Volkswagen Passat 2005 and earlier

frankie33

My wife and I picked up our new 2002 GLX this week, and we love the car, but there is one problem we are both having while driving it. Because of the depth of the instrument cluster, in the dash, at times the gauges are difficult to read. At night, this is not a problem because of the "fireworks" display, but on a cloudy day, or near dusk, it does present a problem for us. Has anyone else noticed this?

pkradd

I have a 2001.5 Passat and, of course, have the same problem. Many reviews have praised the car but mentioned this particular problem. The only alternative I can think of is to turn the headlights on so the instrument panel lights up during those problem periods at dusk or on a cloudy day.

minilink

Has VW changed its Warranty policy?
If yes, maybe Ill join the bandwagon and start looking for a Passat. Hows 4Motion, can I live without it, considering where I am am theres a lotta snow...

dpr5

For the 2001.5 and 2002 Passats, this is a problem. The gas and temp gauges are also small which does not help. It's a glitch. Hope VW recognizes the problem and fixes it for their '03 cars... Gauges in Pre 2001.5 cars easier to read.

torid110

They changed the warranty for the 2002's (below taken from the vw press release ):

For the 2002 model year, all new Volkswagen vehicles will come standard with an increased four-year/50,000 mile (whichever occurs first) bumper-to- bumper warranty, up from two years/24,000 miles. The warranty covers wear- and-tear items and adjustments during the initial 12 months or 12,000 miles of ownership.

In addition, Volkswagen will offer a fully transferable limited powertrain warranty that covers five years or 60,000 miles (previously 10 years/100,000 miles, but transferable only from the original retail owner to a family member).

riez

Do only Audi's come with free scheduled maintenance for '02?

hener

Hi to everyone! Just took delivary of 2002 GLS on Saturday, traded in my 96 GLX. The only thing that my old glx had that I want is a cd changer. The dealer told me $695, ha forget it. I have read about the Panasonic unit here and would like further details as to the installation. It's supposed to be a snap but I don't want to screw it up. So any further instructions would be helpful. Also glove box door broke with only 65 miles on the odo, god I hope that is just a fluke and not the tip of the iceberg. Thanks.

torid110

Yes, now it's only audi. When vw had the shorter warranty ( pre 2002 ), i believe they had free maintenance.

gtbdevs

I have a 2001.5 Passat, I was curious if anybody else has had this problem. With the windows closed and the sunroof opened and driving between 30 and 45 mph you get this vibartion in the driving compartment that vibrates in your head. I think it has to due with the air pressure and the opened sunroof, once you open the window a crack and releive the pressure it stops. Has anybody ever heard of this?

I called about two weeks ago to make an appointment for the 5000 checkup, the first open spot was Sept 21, I took it, why is there such a long wait to make an appointment. The dealer is Jack Daniels.

Thanks in advance.

jrct9454

Sure, the phenomenon you describe is common, and hardly unique to VW. Not the least of the reasons I regard a sunroof as the world's most useless accessory, but that's another discussion...

outrun

This phenomenon has NOTHING to do with the sunroof itself. It has everything to do with air pressure, physics, etc. There is a full explanation about this in the RX300 forum.

We have a '01 RX300. It's built so damn tight that even if I lower just a side window, my ears feel like they're going to explode. Note that this happens only at certain speeds depending on the vechile.

Opening the sunroof in this case makes it go away.

Usually opening two (or more) windows will help prevent this sound from happening.

FWIW, I will never buy a car without a sunroof. After having them in my cars since 1990, I feel claustrophobic while riding in a car without one. Nothing beat them on a nice sunny day with temperatures in the 70s/80s.

-Craig

vwguild

Try the *tilt* feature of your SunRoof ...a much more pleasurable
experience...Just turn that Dial to the Right instead of to the left...

georgek44

These came on this morning for no obvious reason when I started the car, a 2000 1.8T wagon. Has anyone else had this happen, and if so, what was the solution?

s852

I just test drove 2001.5 GLX and listened to the stereo again. It sounded very clear and had ok bass if you cranked the volume way up, but the system just did not have enough power to push bass through the factory woofer at lower volume levels.
Is it possible to add an aftermaket amp and additional subwoofer to the factory Monsoon system?

bjbird2

I just read a review that said VW will be offering a V-8 in the 2002 Passat this fall. Does anyone have more information on this?

s852

No V8 2002 Passat this fall.

vwguild

Probably the best and easiest fix would be to buy BassLink by
Infinity...self-powered, self-contained, and great looking...It works
extremely well; as you would expect from any Infinity Product...

The W8, although not a V8, is an 8 Cylinder, 4.0L, 275HP engine that
will find it's way under the hood of the newly designed nose of the Passat...In Show
Rooms early next year...launching at the NAIAS in Detroit in January.
Check out the *News Archives* at www.vwvortex.com for details...

torid110

I'm thinking about getting that basslink. Do you know where i can find some install pics, directions, etc. BTW, do you know if the connection is via the line-in or will i need to splice the speaker wires ? Thanks.

merc1

They just had a review of this car on the Auto, Motor und Sport. It wasn't glowing. The car is somewhat slow off the line for a 8-cylinder car, and it's priced at about 40K (starting) in Germany. If it starts here at 40K and then you have to add options it's going to be a very tough sell. Not enough torque down low from the W8 engine looks to be the problem and/or the trans.

M

minilink

Hi folks, Called in VW he's trying to sell me a 2001.5 with additional warranty at some "very" competitive prices! REALLY! In fact I called in for 2002 because of warranty issues! I asked for differences he said None from 2001.5 is that true? Even on VW site theres not much info on 2002 yet.. Will it make sense to buy a 2001.5 at discounted price and buy additional warranty or one should invest in 2002? Also, the additional warranty is it transferrable or is it dealer specific? I am not too sure of these things.. any help will be greatly appreciated! thanks

minilink

Hows VW 4 Motion? The passats have traction control with ABS, is 4 Motion a necessity or a mere luxury.. say for Canadian winters read SNOW and lots of it ..

jrct9454

The new issue of Autoweek also takes up the question of the W8, and they too speculate at a price that will start at $40k. They also say that VW's plans for the car in the US are extremely modest in terms of sales numbers, so maybe they will find the appropriate number of risk-takers. But for all of the reasons cited here and elsewhere over the past few months, I think this whole thing is a mild form of dilusions of grandeur on the part of our famously ego-centric Chairman. What they plan to do about the D1, if it ever sees the light of day in this country, should be even more interesting.

Understand, the W8 Passat is surely a fine car; the question is, who wants to buy it in preference to all of the other very fine cars in this segment, especially from the dealer body in this country? "May you live in interesting times..."

eaweg

Has anybody purchased the manufacturers 17" inch wheels for their 2001.5+ Passat? I believe they are called the Largo. Or is it better to buy aftermarket?

dwgutwir

The warranty for 2002 VWs is different than 2001.5 and earlier.

The new warranty is 4yrs/50,000 b-to-b.
5 yrs/60,000 powertrain.
Details can be found in the news archive on www.vwvortex.com and probably on Edmunds.

vwguild

Is NOT a Monsoon upgrade...It is a seperate stand alone SubWoofer
System...Try going on line and do a search...

s852

I know it does not come from VW and it is a subwoofer.
I would buy it and have it installed aftermarket to "upgrade" what comes from the factory if it is something that works well.

bpb28

Has anyone had any experience with importing a Passat from Germany. I have been told that it would cost around $21.5K plus 2.7% import fee to have a fully loaded 2002 V6 Passat shipped to the East Coast. The car was made for the US market and the VIN is supposed to substantiate this claim. Sounds to good to be true. If it is this cheap why don't more people due it? Thanks in Advance

vwguild

www.infinitysystems.com

passatking

Greetings all!

A while back, someone posted something about making the thermometer on the climate controls reading the inside car temperature instead of having it read the outside. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

Thanks,

Marty

jrct9454

...this topic was a rash all over the Mercedes boards for awhile last month. If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't, right?

bjbird2

90% of the time, manufacturer's wheels are much better than aftermarket wheels. Aftermarket wheels may look cool, but the manfacturer's wheels are much more carefully made and will not cause problems. A mechanic told me that aftermarket wheels cause more problems than any other accessory.

eaweg

Thanks for the input. Your answer makes sense. My only setback would be to find out how much the dealer will gouge (sp) me for the wheels. I definately think the 17" Largo's through VW would look nice on a 2002 GLX Indigo blue that I want.

eaweg

Anyone out there have any recommendations to the 5-speed vs. tiptronic? I want the 5spd for the "sportiness" and more control but the tip looks more appealing because of the great traffic we have here in Charlotte. Is there a very noticeable difference when it comes to acceleration from the 5spd and tip?

caryalon

I dont agree with the statement that "90% of the time, manufacturer's wheels are much better than aftermarket wheels".

Most, if not all manufacturer's wheels are subcontracted out to the same companies that make the aftermarket wheels. (That's not to say that there aren't any crappy aftermarket wheels.)

The problems generally arise when an incorrect fitment is done, causing stresses to the suspension, poor handling, premature tire wear, etc.

What you are getting from the maufacturer is the correct fitment without much thought/research. Going to a reputable aftermarket source, such as Tirerack can be better - more choices, and good fitment, at far lower prices that the manufacturer.

Just my 2 cents.

jgw3

Has anybody had to deal with this scenario, and if so, what did you do?- I absolutely love the new passats and was dead set on getting one. But, I decided to take a job in a smaller town where the nearest vw dealer is about two hours away. My question is- how feasible is it to own a vw in a small town with no dealership around; i.e. what do you do for maintenance? I am concerned with how this will affect my dealer maintenance- does vw require that all maintenance performed under the warranty be done at their dealership? Is there a solution for this that I don't know of or am I going to have to(god help me)buy a camry?

twinpower

I'm considering a Passat or Jetta with the 1.8T engine. The 2002 literature for the Jetta lists 180HP for the Jetta... and 170HP for the Passat. Are the engines different? Or is it a case of playing the ratings game? I find it hard to believe that the Jetta's version of the engine is more powerful than the Passat's. Thanks

ajvdh

I'd believe that there are a lot of problems with aftermarket wheels. Problem is, there's a whole range of quality out there. Yes, you can buy BBS, Borbet, OZ, etc.. That'll get you wheels that are light and at least as well made as OEM, they'll probably have the correct offset, and it'll cost you good money - but probably less than the same quality from a dealer.

On the other hand, there's a whole bunch of junk out there. Some wheels are just poorly made, some have decent construction quality, but aren't in the exact offset for your car. Some try to look "cool" and wind up being far heavier than stock. Caveat emptor, folks.

There are a couple of minor differences between the Passat and Jetta version of the 1.8T. The Passat's is mounted longitudinally, and the Jetta is transverse. I wonder if the exhaust system is slightly less restrictive in the transverse set-up. The base Audi TT (which shares its platform with the Jetta) is also rated at 180. The 225 HP TT motor has significant internal differences.

jji7363

I've been looking at replacing my 1993 Saab for awhile now and have about decided on the GLX 4Motion. I'm hoping to get some folks' feeling of a reasonable price. The MSRP with dest is $32,125 with invoice of $29,566 or so. I want the in-dash CD player add-on which the local dealer (Pittsburgh) quoted $400.

Edmunds isn't even showing 2002 pricing, much less TMV, so I'm a bit stuck. I'm thinking of offering $30,066 incl the CD player and be willing to move a little higher. I'd love to hear about others' experiences in buying the 2002 Passat GLX 4Motion. It seems that with the economy teetering and the new Camry coming out, there should be some willingness to negotiate.

gtbdevs

I have a 2001.5 GLS

My question, are the mats in the rear of the car able to be snapped down like the mats in the front. The back mats have the circle on each corner, but on the back floor there are no snaps like in the front.

Thanks

esqknight

I'm in the market for a 2002 1.8T, am wondering if something I heard from a VW dealer regarding Masterguard for 2002 passat models is true. I was told that the longest extended warranty available from Masterguard for 2002 is two years for a price of between $1,100 and $1,600.

I also have a color question, if anyone knows:
Is $500.00 extra for Reflex Silver Metallic as an external color the usual price? Does it look much better then Silverstone Gray Metallic? -- I don't think I've seen both side by side.

vwguild

Where does this stuff come from??? Masterguard Platinum,
$100 Deductible mandatory, 84 Months/ 100,000 miles...not cheap...

godeacs

I purposely stayed clear of this forum because I anticipated your response. Again, get your facts straight! Audis come with a free 4yr/50,000 mile service. Not sure what paper you're reading in FL - but you are wrong...again, as other people have posted the same. Remember you started this issue by your blatant lack of facts and veiled personal attacks...I'm now ending it....btw, enjoy your Passat....and have fun paying for your maintenance...

riez

Stopped by VW dealer yesterday to get a 2002 brochure. Noticed it shows Passat turbo 4 at 170 hp and the 2.8L V-6 at 190 hp. Then I see the Motor Trend New Car issue. '02 Jetta with same engines gets 180 hp and 201 hp. What is going on? Motor Trend summary says the Jetta 2.8L V-6 "now has 4 valves per cylinder and produces 201 hp". And claims the Jetta will get a 6-speed manual later this model year. No explanation for the extra 10 hp with the turbo 4. Why is the less expensive Jetta getting the power boosts? I'm a bit bummed! Lessens my desire for the AWD Passat V-6.

hener

2.8 v6 in passat and jetta are not the same engine. The Jetta has the vr6 the Passat uses the Audi engine. The horsepower has been uped for 2002 on the vr6 with the addition of 4 valves. OEM wheels are not made by vw. I recall seeing in the past vw wheels that had BBS center caps on them. The caveat seems to be don't buy cheap junk.

riez

So what gives on the 10 hp difference between Jetta and Passat turbo 4 cylinder engines. Both are 1.8L.

Interesting that the revised '02 Audi A4 uses the new 3.0L 220 hp V-6. Why can't the Passat use the 201 hp V-6 from the Jetta? The Motor Trend first drive of the Audi A6 3.0L V-6 Multitronic (CVT) mentions that the '01s used the 200 hp 2.8L V-6. Why won't VW let the Passat have one or the other 200 hp 2.8L V-6? You pay more and get less?

lvn1

Hello,

I recently purchased the 2002 GLS and absolutely love it!! The only little quirk I seem to have with the car is the retractable sunshade on the rear window. The width of the shade's bar which latches into the two "hooks" at the top of the window, seem to be too short. Although one side fits fine, the otherside barely hangs on, and the slightest bump in the road causes the whole thing to fall and roll up. Is anyone else having this problem?? Am I a moron and just doing something wrong? I was going to call the dealer but thought I'd check with you folks first. Thanks much.

23right

Can anyone help with TCU and ECU mods for my new toy. I am not that great with performing work myself and am in the Chicago area. Thanks.

jrct9454

For starters, the Passat uses a longitudinal engine location for the V6 [north-south] vs a transverse location in the Golf/Jetta [east-west]. This is to accommodate the shared all-wheel drive components with Audi. Thus, engine sharing also tends to be with Audi more than the rest of the VW line, though the new W8 will be a VW exclusive, at least for awhile. Eventually, the six in the Passat will be the same new 3 liter as in the A4/A6, but that could be a year away.

So in the meantime, you have the seemingly perverse anomaly where the "junior" members of the team have more beans than the "flagship"...only temporary...

car_nut1

Recently saw some "spy" photos of 03/04 Passat.
It seems as if the new engine will be "east to west"; no chance of new Audi V6. Also, looks like they're changing the the 4-mo system, no longer using Audi quatro set up. Seems to be a general down scaling of the vehicle. Probably others on this board that know alot more.

moonbeem

Where did you see these "spy" photos?? Can you post a link??