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Volkswagen Passat 2006+

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Comments

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 16,373
    on the horizon? I'm interested in the Passat. Cash for Clunkers (1990 BMW 325iA) program has given me the itch to buy. The vehicle (Passat, TSX V6 TECH, or Accord EXL-V6 NAV) will eventually replace my wife's '07 X3 when her lease is up next July. The vehicle has to fit our double stroller in the trunk with room to spare. The Passat is a fun car to drive. We almost leased it instead of the X3 2 years ago, but for an extra $25 per month I went with the X3.

    I noticed they dropped the V6 & 4Motion models from the lineup this year. Are they going to put the Direct Injection engine from the A4 into the Passat for 2010?

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD

  • mikemartinmikemartin Member Posts: 205
    ny, the direct injection is already incorporated into the 09 Komfort Passats.

    FWIW, we just dumped ours (2006 2.0T). Many problems, an engine that literally sounded like a John Deere, and the dealer telling us that oil consumption of a quart every 1,000 miles was 'normal.'

    Needless to say, I have forever sworn off VW. I should have heeded all the warnings from friends and coworkers who warned us.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    nyccarguy,

    Beware of listening to small samples (good or bad). I'm sorry mike had a bad experience with his (first model year), but ours (2007) has been great.

    VW has stripped down the Passat. If you want the higher end versions/bigger engine, you need to look at the Passat CC.
  • clark18clark18 Member Posts: 6
    My 06 2.0T started off with some problems, a defective trunk latch for example, which were quite annoying but since I started taking the car to Jim Ellis VW here in Atlanta the car has been great. I must say their service has improved almost beyond belief, I can't recommend them highly enough.
    My car was an early model, my fault as I did not look at the production date before I bought it, but performance and gas mileage have been really good all along. A steering column problem (replaced under warranty) took care of a sporadic starting problem that never quite left me stranded.
    Anyway, I have NOT sworn off VW and will seriously consider a 2010 GTI next year.
  • ashle18ashle18 Member Posts: 1
    My husband and I just purchased an 06 Passat. It seemed that the key fob was not working and the battery was dead. The salesman who helped is out went to the back to get the battery replaced, but then came back and said that he was told that the fob charges itself when it's in the ignition.

    However, I drove over an hour to get home and when I arrived home, the fob still did not work. Is there a way to replace the battery? Or am I "charging" it wrong? The dealership is closed for the holidays and weekend, and I hate to leave my car out unlocked for that many days while waiting to contact them.

    Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
  • vajettavajetta Member Posts: 4
    2009 Passat Automatic. Anyone else getting blinded by the sun reflecting off of the highly polished chrome surrounding the gear selector? :shades:

    I have to drive with a small towel when the sun is high because it so perfectly reflects in my eyes.

    Any ideas on applying a film to it similar to the invisible bra, or the stuff you apply to your cell phones to protect it?

    Any other ideas to knock down the high reflective nature? I even had a Sunguard film applied to my windshield and a 70% tint "eyebrow" along the top of the windshield, but still not getting the job done.

    Thanks for any advice.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    2009 Passat Automatic. Anyone else getting blinded by the sun reflecting off of the highly polished chrome surrounding the gear selector?

    Yeap, it's a problem on my 2007 as well. Luckily it only happens infrequently for me, so I haven't had to do anything about it.

    I'm thinking the only real solution is to change that piece of trim. Not sure how feasible/cheap/easy that would be.
  • vajettavajetta Member Posts: 4
    Is it the same highly polished chrome look on previous years?

    I guess if it were to change it's probably a different style.

    For all the cars I looked at I tried hard to stay away from the plastic with the fake metal look. My previous cars that had this would get scratched very easily.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    Yes, it's the same one. Good luck.
  • vajettavajetta Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2009 Passat Komfort and it seems to cool very well. I pretty much set the dial to 72 and never touch it even on the hottest days :shades:

    It's the White Gold Exterior with the Black interior.

    I did pay for a premium tint job (35% tint darkest to be legal on the front and 20% tint the rest), and even had a Solar guard applied to windshield with an eyebrow on the top that comes down to middle of the rearview at 20% so I'm sure all of that helps a bunch too.

    My only complaint is that it is a little loud when turned up to full speed.
  • banditboybanditboy Member Posts: 54
    My area seem to be full of used 06 passat with 2.0T for around 14k.
    I made an offer of a 06 w/Lux1 Package , Manual [i really want the manual to balance the blandness of my 07 Auto Camry] .From a few threads they seem bad , I am worried should i even buy one. The above one with 40k miles is offerred at 11.8 and i counter 10.8 and waiting.The 3 other ones are around 40k and are advertised at 14k.I will probabily offer 13k.

    i would appreciate some help.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    I love my Passat Wagon '07. having said that, I would never buy NEW a first year model car. They just haven't had a chance to get the gremlins out.

    But now it's a car with 40k miles. I'm assuming that you still get the remaining 8k factory warranty, right? If you need a bit of peace of mind, you could get an extended warranty.

    Just one question, if 3 cars are in the $14k range, why is the other one so cheap? What is wrong with it? sometimes it is a case of 'you get what you pay for.'

    good luck.
  • ECornetaECorneta Member Posts: 8
    I just bought a used 2006 Passat 2.0T, which I have yet to take delivery of. 1 owner, clean carfax record, originally bought and serviced at the dealer I am buying it from with no issues. It will be my first VW. I took for granted that, being VW, "german engineering" reliability should be expected. I have just been browsing the web and came across several nightmare-like experiences regarding this car (several found in Edmund's consumer reviews). I am freaking out a little about this and would like to get further opinions from Passat owners. Thank you for your responses.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    Take a deep breath. No need to freak out. All cars from all makers have gremlins the first year. The good news is that most problems should've been taken care of during the warranty period.

    You don't mention how many miles your Pasat has, so it might even have a bit of factory warrant. If you are worried, buy an extended warranty. Good luck.
  • vajettavajetta Member Posts: 4
    Volkswagen is trying very hard to turn around the perception that they have issues, and it mostly comes down to the dealer when dealing with warranty items. Large problems can be made small by a good dealer who is determined to make things right for the customer, and inversely small problems can be made to seem much worse when dealing with a lousy dealer. Try one dealer if a warrantied issue comes up and if you don't like their service, then take it to another. If out of warranty consider buying a 3rd party extended warranty, or rely on your mechanic who already treats you with good service.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    If out of warranty consider buying a 3rd party extended warranty,

    I disagree with this. I would buy the VW extended warranty. It's called Real Driver. You can get them for used VW's too. Shop around, you can buy them from any dealer.
  • ECornetaECorneta Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for your responses. The car has just over 45k miles on it. I still have a couple thousand miles left on the factory warranty and then a 2yr/24k mi ("pre-loved" certified). The car runs great (I've only had it for two days) and as I said all service record were available from the dealer. So I guess that gives me some piece of mind for now, I just got alarmed at all the lemon-like reviews I saw online.

    By the way, what's the deal with the rear cupholder in this thing? It keeps popping off but nothing seems to be broken.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    I just got alarmed at all the lemon-like reviews I saw online.

    Keep in mind that people with no problems do not tend to post online reviews.

    My cup holdes work fine. Sorry.
  • jozcooljozcool Member Posts: 2
    I recently purchased a used 06 passat 2.0T with thr LUX package and didn't do my research since my 04 passat was AWESOME. After seeing and reading all the unreliable ratings and reviews on the 2006 Passat...I'M SCARED!!! Is this car really that bad? I've had it for several days and no issues but I'm really concerned now. I did purchase an additional 4yr/ 98,000 warranty on it since it has about 49k miles. Should i really worry about my purchase?
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    Relax. Most of the problems were due to the 2006's being the first model year. The problems should've been addressed during the warranty period.

    None of the problems reported (AFAIK) are safety related, or compromise the long term health of the car.

    In addition, you bought an extended warranty. So, take a deep breath, relax, and enjoy your new car.

    Finally, keep in mind that most people who post are people who experience problems. Even then, the sample here is pretty small.
  • jetlag07jetlag07 Member Posts: 11
    I bought a new '06 in June '06. Several years earlier, I owned an Audi, and after numerous serious problems (including the tranny); got rid of it. When the redesigned '06 came out, I figured VW had gotten their act together, and was now building a competent product, so I jumped in. Here is the list of problems I have had with it since then:

    -Headlight Probs/Electric Steering malfunction (Computer Replaced)
    -Shift kit installed due to extremely hard shifts 2nd to 3rd.
    -2 Legit Recalls, one involving brake vacuum line.
    -Numerous engine light indications relating to "evap leak", unresolved.
    -AC compressor replaced
    -High pressure fuel pump replaced
    -Boost pressure regulator valve replaced.
    -Heater fan blower noisy on start (unresolved)
    -Noisy rear end (unresolved)

    For a 3.5 year old car, I think this list of problems is unacceptable. Good thing the bumper to bumper is 4 years! This ends in June '10, leaving the powertrain warranty. Will I keep it beyond that point? Not likely, and will not purchase another VW. Each to his own, and I am sure that there are some decent units out there, but I didn't get one. The car drives fine, and the power output is in V6 territory...but the reliability just isnt' on par with the [non-permissible content removed] or koreans. Hope yours does better.
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    I have an 07 Wagon (which is really a 06 model, built 02/06). I haven't had any of the problems you mentioned. It just goes back to my point about the internet representing a small sample of owners, and most of them post when things go wrong.

    The moral of the story is never buy a brand new model in its first year. Let them work out the kinks and buy in the 2nd or 3rd year.
  • jozcooljozcool Member Posts: 2
    Thanks everyone...I'm gonna take a deep breath and enjoy the car. As they say, 'take it day by day'.
  • jetlag07jetlag07 Member Posts: 11
    Verdugo, to an extent I do agree with what you say. First year machines can sometimes be problematic, and I anticipated a few such issues in making my decision. However, the more serious defects that I mentioned have all occurred within the last year or so. This raises doubts as to the long-term viability of their units, which is where I am headed. Besides, if you canvass JD Power and others, when compared to Asian reliability, they and other German manufacturers rank at the bottom third of the scale, regardless of price. I suspect that in this era of globablization, the Germans are attempting to keep the pricing within range of competitors, and while they can't do anything with the high fixed labour costs, outsourcing to bidders producing substandard ancilliary parts may be the case. Or....I may have just got a lemon! lol As one dealership said to me regarding a Volvo he had on the lot: "The previous owner told me that he was very happy with the car's drivability and build, but that the failure rate of the secondary parts was nickel and diming him to death!". And he got rid of it. While the major components were Volvo sourced, the secondary ones were Ford sourced. End of story.
  • pdstcorbinpdstcorbin Member Posts: 4
  • pdstcorbinpdstcorbin Member Posts: 4
    Does anyone have any suggestions for a quality xenon conversion kit? I'm wanting to convert the headlights in my 2006 VW Passat that uses an H7 bulb for low beam.
  • emcanallyemcanally Member Posts: 3
    After a winter of slipping and sliding on my OEM Continental 235-45-17s I am researching possible replacements. I have about 26k miles on the current tires and have noticed quite a bit of road noise as well. A local shop raves about the Nokian WRG2s and says many customers leave them on for the entire year. Goodyear Assurance Triple Treads seem to be a good solution as well, however the dealer recommened a different size (215-50-17). Any suggestions out there?
  • verdugoverdugo Member Posts: 2,286
    You can't go wrong with the Nokian's. We used to have their Hakkepalits snow tires on when the Passat was our ski car. We loved them.

    I have no idea why you'd want a different size on the Goodyears. Check out tirerack.com and see what size they recommend. I'm no tire professional, but I can't imagine having to go to a different tire size for normal tires.
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    If your OEM's are ContiProContact's, you won't notice much difference on ice with the WR G2's. The WR G2's offer a cooler looking tread and shorter tread life. No all-season performance tire is going to perform excellent on ice. If you drive in much ice and snow during the winter, think about getting a set of studless winter tires mounted on steel wheels from Tire Rack next fall. The only H-rated all-season tire Consumer Reports rated as even very good on ice is the Michelin Primacy MXV4. Consumer Reports did not rate any performance all-season tire as being excellent or very good in snow, not even the cool looking WR G2's. We have a set of Primacy MXV4's on our Jetta, but we still use Blizzaks for 4 months each winter.
  • krzysskrzyss Member Posts: 849
    It is more philosophical question than technical.
    Do you want different tire/wheel combo for summer and winter?
    If you want only one set, and you live or drive where it snows (or water turns to ice on the road) you should have all season tires. The only all season tire with snow flake emblem available is Nokian WR G2. As all all season tires it tries to be master in every possible condition and it excels at few. It has one big downside - it costs double what some cheaper tires cost.
    If you want to go with different tires for different wheather then first thing to notice is that buying separate set of wheels will save you money in the long run as mounting and dismounting two sets of tires on one set of wheels will add up pretty soon to the cost of separate wheels and it is not healthy for your tires.
    If you decide to go with separate sets then use tirerack.com as starting point to choose tires.

    Krzys
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    Your comment is right-on. Here is some additional info regarding the snow flake emblem from the Automobile Protection Association (APA.ca):

    All winter tires offered in Canada bear this symbol that denotes approval of the Canadian Rubber Association (CRA). In principle, it guaranties that the tire conforms to specific performance requirements regarding grip in snow, and that the tire is specifically designed for driving in snowy conditions. The standard does not currently include a test for grip on ice.

    Until recently, the snow flake on a mountain symbol was a reliable indicator of with winter performance of a tire. However, BF Goodrich, Goodyear, Michelin and Nokian now offer tires bearing the aforementioned symbol, which have tread patterns more typical of an all-season tire and are approved for year-round use. These all-season tires are not true winter tires. When new, they have sufficient tread depth to pass the snow test devised by the CRA. But they weren’t designed to confront really cold weather, and their performance diminishes over time as their tread is used up. If the CRA performance standard incorporated an ice test, these tires might not meet the requirements for the mountain and snowflake symbol. The standard needs to evolve so the winter tire designation doesn’t lose its significance, like the M+S symbol has.
  • chris_deanchris_dean Member Posts: 1
    On a recent trip to Louisiana for Christmas our 2006 Passat 3.6 jumped timing. It only has 45K miles and just recently completed the 40k mile service and ignition coil recall. First off, it seems very premature for a chain to "stretch" as the manual only lists an 'inspection' at 65k. We had it towed to South Point VW in Baton Rouge on Christmas Eve and they began work on it Monday 27th. The shop there was slammed with cars in before the holiday and the unusually cold weather. So to keep from driving them crazy with calls, I called VW to find out what our Certified Pre-owned warranty would cover and to be certain that it would all be covered, but also to enlist the help of VW in obtaining a loaner car since ours was out indefinitely and to get Jacqui back to Atlanta. I was shuffled around until I was speaking to Aaron (SE Regional Customer Care Manager) He seemed very helpful at first and then I realized that he was placating me with vague answers until they get the car fixed without promising anything or any reimbursement of expenses.

    So I must pass on what I have learned about VW of America warranties and customer service-
    *disclaimer - this is all about VW of America not the dealership in Baton Rouge. Kelly the service manager has gone above and beyond to answer all questions and explain what they have done to the car.

    1. The 24 Hour RoadSide assistance will get your car to a dealer to get fixed but leaves you stranded having to find your own way home then back to where ever they towed your car. No reimbursement for a flight, and you have to fight for reimbursement for a car, but they will not reimburse you for any gas expenses to get home or back. The way that you submit your claim is not through a call to a person, a fax or an email. You have to mail your receipts and they will review them and get in touch with you. Really?! Mail?! I guess they ran out of people who wanted to be yelled at by outraged VW owners.

    2. After calling around to numerous VW Dealerships - all of them said that for timing issues like ours they would suggest the owner replace the engine. There is no way to know the extent of the damage with out spending and incredible amount of time on the car - very costly and not worth it for either party. Also that they could not stand behind the reliability of the engine as the design tolerances are so small they would not know if they repaired everything that could be damaged. Our car was logged at 62 hours when they decided it needed all the valves replaced yesterday, January 7th. A real world comparison - if they charged you $60 an hour, our price without parts would be at $3720 and the car is still not repaired. Costly to the dealership and customer but obviously saves VW lots of money. If they were to replace the engine it would start a new warranty cycle. By continuing to breakdown our engine over and over again replacing parts they think are faulty they continue the clock on our existing warranty. So VW will waste as much time as they need to find the least expensive way to repair your car under warranty. Obviously hedging their bet on the remainder of your warranty. Meanwhile your expenses are still accumulating. And once you get it back - who knows how long it will last until they start this cycle over. They are betting after your warranty ends.

    I thought that buying the Passat 3.6 (the luxury model of the make) along with it being certified pre-owned with low miles, would insure that we would have a safe, quality product and extended service. Above all - I want Jacqui to have the safest, most reliable car that I can. Through this experience what I have learned is that VW does not stand behind their product. The thought of "certified pre-owned" has no meaning. You are just paying more to keep their advertising label on the road. When I asked Aaron what he would do if he were in the same situation he said that he would keep bugging the dealership and that it was their responsibility. Really?! I'm talking to the VW of America Customer Care South East Regional Manager. I asked him to outline what VW would be doing for me to reimburse the expense and to prove to me that my car would be reliable after these repairs - and he said "I can't outline anything for you, I can not tell you we will do anything. We will look into your expenses."
    I explained to him my concerns about the service he had given me thus far and that to make me a happy consumer again I wanted 3 easy things - for them to replace my engine, find us a loaner car and promise to reimburse our expenses and that I would expect a call by Monday with answers to the requests. He said that he could not promise anything and that he would not be working Monday or Tuesday. I replied then I'll here from one of your associates? He said only if there is an update on your car's repairs.

    Here is what I can promise - I will be posting everywhere that I can what dissatisfaction, stress and expense this situation has caused me and alert everyone to what VW will or will not do for it's "Certified Pre-Owned" still under warranty customers.

    We purchased this car less than 1 year ago - it has been with a dealer for repairs for 20 days (and counting). We had another issue that took a few days as well.
    Think about that: 20 days without your car. You're still paying for it, but don't have it because they refuse to find the quickest remedy.
  • coachdave2coachdave2 Member Posts: 1
    Consider Mich Primacy - I have tried several and these provide the best balance of noise control, feel and durability.
  • adk667adk667 Member Posts: 5
    I've seen other posts regarding the excessive oil consumption issue and we have the car in the shop (again) for another check. Our car has ~40K miles and has had this issue since new. We just keep adding oil, 2 quarts at a time when the emergency light goes on.

    They have performed oil consumption tests 2x and do not see any issues. However, this issue seems intermittent because we find that driving the car ~2000 miles can burn a few quarts of oil. There's no hint of oil in our driveway.

    1) Is there a TSB specifically for the 2.0T oil consumption issue?
    2) Has anyone found a fix for this problem (Ex. Remove/replace rings, turbo, PCV valve?)
    3) Is there a class-action lawsuit in process for this vintage Passat?
    4) Any other advice for taking care of this issue?

    Thanks for your help.
  • schmidtclanschmidtclan Member Posts: 1
    Don't know if coincidence, but had my windshield replaced and now my navigation doesn't work. Dealer told me my navigation system calibrates my compass. Compass doesn't show correct location, just points North. Gone to two dealers for no answers and am frustrated. Anyone know what it might be?
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,145
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    If you are interested in commenting on your experience, please reply to pr@edmunds.com no later than 5pm Pacific this Wednesday, May 11th and include your name and email address.

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  • whitejettanitewhitejettanite Member Posts: 1
    I have had the exact same issues, 3 oil test, rings and seal replaced, same issue still, more test and a year later still waiting a response from VW. I use about 3 litres (quarts) of oil between changes and have even run out a couple of times. I love my car but am getting a little frustrated. The latest "wet & dry" test revealed nothing. At one point it was suggested a new engine, but if they all have the same issue what is the point. My car by the way is an 08' Jetta 2.0T. I am going to suggest the new PCV valve someone else suggested and said it made a big difference plus going to 10W40 oil.
  • adk667adk667 Member Posts: 5
    Ok - here is what I did. I searched through this site and found appx 10 others that complained about the same issue and made copies to make a report. We went to vw and said that there is clearly a design issue here and it is well documented. They ran the oil test, they saw we were burning oil and replaced the engine. Once they removed the engine, they found metal shavings in the transmission and replaced it as well.

    We are satisfied with the fix but it took us a while to get there.

    PS - they suggested that they might replace the rings/seals but that, for some reason, was an option that they didn't pursue. The car runs great now.
  • passatqpassatq Member Posts: 1
    Hi there,

    My 2007 Passat 2.0 Turbo engine is burning through oil as well. We are pretty far past warranty at 63,000 miles. Were you still under warranty when VW replaced the engine for you? Did they cover all the expenses? Did you take it to the local VW dealer to get this fixed? It sounds like your perseverance really paid off and I'd like to take a similar approach. Thanks so much for your help!!
  • stawagdadstawagdad Member Posts: 1
    do you still have the 07 passat? I have a sta wag that develops elec issues re: rear hatch, sunroof,,one opens by itself, the other wouldn't close the day after I got it! Am I in for elec troubles?
  • beekertxbeekertx Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Passat as well and it is burning through oil. Was hoping to find out if there was a fix for that? Did VW step up or bow out?

    Thanks,
  • adk667adk667 Member Posts: 5
    I believe that our car was under warranty but the key here is that we had a history of bringing the car back to the same dealership for several years with the recurring issue. I suggest gathering the evidence from this site on all of the cars of this vintage that have this issue and bring it in and show the VW dealership all of the similar issues. It is a massive defect in the car and they need to step up. They did in our case and the car is running great 6 months later.
  • helga1968helga1968 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my car as a pre owned certified VW in Sept 2011.

    Answering Number 1) I too was told that these cars use a lot of oil. My car did not even make it through an oil consumption test without me having to add 3 quarts of oil at a time! So I took the car in immediately when the car needed the 3rd quart in 2 days and the emissions light came on.

    Answering Number 4)I was told it was a broken turbo and that has been replaced and the timing was affected by the lack of oil.

    I will let you know if this solves the oil consumption issue....
  • adk667adk667 Member Posts: 5
  • Tewman02Tewman02 Member Posts: 1

    I have a 2014 Passat and today while I was driving my air conditioner and radio stopped working then came back on. Then my transmission wouldn’t change gears but the started working again. I’m thinking I have an electrical problem. Can anyone give me some advice or help? Thanks

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,175
    Tewman02 said:

    I have a 2014 Passat and today while I was driving my air conditioner and radio stopped working then came back on. Then my transmission wouldn’t change gears but the started working again. I’m thinking I have an electrical problem. Can anyone give me some advice or help? Thanks

    It is almost always the battery or the alternator.

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