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A little surprised by the CV joints comment; really? Oh and the water leak was common and quite easy to fix. Any of the guys at the dealership could have walked out and cut the tips bigger at the end of the water drainage tubes that by design were just too small. Oh and were you going to garages that had Audi or VW mechanics? (other than the dealers?) Just curious. I would not take my baby to someone who didn't know how to properly service her. Audi and VW's are severely over engineered (which is fine and I'm quite thankful), so it takes a certified tech to know your car. Just sayn.
Cheers!
Few questions for all of you who know WAY MORE about cars than me:
1. My engine light went on- they say- air compressor needs to be fixed... I am wondering if it is worth putting another repair into this car that has been in steady need of one little thing after another.
How many miles can I expect to drive this thing?
2. Also, I never replaced the timing belt.. guess I should do that if I keep the car. Yes?
3. There are about three small patches of body rust-- any tips on how to tackle this myself and save the expense of paint jobs?
thanks!!
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I (1999 Passat GLX) have had burning oil smell on two different occasions, and replacing the valve cover gaskets solved it both times.
Good Luck!
I took the car to VW specialists and was advised it was a common occurance. Because they specialize in VW I imagine they would see more than the average mechanic. But, this is a small city of 70,000 people with 10 times as many Golf and Jettas around as Passats.
I 1999 I paid $42,000 for the A6. Since that time I estimate I have spent $20,000 on maintenance. My wife loves the car and won't let me sell it. The dealer doesn't want to sell us another A6 because they are making a killing on maintenance.
I have a 2005 Passat Station Wagon TDI with 115,000 miles. I love it. Other than routing maintenance I haven't spent much on the car at all. I hope it lasts for another 200,000 miles.
Chuck
1) Bank 1 Camshaft chain adjuster gasket kit
2) Bank 1 V/C gasket ; total cost was $802.97.
I have no idea what those things are other than it solved the burning oil smell in the car but left me burning inside at myself for buying that money pit in the first place.
A quick story. I got everything fixed and parked the car so nothing else could break. I sold the car a few month ago and 3 weeks later I took my motorhome to the mechanic for servicing. The mechanic said " I have something to show you." it was a list of either 11 or 13 items (I can't remember which) on the VW that showed up on the scanner. The purchaser used the same mechanic I used for car repairs.
Does this diagnosis seem reasonable?
Is this something I can do myself (moderate mechanical skills)?
Suggestions?
Or you can ask the dealer who pays if he's wrong?
I'm still stationed in Seoul, Korea and still own the 2003 VW Passat GLS 1.8T. Recently, I've noticed an extra vibration and a low humming sound when I turn the steering wheel at low speeds. It's okay in the morning, but as the car warms up and when I try to steer the car at speeds less than 5 mph (in the parking lot especially), I've noticed occasional humming sound accompanied by a little extra vibration in the steering column.
Additionally, I've noticed sporadic rapid ticking sounds (akin to fast water trickling sound, but more distinct) coming from the middle ventilation vent. I've initially thought it was some kind of water leakage, but could it be somekind of lifter or ignition coil sounds?
The car currently has 49K miles on it and am ordering parts to replace the timing belt and water pump, but am not sure what else need to be addressed on this car.
Thank you for your advice.
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
The other day "brake" warning on my dashboard display started flashing for quite some time, together with the ABS warning signal coming on and "see service manual" messages. Stayed on the entire time I drove. The next day, nada. None of them came on.
In the previous few weeks, for one or two seconds, about once a week, they came on annd then stopped. Car braking handled normally.
Think it could just be the sensor? Will take it in to the shop for a diagnostic and repair but would like a bit of an idea of what I'm heading into. Love the car but at 114k miles, something needs fixing every month and it driving me nuts.
Ultimately, it was the ABS controller that needed to be replaced. Somehow it was electrically affecting the other displays, as replacing the ABS controller fixed the other symptoms.
The dealer originally wanted $750 for parts and labor, but agreed to fixing it with 1 yr warranty for $500.
These cars get very expensive after 80K or so.
Good luck.
Thank you for your advice.
1. Timing Belt: As far as the TB, I'm being cautious because the car is 8 years old and although the mileage is relatively low, there has been alot of short drives (numerous 2-3 mile trips). Besides, I'm trying to take advantage of cheaper online parts and leverage the cheaper labor charge in Korea.
2. Humming and vibration: It's coming from the steering column when I'm turning at very slow speed in the parking lot, and it almost always happens after the car warms up. Still think the the CV joints?
3. Ticking: The sound comes from the center ventilation duct and almost sounds like a more muffled pebbles (small rocks) being slowly being poured into a plastic can or water trickling sound. It has no rhyme or reason to it. It usually happens after hard accelerations.
4. Motor Oil: The previous owner used Royal Purple synthetic and for the past three years that I've owned the car, I've used Mobil 1 0W-40 synthetic.
No engine problem so far, but I'll keep my finger crossed.
Thank you again for your note.
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
if it runs longer than 15 minutes---what I'm seeing in the database is that there is an engine temperature sensor located in the upper coolant lines (diagram is a bit vague), which should be tested, and there is also a Cooling Fan Control Module, which is integral with the cooling fan itself and must be replaced as a unit. Diagnosing that is probably something you can't do without proper equipment and instructions.
Humming, vibration and ticking...tough to comment without actuallly hearing the noises, but still think it could be CVs or something else in the front suspension. Get it up on the hoist and inspect thoroughly. Good to hear that the prior owner used Royal P, and that you have continued with Mobil 1. I seriously doubt you will have engine probs under that scenario, but check the prior posts concerning new info on VW finally getting their act together on warranties against sludge & other oil related issues. vwdawg
1. Timing Belt: I've just received all the necessary parts from 1st VW Parts.com and I'll proceed with the TB change. I'm actually taking the car to a VW Service Center in Seoul and they've quoted me around $300 for labor, but we'll see.
2. CV Boot: I think you're right on with the CV Boot, because I've been noticing some thick black grease in the undercarriage just below the lower door jambs. Considering that the humming and slight vibration occurs once the car has been driven for a while, I think you're absolutely correct. I'll ask the VW Service center to take a look at the CV Boot and replace if needed. I guess they'll have to repack the grease as well.
Thanks again for your help.
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
I'm due to transfer in two months and I've wanted to get everything done here whether I'm selling the car or shipping it back to the States.
1. Getting the TB thing done.
2. Brake pads replaced.
3. Oil, oil filter, and air filter changed.
4. CV Boot replaced: Even if there's no sign of contamination, do you recommend the shaft replacement as well?
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
Thank you for your continued support and the latest advice. I'll call the VW Service Center and ask them about replacing the half-shaft. Do you also recommend replacing the other CV Boot while I'm at it?
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
If I can't get the VW-Korea Service Center to replace the half shaft, I might be forced to live with it until I bring the car back to the States. I've just discovered that it'll cost $2800 to ship my car, so it looks like I'll be shipping it in another two months.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
The VW shop told me that it'll cost over $1000 to replace a half-shaft and around $150 to replace the CV boot. They've found a "very small tear" in the boot and found no other problem except the power steering fluid at the minimum level. They've added some power steering fluid and told me to drive it as is.
As far as shipping the car, I'd figured that it's paid off and I'm not disciplined enough to save the proceeds from the sale and the unexecuted shipping cost to apply it toward another car. Besides, I've put in too much money into the car recently that I'll never recover (Michelin tires ($600), new brake pads ($200), timing belt/water pump ($1000)). I've replaced the tranmission module when it was flooded along with the front passenger compartment at a tune of $1500. I feel like I've addressed all the trouble spots on the car and have a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Thanks again for your help.
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
Thank you for your advice and I'll take them onboard. The car is running like a dream since the latest maintenance, albeit occasional minor vibration from the steering column.
VWDawg, thank you for your kind words concerning my service. I've served little over 21 years and hearing encouraging words never gets old. Thank you. Truly appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Navy Guy
I'm a potential first time VW owner, and I've begun looking at used Passats from 2002-2004. Just recently, I found this forum, and I hope to learn a bit more about the car mechanically from other owners. I thank everyone for their collective efforts in providing other owners and potential owners like myself, with their experiences.
Recently, I found a 2002 VW Passat GLS wagon at an independent used car lot. The car had 95,000 miles on it, and was in immaculate cosmetic condition. It had a clean carfax history (two owners, no accidents, all maintenance appeared to be performed at VW dealers). After looking at the vehicle thoroughly and test driving it, I had it inspected by the local VW dealer. I was ready to purchase the car that day pending the outcome of the inspection. When I got the report from the dealer service tech, I was disappointed and unsettled. The following notes are from their inspection of the vehicle (with approximate costs to fix):
1. front brake pads 5 mm, rear brake pads 8mm
2. engine leaking oil from valve cover and cam seal ($580)
3. oil cooler leaking oil into coolant ($617)
4. hood strut broken ($130)
5. transmission oil pan leaking ($290)
6. lower engine cover missing ($360)
7. right front under liner broken ($130)
8. coolant flush coolant dirty ($160)
9. coolant reservoir contaminated ($180)
10. timing belt has cracks (1,250)
11. battery not holding charge ($250)
12. air bag system has faults and transmission has electrical faults
Obviously, some of these issues are more urgent than others, and some, like the timing belt crack, are just general maintenance. However, I was still dismayed by this report, and choose not to purchase the vehicle. They were asking $5,995, which I thought was a good price, however, considering the amount of work that the car would have needed, I decided to move on and continue looking.
My questions for the forum:
1. Did I make the right decision? I feel that I did, however, I don't have experience with VW.
2. Are some of these problems common? According to the technician, they aren't, other than the cracking of the timing belt, which is general maintenance (I was also expecting this anyways, since I didn't find any records on carfax of the timing belt ever being replaced)
3. what are some of the common problem areas I should be aware of when looking for Passats? So far, it seems the timing belt/water pump is the major service, along with the CV boot, and turbo sludge. Is there any other common issues I should be aware of? Any recommendations and/or advice for a potential buyer?
Thanks for taking the time to read my post, and I look forward to your comments.
Best,
Brian
You will also find that the finishing such as dash, door trim, shifter etc is thin plastic junk. I had problems with the seating material and finish there also.
Absolutely, you made the best decision you could make. The best place for that car is on the dealers lot. Maybe I am prejudiced because the Passat I had was nothing but a major, major expense. There was always something broken and NOTHING was cheap. Advice: Golf appears to be OK. Passat-let someone else keep those problems.
Mark