By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
1. Car is leased and lease ends in Dec.
2. Car has 45k miles - tires have done well so far.
3. Plan to drive 10 to 15k total miles between now and the lease end.
4. Should I change the tires? (If no then please see item 7)
5. Considering this is an AWD, can I replace just two or have to replace all four?
6. OEMs are too expensive, any suggestions for alternate (below $100 per tire)?
7. If I don't change the tires, would the lease company charge for the "wear and tear" on tires or ask for a new set of tires? Is this a normal "wear and tear" or not-so-normal?
8. Car wobbles during 30 to 50 MPH band, This can be because of bad tires or bad wheel balance or bad wheel alignment or all of above or other reasons?
Thank you!
The tire dealer told me that OEM tires often go out of round.
A good place to research tires is tirerack.com.
I don't know if you'd be charged on your lease for wear and tear with worn tires.
Bought new Passat Sedan V6 in 1999. I love my car. Currently has almost 127K miles. This is my first car and I always attributed the problems to, "oh, all cars have little issues", but the more research I do, the more I grow wary of VW's.
My problems in chronological order.
1) Shift knob walnut veneer cracked at year 2. I never had it replaced as it would have cost $250. Pointless.
2) Cruise control died at year 2. Again, the dignostic tests were outrageous.
3) Glove box stuck closed. They "had to" break it open and replace the whole thing. $250.
4) Back passenger window stopped working. Cost $300 to have a $0.67 piece replaced. 18 months later. Exact. Same. Thing. Exact. Same. Window. Another $300.
5) Driver's side oil pump failed. Luckily under warranty. A $900 fix. But dealer said that means other side will go soon, and it's no longer under warranty.
6) Had to replace both axl boots at 4 years. Cracked and leaking grease.
7) Wheel wells pulled off.
8) During a normal drive-thru car wash, the sunroof leaked onto my head. And leaks during a heavy downpour.
9) Driver window collapsed one night. Clunk clunk crash. Drove 40 miles on a December evening with window wide open. $400.
10) Water pump just failed last month. $700.
In addition...I installed 18" VW rims and the best brand name high performance tires I could get. The rims must be off because I've had to replace 5 tires in 3 years. 2 while going down the freeway. The tire dealer says they've never seen anything like it.
Also, the paint started to bubble, crack and peel on the front bumper at year 4. Now looks like a complete mess.
The kicker...after getting the water pump replaced last month, it came back with a laundry list of fixes...about $1200 worth. I declined and walked into the showroom to look around, and for giggles, asked about trade in value, the dealer will only give me $3000 for it.
I love my car. It's beautiful, has a fantastic engine, and has been used to carry around my life. I even went to test drive the new 3.6L 2006 and fell in love. But after doing some hard research, including the latest Consumer Reports car buying guide...VW just has a horrible history of fixes needed compared to other brands. Just in the last week I've decided to test drive the Acura TL. Yes, the body isn't at pretty. Yes, not as much horsepower, but I'm tired of putting in so much money each year for little fixes.
I have 2002 Passat V6 GLX 4Motion - with a problem. All power operations in one of the rear door has stopped working. The power door lock doesn't work for this door, the power window doesn't work for this door - using either of the switch, the driver control or the one on the door. The interior lights don't turn on when the door is opened.
Any thoughts on how to fix this? Could this be a fuse problem? If so, where are fuse located? Suggestions would be appreciated.
Got Kuhmo Solus tires, works great! Thank you.
surfer
Here's my top tips:
1) Stick with synthetic oil of the recommended quality and viscosity and NEVER exceed the 5,000 mile oil change interval.
2) Use the larger filter now spec'd by VW for this engine.
3) If the timing belt hasn't been changed yet, do it NOW. This is an interference engine and if the TB fails, the head will need to be reworked to replace pancaked valves. This is expensive.
4) Change out all the associated hardware in the TB area - water pump, tensioner, etc. Scroll down this page from ECS Tuning for a list of the parts: http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/pagebuild_v2.cgi?make=Volkswagen&engine=1.8T- - - &model=Passat%20B5&submodel=FWD&category=Maintenance&subcategory=Engine
5) Never mix different types of anti-freeze. Stick with the VW G-12 stuff. Mixing types can result in the fluid jelling (a bad thing).
6) Make sure that the drains in the engine cowling area (under the battery and brake reservoir) are clear. See this page for details: http://www.weirdlittlebiscuit.com/passat/leak/index.htm. Your Comfort COntrol Module and transmission ECU are under the carpet and you dont' want them to get soaked.
7) Watch for the dreaded sludge issue - I hope you have some indication on how the car was maintained before you bought it. Otherwise, you might want to consider some preventative measures to prevent sludge formation.
8) Personally, I'd stick with the recommended fuel quality (premium). Others here might argue the point.
9) Let the turbo cool down by idling for at least minute (preferably two) after a hard run, before shutting it down.
10) Good luck.
>4) Change out all the associated hardware in the TB area - >water pump, tensioner, etc
Hi Altair -
The above ties in with my questions. My '03 Passat 1.8T now has 51K (mostly highway) miles on it, and has been maintained on schedule since day 1 (with synth). So far, no expensive parts have given out (just the routine things - two tires and some wiper blades, changed the spark plugs etc). But with the bumper-to-bumper warranty gone, I'm wondering what to expect in the next 50 K.
First question: when should I replace the timing belt (and the other things that go with it)- at what mileage? I agree that it's better to err on the side of too soon.
Other questions - What can I expect to be having to replace over the next 50K? I figure- brake pads? But also - rotors? Headlights? Anything else likely? And what should I be expecting to spend?
Thanks!
In the next 50K, I think you can expect to replace the brakes all around (including the rotors). If you're a DIY kinda guy, quality parts would run about $200 (Brembo or ATE rotors, PBR pads). I have no idea what the dealer, but based on some threads I've seen on other boards, could be pricey (I've seen people mention $700 to $900). DIY instructions are available on the web. Dealer parts are really high - I heard my dealer say that front pads were $100 for the set. You can do better aftermarket.
BTW, lots of Passat drivers see their rear brakes go first (I had to do my rears at about 22K miles). But some of the highway cruisers do see their fronts go first.
Headlights aren't very expensive. They're just H7 halogens and you can get'em at any auto parts store or even Walmart. It's a bit of a chore to replace them due to the tight space, but again, it can be done and there are directions on the web. I dunno, maybe $20/pair?
You'll need tires, too. Other than that, I'm outta ideas! Stick to the synth and the 5K oil change interval, and you shouldn't have to worry about sludge, especially if you cool down after hard runs.
Overall, this is my third good experience with VW. There are a lot of problems posted here, just thought I would pass along some of the good. Not every Passat is a piece of junk just waiting for big repairs, at least in my experience.
Next month I will be taking a picture of the dash as I turn over to that magic 100,000 mile mark.
R. J.
1) The battery died unexpectantly. We had to tow the vehicle to the dealership and was told that it was a "fluke." Luckily warranty took care of it.
2) The keyless entry stopped working. We had to argue with the dealership to have it covered by the warranty.
3) The sunroof stopped working and had to replace the motor and again it was covered under warranty.
We have been changing the oil religiously with either Synthetic or Synthetic blend oils. Although the VW handles much much better that my Camry, but its mounting list of problems are beginning to scare me. The local VW dealer charges $100/hr for labor!!!!
The question is should I consider extended warrenty once this 4 year 50,000 mi bumper to bumper thing is up? Or shall I just sell the vehicle before that? The second option may be an expensive one as cars depreciates allot quicker in its first 5 years. If anyone out there did indeed extended their warrenty, was it worth it? How much did you pay? Thanks.
Mike
We have been changing the oil religiously with either Synthetic or Synthetic blend oils.
If you are using a synthetic blend, you are, in fact, using the wrong oil. The 1.8T requires an oil that meets VW Spec 502.00. None of the approved oils, available in the US, are synth blend.
If you think this vehicle is expensive now, you'll change you're mind if you sludge the engine. Stick with pure synth in the proper quality, 5,000 mile or less oil change.
Chose from this list:
Volkswagen Part No. ZVW 352 540S 5W-40
Castrol Syntec 5W-40
Chevron Supreme Synthetic 5W-40
Elf Excellium LDX 5W-40
Kendall GT-1 Full synthetic Motor Oil 5W-40
Mobil 1 0W-40
Motul 8100 X-cess 5W-40
Pennzoil Synthetic European Formula 5W-40
Pennzoil Synthetic European Formula Ultra 5W-30
Quaker State Full Synthetic European Formula 5W-40
Quaker State Full Synthetic European Formula Ultra 5W-30
76 Pure Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-40
Texaco Havoline Synthetic 5W-40
Total Quartz 9000 5W-40
Valvoline MaxLife Synthetic 5W-30
Valvoline Synpower 5W-40
I checked for fuses but found none specific to this problem.
Suspect maybe a master plug in the door may have disconnected.
If I get time to investigate how to remove the door interior panels, I will let you know what I find -- if you resolve first please let me know what you found.
diondonne
does anyone have experience with a Passat wagon and 3 children?
1 booster, 1 child seat and one infant carrier: will that work or do I need to buy a Minivan? (My wife loves her Passat.)
Thanks.
poeti18
Vic
1. how do i open my fuel door? the manual says to turn the key twice in the driver's or passenger door, but this doesn't work. i have a half tank, so this would be good to know soon.
2. i have speakers in my dash, but no speaker site is showing them, and it's only showing 4" speakers in the back, instead of the component speakers. anyone know what size speakers belong in the dash?
Krzys
Krzys
as for your rear view mirror began to fog, you really think that's a mechanical problem?
as for your rotors, did they replace them with new ones when the tie rods were fixed? you might just need new brakes. and don't be surprised when they tell you that you will need new rotors when new brakes are needed because these rotors cannot be surfaced. good luck :shades:
the lady just never drove it.
Thanks for the excellent info on costs after 50K. Now a followup -
I figure the timing belt/ water pump etc has to be done by a dealer or a certified VW tech, so I'll shop around but am not too optimistic.
But the brakes I figure any regular brake/ wheel/ tire person could replace the pads and rotors -- right? Doesn't need special VW tools, codes, or expertise . Or does it?
If it doesn't, and with the help of adirondack auto parts (any other suggestions?), I hope I can get a decent job done at well below the dealer price, with equally effective brakes. Seem reasonable? Any tips on how to proceed?
Thanks,
Brozhnik
On the brake topic - they seemed pretty straight-forward to me when I did the rears. I did need to borrow a brake retractor tool from my local Autozone to retract the piston, but quite a few cars use that same style of rear caliper/parking brake design. I haven't done the front brakes since they still have a lot of meat on them yet, but I won't hesitate to do them myself - it looks pretty easy.
When I did my brakes, I checked out the www.shopstopanddrive.com and www.getcoolparts.com. I had decided that I was going to replace the rotors and the pads. I used PBR deluxe plus pads (way less dust than the OEM brakes) and I used Ate rotors. These two vendors came highly recommmended on other forums as did the combination of parts I selected.
About $80 to get the rear parts. Fronts are more expensive, but I'd guess you could get the fronts and rears, with new rotors, for a bit over $200.
Shipping was free on orders over $50. And the service was incredible - I ordered the stuff mid morning via the web and the parts were on my back porch by 2:00 PM the next day - no joke! I've ordered other stuff like filters, plugs, etc, and each company delivered the same way.
Both vendors are pretty close in price. Depending on your location, you won't pay any tax (if you are in their home state, you will - so check 'em both).
Only other comment, I won't call it a complaint, is that the Ate rotors will rust in the hat area of the rotor. Not a biggie to me. Good luck!
I have another question. With gas being so expensive, what will likely happen to my Passat if I cheat and use the mid grade gas instead of premium all the time? Will adding a gas treatment (fuel injection cleaner) etc help? Thanks again.
Mike
Using mid grade will NOT help your gas mileage and will affect the performance of your car...assuming you drive a 1.8t.
The topic of fuel injector cleaner hasn't come up in awhile. Personally, I can't say that it does any good, but it doesn't do any harm either. I've used the larger bottle of Techron
http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/additives/concentrate_plus.shtml
twice in my car, and I'm at 30k miles. Did on a preventative measure basis, so I didn't have any problems before and didn't notice any change afterward.
On the other hand, 90% or more of my gasoline purchases have been Top Tier premium fuel
http://www.toptiergas.com/
so that might have something to do with it.
OTOH, my wife runs whatever rotgut gas she can find at the cheapest price in her Accord, and it's been running great for 120k miles. I think I've run maybe 6 or seven bottles of Techron through her engine. Again, never noticed any difference before or after.
I've read of people with combustion issues using Techron and another product called BG44k
http://www.bgprod.com/products/fuelair.html
with excellent results.
If you plan on using either, I think it's advisable to do so a tankful or two before you plan to do an oil change.
I have been filling mt Passat with Premium since I purchased it last year. I am glad to see that Shell is among the Top Tier gas companies. I have been using their gas on all my vehicles for years. I am a little surprised that neither Mobile or BP Amoco are on the list.
Have either of you two or anyone out there dealt with the extended warrenty? My salesman tried to get me to purchase one when I bought the vehicle. I believe it was around $2,000.
Moonroof leaking, window regulators gone, control arms went bye bye.
Everything is a lot of things.
Krzys
2000-2006 era
are there any years that are better than others?
Over all, how has the quality been with VW and these cars in particular?
The repair of the month is a water leak that has come in through the pollen filter housing, dripped down the "A frame" and has flooded the transmission control module. The dealership is replacing the transmission control module as it is covered by a powertrain warranty, but the cost for the labor to fix the whole thing will be $588. Has anyone else had this problem with their passat or does anyone have any words of advice on this? :mad:
So the warranty covers the part, but not the labor? I'd double check that! Or is the $588 to fix the reason for the leak?
I own a 2001 Passat V6, the new shape, and it has 60k miles. In my opinion, it is a good car . I already know I need to replace the CVs because I hear the clicks whenever turning to left, but what bothers me the most is the burning smell that comes through the vents.
After 10min of driving, I open the hood, and every time there is smoke coming from under the air filter box and the engine itslef. The way the car is build, it is impossible to see where it is coming from. I would say it smells like oil leaking on hot exhaust pipes, but I don't know. Sometimes I think is burned plastic, or maybe not. I took it to a mechanic, and he found many oil leaks here and there, that where corrected by tightening bolts all over the place (on the engine). They were all loose - unbelievable. Even the oil temperature sensor was loose and leaking.
Anyway, the problem is still not corrected . Took it to the VW dealership in Orlando, FL (where I live) and they didn't know what they were doing, either.
Any advice is well received and appreciated.
all the best,
ion
I just started having the same problem, failing abs control unit and flashing lights on the dashboard. The dealer told me these units have a high failing rate, the passat in question is also practically 6 years old, a gls 2000 v6.The dealer quotes about 1080 $ plus tax to replace the unit, other places of the internet quote $ 500 to $ 800.
Any idea where you can get it rebuilt for the price you mention, also is it difficult to remove the unit and ship it. I understand that you can drive without it, you just have regular brakes, no ABS meanwhile.
Just inherited an 00 w/ 1.8 and auto.
My fater in law drove over a rock 40K miles ago (car has 105K) which bent the part the right halfshaft attaches to.
Is this part a differential or diff& trans combo?
Although the car performs fine I cannot deal w/ the hum (going straight) or thump thump (turning right) so I want to replace but not sure if I am looking for just a differential or transaxle.
Thanks,
Don
i've checked the rear hatch on the gti but i can't locate any emergency override for the fuel flap at all.
any help?