1999 VOLKSWAGEN Passat

Drivers side power window fell into channel part way while driving and operating power control. The window then completely dropped inside the door after arriving at destination. This is the second time this kind of event has happened on this vehicle.

Water collects on the driver’s side floor front and back after rain. Items replaced to cure: Pollen air filter housing, battery tray cleaned, sunroof drain lines flushed several times without resolution of leak. One electrical failure of power windows/door locks/fuel door latch resulted from water damage.Leak never resolved – was advised by dealer that sensitive wires and modules will be damaged if water is persitently present on the floor.

Timing belt tensioner severed the timing belt causing total loss of power, loss of power steering, loss of power brakes.On a hill of any type and specifically steep hills, forward momemtum ceases almost instantly. Gravity forces the vehicle downward. Project this onto various traffic scenarios and one can clearly imagine the potetial for serious harm or death

Timing belt snapped, and damaged engine.

Timing belt broke at highway speed, causing major damage to engine valves and pistons. Estimated $3800 in repairs. Have been without car for sometime. I am so dissapointed with this car. VW reccomends 105,000 mi timing belt replacement. Why are they all breaking between 75,000 and 95,000? So VW can make more money by not properly informing consumers of this potential damage.

This problem involves the ABS system on Volkswagens Passat from 1998 model year through 2001. All owners of this model have experienced failure with the antilock brake module on this car resulting in expensive repair. The manufacture has not acknowleged a problem with the antilock system on the Passat and the dealers refuse to forward complaints to the manufacture. The ABS system was faulty from the beginning and Volkswagen offers no assistance to owners for repairs. I have contacted customer care at Volkswagen asking for recourse on the repair for my car and have been denied each time. I believe that this is a problem that must be resolved. Its not fair that owners should have to pay for expensive repairs on a high priced car with defective parts. I believe they should be responsible for repairs what do I do ?

This car began having problems with me before 50,000 miles with the oil pressure light coming on and the engine light. At that time they replaced the oil pump, water pump, catalytic converter, then the steering started acting up, they replaced the steering pump. I thought the Volkswagen repair men were tearing up my car. I was so afraid to take in. When car under warranty, a lot was covered by warranty, but the worse of all is now, they say engine failure is eminent and suggest a Long Block for the car as the the oil pressure light was on again following an oil leak repair, just tremendous problems with this Passat. I do feel I got a lemon and that the car was faulty from when I bought it used at 25,000 miles in 2002. I truly feel I have been discriminate against as a female. Why did Rod East Volkswagen not mention this to me when they knew I had so many problems with my car and that oil pressure light. Why did I not receive a letter about this issue. I have had oil pressure problems with that car and I have been made to feel that I was doing something to the car, to the point that I was afraid to go back to the Volkswagen Dealer, I even called Mr. Rod East himself personally about my car and he said they would fix my car, that was in 2002, now I have engine failure eminent, Per their diagnosis that cost me 435. The repair of a used engine is going to be $4000. Car being repaired now. I am furious about this. I just wanted to add the $435 in diagnosing the car because I wanted to be sure that I needed a long block but no one told me about this ongoing oil sludge problem. I am furious.

The Timing belt on my passat just broke at 180000km on a freeway doing 100 km/h cruising. It could have been dangerous but luckily I got to a shoulder quickly. The car has been maintained immaculately since I got it. I purchased the car last year with 160000km on it, with most of my KM’s being highway. When it was purchased it went through VW’s exam, and had some stearing issues aligned, but no work on the timing belt.

The present problem I am having is with the brake system. I just got the car back from the Volkwagen (VW) Dealer and they told me that the ABS Module needs to be replaced. The proble is that the ABS and Brake light are turning on and giving me a 4 beep code. My understanding is that VW has released an upgraded ABS Module. There for admitting that the current part in the cars on the road is deffective. The new part number is 8E0614111Q. I have been driving Volkswagens for 18 years. I have never seen any of the VW’s I owned with these type of problems I am having with my current 1999 Volkswagen Passat 1.8 Turbo.The other problem that they admitted they had and released a fix for it but they did not created a reacall for is the suspension problems that many 1998,1999,2000 and 2001 VW’s are having. The problem has to do with bushings and balljoinst and torsion bar items. They did not give me the details of the exact parts My car needs but they did say that Volkswagen created a Kit that will fix that problem. There for admitting they had a problem with their suspension. If you have additional questions or need more information. Please feel free to call me Marco Nunez 612-270-0202. In this discussion group you will find many other VW owners with the same problems http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2447&start=45&tstart=0

The ABS light keeps flickering on and the car seems to loose power or go into “anti skid” mode; I can’t really tell which. I just recently had the front tires replaced and then, later that week, the rear brake pads, etc. changed.I have had nothing repaired yet. From reading information on the web, VW is asking $1200 to $1400 to replace the ABS Module. They do not know what the problem is.

The ABS control module has failed along with the ABS usage which causes the brakes to lock up. The brakes have been an ongoing issue since the recall correction back shortly after purchasing the vehicle. Volkswagen refuses to cover the known failure and has assured me the brakes will work only the ABS feature is not working. This is very frustrating since there is a known problem – NHTSA ITEM NUMBER – 10016037 which should require a manufacture recall or cover the repair of the defect.

See failures

PREMATURE TIMING BELT FAILURE!!On Saturday, May 6, 2006 I took my Passat to the closest VW dealership in Gainesville, FL, All Pro Imports. My mileage was at 99,938 and my extended warranty expired at 100,000 miles (and at six years on May 29, 2006). I requested that they perform the 100,000-mile service and to thoroughly check the car for any repairs that may be required since it would soon be out-of-warranty. Four hours later when the shop was closing, I picked up my car. Upon checkout, the service rep stated that they did not find any problems, but that the service technician and Volkswagen recommend changing the timing belt, tensioner, and water pump at 105,000 miles. I thanked him and went home not realizing the importance of his comment. Three weeks later on June 2, 2006 at 102,088 miles (and 3 days past the six-year point), my tensioner broke which caused my timing belt to slip and strip the teeth intermittently off the belt. Since I was not aware that my timing belt was slipping (except for an increase in noise when I accelerated), the valves were bent during the event. I had my car towed the following morning to a local VW service shop in Gainesville, Hugo and Sons, and they notified me that my timing belt was broken and that machining of the cylinder block was necessary since the valves were bent. The repair to my engine, including a water pump and faulty plastic hose, cost $2,342. In addition, I had to rent a car for one week for the duration of the repair ($225) and tow the car to the service shop ($28). I did not tow the car to All Pro Imports since they could not guarantee that they could look at my car due to their backlog of work.Imagine my surprise when I looked on the Internet and found that it is extremely common for timing belts and tensioners to fail prematurely on B5 Passats!! And, at how surprised I was to find out the similar Audi model had a successful class-action lawsuit pertaining to their timing belt!! I was thoroughly disgusted at both All Pro Imports and Volkswagen for allowing this timing belt failure and subsequent damage and expense to occur! All it would have taken to prevent this failure would have been for either (a) the All Pro service technician to state that timing belts fail prematurely and that I should fix it now and/or (b) Volkswagen to change their recommend servicing mileage for timing belts based upon its history of premature failure. If either of these notifications had occurred, I would have left my car at the dealership to be repaired. As neither of these occurred, however, I had to spend one week without my car and spend a total of $2,600 for the repair, towing, and rental car. I am sure that if my car was repaired at the dealer the total cost would have been double what I paid.I am a very conscientious Volkswagen owner. I perform the required service at every recommended interval and I have the documentation saved for all my Passat

Our timing belt went out and ruined valves

oil sludge problem that cost thousands of dollars to repair after using sythetic oil after company recommandations.

OIL SLUDGE in 1.8L turbo.Purchased used 12/2003 with 63000 milesOil Pressure problems 12/2004 with 73000 miles. Dealer recommends $900 oil pump replacement. No warrantee because I do not have record of previous oil changes. I limp along with frequent oil changes (0W40 synthetic and oversize filter). At 100000 miles I learn VW will do engine repair under warrantee. Dealer starts work (oil pump replacement), but then refuses to submit to VW for warrantee reinbursement. I pay.

No repair attempts. I was told by VW dealer that my ABS brake module needed replacement today after my ABS light turned on along with brake and oil light flashing, and then my check engine light came on. Cost of repair $975.00. I have went to http://forums.vw.vortex.com, and noted many people with similar problems. I don\’t feel like I should have to pay for a defective part that is jeopardizing my safety. I also brought my car into VW dealer for a recall on control arms in 12/04 while I had 61,900 miles on the car. I was told that the control arms did not need replacement. Now 10,000- 12,000 miles later I am told by local VW service center and the dealer that the control arms now need replacement, but the recall is closed so it is at my expense. My control arms should have been replaced in 12/04 as VW knew the parts were defective. I should not have to pay for defective parts now that are also posing a safety risk.

My original intent was to have controls (alarm etc. fixed) than came fuel pump etc. In Nov (3rd) my ABS and other lights were on and ringing, I took it in, they checked it and said that it would be handled, I was worried about the warning lights coming on, they said we will correct this, they fixed the brakes, cyclinders, etc. they were missing a part so they ordered it my and I paid up front and returned later for repair (final) the warning lights re appeared after they did the second job as they said that they had put in the wrong piece or tried to with no avail, they said there is no danger all is well and I left, than came three months of returning to dealer for abs and other warning computer light coming on, (still are),when I returned immediately the next day I was told that they had no machine to verify and that it cost $300 to have one, as per their manager, they did not want to incur this expense on their account, so all I would have to do is to come in and have them verify this upon reqest (their), when I would arrive they would always say we will call you etc.and would never call, I would continue to return always politely and patient, at times I would have to wait three and four hours, this I beieve was racially motivated as I am of another culture , Black to be exact. as no other client had this predicament, finally after stalling three months and my advising them of my concern, they say OH! we know what the problem is and it will cost you $ 1,600.00 to fix, I replied Whoa!! this is completely different to your previous statements and why did you have me wait three months to suddenly find this answer and all this only after I showed you that i was tired of the run around etc. the service supervisor excused himself and was at a lost for words at the beginning but he was told by his supervisor to not spent the money on the machine to check out my car so I immediately knew something was not quite right here but I am not a mechanic etc. I trusted them and paid all my bills immediately after repairs as theyr equested but the return was noyt so on their part, before going to a Lawyer and the press I want to know if you can do something here. the dealership is Classic Volkswagon, 1600 Auto parkway Escondido, Ca 92029 Eric Axeford is the man in charge and John Robertson is the service consultant.I honestly believe that I have a victim of not only the lack of work intent but Discrimmination as well.

My check engine light was on. I took it in for service at O\’Steen Volvo-Volkswagen on April 21, 2003. They replaced the ignition amplifier, 1 4D0-905-351 CONTR UNIT at a cost of $378. and charged $120 for labor. The service department also reset readiness codes 2.0. The check engine light is very sensitive, and also came on the first week I had the car, and had to be reset. The service advisor, Mike Blum, told me he thought this condition was under recall, but after investigating the recalls, Mike told me it was only on certain VIN numbers, and mine wasn\’t one of them. Mike told me he tried to ask Volkswagen if they would honor the recall on my car, but they told him no. I am taking his word for it that he actually contacted Volkswagen. After paying the bill, my husband and I complained to the owner, Mr. Mark O\’Steen. He told us he was going out of town, but promised to call Volkswagen himself on Monday when he returned. Mr. O\’Steen took down our phone numbers, and kept the original invoice as a reference. We never did hear back from Mike O\’Steen. My husband was a car salesman at one time, and is also a skilled mechanic. He told me this particular part should never go out for the life of the car. It would be extremely rare. I had to replace the battery on my car one month earlier, and Mike told me the system needs to be reset anytime work is done, even for just a simple battery replacement. I feel the check engine light is much too sensitive. Volkswagen should iron out the kinks on this. When the light goes on, you are at the mercy of the service department, hoping they are telling you the truth. My complaint is, if this part was recalled on other Volkswagens with other VIN numbers, mine should have also been included. (VIN # WVWMA63B2XE384388)

My ABS light on my 1999 Passat 1.8T comes on intermittently and stays on. When it does, the brake light also flashes. I can park my car overnight. When I restart it, it is off. After driving a short ways, it will come on again. A local VW repair shop said it only showed codes of a bad Brake Switch. They replaced both of these. Still not fixed. They cannot come up with any other solution

My ABS Brake light consistently comes on and I am unsure what is causing it. I took it to a dealer that wanted me to pay between $1,500 and $1,700 to correct the problem, I just bought the used vehicle in May of 2006 and I have have numerous problems with the vehicle such as air compressor went out, wheel locks on tires are to tight had a flat tire had to take care to dealer to take tire off and cost me well over $300. I feel the VW sold me a lemon and they knew it I cannot afford to pay high costs of repairs and my warranty that the sold me barely covers anything I am furious and I want to return the car to VW but don\’t want my credit affected, is there any way I can give VW a voluntary repossesion on this car it\’t USED and very unaffordable for me.

My 99 VW Passat, with an 1.8L turbo engine, stopped running suddenly on November 20, 2004. The Tracy, California VW Dealer service dept., where I’ve taken the car for any major service since I’ve owned it, claims that the engine stopped due to oil starvation from sludge buildup in the turbo oil take-up tube. They said that this was due to not having used synthetic oil, something which has never been specifically required. The oil has been changed every 3000 miles in the car; this was not disputed, although VW said the car should have been brought to them for that also, to ensure it was done correctly, instead of the nearby Texaco oil change shop where I’d taken it. (This would have entailed twice the cost and significant hardship since they are 30 miles from my house.)The car had been serviced by the Tracy VW service department 803 miles prior to this; they did a repair to the turbo vacuum system which was occasioned by the check-engine light having come on, and an early 80,000-mile service which they talked me into. No mention of requiring synthetic oil was made at this time, nor of sludge buildup problems. I had to tow it 350 miles ($1000) for them to even look at it, as I was far from home when the engine failed and they would not authorize anyone else to do repairs to the car. Their assessment was that the cam gear had been damaged and there were metal shavings throughout the engine, so the engine needed to be replaced. VW’s quote to do the repair was approximately $8,000- they could only guess at the cost of any possible turbo repair since the car would not start. This is also before the cost of a new catalytic converter, which VW had replaced in Feb ’04 for $650. The turbo and calalytic converter also ultimately did need to be replaced so the total repair at VW would have cost approximately $8,650. This for a car with a maximum blue book value of $8000 and on which I still owe $6000. The only things-and ALL of the things- this VW service department has ever worked on on the car were now having to be replaced. Not trusting them to touch the car again, I towed it to another repair facility. I paid the VW service department $220 just to look at the car, in addition to the $4200 to the facility that actually did the repair, and another $215 to a local mechanic where it was towed, to assess the damage when it broke down. The initial indication from this first mechanic was that the timing belt had slipped, as it was 2 teeth off, and that the timing tensioner arm was cracked. He reset the timing. The same VW dealer had replaced the timing belt and tensioner when I first got the car in Feb ’04; their only comment about that being the possible cause of the problem before they actually saw the car was that the dealership had been under different ownership at that time and that they had not done that repair. As this all happened right before the Thanksgiving holiday, I was without the car for seven weeks altogether, and had to arrange for another car to use. I do not happen to have a spare car in my garage. I finally got my car back on January 3, 2006.I am furious. I will never buy another Volkswagen, and I will certainly never take this car back to Tracy VW for service- I only hope it lasts long enough once it’s paid for to recoup my expenses. My total cost for towing and repair come to $5635, before the costs for the other car I had to make arrangements to use, while the repairs were done. Car rental costs would be approximately $2057 based on Enterprise’s local daily rates. Someone had a car they let me use, but were it not for that I would have had this cost in addition, and I would like to compensate them for use of the car if possible.Any help you can give me to recover some or all of these costs would be greatly appreciated. Also, I’d appreciate referral to anyone else who might be able to help, or any other agencies who should be notified of this whole ordeal. I’m reading online that I am not the only one who has experienced this same problem with this particular engine.Thank you in advance for your help and information Sincerely,Wendy Peterson

Multiple vacuum lines routed close to the engine have cracked and had to be replaced. According to the local VW dealer, they are replacing these vacuum lines on most 1999 VW Passats. They indicated the lines see too much heat causing them to crack. The vehicle has 46,000 miles on it. The dealer nor VW is willing to pay for these repairs and call it a normal wear and tear issue. It would seem that if it happening on almost all vehicles, it is a design defect and not a wear and tear issue.

Interior flooding in driver side foot wells resulting in electrical failure of many systems. Have learned that computer module is effected and will cost at least $800.00. In addition, the charge for correcting the leakage problem is unknown at this time. The car will not start, nor will the locks, windows, lights, trunk and instrument panel operate correctly. Additionally, the warning flashers come on at will. It’s a mess!

I heard a grinding noise while turning. I was planning a long trip. I took my car to my mechanic who diagnosed a failure of the rack and pinion steering mechanism. He replaced it and told me he had seen a rash of rack and pinion failures for Volkswagons this winter.

I have had to replace my ignition switch and the coils have taken car in for recall work on recall in Jan 04. I have had to replace ignition coils in Jun of 02. Now my Malfunction indicator light is on again at 36,000 miles

I had numerous problems with my 1999 VW Passat 1.8L including the failure of the ignition coil prior to the engine failure.In November of 2001 the check engine light came on so another appointment was made at the dealer. I was told by service rep. it was ok to drive car w/light on which I did for almost two weeks. The day before the car was to go into the shop the engine failed due to “oil deprivation”. The oil was so sludged that no oil could circulate which caused the timing chain to slip and damage the engine.Volkswagen of America has refused to honor the 100,000 mile warranty on this car because they say they can only verify 2 oil changes. I have have receipts for 4 oil changes. The first oil change at 5000 miles was done at the dealer BEFORE I owned the car when it was in the dealer’s demo fleet. The sixth oil change was already scheduled when the engine failed. Volkswagen of America has been more than uncooperative and downright rude as I have attempted to obtain help from their company and thier customer service representatives.The dealer, Charles Maund Volkswagen in Austin Texas has been equally unhelpful and has shown no real interest in attempting to help with this matter. The attitude being that the matter is out of their hands. In August of 2004 there was an announcement made that VWoA was extending warranties and reimbursing for damages caused by oil sludging. However, VW still won’t accept the receipts I have for oil changes. Currently, I own an expensive driveway ornament which I am still paying for. Bottom line: Don’t buy from Volkswagen. They do not stand behind their product and they make worthless promises.

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?ed_searchResults@@.ef0feec!keywords=allin%3Amsgtext%20limit%3A.ef0feec%20abs%20brake&count=20&skip=0#2072 of 2080 ABS BRAKE TAC OIL by wileeeb Oct 27, 2006 (6:28 pm) I am having flashing on and off, ABS light, Brake light, Oil light, TAC turning off problems similar to the following threads on this site: #2050 #1905 #1902 #1869 #1765 #1762 #1465 #1448 #1399 #1369 #1360 #1367 #1348 #1349 #1334 #1331 #1289 #1216 #1287 #1285 #1188 #1133 #1066 #1062 #792 #768 #1132 #1121 #1083 #1072 #1069 #1068 #1065 #1050 #1008 #999 #1011 #957 #943 #869 #646 #644 #639 #51 #29 My VW Pasast user\’s manual implies that when the ABS/BRAKE lights come on together, there could be a problem when braking. This morning WHILE ACCELERATING on the freeway, the warning lights came on AGAIN (ABS/BRAKE lights + the TACH quits working.) Then, my REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP!!!! That took away my ability to steer the car. Fortunately, I was in the right lane and was able to FORCE the car into an exit lane to my right. It took a tremendous amount of pull to force the car to budge a little to the next lane. Even though my owner\’s manual indicates on page 102 the rear brakes could lock up when braking, this is a warning. These LIFE OR DEATH REAR BRAKE LOCK UPS CAN ALSO OCCUR when driving. My car goes in for service tomorrow to the dealer. This morning, I tried to find out what the VW Passat National Highway Transportation Safety Agency service bulletin 0517, NHTSA Item Number 10016037 specifically stated, but VW corporate headquarters stated there was no such bulletin. (I offered to give them the web site at the Federal Safety Agency website so they could view this SAFETY bulletin but they declined.) The Service Manager at the dealer stated they don\’t have access to the bulletins, but the technicians that work FOR THEM, might have access to the service bulletin. Service Bulletin = VW realizes they have a SYSTEMIC SAFETY DEFECT and they tell the National Highway Transportation Safety Board about the problem and what it takes to fix the problem. VW only acknowledges they have a SYSTEMIC SIGNIFICANT safety problem, they don\’t offer to pay for repair as they would with a recall. My personal opinion: NHTSA should require a cost analysis: loss of lives versus recall. This intermittent ABS/BRAKE light problem is worthy of serious consideration as a RECALL issue by the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency.

Engine failed because of oil sludge build up which clogged the oil pump. Turbo also failed when engine siezed. VW refuses to cover repair, because I cannot show at least 10 oil changes.This recall is a “catch 22” sham and a scam. According to VW’s logic, if I had changed the oil 10 times, the engine would not have failed. If the engine only fails if you missed an oil change, then who is going to be covered, since the warranty will only cover you if you did all the recommended oil changes. Even if my engine had not failed, I would never have been covered because of oil changes alleged to have been missed over 3 years ago.If there have been engine failures despite all the recommended oil changes, then the cause could not be failure to change the oil in accordance with recommendation.I suspect that VW was recommending the wrong oil to begin with, and now specifies a synthetic oil for maintenanceVolkswagen had a duty to recall these engines and to remediate the damage before engine failure occured, whether or not oil changes had been less than recommended. VW never warned owners, that an engine was likely to fail at 50K miles or less because of missed oil changes. If VW had such information and failed to adequately and promptly disclose it to consumers so that damages could have been minimized, then it is guilty of a serious fraud and cover up.I would be interested in any class action which might be brought.I have had many vehicles that lasted over 80K miles with extended oil change intervals, without engine failure.

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE START, MELTING OF PLASTIC, LIGHTS IN THE CAR WORKING SPORADICALLY AT BEST.OIL, DRAIN, OIL PUMP, CAMSHAFT,ALL BLAMED ON LACK OF “VERIFIABLE” OIL CHANGES.TIMING BELT – LET GO ON HIGHWAY AT 85000 MILES (WARRANTY FOR 1999 PASSAT, 100,000 MILES) BLAMED ON OIL CHANGES. 82 DAYS IN SHOP STEERING GOES DURING THIS TIME AND I’M TOLD I NEED AN ALTENATOR [ 3RD ONE ] THE STORY GOES ON AND ON……

Check engine light on.Needs oil pump and lines replaced. VWoa will not pay for repair cause service records do not have VIN number on them. Records do indicate the license plate of the car.

Car had been in collision in Jan. 2003. Completely repaired by dealership in 2003. Spring of 2004 started to complain to dealer that when there was a change of direction (front/back) front of car would make a “clunking” sound. Had dealer technician sit in car while I drove at 10-15 MPH and would brake and accelerate. He said there was “definitely something wrong”. After examining it he said he couldn’t find the source of the clunking sound. That I should try replacing tie rods. (Later found it was an item for VW recall, but they never told me about this). After tie rod replacement clunking noice still there, no change. Kept mentioning it.August 2005: Driving 40-45 MPH on smooth road lower control arm failed destroying axle as well. Towed car to dealership and called insurance company concerning possible connection to repairs made from collision. Adjuster said it was not apart of collision. Started calling around for parts prices and was then told the lower control arm that failed was a RECALL item for VW. My car had been at the dealership for four days and service adviser never thought it was important to mention that the piece that failed and created catastrophic damage had been recalled and that an open campaign existed for my car. When confronted the dealership GM told me to get an attorney. They were fishing for a way out by asking me if I brought the car there for inspections (I do), preventative maintainence (I do). I had my own ASE certifided master technician look at the car and failed piece. Explained that I had complained about the clunking noise, it made no difference to him; and that they had notated it in the system as “customer complained of brake noise” when I had never said that I thought it was the brakes.Checked the complaints on this make and model at www.mycarstats.com and found approximately 60+ complaints about lower control arms since 2000. Many of the people complaining were told by techs or at the dealership that it was a common problem and an engineering defect, as they were failing at around 50,000-70,000 miles. It is an item that on most cars doesn’t require attention during the life of the car.Apparently it was not VW’s policy to replace the lower control arms, but to just “watch for problems”. In my case “watching for problems” didn’t work and now they refuse to pay for all of the subsequent damage.ATTORNEYS: CONTACT ME AT WILL…[email protected]

Antilock Brake System (ABS) failed due to a failed and poorly built ABS Sensor module. ABS and brake lights came on in the dash.

ABS/Brake lights come on with 4 chimes sounding after the vehicle has been operated for various amounts of time at various speeds. This seems to be a widespread problem that VW is unwilling to recall.

ABS warning light remains illuminated indicating a faulty ABS control unit. The dealership indicated that they examined the car and need to replace the ABS control module. Complaints are all over the internet regarding this issue to include the National Highway Traffic Safety Assoc., the Better Business Bureau,and other consumer groups. The webpage www.tech.bentleypublishers.com has numerious posts regarding this same complaint. I called Volkswagon North America customer support and got no where. Your help would be greatly appreciated.Much thanks.

ABS warning light activated intermittantly. Finally light staying on constantly and with no funtioning ABS. Replacement of ABS control unit was suggested at a cost of $1400.00

ABS module, according to VW Dealership.

ABS light, brake light and oil light flash while beeping intermittently. The tachometer drops to zero while this is happening. Have not repaired, but have researched online and found similar reports that have required repair/replacement of ABS module.

ABS light came up due to ABS Control Module Failure.Wrong materials used, or Module located too close to the engine. Heat does destroy device.Price for the part – $700.For replace and reprogramm, – Dealers are asking for $800.This problem occures very often between 50000 -12000 Mi, it depens on how long people stay in traffic.

ABS control module failed and Dealesr says that it’ll cost me around $1,500.00. This unit is failing in a lot of Passats and Audi A4

ABS control module

ABS and Brake warning lights on intermiittantly, ABS fails when light is on. Warning sounds. VW of American states there is no recall, but there are many threads of unresolved same situations on Bentlypublishers.com

12/1/04 took car in for recall of lower control arms – told no problem with those, but do have a tie rod and upper control arms problem. There was a 1999 recall for tie rod issue, but my vin is outside recall range. Plan to file a petition for adequacy of recall with NHTSA. Estimate to repair is $1040. 59,000 miles on car. Will take car to own garage for work4/28/04 spend $1060 to replace stage output control module which was also not covered by recall. Had work done at dealer

\"Comfort Control Module\" has failed on the car, 2 Local Detroit area dealers are clueless on how to fix. Mirrors stopped operating, turn signals occasionally fail, power locks, remote key-fob locking failed, and only half of the horn works. Dealer says itr may take $300.00 to $2,500.00 to fix.

Consumer complaint regarding faulty window regulators. *ts the consumer had to replace the window regulators twice. *jb

Comments concerning recall campaign 00v414000 on the 1999 volkswagen passat regarding the steering linkages (tie rods). have had problems with the steering feeling loose but my vehicle is not included in the recall due to vin.***no answer required***. *mr

The 1999 volkswagen passat developed problems with the door lock equipment.***no answer required***. *mr the problem first exhibited to the consumer when the door ajar alarm would go off for no apparent reason when the car was parked. in order to operate the car and prevent the alarm from going off the consumer had to remove two fuses. the vehicle was taken tot he dealer who diagnosed the problem as faulty door locks. *nm

While driving on highway at approximately 60mph noticed airbag sensor light was coming on. this was the 3rd time. contact dealer, and he replaced airbag sensor, and flipped a switch. *ak

Abs and brake light go on and off with no rhyme. dealer has quoted me $1500 to replace. it seems that it should be a recall with so many having the same problem. i will send to have it rebuilt then quickly sell car and not purchase vw again. *tr

Abs and brake light simultaneously came on followed by a beeping noise. this rendered the abs brake inoperative. abs control module pump needed to be replaced because its internal relay was clicking and buzzing. this was a common failure part on this vehicle.*ak

After starting and beginning motion there's a slowing in motion as though the brakes had been slightly tapped or as though the abs had told the transmission computer to slow down. gas consumption was 16mpg. after several years one tech listened to me, adjusted the 'feedback' from abs to the transmission module computer and the sensation of braked slowing was gone! and the gas consumption became 19mpg! several years later my door locks shorted out and had to be replaced after destroying two batteries. the tech then reported that he had reprogrammed the electrical system to 'factory specs' at that point the 'slowing (braked)' problem recurred and the gas consumption dropped back to 16 mpg. how can i get the car readjusted to get rid of the 'slowing' problem and return to 19mpg gas usage??? [xxx] , [xxx] my dealer is :carter volkswagen,seattle, wa my e-mail is [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).”*jb

Drivers side window fell partially into the door while operating window power control during driving operation on highway. upon reaching the destination and touching the window power control, the window completely fell down into the door. this event is the second time it's happened on this vehicle.

I wos driving from work to home i took the parkway i wos going 60 miles then in his own the car starting increasing speed so i move the shoulder i put the car neutral and stop the car.the took me 3 try to the car go back to normal. i dont know if this car got i recall.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while having a routine service performed at an independent mechanic, the technician diagnosed the water pump was cracked and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 179,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while operating the vehicle, fuel fumes emitted in and around the vehicle. the contact mentioned that while inspecting the vehicle, fuel was discovered leaking from the rear passenger side sub frame. also, the contact indicated that the air bag light illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 18v156000 (fuel system). the contact stated that the vehicle experienced the same failure listed in the recall. the failure mileage was 119,000.

Passat began to accelerate under no pressure to pedal. passat started to accelerate fairly slowly but steadily at first, then it increased. it wasn't possible to decelerate/no pressure on the brake pedal stopped the acceleration. it began to reach an unsafe speed then i began to downshift and to apply the brake in sequence to slow the passat, then i tried to slow the vehicle to coast it onto the shoulder, but the speed remained too high to halt the car. having no other way to slow the vehicle, i started to downshift and to apply extreme pressure to the breaks, and was able to slow the vehicle enough after several miles of downshifting and riding the breaks to reach a point at which i could shift the car into neutral, then began coasting it up a long driveway while the engine continued to race and rev. i then dropped the car into neutral and engaged the emergency break, then forced the trans into park and shut the passat off. the front breaks were both glowing, with the driver's side having burst into flames as a result of the friction and heat from having ridden them for several miles. shop that examined the passat assessed that the throttle body control module had failed and wasn't communicating with the main on-board computer, and that this type of problem had been seen before on other volkswagen models of the same era. technician indicated that this was the third time that he'd seen this failure. it apparently usually results in the car coming to a stop although there are other cases customers reported that resulted in the uncontrolled acceleration that i experiences. the breaks and other internal components were significantly damaged as a result of the accident/throttle body failure, and the vehicle had to be scrapped. someone should research this further as this is a potentially fatal issue. please contact me if any further information is required to investigate. *tr

Car was having a foul odor. dealer did not have information for other complaints. after work, car would not start, alarm would not stop. alarm killed battery. dealer said leak in sunroof caused module to corrode and leak into interior. $1,440.00 to repair. problem is identified in class action but our car is not included. i am leasing a car for my son to drive but now his daughter has eczema and asthma from the mold. how can i get vw to fix my car too? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph with the headlights in activation, the headlights suddenly became dim. the contact decelerated to 40 mph due to the distortion of his visibility. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that both plastic headlight lenses exhibited a brown film and oxidation. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000. the vin was unavailable.

Purchase vehicle on november 23,2012 after getting the mechanics approval that it is safe to drive (oil pressure light was on) supposedly the vehicle passed emissions,and drove 17 miles away from dealership apple auto in wallingford,ct when the car just shut down while driving. no power. the vehicle was towed back to dealership at my expense. *tr

Was driving vehicle on the highway , the vehicle's check engine light and brake light came on and the vehicle completely shut down , i pulled over to the side of the highway i seen smoke i opened the hood and it was on fire. i called police and fire. the fire was put out the fans are melted and i'm not sure what else is burned , i have no idea what could have started the fire the vehicle is taken care of and there's no warning lights on , on the dash. *tr

Cars abs module has failed, and cant afford the estimated price of 1500$ to get it repaired. *tr

I was driving down the road and stepped on my brakes. i noticed my car was not stopping and the brake was very low to the floor. i got so scared. thank god i was going at a very very slow speed. my brake light came flashing on and beeping like crazy. this car seems to be a lemon lately. i already have issues when i start my car. at times it just doesn't start so i have to keep the key in the ignition and wait about 35 seconds and finally the car turns over. also i have gray smoke that comes out of my tail pipe upon driving at times. also my sun roof, the material got caught and its all ripped. and. my oil disappears on me. i can put two new quarts of oil in my car with in two weeks its gone bone dry with no oil leaks. very very weird. can someone help me out. are there any recalls for any of this. i already bought rotors, brake pads for the back brakes and buying calipers this week. now this happens where i have no brakes. i am so depressed about this. please help me! i could of gotten into a bad accident because my entire brake system failed on me today. go volkswagen. unreal. :( *kb

When we bought it the abs light was on and brake light blinks, when baking up to the left it clicks. *tt

Was driving my 1999 vw passat. while in motion the driver seat steel bracket that holds the seat in place sheared off. i was then flipped 180 degrees back into the rear seat. lost control of steering wheel and brakes since it flipped me. contacted vw to see if there was a recall on this since the part is not exposed to weather conditions and the steel should not shear off like that. vw stated no recall and they would not pay for repair due the age of car and no warranty. i had it repaired at vw service center ($860) since needed a car for transportation. i have the defected part and pictures. sent up complaint to vw america and they said they will look into it but not able to keep me posted, leaving me to feel that they might not see the urgency to this terrible incident that happened to me. if my toddler kids were in the car i could have crushed their legs when the driver chair flipped. my husband and i really could have died in a car accident. *tr

Water in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, from any source (including the sunroof drains that were recalled but not effectively fixed) or snow from boots that has melted... drains to the lowest point, which is where vw put the tcm (an electrical component highly sensitive to moisture) this caused the transmission to slam into limp mode at 65 mph with 2 kids in the back seat. volkswagen is aware of the problem as are thousands of 1500$ poorer vw owners who had to replace the tcm and hope that this doesn't happen again. *tr

1999 vw passat glx accelerated on its own and would not stop when brakes were pressed or car was put into neutral. car accelerated on its own and speed kept increasing. extremely dangerous and i was unable to stop the vehicle by pressing the brakes. car accelerated on its own. *tr

Vw passats 1.8 turbo i owner two vw passats and just received a sludge notice but on thesettlement states that 10 year warranty started the day the car left the dealer what happens to us that are cars have 135 k and just found out that is what is causing my lite to be on and the motor to make loud noise and i been dealing with this for a long time always changing the oil before the 5000 and stopping the car for hours at a time for the noise of the engine to go and the light to go off same think is happening to my other 2001 vw passat 1.8 t vin# [xxx] can you help us because i am sure we are not the only ones at the end of the vw stick. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

My 1999 volkswagen passat has bad ignition coils. my son was driving the passat. when he got home from school he informed me the car was sluggish and the engine light was blinking. i went out and drove it to see what he was talking about. i never in my wildest dreams would have thought that if i drove it, it could catch fire. it didn't. i was told that after the discovery of bad coils. that was when a family friend looked at it and told me that it had bad ignition coils. fortunately school is only a mile away. i was told to have it towed to my nearest dealership for repair (each coil costing over $100 to replace - not including labor) because the engine could catch fire if i drove it. i checked online and i see hundreds of complaints about this. i saw vw is doing a voluntary recall but on 2001-2007. when i called the dealership to find out how much this was going to cost me they even told me they recommend replacing all 4 (it is a 4 cyl) because if even one is bad, the others will follow. this is not just me. this is hundreds of people with the same year same model as mine. all should be replaced by the dealership as well as the ignition pack. that has been a problem from people as well. i don't understand how this car manufacture can put parts out there that could have caused potential harm to my son. i don't understand how nothing is being done about it. and they want me to go in and pay for all of this, when they put those bad parts in the car. *tr

Abs light, oil light, blinking and the brake light blinking are simultaneously on. i can hear beeping and the air conditioning unit turns off (but the fan still runs) when approaching a complete stop, then the oil light stops blinking then when accelerating, i can hear the ac unit click back on and the oil light starts blinking again. major recall needed from other similar responses online. *tr

Abs module failed on 1999 volkswagen passat. abs no longer functions. *tr

I had my car diagnosed at the vw dealer, and they said there are emission problems related to the recall i recently found on my car, when i called the number on the recall, vw customer service insisted i was not included because my vin number hadn't been included in the recall. this car regularly smokes, lets off huge smog clouds when i put gas and is a fire risk according to their recall. i don't drive it because i'm afraid it is going to explode into flames. *tr

2pm in southern california with perfect driving conditions.... driving about 30 mph down city surface street - when all of the sudden the car accelerated to 60mph - very scary - 1999 vw passat glx car is a bit over 115k miles in excellent condition. car was pulled over after braking and pulling up emergency brake - car continued revving until car was quickly turned off. popped hood - let engine cool for 10 - 15 minutes - tried to restart but car revved again so shut it off and will have repair shop retrieve it & bring to shop to get looked at. too scared to drive again. first time it happened since purchasing car a few months ago. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving he attempted to open he drivers side window and the entire window fell off track inside the door. the contact made several attempts to close the window with the automatic switch and was unsuccessful. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer and there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 110,000.

In an effort to make this as short as possible, i bought 4 new continental contiproco tires in june 2009 for a 99 vw passat. after driving less than 7k miles, while traveling in the middle lane of a major highway about 65 mph the right rear tire separated into 3 pieces. i did not hit anything that i know of and pulled off the road immediately. it was similar to a truck retread tire that separates and you see on the road all the time. continental will replace the tire but quite honestly i don?t trust their products at this time. if this occurred on a front tire, i would have rolled over. *tr

I have a 1999 vw passat. i had my brake pad replaced in march 2009, since that time my abs brake light came on and need to be replaced. in checking report for recall notice. i see were nhtsa.dot.gov.has a report date august 2009, concerning a problem with long-term effect of abs in passenger cars and ltvs. it will cost me $200. and something dollars according to my mechanic. *tr

Abs module failure, random driving style/conditions. *tr

The engine in my 1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t appears to be dead. oil pressure light comes on and won't go off. volkswagen is aware that they provided bad information on oil chnage intervals for this cars, but still insists owners have docements for every oil change ever on the car. as the second owner of this car, this is impossible for me to prove. also, i change my own oil, again making it impossible to prove the intervals to their satisfaction. mechanic has told me that at minimum, they have to pull the engine to replace the oil pump, but that the engine is likely so full of sludge that the engine will need to be rebuilt or replaced, to the tune of about $8000. volkswagen knows this is a defect that is their fault, look for a memo titled: august 2004 subject: warranty extension for 1998 - 2004 model year volkswagen passat sedan or wagon equipped with turbo engine note that after repair the oil spec has changed from the original and the interval between changes is shorter - an outright admission that they desgined the engine incorrectly if ever i've seen one. *tr

Fault found with airbag. clockspring located in steering wheel has connection for airbag. igniter could corrode and cause airbag to fail in event of head on collision. *tr

Abs, brake light and oil light indicators on - apparently a common problem with passats. faulty abs module according to dealership, $900 part. vehicle has 67,000 miles and dealership serviced. this should not be happening and a recall should be made. *tr

I own a 1999 volkswagen passat in which the control arms, tie rod ends, ball joints, and bushings are failing. based on some internet research, this is a common failure for similar makes, models, and years. the problem occurs every day, and if left unattended, results in safety problems at higher speeds. parts will be replaced in the near future and old parts will be retained, if it is feasible. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. immediately after the vehicle was serviced by the dealer, it was then serviced by an auto detailer. the air bag indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and remained lit. when the contact took the vehicle to a mechanic for inspection, he was informed that the issue could not be repaired. a volkswagen dealer stated that the air bag light was illuminated because there was too much resistance in the wiring for the air bags. they further stated that the contact would have to replace the air bags. the vehicle has four air bags: two in the instrument panel and two in the seat backs. the cost to repair them would be $600 per air bag. the contact refused the repair. the vehicle has never been involved in a crash and the air bags have never deployed. the contact feels that the failure should be volkswagen's responsibility. the failure mileage was 98,000 and current mileage was 106,000.

Out of the blue, my car starts "dinging" and i look down to see the abs light on, along with a flashing brake light. i did a search and the first thing i see is that you should check the sensors at each tire. this makes me think about the fact that just before my problem occurred, i had just had my tie rod ends replaced. was wondering if maybe the sensors had been damaged/broken when those things were replaced, but who knows. doubtful that the mechanic that did that work would own up to that anyways. upon more research, everyone is pointing to the abs control module and quoting anywhere from $100-600 for rebuilt modules to $1500-3500 for brand new ones. my husband wants me to drop the money on something that's not guaranteed to work. there are so many complaints, thought i'd add to this with my own complaint. i'm calling volkswagen monday to see what they're going to say. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact noticed that the floor on the driver's side in the rear of the vehicle contained approximately an inch to 1.5 inches of water. she noticed the issue approximately four times within one month, especially in rainy conditions. the dealer stated that the failure may be caused by the sunroof, although the sunroof was never wet at the time of inspection. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but they could not provide a definite diagnosis. the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls relevant to the issue. the contact also noticed that the abs indicator would illuminate intermittently. she was unsure if this failure was related to the water issue. the current mileage was 115,320 and failure mileage was approximately 115,115.

Electrical fire in a 1999 vw passat. while driving, i had to toggle the fan switch to get the fan to turn off. this slight malfunction was followed by a puff of smoke coming from the center dashboard vent, which was followed by more and more smoke. i pulled over at a auto dealership/service station and asked employees for assistance. by the time they began spraying a fire extinguisher into the vents (about a minute or two after the initial puff of smoke), flames were coming out of the central dash vent. the fire melted the a/c blow control assembly, 3 electrical pigtails and some connectors. *tr

Abs brake module defect. *tr

Abs control module: this complaint pertains to my 1999 vw passat turbo. i have been experiencing the same issue thousands of others have. the abs and brake lights come on every time i drive the car. it is my understanding that this is a defect in the car and a serious safety issue as the abs system is not functioning properly. *tr

I was driving like every other day, when the abs light on my 1999 volkswagen passat. i took it to my mechanic thinking my brakes are worn out. the mechanic told me the brakes and rotors are perfect and that the abs control module is not working. i search the internet for a reasonable price to find that many other people are having the same problem. *tr

At random intervals while driving, the abs light, brake light, oil light, and asr light flash with accompanying warning beeps and the tachometer goes to zero. these warning eventually go away on their own. the instrument cluster has been replaced but the problem is still intermittently present. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 65 mph on normal road conditions, the accelerator pedal became stuck when it was depressed. there was unintended acceleration and the engine revved excessively high and uncontrollably. the vehicle came to a complete stop when the contact applied both feet on the brake pedal. the vehicle resumed normal operation and was driven with caution. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 160,000 and the current mileage was unavailable. updated 3/19/09 *cn updated 03/23/09.*jb

While driving the car, had to apply brakes for emergency stop, left front flexible brake hose suddenly ruptured causing complete brake failure. the vehicle has been stopped using emergency hand brakes. under inspection, right front flexible brake hose also shows signs of advanced deterioration. the vehicle has never been in a crash, hoses were original parts. car is 1999 volkswagen passat 18.t automatic with 150,000 miles on the clock. *tr

1999 volkswagen passat windows fall down due to defective plastic clips breaking that normally hold them in place. windows fall down into doors distracting drivers attention from road and potentially causing an accident. driver security is not assured when door is locked due to this common defect. vw is aware of this complaint and fixed on some jettas but not passats. nor will they make available a replacement plastic clips to correct the problem. if you want this fixed you must buy the entire window regulator rather than the single plastic clips that apparently become brittle with age and fail. *tr

Car accelerator pedal locks up when decelerate and accelerating when making a "u" turns. *tr

When a $2 o ring in oil filter housing fails, oil is quickly pumped from the engine. . mechanic says this is a common problem with the 1.8 liter turbo. daughter was driving when the oil light finally came on. in less that 5 miles engine damage started. cam shaft is scored. *tr

Abs failure. abs unit stopped working, mechanic says this is a common failure in this car. new unit costs $900 just for the part. *tr

Anti-lock brake system control module failure. lights flash on dash, no abs available. *tr

My abs brake light is on as well as the brake light. i've taken it to the dealer and to a automotive repair shop to have it looked at. the dealer says that the abs module is bad and will cost around $900.00 to fix. the brake lines and levels are okay and the pads and rotors are good as well. it seems that the bosch 5.3 abs model for my year and make has recently been reported as faulty. the electronics in the 98-01 model abs modules should be lasting longer or at least the duration of the car. the problem is that virtually all of the bosch 5.3 and 5.3i abs modules in the passat have a serious internal defect (bad manufacturing process) that will surface after 1-6 years of service. if the brakes and abs are actually fine, then volkswagen should be replacing these faulty abs modules with upgrades. the consequence is that your brakes maybe fine but you cannot legally drive because of a failed state inspection. $900.00 is the way to fix it says the dealer. i've had my brakes serviced on the regular by and been told that they're fine, but now the abs light is saying otherwise. *tr

Unexpected abs amber light fault and flashing red brake light. dealership does not seem to know how to correctly diagnose this and will cost a large sum of money to try and repair. *tr

1999 volkswagen passat gls 1.8t. failure of abs control module. dealer demanded $2,500.00 to repair what is apparently a faulty design. there have been multiple reports of abs module failures on these vehicles. *tr

The abs module on my 1999 passat has broken and the car is constantly warning me of the abs and brake lights on the dash are lighting up. *tr

My 1999 vw passat 1.8t began exhibiting a flashing/beeping red light to indicate a failure in the abs system. upon further research with other owners of this vehicle, it has come to my attention that this failure is fairly common on 1998-2001 passats, but no action has ever been taken by the manufacturer. i had the abs module rebuilt and did the removal and installation work myself; the result was $220 out of pocket. however, many people who have sought dealership service work for this same problem have spent well in excess of $1,000. given the apparent failure rate of this module and the fact that it is a core safety feature of the car, it is my opinion that it should be considered for recall (including compensation for those who have already made the repair). thank you. *tr

This complaint is for my abs module in my 1999 vw passat wagon. it went out for no apparent reason, with lights indicating such. it is constantly broken now. it will cost 1,200 for the dealer to replace the broken module, with out it i am without abs. *tr

Abs module has failed. *tr

Abs module failure at ~67000 miles. abs light on with flashing brake light and 3 short peeps. water intrusion from under battery drains due to design flaws. *tr

Abs light stated to blink... can't "talk" to abs in car with computer... abs module is out :( *tr

1999 vw passat,abs light on/brake light flashing for a couple of weeks, very annoying and scary, read on internet discussion forums , possibly very expensive to fix, do not have 1500 dollars to fix and it possibly may not resolve the problem..we need answers ... *tr

The abs control module is dead on mt 1999 vw passat. this renders the abs useless. this is a known problem with the passats. i just hope they have a recall because it is big dollar repair. *tr

I was driving approximately 25 miles a hour by my house while i was driving a big click noise sounded on my front right wheel the car swerved and fell in a ditch the police came and the car was towed to a mechanic and he told me it was your tie rod and axle broken i had to change them. plus my abs system is not working and it needs a new module and it seems like every passat out there have no problem and the dealer wont help or vw hotline plus my two front windows just fell and the windows need a whole new actuators and on the internet alot of the passat have that problem and the dealer wont help there is five recalls on passat and the dealer don't want to do but 1 of them so please help me. *tr

Abs light indicator 1999 vw passat v6 engine. *tr

I drive a 1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t and when driving at highway speed the abs light would turn on. a couple months later the brake light began appearing with it and making a beeping sound. i took it to a volkswagen specialist and got they replace the abs module. since then the abs light has not come on. *tr

I got in my car one morning and started the abs lights and brake lights come on the instrument panel and has pretty much been on since and i have noticed without abs my car doesn't stop near as fast as it used to the dealer said it was the abs computer failed and the manufacture would have to send me anew one but that it was really pricy to fix and a group that i am with also drive the same cars a large number of them and there's has failed just like mine did. *tr

1. abs and brake light lights up dash, while blaring a loud beep. abs becomes inoperative, which results in longer stops. 2. each time car is started 3. car has not been repaired. *tr

Abs control unit failure on my 1999 vw passat. *tr

Abs module is faulty, resulting in no abs braking system. *tr

Abs module failed in my 1999 vw passat. *tr

The anti-lock braking system module on my 1999 volkswagen passat has failed leaving me with no functioning abs system. the failure occurred under normal driving conditions. the failure occurs every time the car is driven, the lights on the dashboard appear telling me the system has failed, the only consequence so far is a failed abs system, as of right now no corrective action has been taken because a brand new module is ~$800 dollars, and to have the module rebuilt requires removing it from the car and mailing it to a module rebuilding company(www.modulemasters.com) and costs $200+ and at this time i can't afford either of the costs easily. the car and brakes function fine, but there is no safety of the abs system incase of emergency an emergency stop of a 4000lb car. *tr

Abs module failure. happens everytime i start my car. replacement of abs module. *tr

My 1999 volkswagen passat (v6, glx model) has a faulty abs control module. at around 103,000 miles, the anti-lock brake system stopped working on my car and began flashing a brake warning light in the instrument panel. i have spoken with numerous other vw passat owners who tell me this same incident has happened to them. it seems to be a trend among 1998-2001 passats, and since the abs system no longer works, is an obvious safety hazard. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery). the dealer stated that in order for the recall repair to be performed, they would need to perform $800 worth of repairs first. the contact stated that the notice does not clearly state that, which it should. the manufacturer was called and explained that the additional charges may apply if the recall repair needs to be performed. the contact stated that it should be clearly stated in the notice that additional charges may accrue. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 70,000.

On my vehicle, the passenger front lower control arm is failing at the ball joint. there are loud screeches at low speeds when passing over bumps coming from the ball joint evidencing the inappropriate wear. this was addressed and replaced according to service bulletin "vm" with volkswagen in early 2005, but the part is wearing improperly again. failure of this part could cause loss of steering and could be fatal at highway speeds. *tr

This complaint pertains to my 1999 vw passat 1.8 turbo. i have been experiencing the same issue thousands of others have. the abs and brake lights come on every time i drive the car. it is my understanding that this is a defect in the car and a serious safety issue as the abs system is not functioning properly. *tr

Normal usage on the car. at ~75k miles, the emergency brake light, abs light, and traction control light blink and the dashboard beeps any time the car drops below 15 miles per hour. abs module is faulty, due to defective design. well documented issue on passats of this era. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. when the vehicle was purchased, there was plastic covering the reflector board. after a few months, the contact noticed that the abs lights illuminated on the instrument panel. through online research, the contact discovered several complaints on the same year, make, and model vehicle. an independent mechanic performed a diagnostic on the vehicle, but could not locate the specific cause of the failure. he was informed that if he depressed the brake pedal too hard, it could lock his wheel and result in a crash or he could lose control of the vehicle. the failure mileage was 47,000. updated 09/16/08. *lj updated 09/18/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while the dealer was repairing the exhaust system they observed that the engine cradle frame was corroded. the manufacturer stated that they would not assist with the repairs. the failure was mileage 85,000 and the current mileage was 87,000.

Driving along on a clear day, open road, no bad weather. the abs/brake light on my car came on with a warning beep. intermittently the tachometer and oil pressure light would fail to work additional creating warning beeps . having the vehicle checked by a garage, the abs electronic module had failed requiring replacement. *tr

The abs control module, in my 1999 volkswagen passat has malfunctioned which is major issue. i have seen/heard of a lot of early model passats (1998-2001) having problems with the abs control module. it is placed directly next to the engine block, which gets extremely hot over time. the heat causes this malfunction which could have been avoided by volkswagen. when this unit malfunctions it causes the abs breaking system to fail. also, it flashes multiple check engine lights on the dashboard that are extremely distracting. volkswagen of american does not have this under warranty or recall. dealerships across the country are charging $1,200 to replace this unit that takes 20 minutes to change out. the hard part is trying to rebuild the module. i believe this a huge safety factor that should be seriously looked into by the office of defects investigations. nothing has been done to resolve this yet. i plan on sending in the part for repair and than placing it back into the vehicle once it is fixed. *tr

Sudden loss of abs function due to abs module failure. *tr

Passenger power window regulator designed with plastic clips causing window to fall in the door. clips not available at dealer. you are required to buy the entire window regulator @ $120.00... *tr

Abs brain failure, 1999 vw passat 1.8t. driving on highway when dash lights lit noting abs failure occurred. car had 54,000 miles at time of failure. had to send out unit for repairs, led to driving for 2 weeks without abs brakes, and cost $200 for rebuild (new at dealer would have been >$1000).

1. unknown 2. visible gas leak, intermittent. recurred approx. 1 year after initial visible leak to an extent i was able to trace. 3. replace cracked rubber hose connected to fuel filter. (part is not available but i have photos). *tr

1999 passat 4 cyl has a flashing brake and a constant abs alarm light on almost all the time. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving at any speed, the contact heard a thumping sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. she did not notice any differences in the vehicle prior to hearing the sound. the vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer and the tie rods were replaced. nhtsa campaign id number 00v414000 (steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting) was referenced. the current mileage was 65,829 and failure mileage was 39,466.

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the exterior turn signal lights fall off the vehicle periodically. the failure has occurred three times in the past eight years. the vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer, but the failure continues. the failure mileage was 87,000.

Abs and brake light comes on with 4 beeps. sometimes the problem goes away and sometimes it just stay there during the entire drive. abs seems to have stopped working. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving 30 mph, the front end of the vehicle lowered to the ground without warning, which caused the vehicle to stop. the tow truck driver stated that the front lower control arm broke. as of may 8, 2008, the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. the contact stated that he received service action bulletin for the front lower control arm in november of 2004. the dealer inspected the vehicle however; they did not make any repairs. the contact stated they he was able to replace the front lower control arm. the current and failure mileages were 228, 000. updated 05/22/08 *bf updated 05/22/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 55 mph in dry conditions, the accelerator pedal became stuck. the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably over 90 mph. the contact was able to stop the vehicle by applying maximum pressure to the brake pedal and shifting into neutral. he was able to pull to the side of the road without a crash. the vehicle was towed to a shop and it was discovered that the floormats were the cause of the failure. the manufacturer stated that there were no recalls for the floormats. the vehicle was equipped with the original rubber floormats. the contact had to replace the front and rear brakes due to the failure. the current and failure mileages were 150,000. updated 4/25/08 *cn the floor mat became lodge under the gas pedal.

Over time leaves collected in the battery compartment of my '99 volkswagen passat wagon. this led to rain water leaking into the passenger compartment and corroding the ecu under the driver's seat. the alarm and locks started working on their own, sometimes in the middle of the night, and the vehicle would no longer start. the initial reaction from volkswagen was to "cheaply fix" and the sell the car as soon as possible because it would have lifelong problems without a "proper fix" which would cost more than the car was worth (~$6-$8k). *tr

I was driving down the street when my passenger side front window fell down into the door. the is the second time for this window and the fourth time overall. everytime its been the window regulator. this cost me $392 everytime. i drive my car once or twice a week. this should not have happened four times when i have less than 60,000 miles on my car. i know many people with the same problem but who do we complain to? and when we do it falls on deaf ears. i can't take it anymore. also my cruise control does not work and they want me to spend another $300+ to put a new turn signal in. also, my passenger side, side airbag harness and airbag itself are bad. they want at least $600 to fix it. i have a 1999 passat with 55,000 miles and it's a money pit ! please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!! *tr

I drive a 1999 vw passat sedan turbo. out of no where one day my abs and brake lights started flashing, they are always on now everytime i drive and do not go off. i am worried something may be wrong with my brake system but do not have any more money to put into my car at the moment since i have put thousands in since it was purchased. *tr

Vw passat 1999 - failing abs module (abs,oil,brake lights on). internet research showed hundreds of similar complaints. vw should at least fix this for original owners. my light has been on for over a year. i was quoted $1400 to repair yet it is a bad solder joint on the abs circuit board. vw needs to replace the module. so mush for vw safety. *tr

Oil sludge problem with my 1.8t engine in a 1999 vw passat after getting oil changes with synthetic oil now i'm with out a vehicle and my job requires me to drive. *tr

Vehicle: 1999 vw passat 4 cylinder 1.8turbo check engine light has been a problem since 2005. dealer would not consider it part of the warranty and took 2 years before the problem was rectified. but till today, still get the light and they are unable to rectify it. on 2 occassions the vehicle stalled at major intersection, and was a potential hazard to other vehicles. vehicle had to be towed to the vw dealer. i met an owner of a vw golf 1999 at the dealer (yesterday jan 3rd, 2008) and he gave me to understand that he was told his check engline light was a known problem and it would be covered under warranty. i have searched the www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls site and there are none recalls reported and yet his car was being fixed. listed below are the cost total $727 6/29/2005 replaced secondary stage light $415 8/08/2005 consider sporadic and reset but determined camshaft $0 8/16/2006 faulty mass air flow $232 8/18/2006 replace elbow $80 though i have done the above, i still get the light and since they cannot track the symptons, they just reset the light. this is a hazard and could endanger lives of other drivers and passengers. ¿ this is a major problem that would endanger other lives ¿ i request this to be investigated and subsequently documented ¿ i would like to be reimbursed for the costs that i have incurred. i would like vw to take responsibility for this and make do what their customers have encountered. *cn

Abs module has failed. this is a very expensive repair ($1400 for the part (!) plus labor) for a safety-related feature. in checking around the internet i am finding out that this is apparently a very common problem with this vehicle (vw passat, late 1990s models). *tr

My abs light on my 1999 passat 1.8t comes on intermittently and stays on. when it does, the brake light also flashes. i can park my car overnight. when i restart it, it is off. after driving a short ways, it will come on again. *tr

Tie rod ends excessive wear. required replacement prior to issuance of nys inspection @60k in 07. tie rods previously replaced by dealer under recall in 2001@ 19k. different recall in 05 @ 50k for inspection/replacement of control arms resulted in inspection only. dealer did not find excessive wear of control arms or tie rod ends. i doubt dealers integrity or that the service tech was aware of previous tie rod replacement. obviously the acceptable wear would be greater had the parts been in service longer. defective control arms lead to excessive wear of the steering linkages and ball joints. the vehicle has very low mileage for its age and has been used less than 6k a year since purchase in 05. cost for the replacement was $150 parts (moog tie rod ends), $90 labor, $75 for the required alignment and nys tax = ~$330. this is safety concern and excessive wear for a part that should have at least a 60k life expectancy. it would be normal for a vehicle to travel 20k between inspections. for the dealer to ok at 50k and an independent inspection facility to condemn at 60k is suspicious. the parts were visibly worn and defective by personal inspection. *tr

Tl*the contact's son owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. while driving at an unknown speed, the contact's son heard metal rubbing near the front end of the vehicle. the contact stated that the front suspension was loose. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and they replaced the upper and lower links. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 94,490 and failure mileage was 89,000.

Control arms making noise.. needs replacement..wv manufacturing defect... most such vehicle has the problem and its a safety issue. wv need to do a recall in this. *tr

1) while i was driving in the highway i-10 at the speed of 50 miles/hour, the car is shaking and then after a minutes. 2) the passenger rear tire blowed out and hits a hole in the car. at the same time, rear bumper was damaged. 3) i had to change the tire in the highway and due to safety concerns, i changed all 4 tires manufactured by bridgestone. my mechanic fixed the rear bumper, and he told me that one of my bridgestone tires insigna 195/65 is a defective product (actually the tire shows tire tread separation), there are still a lot of tread left on all of 4 tires, 'cause i just drive occasionally. one of 4 tires found out. *tr

Driving at 60 mph the driver applied the brakes upon entering a reduced speed zone. the pedal went to the floor without resistance and the brakes failed to engage. no warning lights or other indications to suggest a problem. driver pulled the emergency brake to prevent hitting traffic ahead and spun 180 degrees across traffic slamming into a curb. witness to the accident tried to apply the brakes several times at the crash site and the pedal offered no resistance for him. powering the car on and off; brake pressure returned to normal. the vw dealer where the car was hauled to cannot duplicate the failure and the brakes checkout normal. dealer has given little sense of security to make driver want to get in the car again. said they could replace the master cylinder, but it checks out fine. one mechanic said he heard of a case with tires confusing the abs with different wear. front tires are >95% and the rears are 75%. nobody would document this theory however and repair will now leave car with 3 basically new tires with one rear at 75%. *jb updated 12/12/07 *bf

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the manufacturer stated that the contact's vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 00v414000 (steering: linkages: rod: relay: connecting). she felt that her vin should be included. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 56,740.

Abs module failure nothing lead upto the beeping and flashing of the abs light (solid lit) and brake light (flashing). occured after routine driving, simply pulling into work parking lot as usual, after short trip to eating. after some searching and browsing online leads me to believe the abs module has failed as on many other volkswagen/audi models. repair has not been done. remanufacturing of module is around $200 and oem dealer replacement is said to be well over $1,000 dollars. *tr

Abs, brake, and oil light come on intermittently. it started today, and it looks like from my research it will continue until i spend close to 2k on an entire module when only one small chip solder failed. *tr

While driving on the freeway, my 1999 vw passat's abs light lit up and the brake light flashing in the instrument cluster follow by 3 loud beeps. i later bring it to an auto mechanic shop and was told that my abs module does not work any more. the mechanic further stated that this is a normal occurrence with vw abs system. *tr

Abs/brake light flashing; beeps initially when ignition is turned on. after having service center replace oil pressure sending unit, diagnosis determined to be failure of abs control module. not aware of this occurring in any other makes, and learn from complaints within and from forums and other internet sites that this is a common problem in 1999 vw passat. oil light, now, also comes on when brake pedal is applied, but goes off when pedal is released. oil pressure & pump okay, as is oil level, but source of oil light/brake pedal issue cannot be determined. *tr

My 1999 passat 1.8l has abs and brake lights flashing intermittently with the chime coming on occasionally. there appears to be no degradation of braking but not sure if abs is working or not. the condition seems to correct itself, but then restarts again within 10 minutes. *tr

1999 vw passat 1.8 abs light stays on.

I have a flashing brake light that i understand could be a result of the abs module failure. research shows that abs failure is very common and expensive to fix. *tr

Abs lights on, oil light, brake light on. diagnosed as failure of abs control module. *ak

Abs and brake light go on and off with no rhyme. dealer has quoted me $1500 to replace. it seems that it should be a recall with so many having the same problem. i will send to have it rebuilt then quickly sell car and not purchase vw again. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the vehicle failed inspection due to the tie rods. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the tie rods were replaced. the contact stated that the steering was loose. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa recall # 00v414000 nor # 99v248000 (steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting). the current mileage is 63,000 and failure mileage was 62,800.

Car abs brake module quite working causing tires to lock up and lose control of vehicle. *tr

Refer to nhtsa recall # 99v248000. 1999 volkswagen passat tie rods or steering linkage. i have had to replace them 3 times at $1500.00 to $2000.00 each time since 2005. suncoast volkswagen in sarasota fl repaired it 2 times, most recent in 10/06. now, northtown volkswagen in amherst ny was replacing them again. i referred to this recall and volkswagen customer service said vin did not fall within their recall numbers. your recall information claimed the extent of models affected was unknown. please help me in this issue. the dealer gave me excuses each time. *ak

This regards a 1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t wagon @ 97,500 miles. beginning 03/20/2007 the abs and brake warning chime and light on the dashboard suddenly came on and then off again. the vehicle was inspected by two separate mechanics. the abs and brakes are working properly, but the abs control module is faulty causing the warning chime and lights to intermittently come on and off. the warning chime and lights come on and off again at least once daily, some days repeatedly and at random. the cost to replace the abs module is $900. research on the internet proves that this is quite a problem with passat and comparable audi vehicles, many with much less mileage. i have placed a call with volkswagen of america, but they refuse to acknowledge that a problem exists with the module. the cost is quite excessive for a problem that continuously causes concern for the driver and is a pure annoyance. can anything be done to remedy this situation? *tr

Abs warning light on - abs not working. *jb

Abs module failure. abs light comes on with brake light flashing and 3 beeps intermittently. after turning the car off for awhile it may not come on for several miles the next time. braking heavily causes the rear wheels to lock up and skid. also what i think is particularly dangerous is when braking heavily with the abs light off causes the car to skid and at the same time the check engine light comes on as well as the abs light and brake light and stalls. if on a highway at high speed this could be deadly. the repair will be the replacement of the electronic module. add me to the list of many who have this problem and want to get a recall instituted on this module. *ak

1999 vw passat. abs light was always on. brake light always flashing in dash, 3 beeps every few minutes. no definitive answer from 2 dealers. i will not accept trial by error diagnosis at my expense. i strongly urge vw to attend to this overwhelmingly common problem. my love of driving this car is gone.*ak

1999 passat wagon. abs module failure

1999 passat 4 cyl. turbo abs module failure. diagnosed at dealer. $3200 to replace. will not pass state inspection in current condition.

1999 vw passat, 1.8t engine: ignition coils needed to be replaced at 76,000 miles.*ak

Beep sound abs and brake lights came on intermittently for a few seconds, and then went off.*ak

In september of 2006 i purchased a 1999 volkswagen passat from suburban collections at the troy motor mall in troy, michigan. about two weeks ago i experienced severe problems as i was on my way into work. my car took on a mind of it's own. as i turned the corner onto w. 13 mile road in royal oak, michigan my car started to accelerate rather quickly. before i knew it was going 60 mph, without even hitting the gas at all. the most frightening part of all of this was that my brakes wouldn't work do to the fact that the engine was still accelerating. as i pulled off the road and put the car into park the rpm's immediately red lined and the engine was reving. needless to say i took the vehicle to the volkswagen dealership at the troy motor mall. the dealership two days later then told me that i needed to have the throttle body replaced. oddly enough, after this occurred two hours later my car was finished? i picked the car up that friday and drove it for exactly one week without any further problems. well, i got into my car on friday as i usually do and once again my car began to fun by itself. i was extremely frightened driving down rochester road going 70 mph with no available way to stop my car. i made it home safely and contacted my dealership once again. the strange thing is that the same day i received a notice in the mail on friday saying that my part (throttle body) was in at the dealership ready for replacement. so all in all, the volkswagen dealership presented me with false documentation stating that my throttle body had been replaced when in fact it hadn't been and to boot, those people at the dealership sent me away driving a reckless vehicle knowing full well that the problem had not been resolved. i hit curbs, experienced extreme emotional anxiety attempting to drive, stop and control my car. due to the lack of prompt remediation of my vehicle there have probably been more problems added to the vehicle because the original problem was never fixed but was known about. *jb

Tl*- the contact stated that sometimes in june 2006 while driving on the highway at 65 mph the 1999 volkswagen passat started to lose power. also, he heard a rapping sound coming from the engine of the vehicle. the vehicle was towed into a repair facility, where they determined that the engine completely ceased. the repair was not completed. the current and failure mileage were both 150000.*ak

The brake light should be extended to passat models (ours is 1999). we have had the brake light staying on, triggering the abs light to come on also. after 3 ace mechanics review the problem, they isolated it to the same problem than the recall from volkswagen announced today. this problem was actually identified more than 3 months ago and we don't know if a brake problem occurred how it will show since the light is always on. *jb

Abs indication light was on consistently. searched online and found a large number of complaint existed regarding the abs control unit but not yet have the vm/audi recall action activated. brought to the dealer for diagnosis and noted "found no communication between abs and instrument cluster, abs control unit has failed". was charged for over $1000 to replace the abs control unit. this should be a manufacture defect and it is not reasonable for the consumers to bear the cost of replacing the abs module. *nm

Tl* - the contact called regarding the 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle began to accelerate on its own and the contact was unable to stop the vehicle by braking. the contact stated that the driver had to weave in and out of traffic to avoid hitting other vehicles. the vehicle eventually jumped the curb and struck a fence. there were no injuries. the side air bag deployed. the failure mileage was 120,000. there was no police report filed. *ak updated 04/05/07.*j

I have a 1999 vw passat with a faulty brake light switch. vw recently recalled 790,000 cars (but not the passat model) for free replacement. my repair shop and several web sites verify that this is a common problem on the passat also. the problem causes the brake lights to not function which could lead to a rear impact crash. i had the switch replaced at a cost of $110. i feel vw should extend it's recall to all models with this problem and reimburse those who have already had the switch replaced. *jb

While having new tires installed on my vehicle approximately one year ago (not at my vw dealer), i was informed that my tie rod ends were "loose" and required replacement. three weeks ago, i brought my vehicle in to my dealer to have the cv joints replaced, and to have the tie rod ends inspected. the dealer confirmed the previous diagnosis, adding that the tie rod ends were now "dangerously loose." i proceeded to have them replaced at a cost of approx. $700 including the front-end alignment that necessitated. i had done some research on the internet and learned that the tie rod ends had had two recalls for my model year vehicle. however, my dealership service manager told me unequivocally "there was no recall" on my tie rod ends for this vehicle. subsequent research on the nhtsa web site revealed that my vin number falls slightly outside the vin ranges covered by the two recalls. as a mechanical engineer, and as a matter of common sense, it seems utterly unreasonable for such a critical (steering) component to have failed in such a short period of time. a review of the facts involved in the above recalls, it is obvious that vw's design was defective for the recall class, and certainly seems to have remained defective on vehicles produced after the recall vin range covered under the recalls. unfortunately, i failed to have the dealer provide me with the replaced components. *nm

1999 vw passat 1.8t suffered sudden timing belt failure at only 54,000 miles. incident occurred at night on a major interstate (i-70) in the colorado mountains, leaving me barely able to control my vehicle to coast uphill to a narrow snowy shoulder, where we were forced to call 911 and wait for almost 45 minutes in a cold vehicle, in constant danger of being struck from behind by semi/tractor trailers. i am disappointed that this occurred at such low mileage and endangered my family, and if it were an isolated incident i would not be pursuing this issue as i did miss the 40,000 mile service when a belt inspection was scheduled to be performed. i am concerned that this appears to be a common problem with this vehicle based upon my discussions with independent vw/audi service technicians and the internet, and led to a class action lawsuit of audi and now (ongoing) vw. in the meantime, vw appears to be denying that this is an issue, and refuses to honor its extended powertrain warranty unless it has been very strictly followed. due to the systematic failure with this critical engine part, usually occurring well before vw's own recommended belt change interval of 105,000 miles, i believe that vw should be repairing/recalling these vehicles for replacement of the defective belts and tensioners. sudden and total loss of engine power can lead to loss of vehicle control; in my case the real danger was the location and circumstances of the failure. it appears vw is following the same aggressive stance/denials of warranty claims with another issue with these engines, the oil "sludging" problem which is also well-documented on the internet. *nm

Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 1999 volkswagen pasaat with 113000 failure mileage at 60 mph the vehicle began to accelerate on its own. the vehicle accelerated up to 75 miles. the contact rode the brakes for approximately 5 miles, then noticed a safe place to pull over. the contact was jamming on the brakes to get the vehicle to stop. the vehicle came to a complete stop , and the contact turned the vehicle off. the vehicle was restarted twice, but the vehicle was still revving high. the contact was told to pull up on the brake pedal, and that was the remedy to get the vehicle to idle properly. the vehicle was taken to the shop, and they could not duplicate the problem. the contact was afraid to drive the vehicle. *ak

On the evening of january 25, 2007 i was driving home when i noticed that my car was not slowing down when i released pressure from the gas pedal. it then became apparent to me that the car was still accelerating despite the fact that my foot was not on the gas pedal. i shifted the vehicle into neutral and the tachometer showed that the engine was revving in the 5,000 rpm range without my foot on the gas pedal. i managed to get the car off of the road and turned the vehicle off while the transmission was in neutral, then shifted to park. i attempted several times to restart the car, but each time the engine immediately revved up to the 5,000 rpm range as if the gas pedal was floored. after about 4 attempts of shutting down the car and restarting the engine finally idled as is should upon start up and i was able to finish my drive home without further incident. *jb

The car stalls when stopping at intersections, and sometimes when just releasing foot off of accelerator. *nm

99 vw passat's oil pump failed. **cc the engine seized while the consumer was driving. three oil pump had been replaced prior to this failure. the consumer indicated that vw is aware of problem with oil sludge in vw's but refuses to replace the engine because the vehicle has 105000 miles.

1999 passat engine seized due to a oil pump failure. *ts the consumer had the oil leak repaired on 5 different occasions. the consumer had other problems with the vehicle such as a faulty drive shaft, right cv joint, the glove compartment latch, the control knob for the side view mirrors, the heater control unit, engine control unit, water pump seal rings, a power steering leak which was had to be fixed twice, the coolant pump, o-rings and the oil pump and pump rod bearings. there is a noise coming from the rear right wheel, oil is leaking from the valve covers. *jb

Over time leaves collected in the battery compartment of my '99 volkswagen passat. this led to rain water leaking into the passenger compartment and corroding the ecu under the driver's seat. the alarm and locks started working on their own and the vehicle would no longer start. the initial reaction from volkswagen was to "cheaply fix" and the sell the car as soon as possible because it would have lifelong problems without a "proper fix" which would cost more than the car was worth (~$6-$8k). *jb

1999 vw passat 1.8 turbo. abs light came up on 74000 mile for no reason. light was coming and going. now it is always on. reading codes says: "no communication" between control module and computer. diagnose was: bad control module. module cost $700 us dollars, and dealer is asking for $700 to replace( for me it will take 15-20 min). still, this is too much for bad designed and in a wrong spot placed module. *jb

Front upper control arms and outer tie rods had to be replaced for the second time. first time at 55,552 miles and second time at 75,959 miles. that's only 20,407 miles difference for the $1200.00 repair to be done again. absurd. called the vw customer care and they refuse to reimburse in any way stating the 2 year warranty expired. this defect would never fall within the warranty period so they have no excuse. i already absorbed the cost for the 1st repair so in all fairness they should cover the 2nd time. this is a very common problem with vw's. i'm not going to pay $1200 every 20,000 to have my car repaired. i will go legal and forward this complaint to consumer reports, the bbb, and the attorney general. *jb

The anti-lock braking system failed on my vehicle. the abs and brake lights came on to warn me so i took it into the dealership. i was told that the abs control module had failed and would cost me $1500 to repair. there are hundreds of posts online about this exact problem with passats - in particular abs bosch 5.3 ,5.4, 5.7 control modules. *jb

Abs control unit failure. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 mph on the interstate, the right tire blew out without warning. the contact maneuvered the vehicle to the side of the road. there were no obvious road hazards seen. the tire was replaced with a spare. the vehicle was inspected by an independent repair shop, who determined both front tie rod ends were worn, lacked lubrication, were rubbing into the front tires, and needed to be replaced. there was a nhtsa recall, # 00v414000, regarding the steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. the manufacturer was alerted. updated 1/31/2007 - *nm

Chronic oil pressure problems (due to oil sludge buildup) starting at 73000 miles leading to replacement of oil pump at 100000. although this should have been covered by manufacturer extended warranty, i paid ($1250). i have old parts. *nm

Solid abs light/flashing brake light. *jb

1) car stalls or hesitates when the gas pedal is pressed. 2) car has stalled at intersections and other unsafe places. 3) fuel pump is failing and will be replaced. *jb

In august of this year, 2006, my 1999 volkswagen passat gls, which was purchased new by my family, begin exhibiting some troubling behavior. the behavior consists of the tachometer ceasing to function as both the "brake" and "oil" dashboard lights flash with accompanying warning tones and the "abs" dashboard light comes on solid and remains on. when the "abs" dashboard light is on, my car's abs does not function. at first the problem was intermittent, but eventually became more frequent and has now reach a state of persistency. i have been working on volkswagens vehicles since i was a child and, given my immediately family has owned over ten volkswagens in the past 20 years alone, the rest of my family has as well; including a secondary relative who owns a volkswagen repair business in amesbury, ma. given the above described problem is common and well documented, the diagnosis of a faulty bosch 5.3 abs controller was straight forward. the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) has logged over 50 complaints alone with many hundreds more being affected. all instances are consistent with my own. review of the individual testimonies as logged by the nhtsa makes it clear that this problem is caused by the premature failure of a key component of one of the most crucial automotive safety systems. the prohibitive cost of repairing this item and the refusal to acknowledge the problem component as defective and electively recalling it amounts to negligence and reckless endangerment on the part of volkswagen. the defective component represents a danger to the driver of the affected automobile and everyone sharing the road with the affected automobile. the problem expressed herein is widespread and clearly documented as a problem and a hazard that is not typically experienced by other automobile owners with similarly functioning antilock braking systems. this unit should be recalled to ensure the safety of hundreds if not thousands of drivers. *nm

Abs light and brake light flashing continuously. dealer claims abs module($1600). after researching, found hundreds of vw passat owners with same problem vw does not want to assist or perform recall. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while getting an oil change the dealer noticed the tie rods needed to be replaced. there was a nhtsa recall, # 00v414000, regarding the steering; linkages; rod; relay; connecting. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.

About a month ago the abs and brake lights started intermittently flashing. i took the car to the dealer and i was informed that the abs module had failed. i was told that it's not safe to drive with a failed abs module as it communicates with other systems in the car. the dealer charged $912.08 for the repair. a month later the same problem started happening again. this time i was told that the abs hydraulic system, and the dealer is asking $2372 for the part itself. i searched for more information on the internet and there are thousands of vw passat owners who are plagued by abs-related failures. driving with no abs is not safe in a car that is designed to work with the abs system. *jb

I am one of an already large and constantly growing number of persons with volkswagen's and audi's who have abs (automatic braking systems) that have stopped working after only a mere 60-70,000 miles. i have taken my car in to the dealer several times to resolve this issue and each time they (deal) say it's something else. with many people complaining now and more to join in as the days go by, one can only imagine the large quantity of other people who have this snafu. our experience has been that vw/audi appears to refuse to acknowledge the problem. lately, several persons have said that the problem is generally being caused by the electrical unit in the abs module. yet at this point, vw and audi are having users replace the entire unit. this cost is prohibitive for many of us ($2000 upward in my case). in the meantime, many of us are having to drive with faulty abs systems, with resultant safety problems: for me, the abs problem causes the brakes to go on at inappropriate times. the brakes on my car grab and activate unexpectedly during the first several minutes of driving after my car has sat overnight. others have experienced this too. i fear that this may cause an accident. this problem on my car seems to be growing worse. the more obvious safety hazard is that all of these cars lack the abs during crucial times of driving on icy or wet pavement. again, this problem is aggravated when the abs goes on and off intermittently, without the driver's knowledge (since in many cases, the dash warning lights remain on throughout). at this point, i'm fearful whenever i drive my car. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the abs, oil, and brake lights illuminated and then flashed. there was a beeping noise as a warning signal prior to the illumination of the abs, oil and brake lights. the tachometer also failed. this problem was intermittent and worsen over a two week period. the vehicle was taken to a independent repair shop who indicated there were no codes after the diagnostic testing. they recommended the vehicle be taken to the an authorized dealer. while looking through the owner manual, the contact observed a warning statement that the illumination of the abs and brake lights could result in the locking up of the rear brakes under hard braking. while driving 65 mph on a highway the rear brakes locked causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. there was no hard braking when this occurred.

Abs, oil, brake warning lights intermittently come on and off over last few months with alarm sounds beeping intermittently also. tachometer drops to 0 when this starts and stays on 0 as long as warning lights on. other times no lights or anything when i start it up and drive for quite a time, then they start again. took it to rusty wallis vw in garland, tx. they said abs module not communicating was my problem===quoting $2687 to replace, and if i didn't replace it, chance was wheels would lock up if i had to brake hard. they did ask me to fill out a questionnaire on this abs problem, like "constant light" or "intermittent", etc. i thought that was curious. i have seen so many complaints on this very same thing on internet, automotive discussion boards. i also have gathered vw is saying there is nothing they can do. this is a vw problem (also gather it's an audi problem). it's a safety problem, and it's an expensive problem. i don't have almost $3,000 in my pocket for something that should be owned up to by vw. it's a safety problem with vw's and this abs module going bad appears to be a very common problem with vw. i'll never buy another one. thank you for your consideration. *jb

1999 volkswagen passat tie rods and driver side airbag were bad. *kb the vehicle was taken to the dealer for it's 40000 miles checkup when the problems were found. the air bag light was on when the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the consumer contacted the manufacturer but since the vehicle was no longer under warranty they refused to pay for any of the repairs. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair facility. the independent tech could not repair the air bag therefore the air bag light was still illuminated. the consumer looked on the internet and found out that 1999 passats were recall for tie rod issues in 1999 and notification were sent out in october 1999, one month before the consumer purchased her vehicle. the consumer also found several complaints in reference to the air bag light illuminating. *nm

My abs light has been flashing for months .....i am told by dealership that it is an abs sensor....brakes not really affected....however i hit the brakes at 10mph while taking a slight turn...brakes failed, then locked; hit curband brushed tree.vw needs to address this.....brakes checked and looked fine...no explanation for the behavior of the brakes. *nm

Abs light comes on and brake light blinks. abs electronic module failure - discovered problem at passatworld.com. *jb

Car clunked and rattled over small bumps, and felt floaty and wandering at highway speeds. dealer reported that upper front control arms were bad. said this is a very common problem with vws and audi's. *jb

At about 80,000 miles abs & brake lights began flashing. took in for service as indicated in owner's manual. service tech advised it was abs instrument cluster -- expensive repair. was told brakes were ok and i should have no problem with them operating properly. i waived repair based on this information. it is now a month later and the lights are on continuously. took car in for state inspection. now told car will not pass inspection due to possible problem with brakes! huh? i've been driving car for over a month thinking there was no danger. service techs will now not confirm problem is with abs instrument cluster. must do additional diagnostic at $80/hr. was informed they could pass car inspection if they could get lights to go off long enough for them to perform inspection (wink wink). is this a safety hazard or not??? i now have 15 days to get repair done in order to pass inspection. i'm no tech but this seems to be a faulty part that everyone is aware of but not willing to do anything about. add to that, there is no clear direction on whether this is a danger or not. i'm guessing since cars won't pass inspection, it is. *nm

1 - i was driving my 1999 vw passat with 97,630 miles on july 28, 2006 when it seemed to lose power and the "check engine light" came on. i pulled over as soon as possible to check oil, fluids, damage, etc but could find nothing out of the ordinary. 2 - a day later, the exhaust started to make a continuously loud noise and the accelerator pedal now fluctuates up and down automatically without any action from me. it appears like a circuit board or electronic control module went bad. 3 - the "abs / brake" lights came on and started blinking at this time as well. 4 - my dealer said the modules go bad and it is not under any warranty, so the estimate was around $850 to fix. i called vw's national customer care and they did not have any warranty or recall notices that could help. *jb

Abs warning light plus oil and brake lights flash, tachometer goes to zero. *nm

The failure of lower control arm happened without any warning, during normal driving on the city road when making a right turn (approximately at 5 mph speed). right front suspension lower control arm sheared in two pieces, leaving a front passenger wheel completely separated. if this should happened on any higher higher speed, consequences would be deadly. i researched this safety hazard and found that vw issued a service action for the lower control arm on 1999 passat. however, vw service representative informed me that the service action does not cover my vehicle. vw's explanation was that it only covers parts from certain supplier (according to representative, vw used two different suppliers for the lower control arm). i believe that lower control arm was a defective part, as this type of failure could not be a result of normal wear and tear. it is a safety hazard. i have to replace lower control arm, drive shaft and wheel liner (and, possibly some other parts which were damaged as a result of the control arm failure) at my expense. i believe, vw should cover at least some of the expense, as it happened as a result of a factory defect. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the abs light illuminated and the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. the dealership determined the abs module needed to be replaced.

Engine light. *nm

This has happened to many people, and volkswagen should own up to it. water is getting into my car through something under the hood and soaking my carpets. it has fried my electrical system as well as many others. the comfort control module needs replacing as well as the corroded wires. the estimated cost is above $2000. *nm

1999 vw passat oil consumption - 1 qt. every 750 miles. dealer has replaced seals, tests and is now planning further seal replacement. i know this won't get fixed; this seems to be a design flaw where many other consumers are also "suffering". will the federal government demand a recall???????*jb

While driving my 1999 volkswagen passat, the driver's seat slid backwards and became completely detached from the frame. for a moment i could not reach the pedals or the steering wheel. luckily, i was able to retain control of the car and stop it safely. it seems the entire seat is secured to the car with two screws which had come loose. after re-attaching the seat, i took it to a local volkswagen dealership to see if they could do anything about it. i believe they applied some lock-tight to the screws, but that was it. *jb

After heavy rains this past week, my 99 volkswagen passat has flooded twice on the passenger side, front and back. after researching, i found that the problem came from clogged sun roof drains. i wet vacuumed out 3 gallons of water from the car. this problem is also caused by clogged pollen filters. there is no mention of either of the problems in the manual. vw should be held accountable for this problem/defect in their cars. i have found hundreds of complaints from consumers on the same issue (www.http://www.theautobahn.com/forum and www.passatworld.com). this flooding problem is causing transmission control problems leading to thousands of dollars in repairs. volkswagen should be made to pay! *nm

Just before the expiration of my 100,000-mile, 6-year extended warranty at 99,938 miles (and 23 days before the end of 6 years) i took my 1999 1.8l turbo volkswagen passat (b5) to the dealership. i requested that they perform the 100,000-mile service and to thoroughly check the car for any repairs that may be required since it would soon be out-of-warranty. five weeks and 3000 miles later (and out of warranty) i was driving home from work when on two occasions my abs and brake warning lights turned on and three beeps sounded (the first instance occurred at 103,085 miles). both times the warning lights went off within seconds. upon researching this problem on the internet, it appears that this is related to a failed abs control module, apparently a known problem that should have a recall associated with it since it fails prematurely. according to the dealership, it will cost between $1800 and $2400 for them to repair the abs control module. this is the second large item failure within five weeks and 3000 miles of my warranty expiration (the first was a failed timing belt and tensioner). it appears to me that volkswagen has instituted planned obsolescence into their products! i am also very upset that both of these failures are well documented and should be known by both the dealership and volkswagen and could have been prevented with very little effort. *jb

Just before the expiration of my 100,000-mile, 6-year extended warranty at 99,938 miles (and 23 days before the end of 6 years) i took my 1999 1.8l turbo volkswagen passat (b5) to the dealership. i requested that they perform the 100,000-mile service and to thoroughly check the car for any repairs that may be required since it would soon be out-of-warranty. four hours later when the shop was closing, i picked up my car. upon checkout, the service rep stated that they did not find any problems, but that the service technician and volkswagen recommend changing the timing belt, tensioner, and water pump at 105,000 miles. i thanked him and went home not realizing the importance of his comment. three weeks later on june 2, 2006 at 102,088 miles (and 3 days past the six-year point), my tensioner broke which caused my timing belt to slip and strip the teeth intermittently off the belt. since i was not aware that my timing belt was slipping (except for an increase in noise when i accelerated), the valves were bent during the event. i had my car towed the following morning to a local vw service shop, and they notified me that my timing belt was broken and that machining of the cylinder block was necessary since the valves were bent. the repair to my engine, including a water pump and faulty plastic hose, cost $2,342. in addition, i had to rent a car for one week for the duration of the repair ($225) and tow the car to the service shop ($28). upon researching this issue, i realized it is a very common occurrence for the timing belt to fail prematurely on b5 passats and that had either the dealership or vw notified me of this proclivity for failure (and change their servicing recommendation) this failure and associated $2600 expense would not have occurred. *jb

Abs light, abs intermitant failure, oil light failure, tachometer failure. *nm

The following is exact comments from vw tech written in dealership invoice. "abs control unit is faulty abs light is on and the word brake is flashing when the control unit is plugged in. no tachometer reading and the oil pressure light flashes. 5052 will not communicate with the unit at all. dealer tech unplugged abs control unit and the tachometer signal came back and the oil pressure light stopped flashing." **5052 will not communicate** diagnostic tool will not detect fault with abs module!!! *nm

Abs, asr, and brake light started coming on intermittently. when abs and brake light is on the car's anti-lock brake system is not functioning and the owners manual suggests rear wheels may lock and that the vehicle should be driven slowly to a service station. i took the car to the dealership service department where they ensured me that a new wheel speed sensor and associated wiring would fix the problem. i was very disappointed with the service i received and because i'm a cometent engineer with electrical trouble shooting skills i actually found the problem to be a faulty abs control module. i'm currently awaiting the rebuilding of the component and will install it when it arrives. there are hundreds if not thousands of these complaints at various sites on the internet. one sight has over 28 pages of complaints about this issue. *nm

I have a 1999 vw passat v6 gls. i have 74, 270 miles on the car. my abs and brake light came on about 1 1/2 weeks ago, then my check engine light came on, then my abs/ brake and oil pressure light came on and were flashing. i brought it to vw dealer today, and was told my abs module needed replacement for $975.00. i went online and found at vwvortex.com that quite a few people had similar problems with their passat in my year range. i don't feel that i should be charged for a defective part that is jeopardizing my safety. in addition, i received a recall in 11/04 for vehicle control arms. i brought my car to vw dealer on 12/17/04, and was told that my control arms did not need to be replaced. at that time i had 61, 923 miles on the car. today, i am told only 12,000 miles later that my control arms need to be replaced at my own expense because the recall is closed. i don't feel that i should be charged for this part either, the defective part should have been replaced in 12/04 before it could pose a hazard to my safety. *jb

Front lower control arms needed to be replaced. have been making a lot of noise for some time now. was told it wasnt a safety concern yet, just annoying because of the noise. called vw and was told they could do nothing even though they have documented many issues with the control arms and tie rods. *nm

Abs and brake light flashes - was told abs unit needs to be replaced. when lights are on determined that abs and the proportioning system of the braking system is not operating and feel that this is a dangerous condition. dealer wants crazy amounts of money for repair which i cannot afford. i found out online that thousands of other people have the same exact problem as i do and we all strongly feel that this definitely deserves to be a recall by vw of america. they know that this is a major problem and won't do anything about it. *jb

I own a 1999 vw passat glx with 72,000 miles. approximately one month ago, the abs light, the brake light, the oil pressure indicator, and the tachometer began to behave erratically. two weeks ago, the right front caliper stuck in the extended position, starting a wheel fire at the rotor. i replaced the caliper, rotor, and pads. a non-vw service center replaced the remaining rotors and pads, replaced the master cylinder, and flushed/bled the entire system. the problem with the lights and alarms persists. the lights and alarms are usually absent when the vehicle is completely cold, then usually appear after several minutes of driving. the lights and alarms can disappear while driving, then reappear during later driving. i have not contacted vw directly, because i'm concerned what the estimate might be to attempt repair. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated without warning the vehicle lost power and would not accelerate above 20 mph, causing the vehicle to shake. the vehicle was driven to the dealership and the ignition module was replaced. this problem returned, and the vehicle was driven to an independent repair shop, where the same component was replaced again. updated 06/07/2006. *ak *ts

Abs light started to light intermittently for about two days and is now on constantly. braking characteristics have noticeably changed and randomly pulse at times. this is a well documented failure in vw passats at around 75k miles. *jb

The driver's side turn signal assembly in the consumer's 1999 volkswagen passat fell off. *nm the vehicle was taken to a local dealer and the consumer was told that this was a common occurrence. the consumer had the headlight bulb on the driver's side replaced on 12/19/05 and believes the mechanic may have loosened the turn signal assembly. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the abs, brake and oil lamps intermittently illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined the abs module needs replaced although the repair was not made.

The abs brake system failed in our 1999 passat wagon with only 70k miles. it failed when my wife was driving and almost caused an accident. the cost of the repair was also extreme. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the instrument cluster failed. the instrument panel lamps did not illuminate while driving, and the vehicle stalled after the failure. the vehicle did not restart and was towed to the local dealership. after diagnostic testing, the dealer concluded the instrument cluster was the problem and would have to be replaced. unfortunately, the dealership can not perform any remedy to the vehicle without a certified technician. the manufacturer was alerted. updated 4/19/2006 - *nm

Same as previous complaints: abs warning light flashes constantly w/ abs chime sounding constantly each time the car starts. i've been told that this is the abs module and that it has reportedly been problematic in a high percentage of these cars. in my opinion, vw needs to stand by there product in this case. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was being inspected for regular maintenance at the local independent repair shop, the mechanic found the right front tie rod and control arm needed replaced. there is a nhtsa recall, # 99v248000, concerning the steering rods and relays. the vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall due to the vin, although the vehicle is being repaired.

Under normal driving conditions the abs light comes on and the brake warning light flashes intermittently together with 3 beeps. some days are worse then others, but i would say the problem occurs about 60-80% of the time. when the light is on, the abs is not functioning and rear wheels tend to break out easily on icy roads. *jb

The abs and the brake light is going on. dealer told me the problem is the abs control unit. the cost is >$1700. *jb

Multiple warning lights on and/or blinking including abs, brake light, and oil light. *jb

Abs warning light flashes constantly with chime sounding each time the car starts. probably been ongoing for the last 6-8 months. was told by independent repair shop the problem was just electrical, but now reading numerous other complaints i believe it to be the abs module failing in so many other cars. seems like volkswagen needs to take care of this issue.*ak

In my 1999 volkswagen passat there is a control module known as the abs control module. i belong to a nationwide passat group known as www.passatworld.com/forums and this is a major issue. it seems in early model passats (1998-2001) the abs control module gets extremely hot over time since it is placed directly next to the engine block. this causes the unit to malfunction. when this unit malfunctions it causes the abs breaking system to fail. also, it flashes multiple check engine lights on the dashboard that are extremely distracting. volkswagen of america does not have this under warranty, or recall. dealerships across the country are charging 1,200$ to replace this unit that takes 20 minutes to change out. the hard part is trying to re-build the module. i believe this is a huge safety factor that should be addressed. on our website we have a list of people who's abs control module has failed, along with the date and mileage on their vehicle when it happened. if you would like this information please contact me.*ak

1999 volkswagen passat 1.8l turbo engine with 71,000 miles stopped suddenly; then check-engine light came & car would not re-start. check-oil light had been intermittently on for 2-3 miles prior, but oil was checked and it was actually overfull. 803 miles prior, vw service dept had serviced car for check-engine light, and replaced turbo recirculation valve and hose. oil has been changed every 3000 miles since car was purchased used, with 30,000 miles, in feb. '04. vw service department claims failure was caused by engine becoming oil-starved due to sludge in oil take-up tube. sludge caused by not using synthetic oil, although it is not required. cam gear was damaged, leaving metal pieces throughout engine. entire engine, turbo and catalytic converter had to be replaced. vw denies any responsibility. parts may still be w/mechanic, i certainly do not have facilities or desire to store an entire ruined engine. *nm

The abs warning light and brake warning light flash. *nm

Many audi and vw models manufactured starting in the later '90s and continuing to present, use the bosch 5.3 abs controller, which is prone to catastrophic failure, ostensibly due to defective design. this module controls multiple brake-related functions including the abs which is important for winter driving, but the most critical function of this module is probably the electronic brake force distribution, or ebd. these vehicles are designed such that if the ebd is inoperative, the proportion of hydraulic force applied to the rear brakes during emergency braking is as great as it is during moderate braking effort when there is minimal transfer of vehicle weight to the front wheels. the ebd is supposed to adjust the front/rear braking distribution dynamically according to the measure of the deceleration, so that the rear wheels will not lock up during emergency braking. if this module should fail during emergency braking on dry pavement, the rear wheels could lock up and cause an accident which could easily include fatalities. this is an expensive repair for owners, costing roughly $2000, and many owners have probably put off the repair indefinitely. evidence which can be found through a simple web search, suggests that the problem is widespread, and that if it has not already led to serious accidents, it is only a question of time. this problem is genuine, and vw/audi should be compelled to take immediate corrective action. *jb

I had a flashing abs light in my gauge cluster that wouldn't stop. went to dealer to check fault code for light. told that my abs control unit is bad and needs replacing....shouldn't drive car without replacing unit. cost for unit and r & r $1.000. *nm

Loose airbag igniter connection under the steering wheel, causing the airbag system to deactivate itself. this incident is frequent as reported by many owners on various online forums (audiworld, vwvortex, usenet newsgroups, etc). an internet search on "airbag igniter: driver side resistance too high" on google returned numerous reporting on this issue. in my particular instance, this has happened on both a 1999 vw passat 1.8t/20v and a 2000 vw golf 1.9l tdi. *nm

Abs control module failure. this failure has been reported by many owners, as reported on various online forums (vwvortex, etc). the failure is well known and frequent enough that there are businesses that sell rebuilt/remanufactured part. *nm

Dt: the contact stated there were toxic fumes in vehicle. the dealership replaced the turbo, but this did not help to eliminate the fume problem. currently, they insisted that the engine needed to be removed and all of the seals need to be replaced. the manufacturer advised him not drive the vehicle because it was not safe. there have been no further repairs made to the vehicle. *ak

Purchased a 99 vw passat wagon from a virginia dealer in nov 2004 mileage 47.5k . the transmission control unit/module has now completely failed. this expensive ($1300) circuit board is located under the front passenger seat. it is in a non-draining well in the floor pan under the carpeting and padding. it is in no way sealed or waterproofed to prevent corrosion from condensation or failure from water buildup in the area. normal use in inclement weather allows drops of water to accumulate in this area . once the water gets to the area where the tcu is located it remains there. whatever evaporation that does occur just increases the humidity around the tcu, it then condenses on the cold metal floor pan or the tcu and drains back into the well the tcu is in. since it is under the carpet and the padding one cannot see or easily detect that water or even just a dampness exists here. the tcu corrodes until it fails, when it fails the vehicle is undriveable and must then be towed to a vw dealer. there is no diagnostic data available that would allow a regular garage to repair it. even gc volkswagen requested 3 hrs of diagnostic time. their final charge was 3.5 hrs to identify the problem and replace the tcu. a 12 month/12000 mile warranty was given except for failure due to outside influence. as i understand it this means any use of the vehicle outside of a temperature and humidity controlled enclosure. i was assured that it will fail again and there was nothing i could do to prevent it. by the time one discovers water in the area the damage is already done. vw will not reimburse me for the repairs or issue a solution to prevent further damage to the tcu. this is a design flaw and should be recalled as it effects every 1.8t w/ tiptronic auto transmission. vw is endangering peoples lives and costing people thousands of dollars due to the poor placement of this component. outside influence is a scam to deny payment. i would not buy a car i couldn't drive outside- would you? *jb

Dt: the contact stated the abs light came on and the brake lights were flashing. he took the vehicle to the dealership ,who stated, the control module was not communicating with the computer, which was a sign that the abs control module failed and needed to be replaced." there have been no repairs made due to the extensive expense. *ak

Vw passat 1999 - failing abs module (abs,oil,brake lights on). internet research showed hundreds of similar complaints. see http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447&start=30&tstart=0 for additional details. *nm

At 52k miles, had intermittent episodes of abs light remaining lit and brake light flashing. over the course of a couple weeks, had >100 such incidents. also of note, vibration was felt upon braking at low speed. service mechanic at dealer reported faulty abs control module, which was replaced at exuberant cost. apparently, hundreds of such complaints have already been reported on this problem, and vwoa have taken no effort to recall such prevalently faulty parts. *nm

Abs failure. *nm

I own a 1999 vw passat v6. it currently has approx 67,975 miles. from the first year of purchase to this current date, i've experienced the sunroof opening on it's own during winter months. this sunroof has a manual dial control, and therefore it mystifies me that this can occur. my rate of speed has no impact on the occurance, since i could be merely travelling at 45 50 mph when it happens. i've reported this issue to the dealer,but of course if the problem is not replicated when they test drive the car, it is considered non-existent (in their opinion). i am tired of the multiple premature complaints on this vehicle and at this point, i'm considering another vehicle. this is what my time line looks like: 48,824 miles replaced all upper links replace v belt 49,576 miles replaced water pump and battery 53,629 miles replaced cv boot joints and both front axels 57,512 miles replaced upper links again 61,972 miles, being told that all gasket seals have to be replaced. i'm currently driving with the folling conditions: no heat at my feet if my heat setting is for both body and feet. my key keeps coming apart and getting stuck in the ignition. my sunroof opens on its own when it's cold outside. my left rear passenger door lock wouldn't lock when i lock the car. the trunk light comes on when it feels like. i have to fill up on coolant every 700 miles or so. *nm

Dt: the contact stated without warning vehicle accelerated to over 100 mph. after the first incident the throttle cable was replaced. a month later it happened again, the dealer made repairs to the cable. the vehicle has been returned to the dealer a third time for the same problem. currently the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem, and no additional repairs were made. *ak

Abs control module failure on volkswagen passat 1999 1.8t gls. *nm

The vehicle is a 1999 volkswagen passat. abs and brake warning lights come on periodically with increasing frequency and no apparent cause. this is a common problem with passats and audi a4s. i found around 40 similar complaints on the nhtsa web site and the frequency of the problem is well documented elsewhere on the internet. the problem is reported to result in lack of abs and inactivation of the normal braking distribution mechanism. the lack of abs, while serious, only reduces braking to that of many other vehicles. the alleged effect on distribution of braking power is a potentially more serious problem, as it could result in poor performance of even the conventional braking system. *jb

Dt: the contact took vehicle to dealer for recall repairs. upon inspection the technician noticed the steering assembly came loose. the vehicle was being repaired at the dealership. they replaced both lower control arms and both tie rods. also, the dealership also found there was an oil leak and the abs was defective. *ak the technician discovered the steering rack assembly was loose to the point it could have fallen of from the frame. updated 11/29/05. *jb

I own a 1999 vw passat and had to have my abs control module replaced in july of 2005 at a cost of $1,300. i have been in touch with many other volkswagen passat owners who have also had their abs control module go bad and have had to replace it. since this seems like a very common problem i feel that volkswagen of america should issue a recall on this part and financially reimburse those of us who have already paid out of pocket to replace the abs. it is a very costly expense and was surprising to me that it needed replacement at only 75,000 miles, in my car's case. thank you. *jb

Abs controller on my vw passat 1999 failed. *jb

Timing belt broke with no warning before the 90,000 mile suggested check was performed. this is going to cost me somewhere between 2000 and 4000 to repair. *jb

Check engine light repeatedly on. error code 17544 bank 1 system too lean (p1136) long term fuel trim. i had my mechanic fix all vacuum leaks, low fuel pressure, exhaust leaks, injectors and secondary air system. had the maf sensor replaced and still have the check engine light on. *nm

Dt: 1999 volkswagen passat - in re: the anti lock brake system. a warning light had come on along with a beeping sound. the consumer had taken the vehicle to the dealer and they suggested that this was a common problem with the passat. the consumer researched this matter and realized that there were other similar complaints, then called the manufacturer. thee manufacturer stated that there was no recall on this problem and had not fixed it as of yet. the consumer had not experienced any other problems except with the warning light and the beeping sound. *ak (12/08/05) the antilock brake system failed daily. *sc

I own a 1999 vw passat 1.8t gls. at 69,000 miles, "abs" and "brake" dash lights go on and off, indicating failure of abs control module, and loss of abs function. *nm

1 - normal use - only 55,000 miles 2 - failure of lower control arms - must replace 3 - required to replace at cost of $400.00

This is the 2nd time i have had the front control arms go bad on my vehicle. if the control arms aren't replaced, it can cause failure of the front suspension and steering mechanisms. both the front and back control arms were replaced and i do have the old parts. *jb

Dt: the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the car has been t dealer, serviced as the original owner on a regular basis. the oil has been changed on schedule. the vehicle has 112,000 miles on it. the contact was informed on 9-30-05 that the engine needed an overhaul, and that it would cost in excess of $1000.00 to replace the valve rings/o-rings). the contact was told that if this was not done oil would leak , and the car could catch on fire. the contact's daughter has a friend who told her that this was a known problem with the 1999 passat. the contact called the manufacturer, and was told the warrant expired, and they could not do anything about it. also she called bbb and filed a complaint against volkswagen. *ak.

I own a 99 vw passat which has a failed abs system. upon researching this abs and brake light indicator problem, i have learned that this is a common malfunction with vw and audi owners. apparently, vw offered a recall for this problem but did not include pre-2001 vehicles. a definite indicator of their unwillingness to maintain the safety of their vehicles. when this system fails, the indicator lights up, however, this does not happen during 100% of my drive time. it happens intermittently and will likely cause a dangerous accident, since when lit i have no abs. please be aware that i am not alone in my complaint and hold vw liable for their faulty craftsmanship with this abs system. the costs of repair are exorbitant and should not be required by the consumer. this is a universal problem with their vehicles! *nm

1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t abs module failure. appears many other consumers have same problem with this expense safety device failure. vw is ignoring the issue stating there is no history of failures or service bulletin 0517. dealer wants to charge me $1750 to repair.

Tie rod failure diagnosed by vw dealer. *nm

I own a '99 vw passat gls and have also had the problem with the abs control module. i get a solid dashboard abs warning light and blinking dashboard brake warning light when i start the car. both lights stay on and the blinking light caused my car to fail inspection. i've done research on the internet and found hundreds of such complains about this problem, particularly because this is a $1500 - $4000 repair, according to the various dealer estimates i've read. this is a serious safety issue and well-documented manufacturer's defect. my vw service center acknowledged they know this is a problem and how much to charge for it (~$2400), but because of the expense i have not repaired it yet. please take action! both the abs system and ignition system use bosch parts, which have documented failures. this should be a nhtsa recall item!!! more info can be found not just at bentley, but also this site: http://www.mycarstats.com/console.asp. *jb

No abnormal events leading up to failure, just a normal commute on residential road at about 30 mph. the failure was indicated by three loud electronic beeps and the appearance of the "abs" light (steady) and "brakes" light (blinking) on the instrumental cluster. consequence of failure is loss of abs operation. no repair effected as yet, diagnosis shows failure of electronic abs module. *nm

1. normal driving conditions; city as well as highway driving. 2. random, intermittent warning lights appear on dashboard. lights are: abs - solid yellow. brake - flashing red. 3. nothing has be done to correct the failure as the dealer wants between $1,500 -$2,000 to fix the abs module. additional information: visited various volkswagon message forums. many volkswagon owners are experiencing this problem since early 2004. here is a link to one such site: http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=6316&start=0&tstart=0. *jb

Consumer complaint regarding faulty window regulators. *ts the consumer had to replace the window regulators twice. *jb

Abs computer unit failed. went out intermittently at first, then stopped functioning altogether. abs no longer works. odb-ii communication failure, prohibits smog check has not been fixed yet.

When getting in to my 1999 volkswagen passat the seat base came loose and tipped me and the seat back against the back seat. there had been no previous warning with the seat shifting while driving or any creaking noises. luckily i wasn't driving when this happened because i could have easily crashed with the severe recline of the seat. the vehicle was taken to a local vw dealership who looked at the problem and asked if i'd ever been in an accident because of the seat breakage. "no" was my response. their bill for a replacement was for over $800 so i called vwoa and spoke with one of their customer care personnel about the high price and if they'd help with any of the cost even though the car was out of warranty. their response was "no". the car was repaired out of my own pocket and a newer model seat base was installed that was of an obvious redesign. (i guess they thought the old one was inferior but didn't feel like it was a safety issue to let anyone know about.) *nm

On 9/7/05 in the am, i brought my car into the herzog-meier dealership in beaverton, oregon to be serviced for a radiator issue. around 2 pm in the afternoon, i received a voice message from the service rep at the dealership indicating that in addition to the issue i brought my car in for, the mechanic had indicated the front tie-rods were completely destroyed. i left a message with the service rep back to get more information. in the interim, i researched and found my vehicle had a recall for tie-rods, indicated as you campaign id numbers of 99v248000 and 00v414000. i contacted vw customer care regarding this issue. vw customer care would only tell me there was "no outstanding recalls". when i was able to talk with the service rep, he told me these recalls had been performed back on 3/13/01. i contacted vw customer care to ask them to re-repair these tie-rods because the parts installed from the recall had failed. vw has said they would only repair the tie-rods the 1 time and felt no obligation to repair again. the reason for my complaint is the parts installed after the recall have failed. now i am being asked to pay $500 out of my own pocket to fix. additionally, vw has no recommended replacement or maintenance for tie-rods listed on their website or in my owners manual for my vehicle. *nm

Regarding a campaign number 00v414000 for the steering linkages on the 99 vw passat. i requested the dealer to check my vehicle for the recall due to the fact it has damaged tie rods. the manufacture claims my vehicle was not part of the campaign but the dealer has instructed me to have them replaced. i believe they should be replaced under the recall but the manufacture refuses to assist. what can i do ? *nm

Belt time damage, consequences engine repair. *jb

99 vw passat. abs brake lights flash intermittently. it seems the abs module needs replacement at 1500+ after some research it appears there are many people experiencing the same problem. *jb

Dt: the contact received a recall 99v248000 concerning tie rods a couple of years ago. the dealership claimed there was 21,604 miles on the car then. she took vehicle in to the dealership. the contact's service slip did not show any repairs. she was really not sure what was done concerning the recall. about 3-4 weeks ago, she heard a rubbing, screeching noise when turning the steering wheel in any direction. had the front tie rods replaced on 8-30-05. the manufacturer told the contact that they had made a decision not to reimburse her for the cost of this repair because of the mileage on vehicle, which ha 74,000 miles on it. the contact stated the car has been very well maintained. *ak

Failure of bosch abs 5.3 controller leading to warning tones and lights and loss of traction control and abs functions, a definite safety hazard. this is a widely reported problem as vw and audi cars get older due to a failure in the bosch hybrid module. since the cars are out of warranty, vw and audi are not covering repairs which cost $1400 or more. *nm

Abs unit failure on 199 vw passat 1.8 litre turbo wagon

There are no specific events leading to the failure besides regular use of the vehicle passat 1999. the abs warning light periodically has come on and lengthened in duration until it stayed on permanently. the braking is still normal, but the abs control unit is recommended to be replaced by the dealer. i have not replaced the abs control. also, the timing belt tensioner went out on my passat 1999. i was driving on a freeway when the car just cut out. i coasted it over to the side of the road where it would not turn over. this part was redesigned on later models because of its tendency to fail. i had to redo all of my rods. i still have the old part in my possession. *nm

Dt: while driving at 30 mph and suddenly there was a jerking of the car as if the tire was flat. pulled over , inspected the vehicle for a flat and none was found. consumer got back into the vehicle and noticed the malfunction engine light was blinking. at this point consumer continued to drive down the service road of the highway of about 15 mph. there was a strong odor of something burning, no smoke was seen. this smell was like burned rubber. consumer called volkswagen, and they suggested that if the malfunction engine"light was blinking to shut off the engine immediately. after pulling over, consumer called tow truck. tow truck arrived , inspected under the hood and discovered there was fire from underneath the engine itself. the tow truck driver tried to extinguish fire with water and later a fire extinguisher-this did not put the fire out. the fire department had to be called.,in the meantime the fire grew larger. at that time, fire department came and put fire out. fire crew noted this was most likely an electrical fire, perhaps due to the intensity of the heat from summer and a mix of electrical wiring started the fire. the car was then towed to an insurance company lot for further investigation. currently, the consumer did not know why this h happened. the vehicle was regularly serviced and maintained. the vehicle had only 60,500 miles. the was the first problem experienced with this vehicle. *ak

I am one a large and growing number of persons with volkswagen's and audi's who have abs (automatic braking systems) that have stopped working after the car has been driven only 40,000 - 50,000 miles. the extent of the problems can be discerned by a web discussion group devoted to people with this sole problem (bentley publishers at http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?forumname=volkswagen.b.b5&threadid=6316 ). with this many people having found the website, one can only imagine the large quantity of other people who have this snafu. our experience has been that vw/audi appears to refuse to acknowledge the problem. lately, several persons have said that the problem is generally being caused by the electrical unit in the abs module. yet at this point, vw and audi are having users replace the entire unit. this cost is prohibitive for many of us ($2600 in my case). in the meantime, many of us are having to drive with faulty abs systems, with resultant safety problems: for me, the abs problem causes the brakes to go on at inappropriate times. the brakes on my car grab and activate unexpectedly during the first several minutes of driving after my car has sat overnight. others have experienced this too. i fear that this may cause an accident. this problem on my car seems to be growing worse. the more obvious safety hazard is that all of these cars lack the abs during crucial times of driving on icy or wet pavement. again, this problem is aggravated when the abs goes on and off intermittently, without the driver's knowledge (since in many cases, the dash warning lights remain on throughout). at this point, i'm fearful whenever i drive my car. *nm

1) abs/brake light warning came on while driving 20 to 30 mph 2) abs failure 3) replace the abs module

While i was driving, i hear three beeps, the abs light turns on and the emergency brake light blinks. now it happens everytime after about five minutes of driving. i researched this problem and it appears to be a common problem where the abs control module fails. i have already fixed this problem and it is recurring. *jb

Petition (2cys) for extension of the volkswagen (vw) recall on passat vehicles for the replacement of left and right side tie rods to cover her vehicle a 1999 volkswagen passat wagon.*mr (99v248000) *jb

I purchased a new 1999 volkswagen passat from the dealer in 10/99. approx 2 years ago the interior roof started leaking throughout the vehicle when it rained. vehicle was taken to dealer for repair, and i was told that the wells were clogged. approx 1 year later i took the vehicle in for routine maintenance and was told the wells were clogging again. i repaired it again. july 05 the door locks started cycling while i was driving, the interior lights would come on while driving, the trunk would open while driving, the lights would flash periodically while parked and i was unable to use the remote to open/lock the doors or activate the alarm. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the diagnosis is that the comfort control module under the drivers seat is corroded. water has been pooling there when it rains. the dealer of purchase & repair is aware that there is a chronic problem with that vehicle model for that year and the next few years. the total cost of repair for labor & parts is approx $500.00. volkswagon's customer service at this point is not willing to financially assist in repair. i have already spent $700.00 for this repair and the problem still exists. *jb

The abs brake control unit of my 1999 passat has failed. dealer quotes cost in excess of $1000. to replace a part that costs less than $100 to manufacture. i found a car forum where many, many people talk of this bosh part as failing in their passats and audis. *ak

Complete failure of abs control module on a 99 vw passat wagon with 99,000 miles. car reverted back to regular braking system...no abs. *nm

The abs, brake and oil light all come on (oil will flash) with sporadic irregularities in the tachometer. the tachometer will sometimes drop to zero. all this happens with 3 distinct beeps whenever i use the brakes. colder temperatures can lessen the occurrence of the problems. dealership service says that the abs module needs to be replaced at a cost of $3600. i have not yet approved the repair on the car. *nm

The abs controller is experiencing an intermittent failure. the symptom is when i have driven several miles or when it is hot, the brake/abs warning light will come on. a mechanic says this is a common problem which will eventually become permanent failure of the abs controller. refer to nhtsa oid complaint # 10106162 and 10120717 for failure of same abs controller on 1999 audi a4. the part number of the abs controller in my 1999 passat is 8e0-614-111-b. i am investigating options for repair, either new part from dealer ($1500) or rebuild ($600). this is apparently a very common problem (many complaints on consumer web sites). the failure is reported to be failing solder joints on a circuit board in the controller though i cannot verify this personally. vw america will not admit any knowledge of this issue (they only discuss recall or warranty issues).

Lower control arms recall vm. wanted to charge me 325.00 for the recall. vw dealerhip said the recall was not valid unless 40k service was performed. do not see the correlation with having some filters and fluids changed (40k service) with a suspension recall. prior to 40k i had cvs changed and had filters and fluids changed. my car had a lot of problems with it and was worked on by vw dealership over 20 times between 32-49k. i was told the 40k service was not needed because of work done at 36k. was told $240.00 on 40k service check was not needed because of previous work and was over priced not not smart to do. if there is a malfunction with the car, and their is a recall, the owner should not have to pay for it. if their was decent logic for me paying for this recall i would have no problem with it, but i cannot find it. it just seems a loop hole for me to pay for the manufacturer's poor workmanship. this loop hole should be closed, there is a lot of exceptions to why 40k was not performed.

My driver side window fell within the door yesterday as i was pushing the button to bring it down. (the same thing happened two years ago with my passenger side back door. vw replaced it at no cost once i found out about the silent recall. they were originally going to charge me $350.) this time, they said it is not covered under warranty since it is past the time frame. when i explained that they were aware of the problem when i initially brought it in, but did not fix all of the windows that it should still be covered. they disagreed. it is not normal for a window to fall in on a 6-year old car. plus, to have it happen 2x in one car!

Abs control module failure serial 8eo 614 111p 1999 passat wagon, 1.8t 4cyl. abs and brake lights flashing. quoted $3150 from vw to repair

Consumer requested inclusion in the recall campaign 99v248000 for the 1999 volkswagen passat.***no answer required*** *mr the tie rods on both the driver and passeneger sides of the vehicle were a problem. *sc

The 1999 volkswagen passat developed problems with the door lock equipment.***no answer required***. *mr the problem first exhibited to the consumer when the door ajar alarm would go off for no apparent reason when the car was parked. in order to operate the car and prevent the alarm from going off the consumer had to remove two fuses. the vehicle was taken tot he dealer who diagnosed the problem as faulty door locks. *nm

Comments concerning recall campaign 00v414000 on the 1999 volkswagen passat regarding the steering linkages (tie rods). have had problems with the steering feeling loose but my vehicle is not included in the recall due to vin.***no answer required***. *mr

For: 99 volkswagon passat wagon while my wife and i were parking in front of a bank, in a sudden the car shoke violently; we stopped without turning the engine off... the car was shaking very hard still. we then had this car diagnozed at a firestone service center nearby. after a day, the mechanic mentioned that there's misfiring in cylinder 2, and it's common thing in passat (i did not know this until then), but vw never issued a recall. so they asked me to leave the car for an extra day so they could solve the problem. another day passed, they informed me that they needed more time; they tried to replace the coil, it's still misfiring, and they mentioned more trials, but those were not good too. they suggested me to bring the car to the dealership. one hour before i wrote this to nhtsa, i researched the internet and i found similar occurances of misfiring from cylinders, and a few has the same type: 99 passat. here is what i had found: 1. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/vw_coils.html 2. http://experts.about.com/q/801/4003867.htm 3. http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/faq/01/modules/02_engine/17/ 4. http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic291366.htm 'boschmann' "north american models had alot of problems with cracks forming in the ignition coil." 5. http://inmyexperience.com/archives/000213.shtml very resourceful, more people write their concerns of misfiring. 6. http://www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_23919.html .... and more. when the first it happened, i thought we just hit and ran over something... i was already in the parking lot of a bank. sto i parked and looked 30 ft away to where the first shake happened... nothing there. therefore, i would request nhtsa to open an investigation for this matter. if you have any question, i will be best to be contacted by email. sincerely, edward yahya

1999 volkswagen passat had both inner and outer tie rods replaced because they were loosening.*mr the consumer experienced the problem as stated in the recall, however the vehicle identification number was not included. the consumer requested that the recall should be expanded. *jb

The abs and asr (electronic stability control) computer had to be replaced in my car. the car only had 71,000 miles. it almost cost me when my life when the abs did not kick in and started sliding on a rainy day. it cost $1,400 at the dealer to fix this problem; the service technician said it was common. they only replaced the computer.

Abs brake light came on dash board, causing my abs system to not function and i had it checked out, it turned out to be a busted abs module.

Abs control module failure - module failed at roughly 80,000 miles. manny, many, many silimar complaints regarding this issue.

I own a 1999 vw passat wagon. there have been some recalls about the front end. i did have it checked at least twice by my dealer who said everything was ok. as i was nearing my home today at about 25 mph the right front wheel suddenly collapsed upward into the wheel well and the car started skidding on the right side of the frame off to the right side of the road. because i was going rather slow i was able to correct it and stop it before it went off the road. if i had been going 65-70 next to other cars on the interstate or even 40 on a two lane around town i'm sure things would not have been quite so benign and we (my family and i) may all have been injured or worse! when the wrecker lifted it the driver and i both looked at the a arm and the ends were cracked or sheared off. i did not hit anything before it happened, and did not hit anything while i have had the car. even if i had it would seem that the inspection by the dealer should have found it. this seems like a manufacturerer problem and it is way too serious to say they weren't responsible. there could easily have been a death connected with the front wheel collapsing when you consider lost of control at highway speeds!

I own a 1999 vw passat (1.8). at approx 75k miles, the abs control module has failed. i have reviewed the vw forum on edmunds.com and find that there are many, many owners with the same problem. this is a recall issue - we deserve to have the part fixed no matter what mileage we have on the car.

Abs module failed at 80,000 miles and was replaced. front and rear upper control arms had to be replaced at same time. currently, rear window is falling into door (83,000 miles). this is a pre-owned automobile.

I own a 1999 vw passat with anti-lock brakes. many audi and vw models manufactured starting in the later '90s and continuing to present (including mine), use the bosch 5.3 abs controller, which is prone to catastrophic failure, ostensibly due to defective design. this module controls multiple brake-related functions including the abs which is important for winter driving, but the most critical function of this module is probably the electronic brake force distribution, or ebd. these vehicles are designed such that if the ebd is inoperative, the proportion of hydraulic force applied to the rear brakes during emergency braking is as great as it is during moderate braking effort when there is minimal transfer of vehicle weight to the front wheels. the ebd is supposed to adjust the front/rear braking distribution dynamically according to the measure of the deceleration, so that the rear wheels will not lock up during emergency braking. if this module should fail during emergency braking on dry pavement, the rear wheels could lock up and cause an accident which could easily include fatalities. this is an expensive repair for owners, costing roughly $2000, and many owners have probably put off the repair indefinitely. the vw company has provided absolutely no assistance in helping owners despite knowing of hundreds if not thousands of these types of failures as early as 30k miles. services that charge ~$300.00 to rebuild the failed abs module are unreliable and cause drivers to work on their cars with no mechanical sense because of their desperation. evidence which can be found through a simple web search, suggests that the problem is widespread, and that if it has not already led to serious accidents, it is only a question of time. this problem is genuine, and vw/audi should be compelled to take immediate corrective action.

The abs module on my 1999 volkswagen passat failed. this is not an uncommon occurrence as i've found on vw chat boards, conversation with other vw owners, and comments from vw repair shops. not only does this vehicle part have a propensity to fail, it is more costly than most vehicle parts. the dollar figure to replace this part places it out of reach for most people, resulting in many vehicles operating with a faulty abs system rather than spend the money to fix the item. while more aftermarket vehicle parts can be remanufactured, this particular piece is not currently being offered as a remanufactured item. this is most likely because of; 1) the propensity for the item to fail and 2) the cost of the item to replace. basically, many feel that the manufacturer and likely the vehicle dealer make a great deal of profit from this necessary item. due to the importance of this safety feature, that being a working abs system, i believe that this item should be reviewed for mandatory recall and replacement by the manufacturer.

There was nothing wrong with my '99 passat but suddenly the abs and brake lights started to come on. the dealer tells me that they need to change the abs control module which will cost $3500. i searched the internet and found out that this is a very common problem with these passat models.

At 50k miles the abs brake light came on and the dealer diagnosed it as premature failure of the control module which cost me $ 1500 in repairs.

The consumer the abs light has been coming on. the dealership said that the control module went bad. it was replaced, however the problem recurred . the anti-lock brake system does not work when the abs light comes on. service invoices are available if needed. *jb

I own a 1999 volkswagen passat with 55000 miles on it. the abs light came on while driving and the brake light is flashing. on going to the dealer, i am told that i need to replace the abs unit and the instrument panel which will cost $1900. *ak this appears to be a common problem. according to the dealer, he has had several people complain about the same issue. vw should issue a recall for this part and not have customers pay for its defective parts.

Abs and brake light intermittently come on and stayed on flashing. dealer stated they have seen many of these failures and must replace the abs control unit at a cost of $900.00. checking with other owners on www.passatworld.com/forums, this is apparently a very common problem and can occur at any mileage. in my case, my car has 92k on it, and is a 1999 my. but others with newer my cars and much lower mileage are also reporting the same issue.*ak

I have owned my volkswagen passat for the last 5 years. about 6 months ago abs warning lights came on. i checked to see if the abs still were working, and it was not. the warning lights went on and off for the next month or so, but is now on whenever i turn the car on. i contacted the dealer, and they immediatly knew what i was calling about. it seemd as though this was a common problem. the price to get it fixed through the dealer was $1600 or more. volkswagen knows of the problem ,but says that nothing will be done. currently i can't afford to pay $1600 to have the abs fixed on my car that had 60,000 miles on it when this started.*ak

Engine oil leak. dealer repair service indicated that cam tensioner and cam seals need to be replaced.*ak

Abs warning light coming on. brake light coming on. pressure light coming on and chimes occur.*ak

While driving on the highway abs warning light came on, and red brake warning light began flashing, indicating abs module failure.*ak

I am having the known issue with the upper and lower control arms on my vw passat. volkswagen so far will only cover the lower control arms if they fail or appear damaged. many other people are having problems with the upper control arms that are not covered. the steering tie rod ends also need to be replaced. these tie rod ends appear to be failing at a very high rate in vw passats. i am having this replaced at a very high cost. volkswagens must be too expensive to maintain. it was my mistake was taking this issue to a vw dealership. i assumed vw would be able to work with me. *nm

I own a 1999 passat 1.8t gls. the abs and brake light started coming on together intermittently at around 58,000 miles. dealer service diagnosed problem as faulty abs unit, cost $1400 total installed. i have not had the unit replaced yet. there are literally thousands of these defective units on the road today, why hasn't nhtsa pressured vw to issue a safety recall? this is clearly a safety issue and crashes are imminent.*ak

1. abs & brake warning lights appear - no obvious events leading up to failure. 2. i drive carefully to the dealer shop during a snow storm - careful not to apply the brakes too strongly. no accident occured - but danger of accident definitely increased. 3. dealer determines the problem is the abs pump. due to safety issue, i have an appointment to have abs replaced at my cost of at least $1200 . *ak

Vehicle goes to the right and there is a noise coming from the right side. dealer states the tie rod is defective.*ak

I have a 1999 vw passat, 1.8l turbo. i received a service action from vw related to a lower control arm issue and took the car to the dealer. the dealer looked at it five weeks ago and told me there was nothing wrong with it despite the creaking and groaning i'm getting in the suspenion. i took it in today because the creaking an groaning have gotten worse and the service guy at the dealer is telling me that both lower control arms need to be replaced and they quoted me $1400. he told me that lower control arms fail over time due to the weight of the car, age and wear. this sounds like an engineering failure on the part of vw. i'm waiting to find out whether this is safety related, the service guy is going to call me back. i've been looking online and a lot of people thought a complaint should be lodged, so that's what i'm doing here. i shouldn't be having suspension issues at 70,000 miles.*ak

Normal use of '99 vw passat with an odometer reading of 99,650 lead to the failure of ront contorl arms and tie rod ends. replacement control arm set with tie rods retails for $1,700. purchased a set for $495 and an additional $198.75 in labor. *ak

Abs module failure. was sudden/no warning. electronic portion needs replacement. re: san antonio tx dealer. failure occured w/less than 55k miles on vehicle. was told this is a common problem w/this vehicle.*ak

Recall campaign 00414000 dealer notice too much play in upper control arms and tie rods. *bf recall campaign# 99v248000. the consumer was told that the vin was outside of the vin range. the second issue was with the output stage control module which was replaced due to the vehicle losing power and shuddering. *sc

Abs brake light- i took my car to a volkswagen dealership to see why this light is on and they informed me that it could be a module, and it is not covered by warrenty, and it would cost about $1300.00 to replace. so i did some research and in my research i learned that this is an ongoing problem. i did a search on google and found at least 200 complaints with the same problem and it is a safety concern. my brakes dont work in damp weather.. they become very hard to push.. and my brakes are new i had them replaces about 3 months ago and the light was on back then.. that is why i had them replaced, in hopes that was the problem.. but if you do a search on google you will find that there are hundreds of stories and safety concerns. i also contacted corporate volkswagen and they told me that my car was out of warrenty and that there is nothing that they can do, that i would have to pay for it myself.*ak

I have a 1999 volkswagen passat gls - i am driving at random speed. chime comes on blasting. abs light comes on and stay on. brake light flashes (same brake light as when e-brake is engaged) chime keeps going. all goes away after about 20 seconds of driving. *jb

Consumer placed the vehicle in cruise control. while the vehicle was stopped at a toll booth vehicle accelerated. then, vehicle continued to accelerate, once getting onto the highway, to 72 mph.. consumer pulled over, turned the vehicle off for forty minutes, and proceeded home. the next day, consumer took the vehicle to the dealers for inspection, where it remained. *ak

Failure of anti-lock brake module on 1999 vw passat 1.8t. no crash/damage/injury (yet). started 1/05, continues. common defect, certainly safety related. vw uninterested in correcting problem. *jb

My 1999 vw passat, has a abs control unit failure. the part # is 8e0 614 111b. after doing some research i notice that this is a big problem with vw. if this is such a common problem why have they not been recalled. i also notice that the newer models are now installed with a newer part, is this because vw was aware of the problem? *ak

Oil pump failure due to sludge. manufacturer's failure to honor warranty. *ak

The control arms, tie rod, and one cv boot failed. the consumer received recall notice for 1999 vw passat after repairs were done. *bf the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc the consumer claim for reimbursement was denied. the manufacturer stated the consumer did not have the necessary maintenance performed when required. *jb

1999 passat upper control arm recall have too much play. *bf the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer in response to a recall, the were no problems found with the lower control arms, but the tie rods had too much play, the consumer was told her vehicle identificatin number was not included in the recall. *jb

While driving 45 mph vehicle accelerated without warning. no impact reported. *ak *ak

I am one of many people that have had the abs control module fail in my 1998 volkswagen passat. the dealer says that he can fix the 'problem' for around $2,000. i have seen numerous other people post internet messages about their abs control modules failing on their vw passats. i can't believe that vw would allow such a thing without issuing a recall. *jb

Recall for lower control arms only even though in most cases the upper control arm needs replacements. heck the forum http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1745481. *ak

I a 1999 vw passat gls 1.8t. i have experienced an intermittent abs warning light issue since mid december 2004. when it first came on i promptly took the car to my regular/local vw dealership (power volkswagon, torrance, ca) who reported that they could not find a problem, and said they reset the system. within a few days the abs light was on again and i returned it to the dealership and this time they kept it for a few days to try to determine the problem and reported that they had identified the problem as a wiring problem and recommended replacing the abs wiring to the sensors (cost under $500). after getting the vehicle back the light was again on intermittently (not as much as before) and this time they said the only other solution is to replace the abs control module (quoted $1,500 parts and $300 labor). given the fact that i had just spent $500 on abs wiring that they said was the problem i wasn't about to spend $2,000 with them. i started my own research to find that this is a common problem with 1998-2000 abs control modules on vw/audi vehicles (see http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447). i also talked with independent/german mechanics who seemed well aware of the problem (even though my vw dealership seemed to feel it was a mystery). as parent whose children are regularly in the vehicle i have tried to determine what level of safety risk (if any) this poses. when my wife initially called our vw dealership they said it was a critical problem and that we should bring the vehicle in immediately. then when they couldn't find a problem, it seemed to be "downgraded" to needs fixed but not critical. the vw owner's manual suggests that it is critical as the light on may result in unexpected braking and one of the independent mechanics i spoke with suggested he personally knew of a case where the vehicle's abs engaged at a high speed resulting in an accident. i encourage nhtsa to engage vw in resolving this issue.

I am writing about engine failure regarding a 1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t. i purchased the car in 2003 at 29,000 miles and the car currently has around 77,000. volkswagen has an extended warranty that states (to some degree) that if the engine fails due to sludge and is under 80,000 miles the owner will be able to have their engine replaced, 'if' they have records of all oil changes (of not more than 5,000 miles). my complaint is this, i do not have all the records since one of the locations that i went to no longer has a record of oil changes due to a computer malfunction. additionally, when i called volkswagen's 'customer advocate' they indicated that the decision is really up to the area service manager who can arbitrarily decide to repair or not repair the vehicle. thus, my complaint is that volkswagen knows that their engine has a problem and will not fix it. i have asked to have them send me a copy of their warranty indicating this, but wanted to lodge a complaint against the company for the 1999 volkswagen passat 1.8t with the hopes of an investigation into the engine and whether it is faulty. thank you.*ak

1999 vw passat with 67,000 miles in otherwise good condition that had undergone routine maintenance according to manufacturer's recommendations experienced complete and abrupt engine seizure on thursday january 6, 2005. *ak

Clunking noises heard when transmission is in gear and moving forward-not heard in reverse. car would not go into any forward gears, it would only shift in reverse. *bf the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the transmission control module had been damaged beyond repaire. *nm the unit sits beneath the passenger seat of the vehicle and was completely submerged in water due to the failure of the sunroof drains which caused rain water to collect and pool inside of the vehicle. *tc *jb

When stopped, car will rev up over 3000 rpm without my touching the accelerator. feels like car is going to take off, right into an intersection. have had to turn off ignition to avoid a potential accident. it also occasionally accelerates while driving even once my foot is off the accelerator and not in cruise control mode. *jb

Consumer noticed oil on top of the engine. after taking the vehicle to dealer for inspection dealer stated there was an oil leak from the gasket. the gasket needed to be replaced. *ak

Shortly after bought car, had many makeup problems: trim panel falling off, 3 our 4 windows have been fixed numerous times. cannot have trim fixed unless do whole car, which is too expensive and i didnt pay all that money for a car to have dish out more money for something that should not happen. i have paid to have all the windows fixed except this last time, i just will not do it. no accidents, nothing for these problems to be occuring. also, the tie rods have been replaced numerous times. lastly, steering/suspension has been a problem. all these problems took place four months after purchase and since then has been a problem. *ak

Anti-lock brake system (abs) warning light blinked intermittently over many weeks. i was first told that the abs was working okay, but the problem was just with the indicator light. a direct test of the brakes on a slippery road proved that the abs was not working at all. a second visits to vw dealer's service department over resulted in diagnosis of faulty abs control module, replaced at a total cost of over $1500. *nm

The abs warning light came on approximately one month ago, at first intermittently. the car was immediately taken to a mechanic, but problem could not be diagnosed. since then, the light comes on and a audible warning sounds at every start-up. the car has been returned to the mechanic, who will perform another diagnostic. all four rotors and pads were replaced in the last four months. the mechanic has a nearly identical car with an identical problem and has diagnosed a faulty abs module, a $950 part plus labor charges. searches on the internet show anecdotal evidence that hundreds, if not thousands, of owners of similar models are experiencing this same problem. other owners describe dangerous brake failures, including lock-up.*ak

In approx. october, 2004, abs warning light started to come on intermittently. problem is not repeatable, but happens at random times and for random durations. abs appears to be inoperative when the light is on. after several minutes, abs light stops flashing and the car functions normally. *nm

During an emergancy braking procedure the abs system did not work. i attempted to stop from highway speeds, the tires locked up, and the abs/ brake light came on and then went out seconds later. but the front tire locked up when i needed the abs to work. the light now comes on and off at will. the brake pads front and rear have been changed, and the brake fluid changed to fix the problem with no luck. the light tends to come on once the engine is warm but i no longer trust the abs to work even if the light is off. *ak

Consumer stated tie rod wore out prematurely. a recall was issued, however this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak the vehicle was later taken to an independent dealer who indicated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. *nm

Front upper control arm disintegrated . as a result the wheels become loose. *ak

Volkswagen of america sent me a letter to check/replace front suspension lower control arms 1998-2000 passat vehicles. vw dealer informed me they will fix the control arms at no cost to me but as a result of the work performed the vehicle will now need an alignment which is not covered as part of the recall. this is absurd. i paid for an alignment 5 months ago and prior to the recall my vehicle obviously does not need an alignment but as a direct result of fixing the control arms my car now needs an alignment which i have to pay for. the alignment should be covered as part of the recall for the control arms!!!*ak

The abs brake light on my 1999 vw passat keeps coming on. vw says i need. *ak

All 8 control arms were replaced between 70000 and 74000 mile. *ak.

1999 vw passat on12/15/04 and 12/16/04 suddenly increased speed on its own without driver pressing the gas pedal. on 12/15 while driving wb on i-80 in penna around the 278/279 mile marker with the vehicle in cruise control the car itself increased to nearly 90 mph without any driver intervention, i pushed brake to get cruise to release which didn't do anything, i turned off cruise control on turn signal arm with no speed increase stoppage, i reached down to be sure the floor mat wasn't stuck and causing gas pedal to be pushed and it wasn't. i finally why standing with both feet on the brakes got the vehicle to slow enough to safely pull over and i turned it off. i then turned the vehicle on twice and the rpm's pegged immediately to 5000-6000 rpm's and i tunrned the car off at once. on a third try the car turned on in it's normal mode and idled okay. i then drove the remaining approx 15 miles to work on the pa turnpike and pa rte 115. i drove the car home the evening of 12/15 without any problems but, did not engage the cruise control. on the morning of 12/16 while on way to work at approx the 114 mile mark of the pa turnpike nb the car did the same as it had done the pevious morning and started taking off on it's own again, however, this day just like the return trip home the night of 12/15 i did not have the cruise control engaged. on 12/16 i got the car on the shoulder safely and while braking and getting the car to around 35-40 mph i turned it off and came to a stop. on the first resart the car again pegged rpm's up to around 5000-6000 and i turned it off immediately. with the second restart of the car it ran normal and i completed the remaining 4-5 miles to work.*ak

Upper control arm problem---when turning steering wheel left or right around a curve would hear a rattling noise. my mechanic said both upper control arms needed to be replaced. car has 53000 miles on it. repair cost me $1000.00. i have the bill specifying the parts that were replaced along with part numbers.*ak

Control arms on my 99 vw passat have been replaced twice now.....they are expensive ($650+) and obviously poorly engineered as others have had te same problems. *ak

My abs light on my 1999 vw passat 1.8t comes on intermittently and stays on. when it does, the brake light also flashes. i can park my car overnight. when i restart it, it is off. after driving a short ways, it will come on again. when light is flashing, the anti lock brakes do not work. when braking hard during this, car will stall and you have to restart the car. very dangerous while driving. dealers are stumped, said they would need to replace the abs module -$1400. *ak

The front suspension lower control arm makes a squeaking, thumping noise as if there are no shocks. *ak

Air bag light came on and did not go out. repaired and recurred eight times. *bf *sc

Had new front tires put on the car and then new brake shoes, rotors, etc. on the back. abs light keeps flickering on as if the vehicle thinks it is skidding.*ak

Front suspension creaks constantly while driving car. this appears to be common complaint by other owners, but volkswagen (vw) unwilling to admit that parts are wearing too soon. creaking started at about 45,000 miles. from other postings it appears that this will cost me at least $1,000 to repair. i am afraid to take car the vw for repairs, because of high cost. i hope this problem is not dangerous.*ak

My 1998 passat's abs light is intermittently coming on and off. my mechanic has verified that there is nothing wrong with the abs pump itself, there is just a problem with the sensor. the web is full of the same complaint re: vw passats spanning many years. there is obviously a problem with the abs sensors on these cars. they need to do a recall. *jb

Our oil light kept coming on. kept taking in for oil change and said was fine. no one could tell us why oil light kept coming on. then received a letter from vw of america stating there was oil sludge problem. will not fix car w/out oil receipts. can not drive car w/out getting oil sludge prob. fixed because it can damage engine.*jb

While driving on highway check engine light began blinking and car idle became extremely rough - had to drive home from highway using reduced power - engine would only work when driven at specific rpm. after approximately 10 miles of extremely rough running, car engine would not start at all. vehicle had to be towed to the dealership for repair. it was found that the ignition control module, bosch part number 4d0 905 351 failed. part was replaced and engine began working again. car was not safely driveable when this part had failed.*ak

Abs and brake light simultaneously came on followed by a beeping noise. this rendered the abs brake inoperative. abs control module pump needed to be replaced because its internal relay was clicking and buzzing. this was a common failure part on this vehicle.*ak

Abs & brake light continue to flash. it started as one brief incident and now happens everytime i am in my car. i have been told that this will run somewhere in the ballpark of $1500. this is obviously a poorly manufactured device and should be replaced by volkswagen. we are all hazards on the road. *jb

Submission of complaint re vw of america feel he has been over charged for numerous & extensive repair bills for his 1999 vw passat. the consumer stated he is still experiencing problems with the front suspension. the front stabilizer was repaired and the lower control arm was repaired, however the problem recurred. the rear brake pads were worn. the front doors creaked when opened. *jb the cruise control was intermittent. the consumer requested assistance of all the matters. *sc *jb

A grinding noise was heard when driving 5-30 mph. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the consumer that the control arm bushing needed to be replaced. *ak the grinding noise was first noticed 1 year prior to repair. the noise was extremely loud when the vehicle at low speeds, there was a squeaking noise in the front suspension, and the vehicle needed front and rear pads, rotors. the glove box was broken. *sc

While driving the air bag warning light continuously illuminated on the dashboard. as a result, air bags became inoperative, and wouldn't deploy when needed. dealership inspected vehyicle at least 10 times, and lately dealer charged to the consumer every time vehicle had a problem.*ak *tc

Car would lose power with a blinking check engine light. then the car's check engine light quit blinking and it would suddenly surge forward. i almost rear ended another car when it surged. dealer diagnosed and replaced the ignition control module.

Our 1999 passat with the 1.8 liter engine stalls repeatedly when decelerating, this is dangerous. we purchased the car new and had a problems before 20,000 miles. vw cannot diagnose this problem. i took vw to the bbb since they were very uncooperative in repairing this problem, and then they changed the throttle body. then the problem went away for a few years and is now back and vw again refuses to replace the throttle body. the throttle body is obviously defective and they will not admit that there is a problem or fix it. *ak

While driving at any speed steering wheel vibrated and shook. *ak

Control arms/ball joint failed, requiring replacement under 50k miles. purchased car new . *ak

The event that led up to the issue, was traveling on the interstate when the car began to shake violently and the car began to completely sway to one side. the car almost seemed as if it lost its alignment immediately. i brought it to a repair shop and they immediately informed me that the control arm on the upper right side was shot. i had to then take a used car that was purchased less than six months old to the dealer to replace the part at a price of 1100 dollars. *nm

82290 miles on car. car engine suddenly lost power and would not run. turning on emergency flashers, blowing my horns and then rapidly exiting the road i was able to avoid getting rear-ended. cam belt is broken and then causes about $3500 in damage to the top-end (bend valves,etc.) of the car car is current in the vw repair shop awaiting $4650 in total to replace cam belt and damaged top end. note: cam belt may have been stressed due to ignition modlule failure at 80330 document on 10090985.....

80330 miles on car. engine light starting flashing and engine was running rough. cause was failure of ignition module p/n 4d0-905-351 without warning. caused reduced engine speed and danger driving to repair shop approx. 10 miles. parts were replaced.....

50993 miles on car. engine light started flalshing and engine is running rough: cause was failure of ignition module p/n 4d0-905-351 without warning, caused reduced engine speed and danger driving to repair shop approximately 8 miles. parts replaced by vw after 2(two) weeks.

The oil light came on while driving. when consumer checked the oil level it was down a quart of a quart of oil. a quart of oil was added. oil light come back on and the engine stalled within seconds of restarting and driving the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to the dealership, who indicated that the engine head shut and was damaged beyond repair. this occurred because of fuel pump failure. prior to this incident at 58, 510 miles the oil light came on, a diagnostic test was performed, but no failure were found. the dealership couldn't find the cause of problem, but changed the oil.*ak

I own a 1999 vw passat v6. i had noticed that noises were coming from the front suspension, and recently steering felt a little funny. i took the car to an independent auto shop to have it checked and for the state inspection, and i was informed that the front upper control arms had deteriorated to the point of making driving the car quite dangerous. i had them both replaced at a steep cost. i checked online and found several complaints regarding to this issue. i called vwoa to inquire whether they would be willing to pay for the repairs, but they declined. control arms are not supposed to fail easily, certainly not have joints blown up as in my case. almost all of my miles are highway miles, and i haven't been hitting potholes or drive off-road for the problem to be attributed to normal wear and tear. i am surprised nhtsa hasn't investigated the issue or order a recall, since this is such a common problem in passats, the number of complaints so high, and a failure compromises road safety significantly (failure of the control arms can cause loss of steering and lead to crash or even death). *nm

While driving at low speeds the vehicle lost oil pressure intermittently. please provide additional information. *jb

Vehicle is at 40,000 miles. at 40000 service, dealer reported that the control arms are failing and must be replaced. because i do not want the control arms to completely fail, leading to a loss of steering control, and potentially resulting in a crash, i will be paying out of my pocket for an independent mechanic to replace the defective control arms. there have been many complaints about control arms reported over internet forums such as vwvortex.com and clubb5.com. volkswagen refuses to issue a recall for an obviously defective critical suspension component.*ak

For the last month or so, the abs/brake warning light has displayed. at first,t was on for a few seconds and then it would some on and stay on for minutes. it now displays whenever the car is running. it is my understanding that this is a common module failure in late model vw cars and related audis. it will cost me $1500 plus labor to replace this warning system. until it is fixed, i have no abs brakes working. i am very worried that this is a safety issue and that vw should have a recall or pay for these failures. they deny any responsibility other than their standard warranty. in the details area, i wrote that there have been 30 failures because the abs brakes are not working every day i drive the car.*ak

While merging off the highway, a loud noise came from the left front of the vehicle. the vehicle was driven to the dealership. the left lower control linkage had broke. the dealership replaced the part. the failure has recurred 3 additional time on the other control arms. *jb

1.car was due for 30k maint. and check engine light came on, called dealer, was told appointment unavailable for two weeks. was told car was ok to drive. 2.day before appointment engine seized while driving, car was towed in, determined engine seized due to slippage of internal timing chain. this was caused by tensioner cam loosening because oil pressure dropped from lack of oil in the engine. oil was sludgy and burned.*ak 3.vw service manager at dealer was rude from the get go, vw refused to honor reciepts of oil change from a quick lube and warranty claim was denied by vwoa. they stated the auto had not been maintained properly. the car had 32000k miles on it. i have been attempting to have my car fixed since 2001 and my claim has been continually denied by vwoa.

The front end is "creaky." there is considerable noise, usually when turning. i suspect that the bushings in the multi-link front suspension are worn. i received an estimate from the dealer on 7/18/2003 of $1020 to fix it. i chose not to fix it at that time. over the past year i have heard numerous stories of passat and audi a4s that have this same problem so i want to add another complaint to the file. *jb

Abs control module failed in 1999 passat v6. abs warning light came on, along with flashing brake light and intermittent beeping sound. repair estimate $1500-2000. i contacted vw of america to complain after reading about numerous other complaints about the bosch part. vw of america told me they could/would not help with repair.*ak

The abs modual on my 1999 volkswagen passat(58000 miles)has malfunctioned. this is clearly a safty problem.volkswagen of america says they cant help with the $2000 repair.far too many are in this position.there must be a re-call regarding this possible life threatening matter.*ak

The lower front and rear passenger side control arms needed to be replaced because they were starting to make noise, and will potentially fail. the dealership indicated that this could result in steering failure while driving. *ak the noise was coming from the right side of the vehicle. the front control arm was replaced along with the rear control arm bushing. *sc

Abs light coming on once in a while. now stays on permanently and beeps. concerned about safety of brakes. cost to repair $1600. this car has been in the shop numerous times for electrical problems since i purchased it. i will never buy another vw. *jb

I bought my 1999 passat in march 2002, and had the problem occurred at the date listed below, my mileage was only 60k and my abs brake light came on, i went to the dealer to have it fixed they said it would cost about $2000. i have read and spoken to many people having the same problems. is there any way this can be recalled or can anyone help us who doesn't have money to pay for that amount. it is a safety issue and if you would like to contact or speak to people who had these problems. one of the website is www.tech.bentleypublishers.com and it is under vw passat abs light problem. please help us.*ak

Some months ago abs warning light would come on infrequently. about once every two weeks. then the light would come on more frequently. now the abs light has been on constantly for the past several months. oddly, the light was off on two consecutively evenings and the abs worked when the light was off. however, since then the light has been on constantly. have been to two dealers who suggested replacing abs control module for $1400.00. this seems to be a very common failure in volkswagons and audis. date given below is approximate.*ak

The control arms in the 1999, 2000, and 2001 volkswagen passats are defective. according to the dealership if these are not repaired one can lose steering control. the upper control arms in my 1999 passat had to be replaced in november 2003 and now the lower control arms need to be replaced. the dealership indicates that this problem is common in 1999, 2000, and 2001 passats, and i have spoken with other owners who are having the same problem. this safety hazard warrants a recall on these vehicles.*jb

Engine began to seriously misfire - check engine light came on vehicle became undriveable -- dangerour lack of power replaced ignition conrtol module internet if full of descriptions of this kind of failure -- vw does nothing. *ak

As a result of a persistent rattling in the front right end of my 4 cyl. 1999 vw passat, i took my car in for investigation. i have been advised by two independent repair shops that both upper control arms on both sides of the car as well as the tie rod ends must be replaced to the tune of $1200. if they are not replaced, i have been advised that one could break and i would have no steering. obviously at a high rate of speed this could be dangerous or deadly. i have spoken with vw and even though they acknowledge issuing a tsb on this defect, they refuse to cover its repair. this is a safety issue that must be addressed sooner rather than later. thank you for any help you can provide in this area.

My 1999 vw passat was purchased on 6/16/04. it was a used vehicle with 59,000 miles on it. 6 hours after drivingoff the lot the abs light flased and the brake light started blinking. the dealer i purchased it from took it to get checked and found the abs control module had gone out. this part alone costs over $1200.00 to repair. there are many vw sites out where i have found hundreds of complaints that the abs module had gone out. this part is not covered under warrenty. i beieve this problem should be investigated due to the fact that should this go out while driving it can cause a serious accident.*ak

Abs module 8e0614111b failed on 1999 passat under normal driving conditions. warning lights are intermittent meaning the function of the abs system is intermittent.*ak

The control arms on my 1999 passat are wearing out and making a loud noise. i did research and saw that this is a serious hazard and that several other people have had this same problem. this issue should be taken care of by vw since it places people in danger. *jb

I've had a clunking sound in the front suspension whenever i hit a bump. it has gotten progressively worse for the last several months. the dealer tells me it is the front upper control arms and ball joints and that there is a tsb on such. this is a common well known problem with this model and poses a safety issue.*ak

Control arm made a clucking sound when the vehicle was driven at low speeds. dealership indicated that the noise occurred because the control arm was loose, and if this part failed, the ball joints could break will driving. the control arm on the front driver side was replaced, but the failure occurred on the front passenger's side. *ak

Purchased my 1999 vw passat 1.8t wagon in august, 2002. it had apprx. 53,000 miles on it. by september, 2003, there was a significant squeaking, creaking, groaning noise coming from the front end. at that time, car had approximately. 75k miles. diagnosis was front end suspension parts including control arms, ball joints, bushings were dangerously worn and in need of replacement. vw dealership provided me with a copy of technical service bulletin issued by volkswagen of america dated may 31, 2001. it calls for installation of parts in repair kit no 3bo498 798a. because of existence of the tech service bulletin for this problem, my extended warranty company (wynn's warranties) refuses to pay for repairs. repairs still needed to tune of $1100. front end is now so loose for safety reasons i will have to make repairs immediately at my own expense. *jb

Both control arms failed on 1999 passat glx @ 60000 miles on left and right side of the car. repair covered by vw extended warranty to the tune of $689 per side of the vehicle, but these control arms should not be failing! steering, control, and tire wear suffer serious impairment as a result of these failures.*ak

Bushing has dried out on lower control arm on one side resulting in frequent loud creeking / squeeking noises. when making appointment with dealer i asked if it was a safety problem and should i rush the car in. they said "no, it's probably just a dry bushing" and scheduled me for 10 days later. when i learned of the $1200 repair cost and the need to keep the car overnight, i had to reschedule the appointment. again, another 12 days wait (yet to come). if this is truely not a safety issue, then fine, but info on this site is to the contrary. besides, why do suppose they call them "control arms?" if they mal function could that mean loss of control? hmmm. 85k miles on this car, but in retrospect, the noise started a long time ago and the dealer attributed it to lack of steering fluid. the noise returned and came back. this car has a lot of highway miles. i'll bet the failure is time based rather than milage based. these rubber busing can only take so much exposure to the elements. vw - change the material for your bushings, right!!*ak

At about 68,000 miles the abs light and brake light came on, in my 1999 vw passat 1.8t. they have remained on, except for brief occassion. the warning signal goes off as well. lynch imports, daytona beach, was unable to access information through diagnoistic testing. i have no abs and they anticipate a high cost to even find the problem, ($78 per hour to manually go through systems) let alone repair it. i understand now that this is a common problem with volkswagen. *ak

Problems with front suspension arms on 1999 passat. *mr the right lower control arm was replaced under warranty at 23500 miles and the dealer suggested that there were earlier problems before the current owners. the suspension part were design defective. *sc *jb

On 6/10/2004, i had my vw passat repaired at mitchell volkswagen, canton, ct, for rough idle and check engine light. dealer found scan codes for cylinder #2 misfires and random/multiple misfires. dealer replaced icm ignition control module and cleared fault. then dealer attempted to set basic settings and a new problem was generated, throttle body would not adapt. i now have a continuous check engine light. dealer did not explain why they tried to set the basic settings for the replacement of the icm. it is my understanding that if the basic settings are not performed correctly a malfunction to the throttle valve control can occur. the dealer told me the this problem may be self correcting. if it does correct itself, i need to replace the throttle body for approx. $500.00. i have spent more than $539.00 to have my icm replaced and now have a new problem. now i am told "may require replacement of the throttle body to correct, will not cause vehicle to run rough, may cause surging at idle or slight hestitation on acceleration, part needs to be ordered. it may correct itself in 200 miles. the dealer said it's ok to drive the vehicle under these conditions (check engine light and hestitation and surging). i contacted vw customer service and they agree with the dealer. i think this is a manufucture's defect in design and you should not have to drive a vehicle with a check engine light with hestitation and possible surging, these are safety issues. the vw customer service would not give me someone else at vw to express my safety concerns.*ak

Timing belt on vehicle broke resulting in damage to the engine valves. *mr the newer editions of the passat have redesigned tension systems for the timing belt. *sc *jb

Control arm's of '1998-'2000 passats are failure prone much earlier then the norm for passaneger automobiles. (a fact they recognized by a redesign of the control arms on '2001 and up passat's. i purchased my car in 7/99. i drive 70 miles a day, mostly freeway, which as all know is actually very easy on an automobile. yet with-in 2 years (40k) my front suspension was showing signs of premature wear. i get many "creaks" and "clunks" that are easy to hear at low speeds. after researching in popular internet forums for the car,(www.clubb5.com , www.vwvortex.com) i found out this failure is very common for this automobile. vmoa (volkswagen of america) has not issued a recall yet (even though they have received thousands of complaints) as of this late date. (6/04) the response from vwoa and your dealer network has been inconsistent, to say the least. some dealers will not even look at the car, some will look at it and say nothing is wrong, and some will say that it is the control arms, but will not help out the owner when the time comes to contact the customer care center at vwoa . vwoa is not much more help, promising to get on the problem and telling you they will callback, only they don't. or if they do ,it is, 'sorry we cannot help you.'. so what happens is that many of the owners that are out of warranty, must pay for a costly repair out of pocket. a repair that should have never happened. (i have never had control arm bushing failure in my previous 13 automobiles!) repair costs run over $700 for parts, and the same amount in labor. i am purchasing my car from the bank soon. overall it is a great car. i must replace the control arms very soon. i dont look forward to that and the high cost it will run me. i wish for vmoa to treat its customers like a modern customer focused company. bad designs happen. they owe it to their customers to make it right. thank you. john e. tami. *ak

The abs control module on my car seems to have failed. apparently this is a common problem with both vw and audi. right now the brakes work but abs does not...so the wheels can lock up. once in a while, the abs light turns of and abs starts working, but for the most part it does not work. this has been going on for the last three months or so. again, this seems to be a common failure with vw and audi.*ak

Abs light turned on. *ak

In mid may, while driving down the highway in my 1999 passat gls (only 49k miles), the abs light came one, the brake light started flashing, and it started to beep. this problem then went away after several seconds. this problem then started to reccur with greater frequency, from one or two times a week, to now several times a day. during my recent 50k mile service, the dealer (sunnyvale vw) determined that this problem is due to a failed abs contol module. the cost to replace it is over $1700. as i cannot afford such a rediculous amount of money, i am now driving a car with a serious safety defect. researching this issue further i discovered that this problem affect 1998 - 2000 vw passats, as well as 1997 - 2000 audi a4 and s4 autos. searching this site for past complaints of this issue i found 50 complaints. more troubling, however, is that when i searched discussion forums of web sites dedicated to the b5 platform vw passat and audi a4 i found over 1500 (one thousand five hundred) posts about this issue. the consensus is that this issue is due to a defective abs control module manufatured by bosch. the defect is due to either poor engineering or manufacturing. i've already complained about this issue to volkswagen of america, and they refuse to resolve the issue by replacing the defective abs control module in my car. i will be sending a letter to the ceo of volkswagen of america to complain about this issue and demand that this important safety defect be remedied. my hope is that my complaint, in combination with the dozens of other formal complaints to the nhtsa, as well as the hundreds of posts about this issue will result in vw issuing a recall to replace these defective abs modules.*ak

While driving at any speed and when the vehicle was parked there was excessive smoke coming out of the right front wheel well. vehicle had been to the dealer four times for this particular problem. dealer claimed that the problem originated from oils from the engine. *ak

While driving at any speed the vehicle vibrated . the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic informed the driver that the tie rods needed to be replaced. please provide further details. *jb the consumer wants the dealer to fix the problems with the vehicle *tc

While driving 80 mph the vehicle's engine stalled without warning. . please provide additional information. *jb

(1.) no events indicating approaching failure. (2.) abs control module failed therefore i was unable to start my vehicle with the key, i had to pop start it. (3.) replaced control module.*ak

This vehicle experienced the same failure as described in tie rod recall 00v414000. however, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak

1- not known. 2- the vehicle's front plastic undercarriage engine cover broke without apparent warning. this led to exposure of part of the underside of the car while a large part of the cover dragged on the pavement while driving. *ak 3- scheduled for repair.

My car began to shake and the check engine light started flashing. i drove directly to the vw dealer service dept. i found that my power output stage has failed and tie rod ends are blown out on 1999 vw passat at 39,990 miles. not to mention that my pollen filter housing is leaking. *ak

Creaking and groaning noises were heard coming from the front of the vehicle (1999 passat station wagon with 43,000 miles) while slowing and turning at low speed. dealer confirmed loose sway bars/control arms and attempted to clean up, but noise persisted following service. at the next service the dealer replaced both lower control arms (conversion kit) and links. vw customer care (?) center refused to acknowledge any responsibility for a defective design or parts, claiming that this is normal wear and is beyond warranty coverage.

Vehicle has same problem with the tie rod as those included in the recall, however, the consumer's vehicle identification number was not included in the recall. *ak *sc *jb

Once the steering wheel was turned, a tapping/rattling sound could be heard. the noise was caused by the problem described in the tie rod recall 00v414000, but the vehicle identification number was not included in the recall. *jb

Abs/brake light comes on intermittently, requiring replacement of abs module

The consumer lifted up the hood to check the oil and the hood unexpectedly came down. no injuries reported. the consumer drove vehicle to dealer. *ak *sc *jb

The consumer heard a creaking noise coming from the front end. the mechanic informed the consumer. please provide more information. *jb the consumer stated that the vehicle became unstable at highway speeds. many other drivers of the same vehicle on the internet have experienced the same problems. *tc

Upper and lower ball joints making grinding noise dealer suggested replacing all upper and lower ball joints on left and right sides. *ak

Electrical problems from the start, melting of plastic, lights in the car working sporadically at best. oil, drain, oil pump, camshaft,all blamed on lack of verifiable oil changes. timing belt - let go on highway at 85000 miles (warranty for 1999 passat, 100,000 miles) blamed on oil changes. 82 days in shop steering goes during this time and i'm told i need an altenator [ 3rd one ] the story goes on and on......

At around 60,000 abs light comes on vehicle, which makes abs useless when light is on, it works otherwise. when light is on brakes lock-up. abs module costs $1010 + labor 405 = $1415 to fix this. spoke with dealer, they said they have seen many of abs control modules gone bad passats. this could be a big safety problem since it affects braking.*ak

I began to notice an occasional creaking/knocking noise coming from the front end of the car about six months ago . about a month ago the noise became bad enough for me to take it to the dealership to try and diagnose. i described the noise in great detail. service dept says they drove the car and didn't hear anything, but that the noise was probably due to my brake pads being worn down so far i had metal against metal. new brake pads and rotors: $1250. cha-ching.*ak next day driving to work i still hear the creaking/knocking noise. i take it back to the dealership, very irate. they say they'll drive it again and give it another listen. this time they do hear something and inform me that it's "just a loose control arm, " that it's "expensive to fix" and that "[they] don't even have the parts on hand." but the guy assures me that the noise is only an annoyance issue and not a safty concern. the noise is consant now and very, very bad. i was actually getting a toasty, smoky odor coming from the car when driving across town the other day.

The 1999 passat has had a number of problems from excessive oil consumption, electrical problems,water pump defects, front end assembly and transmission problems. (nar) *ph *cb

"99 vw passat vin [xxx] has loud creaking sounds from right-front suspension. tie rod ends were replace in earlier recall. ball joints are not worn. lube of control arm and other bushings does not solve problem. vibration corresponding to creaking can be felt in lower control arms. updated 07/30/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Suddenly abs light comes on on the instrument panel. also at the same time, the brake light starts flahing.*ak

The timing belt loosened, flapped up, and severed. when this occurred the vehicle lost power and stalled. the engine would not run and the vehicle did not accelerate. the vehicle displayed a rough idle and rattled. this was a common problem with these vehicles, per dealership. *ak the timing belt tensioner failed while the vehicle was in motion. the timing belt broke after the tensioner shredded it. the vehicle was shifted into park while in motion. the power brakes and the power steering failed. the vehicle was purchased with 52,515 miles and the failure had already occurred. less than 4k miles later. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc

The timing belt on my 1999 vw passat 1.8t broke, causing the timing belt to come off. as a result a considerable amount of damage was incurred to the engine.

Engine runs very rough periodically and will stall out, most recently in the middle of an intersection. dealer could find no computer codes or other problems that would account for condition.

I am concern with the front suspension of my car. i took in the car for an 80,000 mile volkswagen recommended check up. i explained to service technician that there is a noise in the frot suspension. that noise had been there since i got the car at around 65,000 miles. i explained to the technician that i had called volkswagen of america because through carfax i found out that there was an issue with the fron suspension of the 1999 volkswagen passan 1.8 turbo gls. volkswagen of america told me that they had not issued a recall yet. so i told the technician to check for me again to see if there was a recall issued to the fron suspension. he said no and he mentioned that to fix the suspension problem i will have to replace the suspension steering linkages and other components. he gave me an estimate for the fix at around $1200.00 dollars. 2 weekends ago i wento to a volkswagen swap meet and found out that a few other passat drivers were having the same issue with their suspensions. i have been a volkswagen driver for 17 years. i have never had any suspension problems of this kind with any of the volkswagen cars i owned. i truely belive vw has released cars with malfunctioning components and they want the consumer to pay for an expensive repair. i appreciate you guys taking the time to read my eamil and looking in to this matter for the safety of vw drivers and pedestrians a like.*ak

The "abs" and "brake" light flash intermittently. according to metropolitan volkswagen in jersey city, nj the brakes work, but a sensor in the abs control module has failed, the quoted cost is $1500 for the module + labor to install it! apparently this is a common problem in 1998 and 1999 vw passat.*ak

While driving 55 mph ignition coil pack failed. as a result, engine became inoperative. *ak

Cruise control slowly fades out (occasionally) without warning, except the sight ofan enormous truck grill in my rear-view mirror. none of the local vw dealers could fix it, nor would they replace it. vw zone manager told me to forget it. car is 1999 passat wagon, 4-cyl. is this common?

Tie rod ends wore out prematurely due to faulty lubricant boots resulting in erratic control of the vehicle. models similar to mine were recalled by vw, but not mine. my mechanic says the parts are identical. *nm

Timing belt failure caused a catastrophic engine failure. no warning is described in owners manual or maintenance schedule. engine failed at 91000 miles during highway driving, required some immediate action to avoid an accident.*ak

My vw passaat developed excessive play and noise in steering and front suspension. car would wander on road and would not track straight on a highway. this was a safety issue. my local vw dealer said to bring car in immediately. dealer said 4 control arms had failed and needed replacement at cost of $1400. car had been maintained well and driven gently previously. defective control arms on this vehicle are a safety issue.

While turning a corner, the front drivers side wheel separated from the vehicle. also while driving 20 mph the vehicle stalled without warning. the dealer claims that a bolt sheared off into the transmission. the dealer refused to repair any of the problems associated with this vehicle. *nm

Abs brake failure. *jb

Timing chain tensioner seals leaking and vw will not honor their replacements under the powertrain warranty.*ak

Grinding sound while turning steering wheel. was told that boots on tie rod ends were perforated allowing water and dirt to damage tie rod ends. altho volkswagen has issued a recall they refuse to make the free repair. recall # recallul. sep 99. tie rod end replacement. nhtsa recall # 0014/vwoa.recall # ul/kw. did not recieve any recall notice on this item! found on internet.*ak

The vehicle is a 1999 volkwagen passat. i took it in for regular maintenance at 48,000 miles and for my state safety inspection. since i had just begun hearing noises in the front of the car, i asked that it be looked into. the dealer informed me that the car, albeit in excellent condition and routinely maintained, would not pass state inspection due to a serious problem with the control arms. if the problem was not corrected the car could lose control and crash. the dealer informed me that a recall had been issued (recall ul) for this exact problem on the same make and model and year of car. but, that for no explainable reason my vin was not covered under the recall. i immediately contacted vw and they concurred but couldn't do anything about it. this is not only unethical, but vw is allowing people to drive around with cars that they know have a serious defect. not only didn't vw cover all the applicable vins in their recall, but they did not inform their consumers ofthe potential problem. according to the dealer, this problem, if left uncorrected, could cause serious harm if the control arms failed at high speed. vw will not recognize this problem. it should be noted once again, that this defect in the control arms occured at only 48,000 miles. not only did i have to pay $1200 for a serious, and acknowledged, design defect, but the repair parts that were installed are exactly the same as the poorly designed ones. this problem will happen again. the only question is when. the government should look into this before someone gets seriously hurt or even killed. vw refuses to stand by their product. the dealer has indicated that this is such a common problem that they stock the front end repair kit. if it is so common why aren't all the applicable vins covered?

The control arms on the front driver's side failed and the car collapsed to the ground on the driver's side. the repairs are costly. the dealership and volkswagen are not receptive to paying the repairs or a discount. *jb

Ignition coils fail on my 1999 passat v6 2.8l ...vw consumer office claims that only 2001 and 2002 vehicles were part of a recall campaign...but thousands of other vw's outside of these years are experiencing the same problem...problem: power failure while driving on the road...i reported to vw and had them note it in my case file for my vehicle...complaint is that vw should cover the charge of ignition coil replacement for cars experiencing these type of power failures. *ak

While driving at 55 mph vehicle accelerated to 80 mph. *ak when the consumer applied the brakes, one foot was lifted from the brakes and the vehicle accelerated back to 80 mph. the vehicle did not cease to accelerate until placed into neutral,turned off, and had to stand on the brakes in order to stop the vehicle. *sc

While braking engine light came on . vehicle jerked forward before stopping. dealership replaced the oil pump and other engine components, but the problem still occurs. *ak

My abs module failed on my 1999 vw passat. *cb

During a scheduled maintenance check, an independent mechanic determined that the tie rods were loose and must be replaced. *nm a recall was issued for some 1999 and 2000 models, however the consumer was informed that his vehicle was not included. *nm

Driver's seat bolt failed, causing the driver to fall backwards. *ak the bolt snapped while the consumer was driving causing the seat to slid back and forth with acceleration. any sudden impact would've sent her into the steering wheel or the children's backseat. the bolt is metal. vw repaired it at no cost and provided no paperwork. *ph

Vehicle caught on fire while parked in the driveway. the fire department indicated that the fire started on the right side of the engine. the fire may have been caused by the battery. the vehicle was totaled. *nlm

For 2 years now, on cold days (temps in the teens) there have been occasions (about 5) where the accelerator sticks in the accelerating position. adjusting the pedal position has no effect on slowing the car down. in fact, there were times when the only way to stop the car was to shut the engine off. this actually causes loss of power brakes and steering and makes it more difficult to maintain control. after waiting on the side of the road for about 5 to 10 minutes, you can start the car and everything is back to normal. this is a very dangerous and perhaps a life threatening condition. the car has a 2.8 liter v6 with an automatic transmission. i have a friend who had an audi a6 quatro (1999) with the same 2.8 v6 and had the same issue. after spending several hundred dollars trying to get it resolved with no luck, he sold the car. this doesn't solve the problem, but it may keep his family alive. *nlm

Vehicle inspection by independent mechanic indicated that both front tie rods need to be replaced. there is a recall campagin but vw dealership indicated that my vehicle was not covered under

The abs module on my 1999 vw passat has gone bad. i have read other posts about such failures. it went out when my car had about 105 k miles. though that is a lot of miles, i don't see why a lot of high way driving would cause the abs module to fail. it's also a very costly fix. 1200 for the part and then another 200 for labor. that's 1500. my car is less than 5 years old.*ak

Usb control module sensor malfunctions, causing the "abs" and "brake" light to flash intermittently. according to my service center, the brakes still work fine, but a sensor in the control module has a problem, the cost to fix is over $1500 including labor, though there is no actual problem with the brakes, they function perfectly. this is a common problem in 1998 and 1999 volkswagen passats-you can read about some of the occurences here-http://www.clubb5.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=60526

My abs control module is not working which causes my anti lock brakes not to work. i am aware of this issue happening on variuos other vw passats and i wanted to make nhtsa aware of the situation.

The abs / brake light keeps coming on my dashboard. i took it to service to rod east volkswagen (vw) and after charging me $75 they said there's nothing wrong with your car. the light is on everyday. *la

The vehicle experienced the same defect with its tie rods as stated in recalls 99v248000 and 00v414000, but the vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak *cb *jb

I sensed a rocking motion in the driver's seat, especially when applying the brakes. i reported the problem to the dealership. they determined the seat frame had broken at the point of a spot weld. they replaced the frame at a total cost of $480.79. the repair resolved the problem. *la

Spark plug ignition module failure. car suddenly lost power and caused a potentially dangerous situation for my wife and children. *la

The catalytic converter failed on my wife?s passat. the car is 4 yrs old and has less than 85000 miles on it . the estimated repair from bill barry vw. to fix it is around 1600 dollars. i was told that when i purchased the car new that the exhaust systems never fail because they are made of stainless steel. before that around 68000 miles the car began to run on 3 cylinders. they had to replace a control module that cost me $612.00 none of this was covered under any of my warranty. even though i am supposed to have a 10 yr. or 100000 miles. this will be our last volkswwagen. if i were told that the exhaust system was worth so much money up front, we would never have bought this car. *la

1999 vw.passat exhaust cataylitic converter failure and engine skipping problem. *la

Abs control module failure. my abs control module failed causing the light to come on along with an audible alarm. i have communicated with many individuals with the same problem. the local dealerships recommended replacing not only the abs control module but the instrument cluster as well. the control module costs approximately $1200 installed and the instrument cluster was about $500 installed. when approached about the many people having the same problem the dealerships as well as the vw service center claimed they knew nothing of the problem. there are some people who are being reimbursed by the vw/audi service center for their repairs as if there is a silent recall but i was not given this option. i was forced to replace the module myself which solved the problem. at no time did anyone attempt to stand behind their product. this is a very expensive component that has a very inexpensive sub-component that is failing. the customer is left holding the bag. *la

The vehicle was on recall for the protective shield in the right rear wheel housing . the dealership would not honor the recall. *nlm *scc the dealer told the consumer they only get a few parts in the office a time. *jb

Faulty abs control module made abs sytem inoperative. *ak

Abs unit failed from defect. i feel that this is a known defect in a manufactured part and vw america refuses to replace defective unit. *la

At just under 60k miles the clutch on my 1999 volkswagon gls v6 passat blew. there was no sign of the impending difficulty. this car was towed to the volkswagon dealer where purchased. on the high end the cost of the repair has been estimated at $2,200.00 as the blown clutch may have also caused damage to the flywheel wich is a $750.00 plus part. the volkswagon dealer will offer a 20% discount on the repair as this vehicle was just purchased in 2/03 with less than 52k miles. volkswagon of america will offer no assistance whatsoever as the clutch is deemed a wear-and- tear item.

Air bag warning light stayed illuminated while driving. this was caused by a bad sensor that rendered the air bags inoperative. *ak

The consumer received a recall regarding the tie rod ends (recall #99v248000) the vehicle was looked at a 53,000, however the dealer informed the consumer there was no problem. at 60,000 miles the mechanic stated the tie rods were so worn that he considered the vehicle unsafe to drive, even though there was a recall, the manufacturer refused to honor the recall. *jb *nlm

Windshield wiper assembly on drivers' side broke and popped out of body. upon further investigation it was determined that the control linkage from the motor broke and pushed the base of the windshield wiper out. the wiper blade is two to three inches off the window. the passenger side wiper is also not functioning. *ak

The vehicle experienced the same symptoms as recall 01v157000 related to the fuel gauge. the fuel gauge would indicate that there was more fuel than what was actually in the tank which caused the vehicle to stall. fuel sending unit had to be replaced. this vehicle was not covered under the recall due to the age and mileage on the vehicle. *ak *nlm *jb

Numerous problems with 1999 volkswagen passat. when taken to the service dealer, the consumer claimed the car had problems with oil and coolant leaks. the problem was suppose to be fixed, however the dealer never gave the consumer a invoice because the work was never completed. while traveling, the oil light came on again. the consumer was unable to use the vehicle. also the loss of fair market value. consumer spent over a $1000.00 in repairs. *mr *cb. the air condition did cool the vehicle properly, and there was also a valve cover leak, and a power steering fluid leak, the dealer stated the power steering hose was bad, the glove box failed to open, the driver side vanity mirror was broke and the head light bulb was replaced. *jb

Timing belt tensioner on my 1999 vw passat 1.8t (vin # [xxx]) failed at 76,623 miles causing timing belt to slip off, thus causing major engine valve damage. i was close to home and was able to return home and call a tow truck, but had i been further away from home i'm not sure what would have happened. vw advises owners to have timing belts checked at 40,000 and 80,000 miles and to have them replaced at 106,000. because the timing belt tensioner fails early i believe this part should be recalled or at the very least that vw should advise owners to replace the timing belt tensioner at 60,000--70,000 miles in order to avoid severe engine damage.*ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Power door locks (passenger side) - locks operated but doors would not open from inside or outside.*ak

A loud noise was heard while driving the vehicle. the dealer determined the front upper and lower ball joints were cracked on the right side and leaking oil. please provide details.

The dealership was unable to perform the recall for the filler neck recall 02 v 026 000 within a reasonable time frame. they were making appointments a month to 6 weeks in advance.*ak *nlm

Front control arms. *ak

The vehicle experienced a constant groaning and squeaking in the front end suspension when driving at low speeds. the dealer said the lower control arm needed to be replaced. the dealer indicated that this was not a safety problem. *ak *nlm

Consumer had the same problem as described in the recall below , however this vehicle was not recalled due to the vin. nhtsa: recall 00-v-414-000: vehicle description: passenger vehicles. the tie rods of the steering assembly are protected on each side by a seal to prevent moisture and dust particles from entering the swivel bearing mechanism. it is possible that some tie rod seals may not seal properly. *ak *nlm

Outer and inner tie rod failure (left and right). *ak

Oil leaking from valve cover seals, cylinder head and cam cover seals.*ak

Upper and lower front suspension control arm bushing failure. (left and right). *ak

Lower control arm failure. vehicle purchased from vw as certified like new with warranty to second owner. vehicle had approx 30000 miles at purchase. now has 67k miles. appears to fit pattern relative to defective - should be recalled issue in which these parts fail every 30k miles. as noted on other incidents, no other vehicle exhibits this type of failure making this unique to vw and audi. therefore more indicitave of factory defect and creation of hazardous driving situation. *ak

Recall letter for replacement of tie rods on 1999 volkswagen passat. *mr the front end of the vehicle squeaked. the technician found lower and upper control arm damage, the control arm boots were torn open with no lubrication which caused the squeak noise. there was also a cam shaft tensioner gasket leak which was removed and replaced. *scc. the consumer took the vehicle to have the rods replaced after receiving the recall, however, the dealer called the consumer back and informed him, the vehicle had been inspected and it was not necessary for the work to be done, even though the recall letter stated it they would be replaced to prevent future problems. *jb

I have a 1999 passat wagon (@ 84,000 mile) and have had a buring oil smell for the past 18 months (it started @ 60,00 mile). it has been to a few dealers numerous times and all they ever to is replace gaskets. they have also replaced turbo charger, mas air flow, and every possible gasket.*ak we have even had the vw rep into help solve the problem. they worked on it - said they found other gaskets - but it still burns. it is worse when it sits idle and does not happen wheh the ac is on. i just got it back from the delaer two days ago and the smell is still there - of course on their invoice they claim the smell is gone. they are such liars and all the serivce people know how to do is replace parts. i have decided to access the lemon law.

The consumer was concerned about a recall which was found on the same type of vehicle he owns concerning the fuel system filler neck. *mr ph *jb

Engine experienced sudden breakdown. dealer said that sludge buildup (due to suspected but not verified poor maintenance) was cause. independent mechanics verify that there was no sludge buildup, but lack of oil, probably from failed oil pump. owners can confirm maintenance exceeding recommended standarads for the 18 months/30k miles prior to engine breakdown. vwoa refuses to take responsibility and alleges that engine problems could have started prior to the above-mentioned maintenance period.*ak

Directional head lamp fell off intermittently. dealer notified. *ak

Car only has only 31,000 miles yet radiator was leaking causing temp. light to come on. no visible exterior damage to radiator. cost to replace was over $700.00. vw of america refuses to help pay, even though radiator was defective. worse yet consumer helpline refused to let me speak with a supervisor or give me number for corporate office. *jb

Started to feel and hear a thumping, and creaking from my suspension. took vehicle to a vw dealer and they said that i needed to have both upper control arms replaced on the left front of my passat. i called vwoa and they said that they were not going to help pay for it b/c it is considered a wear item. a 99 passat w/ less than 50k miles! and they consider that wear?!? from what i have researched, i am far from the only person that this is happening to. now i have to dish out $500 easy to get it fixed. buy another vw? not on your life. vw has been hearing the complaints about this situation for years now and still will not help. i would hate to see something tragic to someone just for them to fess up. *nlm

Consumer moved the driver's seat to its fully forward position in order to retrieve a dropped item. the seat became stuck in that position and could not be moved. *ak this was an unsafe position for the seat to be in according to the owners manual, as it allowed the possibility of injury if the air bag deployed. *scc *jb

While driving at 65mph suddenly vehicle start shaking/ lost power, never went over 40mph. *ak

Control arms and ball joints need to be replaced with only 43000 miles on the vehicle. volkswagen went by recommendation of dealer not to help with the cost of repair. *ak

While driving the head gasket blew and caused oil to leak. *nlm

I had shut off my car and when i went to turn it back on i had no lights, turn signals, dome light, horn, climat control or radio. i took it to the dealer they told me it happens on beetles and golfs all the time and that it was the ignision switch. they showed me the switch when they pulled it out. it had gotten so hot it melted right through the wires. there is no safety recall on this but if it gets hot enough to melt metal it could start the car on fire.

Water accumulated in the brake power booster. the consumer removed about 5 cups of water. the dealer was notified. *nlm

While driving, the right headlight lens fell off. *jb

Approximately two years ago, our 1999 volkswagen passat developed a distinct creak. the creak has become very pronounced. our dealer has advised us that it is a defect in the car's control arm, and that the defect is prevalent in 1999 passats. the dealer stated that the defect can lead to a loss of steering capacity. this will cost us approximately $1,000 to fix. *nlm

The consumer received a recall notice (recall # 00v-414000) which advised him to seek repair for a faulty tie rod seals. the vehicle was dropped off at the dealer and they called the consumer when the repairs were complete. when the consumer returned to the dealer he was notified that his vehicle did not require the specific recall repair. about a year later the vehicle began experiencing front end problems. the consumer believed these problem were related tot he recall issued the previous year. *mr *cb *nlm

While driving, the engine light illuminated. the problem was due to a faulty ignition coil. *ak *tt *jb

When maintenance was being performed on the vehicle, the air bags deployed. *jb *tt

1999 vw passat requires replacement of front suspension control arms at 64.8k miles. symptoms reported initially at 3 years/49k miles. appears to be related to service bulletin 400101. problem well known among passat/audi owners. dealer asking $1200 for repair. vwoa declines to help, stating that suspension is "2 year 24k mile component". mileage, existence of service bulletin, and widespread experience with this problem suggest that this is a defective component and should be at least partially covered by vwoa. *nlm

Temperature gauge does not move from "0". *nlm

Front control arm failure. *jb

1999 vw passat. front suspension problems. refer to tsb 4001-01. i brought my 1999 passat to the dealer regarding a noisy front suspension problem and informed them of a tsb on the vehicle. i was informed that vw provides a repair kit for this problem that requires the replacement of the lower control arm assembly. which includes the defective ball joints (both sides). the dealer informed me that vw will not cover the repair and that the cost to me would be $875.00. spoke with vw representatives on april 2 and was given a decision on 4/9 that they would not assist with the cost in any way since "this could also be caused by normal wear and tear". this assertion, in my opinion is bogus since a. vw knows there is a problem, hence the tsb. provide a "kit" to repair the defect. the case number is 30164333. suspensions should not be falling apart on a 3 year old vehicle with 50,000 miles on it. and the cost ($875) is quite excessive. the noise started showing up in early january of 2003. *nlm

Driver's side lower control arm (front suspension) bushing/link has worn out at only 62k miles, a common problem on vw passat and audi a4 w/quadralink front suspension, unheard of on other vehicles. this is a potential safety issue. there ought to be a recall. this car has 8 control arms in total. the premature failure of these parts is by now well known, quite expensive, and potentially hazardous, not to mention inconvenient to vw customers. vw has done very little to address this potential safety issue. the only recourse is to pay exorbitant sums, repeatedly, over time to replace the defective parts with equally defective parts which also fail prematurely; there is no permanent solution to this problem. there needs to be a recall or at the very least vw should be fixing these cars for free each time, no questions asked.

Power window motor (right side passenger) failed.*jb

I was heading home and barely on the turnpike, when i heard a big bang and i could not shift gears anymore. i had some trouble to get my car through the traffic from the high-speed left lane to a safe spot and called the towing service. i was about 140 miles away from home and the cost, after the roadside insurance paid its part, was $400. as it turns out, the pressure plate of the clutch broke into 3 pieces. i was very lucky, and so were the drivers around me, that the problem happened at low speed since the broken pieces could have easily turned into missiles, not to mention the inability to control the car in heavy traffic. although the car is out of warranty, since the mileage is still very low, i believe that the defect is so unusual and the potential effects of such a failure are so dangerous that manufacturer does bear a continued responsibility. on 2/18/03 i informed the manufacturer that i expected them to confirm reimbursing me fully for the $400 towing cost and to bear at least half of the cost of $912 for replacing the clutch, $456. i also offered to send copies of the receipts. the broken parts can also be inspected if you whish at my residence or at a conveniently located place of your choice. since i did not hear from the manufacturer since they acknowledged on 2/19/03 receipt of my email and promised action within 48 hrs., they do not seem to be taking responsibility. therefore, i will have to conclude that this problem, rather than being a freak exception, is rather a frequent occurrence and therefore i feel that it is my obligation to go public with the case, so that as many consumers as possible can be protected from a similar dangerous event while driving a volkswagen.*jb

I am experiencing a creaking sound coming from the lower control arm bushings on both sides of the vehicle. from the nhtsa site, i have now learned that failed lower control arms and bushings are a common problem in the passat. the vehicle was just purchased "certified" used from vw four months ago with 34,000 miles. i returned the car to the dealer, who said that the lower control arm bushings were "just dry from road salt", and proceeded to hose the bushings down with an aerosol can of lubricant. he said that if this did not eliminate the noise (it didn't) then i might wish to return in a week or so for them to investigate further. it is obvious from the other complaints i have read what the problem is. if this vehicle's lower control arms fail as frequently as other owners on this site have indicated, with the only warning being a dull creaking noise, it is conceivable that most ordinary drivers would never have the problem investigated. those that do would find that the repair is extensive and expensive. it is likely that some of these may choose to delay or neglect the situation. both scenarios pose a unique and serious safety threat to the operators and occupants of the vw passat. there are tens of thousands of these vehicles on the road, and all apparently share in what is an obvious design flaw that creeps up every 25 to 40 thousand miles in spite of very expensive replacement. failure of a lower control arm could easily cause a crash. vw should do the right thing by acknowledging this engineering failure and voluntarily recall these vehicles immediately for the safety and well being of its customers. *nlm

The car is on it's second transmission with only 47000 miles, and having problems with it. doesn't want to shift into higher gear and clunks sometimes. headlights did not work for first 4 months we owned the car. dealer could not find the problem. sunroof opens and closes by itself. dealerships have not found the problem. map light has started to do the same. indicator lights go on and off. dealer says he has never heard of a problem with the wiring on these cars and that it is safe to drive. *nlm

There was a loud noise coming from the engine.*jb

A plastic shield which was mounted under the engine became partially loose while accelerating. *dt *jb

The vehicle was involved in a collision, and the driver's seat belt tensioner failed, which caused the seat belt not to lock, consumer suffered injuries.*jb

I have a 1999 vw passat, 1.8l turbocharged, manual transmission. there are 40,500 miles on the clock. one of the 4 ignition coils just failed. this is costing me about $550. i know there are acknowledged problems with the coils on later models, which vw is 'recalling', but wanted to register my problem for the record. also this problem occurred immediately after the 40,000 mile service and state inspection, which i find 'ironic'?

The vehicle stalled on several occasions.*jb

Lower control arms did not "fail" but were significantly worn at 21000 miles and they required replacement`. vw covered 100% of replacement cost. *****dims 11 ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over*****757901. *ak *jb

I had smelled hot electrical components for about a week pryor to loosing my lights, horn, turn signals, tail lights, heater fan, and wipers. it ended up being the ignsion switch once repaced the surge of electricity caused a short under my dash.

Creaking noise eminating from passenger side lower control arm bushing over low speed bumps. can be reproduced by manually compressing front suspension while vehicle is parked. dealer says vw doesn't consider failure of front control arm bushings to be a safety issue.

Failure of coil pack within epa emissions warranty period not covered by vehicle manufacturer. at 3.5 years/78402 miles after purchase, one of the 4 coil packs on my 1999 vw passat failed, leaving the vehicle running on 3 cylinders to transport me to the dealer for replacement. the cost was $174.25, but fortunately there was a replacement coil in stock, so the vehicle was unavailable but for 1 day. i have received notification that vw is paying for the replacement of this part on 2001 and 2002 passats, but why not my 1999?

While driving the vehicle on september 2002 suddenly intermittently engine light and heavy vibration force to pull off the road. due to a faulty engine coil pack. dealer change the faulty coil pack. dealer refuse to change the other three coil. please provide further information. ts

Consumer states while driving the vehicle at any speed the check engine light would come on then engine would fail. dealer notified. ts

Coilpack failure in volkswagen 2.8 liter v6 and 1.8 liter inline four cylinder engines

While driving at 25mph, the vehicle experienced total brake loss. causing a fire to the front and rear wheel. dealer has been notified and will cost $2,8000 to replace the abs. please provide further information.*jb

I purchased a 1999 volkswagan passat in april of 2002 with 49,000 miles on it the timing belt broke on it at 58,000 miles in september of that same year. as per volkswagon, the belt is not due to be changed until 105,000 miles. it ruined the top end of my engine, cost to repair is 3,000-4,000 dollars. volkswagan will not pay for any of the cost, i find this to be unfair that i should get only 6 months use out of a car that i still owe 17,000 dollars on.

Creaking/squeaking noise from front-right (passenger) side of front control arms. dealer indicated need of replacing control arms for wear. vehicle manufactured in 99 with 92414 miles, mostly highway miles, does not give a reason for these to fail as most cars have control arms to last a lifetime of a vehicle hence failing at the car's current condition should not be acceptable.

Consumer stated that the timing belt broke, causing the engine to freeze up. ts

Consumer states that while driving and no warning the windshield wiper will work intermittently and it will be hard for the consumer to see during rainy weather. dealer notified ts

Tire shreaded, 5 to 15 minutes after pulling over, tires caught on fire and did 3700 dolars worth of damage.

The manufacturer's recommended tire pressure is not posted in the owner's manual or on the vehicle, as required by fmvss 110.

While traveling on the highway and without prior warning, acid start leaking from the battery. dealership is aware of the problem. *ak the invoice stated that the battery was leaking acid down on to the power steering rack causing the boot to split, throwing fluid out of the rack. also the dip stick plastic was broken. *scc

Consumer had to replace brakes every 6000 miles, and she thought this was a problem because for the same reason volkswagen issued recall 99v131001. but was told that this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak

Vehicle has been runniing, it forces antifreeze down wiring harness, and shorts out computer that controls transmission. vehicle will start to shake and stall out. please provide any further information.*ak

Consumer states that while driving and no warning the rear compartment caught on fire causing the consumer to pull over. dealer notified. nlm

While driving there's a squeaking and popping noise coming from under side of vehicle when going over bumps in road. took vehicle to mechanic, and they replaced three control arms. a short time later popping started again, and consumer needed a fourth control arm. consumer contacted dealer, and they stated vehicle was not under any recall. currently, all eight control arms have been replaced.*ak

While driving on highway at 65 mph gear will automaticly go into neutral and suddenly will switch back into a lower gear. vehicle has been taken trhee diferent times to dealer, but problem still there.*ak

Suspension system causes knocks in steering column. this affects consumers ability to properly control vehicle. consumer had tire rods changed, and problem still exists. *ak *yh

Right lower control arm sheared off wheel attachment, resulting in loss of control and crash.*ak

While driving a grinding sound would come from front wheels whenever vehicle ran over a slight bumps or potholes. dealer and manufacturer were not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further information concerning this matter.*ak

Rack and pinion steering system problems. *ak

Ongoing problem with engine stalling while driving at any speed and at any time. vehicle been to the dealer on five occasions, and problem still reoccurring. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Vehicle stalled on two occasions while driving, vehicle been at dealer on two occasions, and problem has reoccurred. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Consumer states windshield wipers fail to work when it is raining, dealer stated the problem was with the wiper motor, the wiper motor was replaced. *slc

Air bag indication light stays illuminated whiile driving. dealer has been notified. please provide further information.*ak

Vehicle stalls intermittently at speeds of 25-65 mph. vehicle taken to dealer 10-15 times, cannot find a cause. *ak the mirror switch is inoperative due to window switch failure. the driver seat warmer was inoperative. engine has a burning smell due to oil leak. vehicle made noise in front end on left turns due to a stabilizer bar clamp being loose. front brakes make noise. steering makes noise and locked while driving. steering column sliding cover cracked. *yh

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that she was unable to change gears. the contact also stated that the failure occurred once prior, and both occurrences took place during rainy weather. the first time the failure occurred, the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer, who stated that the transmission control module needed to be replaced due to water damage. two years later, the transmission control module failed again after a storm. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 59,859 and the current mileage was 81,000.

1.) normal usage 2.) failure of latch that secures the rear, fold down passenger seat in an upright position. possible consequences include personal injury due to object in cargo area impacting the seat during deceleration causing seat latch to fail and the seat to collapse into seated passenger. particularly vulnerable in wagon models where larger cargo items can be stored. 3.) we had seat latch release mechanism replaced. (failed part is not available). *tr

Winter 2008-2009 had several times when car would accelerate on it's own. brakes did not help. only way to stop is to apply brakes with both feet and slow down enough to pull over and put in neutral, which makes tac go over 7000 rpm's. had throttle body cleaned and reset in spring of 2009 but problem recurred again this year. on monday, feb. 8, 2010 temperature was in low teens. warmed car for approx. 7 min. drove slowly due to bad road conditions and at approx. 3 miles into drive car started accelerating again on its own and no place to pull off. had to stop in extremely dangerous position and pray i wasn't hit before i could safely start car again. finally able to restart engine after approx. 5 min. without revving problem but approx. 2 miles later car again accelerated on it's own. took to dealer and they did a general diagnosis which showed nothing. this is an extremely dangerous situation and makes me extremely nervous to drive my car. vw of america states that my car was not in any recall and they are unaware of any problem with my car and could not divulge if they received any other complaints. *tr

Was driving vehicle in left lane on the highway. at 65 mph, engine light began blinking and engine power dropped out. engine stalled completely - i had to pull over through traffic lanes to come to a stop in the breakdown lane of the highway without the aid of power steering or power brakes, both of which were disabled once the engine cut out. engine would not restart - after 30 minutes and several attempts, got engine to start and idle was extremely rough - drove car down the street and brought it to the dealer for diagnosis and repair. problem was determined to be a failure of the ignition control module (bosch part number 4d0 905 351). replacement of this part restored the engine to normal function. this is the second time i have replaced this exact same part. this part had been replaced approximately 24 month earlier.*ak

Failure of abs module on 1999 volkswagen passat. my abs light started blinking at around 60,000 miles. the dealer diagnosed the problem as a failed abs module. the cost to fix the problem was estimated to be $1,500. for the part alone!!! the dealer said that they fail all the time and that many people do not fix them. i did not want to make a further investment in the car so i let it go. the car was subsequently inspected by the dealer in state inspection and passed. now, a couple of years later, i am told that they will not pass cars with abs lights. i am aware of websites (myvwlemon; bentley; and passatworld forum) that chronicle many issues with the abs module on passats. it seems to be common knowledge that the abs module manufactured by bosch is defective and a cottage industry has arisen of manufacturers of these parts. some even rebuild them as the defect is known. *nm

While driving 5-10 mph noticed smoke coming from under the hood. pulled over and saw burning liquid coming from under vehicle on driver's side. vehicle was towed to dealer. please add further information. *ak

While travling noticed hot steam coming from engine. consumer pulled vehicle over to the shoulders and noticed cooling system hose was cut by engine cover when vibrating. please provide further information.*ak

While traveling noticed hot steam coming from engine. consumer pulled over, opened hood, and noticed cooling hose was cut by engine cover from vibration. please provide further information.*ak

Airbag light is on, dealer has replaced airbag sensor 5 times. did not remedy problem. volkswagen rep had dealer rewire entire vehicle. airbag light is on again at this time. please add further comments. *ak

Consumer was traveling 5-10-mph, just moving out into traffic and clutch went out. there was no warning at all. dealer determined that clutch was bad, but will not cover it. *ak *jb

Consumer had a flat tire while driving 70 mph. , either tire or road hazard damaged fuel tank, and caused it to crack. fuel tank was made of plastic. *jb

While driving 60 mph vehicle accelerated to 85 mph. consumer applied brakes. it took 1-2 miles for vehicle to slow down, and engine to stop revving. vehicle still at dealer. *ak

Consumer was driving a 25 mph in rainy conditions when another vehicle going opposite direction lost control of vehicle/ fishtailed, hitting consumer's vehicle on driver's side twice. dual frontal and side air bags failed to deploy, causing injuries. please provide further information.*ak

When coming down a hill or stopping hard sounds like front of car is going to collapse.*ak

While driving at slow speed consumer heard a knocking sound from front. dealer found links that hold swaybar in place had worn out. *ak

Consumer has multiple problems with vehicle. received recall 00v414000 for tie rods. vehicle would shake and make noises at times. also, supension was squeaking enough to take vehicle to dealer. lower and upper control arms and tie rods had to be replaced. consumer had a foreign automobile shop to verify problem. it was unbelievable that a 2 year old vehicle would have this problem. consumer was responsible for $1400.00 to repair it. dealer has no explanation why it was like this.*ak

Vehicle had a recall on bearings wich would cause alignment problems. also,would cause tire problems. has not contacted dealer yet. *ak

While making a 180% turn left vehicle suddenly dropped. consumer got out, and wheel was completely off due to transaxle breaking. contacted manufacturer, and manufacturer tried to tell consumer that it was her fault. consumer had purchased an extended warranty, and manufacturer did not want to use warranty. *ak

Brakes were sqeaking. dealer found rotors needed to be replaced. *ak

Vehicle was making a funny noise, and consumer took vehicle to dealer. they said that upper and lower ball joints would need replacing. consumer felt ball joints were wearing out too fast and feared that a wheel may fall off as a result of control arm.*ak

Steering wheel has a lot of play inside of vehicle, and ball joints are making lound and poppy noises.*ak

While driving the vehicle suddenly accelerated which may have caused a crash. driver had to place vehicle in neutral in order to stop. dealer could not determine cause. common problem. please provide further information. *ak

Seals in front tie rod ends are broken on both sides. dust can get in and affect steering of vehicle.this is the same problem as recall # 99v248000 for tie rods.*ak

Premature wear of tie rod: inner. a recall has been issued on vehicle's make and model; however, this vehicle was not included due to vin. dealer will repair vehicle at owner's expense. manufacturer has been notified. *ak manufacturer agreed to pay for repairs, also the recall has been updated and has now included consumer's vehicle vin number. *yh

Ea-00-028 when driving, right rear tire blewout puncturing gas tank, causing a fuel leakage, consumer went to a repair shop for estimate which she couldn't afford, so her husband pathced tank which did not fix the leak. *slc

Recall 99v248000/tie rods: vehicle experiencing a torn seal on right tie rod due to defective parts. dealer notified, and informed consumer that vehicle was not covered under recall. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Ongoing problem with brakes squealing when applying brakes. vehicle been in dealer shop on four occasions. repairs were made on the disc brake system, and problem stilloccurring. please feel free to provide any further details. *ak

Speedometer and tacometer will periodically not light up. they start to flicker and go out. speedometer and tacometer will not light up until engine is turned off and restarted. dealer has not provided a remedy, and has advised consumer that a remedy will not be issued until matter was constant.*ak

When backing out of driveway or when making a left or right hand turn vehicle deaccelerated and cut off without prior warning. consumer has contacted dealer, dealer has yet to replace parts. please provide any further details.*ak

While driving about any speed then parking, turning off engine, and then trying to start the engine, it won't restart. *ak with spark plugs and thermostat installed at factoury, the vehicle runs at 165 degree. when new spark plugs and thermostat were installed, the vehicle run at 190 degree. the owner says these items have been on recall. *yh

Oil line broke while driving. also, abs/master cylinder malfunctioned, causing the entire abs system to be replaced.vehicle was not braking properly when brakes were applied. in addition, had pads replaced twice/needed a new booster installed, and sun roof was replaced because it leaked and made a squealing noise.*ak

Intermittently when decelerating vehicle stalls out and dies. prior to this problem, vehicle was at dealer for repairs,and vehicle was running fine. *ak

Seat has been coming apart from the floor. dealer replaced the frame of the seat, and now the seatback is not adjusting properly. regional manager went on a test drive with the consumer, and said that it was not a safety problem. but, would fix it for her. seat is still loose, and has been taking back manny other times. *ak

Consumer received recall 99v2480000 concerning inner tie rod. contacted the dealer no parts available to correct the problem. please give any further details.*ak

Cruise control worked intermittently, and it will engage without application. problem was reported to the dealership. vehicle has been worked on three times. dealer was not able to locate what was causing this problem. *ml

Oil filter line was routed too close around catalytic convertor. this caused it to overheat the metal oil line. flow of oil to the turbo-charger would be stopped. also, engine bearings burned up & turbo-charger destroyed. took vehicle to dealership to check. *ak

Gas guage indicate there is gas in vehicle. but, vehicle would stop running due to an empty gas tank. dealer has seen vehicle several times, and cannot find solution. *ak

Nhtsa recall no:99v131001 and manufacturer's recall no:uh concerning brake booster failure. no parts were available. called several times other dealers, and no one has the part. *ak

When applying brakes to make a normal stop vehicle will lurch forward before it comes to a complete stop. dealer cannot determine cause. *ak

Received recall 99v131001. contacted dealer on 15-nov-99 and still no parts available. issue has since been resolved. *ak *ml

Passenger's right side rearview mirror is too small to see vehicles. the blind spot has broadened with this mirror. dealer says can't do anything about the design. *ak

Recall # 99v131000 vw/brake booster; dealer does not have parts to correct recall. owner received recall notice on october 6, 1999. owner has contacted two dealerships. owner has also contacted the manufacturer about 6 or 7 times, and received no satisfaction. *ak

While making a stop vehicle would idle intermittently. occasionally, just at the point of coming to a stop, it will lunge forward while brakes are being applied. happens in both hot and cold weather. *ak

While driving on highway at approximately 60mph noticed airbag sensor light was coming on. this was the 3rd time. contact dealer, and he replaced airbag sensor, and flipped a switch. *ak

Steering wheel is making noise when turning. it also acts as if steering wheel will lock or give way. dealer claims power steering pump is leaking, and rack and pinion. parts are on back order. *ak

Consumer received recall letter 98v248000. contacted the dealer, no parts wereavailable to correct recall problem. *ak

Recall 99v-131000 vw/ brake booster: received this manufacturer's recall. notified dealer and manufacturer, and was informed to disregard notice because it did not exist. asking nhtsa to look into this and explain if this mfr. recall exists on my vehicle, or provide additional information. *ak

While driving 10-20 mph and applying the brakes the pedal is hard and there aren't any brakes. *ak

Consumer was involved in a 60 mph frontal collision in which driver's side/ passenger's or side air bags did not deploy. please give any further details.

While driving rear passenger tire blew out. pieces from the tire hit the fuel tank and caused a major fuel leak which may have resulted in a fire. please provide further information. *ak

Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 60 mph, and airbags did not deploy, causing minor injuries. dealer and manufacturer will be notified. *ak

When the emergency parking brake was released vehicle accelerated forward. *ak

Either a drop or two or fumes from a container of containerized cholorine caused an electrical fire in the trunk due to making contact with an electrical outlet. the fire was put out by the fire department. vehicle is being repaired by dealership. *ak

Passenger side air bag cover is not fitted correctly. the dealer attemped to install a new cover. also there was anti-freeze leakage all over the engine two months after purchase of vehicle. anti freeze had hardened. dealer said that the rubber hose had failed under normal driving coditions. dealership replaced the hose on 6-16-99.*ak consumer stated the airbag was replaced by dealer on june 16, 1999 however the airbag was again not fitted correctly and popped up and therefore it was not secure, also the radio does not work properly on the am band, there is interference.*jb

The vehicle dropped from the hoist while being serviced, the gm of the dealership attributed the accident to too much anti-corrosion compound being applied to the vehicle at the time of manufacturing, the manufacturer was contacted. nlm

Steering pulls to the right and always has, mostly during braking, the rotors need to be replaced while the front brakes are at 20%, steering problems possibly due to the faulty rotors. *slc

Replaced power steering rack.

Front end knocking started at 35,000 worse when turning. brought to dealer front right and left lower control arms needed to be replaced not certain of saftey risk if problem left unfixed. dt

Car caught on fire shortly after being driven. the car was parked in the garage when the fire started. the fire spread to the rest of the house. the fire was witnessed to originate on the right side (passenger) of engine compartment under the hood. dt

Steering rack failed.

Clutch pedal went to floor in very heavy traffic causing potential for an accident and severe injury. upon inspection, found that clutch hydraulic hose on the v6 passat is installed such that it rests on an adjacent hose. this causes abrasion to the hose and ultimately catastrophic failure. this in my opinion is a design / workmanship defect that needs to be corrected. mr

The leak detection pump is part of the evaporative emissions control on this car. within 2 days of buying it, the check engine light came on. dealer diagnosed and replaced the pump but light came back on next day. same pump replaced again. search on internet and discussion w/dealer indicates this part (made by siemens) is a common failure and warranty only 24,000 miles. cost was $275 for me to have fixed. if new ones commonly fail and this is emissions related, shouldn't there be a recall? is this the right place to report this? nlm

Bushing failure on all 4 front lower control arms. these bushings gradually became loose and began squeaking, accompanied by clunking over low-speed bumps. this is a common problem on these cars. vw has refused to officially acknowledge the defect and do a recall, even though they are paying for part of the costs for some people's repairs and they have redesigned the bushings in question. furthermore, the relatively inexpensive bushings can be replaced without replacing the entire control arm, but dealerships refuse to do that, instead to force most customers to pay for the much more expensive control arm assembly. these bushing failures pose a danger if they fail severely enough. the only reason they aren't causing wrecks is that the failure is gradual and most owners replace them before the bushings get too bad. but this is still a safety issue and the repair is hardly optional. dt

Upon replacement of the battery the radio locks down to prevent theft. lock out reset code fails and stereo can not be reset for use.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Front suspension begins squeaking due to failure of ball joints which are integral with the lower control arm. this defect requires replacement of the entire arm. i've learned this is a common problem for 99 passats. it is unheard of for these types of components to fail so early before 50,000 miles but they do on these passats.*ak

Car with an automatic transmission will not go into gear due to failure of the computerized control module. dealership claim problem is due to rain and will not cover repair under the warranty. (powertrain warranty is 100,000 miles, and care only has 20,000 miles).*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

I own a vehicle that is subject to recall program 02v026000, which i learned about from consumer reports magazine. i have not received a recall notice from volkagen , so i called the volkswagen customer service line (800-822-8987). i was told this is not an actual recall. their spokesman said they are just informing consumers not to drive on a flat tire as possible damage could occur. he said there would be no fuel leak or other danger. is this an actual recall, should i take immediate action, and should vw pay for the corrective action?*ak

Left and right control arms are worn and need to be replaced-common problem with 1999 vw. *ak

1) coolant temp. sensor failed at @47422 miles 2) chaplins checked car because i reported noise in front wheel area. they said both front wheel bearings needed replacing and refused to cover the costs. i took it to an independant vw specialist and was told only the right front wheel bearing was bad. cost was $466.79. vw still refused to assist. 2 independant vw specialists reported vw has a "bad wheel bearing design". 3) replaced original tires with exact brand and style of tire that was originsal to car. tires felt odd, i had them checked by 2 tire retailers and did own pressure checks twice monthly. after 15,804 miles on tires left rear tread separated from sidewall while driving on freeway at 70mph.*ak

Car is equipped with power windows. my family was driving with both passenger side windows down. (front and rear). when i pushed the driver control to raise the rear passenger window, the front passenger window also raised at the same time, crushing my wifes arm. this phenomenon is repeatable over and over again.*ak

Control arm on left front wheel has begun creaking very loudly and i have been told it is about to fail. on most cars the control arms are built to last the life of the car, so at only 60,000 miles this is definitely a problem. upon doing some research, it appears this is very common in recent model volkswagen passats, and that a recall has already been issued in germany where they have stricter automotive regulations. also, the part was re-engineered for 2001 model passats, indicating volkswagen is well aware of the problem. if this part is failing on basically all 98-2000 model year volkswagen passats, it seems like only a matter of time until a catastrophic failure causes an accident, unless a recall is issued in the united states. please keep me informed on any possible recall information. thanks. *ak

Sypmtoms are creaking, groaning from front suspension

My car has the exact same problem as described by your recall campain id#01v157000. unfortunately, my car is not included in this recall.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Increasing "grinding" sound and increased "play" and movement in front suspension caused by failing control arm bushings-diagnosed by dealer (stated it was a known and common problem). 2nd. vw passat with same problem ('98 model and '99 model) repair partially covered by vw on '98 model outside of original warranty. concerned about safety as bushings continue to wear.*ak

The controle arm bushings are bad on my car and started to go at 5500. this should not happen on a car this new, and dealer service person said so too. volkswagen will not pay for this since it is out of the warranty. i did a search on the internet and found many passat owners experiencing the same problem with the control arms. there must be a way to make vw owe up to the problem.*ak

Have contacted vw customer service and requested for coverage since this is quite a common problem on passat. however, vw refused to cover, not even half the cost! other passat owners have at least got all parts covered by vw! the total cost sum up with up to $1000. the main problem happening is basically i heard consistent clunking noise when turning under low speed, going over a bump, and occasional braking. according to what i have heard, this is called the "lower control arm failure" and there's a bulletin in vw that this is recognized as a problem and service providers are infomed to install particular components to fix the problem. i think this is quite a critical part for the car as we don't want the car to lose control expecially turning. and the most thing that pissed me off is that vwoa refused to cover some costs! i know at least an owner got it all covered by contacting vwoa! the first noticing of the noise was at around 40000 miles but sunnyvale vw referred that this is a noise coming out from the engine pump which is leaking at that time. noise of course didn't resolve and i didn't even bother to ask as they can't detect it. hopefully, i can get some help from nhtsa. thanks

Suspension control arms deteriorating. common issue. bushings drying out and disintegrating. symptoms include creaking and clunking at low speeds. vw is starting to pay 50% for some people with this issue, but no more.

While attempting to dis-engage cruise control while approaching toll booth, by tapping brake, vehicle suffered total brake failure. pulled emergency brake, which worked as advertised, causing vehicle to enter 360 degree spin and cross 6 lanes of toll booth traffic ending up on right shoulder of highway. no contact with any other vehicle or object. shut down engine and re-started and brake pressure returned to normal. mehcanic at independent shop cannot duplicate failure and system tests ok.*ak

While coming out of a right hand turn and going on an uphill grade seat failed by dropping to floor and sliding all the way back, causing temporary loss of control of vehicle.*ak

Lower control arm bushing failure, causing erratic handling, degraded since.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Car has been back to dealer over 12 times for clutch related problems. clutch stuck to floor, slave cyl leak, clutch replaced twice and slave cyl replaced three times. leak destroyed inside dash, dealer ref to fix. electrical probs in dash, crackling noise heard. brake line and slave cyl problems. persuing lemon law (suit filed).

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Car has had tie rods replaced under a recall ,both c.v.joints replaced plus a wheel bearing fixed which i had to pay for.don 't understand why these problems have came up so early in car service life.

Clunking in front end going over imperfections in road at low speed. seems like possible control arm failure.*ak

Airbag fault indicator stays illuminated. dealer indicates that the passenger side, side-airbag sensor is bad. vehicle has never been in an accident. normal wear and tear. only routine maintenance performed, with the execption of passenger side door trim replaced after adhesion failed. the radio has poor fm reception and no am reception. i only include this information because another consumer complaint (odi id: 840263) has indicated similar symptoms.*ak

Control arm bushings are failing on the audi a4, they share the same front suspension. *ak

Very common problem. suggest investigation/recall.no safety defect listed. *ak

This problem with the steering is getting worse everyday this is very serious wvoa was contacted they just blew us off. *ak

Lower front control arms have failed in less then 30,000 miles. a loss of control of the car is possible.*ak

07/21/01 scheduled service for clunking/rattling noise in front suspension over small road imperfections and secondly tie rod recall. mechanic replaced tie rods, but same clunking/rattling noise occurs upon departure. dealer ordered sway bar links, replaced on second visit. rattling noise stops, but shortly after repair, sharper clunking resurfaces, turns into also scraping/squeaking noise on sharp turns left with time. website and independent research indicates many instances of identical symptoms in same model of car leading to possible wheel detachment in extreme circumstances. other dealers indicate tsbs issued, but no remedy for repair cost on this relatively late model car. ball joints only come with kit priced at approximately $600 from dealer. after reading numerous website posts, i've become very concerned on safety of car as clunking/knocking/squeaking/scraping noises have grown louder with my vehicle. i'd feel very uncomfortable keeping/selling this car without the problem remedied. i strongly support a vw or at worst case nhtsa initiated recall on this apparent design defect to prevent recurring problems.*ak

Suspension clunking noise - taken to dealer 5+ times, no resolution. *ak

Intermittently the idle will drop from 750 to 400 when at a complete stop. this happens usually after the car has warmed up and i've made a few complete stops after driving intermittent distances. the car feels as if it will stall, and makes the driver want to hit the gas, which would be unsafe at a full stop. has been in to dealer 2 times for this, dealer says they cannot duplicate, therefore cannot fix.*ak

Approximately six to eight times since the car was bought, as the car was brought to a stop the engine raced with the tachometer rising to about 2200, and it required maximum force on the brake pedal to prevent the car from accelerating into a stopped car ahead or into a barrier or intersection. if the transmission was shifted into park or neutral, the tachometer swung up into the range of 6000 to 7000, and then dropped back to its normal idling speed of 750. only then did the car stop pulling dangerously. this has been reported to the dealer three times, and on one occasion he held it for three days, hoping to have a mechanic experience the problem, but the problem occurs too infrequently to reproduce it. the dealer has never been able to provide any repair, and the problem still exists, ocurring most recently on 10/1201. *ak

Car had been recalled for repairing defective tie rod - once fixed the entire front end and tires have gone bad and the dealer estiimates $ 1500 for repairing tires. manufacturer is adamant and obnoxious and thinks that this is normal wear and tear based on telephone conversation. at 38,000 miles front end failure needs to be investigated.

Twice, with less than 50,000 miles on my 1999 passat, both upper control arms have failed. i have spoken to numerous audi a4 and vw passat owners who have experienced the same failures. the cost to repair the control arms is in excess of $1200 and vw has done nothing to remedy this problem. the dealerships have been absolutely pitiful to deal with and have no reasonable explanations as to why these parts are failing. please do something about this. in a car that costs over $25,000 this is unacceptable.

I have knowledge of these parts failing on at least 100 vw passats 1998-2001. i'm sure there are more. there should definitely be a recall or redesign parts made and substituted.*ak

Right rear power window mechanism was repaired under warranty (2 years/20,000 miles) twice. about two months ago (car one month out of warranty) left rear window mechanism failed. today right rear window mechanism failed. i drive car 99% of time. no one in back seat, so no kids playing, etc. the rear power windows appear to have a design defect. of course, the car is now 3-4 months & 2,370 past two year/20,000 mile warranty. i request that these repairs be covered by maufacturer as the problems first occurrred before warranty expired and continue. appears to be design defect. windows wil only retract 1" and then fail.*ak

Being a member of a vw passat forum, i know many other owners with the same failure. no safety defect. *ak

I have informed the dealer and i imformed them about the lower control arm failure and there was tsb call for the item they told me that i dont quailify for that problem. the problem is that their a bushing failure on both side of the lower control arm it made it loose and you can feel it in the wheels and steering wheel. it would be a easy fix if they just replace the bushing but they dont just sell the bushing they sell the whole lower control arm. i have technical knowlegde about the cars and i believe that this is a problem. its a safety issue to anyone. if the person does not know what going on. they will continue driving their unsafe car. the suspension test on the inspection station will not detect the problem. it will affect the alignment and the drive shaft and steering.*ak

Known issue with vwoa, also happens on audi a4/a6. vw refuses to repair problem, but they have a repair kit for the caontrol arms, bushings and ball-joints

Car stalls when stopped, runs poorly, a/c does not cool. shop can not fix. *ak

Brakes sticking to drums and no brake light warning of pending stop. problem never addressed by vw, the dealership or corporate. the problem caused an accident and prematurely caused wear on all brake components. i have had to replace the brakes twice in 40,000 miles. the most recent at 12,000 miles usage. vw says there is nothing wrong and it is not covered by warranty. *ak

Srs instrument panel light remains on. car was not in an accident. car owned less than 24 months but srs not covered under warranty simply due to mileage being over 24,000. if srs is safety related why doesn't the government hold manufacturers more responsible as with emissions? there should be a separate government standard, as with emissions. holding manufacturers more accountantable for srs with stricter requirements, as with emissions, will help ensure public safety. i took this vehicle in for a recall repair (steering tie-rods) and no sooner than a week later, the srs light went on and now i must pay to determine what exactly is wrong with the system. this seems rather unfair for a new car less than 24 months old. and since the work performed was in that quadrant of the car where the recall work was done, i am wonder if this is somehow related.*ak

Driving in downpour, from stopped position at stoplight, turned onto street free of any obstacles, steering jerked hard, right tire ripped, wheel rim bent, dealer says not covered by recall (?) 3 weeks, dealer can not fix car.

Seat belt height adjuster fails to move or suddenly releases during vehicle operation. *ak

Steering rack seal failed at 15k mi, causing loss of fluid and damage to rack. dealer replaced under warranty. driver side, passenger window (left rear) disconnected from electric motor (would not go up and down) at 45k mi. hardly use window (no kids or passengers). dealer replaced "pin" and charged 1hr labor for pulling door panel - not covered under extended warranty. steering began to "creak" when wheel turned slowly at stop or near stop at 52k mi. dealer investigated and could not find problem. stated no safety problems. driver side, passenger window (left, rear) disconnected from power motor again at about 75k mi. did not contact dealer again as expected to pay $60 again so waited for a scheduled service. driver window power motor failed at 83k mi - sounded like metal grinding. had to manually push window closed. took auto to different dealer (midwestern auto group, dublin oh, 614-889-2571) to examine driver window, driver side passenger window and steering "creak". new dealer stated driver window under extended warranty plan, driver-side passenger window not covered and missing "pin" totally, and steering "creak" is in any or all of the control arm/linkage bushings. quoted $2000 to replace steering front end - suggested i just live with noise. no mention of tie-rod recall on 1999 passats. i have no information on if my car qualifies for the recall, but my investigatiion online suggests i do. have not received any notices, but have moved since original purchase and could have "lost mail" problem. suggest power window design is bad - as i drive on hwys a lot for business in oh where summer requires ac, winter requires heat, i have no kids or passengers in back seats, etc.*ak

Dealer states wiring for fuel guage rubbed through causing short. *ak

With all of the glowing reports from the consumer reports mag about the vw passat i had to write to gripe about about my dealings with vw of america.i took my 99 passat to the dealer about 2 months after 15000 mile schedule maintenance for a noise in the front wheels my dealer tells me that i need pads and rotors at 18,000 miles at a cost $400.00.my rotors are worn beyond turning with 15% pads left .apparently the pads are harder than the rotors?after a heated discussion about weather rotors were conciderd consumables or not i left in discust to call vw of america to explain my view that there is no way a two year old passat with 18000 normal miles sould need new rotors.five calls later and the total run-a-round a "customer service" rep tells me that there is nothing that vw of america is willing to do to help me.apparently they think it is normal to replace rotor every 15000 to 18000 miles at a cost of $400.00 sounds like a good deal to me, for the dealers!i wonder if i'm the only one that had this problem, every new vw i see has a lot of brake dust on the front wheels.hmm. thank for letting me vent. keep the consumers informed!! p.s.i still think i'm getting screwed!*ak

Fuel pump replaced, now continual gas smell, 1 fuel inj. replaced still gas smell, dealer has checked 4 more times since, no remedy, also no notification from vw on any of the recalls in place, 3 that you have listed. *ak

I send an e-mail previously as i'm italian and i want to signal an illumination problem. *ak

Gas gauge sending unit has been replaced once. malfunctioning again. shows full tank when more than half empty. brakes have never worked adequately. dealer has inspected and says they are "normal". after inspection, worked better for a brief period. *ak

The position of the brake and gas pedals makes it possible for me to nudge the gas pedal while braking. this has never been a problem for me on other cars in close to fifty years of driving. i,m reporting this on the chance that you might find a pattern of like occurances.*ak

After folding rear seat forward then returning to upright, rear center seatbelt locks in retracted position; seatbelt assy. replaced once by dealer, repaired by dealer following recurrence approx. 1 month later. svc. advisor at dealer said that this is a frequent problem with late model passat wagons, due to apparent design flaw.

Fuel gauge stopped working properly. it would not register a full tank of gas even when the tank was full. dealer replaced fuel sending unit from the tank to correct the problem.

When starting the vehicle, both after it has been sitting for a while and when the engine is still warm, the engine revs up to about 2000 rpm and then after a few seconds drops back to normal idle speed. then, almost immediately after the rpm drops back to normal idle speed, the "check engine" light will come on and stay on. this has been happening intermitantly over the past 2 months. the dealer has checked the vehicle twice and cannot stop it from happening again at a later date. i don't think they really know what's wrong with it.

Rotors are prematurly warped and the front end vibrates while braking at speed over 45 miles an hour. the manufacturer refuses to replace them under warrenty and the dealer failed to test drive and inspect the rotors when they had the car in for the 12,000 mile check up in june 2000. also, i understand that the swedish distributor recalled the brakes for premature failure due to rust and road salt.

Right rear tire blew out on 2 occasions

Airbag light has come on 5 times. it seems that all 5 times have happened on the highway whie driving over 55 mph. first time, the dealer reset the airbag sensors. second, third, and fourth time, according to the dealer invoice, the airbag/srs control module has been replaced. i have written to volkswagen of america informing them that i believe my car to be a lemon and am demanding relief under the lemon law of my state (ma).

While driving, right rear tire blew out. the well lining between the tire and the fuel tank for cusion purpose was observed to be bended around the top portion of the tire. pieces of tire hit fuel tank and caused a fuel leak which may have resulted in a fire. *ak( dot number: m3ta cxyx tire size: 15 )

The lower right arm of the front suspension has failed. this is after only 25,000 miles. the bushing has apparently come loose from the arm. if allowed to progress far enough, this could lead to unsafe handling of the vehicle. *ak

There was a catostrophic failure of the clutch with no sign of problems prior to failure.note car had routine service five days prior to failure. *ak

Vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own at least 4 times, each time while decelerating/braking on highway exit ramp after cruise control system malfunctioned earlier. also, the cruise control system fails to resume and reset. dealer reset readiness codes, but the problem still reoccurred. dealer will not replace any parts until problems can be confirmed. *ml the consumer states that the cruise- set button was so stiff that brushing it would cause the driver to switch on the left turn signal. *yh

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

The car has a pronounced groan when turning and the dealer says one of the tie rods needs to be replaced. there is an existing recall for this defect for cars manufactured prior to mine-it would seem that they did not correct the problem, it was more extensive than they originally thought or my car was constructed using the previous parts. the local dealer referred me to vw who say they can not "participate" or "assist" with this repair. *ak

This car has now been into the dealer ship 4 times to repair a persistent water leak from a pollen filter located in the engine compartment. this leak causes water to pool up to approx one inch in the right rear footwell.

The vehicle was found w/oil leak since 5000miles. 4 times was the vehicle brought to the dealer for service for oil leak. the car was brought to service last on 1/3/00. it is estimated on 2/20/00 the car will have the engine replaced, due to pin-hole in engine block. i have lost the use of the vehicle since 1/3/00.

We were notified of a recall regarding the brakes on our vehicle. the dealership told us they completed have the work on the brakes but did not have the parts to complete the recall. we have contacted the service department to complete the job on numerous occassions. we have been told the parts are coming from germany. as of 1/18/00 we were told the company is holding back the parts. as an accident reconstructionists and a safety professional, i find this explanation unacceptable and volkswagen is not compling with recall notice issued by your agency. *ak

Very loud (like a helicoptor) interior noise when window or sunroof is opened *ak

From stops, the engine experiences hesitation in accelerating. regardless of the amount the gas pedal is depressed, the engine does not respond for about 3-5 seconds. this problem has occurred at least 5-10 times. it occurs only from a stop.

When slowing down, the engine often drops to 400 rpm. this causes stalling. if the gas pedal is tapped when the idle is erratic, the idle comes back to normal, but this is very unsafe in traffic since it causes forward movement. if the gas pedal is not tapped, the car can stall out. (this is an automatic vehicle with the 5-speed tiptronic transmission). *ak

Cold engine hesitation causing car to downshift, as if you were applying brakes, forcing you to accelerate

Front brakes started squealing but now are rubbing,grinding,groaning and braking rough. i am being told that these are normal brake sounds and that they cannot find anything wrong. although on the last visit to the dealer i was told they did "something different" to the rotors this time. after at least 6 visits, i have the same problem and am being told to seek a scond opinion. *ak

Car is leaking oil. attempted repair three times. car was smoking from beneath passenger compartment

Transmision fails to shift from lower gears, causing car to loose speed and break pedal gets extremely hard, i have made other vehicles make sudden stops this is very dangerous it's very frustrating, i can only drive the car to work. i don't know what to do. i can't keep risking my life, i need your advice.

Front windshield cracked while vehicle was parked in direct sunlight on an extremely hot day. vehicle design uses a frameless glass windshield which i believe does not adequately support glass, thereby resulting in windshield stress cracks which obscure outward visibility and present serious safety issue. request nhtsa investigate volkswagen's use of frameless windshield glass and determine if there is an unusually high incidence of windshield failure in volkswagen (and companion audi) vehicles. *ak

Accelerating, could not stop auto with brakes. shifted auto transmission to neutral, engine revved, pressed accelerator, engine went to idle.

While attempting to make a 180-degree turn, coming from a parked position on the street, the front left wheel disconnected from the car and hung at a 90-degree angle. this car is dangersou when super-extending the suspension system because a hollow knuckle is used in the suspension system.

Tire blew out while traveling on freeway. no road hazards observed. when tire blew out it cut into the wheel well lining and then cut into the side wall of the fuel tank,rupturing the tank and causing a fuel spill onto the hot tire and wheel. *ak( dot number: m3ta tire size: 195/65r15 )

Windshield is optically distorted. *ak

The drivers side seat has excessive movement in the fore-aft direction and in the vertical. it is most noticeable when braking. it feels very unsecure. i have taken it to the dealer. they claim this level of play is normal.

No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak

Any time the heater is used there is a burnt caramel odor. i suspect this is a coolant /heater core leak causing the problem. *ak

The rack and pinion cap fell out/was missing, leaving no fluid in power steering assembly. there was a small pop and smoke from under the car. my wife had a hard time steering the car and maneuvering it off the road. had there been traffic she may well have been involved in an accident as she slowed and tried to muscle the car off the road. steering was very tight, so tight she could barely turn the wheel. car had just been picked up from the dealer and had only 250 miles on it. car is currently at fiore volkswagen in hollidaysburg, pa being repaired. *ak

51 hours after purchasing my new vw passat gls v6, the brake booster failed, causing violent shaking of the car, stiffening of the brake pedal impairing my braking ability and thick heavy smoke from under the hood. i was informed the next day by the deale

While under full throttle, accelerator pedal did not "spring" back after releasing pressure and vehicle continued to accelerate at full throttle until i reached down and pulled accelerator pedal back. first time happened when accelerating from stop light; second time, when merging onto freeway. both times i was able to free pedal and resume normal driving. both times i applied the brakes, and this did not help matters, as vehicle continued to accelerate at full throttle. carpet was not the culprit as it was firmly secured, using factory installed "snaps." dealer had car all day monday and was in contact with vw of america. unable to find anything wrong; everything "normal." vw claimed to never have heard of this problem before. still awaiting additional action from vw. i am gravely concerned as dealer told me to drive until problem happens again. this is not an option!! if my wife was driving she would not be able to reach down and release pedal as i did. only option would be to turn off igition and then she would lose power steering and brakes. *ak

I have reported this once before but i do not see it on your database? i believe this car is not safe to drive and i have no confidence in the way this matter is being handled. every time me and my family get into this veichle i expect somthing to happen. all the previous cars i owned i did not have this feeling. volkswagen will not buy the car back at this time. i feel the car should returned and then replaced with a new one. i am also considering selling the car as is and buying another make nissan. please help justice should be top proirty this is a money issue and no longer a commitment to saftey.

Clutch - the clutch remained depressed to floorboard even though the gear remained engaged! the car lurched forward into intersection! electrical fire - the car's electrical system under the hood caught fire burning the car to the ground.. this car is brand new and experienced these problems within 1 week of delivery to customer...

The consumer experienced total brake loss due to master cylinder failure. also the right front caliper was damaged causing a fire and the right front wheel to seize. *yh

The r/f air bag deployed while driving, the air bag deployed due to an underside impact, there was no damage to the side impact beam or anywhere on the structural frame. nlm

After purchase consumer took vehicle in to the dealership to diagnosis and repair of the air bag malfunction light signal or system, repair completed on the spiral ring assembly, however the malfunction light continued to indicate problems, several other repairs until the final repair of the whole system for remedy due to negligence and repair issues. *mjs

Consumer went to the dealership due to steering/suspension alignment problems, the dealership performed recall service without proper authorization which cost the consumer additional money and repair work, consumer is very unsatisfied with the performance of the dealership while repairing vehicle and request assistance. *mjs

During the repair of the rear cup holder the dealer disconnected the wire for the fuel tank filler lid causing the lid not to open. nlm

The wipers are not clearing the windshield because they are worn and weather cracked. nlm

The vehile experienced steering problems consumer took the vehicle to the dealer for repair, they tightened a loose clamp, the problem resurfaced 6 months later and now the warranty had expired, the consumers took the vehicle back to the dealer where they found a power steering fluid leak, the dealer replaced the entire rack and pinion. nlm

The engine is very rough and the malfunction indicator lamp illuminates intermittently when the vehicle is started and seems to have poor power. nlm

The consumer hears a whistling noise coming from the moon roof while driving at highway speeds. nlm

The brakes squeak. nlm

While driving, the michelin mxv4 tire (p205 65 r15) failed, with only 5600 miles on the tire. *mjs

Gas tank ruptured. nlm

Consumer unable to have recall repair 99v-131 completed due to parts not being in stock. *nlm

Brake booster vacuum and tie rod on recalls,but recalls repairs were not completed on appointment day because parts were not available. (99v-131 and 99v-248) yh

Recall repairs denied due to lack of parts (99v-131 and 99v-248). *mjs

Recall component on national backorder and can not be replaced, owner is experiencing intermittent failure. (99v-131) *mjs

Recall repair can not be completed due to lack of parts. (99v-131) *mjs

Passenger door speaker failed, replaced and is failing again. *mjs

Consumer denied recall repair (99v-131) due to lack of parts. *mjs

Gas tank ruptured. *slc

Rear view passenger side mirrors are too small and inadequate causing poor visibility due to blind spots. mjs

Clutch system utilizes a hydraulic system of pressure which is shared with the brake system reservoir, vehicle was built with a leaking slave cylinder and faulty pressure line resulting in loss of clutch operation and brake fluid loss. mjs

Engine experiences hesitation, repair attempt failed, continues to hesitate. mjs

Interior map light and sun roof switch failed. mjs

Abs light appeared intermittently, authorzied vw dealership charged me $100 diagnosis fee and said they couldn't duplicate my concern on 10/11/04, 12/03/04,and 03/05/05. on 12/03/04 they want me to pay $1365.83 + tax to replace abs hydraulic pump and control module assy, i declined repair

Steering rack failed.

Steering rack failed.

I have complained to the dealer at 20,000 miles and at 40,000 mile that the transmission downshifts very harshly at times. the dealer stated this is normal??? and if i wanted them to look at it, i would have to pay for it up-front, and that the powertrain warranty would cover it only if they found something wrong. the sunroof has a "broken track" after 40,000 mi. it costs more to fix it than it did to buy it! is this a problem throughout all vw's?

I have been experiencing decreased brake performance (substantial) whenever the streets are salty and wet. i researched this on the internet and found my experience not uncommon among vw passat owners, and apparently the subject of an audi investigation which uses the same brake components. it does not affect performance when dry or simply wet, but does when 'salty' and wet. it takes several braking to restore any measurable function in the brakes when it occurs. it is scheduled to be seen by a vw dealer on 2/13 for evaluation of this problem.*ak