The rear lens on most cars is a single unit. It is on my VW and it is on our Honda. I haven't attempted a bulb replacement, but I do know that the owner's manual is sparse on details for the DIY'er.
I don't know what special tool you need for an oil change other than, let's see, 10 mm socket and screwdriver to remove/replace the belly pan and an oil filter wrench to remove/replace the oil filter. It's not exactly rocket science.
Sorry to hear about your electrical issues...now that would drive me nuts.
I've found the opposite. Parts at Nappa and LordCo for VWs are the same as other vehicles. Batteries cost more, rad/heater hoses must come from VW, but brake parts and steering parts are really cheap.
BULBS: Although all American and Japanese cars that I've owned required taking the entire tail-light OUT (using a phillips screw-driver from outside the vehicle) every European car that I've seen built in the last couple decades allow one to change bulbs without ANY tools, from the inside (such as trunk).
With my wife's Eurovan, you lift the access panel on either side (which also houses the jack and tools on one side, plus additional storage where we keep a first-aid kit) and then you simply squeeze the big tabs on the sides of the bulb-holder assembly and out comes this big plastic assembly with ALL the bulbs (tail-light/brake, signal, backup) easily accesible.
No tools, you don't get dirty, and you can do it on a rainy night without a flash-light from inside the van without getting wet!
My kids can change bulbs on any modern VW without risk of scratching the paint. Are the Japanese catching up yet, or do you still have to dismantle your car to change bulbs?
Can anyone tell me if the Traction Control offered on the Passat really does much? I live in Minnesota and I'm trying to decide whether 4Motion is a must or if the traction control feature will suffice. Also, after owning 2 Jettas (the last was an '86 model), I'm still have reservations about the reliability of VW. My wife and I are looking at used Passat Wagons, probably a 2001-03 model. Would I be wise to purchase an extended warranty or roll the dice? Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
The VW key is not cut by a laser. http://www.framon.com/auto/sd1a.html A Framon Sidewinder will make VW key and it is what my local locksmith and dealer both use to cut keys of the VW type.
If you still have at least one working key, you can order a replacement key off the internet for under $50. Examples are www.keylessride.com and www.streetkeys.com .
I checked with local dealer and they charge $80 for valet and $120 to $150 for remote key depending on year of VW.
Certain VW dealers should be ashamed of themselves for the prices they charge. $170 for valet key is extremely excessive.
Apparently you are judgmental about my commenting on mileage with a W8. Why shouldn't I concern myself with the mileage? The W8 qualifies as a low emissions vehicle; that is a plus. Why should I waste money on gas? We have enough energy problems in this country. The W8 has absolutely no difficulty with our mountains in Northern California. It is a strong, stable car. If you like a 1.8, fine. It is a good choice for you, just as the W8 is for someone else.
Not altogether true as stated, loouloou. I have 66k miles on my 2k wagon, and have replaced two tailight bulbs myself. Look inside the cargo compartment, behind the liner, and you will find that the housing snaps out in one piece, and mounted in it are standard bulbs that are available anywhere.
My local indie has no problem opening the belly pan to get at the filter. The "special tool" required was a socket wrench. And he stocks the filters and fluids specified by VW.
OTOH, I too replaced both headlights at about the same time (they are easy to replace too), and was towed a couple times. Turned out that there was nothing wrong with my car - it's just sensitive to flooding. If I had gone to flooded-mode engine starting it would have started. Now I know.
Just came home with a 2001 GLX Passat V6 4Motion wagon. With the windows closed and the sunroof open, you hear this incredible interior wind-noise/vibration which seems to come from the back cargo area and makes its way forward, while driving around 40-mph. In fact my head is still throbbing as I am writing this. If I open any of the rear windows, just a crack. The noise goes away. And if I am driving with all of the windows (including the sunroof) closed, there is no interior wind noise and the ride is comfortable. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Possible solutions??? I bought the car from CARMAX, so I still have 5-days for a full refund. Any assistance will be appreciated. Thanks.
My '95 Concorde did that, and so did the '90 626 (the last 2 cars I've owned with a sunroof.) It has to do with the shape of the vehicle and the air flow over it. The solution is as you stated: crack open the rear windows.
Question: Does your car have a air deflector on the sunroof? If not try one; if so, try it without.
My 2003 wagon doesn't do that, but the sunroof control has a position called "comfort" position. Basically, when set to that position, the sunroof doesn't open quite all the way. I suggest try driving with the sunroof open about 80 or 90% and see if that fixes your problem.
The only time I'll get the "blowing over the opening of a coke bottle" noise is if only one rear window is opened.
I have this phenomenon in my 03 wagon too, and have experienced it with other cars with a largish cargo area (hatchbacks and wagons). Its resonance of the air in the vehicle (like blowing over the top of bottles as posted above). You can play around with the windows and sunroof openings (the comfort setting does help). I installed a Benevento sunroof wind deflector and it cured the problem; its a lot quieter too.
I bought a 2004 GLX wagon back in April, and have put about only 3400mi on it as 10/02/04. I now notice that at about 45mph and 70-80mph there is a subtle shimmy/vibration from the rear. I also notice that the front drivers side tire seems to be wearing slightly to the outside. I brought it to a local VW dealer (unfortunately not the one I bought it from as I've moved to another state since purchase) and they say they checked the alignment and cannot find anything wrong, they say it could be a tire belt problem and go to the tire manufacturer, they won't warrantee the tires. For this vehicle, I'm amazed about this wear/shimmy. The car hasn't seen potholes or anything that would cause a need for alignment. I also have driven behind this car & it visually appeared that the front & the rear do not track parallel, it could be an illusion, and if I'm to believe the local dealer, there is no problem. But with so few miles on it, I don't want this to turn into a future problem and would like to nip this now. Has anyone had similar problems or thoughts what I should do?
Does anyone know if any manufacturer makes a all weather/rubber floor mat that covers the hump in the rear seat of a Passat wagon.
I just traded in a Ford Expedition for a Passat Wagon TDI. I have two kids under 4. I don't want the little mats for the back seat. I'm looking for something comparable to the husky liner I had in the Expedition that covered the entire rear floor area.
Sorry if this has already been discussed. I ran a search and couldn't find anything.
Looking at an 04/05 GLS Passat Wagon with the 1.8T and automatic or may opt for the TDI. Interested in knowing what kind of mileage you have been getting with the gasser. Thanks
I keep careful (my wife says obsessive) track of my mileage on our 2003 1.8T with Tiptronic wagon. The EPA rated our vehicle at 21/30.
In almost two years of ownership, I've gotten 22.5 mpg overall (with over 95% of my driving in the city/suburbs). This is very consistent with other cars that we've owned - over the long haul we average about 1 or 2 miles over the EPA city mileage value.
On the Interstate, I consistently will get in excess of 30 mpg, with my record being about 32.5. Any Interstate trip over 30 minutes will get me these kind of results, driving an indicated 72 mph. If I slowed down to the posted 65, I believe that 35 mpg would be possible.
Incidental other info that may impact the mileage: I've run Valvoline Synpower 5w-40 since the first oil change. I keep the tires (OEM Michelin MXVs) at 32 PSI all around.
I have this same problem with my '94 Jetta when I open one of the back windows without opening any others at the same time. I agree, it hurts my head and ears too. The only solution I have found is to make sure that I open (or just crack open)at least one other window or sunroof and the terrible wind tunnel sound stops. Its got to have something to do with poor airflow inside the car...or something. Hope that helps.
For anyone interested, here's a letter I wrote this week to Gerd Klaus, president and CEO of Volkswagen America.
"Dear Mr. Klauss:
I wrote to you on February 24, 2004 concerning maintenance/service issues concerning our Passat Wagon (1.8T) purchased in May of 2001. You evidently referred my concerns to Volkswagen of America’s regional coordinator, who was very responsive. Thank you.
Now with the car at just over 40,000 miles, we’ve incurred two new expenses on parts that generally should not fail; an oxygen sensor and turn signal switch. You should also know that the shielded vacuum hoses used on the 1.8T have disintegrated, appearing as though they were replaced after 140,000 miles. Honestly, the problems we’ve had since our purchase have been specifically with inexpensive parts from VW suppliers that create expensive repair bills.
During the initial two years of ownership, we’ve had to replace a windshield wiper relay, a malfunctioning key fob, fuel sender unit and the ignition coils (all under warranty). A coolant sensor had to be replaced just after the warranty expired.
It’s pretty obvious that VW, in its efforts to cut costs, has squeezed its suppliers to the point that they’re delivering parts of poor quality. Most car companies have taken cost cutting measure as well, but many seem to have avoided the poor quality records now befalling German companies.
As stated in my previous correspondence, we love the car for its design, handling and performance characteristics, comfort and good fuel mileage. But this string of nagging quality issues has made it very difficult for me to recommend a Volkswagen much less purchase a new one. Most certainly, VW must get the cooperation of all its suppliers and demand the same high quality it demands of itself.
Once again, thank you for your kind indulgence."
We'll see where that letter gets me. My previous letter resulted in a check to cover the service cost to replace the coolant sensor.
Otherwise, I can report that the initial lag when stomping the throttle of the 1.8T is normal. It's not as bad with the AC turned off. We had the same problem as some of the other postings stated with the fule gauge. That was corrected with a new fuel sender unit. The wind buffeting with the sunroof is also common. Crack the rear windows or buy a wind deflector. They look sharp anyway. Like my letter says, everything about the car, including build quality, is generally great except for the inferior parts that break.
I just bought a new 2004 Passat Wagon GLS 1.8T. Love the car. My questions may have been posted before, but I don't have time to go through 4 years of posts.
My wife and I notice that when we hit the gas, the turbo seems to emit a sort of "whistle". We didn't notice this when we test drove, but we really seem to notice now.
I assume it has something to do with rapid air intake into the turbo. Does anybody else have this and is this normal? If not, perhaps I have a problem with vapor leak or something.
tc, every turbo will whistle at full boost... it's the same whistle you hear from a semi on the highway when the driver floors the go pedal. I love listening to it in my Dodge Ram turbodiesel... in fact, if I don't hear it, that's a sign to change my air filter
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I have an '04 GLS wagon that I just bought, and I too have noticed a whine that goes up and down in pitch with the accelerator. I asked the dealer about it last week, and they said it was something to do with the air intake. I pointed out that our otherwise identical '03 wagon doesn't make the noise, and they said that something must have changed between the years. Wow! What a diagnosis! I have noticed that after about 15 minutes of driving it lessens or goes away.
Does anyone know if the brake or accelerator pedals can be adjusted? If I move the seat so that the accelerator is fine, the brake pedal is too close and uncomforable to use. If I adjust to the brake, the accelerator is too far away. I asked the dealer, and they said the pedals are set at the factory and cannot be adjusted. Again, they are fine in our '03. Any suggestions?
Hello, this has not occurred yet to me,I don't let the car run but the key in the ignition in off position.I know from my previous car Subaru I couldn't run the car and fill it up , it gave after wards the check engine light illuminated and had to bring it to the service.
Bought my 2003 GLS Wagon, Leather, Tip in Sept of 2002. Things are still fine, love this car! I just replaced my OEM Contis(33K) with Nokian WR's. Went to the VW dealer yesterday, drove a R32!, wow what a car. Also looked at a 2005 Golf GLS TDI. Maybe next year when my warranty gets close to running out!
My original tires are wearing out at 55,000 and I'm looking for performance. It rains often here in winter, but no snow. I'm looking for a quiet, responsive tire with excellent dry and wet stopping behavior. Any recommednations?
The Tirerack website has a nice survey section that lets buyers rate tires. From the main page select Tires, then Survey Results. It's organized by tire types, like performance, all-season, winter, etc.
Has anyone had any experience with the pollen filter housing failing? The pollen filter housing on my 2000 Passat cracked (dealer could provide no explanation why). We had a lot of rain and the car flooded - causing engine failure - every warning light was on and we couldn't even get the car out of park. The car has only 45,000 miles on it. VW is not willing to do squat, but I think it's a latent defect. Any advice?
She has a problem with the front doors not latching and flying open while driving. She also has trouble in a very small amount of snow. I can't understand why a fwd vehicle would have as much trouble as she is experiencing. Tires are new all season Kumho oem replacements
What year is your daughter's vehicle? When do the doors fly open - warm weather, cold weather, freezing weather? Does it happen even when the doors are locked? Does it happen when turning, stopping or what? Has the vehicle been in an accident?
How the car performs in the snow depends on many things. What Kumho tires are on the car (specific model)? What size?
Is the car an automatic or manual? How much driving experience has your daughter had in snow driving? What specifically is the problem - can't get going, can't stop, can't turn, or what? Are we dealing with a deep snow issue, light snow, or slush?
Give as much info as you can and you'll probably get more detailed responses. Good luck!
For those of you considering purchasing a Passat wagon, this was our experience with a 2002 VW Passat GLS 1.8T wagon purchased new in September 2001:
At purchase - water condensation in left rear tail light
At 4K miles (May 2002), ignition coil failure #1
At 8K miles (September 2002), ignition coil failure #2
At 18K miles (July 2003), acknowledgment of ignition coil defect and
replacement of all four ignition coils.
At 24K miles, (April 2004), cracked brake booster vacuum hose
At 28K miles, (this past Xmas eve), oil pump and camshaft driver failure.
We were told this latest problem was NOT covered under warranty because we did not have documentation of oil changes at 10K and 15K miles, even thought the last two oil changes at 18K and 24K were done at the dealer. Repair costs were estmated to start at $2300.
We traded in our Passat wagon for a new, non-VW car last night.
Link below for further info on oil sludge problem in Passats:
I've got a 2004 GLX wagon with 4motion and it is a great car. I especially appreciate it when the roads are snowy and icy. The memory seats are great if you have two drivers with different seating requirements. It sure saves time when changing drivers. The gas mileage is not the greatest, but no worse the most awd cars. I've had no problems with this car and would recommend it to anyone.
I've also got a 1999 GLS 1.8T with a manual transmission and other than normal maintenance I've only spent $100 on repairs in 50,000 miles.
VW builds great cars that are fun to drive. Buy the 2005 Passat.
Our wagon is one year old and has 17,000 miles on it. It has has the 6 speed manual transmission, and we love it. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong, and it is comfortable on long trips. We get onto the freeway on a long uphill when we leave work, and it flies up to traffic speeds in a flash. We dumped a 98 Volvo V70 AWD for it. The Volvo had 74,000 miles on it in six years and was a time share with our mechanic. We paid a luxury tax on the Volvo, and now we have a supposedly plebeian VW which is reliable, powerful for California freeways, and comfortable. Thank you VW, and please - return the W8 engine in 06! It is a great motor.
'03 1.8T GLS Tiptronic wagon with nearly 58K miles since Dec 02. Have had real good experiences with it so far. Have been chipped since 5K and also had suspension upgrades since Jan 04. No major issues apart from a bad rear brake light switch repaired under warranty. Coil packs replaced in recall. I do most of the scheduled maint (oil change, brakes, etc.) and do so with enthusiasm. This is a car I truly enjoy!
Just started to hear the brake sensor. Where is a good spot to buy disc brake pads for a 2003 GLS Variant Passat(36k). Planning on doing the work myself. Are there any recommended pads or composition differences out there? Thx.
I've gotten three different data points on the meaning of the yellow ESP light. The dealer says the light means ESP is on. An earlier post here said it probably means its off. My manual is silent.
Can someone enlighten me?
Also, why is there an on/off switch for this? Why would you ever want it off? Mileage?
Thanks, that makes the most sense, since the light is obviously a warning light. Do you know if there is a cost in fuel efficiency or acceleration or anything when the system is enabled?
Well,I finally took delivery of my new wagon and WOW,what a nice car!I looked at Subaru,Volvo and VW and chose the VW. I have only 200 miles on it but it rides,feels,looks and drives NICE.I opted for an extended warranty, 7yr/100K mile for $1600 from my VW dealer.I have been reading edmunds.com forum for 3 months.I will post my experience of ownership from time to time at this forum for those interested. Hopefully I won't be reporting of any issues and experience's that I have read about.Every make of car,boat,plane etc. has issues so I am very optimistic that VW makes a sound,reliable,quality product. Even with gas at $2:35 a gallon I am looking forward to driving.
I have a 2004 Passat GLX Wagon, 5 spd stick. It's a real fun car and a rocket compared to the auto trans - however with only 8000 mi on it, it seems to burn about 1/2 qt oil every 1000 miles. I broke the car in for the first 1000 mi at under 60 mph thinking that would eliminate such current problem, but alas, it's burning oil. The dealer and I both have been using 5W-30 oil, could that be an issue? 5W-40 seems almost everywhere unavailable. Any thoughts would be great.
You wrote: The dealer and I both have been using 5W-30 oil, could that be an issue? 5W-40 seems almost everywhere unavailable.
Are you saying that the VW deaelr doesn't have 5w-40 oil available? They should, it's mandatory in 1.8T for 2005 and "recommended" for the 1.8T for older model years ("recommended" as in "we won't cover you under the sludge warranty if you don't use it"). The VW dealers that I've visited had Castrol 5w-40 in stock.
Many people report that Autozone Auto parts carries 0w-40 Mobil 1. NAPA Auto parts carries Valvoline Synpower 5w-40. Both are VW Spec 502.00 approved.
I'd switch to 5w-40 and see if that helps the consumption issue. Meanwhile, I'd keep a close eye on the oil level by checking it at least every other fuel fill.
On other Passat-specific forums on the web, there have been a number of threads concerning oil consumption with the v6 engine. Keep careful records of your oil changes and consumption (with a good paper trail of complaints with the dealer) in the event that you need to pursue an oil consumption test in the future.
VWoA seems to feel that anything less than 1 quart of oil consumed in 1,000 miles is acceptable (presumably to them, rather than the vehicle owner).
Has anyone towed anything larger than a jetski with a Passat wagon? I see that there are hitches available from various sources, but can not find any information regarding the towing capability for this car. I'm looking for an import wagon that is capable of towing a small boat (approx 2,500 lbs boat and trailer)
Does anyone have a procedure for replacing the Driver's Side Taillight Lens on a 2003 Passat GLX Wagon. A repair shop tried to take out the plastic assembly that holds the jack and optional CD player said that a bolt that hold the taillight lens is located behind it. But there did not seem to be an easy way to get the plastic assembly out. Any thoughts?
I just did a comparison between the Cadillac SRX, which has a towing capacity of 1000 - 3000 pounds and the Passat Wagon where the towing capacity came up as "Not Recommended". I did it on www.cadillac.com.
I have the infant seat in the right rear seat of my 2004 Passat Wagon, but wasn't able to get recommendation from VW customer service if this is best location.
It has the LATCH system on either window seat (I don't think it has it in middle...I should check...but that's what VW said and I already had installed seat.)
I think I'll be able to reach over if absolutely necessary a little better with the baby in the right rear seat, but could see him better if he's behind driver's seat. (I have the mirror set up on the headrest.)
I'd love to hear what other moms are doing...thanks so much. Leslie (first baby arrives anytime in next 2-3 weeks
I'm a Dad, not a Mom. Anyway, after much thought, I placed our car seat in the rear right hand seat. The reason we did this is that in parallel parking situations, I didn't feel it was safe to be entering the car from the street side with our baby. Plus, it takes a little bit of time to make sure everything is secure and I see no reason for us to be sticking our, ahh, rears out into traffic for that amount of time when we could be much more safe on the sidewalk.
For visibility, I suggest those convex mirrors you see in the baby departments. They've worked great for us.
Congratulations on your first baby! Hope all goes well.
That makes a lot of sense. Thanks so much for your reply. Sorry, I knew I shouldn't have said "moms"! My dh didn't have much to do with the car seat, but I would imagine most car seats are handled by dads
Comments
The rear lens on most cars is a single unit. It is on my VW and it is on our Honda. I haven't attempted a bulb replacement, but I do know that the owner's manual is sparse on details for the DIY'er.
I don't know what special tool you need for an oil change other than, let's see, 10 mm socket and screwdriver to remove/replace the belly pan and an oil filter wrench to remove/replace the oil filter. It's not exactly rocket science.
Sorry to hear about your electrical issues...now that would drive me nuts.
BULBS:
Although all American and Japanese cars that I've owned required taking the entire tail-light OUT (using a phillips screw-driver from outside the vehicle) every European car that I've seen built in the last couple decades allow one to change bulbs without ANY tools, from the inside (such as trunk).
With my wife's Eurovan, you lift the access panel on either side (which also houses the jack and tools on one side, plus additional storage where we keep a first-aid kit) and then you simply squeeze the big tabs on the sides of the bulb-holder assembly and out comes this big plastic assembly with ALL the bulbs (tail-light/brake, signal, backup) easily accesible.
No tools, you don't get dirty, and you can do it on a rainy night without a flash-light from inside the van without getting wet!
My kids can change bulbs on any modern VW without risk of scratching the paint. Are the Japanese catching up yet, or do you still have to dismantle your car to change bulbs?
A Framon Sidewinder will make VW key and it is what my local locksmith and dealer both use to cut keys of the VW type.
If you still have at least one working key, you can order a replacement key off the internet for under $50. Examples are www.keylessride.com and www.streetkeys.com .
I checked with local dealer and they charge $80 for valet and $120 to $150 for remote key depending on year of VW.
Certain VW dealers should be ashamed of themselves for the prices they charge. $170 for valet key is extremely excessive.
My local indie has no problem opening the belly pan to get at the filter. The "special tool" required was a socket wrench. And he stocks the filters and fluids specified by VW.
OTOH, I too replaced both headlights at about the same time (they are easy to replace too), and was towed a couple times. Turned out that there was nothing wrong with my car - it's just sensitive to flooding. If I had gone to flooded-mode engine starting it would have started. Now I know.
Thanks.
Question: Does your car have a air deflector on the sunroof? If not try one; if so, try it without.
The only time I'll get the "blowing over the opening of a coke bottle" noise is if only one rear window is opened.
I just traded in a Ford Expedition for a Passat Wagon TDI. I have two kids under 4. I don't want the little mats for the back seat. I'm looking for something comparable to the husky liner I had in the Expedition that covered the entire rear floor area.
Sorry if this has already been discussed. I ran a search and couldn't find anything.
In almost two years of ownership, I've gotten 22.5 mpg overall (with over 95% of my driving in the city/suburbs). This is very consistent with other cars that we've owned - over the long haul we average about 1 or 2 miles over the EPA city mileage value.
On the Interstate, I consistently will get in excess of 30 mpg, with my record being about 32.5. Any Interstate trip over 30 minutes will get me these kind of results, driving an indicated 72 mph. If I slowed down to the posted 65, I believe that 35 mpg would be possible.
Incidental other info that may impact the mileage:
I've run Valvoline Synpower 5w-40 since the first oil change. I keep the tires (OEM Michelin MXVs) at 32 PSI all around.
"Dear Mr. Klauss:
I wrote to you on February 24, 2004 concerning maintenance/service issues concerning our Passat Wagon (1.8T) purchased in May of 2001. You evidently referred my concerns to Volkswagen of America’s regional coordinator, who was very responsive. Thank you.
Now with the car at just over 40,000 miles, we’ve incurred two new expenses on parts that generally should not fail; an oxygen sensor and turn signal switch. You should also know that the shielded vacuum hoses used on the 1.8T have disintegrated, appearing as though they were replaced after 140,000 miles. Honestly, the problems we’ve had since our purchase have been specifically with inexpensive parts from VW suppliers that create expensive repair bills.
During the initial two years of ownership, we’ve had to replace a windshield wiper relay, a malfunctioning key fob, fuel sender unit and the ignition coils (all under warranty). A coolant sensor had to be replaced just after the warranty expired.
It’s pretty obvious that VW, in its efforts to cut costs, has squeezed its suppliers to the point that they’re delivering parts of poor quality. Most car companies have taken cost cutting measure as well, but many seem to have avoided the poor quality records now befalling German companies.
As stated in my previous correspondence, we love the car for its design, handling and performance characteristics, comfort and good fuel mileage. But this string of nagging quality issues has made it very difficult for me to recommend a Volkswagen much less purchase a new one. Most certainly, VW must get the cooperation of all its suppliers and demand the same high quality it demands of itself.
Once again, thank you for your kind indulgence."
We'll see where that letter gets me. My previous letter resulted in a check to cover the service cost to replace the coolant sensor.
Otherwise, I can report that the initial lag when stomping the throttle of the 1.8T is normal. It's not as bad with the AC turned off. We had the same problem as some of the other postings stated with the fule gauge. That was corrected with a new fuel sender unit. The wind buffeting with the sunroof is also common. Crack the rear windows or buy a wind deflector. They look sharp anyway. Like my letter says, everything about the car, including build quality, is generally great except for the inferior parts that break.
My wife and I notice that when we hit the gas, the turbo seems to emit a sort of "whistle". We didn't notice this when we test drove, but we really seem to notice now.
I assume it has something to do with rapid air intake into the turbo. Does anybody else have this and is this normal? If not, perhaps I have a problem with vapor leak or something.
Any thoughts?
kcram
Host
Smart Shopper and Wagons tc, eessage Boards
Does anyone know if the brake or accelerator pedals can be adjusted? If I move the seat so that the accelerator is fine, the brake pedal is too close and uncomforable to use. If I adjust to the brake, the accelerator is too far away. I asked the dealer, and they said the pedals are set at the factory and cannot be adjusted. Again, they are fine in our '03. Any suggestions?
the main page select Tires, then Survey Results. It's organized by tire types,
like performance, all-season, winter, etc.
She has a problem with the front doors not latching and flying open while driving. She also has trouble in a very small amount of snow. I can't understand why a fwd vehicle would have as much trouble as she is experiencing. Tires are new all season Kumho oem replacements
Any similar experiences and cures?
As for snow, the one thing that matters most is tires. It sounds like the Kuhmo's may not be the best in snow.
What year is your daughter's vehicle? When do the doors fly open - warm weather, cold weather, freezing weather? Does it happen even when the doors are locked? Does it happen when turning, stopping or what? Has the vehicle been in an accident?
How the car performs in the snow depends on many things. What Kumho tires are on the car (specific model)? What size?
Is the car an automatic or manual? How much driving experience has your daughter had in snow driving? What specifically is the problem - can't get going, can't stop, can't turn, or what? Are we dealing with a deep snow issue, light snow, or slush?
Give as much info as you can and you'll probably get more detailed responses. Good luck!
At purchase - water condensation in left rear tail light
At 4K miles (May 2002), ignition coil failure #1
At 8K miles (September 2002), ignition coil failure #2
At 18K miles (July 2003), acknowledgment of ignition coil defect and
replacement of all four ignition coils.
At 24K miles, (April 2004), cracked brake booster vacuum hose
At 28K miles, (this past Xmas eve), oil pump and camshaft driver failure.
We were told this latest problem was NOT covered under warranty because we did not have documentation of oil changes at 10K and 15K miles, even thought the last two oil changes at 18K and 24K were done at the dealer. Repair costs were estmated to start at $2300.
We traded in our Passat wagon for a new, non-VW car last night.
Link below for further info on oil sludge problem in Passats:
http://www.noln.net/tech/11-04/audi-vw.html
Happy New Year
klh
The ignition coil problem was well known and they fixed it.
Warning for anyone with a car under warranty-you should always keep maintenance records!
Did you call VW about the problems at 28K?
I've also got a 1999 GLS 1.8T with a manual transmission and other than normal maintenance I've only spent $100 on repairs in 50,000 miles.
VW builds great cars that are fun to drive. Buy the 2005 Passat.
Can someone enlighten me?
Also, why is there an on/off switch for this? Why would you ever want it off? Mileage?
If you haven't pressed the button and you see the light flashing while driving, it's actually being utilized by the car.
Even with gas at $2:35 a gallon I am looking forward to driving.
Any thoughts would be great.
Are you saying that the VW deaelr doesn't have 5w-40 oil available? They should, it's mandatory in 1.8T for 2005 and "recommended" for the 1.8T for older model years ("recommended" as in "we won't cover you under the sludge warranty if you don't use it"). The VW dealers that I've visited had Castrol 5w-40 in stock.
Many people report that Autozone Auto parts carries 0w-40 Mobil 1. NAPA Auto parts carries Valvoline Synpower 5w-40. Both are VW Spec 502.00 approved.
I'd switch to 5w-40 and see if that helps the consumption issue. Meanwhile, I'd keep a close eye on the oil level by checking it at least every other fuel fill.
On other Passat-specific forums on the web, there have been a number of threads concerning oil consumption with the v6 engine. Keep careful records of your oil changes and consumption (with a good paper trail of complaints with the dealer) in the event that you need to pursue an oil consumption test in the future.
VWoA seems to feel that anything less than 1 quart of oil consumed in 1,000 miles is acceptable (presumably to them, rather than the vehicle owner).
It has the LATCH system on either window seat (I don't think it has it in middle...I should check...but that's what VW said and I already had installed seat.)
I think I'll be able to reach over if absolutely necessary a little better with the baby in the right rear seat, but could see him better if he's behind driver's seat. (I have the mirror set up on the headrest.)
I'd love to hear what other moms are doing...thanks so much.
Leslie
(first baby arrives anytime in next 2-3 weeks
I'm a Dad, not a Mom. Anyway, after much thought, I placed our car seat in the rear right hand seat. The reason we did this is that in parallel parking situations, I didn't feel it was safe to be entering the car from the street side with our baby. Plus, it takes a little bit of time to make sure everything is secure and I see no reason for us to be sticking our, ahh, rears out into traffic for that amount of time when we could be much more safe on the sidewalk.
For visibility, I suggest those convex mirrors you see in the baby departments. They've worked great for us.
Congratulations on your first baby! Hope all goes well.
Thanks for the well-wishes!
Leslie