Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

pkradd

Consumers Reports now rates the 2003 Honda Accord as top family car. There was no coil problem in 2001 and early 2002. It only occured when VW purportedly changed suppliers. The coil problem is bad but will be fixed, no matter how long it inconveniences owners. VW has a lot to learn about customer service and public relations. There seems to be a certain amount of arrogance back in the old country. My Passat was built in 2001 (2001.5) and I'm told the coils are not the failing ones. These things (not just coils obviously) happen to ALL cars, but I'm afraid VW is just not handling it well. Dealers are caught in the middle. Maybe somebody will file a class action suit.

altair4

I dunno...this is beginning to remind me how Toyota initially handled the oil sludge problem with the 3.0 L 6. You know, "It's not the engine." There's a certain amount of stonewalling in these cases until the manufacturer can get the arms around:
1) the depth of the problem (what models are affected, how many, what production date range, etc).
2) the cause of the problem...is it poor design, poor construction of the affected part, or incorrect installation, or some combination of causes.
3) the cure for the problem (obviously depends on the answer to #2).

There's a rumor going around on Clubb5 and/or VWVortex that the J coils (the replacements for the original problem coils known as the H model)are going to superceded by the next generation coil soon. I don't know if that means that the J's are starting to fail llike the H's, or if there is some other issue at hand.

Let's hope that VWAG comes to grips with the problem and stands behind their cars like Toyota finally did with the sludge issue (extended the warranty on the engine).

pkradd

I don't think it's poor design. Previous coils did not have this problem. It is a manufacturing problem. VW switched suppliers. And it may surprise you that not all the coils made by the supplier have gone bad. It's an unfortunate situation compounded by VW's stonewalling and the usual poor VW dealer/US office customer relations. I believe the situation will eventually be fixed. It's not a serious problem as say the Firestone/Explorer fiasco. I can understand the frustration for those who have been affected. My concern is that if the problem doesn't get fixed soon the backlash could possibly affect resale value. Again, this is still a fairly isolated, albeit growing situation. I trust that VW execs in the U.S. will get off their a****s and treat their customers with respect and honesty. The story releated previously of gasoline being the problem is absolutely stupid. The service person who told this story should be fired.

joefroe

I have been looking for a preowned Passat and have finally found one that I really like- a 2001.5 GLX. The problem is that the car is being sold by a local Toyota dealer who received it as a lease trade in. My question concerns the warranty on the vehicle.

According to the owners manual, the car has a 2 year/24K bumper to bumper warranty and a 10 yr/100k powertrain warranty. The booklet also states that the powertrain warranty is not transferable to a non-family member. The car has 23,400 miles on it, so it will be out of the bumper to bumper warranty very soon. The Toyota dealer claims that Volkswagen will transfer the powertrain warranty but it will reduce to 5/50. Does anyone know if this is the case?

One additional question, the car has Blizzaks on it right now. They seem to create some tire noise and I am assuming that the car will quiet down with normal all season tires. Has anyone out there used Blizzaks, and have they noticed increased noise levels?

Anyone care to share any insights? The Passat seems like a great car- its definitely fun to drive.

vocus

When selling a used VW (older than 02) to someone, HALF of the powertrain warranty is transferrable. Meaning you get 5 years/50K miles of coverage instead of 10/100K. I would personally look for a certified (by a VW dealer) car if it's not that much more expensive. They come with the 5/50K, plus 2/24 I believe and roadside assistance.

dudleyr

I have Blizzaks, and yes they are noisy - the Passat should be very quiet with summer tires or all seasons.

nancysty

Why isn't the media onto this story? I'm filing an official complaint with VW today. My 2002 Passat has been in twice for a coil problem. The Jetta loaner car they provided me with wouldn't even start the day after they loaned it to me. If VW doesn't agree to replace this car (since I understand the defective coils are only supposedly in the turbos) this will definitely be my first and last VW. I drove a Honda for 12 years and never had a problem.
I know it's a major problem for them since my dealer had 17 cars on their lot with this same problem. They claim they are unable to get the newer coils from the manufacturer but I'm to the point where I don't know what to believe anymore. I only know that I have a brand new car that no one wants to drive!

birdboy1

Briefly I have been through coil failure hell with my 2002 1.8t. coils 2 and 4 went bad. After several days without the car and several calls to VW america, a rental was arranged. Mysteriously the service manager was able to locate two coils from a car on the lot. he put them in my car to get me on the road as their is a national backorder on these coils.
Most disturbing is the customer care advocate I spoke with kept repeating that it is VW position that the coil failure is not a saftey issue. After repeating this to me 3x, I hung up on him. I then wrote the CEO of VW notifying him how my car just lost power and began to shake on the highway and thank god a million times no one was in back of me. I am insistant that VW replace all my coils when they become available as all the other saftey features in the car are useless when the engine stops. I can not comprehend how they can tell me that they will not replace any part that is presently working, it must fail to be replaced, even knowing that it will eventually. I am awaiting a response before reporting this to national highway safety comission.. Perhaps all of us collectively can help remedy this problem.

tc3375

I have an 03 Passat, with the Monsoon System in it, what I would like to know is if anyone has changed the speakers in the doors and if so to what, and how does it sound. I love the system now, but I would like a little more bass and less of that hissing sound when I crank it up. But I didn't know if I could just upgrade the speakers in the doors without it affecting the Monsoon set-up.

outrun

change the speakers, but it won't gain you much. The hissing you're hearing is from the headunit/amplifier. The speakers just translate signals into audible sound. The hissing is being sent to the speakers.

Unfortunately, changing the headunit/amp is a complicated issue. VW service departments frown when headunits are changed. This is because their diagnostic tool (VAG-COM) can fry if the aftermarket headunit isn't installed properly. Everything electronic in the car is on a single "circuit" so their tool can look up anything. Well, this also includes the radio. There's a wire behind the headunit that needs to be terminated properly, or else their tool will be sent a much higher signal voltage than usual. Some service department refuse to hookup their tools to a car without the factory headunit in fear of frying.

If you're really into sound, go to a professional shop and have them install a headunit/amp properly, making sure they know what they're doing with newer VW cars, and have them certify that they've done the right thing when it comes to this wire. Otherwise, enjoy the sound you currently have.

-Craig

vocus

My #3 coil went in my Jetta back during Thanksgiving. They replaced it, and told me they didn't have the parts because of the backorder to fix the other 3 coils, even though they know they are bad. I told them if one of my coils fails again, expect a very unhappy customer. They will also replace all 4 this time if it happens again, I guarantee it.

My car died the Sat. before Thanksgiving. I called the manager of the dealership, and he arranged for a rental for me on Monday morning. I went and got it, and that was all. My car was done that Friday.

sbsyncro

Planning to buy a 1.8T wagon in the next week or so. Does anyone know if this coil problem still exists with cars that are currently being sold, or is it limited to 2001.5 and 2002 cars?

sbsyncro

That hissing is *probably* coming from the amp. Most "200w" amps are no where near that in actual RMS output. They inflate the number by adding distorted power at the upper ranges, which may be where you are getting the hiss.

Replacing the amp would be an easy job, and would probably yield nice results. You could keep the nice look of the factory head unit (and avoid the problems with the VAG computer), but really crank up he sound quality. Just make sure the speakers are up to the task of the amp you select. A harness adapter from crutchfield would make the amp swap a "plug & play" operation. This is what I plan to do with our (forthcoming) Passat Wagon.

Next on my list would be a nice set of Polk component speakers. Super efficient, and nice clean sound. The EX3560 is nice
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-uRsvREmTYE7/ProdView.asp?s=0- &c=10&g=76400&I=107EX3560&o=m&a=1

Replacing the tweeters could be tricky, however - you would probably need to remove the door panels, which is probably better left to a professional. At the same time, I would also install a bit of Dynamat or something like that.

If you just want to add more bass, and don't mind losing a bit of trunk space, I HIGHLY recommend the amplified units from Bazooka. I have an 8" RS8A-HP unit in my Vanagon camper and it is AMAZING. It won't give you a bump-headache (if that's what you're after) but it will give you very nice tight low base.
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-uRsvREmTYE7/ProdView.asp?s=0- &c=10&g=51000&I=204RS8AHP&o=m&a=0

frapzoid

You want MORE bass from your Monsoon? When listening to music on my Monsoon I have to turn down the bass to the 9 o'clock position because there is too much bass. Don't get me wrong. I love bass since I am a former bass player. But the Monsoon system has too much bass for me. But what do I know. I'm an audiophile who has spent more than 20k on a home system in addition to being a musician. It's the opinion of this home system audiophile that there is way too much bass in the Monsoon system when the bass control is in the center position. It makes the rest of the system sound slow. Back off on the bass and it sounds very good for a car system. Just an opinion...

sbsyncro

I happen to agree with you (I was responding to a previous post). Personally, I would put in 150hz bass blockers and run a separate amplified subwoofer to tighten up (but NOT increase) the bass without spending a fortune. To me, the monsoon's bass is muddy and muffled (common in "high-end" factory systems, IMO). But what do I know, I only invented the square planar microphone array... <snerk>

I always love getting into a rental car where the guy that washed it tuned the stereo to some obnoxious rap station, and the bass is set to "10". lol

tyrannosaurus

It was 1 degree when I went out to start my '03 1.8T 5spd GLS yesterday morning. I turned the key...dead silence. All lights, electronics were fine...plenty of battery power.

Finally I turned the key to the start position again...dead silence...as I held it in that position for about 40 seconds...then the car turned over and fired right up! Same thing happened this morning. I have noticed on other less cold days (20 degrees) that the car seems to delay 2 seconds or so before turning over).

Ever seen this phenomenon? What causes it? Cold computer? Should I go in for service?

altair4

Same temps here, my car fired right up this morning. Never hesitates like what you report. It's definitely worth a visit for service to look at it. In fact, get it in while the temps are still cold, otherwise you risk the old "can't recreate problem" response.

PS: You know that VWguild is not a mechanic, right? He's in VW sales at a dealership in California (not that there's anything wrong with that!).

rebel22

recently, a guy here in cincinnati had his car die completely on the freeway. it was late at night, maroon colored car, no lights or anything, the car just completely shut down, electrical and all and a trucker came up from behind and couldn't see the guys car and just crushed it killing the driver. doesn't matter what kind of car he's driving but I agree with you completely that is definately a safety issue, maybe it will take a few lawsuits to get them to change their mind.

passat4motion

I am just about to lay down 30K to buy a Passat 4motion and then, I started reading about this coil problem -- it sounds horrible. I've always owned Hondas or Toyotas and have never had troubles with my car. Am I being a fool by leaving my trusty Honda for what I thought was a reliable Passat -- but may be isn't?

vwguild

There can be so many things going on that it is
impossible to pin down here...

I agree with altair4...You should probably get your Passat to your Dealer, and it will have to sit over night to get a good cold soak; that will be the only way to fairly replicate your problem.

mvcjones

When I start my 03 GLS 1.8T Tip, sometimes when the car starts, and I have my foot on the brake pedal, I feel a little 'clunk' feedback in the brake pedal. Anyone familiar with this?

It is inconsistent and it doesn't really bother me and has never surfaced anytime else, but I wanted to know if this is a characteristic of the car.

Coming from several SAAB's, I am accustomed to a few 'quirks' here and there. Sure do miss the cool Night Panel on the SAAB.

wagonmeister

Your clunk sounds consistent with the ABS self-check when you start the car. This should happen only once when the car is started and not during your drive. Don't know why it doesnt do it every time. This is a normal occurrence according to several Vortex threads.

outrun

I really haven't noticed this on my '02 1.8T 5 speed manual.

But our '01 RX300 has a quite loud click/clunk that tests the ABS/stability control system when first driving about 10-20 feet after start up.

Unless the clunk can be felt through the seats, I wouldn't worry about it.

-Craig

8u6hfd

passat4motion: If I'm not mistaken, the coilpack issue is with the 1.8T, not the V6 on the 4Motion.

wagonmeister: The ABS self test occurs when the car gets to about 8mph (right when the door locks).

wagonmeister

Correct..on both counts.

Thanks.

vocus

Well, not entirely correct.

The W8 Passat has coil problems, as well as the 1.8T. Also, some 24V VR6 owners have had problems with their coils on Vortex...

mvcjones

Definetely not ABS check. Happens less than 50% of the time. Unless the ABS doesn't check itself/work 50% of the time, which is very doubtful.

May ask dealer at 1st oil change (only 1250 miles to date.) Not concerned, just curious.

javaswing

I recently test drove both the passat(1.8T) and the A4. In both cars, I experienced anonying vibration/roughness during acceleration, even though they are both quite smooth at high speed. Not surprisingly, the A4 has less of this problem than the passat, but still anonying.

I am kind of surprised that not many people here complained about it. Maybe I have been pampered too much by my v6 santa fe? :O

pkradd

4 cylinders just aren't as smooth as 6's (which aren't as smooth as V8's).. Always been that way. I do not get any "annoying" vibration on my 2001.5 1.8T Passat. The car isn't as bad as, say, a jackhammer! Try driving the V6 Passat.

ph3iron

Just bought a 2001 GLX - love it. But it says the warrantee is only good for the original owner. What have you guys done? Also is the coil problem only on the 4 cylinder with 2002's? Thanks - pete

hottchique

I'm in the process of buying a new 2003 Passat GLX. I am depending on reliability and not having to worry about little nit picky things being wrong with the car. I am a commuter two times a week. I live in Illinois but I'm making a move (will drive) all the way to California at the end of the year and i need a car to count on. Is the Passat a good car or do you have a better suggestion. I am a SB professional female who is looking for a car with a great appearance, sleek luxurious interior and reliability. I see Maxima is coming out with a GREAT redesign in March 2003 and am thinking on waiting for that impending debut. ANY SUGGESTIONS!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

bjbird2

This morning I had a third coil go out in my 2002 1.8T Passat. It was towed to the dealer, and I'm going to try everything I can to get the remaining 2 coils replaced. I don't want my wife to be stranded on the highway in sub-zero weather when the last one goes out. The dealer told me the good news is that there is no longer a backorder on the replacement coils and VW has them in stock. We'll see how long it takes to get the car back. Thankfully we do have a dealer supplied rental to drive while it's being repaired. When we called the dealer this morning they said there were owners walking in from stranded cars, and the temp here this morning was -9 degrees. I have to keep reminding myself that the Passat is such a fun car to drive when it's running. I've never had problems with the 2 Infinitis I own, only routine maintainance, and one of those is 10 years old.

big_guy

I think you will be happier with the interior refinement of the VW over the Nissan. The exterior of the Maxima is nice and it has a great engine but the quality of the interior materials is cheap in comparison to the Passat. The attention to details in the VW really hits you the longer you look. Personally, I think both the Maxima and the Passat are great looking cars from the outside and they are both put together exteremely well. I understand the Nissan has more interior room for back seat passengers but I prefer the look and feel of the Passat. Another great selling point for the Passat is its safety rating. It performs very well in crash tests.

cowgyrl13

I'll have to agree with big guy on that. Two years ago, we were on our way to buy a Maxima and stopped by to check the Passat out after reading about it in Consumer Reports. We drove the Passat home that day and have been happy. The service of the VW dealers here in Central FL have been quite good as well. Needless to say, we've been happy enough with the car that we're likely to get another one or maybe two- this time TDI (if it is really coming)...

wagonmeister

We just picked up our '03 Passat 1.8T GLS on Saturday and my wife's Aunt picked up her '03 Maxima the Saturday prior. She lives in Ottawa and we're in Toronto. We'll be hooking up to compare cars mid-February so I can give you some feedback after that if you haven't purchased by then. I won't be able to comment on the V6 or other GLX features however.

birdboy1

I was happy to receive a call from the offfice of the ceo of vw of america regarding my coil replacement and my no longer feeling safe in my 2002 1.8. It is a shame that it took 5 phone calls and on hell of a strong letter to get action, non the less vw will replace my other remaining coils before they blow, a 360 degree turn around in their previous stand. Thanks again for all fo you who sharred and wrote me notes of support. What a great resource this board is.

PS I also love to drive the passat especially in between MIL lamps going on and coils blowing...

pkradd

Sounds encouraging. I have 16,000 miles on my 2001.5 Passat and so far no coil failure. Perhaps VW will start letting customers know which cars need replacement (for those of us who are stil road worthy). It seems to be a certain batch of coils made at a particular time. I get nervous driving the car. I've also decided not to loan it to my niece when I go on my next business trip for two weeks. Don't want her to get stranded. Bummer.

krzyss

will have you heading in the same direction ;-)
What about 180 ?

Krzyss

poorphil

So,

I've been diving a '00 Jetta - liked the car, never had an issue with it.

I was considering an '03 Jetta but started hearing about issues with the coils.

So, today I decided to buy an '03 Passat (GLS). I asked the dealer about the coil issue on the Jetta - they said VW has basically fixed that issue..... Now reading I find out that the Passat also has the same issue?

So, basically - can someone confirm for me... does the '03 Passat have the coil issue or not?

Thanks,
Phil

vocus

The 03s supposedly have the new "J" coils, but people have been saying that they are failing as well. The only way to truly avoid the coil issue is to avoid the 1.8T and W8 engines, it seems.

vwpassat2003

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/026/auto/No_easy_fix_for_failin- g_ignition_coils_in_Audis_VWs+.shtml

poorphil

Bummer, thanks for filling me in.

altair4

The assembly line switched from the "H" coils to the "J" coils in August, 2002. Check the build date on the driver's door frame. Regardless, and maybe I'm the eternal optimist here, but there is no evidence that ALL of the coil packs are bad or will fail. The only thing we do know is that the "H" series have a higher failure rate than their predecessors. The "J" coils may or may not have a failure problem (I think it's too soon to tell - the accumulated mileage is probably too low yet and no one really knows what the failure rate should be).

VW is getting a lot of press very recently that may alter their position on replacements/recall. Time will tell. I've said it before, they should grab the bull by the horns and get proactive real quick on this. Stonewalling isn't the answer.

sda

I posted a while back in regard to possible tire replacement options for our 99 GLS. I used the internet to find the best possible prices and then presented them to local tire stores for a competitive bid. This worked extremely well and I saved around $30 tire vs. accepting the going price at the various tire stores. Since I had a matching rim with a new Michelin in the trunk, I bought three new Michelins that match the spare. Though I considered alternative brands and still could have bought 4 tires for less than 3 new Michelins, I am glad we kept to the OE replacements. They ride well, are quiet, smooth and handle nicely.

I can't believe all the posts indicating trouble with coilpacks for recent Passats, Jetta, A4s etc that have the 1.8 and other engines that utilize similar coils. Our 99 1.8 GLS has been trouble-free for going on 4 years. My wife will break my arm if I even suggest trading her car on something else. Happily, I am delighted that she is satisfied as this means I might actually get to own a car that is paid for!

arjay1

SDA;
How many miles did you get out of thos original tires?
I have 42,xxx on the original Continentals on my 2000 1.8t and am in good shape. At 30,000 I rotated the spare and rear tire with the least wear to the fronts and fronts to the back. I should get to 60,000 plus before needing all new tires. Just curious about your miles with the Michelins.

bjbird2

I had my third coil go out Monday of this week, and the car was towed to the dealer. They called me yesterday and told me they had replaced only the faulty coil. I told them I did not want the car back until they replaced the 4th and last of the H coils. They agreed and said the car will be ready tomorrow. I have a rental, so it's not so bad. They also told me that the replacement coils are no longer backordered, that VW has them in stock.

Hopefully this will be the end of this problem for me, because I still like the car very much.

poorphil

I'll take a look at the build date over lunch. Just wondering, when do the coil problems start? (1K in miles? 10K in miles?)

Thanks!
Phil

altair4

Well, that's one of the great mysteries of life! It's seems like the failure point is all over the map, time-wise, based on ancedotal evidence from reading other's postings. There does seem to be some circumstantial evidence that cold weather is a strong influencing factor, but I'm not sure that it's actually causing the failure or only revealing it.

You'll find this FAQ fascinating reading:

http://clubb5.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=34012

mulfomi

With this cold stretch these past few days, I was starting my 2001.5 1.8t with great trepidation. I thought for sure the other morning when it was -3 outside (my car is not garaged) that one would fail. So far the coil packs are doing fine. I have a March 2001 build date and I have the H series coil packs. I also have 24000+ miles and this winter is the second winter for it. Hopefully, I have some good H series coil packs and wont have any problems. Although, if I am going to have problems out of warranty, I would rather it be now, then in 2 years assuming this all dies down later. I dont want VW to tell me I have to pay for it.

vocus

Don't get too comfortable. It was about 30 degrees outside when I started my car and one of the coils had went. It had 24.5K then (02 Jetta 1.8T). I have 30.3K now, and all the coils have held strong, even though it was 5 degrees here last week one night.