Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

dudleyr · March 2004

Still original after 106,000 miles. 2000 1.8t Wagon Manual tranny.

If your brakes were not squeeking you probably had some life left in them. Why did they replace the rotors? They can usually be resurfaced once with no adverse effects. BTW sears charges somewhere around $100 for rear disc brakes (resurfaced). I would avoid that dealer in the future.

steves1220 · March 2004

I'm not an attorney, but I can read.

In Virginia, the lemon law applies after 3 or more attempts at correcting a non-conformity (you will need to look up what Virginia considers non-conformity). As you have described, VW has only had 1 attempt at correcting the non-conformity.

More important though, in Virginia, the lemon law rights period is 18 months after date of original delivery of new car to the consumer. As you have had the car 3 years, you are basically SOL in using the lemon law.

altair4 · March 2004

I dunno...I've read lots of posts around the web about NOT cutting VW/Audi rotors. Supposedly they're on the thin side to save weight and cutting them brings them outside of tolerance. Conversely, the other point I've read is that the rotors tend to warp after cutting. Take your pick...when I do brakes (and I'm gonna do'em myself if it happens in warm weather), I'm replacing the rotors. Internet pricing is not that much for the OEM rotors - I think it's a worthy investment, especially since I keep a car for so long.

passat2004 · March 2004

I bought a 2004 automatic Passat GLS 4cyl. in mid-February and after the second week, during a weekday, my car failed to start after 3 attempts. By the fourth attempt, the car did start - and I regret not reporting this incident to the local dealership at that time. By the third week, however, on a Monday, my car required 7 attempts to start the engine. I called Roadside assistance, the selling dealership, and the dealership closest to my house to schedule the earliest appointment. The earliest date I received was 2 weeks later. The next day, Tuesday, my car required 5 attempts to start the vehicle. I finally received the selling dealership's willingness to fix my car the following day. I dropped my car off at the dealership on Tues. night, the dealership/service dept. replaced my ignition switch on wed. afternoon, and I took my Passat home that Wed. evening. On Thurs. morning, my car wouldn't start after two attempts. I called Roadside assistance, a tow-truck arrived, and the tow-truck owner tried to start my car with no luck. The selling dealership replaced the power supply relay, rested and reset the computer - and I took the car home on Friday evening.

After this experience, I requested from the selling dealership, and then VW of America, a replacement vehicle or a full refund. This morning I received both dealerships' negative response to my request and their decision to adhere to the existing warranty. At this stage, I may have to wait until my car has problems for the third time before I can invoke Virginia's lemon law. However, VW's customer service has been so poor and the problems with my car after only 3 weeks leads me to consider other options. I would appreciate any feedback on similar Passat experiences, and advice on next steps.

altair4 · March 2004

"lemon law." Check out your state's requirements. Maybe worth a call to some of those law firms that specialize in lemon law issues.

On the other hand, once they figure it out, you'll probably be good to go.

steves1220 · March 2004

Did the power supply relay replacement and computer reset fix the problem? Or are you still having difficulty starting?

I do not own a VW (yet - still considering), but have had initial quirks with a new car in the past. A faulty component does not imply the car is a lemon. The customer service may suck (this seems to be a common theme, regardless what brand is discussed), but as long as they are honoring the warranty - there is not much more to be expected, IMHO. Would suggest to see if problem still persists, or if it was indeed fixed. I know the problem was annoying, but do try to enjoy your new car.

HCLEMO · March 2004

I purchased a 1.8T 4 motion 5 speed manual Passat (leatherette, sunroof, winter pkg) for $22999--VW and the dealer were kicking in $2000 in rebates, I felt the price was very close to what I should pay, based on Consumer Reports and Edmunds. Since I felt the price was reasonable, I did not haggle.

I was a chicken and added a 4 yr 100K extended warranty since this will be a commuter car for me (high mileage). Hopefully I won't need this, but I have been burned in the past on a 95 Ford Windstar and a 98 VW Cabrio.

I drove it back from Fredericksburg (got it at Ted Britt VW) to Richmond VA (home) on I-95. It ran nicely at up to 80.

Overall, my first impression is that of a well put together car. Of course, what is more important is how I feel about this car after 2 years!

fish8 · March 2004

Congrats on your new Passat purchase.

justin · March 2004

so are everyone's V6 Passats holding up well? referring to 02 and newer....

thanks.

r2s2 · March 2004

I have a 2001.5 Passat GLX FWD (early 2002 without the four year warranty -- augh). The V6 has done fine. It's of course the Audi V6, not the VW VR6, and was not included in the coilpack recall. Have had no problems except VW's trademarked rattles and squeaks, with which long-time VW owners are familiar. The worst of these was in the headliner over the driver, and was repaired according to a tech service bulletin.

I did get an extended warranty, and I like the car so much that when the 3 year lease is up next month I'm going to buy it.

birdboy1 · March 2004

Thanks for your input regarding my last posting "feeling like I have been taken to the cleaners". Last week the service dep't told me my rear brake were worn almost to the metal ( 30 k miles , passat 1.8T auto )Car had no symptoms of this. I trusted them and paid $400.00 . Are the rotors under warranty? How can they need replacement if the pads were not totally worn? The service report states "performed rear brake service including rotors and pads", however the charges on the report are for 2 brake discs and one break lining. Please help me understand what this means. i want to challenge the work and report, however I want to have all the facts clear... As in the past Thanks for your support.

mbros2k · March 2004

Birdboy: The rear brakes on my 2002 Passat 1.8 are worn to 50% at 20k and I am very easy on them. Rear brakes wear faster on Passats and 30k is not unusual. VW dealers routinely replace rotors when doing a brake job to avoid problems and liability (and probably make more profit).

Also, rotors can warp. My front rotors are being replace under warranty because I can feel the car shake when applying the brakes at high speeds.

You can easily see if each rotor and pad was replace by shining a flashlight between the wheelspokes. The pads will look thick and the rotors will look smooth and shiny with no grooves. $400 is a lot, but that's the price you pay when going to the dealer.

kapus · March 2004

I am considering the purchase of a 2004 GLS with manual transmission. I test drove the car and really enjoyed its handling. I have seen the JD Power review of the car as well as reading this board and I am becoming a bit nervous about purchasing this car. I have owned Japanese cars in the past and have never had any major problems with these cars. I like the Passat's style and handling, but do not want a car that is going to be nothing but trouble or require constant repair. Any advice? Is this car really that unreliable?

fish8 · March 2004

I would recommend calling the Service Manager at the VW dealership and getting him to "interpret" the service receipt. Get his opinion on what was done by the verbiage on the receipt. The compare that to what you were charged.

onlysurfer · March 2004

I have Passat GLX v6 4Motion. Rides well but some problems such as turn indicator stops working, Gas leak etc. The service is bad, no wait-and-fix stuff and took multiple trips for each problems and forget the replacement car. Good choice if you plan to spend 20-22k otherwise go with Honda/Toyota/Accura or other luxury brand.

someyak1 · March 2004

My wife took her 2000 passat wagon in for regularly schedule maintenance at the VW dealer. They told her she had a broken tie rod..$500.
I drove the car last week and did not notice anything wrong with he steering. Would I notice if I had a broken tie rod?

Thanks

01newpassatglx · March 2004

Has anyone else had an intermittent starting problem? The starter does not crank. But the Daytime Running Lights and dash lights dim when you turn the key (a relay is designed to do this). Sometimes it takes dozens or hundreds of attempts. I have had to have it towed in before. I have paid (out of warranty) to have the ignition lock and switches replaced, as well as the starter. The problem comes back after a few days. The dealer told me they have had several Passats with this problem. I am SO close to selling it and buying a G35. My Maxima had 140K+ trouble-free miles before it was rear-ended and totalled. I should not have to spend $1200 in 2 months on a car I am still paying for, and STILL be afraid to drive it anywhere. It has refused to start in the middle of the road, at the state emissions test lane, in my garage, leaving work after dark, etc. My 1978 Lincoln is more reliable! At least I know it will start!

r2s2 · March 2004

I had this problem the first day I had my 98 Passat GLX. Took it in, and it took the dealer service 15 minutes to adjust the linkage/switch which allows the car to start when the shifter is in Park. Didn't have any more trouble during the three years I had the car.

pster · April 2004

Just got my new Passat a few days ago. The clear blue tinted plastic protective film that was taken off the chrome trunk sill plate but torn bits of it are sticking out all around the plate and I'm going nuts trying to get it all out. Can this metal trunk sill plate be removed? Does anyone know how?

pat · April 2004

Hi pster - glad to see you here! :-)

307web · April 2004

You should take it back to the dealer and ask them to finish doing their job.

pster · April 2004

Glad to be here!

pster · April 2004

There are some things better left done myself. The dealer will just go at with a knife and make it worse. Just went over the entire vehicle, the engine was filthy, absolutely filthy and the sound absorbing pad under the hood was torn....otherwise car in perfect shape. Salesman said if I didn't give him a perfect grade on the follow up VW query he would get dinged $50. Is this true?

pster · April 2004

Three of the last four cars I have purchased had lousy dealer prep and one actually dumped all coolant onto the dealers front entryway....I hope VW's dealer service is better, but I'm not expecting it.

brwalter · April 2004

"Salesman said if I didn't give him a perfect grade on the follow up VW query he would get dinged $50. Is this true?"

There's a VW query? I sure never got one. My salesman would definitely have gotten dinged. Anybody ever received one of these?

And mine still has the vestiges of blue plastic film too, so if a definitive answer comes up on what to do about it, I'll be curious.

For all that, I am enjoying my 2003 GL at 8500 miles (runs well, no problems so far).

pat · April 2004

From what I gathered when I used to hang out on the Smart Shopper board, it seems like the follow-up surveys by the manufacturer after a sale are essentially pass/fail no matter how many "choices" the buyer might have for responses. Anything less than perfect is "fail" and apparently that affects bonuses and stuff.

This is just my impression from what I've read - I don't know any of this as fact. Swing by the SS board and join a discussion or two to talk with some of our friendly salesfolks.

ttran · April 2004

The temperature gauge on my 2000 Passat is acting up. The needle would intermittently drop from midline (190F) to starting line, then go back up again in a few minutes. That happens 2 or 3 times during a 10 mile trip. Does anyone have an answer or suggestion to this problem ? Thank you.

georgek · April 2004

This happened to my 1.8T after the timing belt and water pump were replaced at 100K miles. The temperature sensor can be damaged easily when the water pump is swapped out. The dealership claimed that it was pure coincidence that the sensor failed immediately after they changed the pump; after a short, polite discussion they removed the labor charge from the bill and I paid for the relatively inexpensive part.

bronsonb · April 2004

ttran - we had the same problem with our 99 V6 GLS. It was intermittent, and the first time I brought it to the dealer, they couldn't replicate it. Second time, it was definitely broken. They replaced a sensor and the total bill was $125. That was the lowest cost repair we ever had with our car since it went out of warranty. And it was the only non-warranty repair we had on the car in the first 4.5 years of ownership.

superflytnt · April 2004

Looking to buy a Passat between the years 2001.5 and 2002. I would like to know what direction you all think I should go in regards to the 1.8t or the V6? I would like to stay around $14K. If you can, please provide engine durability, transmission specs (auto or manual) and mech. problems. Thanks a bunch guys.

superflytnt · April 2004

if i have a warranty on my car and i decide to do some engine upgrades, will i be voiding the entire warranty?

superflytnt · April 2004

what would be the better way to go: dealer or private owner? are there companies that offer extended warranties if purchased from a private owner?

pat · April 2004

You can check out some conversations about aftermarket warranties on our Finance, Warranty & Insurance board while you are waiting for some feedback here.

ian18 · April 2004

My 2003 Passat V6 at 11,000 miles needed to have a vacuum hose on the engine replaced because it was leaking. The repair sheet says that a "vacuum line split open by brake booster".

The symptoms were that one morning I noticed a slight hesitation at idle right after starting the car in the morning. This seemed to go away but when driving home in the afternoon the check engine light went on.

I was able to get an appointment the next day at Pugi in Chicago where they diagnosed and fixed the problem under warranty. Their service department was very efficient and accommodating.

brwalter · April 2004

At 9000 miles, I like most of the design of my 03 Passat GL a lot. The only obvious problem that could be easily fixed is... the color of the oil dipstick. On my car, the dipstick is exactly the same color as oil. (Think about that from an ergonomic standpoint.) The result is that after decades of checking the oil easily on previous cars (all of them cheap, no less) now, on my Passat, I have a hard time checking the oil - I need really good light, for one thing.

So: (1) memo to VW's designer: duh! (2) Anybody else have this problem? Or is it my middle-aged eyes? (3) Could I actually get a replacement dipstick that's not black, but, say, the color of bare metal (like on my old Saturn, Corolla, etc.)? Better yet, a white dipstick?

Thanks.

fish8 · April 2004

Yes, engine upgrades will most likely void your factory warranty.

rickrover · April 2004

Actually, aftermarket engine upgrades will not void your entire warranty. I upgraded a 2000 Passat and an 02 GTI - both 1.8t with a lot of aftermarket performance modifications. First the dealer has to prove that the upgrade caused the malfuntion, if they do then it only voids the warranty for the item the modifaction is attached to, not the entire car. On my 02 GTI, I had a second gear grind issue that was present almost from day one. My GTI had tons of engine upgrades when the dealer replaced the whole transmission at 10,000 miles under warranty. The engine modifications were readily apparent, and I told them it had upgraded ECU software by APR, it also had a full aftermarket exhaust, intake, diverter valve, intercooler etc. I also replaced a lot of the suspension with aftermarket parts - springs, struts, swaybars etc - never an issue with a warranty repair - just the parts I replaced were not under warranty (obviously) but those parts typically carry a lifetime warranty which is better than the factory warranty.

Not all VW dealers are mod friendly but a lot of them are. Your best bet is to check with your dealer and ask if they are "mod friendly" if not, go to another dealer until you find one that is. None of the VW dealers in my area will void a warranty for aftermarket modifications. I have never had a warranty item turned down on any of my VW's and none of them are stock.

ian18 · April 2004

brwalter- You are absolutely correct that checking the oil with the Passat dipstick is very difficult. The best dipstick design I have seen was on my '98 Olds Intrigue where its dipstick had a series of small holes drilled in it over the measurement range. This allowed one to easily see exactly where the oil level was. I have been thinking of doing this myself with the Passat dipstick. Its too bad that the German engineering experts could not come up with such an elegant solution like the Americans.

brwalter · April 2004

Ian18--thanks, interesting idea about modifying the dipstick.

A different question for the forum: I'm thinking about the front mudguards for my Passat. Question is, are they easy to install oneself or is this something that only the dealer (or equivalent) should do? (Given that I don't even know how they're held on, I don't want to stretch myself on this.)
Thanks.

superflytnt · April 2004

i noticed the prices on 2002 passats have gotten a little more expensive in my area so i am swaying toward a 2001.5. how do i know that is really what i am getting?

rickrover · April 2004

It's a 2001 Passat on the registration and it has the new body style. 2001 Passats have both new and old body styles. Dealers (especially non-VW dealers) call either new or old body styles 2001 because that's what's on the title.

superflytnt · April 2004

so the sticker at the dealer will let me know if it is a 2001.5 passat? i dont want to get ripped off. i know the 2001.5's have 170hp so i guess i could look for that. thanks

anonymousposts · April 2004

The exterior design was also modified for the 2001.5 Passat with different headlight and taillight treatments. The 2001.5 have red taillights with the clear circles in them.

denverdoc · April 2004

Hello,

I am looking to buy a used Passat (2001-2003) with automatic transmission. I have read that with an automatic transmission the V6 is the best choice. However I live in Denver (altitude 5280 ft) and was told by a car dealer that at this altitude the 1.8 turbo 4-cyclinder engine is a better choice. Does anyone have experience or knowledge in this area?

Also, is the AWD worth the extra cost for someone who does mostly around town driving? (ie not much mountain driving?)

Thanks so much!

big_guy · April 2004

I have a 2001.5 Passat GLS w/tiptronic. I have not had any troubles getting around with just the FWD and the 1.8T engine is great. A good set of snow tires and the vehicle will go where you want it to. It takes a bit of time to get accustomed to the acceleration with the 1.8T but I rather enjoy it. I like the fact that altitude does not affect the performance of the vehicle. It behaves the same driving around at 5000 ft elevation and at 7000 ft. By the way, I live in Salt Lake and frequently drive up and down the local canyons. I also recommend the cold weather package and Monsoon stereo (I have both options and really enjoy them).

texoma · April 2004

I took my '03 Passat in today for it's 15,000 mile service. The maintenance section of the owners manual (where you get your service book stamped) says at 15,000 miles only a oil change is required. After I had the oil change done, I took my service book to get it stamped, to show the work had been done. My service advisor said he could not stamp the book, because I did not have the 15,000 mile service, I only had an oil change. I showed him the book, which only shows at 15,000 miles a oil change is due. He said there is a difference between the 15,000 service and just an oil change. I think he is nuts, and should stamp my book.

Anyone know who to ask?

Oh, beside a crazy service department here in Texas, I LOVE the Passat, great car, absolutely not one problem.

dudleyr · April 2004

Go to the manager. If they need to they can write a note that says only the oil was changed. Also keep your reciept - seems like these guys are the type that may want it some day.

fish8 · April 2004

I agree with dudley. Go to the Service manager and ask for his assistance. If there are other VW dealers in you area tell them you will take your business else where.

rickrover · April 2004

There may be a little more than an oil change for the 15k service - ask them what the difference is. I'm thinking they check a lot of stuff in addition to the oil change.

quan69 · April 2004

there's nothing listed in the manual for 15k other than the oil change. sounds like they're trying to shaft you.

Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

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