Volkswagen Passat 2006+

jaxs1

You need to read all the fine print of both the warranties to know if one is equivalent to another.
Are you really sure you are planning to keep the car longer than 4 years where the factory warranty is enough?
People love to say they are going to keep a car for 10 years and then they want to trade in for a new car in 3 or 4 years or less especially if there have been problems with the car.
It's sad that extended warranties on the Passat are that expensive considering no coverage kicks in for 4 years, 48,000 miles. They must really expect the car to fall apart in years four and five. Might be better off just getting rid of the car before the factory warranty expires instead of worrying about how much money an extended warranty is going to save you in countless free repairs when the car is 4 or 5 years old.

birdboy

Thanks for your input about the flaps. You are right, my 02 did have a plastic lower panel. I will check the 06 in the morning. As for the squeal it did not happen today and was 29 degrees.The difference was that it was dry today. I am also interested in posssible causes before going to the dealer

pier

I had them fitted at a higher cost, so you are getting a good deal.

They compliment the car (mine is a Deep Black) nicely. We've had some snow in NJ (thus salt) and my car still looks relatively clean (no feathers of salt spray ont0 the doors and fenders).

The aerodynamic criticism is complete bunk. There is no way a car like that could go at the speeds that would cause the mud flaps to exhibit significant changes to the coefficient of drag.

rwatson

"3. TSX (shifter a bit boring)
4. Jetta 2.0? (just maybe, but a little too cramped)"

I don't know about the Jetta being any more cramped than the TSX. Remember the Jetta grew and it actually has 1/10th an inch more rear seat room than last year's Passat had. It is much bigger than before overall. In fact my delema is now over. Mamma got me (err, I mean gave me authorization to buy) a new GLI last Friday. The Passat (manual, VE) was a nice ride, but after looking at those plastic hub caps, there was no way I would have paid for it. But check it out for yourself. If you can get something less hideous looking, then you are in for a wonderful ride. But I'm happy with my GLI. It is widened, lengthened, and hottened. Is that a word? It even looks less Corolla-ish. But one of the interesting things is the feeling. From the back of my seat, on back, I am not aware of the rest of the car there. It feels like I am driving a 2-seater. It has got to be the hugging sport seats combined with the suspension, but I have to get out of the car and look at it to realize there is another half or 2/3 of a car behind me! Another thing I noticed today was, even though it is updated and modern, I still have a weird sensation that I am driving the old Scirocco! What more can a man ask for than an updated Scirocco, but holds the family comfortably, with a 16 cubic foot trunk, that is better executed than what it sounds like?

jaxs1

Does the 2006 Passat Value Edition have an AUX input mini-jack to plug in a generic portable music player or iPod?

bjbird2

An automotive mechanical engineer working for Chrysler told me they did some aerodynamic wind tunnel testing and found that the rigid mud flaps had a minor effect on drag and noise at speeds as low as 40mph. Even a small change in the design of side view mirrors can impact aerodynamics.

6yearoldpassat

On my '98 model Passat VW went thru the trouble of making the passenger side mirror smaller to cut drag. They even used it in marketting materials as one of the things they did to enable a family sedan to have a lower coefficient of drag then that model year's corvette.

When I upgraded from 15" to 16" and slightly wider tires I lost about 2 MPG. Some of that was rolling resistance, but some had to be from the cross section I would bet too. I'd be interested if any engineers out there have a thought about that. It's not my field of expertise.

I would have to bet that with today's fuel efficiency standard mud flaps are indeed measurable if not done properly.

Speaking of mileage, has there been any word of when (if ever) we can expect a diesel or hybrid Passat? I would have to think that the complete sell out of Jetta TDIs at sticker and the attendant waiting list has had soom sort of impact on VW marketting...

Bill

cardriver06

I park out side overnightly everyday.
but why the squeaking???can you tell?
pluss why do u thk all the glass in this car rattles,try driving this car over some rought road,u will hear ,it rattles.
any idea why and why should be done?

cllaw

Cardriver06

My understanding is that the squeezing nosie is coming from the back of the car when I back out from the drive way. I brought it to the service department and they said it is probably because of the dust on the brake that make the nosie. However, someone our fellow reader in this forum suggested that it is because of the mositure on the brake... Not sure which one is right but I personally don't think it is not going to be a big problem as long as the brakes work.
I'm not sure about the glass situation that you mention, anyone has any idea about this. As always, if you don't fell comfortable about it, bring it to service and they will take care of it

Thanks

Alex

mcooke536

I have had my Passat for 3 months. Everything was good until about three weeks ago when the weather started to cool. Now, every time I park the car, when I reverse, I get the squealing sound when I apply the break. After a couple of depressions, the sound stops (probably because the disks are warmer). My guess is condensation. Regardless, it doesn’t happen with other cars, so I wonder if its related to the automatic cleaner?

rwatson

"Regardless, it doesn’t happen with other cars, so I wonder if its related to the automatic cleaner?"

If it is the same type of light squeal/squeak, it has happened to several other cars of mine: A couple VW's and a couple Non-VW. Have you just talked to the mechanics about it?

ray_pa

recently, my camry LE 05 starts to make the same noise when cold ever since the temperature here goes below freezing. when i slightly step on the break I can hear the not-very-loud squeal. I hear this when leaving home for work in the morning and back home from office in the evening. when it gets warmed up, there's nothing.

fdcapt2

I'm not sure about all Passat models, but mine (3.6) has wipers on the disc brakes that help clean any gunk, water, dirt, etc, that get on the rotors. Could this be the noise you're hearing? I haven't gotten my car yet, but the one I test drove had this feature, but it didn't make any noise when I drove it.

cardriver06

one more issue with my passat 06
,since two days i am getting a funny smell in my car,more like something is buring,when the AC is on and set at around 72f+the seat heater is also on,i get this smell.
I really wonder,what might be the problem.is my seat heater malfunctioning or ???something else.any suggestions?

laqbn

No. there is a harness in the glove compartment for a CD changer, that i think can be aftermarket modded to a Aux input

birdboy

I really love the feel and ride of my 06 Passat butI am very concerned because after a month I still can not find a comfortable sitting position. I am constantly adjusting everything I can but without much sucess. I find something with the seat cushion position not good for me as I get lower back pain. I never experienced this with my 02 passat. I bought a wedge style seat cushion in an auto store which improved my comfort untill it went flat.I called VW of america and they are very concerned they said to take it into service to check if something is wrong. I believe it is just the design in addition to there being no adjustment to change the tilt. Am I alone here or is there anyone else with a seat comfort issue? It was suggested to go to an seat cushion guy and have them add padding under the leather , just what I paid $26k for ..
any suggestions would be greatly welcomed.

taxesquire

I keep track of this forum b/c I had an 01.5 Passat and really like VWs, but I can't speak to your problem from 1st-hand experience. Still, when you say there's no adjustment to change the tilt - do you mean the angle of the seatback? If so, perhaps you're missing a manual lever? I've read that with the Passat, some adjustments are electric and some are manual. The former model Passat, which was less fancy than the current model, had this adjustment, so I'd be really surprised if yours didn't. You might want to do a brief follow-up post to give your trim Passat, in case the different trims have different levers or something.

Also, I read something on proper seat positioning, and a few things I recall were that your seat-bottom should not be lower than your knees, and when you grab the steering wheel with both hands, your arms should not need to be fully-straight. Either of these would throw your back out of alignment.

Hope this is helpful.

birdboy

thanks taxesquire. I have partial power seats. the lumbar and seat back are both powerized and work fine. The problem as I see it is that the actual seat cushion where my butt makes contact seems to be on a downward pitch without sufficient padding in that spot so my tailbone seems to compress and it throws my whole back out of line. I tried another wedge pillow today , it did make the seat more comfortable however it raised me so that my head hit the ceiling even with the seat in its lowest position.I returned the pillow.I am going to try some memory foam in that area this weekend and hope for better comfort.I willl also try your position suggestions.

cardriver06

why do u thk all the glass in this car rattles,try driving this car over some rough road,u will hear ,it rattles. The wind shield,Window glass also vibrates prominantly.
Any idea why this is happening and what should be done?

birdboy

after having an 02 ,1.8t for four years I am very aware of dashboard, door panel and other rattles and noises.. My 06 passat which I have had now for 6 weeks thank goodness has absolutely no rattles or vibes as of yet. just squealing breaks in reverse when wet outside, poor heat circulation in the rear and a very uncomfortable seat. I find the fit and finish on my car to be tight and well lined up despite its cheaper looking appearance.

cardriver06

Birdboy

do u expirience any vibrations in the seats also on ur 06 passat,also,the rattling in the glove compartment and door panels is also there,but i want to know what we can do about this,?

birdboy

I have not noticed any , however I always I have the xm radio going which I love all the time.. This weekend I will be driving for six hours up and downstate. i will lower the volume and check . I truly hope that I do not detect anything. You may want to call vw of america and report this issue.
I called VW at the 800 number , they put me through to a 06 passat cust. care specialist who sympathetically listened to my complaits of discomfort with the seat, asked me what i would like vw to do , when I mentioned changing the seat for a fully power seat as in the 6 cyl, she said it was not possible because the wires are different. I am not sure I believe that. If the seat already has partial power , then there is electicity going to the seat already. In addtion the seat looks identical. I even said I would pay for the switch.. Her reply was to go to the dealer and service department and have them check out my seat. You and I both know very well that they are going to say they are sorry , the seat is fine..So my search continues for a pillow to put at the base of my tailbone on the seat that will not raise me so high that my head touches the header..Any suggestions??

soapdish616

I couldn't agree more on the seats. I am very frustrated. Birdboy, please let us know the 800#.

Thanks

hdvw

Hello,

I got my Passat 2.0T last month and have driven about 1200 miles so far and funny enough I've had the same problem many times. Usually in the morning or evening when the engine has been sitting for more than 6-7 hours, I get this problem. It takes 2 tries to startup... :sick:
And today I ran into another issue where the light so calle "Tire pressure is too low" is turned on eventhough the pressure is perfectly set as suggested in the manual.
I guess I need to make a trip to the dealer this time!!! :mad:
Anybody else has had the same issue?

ivan_99

And today I ran into another issue where the light so calle "Tire pressure is too low" is turned on eventhough the pressure is perfectly set as suggested in the manual.

Could be the cold?

Did you use a gauge to check if they were fine, or just visually inspect them to see that they were indeed still inflated.

On my van my wife had the tire low/flat light go on. When she used the onboard TPM it read 28 on all. It was a really cold day and the tires were just reading lower than normal. After it warmed up a bit the tires went to 32 (they should be 35 normally).

jefferyg

In our 06 Passat. My wife and I drove from South Mississippi to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area then over the Great Smokey Mountains via US 441 and then through NC and on to Williamsburg, VA and then back home. We drove more than 2000 miles on the trip, averaged 32.2 mpg, and only spent about $160 on gas.

The car never gave us any problems except one time when I couldn't get the key out of the ignition. However, my wife said "make sure you've got it in park" and as it turns out she is never wrong. All I had to do was bump the shifter and the key came right out.

The car was a blast to drive on mountain roads. It had plenty of power and the tiptronic transmission was a big help in keeping the car from hunting for gears going up and down the mountains.

One other note: I'm so glad we got the cold weather package on our car. It was cold the whole time we were gone and it certainly was nice to be able to turn on the "butt warmers" as one of my older friends calls them.

To all you guys worried about your brakes squeaking, squealing, screeching, whatever. It is most likely condensation on your brake rotors. As you leave our driveway you have to go down a slight incline. Out of five vehicles we've owned since living here all have at one time or another made some kind of rubbing or squealing noise as you apply the brakes the first time or two, especially if the humidity is particularly high.

I'm so sorry to hear about the problems some of you have had with your Passats. Our experience has been totally different. No, the compass in our car still does not work properly, but I just haven't had the time to get it to the dealership. Other than that, I simply cannot complain.

cardriver06

YEs i strongly advise to keep ur radio/cd player off when u are testing for noise/rattles.Volkswagen admits this car will give more roadfeeback,which can get annoying while driving.THey are not ready to fix this problem,unless they get lots of complaints.Or may i am hearing things :P

jefferyg

I think a lot of you are just too nitpicky about this noise and rattles business. Our Passat is one of the quietest cars I've ever owned. No car is ever going to be completely quiet all the time. Road conditions, tires, pavement type all play a part in what you hear inside your car. If you want perfect quiet stay in your living room. Furthermore, the time to "test" for noise and rattles is while you're on the test drive, not three months after you've taken delivery of your car.

cllaw

Ivan99

I think what he is refering to start up is not related to the cold weather. I have a similar problem and teh service department basiclly gave me a run around saying that the motor oil is too thick or whatever. I had another European Car before and that thing is like 9 years old and it start up better than the 06 Passat. I wonder if anyother Passat have the similar issue

Thanks

Alex

ivan_99

I was just replying to one part of his post,the part regarding the "low tire", suggesting it may be the cold weather, as it wsa in my situation.

vwdriver2

I have driven over 8k miles on my 06 Passat and I have yet any major problems (only that the satellite radio goes out every so often...hasn't happened recently though) The car is still a blast to drive and I look foward to driving it everytime I get in it. No regrets here...I would buy it again if I had the choice in a second!!!

cardriver06

So

You are saying we should ignore rattles and vibrations.
But i never had these in my old car,the thing is when i test drove,none of the cars had vibrations like mine.Volkwagen answers back syaing no car is same as another.Every car drives diffrently.Also just letting you know,when i took delivery of my car,there was a wrong tyre on my car.Yes a wring tyre with no device for TPMSP.
Tell me how you would have felt.Or Should we just keep on ingnoring these things.And why?I am syaing i got a faulty piece,wagen guys say,it can happen,its a factory error.
I want to get the truth out.
thanks do reply!!

jefferyg

I personally would not take a brand new car if it wasn't in perfect condition. And I'm not saying ignore the vibrations and rattles if they are a real problem, but even a hand built Rolls will have a rattle or two. My point is that every car has it's quirks. The compass doesn't work in my new Passat, so I'm just having to live with it until I get a chance to take it in to the dealer. Is it annoying? Yes. Does it make it a bad car? NO!

I think your mystery tire is the probably the key to solving your problems. What are the odds of putting a wrong wheel or tire on a car in a factory that is set to run nothing but that particular car for that day? I suppose it's possible, but not probable.

I believe it is much more likely that your car could have been damaged in transit. Remember, the Passat is still built in Germany, shipped across the Atlantic, loaded and unloaded, factory to train to ship to train to trailer to dealer. And even though VW keeps their cars wrapped up until they reach the dealer, a lot can happen when that many people are involved.

Who knows, the car might have had a flat while being unloaded off the truck or out on a test drive. When the tire was replaced, did they give just put on a new tire or did they give you a new tire and rim? If they only replaced the tire, then it could be slightly out of balance and that can cause both noise and vibration. I believe if you can track down the truth about your tire, you may well get to the bottom of your problems.

jefferyg

ditto for me! I love our new Passat. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a midsize family sedan. And I'd recommend Gosset VW in Germantown, TN where we bought ours.

hdvw

Hello Ivan,

Turns out that it's warmer today and now the issue is gone!!! To answer your question, yes I did check the tires with a gauge (set for 233 as suggested).
I do still have the startup issue.. i guess at first oil change i will take it to the dealer!

Thanks
HD

birdboy

Just got back from a long wekend upstate and I am pleased to report for myself, and regret telling those of you with the rattles, that without the radio up, the car was very quiet without rattles/vibes. I do not think the comment posted by someone saying that they should have noticed it on a test drive was nice or relevant to the fact that these owners have the problems now whether 3 days or 3months after. On my test drive I did not realize how uncomfortable the seat was untill I drove a long distance. My last passat 2002 had terrible dash vibrations. I was constantly wedging rubber between the winshield and the dash. The 06 seems so improved so far. The 800 number was the customer service number in the manual.

birdboy

Is this Tire monitoring system only on the 6 cylinder 06 Passat? Thanks

soapdish616

I live in Minneapolis where it gets colder than most places-- 7 F was the high today--and I have noticed that the heater doesn't get as "hot" as I would have thought. This is even after driving a good 20 minutes and the temperature gauage on the dash reads slightly over 200.

Anyone else notice this issue? Is it because of the break-in period? Something I should I have checked? My heater is on the highest setting at full speed and still it feels only "warm" not hot as it should to warm up the car faster.

cstabile

birdboy, what kind of seats do you have? Is it the sports seats?

jefferyg

Sorry if I offended anyone with my comments about nitpicking. But my point is that when you go on a test drive you must take control of that event and be objective about the car. Salesmen are trained to keep you preoccupied while on a test drive so that you don't notice the little quirks. That's why most of them never shut up once you get in the car and they are constantly showing you gadgets and playing with the stereo.

cardriver06

yeah

it happened to me also.I thk this happens when the outside temp is below 4 degree celcius(-4`C).I told this to the dealship,they replied back,saying "concern cannot be duplicated'.Don;t know really what to do.

birdboy

Thanks for the appology eventhough I was not the one with the vibes and rattles, however I was a bit sensitive to the comment because i test drove the passat alone for 20 minutes without a salesperson or radio as it did not work in the test vehicle, it was not programmed and I heard no rattles or vibes , just a tight smooth ride.I was unaware that there was a sport seat option. I have the partial motorized seats. Are there other seats available for the 2.0.I was very misled because the brochure I was given led me to believe I had 12 way power, climate control, fog lights, and tire pressure monitoring on my 2.0 with premium pack 2. No where in the brochure did it say for the 6 cyl only.

soapdish616

-4C !?!

Last week when I drove to work at 8:00 AM it was -21 C! (-6 F). I guess they winter these cars but not in conditions like mine (Minneapolis).

cardriver06

anyone has a pdf document for the 06 passat 2.0T model.

thanks

vwdriver2

It was 6 degrees here in Chicago today and I drove about 3 miles until the heat finally kicked in...yeah..there is definitely something wierd with it...my heated seats on the other hand burn my cheeks off!!!

birdboy

this morning it was 21F in NYC . I turned the heat up high after about 10 min of driving. It was pretty hot, not scorching though. I also noticed that very little was blowing out of the rear console heat vents for the rear passengers eeven when the fan was on maximum.

jefferyg

did you get the little blue and silver brochure? It's the same one you can view at vw.com. Admittedly, I was disappointed that I couldn't get fog lights on the 2.0, but that was not a make or break option. I'm guessing that for 2007 the 2.0 will offer a few more bells and whistles.

jefferyg

I've not noticed any problems with our heater in the car, however our winter climate is much milder than Minnesota. The thing that is strange to me is that you'd think if anyone would know about putting a good heater in a car it would be the Germans. Doesn't winter last like six months over there? :confuse:

One thing I did notice when we were on vacation a couple of weeks ago was that if it's the least bit cold outside and you put a drink in the door pocket, it will stay cold a very long time.

I would also agree wholeheartedly with vwdriver2's earlier post. We've got the heated seats and I seldom turn mine up past 1 or 2. Leave it on 5 very long and you'll definitely toast your buns.

cardriver06

Dear Friends

Has anyone of you noticed this,ie when the outside temp drops below 4 deg celcius the onboard computer gives a ding.It dings couple of times and the temp display falshes.
Secondly if you turn off the AC and then rotate the temp control towards the right(hot side)you can get better heat as compared to when the AC is on.I thk this issue is releated to the thermostat on board and no the heating system.I have no idea why does the on board computer dings when the temp drop below -4 deg cel and it dings again when it comes above -4?? :confuse:

cstabile

You probably also noticed a snowflake next to the temp display. The ding and flashing is simply to warn you that at the current temp, ice may form on the road. And while 4 deg Cel is still above freezing, ice may still form on the road in certain situations. My '03 passat does it at 39 deg F, which I am sure is pretty close to 4 deg Cel.