particular day!)

georgep3

Just want to advise you that if you do decide to purchase the VW, buy an extended warranty to go with it 7/100k if your going to keep it for a long time. My 99 Passat 1.8T Wagon has been in for service about 20times in the past year. Some problems get fixed and others they can't figure out. The car is fun to drive, but if your looking for reliability and you want to save a lot of time in the service dept. as well as money, go for the Honda. I also have a 95 Accord with 54k and not one problem. The only other reason why I bought the VW was because Honda stopped building Wagons.

Good Luck!

cfrenz

I'm about to get a 2000 Passat and can't decide
between the auto GLS or GLX. I'm also getting
leather and the moonroof so the cost isn't going to
be too different between the models. I don't want
doggy acceleration, but I don't need or
necessarily want a gas guzzler either. Will I be
happy with a GLS? How peppy is the automatic?
Thanks,
Cynthia

jfranzel

Before you decide, why don't you check out the vwvortex.com and clubb5.com sites. Although both boards are self-selecting and attract Passat enthusiasts, if you read historical posts going back a few weeks or months you may get a better sense as to whether or not people are having real problems with their dubs. I ended up concluding most problems were minor, so I ended up going for the car that I found more attractive from a design standpoint and MUCH more fun to drive -- the 2000 Passat. This is a tough choice -- getting plenty of info from other drivers may help you make up your mind.

dhk

Drove a 5 sp V6 recently. Loved the power, but the pedal placement made it hard to brake and blip the gas pedal to downshift, which was a big disappointment. The brake pedal is high, and touchy, and my foot couldn't span over between the two pedals. In the NB and other VW's I've driven, its easy to reach both pedals for downshifting. Has anyone else noticed this problem with the Passat?

pblevine

I've never heard of Michelin refusing to honor and agreement. Take this one to a lawyer along with your oem / Michelin agreement. They owe you. You could also help scare them a bit by droping the 'c' words: 'Class Action Suit'.

ginman2

If you honestly have had your new car in 20 times for warranty work then it would seem you would meet lemon law criteria for most states. It's unfortunate for you because your experience is not typical. My Passat is pushing 3,000mi with no problems

bostonpassat

After a lot of research I am 90% sure I'm going to buy a Passat. Still shopping for the best deal on either a basic 4 cyl automatic '00 or a '99 with a few options. I realize the subject of this page is maintenance problems, but I'm starting to question if it's worth the money. Can anyone reassure me? There seems to be enough convincing negative factors to take a closer look at the Camry again.

If I do get the Passat, I've found a '99 Blk/Blk Automatic 4 cyl with luxury pkg and leather for $200 under invoice. Is this a good deal or can I do better? I know VW was offering a $750 rebate but think that ended recently. Thanks -

tanman1

200 under invoice for '99 sounds fair.

My dealer has called me a number of times to make sure that I'm completely ecstatic about my recent purchase. Apparently VW is rating dealers on how well they deliver the product via a JD Powers type survey -- I think they're trying to get rid of the real deadbeat dealers.

I've put 1000 miles on the car and it is much better in initial build quality than the two Toyotas, the Honda Accord and Mercury Sable that I've purchase new over the years. I can't predict how long this will last but early indicators are that finally VW (Germany) has its act together to compete with Japanese manufacturing lines.

Drivers wanted. Go for it.

peru

I have a '99 Passat GLS. Over 5000 miles. No problems at all other than the ticking/clicking/rattle (however you want to describe it) noise I'm experiencing as others. Thus far I have had by the dealer a bracket behind the glove box resecured, front and rear passenger door panels removed, latch cables tightened, panels siliconed, door joints lubricated, latches and brackets lubed and panels tightened. Noise returns a day later.
I too have been told that this noise may center around expansion due to temperature. I now personally believe its either how my door speaker is mounted or something in the speaker itself. My next move is to take the car to another VW dealer for a "different pair of eyes" and strongly recommend they check out the speaker.
As for removing the dash, I strongly would not recommend this. If the noise can't be located or remedied, you could possibly have created new noises.
The noise is not that unbearable - just don't like it! Otherwise, as stated earlier - great car!

hiflyer

Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of my purchasing a '99 Passat turbo with Tip. After 17,000 miles, I am happy to report that the car has experienced no major problems. The biggest complaint is a slight squeal from the brakes when I slow to a stop. Otherwise, they perform exceptionally well. Minor leaks were also recently detected from the valve gasket cover and a small hose leading to the power steering reservoir, but they were readily fixed.

If you are from the Boston area, you may want to check out South Shore VW in Pembroke, MA. Their standard deal is $50 over invoice plus some additional fees totaling another $130. I believe the $750 rebate offer ends in a couple of weeks. If so, South Shore could be offering some great deals now.

Best of luck.

artp

> "that finally VW (Germany) has its act together > to compete with Japanese manufacturing lines"

Did you mean VW has caught up to Japanese cars or Germany has caught up?

If you meant Germany, you might want to reconsider. What about BMW, Porche and Mercedes.

I own a 99 Passat but would take a BMW or Porche over ANY Japanese car, including Lexus.

tanman1

builds a mighty fine car IMHO. I can't comment on VW Mexico (Jetta, Golf). Again, in terms of initial build quality (zero defects), my Passat has exceeded the high standard (with first 1000 miles) of my previous benchmark: a Japanese built Toyota, which had 1 defect (sticky door lock). Given the relative complexity of the Passat, this is an outstanding achievement.

BMW, Porsche, M-B and Lexi are bit rich for my taste. At that price level, I would expect absolute build quality.

wallyk

I have a new 99 Passat (3k miles)that has a very high pitch noise from day one which occurs at
different speeds. The noise is noticable on smooth ashpalt versus coarse and I can hear it above the tire road noise and in between the wind noise with windows closed. It can only be heard from the drivers seat and the dealer , who has been terrific, (4th VW from them) claims its road noise from the tires. I've got Michelens installed. Any thoughts would be appreciated..Thank you

artp

Could it be coming from the turbo?

dd1

Any car can have problems. My last 2 cars were HOnda Acords, and they both had the same problems including power window motors that failed. (All 4 in both cars!), Broken glove box latch, manual transmission problems. Think of this... imagine buying the "boring acord" over the "fun to drive Passat", and then having problems with the acord. Boy, I'd really be kicking myself. My advise is buy the car you are passionate about, and dont worry about it. After all, the passat was consumer reports best buy. BTW, I bought the passat, and no problems so far.