Volkswagen Passat Maintenance and Repair

vwpassat_98

I bought 98 Passat several weeks ago. I found a problem like when I filled the gas tank with fuel, I cannot start the car sometimes even stepped on the gas paddle. But as long as I can start it, the problem will never happen until I m gonna fill the gas next time.
Does anyone know what the problem is and how to fix it?
Is there something wrong in evaporative emission system?
Thanks.

zscottie

I've got an 2005 1.8T 4motion wagon. Just installed new OEM tires (car has 42K miles). The tire dealer said that they inflate tires to 35 psi all around. The information on the doorjamb of the car says 36 PSI front, and 44 PSI back. Who's correct? And FYI...I have inflated all tires to what it says on the doorjamb. Is that too much? Will less air in the tires mess up the handling?

Thanks!

lilengineerboy

For OEM tires in the OEM size, I would probably be inclined to go with the OEM recommendation, which is the one on the door jam.
Less air in the tires could affect handling, it could also increase tire wear, and it could damage the differentials in the AWD system.

altair4

The hilarious thing is that those tire pressures were instituted by Federal regulation (FMVSS) after the Ford Explorer/Firestone debacle.

VW used to have a little matrix of tire pressures based on load (half load or full load) and speed (less than or greater than 100 mph).

The change in Federal regulation ruled out having multiple pressures listed. The mandate, then, was to use the full load, high speed PSI rating. I'll try and post the old recommendation later...

The same regulation is what moved the pressure placard from the gas filler flap (where VW has had it for about thirty years) to the doorjamb.

zscottie

My spare master key w/ remote keyfob no longer works with my Passat. I tried resyncing, per owner's manual instructions. Didn't work. Is this going to cost me if I go to the dealer to have 'em do it? I'm still under warranty. (2005 1.8T Passat 4Motion...almost 3 years, 41K).

altair4

The tire pressure on my gas flap on my 2003 FWD 1.8T reads:

For half load, under 100 mph: 28F/28R psi.

For half load, over 100 mph: 30F/28R psi.

For full load, under 100 mph: 30F/39R psi.

For full load, over 100 mph: 33/42 psi.

srn3

I live in the NYC area and own a '07 2.0T. The roads in this part of the country are not the greatest for obvious reasons.

I have noticed that whenever I am travelling on the highway and hit a big bump or a pothole on the highway I hear some scrapping noise. I am guessing it is the tires hitting the tire well walls. This usually happens when the car is fully loaded with like 5 people.

Has anyone else encountered this problem and if yes does anyone know if it is something common or is it something which needs attention? I have heard that there are some known issues with the Passat's suspension so wasn't too sure if this is something I should be worrying about or not.

Thanks a lot.

feilo

Do you have splash guards? If so, they may scrap when you have a full load.

srn3

Hey Feilo,

Yes I do have splash guards on the car. I never thought about that could be what is making the noise. Besides looking for obvious scratches on the underside of the splashguards do you think there is any other way I could check that it is not the tire hitting the well wall?

Thanks a lot for your help

cosmo

I had this problem in 1980 when I mounted a plus-one wheel/tire combination on an Audi. The combination, though advertised to be compatible, did not have the correct offset. You can check by holding a straight-edge perpendicular to the ground at the center of a rear wheel, flush to the outer edge of the tire. The straight-edge should clear the inside of the upper lip of the wheel well. Also, examination of the sidewalls and wheel well edges immediately after you hear the scraping sound should reveal some scuff marks if it is your tires rubbing. If you have stock wheels and tires, my guess too is that it is the splash guards. However, I've had stock splash guards on 4 Audi's and 3 VW's, and I've never had a problem with them scraping.

Good luck. Please let us know when you solve the mystery.

feilo

Sorry, tire-hitting-wheelwell is beyond my expertise ... I am sure its the splash guard. If you have stock wheels and suspension, I don't even think its even possible for the tires will contact the wheelwell - just speculation on my part as I have an 03 PAssat wagon with upgraded (= lowered) suspension and my splash guards scrap even without a load.

srn3

Feilo and Cosmo.. Thanks a lot for the info. I do have stock wheels so my guess is that it is the splash guards. I did check under the wheel well and noticed no visible signs of marks which is rather comforting .

Thanks a lot!

renedegre

Hi,
Yesterday just before getting off the freeway my 02 Passat 1.8T starting shaking and lost power. I thought it might be a coil and after popping the hood and checking I realized that both sparkplug one and two were not working and my car was working on two cilinders. I risked it and went home only to realize that the catalizer started to overheat and throwing sparks.
I took out both sparks thinking they might me wet, but they were dry, there is no power coming from the coils... What are the odds of both coils failing at the same time? Can it be a power problem from the source or other end of the coil? Injectors? Fuses? Please help??

Regards

Rene

lane2

Just returned from my 300 mile trip. Averaged 28.8 MPG on mixed, highway and city going down and 33.8 MPG highway returning. Had speed control set at 72 MPH returning. If it continues to perform this way, don't think I will be using anything but premium. However, I do have a question concerning how black the exhaust has remained. Is this normal or will it get a cleaner, grey color as the miles add up? Again, thanks.

600kgolfgt

What are the odds of both coils failing at the same time?

On an 02 Passat 1.8T with the original coils, the odds are pretty good that one or more coils can fail at the same time.

I would have your local VW dealer check your VIN # in the VW TSB/Recall database to see if the coils were upgraded via recall. If not, you are entitled to a free replacement of any defective coil.

If the coils have been replaced, germanautoparts.com sells the latest upgraded individual coils for approx. $60/each.

You can basically rule out injectors or fuses for now until the coils have been addressed....

3screwsloose

AC compressor/clutch, maybe. My sisters' '04 Beetle w/1.8T/Tiptronic ( you did not specify which engine your car has ) makes a high-pitched whirling sound - not a bad noise, just sound, for about 30sec, especially during cool weather ( 40'-60'F. ) just after start-up. Then it is gone till sitting and cooling off overnite. Not a problem, just a sound - like a stiff back in the morning after weekend leaf raking. I have no such sound yet on my '04 GLS Passat ( 1.8T/Tiptronic ) w/122K mi. Try making sure the AC compressor will not run by switching off the blower or AC system prior to starting. Start it up and listen for the noise. With the hood up and facing the car listen for a sound on the R-H front of engine. Of course, the secondary air injection pump will run for a while when coolant temp is below about 104'F - it sounds like a vacuum cleaner. But then it may be a belt noise. Check timing belt condition by inspecting the top side and toothed side, and if cracked you had better replace it before all hell breaks loose, $ $,$$$.00! Or it could be just a serpentine belt, remove them and start the engine for a short time. If that does it, the belt, or the bearings in the pulleys may be deficient. Bearings are also in water pumps, compressor clutches, belt tensioner pulleys, and belt idler pulleys.
If you replace the "cracked" timing belt ( mine was due at 105K mi ), it may be worthwhile to replace the timing belt tensioner and pulley ( mine had been updated/modified/improved ), also the water pump, coolant thermostat, and "special" VW coolant ( G-12 ) - red. But, if you have a V-6 I have no idea about the timing belt, since I believe it is equipped with a timing CHAIN. Happy Hunting!

3screwsloose

I have the "improved" ignition coils in my '02 Passat 1.8T.
One day the check engine light began to flash - indication of a misfire. You should not drive for any longer than you HAVE to when that happens - damage to the $$$$ catalytic converter will result. I drove 2mi and I smelled a hot/burning smell when I reached home. The converter was smoking - literally. I shut off the engine and let it cool off. I then removed the top engine cover ( black plastic - 3 plastic screws ). Starting the engine produced an engine miss - bouncy/rocking. I pryed up on the ignition coils 1 at a time ( 3/4inch ), pushing them back down after prying on 1 did not change the way the engine was missing. After prying on 3, I found which cylinder did not change when I pryed up/pushed down. I replaced the "faulty" coil after inspecting the connector for cracked insulation on the wiring going to the coil, and making sure all the wires were pushed all the way into the connector so they could reach the coil contacts. I then started the engine and all was well. The check engine light remained lit, but reset itself after 40 "trips" - about 2wks. No more problem. Good luck! What he said about the coil recall should still be true. I had a crankcase breather hose replaced when I took the car in for a water drain campaign ( HVAC ). This despite the fact that the car had more than 100K mi on it and stated in the campaign letter that 100K mi was the cut-off. Hmmmmm. The coils are more important a campaign since EMISSIONS are affected.

own_passat00

Hello, guys. This is the problem I am having. I own a Passat 2000, 2.8l. 6cyl. Recently on a HW at 65 mi/h (I was not using brakes at the time) the display showed STOP and the other one showed ABS and flashing BRAKES. I stopped the car. A few days later it also started showing a tracking control triangular symbol. I did not experience any changes when I used brakes.
I had an ABS module replaced and installed a new brake light switch. The Brakes and ABS stopped flashing, but I have a traction control triangular symbol permanently displayed now (before I replaced the module it was occasionally seen). It does not disappear if I press the traction control button. Do you have any idea what maybe the problem now? How to fix it? Thank you.
own_passat00

zscottie

I noticed that my Passat's (05 GLS 1.8T 4motion) hood looks off center. There appears to be a bigger gap on the driver's side than the passagener side. Also, it looks like the hood front is not "flush" with the front of the car. I looked @ my friend's 99 Passat and hers doesn't look like that.

Is it anything to worry about? I'm still under warranty for another 8K miles.

katmando90

Not sure this is the right place to post this, but here goes. Seeing that I am a dedicated XM listener and Passats come with Sirius (or no satellite radio at all), how easy is it for the dealer (or someone else) to swap a Sirius radio for an XM radio? One of the local dealers says he can do it for less than $500. Does this make sense?

tombolino

I bought a V6, 4WD Passat Station Wagon, 11 days ago. Im on my 4th tank of gas and I think by the 2 week mark, I will be on 5th tank. I have driven 1,000 miles since purchase.

Since I used to drive an Acura TL, I am obviously shocked at the low mileage.

Im thinking of returning it (looking into local laws for this).

I have gone by the dealer twice to ask them about this. They have suggested I keep taking notes.

I would hate to return it because I love everything else about it.

krzyss

Where do you drive?
What fuel do you use?

Krzys

altair4

Additional questions:

What year is your Passat?
How many miles on it?
Is the maintenance up-to-date?

If your car is like mine, the gas warning goes off at about 12.25 gallons used. So, theoretically, you could have used 12.25 x 4 = 49 gallons of gas. 1,000 miles divided by 49 = 20.4 mpg. What I'm getting at is that it would be much more helpful if you posted your actual MPG results (do it by hand - don't rely on the on-board computer).

BTW, 20.4 mpg on the V6 4motion would not be unheard of.

First thing I'd check is to see if the pre-screen in the air intake system is free of debris.

tombolino

I bought this car on 9/30/07....11 days ago. The odometer was 40,711 when I bought it. It is a used certified car bought from a VW dealer. Tank was full.

As of yesterday 10/9, before pumping the 5th tank, it had 41,618: in 10 days I put 907 miles. So at the end of 4 tanks, I had driven 907 miles/17x4 gallons pumped=68 gallons used in 4 weeks. 907/68 = 13mpg (measured manually). Yes, I drive for work, locally. I have put premium gas in all fill ups except one.

I didnt really look into the mpg that deeply before I bought it except for asking the sales rep and manager, both told me 19-21 mpgs. Well acutally, I did look online on Edmunds.com -----it stated 19 city mpgs for both the Passat and the 2001 V6 TL.

I have calculated the work commute miles of my new home vs my old home which was closer to work. Old home was total of 76 miles of comute Mon-Fri. New home is 176 miles per week, Mon-Fri. BUT... up until July, and before I got the Passat I went to evening school (for 2 years) which was about 100 miles per week (when I still had Acura). School ended in July, I wrecked my Acura in August and I moved to my new place in August.So in a nutshell, I comutte more to work (about 100 miles more per week than old home) but I also dont drive to school anymore, which means no more 100 miles per week of school commute).

I am not driving more for work, in fact less, because I have had more paperwork at the office. I am driving less agressively since the Acura wreck and because the Passat is heavier and I can tell its no good stepping on it on 1st gear, like I could get away with on the Acura.

I drove the ACura agressively and I havent gona back to my Amex statements but Im pretty sure I was filling up once per week, when going to school and driving the hell out of it. Acura tank capacity is 17.4 and my Passat tank is 16.4, = .8 smaller.

Since the car is certified, I assume its in good shape maintenance wise but I dont think a filter change would dramatically change things.

Im thinking of going there this weekend at the 2 week mark, with my receipts and notes, and ask them to let me get something else. I know they have 2x 2004 Passat station wagons same year, similar miles, without the 4 wheel drive but I suspect it wouldnt make much of a diference. If they did have any V4 Passat wagons, I have read a lot of negative things about these regarding the turbo problems.

georgepalucas

so i'm trying to be a gentleman and fix my girlfriends car cause she is broke and cant afford to take it to the shop the only problem is that i'm an idiot.

so the brake lights are not working at all and i have already done the obvious attempts to fix it(check the bulbs and the fuse)but nothing. i've used a electricity tester and there is no electricity running to the buld sockets or even into the fuse box for that matter. a friend of mine suggested that it might be a relay but i'm not that familiar with cars and i dont have a lay out of the Wiring so pretty much i'm lost as far as what my next move would be. if anyone has experienced a similar situation or might know where i could find the relay or any other suggestions they would be much appreciated

altair4

You wrote:
As of yesterday 10/9, before pumping the 5th tank, it had 41,618: in 10 days I put 907 miles. So at the end of 4 tanks, I had driven 907 miles/17x4 gallons pumped=68 gallons used in 4 weeks. 907/68 = 13mpg (measured manually). Yes, I drive for work, locally. I have put premium gas in all fill ups except one.

There's something wrong with your calculation.

You yourself said that the VW's tank holds 16.4 gallons. Yet you are using 17 gallons per each fillup for 4 fills. At most you could have used was 65.6 gallons, for a final mpg of 13.82.

Now, I doubt that you ran the tank to completely dry. So let's assume that you left one gallon left each fillup. 15.4 x 4 = 61.6 gallons and that would get you 14.72 mpg. But if you filled up when the gas warning light on the instrument cluster chimed, you probably pumped in about 13 gallons. That would be 52 gallons of gas, or 17.4 mpg (about what I would expect with the 6 cylinder the extra drag of the 4 motion drivetrain).

You need to calculate your mileage more carefully. Record the miles per tank and the exact amount of gas you are consuming.

NEVER assume that a certified car is in top condition regarding tuneups. The web is full of certified cars that have not been tuned, have not had the oil changed, etc.

And the 1.8T is an inline 4, not a V4. There hasn't been a V4 since the Saabs from the late 60's/early '70's.

krzyss

if you can put 17 gallons into 16.4 gallon tank then it means there is a hole somewhere (tank or calculations).

Krzys

PS Another option is that you drain the tank completly, which is not advisable.

altair4

Full drain won't get him 17 gallons, I don't think. I doubt he's run out of gas four times in a row (if so, he can plan on replacing that fuel pump soon).

altair4

You wrote:
Since the car is certified, I assume its in good shape maintenance wise but I dont think a filter change would dramatically change things.

The pre-screen filter I mentioned previously is a fine mesh screen located in the air intake, before the main engine air filter. The intake could have swallowed a piece of cellophane or leaves (whatever) and be causing a blockage. It could significantly impact the fuel economy. It's easy to check.

Google "clean slush screen Passat" and you might find instructions on cleaning this.

krzyss

By the way I got my next recall notice for fuel pump.
I do not recall any of my cars having so many recalls (coil packs, filler neck, brake switch and now fuel pump).

Krzys

PS 03 Passat 1.8T

altair4

Yes, I heard that the fuel pump recall had recently been extended. I helped push a lot of people to report this to NHTSA when this problem started appearing, hoping that a recall would come out of it. I think the original recall ran from 10/02 through 04/03 build dates.

Krzys, out of curiosity, what is the build date on your car? It's found on the placard on the driver's doorjamb (month/year).

It hasn't hit my vehicle yet, with a build date of 06/02.

PS: Like you, I've never seen so many recalls on any one other vehicle I've ever owned.

krzyss

at body shop (minor parking lot fender bender - $900.00 estimate). I should be able to see it on Friday.

Krzys

altair4

Our cars must be related. I need to get in for damage to the two right doors. The trim piece on the rear door apparently started to lift without my noticing it. I opened the rear door and "crunch." Damaged the rear door trim piece and slightly dented the front door at the rear edge.

Word to the wise, keep an eye on those. The body shop told me I wasn't the first with this issue. The tight tolerances between the doors make them very unforgiving of this.

krzyss

They were built by the same company ;-)

Krzys

robr2

The trim piece on the rear door apparently started to lift without my noticing it. I opened the rear door and "crunch."

I had that happen on my 05 wagon. Neither piece had lifted but opening/closing of both doors at the same time and they nicked each other. Replaced under warranty and was told it happens often enough as the tolerances are tight.

altair4

Sadly, I'm out of warranty....

krzyss

"Krzys, out of curiosity, what is the build date on your car?"

08/02

Krzys

altair4

^Thanks.

lane2

Just finished a trip of 560 miles from Valdosta to just above Atlanta, Ga and return. Used 16.8 gal for 33.3 mpg; the on board computer was reading 33.8 mpg. This was mostly interstate but had to do some heavy traffic city driving in Atlanta coming back by Emory University. Again, appreciate the recommendation to use premium gas. I have not tried regular or plus and as long as it keeps getting this mpg, I will be happy.

altair4

Lane2, nicely done! That's about what I would have expected, including the differential between your actual and computer-derived results (the onboard system is always a bit optimistic for me, too).

Nothing like beating the EPA highway rating on a long trip like that. Care to post what kind of speeds you were maintaining?

lane2

Lot of construction on I-75, so was not able to keep it at a steady 75 mph. Speed ranged from 55 to 75. In the heavy traffic around Emory University, quite a lot of very slow driving because of traffic lights. So far I am pleased with performance but believe it will have to have the computer update to the transmission because after a rolling stop or quick stop, it lags when accelerating. I read someone's post that said a TSB had come in at VW with a computer update. I tried the remedy of switching it on, depressing the accelerator all the way and slowly releasing it, then switching off but noticed no difference.

altair4

The remedy you mentioned, IIRC, actually changes the transmission shift points, allowing it to hold gears longer, for a 'sport' mode.

avail2283

Hi--I drive an '02 V6 Passat, and it's been recommended that i replace my serpentine belt soon. I wonder if anyone knows anywhere i can find some DIY guide for the labor? I wouldn't mind taking a day and trying my hand at avoiding a couple hundred dollars labor on a 30 dollar part.

On the same topic, i was looking for the part, and am not really sure if the belt i found is the right size: 21.36 mm x 1882 mm. (?)

Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

laxie

I had to make a quick run to Walgreens a couple of hours ago. When I started my car (which had been sitting for a couple of days in the rainy weather), two lights were on in the dashboard. They were #18 - Malfunction Indicator Lamp and #19 - Anti-Slip Regulation. Neither was flashing so I figured I could go the six blocks and then six back. It was odd though that none of the gear lights in the dashboard was lit - called the Selector lever position display in the manual. I drove there with no problems.

When I came out, I released the gas door and unscrewed and screwed the gas cap back on just to make sure that wasn't causing the issue. I got in the car, turned it on just fine but when I tried to put it in Drive I was unable to move the gearshift. It's an automatic. The same two lights were still on on the dashboard and there were no lights on where the gears usually show up, just darkness.

It's a 2002 Passat GLX V6 Sedan that I just finished paying off last spring. After looking through the boards, I couldn't find anyone with a similar issue. I do need to let you know that I do have the water issue in the rear passenger side and will have to check that out tomorrow when it's sunny. Thanks to all for the suggestions on that issue.

Since it was late, I decided to walk home and deal with the problem in the morning. Based on a couple of posts, I will make sure that there are no coins blocking the movement of the gear shift. Any other ideas? Anyone experienced something similar?

Thanks for any help you can give me!!

Laxie

laxie

Just a quick update.

The problems got worse on Saturday and I ended up getting it towed to my dealer.

Even though I'm having problems putting it into gear, it's not a transmission issue. It appears that it's related to water issues but I haven't had a chance to talk to my dealer at length yet. He called to give me a very brief update and let me know that they'll be keeping it for several days. I get a loaner tomorrow.

If they tell me more in language that I can understand, I'll let you all know.

Laxie :-)

tommy8s

Transmission module is located inside the car. Our module needs replaced, I think, due flooding caused by current recall. The recall is attributed to a leaky filter/screen or what ever.

reidk

How many miles do you have on the car?
Has the Timing Belt been replaced yet?
If NOT, you should consider doing both at the same time - along with a number of other items that are "easy" to get at once car is placed into "Service Position" (remove front end...).

There are several Passat owner groups that have web sites - was able to find a couple of sites with write ups / photos of doing timing belt but decided it was more prudent to simply pay a good mechanic (independent VW/Audi/BMW guy in this case: had him do ALL the suspect parts - except cam covers).

Look at ECS Tuning. They are among a couple of outfits that sell a "Timing Belt Kit" for VWs/Audis - currently their kits run from $155 to $365 (to around $460 for the "Ultimate Kit" which includes some gaskets that Probably should be replaced as well, given apparent likelihood that they Will Leak later --- mine are...).

Higher priced kits also include a locking cam tool.

Good Luck -

rk / se mi

'99 V6 5spd FWD 95K+
Running Great - but with slight oil leak at rear of cam covers. Handling is "better than new" with upgraded shocks / springs; new brake pads / rotors (only significant DIY); new control arms / bushings; after market 16" wheels / sticky summer tires - although almost time to put winter set on....

thesherriff

Can anyone tell me the recommended interval for changing a timing belt. I have a 03 Passat 1.8T with 78,000 mi. Dealership Service Manual says@ 80K, several online service guides, including VW recommend 105K. I drive a minimum of 25K+ annually. I'm thinking it couldn't hurt but I could stretch spending another 6mos-year.

altair4

Well, here's another number for you to consider: the Bentley shop manual has an editorial comment that while the manufacturer recommends 105K miles, they recommend 60K.

You wrote: I'm thinking it couldn't hurt...

Just remember, this car has an interference engine. If the TB goes, or the water pump that it drives goes, it will take the valvetrain with it. You'll be looking at multiple valves and possible damage to the piston faces. It is not an inexpensive repair...so, it could hurt. YMMV.

gwiz

I recently received my VW back after having the engine replaced due to sludge (covered by VW warranty). We have driven it the past two days and have noticed that the car's heater does not warm the vehicle like it used to. It will blow out hot air for about 5 minutes and then it will blow out only luke-warm heat. This is very noticeable and we never had this problem before. In fact, the car has been one of the best we've owned in regards to warming the inside of the car.

Is this something that could be related to the new engine? I will definitely be taking it back to the dealer to address this issue, but I don't want to be charged for a repair for something that may have been generated from the sludged engine problem or their repair.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?