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VW Passat TDI

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Comments

  • tomatopietomatopie Member Posts: 31
    IT was the GLS Sedan, and I got it below invoice.
  • cardriver06cardriver06 Member Posts: 47
    wow

    what kind of vehicle you bought,is this a passat 2.oT with package1+winter package or just a basic passat.thanks and let me know

    i paid almost 25980 :( in louisville kentucky.

    thanks
  • preferdieselspreferdiesels Member Posts: 30
    Does anyone know anything about using vegetable oil in a TDI. With the price of fuel soaring it might become cheaper to buy fuel at the grocery store. I have read posts about biodiesel and one from someone claiming to use pure veg oil. Most refer to obtaining used oil from fast food restaurants and filtering it, but could you just buy the new stuff and add it to the tank or what??
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    You better do more research before you dump canola in your tank.

    http://www.biodieselgear.com/documentation/
  • tomatopietomatopie Member Posts: 31
    It is the GLS, not the base GL. It has the Monsoon sound system, 16" alloy wheels, moonroof, and heated seats. As far as I know, no "options" beyond that, but I did get the Passat floor mats.

    I'm thrilled. Today I saw regular for $3.23, and I got diesel for $2.69.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
  • tomsawyertomsawyer Member Posts: 12
    I have an 05 TDI GLS. I just purchased a pair of Sylvania Silver Star light bulbs for the headlights. I once installed these on an MB E430 and it was a piece of cake. However, I looked at the Passat and it doesn't look to be so easy. Has anyone ever installed these? Not sure if I should be doing this. Any advice? Thanks.
  • hhursthhurst Member Posts: 1
    Considering Passat TDI Wagon but have 2 questions: What is average mileage? On this website it says 37/45 (w/average at 40) - www.fueleconomy.gov - but people say it's more like 28mpg. Second question: I previously considered the volvo and mercedes diesel wagons but want better mpg however, despite better mpg, I wonder if the Passat engine will last like a mercedes or volvo on the average? I can only afford a used Passat and so miles would be high. Good mpg doesn't pay off if the repair bills are high! ADVICE, please!
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    i think you can forget about getting above 40 mpg unless you drive a constant 60 mph. i suppose some people do that but i think life's too short! we see about 35 mpg average, mix of city & 'realistic' highway speeds, 70+. dashboard mpg display reads 2 mpg above real mpg. on a cross country cruise, 80+ to ~100, mpg ranged from 31 to 37 with my lead foot. in pure stop & go city traffic for a whole tank, i can believe it would be 28 mpg. never tried that, probably never will.
    also beware the 'bucking' issue, on lift-throttle decel or feather-throttle cruising - try it on a test drive. our dealer service dept reports "they all do that". it's unacceptable to some drivers. apparently it's due to US emission/EGR requirements. some folks have hacked an egr restrictor plate that supposedly eliminates the bucking, but it causes the computer to throw a code - technically it's an illegal emissions modification. supposedly the euro version of the same car gets substantially better mpg due to less stringent euro emissions requirements. something like that. or so i've read...
  • bobwmacbobwmac Member Posts: 2
    On Friday 16 September I ordered a new Passat P6 2.0 TDI SE and to bring it up to the spec of my current 2003 car cost $3621 in "optional extras"! For an extra $5247 I could have leather seats and satnav.... but I passed on those two. The other I passed up was the rain sensor, such a toy is redundant in Scotland. There were a total of 119 optional extras on offer, the only freebie being the de-badging.It seems VW are, initially anyway, offering just the skeleton and you have to clothe it yourself! Delivery is estimated at late November though this waiting time should decrease as production gets into full swing.

    I'm hoping the six speed box of the P6 will produce the 60 mpg I currently manage (50 mph), as this week diesel hit $8.50 a gallon up here in Scotland and have no doubt it will: the increased torque meant that I had the demonstrator car toddling along urban streets at 30 mph in sixth gear with no protest.

    At the end of November I'll let you know if it lives up to the hype.

    Bob
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Just had the 5000 mile service done on the TDI. Total charge $50.63. Filter was $6.89 and oil $5.50 per liter. I made sure they had the right stuff before they started. This is not the dealer I bought the car from. They have treated me real well both times I have gone there. Highly recommend Drew VW in San Diego.
  • josephus1josephus1 Member Posts: 5
    Is the TDi Passat going to have 4-Motion (All wheel drive)?
    The US (like Germany) has many mountainous snowy roads.
    Last year you could get the TDi or 4-Motion, but not together - Lame.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    josephus, no way. what TDI passat are you talking about. there is no more TDI passat sold in USA and no plans for one to be sold. definitely not for 2006. i understand that in USA, VAG will be having audi offer more diesels and volksy offer fewer diesels. the only volksy diesels will be jetta (sedan only) and beetle. i bet you'll see quattro offered with the future audi usa diesels, however. bigger $.
  • anointedhelpanointedhelp Member Posts: 7
    I just recently purchased a 2005 Passat TDI and I noticed several things ...it seems like it takes longer to accelerate when the pedel is to the metal than it should, also the car bucks when the automatic transmission switches gears...and I have seen a puff of black smoke when accelerating quickly. This only happend once. Is anyone esle experiencing the same issues? Should I be concerned about the black smoke? And what is it?

    :confuse:
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    In my limited experience with automatic diesels, flooring the pedal doesn't seem to be the best method for acceleration. That seems to cause the motor to rev beyond it's power band, when you feel the acceleration start to fall-off, lift your foot and let the transmission upshift, then put your foot back into it. Worth a try anyway, a diesel isn't a point-n-shoot engine IMHO.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    the smoke is normal when you stand on the accelerator, especially after you've been driving for a while. it's soot that builds up in the exhaust system. i find it works nicely on tailgators.
    the bucking is also "normal" as in "they all do that" - apparently VW can't or won't fix it. please do give your dealer crap about it however. it's not necessarily related to shifting - instead it occurs on 'lift-throttle' or 'idling/coasting' along. there are lots of theories & posts about the bucking on tdiclub , some dudes have apparently fixed it by customizing an "egr restrictor plate". technically that violates federal/EPA law i think. and it causes the ECM to throw a code. but apparently it does fix the bucking. sigh.
    another workaround/prevention is to just force the car to run in a lower gear, either by shifting manually or putting it in "3" or "4". once it bucks, dropping a gear will not necessarily stop the bucking however - you must have it in the lower gear to begin with.
    as for the accel, i do believe that flooring it does provide the best acceleration - there is quite a turbo lag from a dead stop however. maybe it's not turbo lag - maybe it's the ecm programmed that way. the engine has lots of torque, maybe too much, so that fuel has to be metered slowly when starting from a dead stop.
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    My wife and I just returned from a 1700 mile business/pleasure trip to San Francisco. We drove from Central Washington through Oregon on US 97 to I-5 in California and on into South SF (719 miles) in 13.5 hours and averaged 40 mpg in our 2004 TDI wagon. Coming home we drove around in SF, then up the CA coast to Crescent City, then to I-5, to I-84, and then north again on US 97. The trip home included side-trips up the mountains to see the giant redwoods and the Oregon Caves. Overall we averaged 38.3 mpg and used 1/5th of a liter of oil. To quote my wife while I was driving up the winding California coast highway: "I know you've totally forgotten that you're not driving the Audi Coupe anymore." To quote my 2-year-old grandson after a carnival ride: "Fun!" :)
  • cctdicctdi Member Posts: 82
    Good post, I got 04 GLS tdi wagon with insert leather; one of my favor cars, 11200 miles in odometer with two times oil change, is a very reliable vehicle.
  • markstmarkst Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a 05 TDI wagon in August and have had problems with this "bucking" also. Mine occurs when I level off the accellerator and the car is in 3rd gear. I have talked to the service dept at least twice and they act like they don't know what the problem is. So this is a common problem with all TDI's? And if so I would assume the service dept is avoiding the issue.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Anyone out there know a good source for a VW Passat remote with pop out key. I cannot find one of mine. Dealers want a lot of money for them.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    hi markst. yes our 05 tdi sedan bucks sometimes when levelling off the accelerator. in 3rd & 4th mostly. the service dept here confirmed the 'bucking' behavior and confirmed that the other new tdis on their lot did the same thing. the only way i've discovered to avoid it is to intentionally drive with the gearshift one gear down from where the bucking would occur, either in manual mode or automatic mode. lately my wife drives the car mostly and she is ok with the rare-enough bucking, as long as it doesn't mean the car is going to stall. and it never stalls. btw, there are dudes on tdiclub who have fashioned an egr restrictor plate that supposedly cures the symptom.
  • daverspdaversp Member Posts: 2
    I am a Renoite also.have you had any problems with your Passat?
    I am not real happy with Lithia vw. service. they are not very knowledgable.
    been waiting 2 months to get a fix on my bucking problem.
    when it's running right it is great
    Dave in Reno
  • rodger3rodger3 Member Posts: 3
    I live in Canada and I have been looking at a few remaining new 2005 Passat TDIs with Tiptronic. Regardless of the MSRPs I am seeing, what should be the best price (invoice?) I could expect to hear from the sales rep or 'shoot for' in my negotiations?
  • 100mphallday100mphallday Member Posts: 4
    No real problems. I do have the bucking, but not bad at all. It only seems to happen at 30 mph. I either slow down or speed up a little to get around it. I have just over 5k on the car, and when I performed the 5k oil change it was a pain in the butt. It will be much easier next time though. Having done it once I know what/where everything is and how to remove/replace it. As for Lithia, I have not had to deal with them much yet. I bought the car in Idaho, and I've only purchased oil/filter from them. However, both the parts and service departments gave me bad info on the amount of oil the car takes when changing oil/filter. I know the owners manual gives the amount of oil needed when changing, but it does not say if the amount specified includes the filter capacity. To make a long story short Lithia would have had me over fill by a liter. Overall I love the car. I've seen a fair amount of them around Reno. Let me know what happens with Lithia and the bucking.
    Mike, fellow Renoite.
  • daverspdaversp Member Posts: 2
    I am considering changing the trans code to sport mode.there are some who feel the change in the shift pattern helps with the bucking.there is an individual in town who has a vag com it only takes a few minutes to change the code & can be easily changed back.The buckung seems to have gone into remission,been using a fuel additive which may have done the trick. the people at Lithia are not knowledgable at all.when I asked them about the sport mode service said I should ask sales!(this is a mechanical question & sales would not have a clue) :confuse:
    Dave-I'm in the n. valleys near red rock
  • sneezerjakesneezerjake Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a 2005 Tdi Passat and wanted to know if anybody
    else has tried B-20 fuel. Was there any problems burning biodiesel with the newer engines?
  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    Sneezer,

    I have an '05 TDi with 15K on it. About 85% of the fuel burned has been B-20, and I have not had any problems (Except, on one tank full, I experieinced some hard starting, but that went away after refueling so I chalked it up to bad/old fuel). Average economy about 36 MPG (mix of highway & city driving, fairly agressive too).

    I always add DieselKleen cetane boost on fill-up (buy at Wally-world: Gray bottle in summer, White bottle in winter - this is NH so anything to help prevent gelling with B-20 or DinoDiesel is well worth the $$$).

    My understanding is that you should not notice any differences in the short term (and I haven't). I am not sure about long term issues, if there are any. I do know the B-20 fuel is a good solvent so frequent switching can lead to a clogged fuel filter as residues from the DinoDiesel are removed form inside of the tank and lines. That is why i try to stick with B-20 and only get the Dino on trips where it is not available.

    Good luck.
  • lidar_gurulidar_guru Member Posts: 2
    I just got my new GLS Wagon TDI (incl moonroof pkg.) and they knocked off 2000$ plus monster floor mats and a few points off the lease rate.

    FYI I started experiencing the "bucking" at about 100k on the odometer. Otherwise a dream to drive compared to the other cars I have had in the past.

    :)
  • silencermsvsilencermsv Member Posts: 1
    Does anywone have any experience with Bio-Diesel in a 05 Passat TDI Wagon?
  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    Wagon or Sedan should not matter when it comes to fuel. See the above post:

    Message #947 Re: Biodiesel [sneezerjake]  by mrjette

    I have an '05 TDi with 15K on it. About 85% of the fuel burned has been B-20, and I have not had any problems (Except, on one tank full, I experieinced some hard starting, but that went away after refueling so I chalked it up to bad/old fuel). Average economy about 36 MPG (mix of highway & city driving, fairly agressive too).
     
    I always add DieselKleen cetane boost on fill-up (buy at Wally-world: Gray bottle in summer, White bottle in winter - this is NH so anything to help prevent gelling with B-20 or DinoDiesel is well worth the $$$).
     
    My understanding is that you should not notice any differences in the short term (and I haven't). I am not sure about long term issues, if there are any. I do know the B-20 fuel is a good solvent so frequent switching can lead to a clogged fuel filter as residues from the DinoDiesel are removed form inside of the tank and lines. That is why i try to stick with B-20 and only get the Dino on trips where it is not available.
     
    Good luck.
  • jianfjiangjianfjiang Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I just bought a used 2000 VW Passat, but the dealer only gave me one valet key, no master keys, no key tag, so I have no idea how to replace a remote key. Please help!!! Thanks so much!
  • stalbanstalban Member Posts: 3
    I have an '05 Passat TDI with 25,000 miles on it. I noticed over the last couple of days a slight shudder when accelerating at high speed (over 65 mph).
    Today, I noticed when I accelerate either from a start or a cruise speed the car shuddered VIOLENTLY. After reaching the new crusing speed, it smooths out until I have accelerate quickly again.
    I spoke with dealer and they're stumped and want to see it in the morning.
    Any ideas out there so I can go in armed with knowledge?
    Thanks in advance.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    this doesn't sound like the typical "bucking" problem which occurs with coasting or lifting the go-pedal.
    even so: blocking the EGR might fix it, as described on the tdiclub . i haven't tried it on my 05...

    for your 05: fuel filter clogged? bad tank o fuel?
    did you have the fuel filter swapped at 20k as the maintenance sched calls for?
  • stalbanstalban Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the reply.
    My first thought was a bad tank but this appeared to be a progressive problem that "peaked" today.
    While I didn't eyeball it specifically, I have been religious about my maintenance schedules and I did have the 20,000 done on time and can only take it for granted that the fuel filter was done according to plan.
  • keithwinskeithwins Member Posts: 4
    Hi there,

    I recently bought a '96 VW tdi on ebay, and have been running it on biodiesel for a few weeks. It was never clear that I needed to replace the filter, though it seemed like it might have been losing power, so I bought one but didn't put it in. Today I drove it WAAYYYYY up into the mountains of West Virginia (I am building a house up here, I'm a builder), and it died on me. Stopped running, and when I cranked it it didn't even catch. I swapped out the filter (filled with biodiesel first), and now it catches, but won't run more than a few seconds. It SEEMS like the longer I wait between starts, the more likely it is to run as long as 4-5 seconds.

    I looked underneath, since I was concerned I might have crushed a fuel line on a rock or something (I'm 2 miles into the woods on a very very bad road), but I don't see a problem (it seems to have a blue plastic fuel line, unless I'm missing something).

    I am concerned that since it's pretty cold up here (around freezing) the fuel might have iced up. It's going to get a lot colder tonight. Fortunately, the person for whom I'm building the house has a cabin, which I'm in now, and I can get on the internet. I will go out tomorrow morning and try to get it running: if anyone has any ideas, I would be SO GRATEFUL. The best I can think of is to try to get a big heater and heat up the engine/fuel. The other thing that comes to mind is that I have to do something after changing the fuel filter: repressurize the system or something. I'll try to search for info on that.

    Anyway, thanks for any help anyone can offer. I'll check for responses in a few hours, or maybe in the morning.

    Keith

    PS: this is not a joke. You can see my web site (which stinks, but hey...) at earthsunenergy dott comm. I really could use any help you can offer! Thanks so much.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    you are welcome for the reply, stalban. i don't want to alarm you with other ideas. let dealer/warranty figure it out- they won't say "they all do that" for a problem like you describe. :|;)
    Keith yes your 96 TDI's problem could be fuel gelling combined with a semi-plugged fuel filter. i'd be surprised
    if gelling were the problem this early in winter - what is the low daily temp where you are? many TDIers try to time the fuel filter swap to be at beginning of winter to help avoid possibly gelling issues.
    obviously your car is outside now and not garaged. i think using a heater outdoors to try to warm the fuel is possibly dangerous - avoid. the gelling could be at the tank/fuel-pump/valve-thingy or it could be in the filter or both. or elsewhere in fuel lines. is the car parked in the sun? maybe wait until warmest time of day and try it? also there is a way to open the fuel filter and put
    stanadyne/anti-gel directly into it.
    the 2001-2003 TDIs had a fuel gelling problem with a too-small fuel-valve under the rear seat - so warming that area could help un-gel/un-crystallize the fuel.
    oh, and if you suspect gelling problems you NEED the white bottle anti-gel power-service or official VW "stanadyne" additive! personally i only use it if temps go below 10F: after each fuel stop dump in 4 or 6 oz of power-service.
    hey, your web site looks fine, dude, don't be so hard on yourself! you guys get actual sun energy down there in MD?! nice! it's so rare that we get anywhere near half the full 1KW/square-meter in new england. waaah! unfortunately the math for "rain power" is looking even worse than that for solar/photovoltaics.
  • stalbanstalban Member Posts: 3
    Elias:
    Just as a follow up: I went to dealership today and it was diagnosed to be the fuel filter...it turns out they didn't change it at the 20,000 mile check since their spec sheet didn't call for it on the diesel until 40,000. After today it is now on their 20k check!
    Car runs like new now.
    Thanks again for your input.
  • ed13ed13 Member Posts: 1
    I had a similar problem on my 04 Passat TDI...turned out to be a loose wire going to the O2 sensor...try to buy your diesl from major brand name companies like ExxonMobil etc.. Also I try to buy diesel at stations that sell alot, the fuel tends to be fresh. good luck
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    No way will I use B-20 fuel in my Passat TDI.
  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    Why not?
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    Quality control and higher price.
  • obieobie Member Posts: 39
    Even though the Jetta V TDI won't be out for a while, at least I can evaluate the exterior styling and interior dimensions and features when the gas model debuts in March. It seems from early reports that the Jetta TDI will still use the 1.9 liter engine in the present Jetta. That would seem to be a big letdown from the Passat's 2.0 liter TDI, especially if the new Jetta is priced so high.
  • rbinder58rbinder58 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2005 Passat TDI and love the car, have some minor bucking issues but get over it by driving hard. The only issue I have that I cannot seem to remedy is the smell of anti freeze in the car upon hard turns , fast starts and initally turning on heat in the car. Had it back to the dealer for a defroster issue that was resolved buit nothing on the smell. I check the level regularly and have never had to add.

    Any thoughts or anyone else have this issue???
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    are you sure it's not the washer fluid that you are smelling? after i complained of same problem to the dealer, they reported that the "factory fill" washer fluid is quite stanky. sure enough, now that i've refilled the washer fluid a few times with cheapo non-VW fluid, i don't notice any stank after hard turns.
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    I too have an 05 Passat TDI. My heater core had a leak and was replaced by my VW dealer. It is my understanding that VW had other VW's with bad heater cores.
  • sschnathsschnath Member Posts: 5
    I experienced the same symptoms exactly. Problem started slow and got worse and worse. Steady acceleration made it appear. Kick down to a lower gear and higher RPMs or settle in to a steady speed and it smoothed out.

    My TDI has 64K miles on it. I had changed the fuel filter at around 50K. Dealer thought it might be the fuel filter but that didn't make sense to me since at higher RPMs the problem went away - I would expect it to be even worse if it was the fuel filter starving the engine. They checked it anyway and while the measured flow at the cylinders was off a little, it turned out to be a very dirty EGR valve.

    I asked the tech if this is going to be a chronic problem and should I have the cleaning performed routinely at a certain mileage. He was honest and said I might never have the problem again. Thing is, they all get dirty - that's the nature of the fuel - but apparently that doesn't mean we're all going to have the problem. Apparently the valve got dirty in a way that caused it to stick. Perhaps a piece of carbon stuck on the valve and it was kept from opening and closing correctly.

    This is the second time the tech had seen this problem - the first one had your mileage (do you live in NH?). Based on his experience and your mileage (assuming you're having the same issue), he's right - it doesn't appear to be mileage-related.

    It's possible that fuel contributed to the problem. I had to change gas stations for a time while my regular station was undergoing tank maintenance and this was right after I changed my fuel filter. In the previous 18 months I had the car before changing stations, I never had this problem. So, it's tempting to blame it on them but it could be coincidental. No way to know.

    I'm back using the previous dealer again so hopefully I won't see this again. But, a recommendation to everyone: dealer charged me $45 to look at the fuel filter. If you're not due for a filter and you're having this problem, ask them to check the EGR first. As it was, the whole thing set me back $221. I had them change the fuel filter since it was close anyway. But the labor to clean the valve was around $100. I thought diesels were supposed to be less expensive to run?!

    Anyone know of any sort of additive that would help avoid this problem?
  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    My understanding is that the best preventative measure is "hard acceleration" - like once a tank full. Pick a clear and safe area, and stomp on the fuel peddle. Let the RPMs get higher than normal, and much of the soot is blown clear of the engine and thus the EGR valve.

    I'm sorry officer, I HAD to do it....
  • lidar_gurulidar_guru Member Posts: 2
    I inquired at my VW dealer wether I should put in Bio or stick to Dino Diesel and I was informed that VW Canada has advised people not to use any greater concentrations greater than B5, in other words no B20. It apperars that greater concentrations cause premature fuel pump and associated component failures. Total cost of replacement is 3000$ CDN. Yikes.

    Next time I'm at the dealer I'll try to get a copy of the bulletin and post it on this forum. I'll wait and see before I put in BioDiesel in my 05 Wagon. Too bad because I'm a tree hugger... :surprise:
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I don't think it's so much a problem with the biodiesel itself, it's a matter of getting GOOD biodiesel. There are few standards at the moment and quality seems to be hit/miss. 5% of bad biodiesel wouldn't hurt anything, but 20% could. The main objective is to find a GOOD source and B100 shouldn't be a problem.
  • emerls1120emerls1120 Member Posts: 2
    I have 19 month old 2004 Passat TDI. It has been in the dealership for the last 6 weeks. They discovered antifreeze inside my gauges, under the carpet and more places. There is a tech bulletin out because what has happened, in my case, is that the sensor built into the antifreeze reservoir was made with a crack in it. This crack allows antifreeze to reach the sensor and then, hold on to something, it gets inside the wires. I mean under the insulation around the wire!!! It travels the whole wiring harness and gets to the following items:
    1. The accelerator module (your gas pedal electronics)
    2. In your gauges (they have to replace them all)
    3. Your wiring harnesses (all of them under the hood have to be "cut out and overlayed")
    4. The interior carpeting must be replaced because it pools under the carpet.
    My situation is not great. I have 60,000 miles on my 19 month old TDI so VW is saying it is out warranty. The bill is $4,375 to fix it all.
    I would have them check this.
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