2000 VOLKSWAGEN Passat

When I come to a stop the car stalls out; looses power completely. Continuous stalling when coming to stops. 11/01/03: Vacuum line replaced11/05/03: Mass Airflow Sensor & Air filter replaced12/03/03: Fuel Injection Service01/30/04: Vacuum line replaced02/06/04: Exhaust leak repaired02/20/04: Throttle body replaced02/26/04: Automatic Transmisstion fluid service

We were told this is a very common problem on all vw\’s…the door panels suddenly are wrinkled and look like a sharpe dog. Eventually, they deteriorate and fall off the doors. If the dealer fixes this problem it is $500 per door x 4 or if you go to the Upholsterer they use it is $75 per door panel. Since we are not in the warranty although this is a common defect, they at VW do not cover defects outside of a warranty. We will never buy another VW again! The car is well maintained and should not have this terribly ugly and sudden defect! The customer care department is a joke-non-caring and made us get a quote and then wait 2 months to get we do not cover defects outside the warranty!

VW 1.8 Turbo engine – well known \"oil sludge\" problem.

Timing belt broke prematurely. It has been noted this is a common problem, interested in any Class Action Lawsuit.

tie rod looseabs system failure

THIS CAR HAS BEEN RIDDLED WITH ELCTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE BEGINING. IT IS CONTINUOUSLY BLOWING OUT COMPUTER RELATED SYSTEMS.

The brake failure, STOP, warning indicator comes on intermittently. There does not appear to anything wrong with the brakes.

The ABS module failed and the STOP sign was flashing on the computer module. The dealer told if this is not fixed, the ABS brakes might not work when needed. I was going thru the tech forums on www.tech.bentleypublishers.com and was amazed to find so many people having the same problem for 2000 VW Passat\’s. VW should consider a recall for this.And also the \’Emissions Workshop\’ light keep coming back after every 6 months, and everytime it take about $250 to get it fixed(again a common problem with this make and model)

The ABS control module failed. VW says it will cost about $800 to repair. It appears from what I\’ve found on the web that many people are experiencing ABS failure on their Passats – seems to be time for a recall.

purchased a used car from Dan Perkins Chevrolet, in Milford, CT on March, 18, 2004.I was advised by the salesman, John Almeida, that the car came in as a trade from a girl who bought cars from him all the time at Dan Perkins. Upon further investigation I found the car was purchased BRAND NEW from a couple in Massachussets and that Dan Perkins purchased it at an auction.When I picked the car up and drove it home, the engine light was on, the lighter did not work, the tires were bald and the 6 disc CD changer was not in the car.When I contacted the salesperson, John Almeida, and the used car manager, they stated they fixed everything, but that they were not responsible for the CD changer, I wrote a letter to Dan Perkins himself and he gave me a new one, because it was advertised with the CD changer. When my oil light came on I brought it to CURRAN VW in Stratford, CT. They advised me to get a copy of my CONTRACT from Dan Perkins and any other paperwork FROM Dan Perkins. I contacted the salesman, JOHN ALMEIDA and his manager told me that there was NO WAY I was getting a copy of anything. They do not KEEP copies of contracts from their customers. He also yelled in the background that Curran VW was trying to pass the buck and that I was out of luck!!! The car is now sitting in my driveway with no engine!I am making car payments on a car that does not work, on a car that I have had less than 2 years!I contacted Curran VW because VW extended the warranty for the engine to 8 years, I only found this out because I did my own research online. VW of America denied my claim because one of my mechanics, who does not have a computer, handwrote receipts for the oil changes. VW of America advises their consumers to have oil changed every 5,000 miles or every 6 months. I had mine changed EVERY 3,000 miles. Dan Perkins showed me no vehicle history reports. I believe this car is a Lemon, I also believe Dan Perkins sold me this car in this poor condition because I am a woman.I do not know who to turn to now. I am being advised to go the media with this situation and to get a lawyer. Thank you so much for your time and help!!!

Problems with the ABS module failure which had to be replaced. A bad ECT, broken vacuum lines and coolant bottle disclored and replaced and flushed. Replaced vacuum line caused an emission failure which I will need to get repaired.

I recently had an experience that I believe would be of interest to your organization. In July of 2000 my wife and I researched for an finally purchased a Volkswagen Passat (VIN# WVWMD23B7YP212346). We were very pleased with our purchase fo a number of years, until what were described to us as \"normal\" repairs became necessary. Some of the more memorable normal repairs included rear brakes at 40,000 miles (front brakes were in very good condition) for approx. $700.00, and the outside rear view mirror adjustor for $400.00. We began to suspect the pricing structure of VW parts and labor was skewed toward the expensive. A big part of of our decision to buy VW was their reputation for solid transportation over a long time. The car was even listed as a recommended purchase on a number of consumer magazines! The most outrageous example of this situation occured in July 1st 2005, when the check engine light came on, and we took the car to our dealer for service. The result of the check was that the catalytic converters (2 of them) needed to be replaced, at a total cost of $3,400.00! Since our state has vehicle testing, this is a required repair to be able to continue to drive the car. We have owned the car for 5 years and have 108,000 miles on the odometer. Contacting VW gave no relief, as their stated warranty was for 5 years, but only for 80,000 miles. Needless to say, I will never purchase a Volkswagen product again, and would like to inform potential purchasers of this type of unexpected cost. My letter to Volkswagen follows (Volkswagen\’s response was only by telephone):============================================================Volkswagen Customer Relations3800 Hamlin RoadAuburn Hills, MI. 48326Customer Relations Representative,I am writing to express my shock and disappointment with my automobile and the Volkswagen corporation. I own a 2000 Volkswagen Passat GLS V-6 with 108,000 miles on the odometer. The car has been very well maintained, from oil changes to major service work, primarily at an authorized VW dealer, despite poor customer service at my original selling dealer. I have since changed dealers and am usually satisfied with their service. On June 30, 2005 the car was serviced for a lube, oil, and filter change, and to investigate why the check engine light switched on. As the attached page of the invoice shows, after testing twice, the problem was found to be under-performing catalytic converters. The cost of these items was estimated to be $3,450.00! This cost is outrageous! The enclosed page of my Illinois Vehicle Inspection Report and Certificate shows that: the car passed inspection until June 2006. Second chance exhaust testing is no longer available for vehicles failing the OBD test cars may be eligible for a re-test if $450.00, or more, of emissions control repairs have been made since the originally failed testThe major reason I purchased a Volkswagen is your reputation for quality, service, reliability, and especially a long and trouble free life. I have owned Daimler/Chrysler, General Motors, Toyota, and Mazda automobiles, and never had to replace a catalytic converter for the 140,000

I purchased my 2000 VW Passat on 9/5/03 from Mountainview Volkswagen with 35, 800 miles. It was sold as a precertified car with a warranty of 24-months or 24,000 miles. There was no mention of a carry over 8 year unlimited mileage warranty. Based on the fact that it was pre-certified I felt fairly confident that the car had thoroughly been evaluated and that it wasn\’t possible for there to be any major issues with the car. The first signs of oil sludge were in November of 2003at 39,000. My oil pressure light came on and my car was taken to Leith VW in Cary, NC. They reported severe oil sludge in my engine and had to replace the oil pump/gasket, install a new turbo charger and install cam shafts and camshaft adjusters. I was responsible for the flushing of the engine which was $122.04. Because this was considered a maintenance issue VW refused to pay but because I had just purchased the car VW made the dealership I purchased the car pay for the repairs. As I learned later after my engine completely failed, Mountainview VW authorized to pay for only a few parts of the engine when the whole engine needed to be replaced. I was told directly by the Service Manager and the Service Consultants that this sludge would have been obvious upon a VW certification test before selling the vehicle as pre-certified. They also said that in the 2 months I had owned the car there was no way the sludge could have been a result of my ownership. On 1/18/05 after multiple other visits to the VW dealership my car died luckily in my driveway in NC at 62,713 miles. My car was in the dealership until February 14, 2005. The car was towed to VW and I was told that it needed an entire engine replacement around $10,000. After much work the Service Manager was able to get VW to pay for half of the replacement cost, however I was still responsible for $4713.06 not including the rental car for two weeks for $613.47. The VW dealership in Cary, NC did give me a loaner for the last two weeks my car was in the shop. They removed and installed a new engine, remove and installed a new oil pump to engine block, replaced the turbocharger, removed and installed intake manifold. The service note at the bottom of the invoice states the following \"When the vehicle came in the oil light was on and the engine was making excessive noise from under the valve cover and also from the lower portion of the engine. Diagnosis began with R & R valve cover to fin that the cam shaft tensioner guide were very worn out and had very deep grooves down to the metal. R & R the camshafts and found all the bearings were starved for oil and were damaged. Also removed subframe to remove oil pump which had a lot of debris and sludge in the bottom when removed. Found that the oil pickup tube was clogged and was not allowing the engine to have oil delivered throughout the block and head properly…..\" It continues on. The result of this engine failure was clearly sludge in the engine as stated to me by the Service Manager in NC and he was certain that this oil sludge had been left over from the November 2003 incident in which VW refused responsibility and so the dealership was forced to pay trying to get by paying as little as possible. My new engine came with a 12-month warranty or 12,000 miles and I\’m sure that I will have oil sludge problems in the future. I think my replacement engine should come with the 8-year, or un limited mileage warranty since it is a brand new engine. I do appreciate the fact that VW paid for part of my engine replacement but I was discouraged to find out that all 2000 Passats had received extended warranties which I was not privy to until now. The car had oil changes at each scheduled time although one of them was done at home and I could only show a bank statement with a purchase at AutoZone as proof of an oil change. The car has been well maintained since I have been owner and in the shop on multiple occasions due to a wide range of problems. If there is any way you can help me receive a refund for the engine replacement or even if you know a way to get an extended warranty on my replacement engine I would be grateful. There are pictures of my engine in November 2003 which show the extent of the oil sludge two months after I bought the car but at this time I cannot find them. If I am able too I will pass them on to you. Also if you would like a complete list of the service history of my car I have a very detailed letter I wrote to The BBB on January 19th 2005.

I loved my VW the day we bought it. It had great att to detail in its amenities. The love is gone. I have just put $800 into having a timing belt put on the car when it had only 60k miles and the dealer said if it had broken, I would be paying thousands for repairs–he also said this was very common in these cars. OK that hurt but I can see one major repair but now I am looking at an ABS control module (STOP, BRAKE, Service Manual Lights) dealer says ABS is not working..safety hazard…warn ligths are going off on the car and we are scared to drive it…estimated cost to repair over $1000…I just spent $600 one month then $800 now $1000 or more! this is ridiculous, I have 79,000 miles on this car…THATS NOTHING for a Toyota! I thought VW was better than this. The short of it is that I have discovered that this brake problem is pretty wide spread (to the level of recall!!). Even the part is on back order. According to the dealer NO ONE IN the US can get the part!!sounds like a huge failure rate to me! Go to autosafety.org ..thats where I am lodging a complaint. I simply dont have the money to continue putting into a car that we have literally babied. I cant believe the number of postings about this ABS control module…it is absolutely incredible that no dealer in America has this part! I couldn’t fix it if I wanted to! That does not make sense!!!VW Sucks

I have listed this as three different subjects because it is unclear what the problem is.I’m aleted with the following:Brake Failure -> STOP -> Service ManualThere are three ring tones, the brake and ABS lights blink. I had the system reset by a local qualified mechanic, but it immediately comes back on. I was told to go to the dealership, which I did, and was quoted $1500 to replace a bad ABS controller unit. I found a used one online instead, and had it installed by a qualified mechanic. Light came back on less than a day later. I just recently found a site with lots of similar complaints:http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2447This is obviously a common problem and happens to a good percentage of VW/Audi cars from 1998 to 2002. To put more money after bad is absurd.

I had numerous problems with sensors in this car and each time the dealership attributed it to some type of malfuntion with a different part that needed to be replaced. Also, due to oil sludge problem, I now need a new engine and dealer and VW of Anerica refuse to pay for its replacement. Estimated cost of repair is now $10,000 which they should cover esp. since this is a known problem with this car. Because I missed three oil changes in 5 years they say this caused the problem.

Firestone dealer @9690reagan rd san diego,ca triedto repairfaulty air condtioning system. Cost $351 to check system,replace parts and repair. went back after system failed again.Found another issue, so asked for money back on first ineffective repair, and told it would cost another $900 to fix system,Retrieved car

engine oil in coolant. repairs estimated at $6500.00 to replace and correct problem. authorized maintenance and repair facility indicate no responsibility for this type of failure at such low mileage. i surive on disability benefits. this is catastrophic for me.

Currently having an ABS problem intermittently:MIL states Brake FailureSTOPService ManualThere are three ring tones, the brake and ABS lights blink, then the all shut off and the ASR light comes one and the ASR (antislip turns off). Had the brakes checked by 2 auto repair places the brakes are fine. VW says that it is 1 of 4 things 1-MIL is broken = 400 to replace 2-ABS wire is kinked 250 labor 3 ABS speed sensor is broken 700 or 4- ABS system is broken 1500. This is a common problem and happens to a good percentage of VW/Audi cars from 1998 to 2002. Since they don\"t sell the volume of cars as other companies they go under reported

Complete engine failureCheck oil pressure light appeared at 38000 miles; brought to VW dealer – told that the sensor light was stuck onCar is taken to VW dealer at 40444 for 40000 mile maintenanceCheck oil pressure light appears at 44578 miles; car taken to another dealer and dealer claims engine is total loss.

August 2003 – Secondary Air PumpBRAKES (and/or computer controls, electrical/battery)Experiencing failure of ABS Control Module – began at 58,000 miles. 3 ring tones, brake, ABS and ASR lights come on and remain on. All other digital information is obscured by ‘STOP’ message. Brakes are sound and function fine. ABS problem is preventing car from communicating with emissions control inspections equipment. ABS Control Unit failure – Problem diagnosed by qualified mechanic in Jan 2004, confirmed by VW dealer Jan ’05. Self diagnosis log fault18057 P1649 035 missing message from ABS control moduleVW Service consultant seemed familiar with the problem. Refusal by VWoA to assist. I have also been to the Bentley Publishers site and based on the volume of complaints, it seems clear there is a design/warranty issue that VW is not acknowledging. http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/forum.jspa?forumID=5572 posts to ABS LIGHT108 posts to ALL ABS CONTROL UNIT MODULE FAILURES PLEASE READ

ABS Warning Lights come on

ABS controller failure fault renders ABS inoperable.

ABS BRAKES CONTROL MODULE FAILUREExperiencing failure of ABS Control Module – began at 79,000 miles. 3 ring tones, brake, ABS and ASR lights come on and remain on. All other digital information is obscured by ‘STOP’ message. Brakes are sound and function fine.ABS problem is preventing car from communicating with emissions control inspections equipment. I have also been to the Bentley Publishers site and based on the volume of complaints, it seems clear there is a design/warranty issue that VW is not acknowledging. I will not be paying VW to diagnose this problem or replace the ABS module. If no recall is issued by Jan 2006 I will have the module sent out and rebuilt & replace myself.http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/forum.jspa?forumID=55348 posts to ALL ABS CONTROL UNIT MODULE FAILURES PLEASE READ

ABS & Break light randomly come on while vehicle in motion.Dashboard display instructs to STOP, Break Fault.Dealer says ABS Braek module needs to be replaced at a cost of $900-2400 US dollars.

This engine has a sludging problem. VW wants $3000+ to fix. VW has a special warranty to fix problem but only under special conditions. Owner must provide every receipt of every oil change since car was purchased from VW. This is impossible since I am second owner. I also bulk purchase all of my oil and filters and no longer have receipts for these purchases. I change the oil in my vehicles myself since the closet VW dealership is 45 miles.

Problem with this car is it is a ongoing problem since I have had it. I got it used and have it for 2 years. Changing oil allllll the time…oil pump went out anyway in Aug 2009. Had it towed and mechanic cleaned all kinds of gunk out. This thing locks itself and windows go opposite way alot of the time. ALWAYS had to use gas treatment. Engine light always on. Now head gasket went out and water and oil are mixed. Here before the gunk was discovered I now realize the problems with the engine is that it was busy making GUNK! The head gasket is because of the gunk too. The exhaust problems tie into it too. Not my mechanic saying this …I am. Brakes have been bad since I have had it, in the sence that they just dont last at all. They are also out again. It needs power steering fluid all the time too. I called VW and talked to them and after being on the phone forever they said my car is to old and to many miles on it. I got it used 2 years ago…it has been in the dealers shop many times. I told him it is a lemon and he said it isnt. I dont have the energy to fight this anymore…so since I cant pay the payments and fix it every month anymore I have to let the bank take it back. I got the damn thing because I was looking for something dependable. This thing is junk!!!!!!!!!

2000 passat oil sludge build up caused engine to fail. *ts while driving the oil indicator light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer who explained that the oil pressure was low, but close to manufacturers specifications. the oil pump, pvc system, and turbo tubes were replaced. less than three months later the consume started hearing a rumbling noise which seemed to be coming from the engine. the vehicle was taken back to the service dealer where id was determined that he noise was probably rod knock and the remedy was to replaced the engine. the consumer feels that vw should be responsibly fro replacing the engine because they were aware that the oil filter was too small. *nm

This vehicle had multiple problems. consumer noticed that the abs braking system failed, and the srs air bag light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer was able to shift the vehicle into drive and reverse without the vehicle being turned on. consumer took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the abs braking system, and the srs air bag light module needed to be replaced. also, a transmission problem. *ak

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact smelled fuel inside and outside the vehicle. while inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered fuel leaking under the rear passenger side of the vehicle. the cause of the failure was not diagnosed. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle was repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 08v156000 (fuel system), but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 49,000. updated 11/01/16*lj

Problemas elÉctricos

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle after being parked overnight, he noticed a fuel odor. the contact stated that the fuel tank was half empty after being refilled. the contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic and was informed that the seam in the fuel tank was fractured which caused the fuel leak. the fuel tank was replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 45,000.

While driving on the highway, we started smelling gasoline in the cabin. we pulled over and checked under the hood. a fuel line attached to the firewall had a leak directly above the exhaust system, and was spraying gasoline everywhere in the engine bay, including the catalytic converter and exhaust system. we were informed by tow truck driver that we were incredibly lucky no fire got started in the engine bay while we were driving down the highway.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 20 mph, smoke billowed from under the hood of the vehicle. the contact was able to safely leave the roadway, the hood was raised and flames appeared in the engine compartment. the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. a fire report was filed. the vehicle was not towed and remained at the scene. there were no injuries. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. an unknown dealer was notified of the fire. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline). the manufacturer was not contacted. the insurance company was not made aware of the fire. the contact was unsure if the vehicle was destroyed. the failure mileage was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving at any speed, the vehicle would overheat and cause the engine to fail. the contact stated that the failure was recurring and the "emissions work" indicator illuminated sometimes during the failure. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the cooling system failed. the manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. the contact believed the failure was related to nhtsa campaign number: 14e007000 (engine and engine cooling). the approximate failure mileage was 185,000. the vin was not provided.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the transmission was fractured and there was fuel leaking. the contact stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery). the approximate failure mileage was 149,000.

In approximately july of 2014 my volkswagen passat started experiencing on and off again problems with the engine firing. i had recently retired and was not driving the car daily, and so i was unable to associate the problem with any recent driving event. however, one morning when the hesitation was very pronounced i popped the hood to have a look. water was standing almost level with the top of the battery in the area housing that part. i used my indoor/outdoor vacuum to pump out as much water as possible. when i thought the area was thoroughly dried out i took the car to my local volkswagen certified mechanic for further investigation. he didn't take long to determine that drainage holes on both sides under the hood were clogged. he was able to unclog the hole on the passenger side immediately, but the hole on the driver side is located beneath parts that have to be moved for access. i recalled numerous times over the years when i was certain i was hearing the sound of water sloshing around under the hood. i had asked on more than one occasion at time of service for the sound to be investigated further. i was always told the same thing: there was nothing to explain the sound i was hearing. i now believe this has been a recurring problem over the years i've owned the car, and might have impacted more than just the battery at any time. i thought there should be more than one report of this problem on file.

My husband pickup would not start, so i lift my hood of my passat to give him a jump and the whole section all the way across that holds the battery have at least 6 inches of water just standing in there. we have had some down pours of rain,but rain water should never be standing on the inside of my hood. this could have potentially killed me if i never had to lift my hood and try to drive this with water standing around all of my electrical wires and battery. i have taken two pictures for visibility, but i do not know how i am going to get that water out without electrocuting myself. somebody please help me.

I kept noticing a smell of gasoline. one morning when i backed up and looked forward there was a puddle. i got out, bent down and smelled it. it was gas. i backed up a little more and there was another small puddle. it also was gas. when i first saw the puddles of gas i called volkswagen and was told there was no recall for this and that any recall that was on my vehicle has been complete (nothing to do with the fuel leak). just this past week (5/2/15) i noticed the same smell. this time i could actually see the fuel leaking from the back passenger side and i filmed it on my cell.

As with similar reports the car was driven then sat for 24hrs, when it was started again a strong gas smell was noticed and a puddle of gas was found under the passenger rear panel. immediately took to repair station where they could not find a leak. they filled the tank with gas and left it to sit overnight and under pressure. no leak. 3 weeks have passed with typical driving, not excessive use and no leaks until today september 5th 2014. started the car up and backed up to find a gas puddle again. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that when the vehicle was started, there was a fuel odor coming from the hood of the vehicle. the contact lifted the hood and noticed that fuel was leaking from the fuel pipe. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was not diagnosed. the vin was unavailable. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 134,000.

Engine mounts broke and i replaced them on may 10, 2014, then they broke again on july 6, and i again replaced them now they broke again today as i was pulling out of the gas station. was there any type of recall relative to the mounts of the engine in this model which is the 200 passat wagon with manual transmission. the windows also keep steaming up and strong smell of anti freeze. *tr

I have had my 2000 vw passat since 2006 and have had only regular wear and tear unitl about 3 weeks ago. i was driving on 95 in fort lauderdale, fl moving at about 65-70 mph when the engine shut off, power steering was gone and pushing brakes took all i had to try and safely steer and come to a complete stop crossing over 5 lanes of traffic to the break-down lane. once i was completely stopped i was able to turn the key to the off position and restart the vehicle. aside from the engine, steering and brakes all other functions were or at least seemed to still be working (ie: dash lights, radio, windows) the vehicle did this 4 more times while i attempted to drive to the nearest exit and call for assistance. i tested all the fuses and they all were in working order and the next set of symptoms occurred a week later. i was trying to unlock the car with the remote and there was not connection being made between the key and the car, i manually unlocked the doors and put the key in the ignition. the engine didnt start or even attempt to turn over. all dash lights were on as well as the radio, however, i had lost the power windows, locks, trunk, gas lid and all interior light functions. i currently have the vehicle being looked at and hope to give an update when i find out the issue. updated 12/1/2014 *js

A rainy night, 10:30 pm., on the freeway returning home from a symphony concert, the engine simply quit. i, husband/driver, tried three time to restart it before yelling to my wife to turn on emergency flashers which she did. as we slowed, i remember seeing all icons on dash blinking. both of us were knocked unconscious and do not remember being hit by the car behind. air bags did not deploy. injuries sustained: a contusion and minor whiplash by husband; fractured c-7 and t-1 vertebrates and concussion by my wife. she has been in a neck-to-waist brace from nov. 10, 2013 until present. we always maintained our passat scrupulously according to vw standards at their service centers by their trained mechanics. one month earlier we had brought the car in to be checked because sometimes it would not start after driving it someplace. twice had to wait for aaa towing. aaa able to start it right up as though nothing was wrong. vw ran "fault codes" but found no problem.we bought a new battery at vw's suggestion. something went horribly wrong with our car inspite of our responsible maintenance. we were extremely lucky not to be killed. we wish to know if there are other cases like ours. at the very least, we want others to know about this possible danger. i will appreciate your acknowledgment of this report. *tr

My 2000 vw passat gls wagon began exhibiting a flashing/beeping red brake light accompanied by a solid yellow abs and traction control light to indicate a failure in the abs system. also at this time the information hud has "stop, brake fault, service manual" flashing. 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 intend to have the abs module rebuilt and do the removal and installation work myself; the result should be around $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

Intermittent warning lights appear:abs,brake,stop,brake fault on dash warning area. stopped at local repair center,could not duplicate problem on road test.unable to diagnose problem with abs control module.,must be done only at vw dealership. drove without warning coming on but happened 3 or so hours later. have seen numerous complaints regarding this problem..nhtsa id number 10016037 service bulletin noted a warranty repair process for anti-lock brake system(abs) control module for this year of my passat and many other years before and after as well as other vw models. volkswagen said my vin # was not among the repair campaigns.is this a concern especially for your abs control that all vehicles be checked and repaired as a safety issue? *tr

When my car has a problem there is a screen that will tell you what is wrong. when it gets more than 65 degrees outside the screen quits working, it goes blank. first time i had problems my car was over heating, it was beeping at me. i couldn't make out what it was saying on the screen. i had to pull over cuff my hands around the screen to see stop over heating. i looked at my dash saw that it was over heating. that happened twice off an on with in a few weeks. my dad an i fixed the problem with over heating. another time was just recent my check engine light came on an once again couldn't read the screen. i cuffed my hands an was able to see emission check. i thought it was just me but when my car over heated i used google to search this screen problem. to check to see if it was on recall or anything,there is a lot of people with this issue.this is a major problem i think volkswagen should pay the $400 it takes to replace it. this is their product that is defected! why should we have to pay for their problem, some point the lack of this working could hurt someone. i'm writing to make sure this gets fixed before someone gets seriously hurt. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, he crashed into another vehicle. the vehicle was destroyed however none of the air bags deployed. there were no injuries reported. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileage was 130,000.

I am the second owner of this 00 vw passat . this car has been a great running and driving car. i bought it in feb 10 2012 . on sept 17 2012 my wife was driving this car to my sons football game with my mother in law. she was going about 50 mph when it shuttered and shut off . she was able to get it off the side of the road and stopped and when she opened the car door there were flames coming from under the hood she went to the other side of the car and helped her mother out of the car. the flames were spreading so fast they were not able to get anything out of the car. by the the time they got to the other side of the road away from the car the whole car was on fire. and when the fire department got there there was nothing left but some melted things in the trunk. i am just happy they made it out ok but what worries me is that it happened so fast and that there were no signs of anything wrong with the car .i have seen on the internet that this is not a isolated incident with this 00 passat. i have seen pictures and video of the same car with the same results. so right now i am at a total loss this being a second car i only had liability insurance all i can do is hope that someone can stop this from happening to someone else and it should be volkswagen's responsibility to find who owns these vehicles and fix the problem..... *tr

Abs module failed. lights on dashboard flashing. *tr

Check engine turned on. my car starts to lose power. there was a misfire at #2 cylinder according to the auto mechanic.. in a stopped position or when i turn car off, i smell something burning. had new coil installed and did a road test. the car was still misfiring. checked again, and all ignition coils needed to be replaced. in 01/2012, again, there was a misfire at the #2 cylinder. the burning smell returned. i had that repaired. in 05/2012, again, there was a misfire at the #3 cylinder. the burning smell returned. i had that repaired. *tr

When i do not use the car after a few days, and then start it, fuel leaks from the rear passenger side of the car. it seems to drip quite a bit at first and comes from the front somewhere. driving along the first mile you can see the drip continues on the ground. the leak stops and as long as i use the car daily, no leak reappears. when i took it to the dealer a few years ago, they couldn't find the problem because it stopped leaking. i should have left it there a few days i guess. i still have the problem and only after a few days of sitting. *tr

When acceleration and engaging passing mode, vehicle continues to accelerate even when pedal released. very difficult to control speed and brake. have done internet search on problem and find it fairly common with vw passat and certain audi models that use same throttle body. this device apparently requires regular servicing to avoid sticking problem. there is no doubt this is a dangerous condition and in my own instance, could easily have led to a highspeed accident. this vehicle was just purchased by me and went through md motor vehicle inspection in december, 2011. *tr

One of the passenger rear windows into fell into the door random on day, had to replace the window regulator. eventually within the next two months the passenger side window and driver rear window also became defective, falling into the door and their regulators had to be replace. a recall should be issued, clearly this is a defect vw needs to take care of as many others with same car are having this same issue. *tr

The heater core started to leak and my windows fogged up while driving on freeway. i almost got into a car crash because i lost my visibility. *tr

The car was parked. i attempted to start the engine, but it did not turn over. i tried a second time and noticed white smoke coming from under the engine hood. by the time i went inside to call for road service and returned to the parking lot, there were flames shooting from under the hood. the car was destroyed. *tr

Abs brake pump bosch 5.3 volkswagen part 8e0 614 111 ah began leaking and caused brake pressure failure in both circuits causing pedal to go to the floor. this was not the common failure of the abs control module electronics which merely causes a failure in anti-lock behavior. this is a total failure of the hydraulic system to all four wheels. *tr

Streaming gasoline leak inboard of the rear quarter panel on the passenger side when the engine starts. after operating for a time (20 min or more) the leak stops and does not reappear until the car has been sitting for several days without running. this condition has been in existence for about five years, but neither the vw dealer where i bought the car, nor an independent garage was able to find it (by the time i got it into the shop, the leak was gone and the gas had evaporated). it has gradually worsened, though, and last week i took it to the nearest vw dealer. when they detected the strong odor of gas, they parked it in an isolated area. the next day they called and told me that the "rollover" valve was defective and that the car needed a new gas tank. it is currently in the shop at drew volkswagen in la mesa, ca, awaiting parts. when it occurs, this is a very substantial leak with gas streaming onto the ground.

Make:volkswagen model: passat year:2000 streaming gasoline leak inboard of the rear quarter panel on the passenger side when the engine starts. after operating for a time (20 min or more) the leak stops and does not reappear until the car has been sitting for several days without running. this condition was first reported to vw hiley about 3 years ago. they checked it out and could find nothing. i had seen occasional leaks since but this time scared me because it was so much that my gas gauge moved as a result. i was headed to work which is about 20 minutes away. by the time i got there the leak had stopped. today is july 5th 2011. it was sitting since july 1st 2011. *kb

2000 volkswagen passat. consumer writes in regards to vehicle that die unexpectedly at various speeds *tgw the consumer stated the vehicle has stalled while making turns across highways and entering freeways. the vehicle was taken to the dealer numerous times where different components were replaced, but the stalling continued. *jb

The hazard light and turn signal lights stop working. the defect is due to malfunctioning hazard switch which controls turn signals. this will result in accidents since driver unable to show turn signals. *tr

Abs/asr/brake warning lights flashing and beeping. message center says stop, brake fault. after having brakes replaced, i was told that the abs control unit is defective meaning that i have no abs function.

In the last couple years my 2000 vw passat has a burning smell like a fire in the engine after driving a bit (i've noticed this particularly when the heater is on), has hesitated and jumped when i've tried to shift gears and accelerate, and a while ago the "check engine" light was going on when this hesitation occurred; although this light hasn't come on in the same situation lately, and the hesitation itself doesn't seem to be occurring as much as before. at any rate, i still get the burning smell and recently read that there is an investigation on this very make and model by nhtsa for said problems. my mechanic has been saying all along there is no problem, but perhaps he doesn't know of this investigation. what should i do? *tr

2000 volkswagen passat 1.8t automatic transmission purchased used in 2007. the under carriage protectant shield for engine looked to be melted from heat and came off on the hwy while vehicle was in motion. damaged right wheel well. *tr

While stopped at a red light, the engine accelerated by itself (computer failure?). my husband, who was driving, had to use both feet, pressing down as hard as he could, to stop the car. fortunately, no one was in front of us and we were far enough back that we did not accelerate into the intersection. the engine sound returned to normal after 15-30 seconds and we drove it home without further incident but we have stopped driving the car for safety reasons. in addition, the abs computer module has also failed, though we have not had any incidents related to that failure as the brakes are otherwise fine.

Gasoline is leaking from under the passenger rear side of my 2000 volkswagen passat gls v6; the gasoline is dripping from the heat shield in front of the rear tire. note that the fuel door / filler neck is on that side. see the excerpt (following) from http://www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint/2000/volkswagen/passat/fuel+system complaint number: 10280791: similar to other reports, there is apparently a common defect with older vw passats (mine is a 2000) fuel lines leaking gas when pressurized by the fuel pump. the gas leak occurs in the rubber fuel line near the gas tank and filter. the leak was visible in front of the rear wheel on the passenger side. mechanics, including the dealer have trouble locating the leak since it appears to be intermittent and only when the car is first started for a minute or so. the leak is significant and typically involves about a cup of gas. it is a fire hazard that should be part of a recall, but apparently is not. this problem seems to be related to the following recall for volkswagens equipped with the 1.8t (turbo) motor or 4motion (awd): 2000 volkswagen passat recall id from nhtsa: 08v156000. *tr

2000 vw passat 1.8t engine failure due to sludge build up. *tr

Was driving down the road today 8/9/10 in my 2000 v w passat and my car started smoking through the vents. no warning prior to the smoke. flames began shooting out from under the dashboard totally engulfing the entire car within minutes resulting in a total loss of the vehicle. there had been no prior problems with the vehicle until this event. *tr

Passenger rear window regulator went out on mine first with a crunching sound and then the glass just fell into the door. i have already replaced the passenger front regulator. typical cheap plastic vw parts. *tr

My 2000 vw passat v6 abs brake module has failed and i get the stop/abs lights flashing on my dashboard intermittently, along with warning beeps. this makes the car unsafe to drive and costs $1000+ to fix. vw needs to recall these models immediately. *tr

I needed to replace the rear driver side window regulator on my 2000 vw passat. a week ago i the rear passenger side window regulator failed. today my front passenger regulator failed. this seemed like a little more than bad luck. it turns out i'm not the only vw owner who has had extremely bad luck with their window regulators. *tr

At around 12:30 todd mcfadden (store manager of dunn tire llc 1170 central ave. dunkirk, ny 14048) advised to [xxx] (tire tech) to apply a tire that had been run on flat for an unknown distance on a customers car with out the consent or even having informed the customer of this 2000 vw passat. [xxx] refused said labor and the order was carried out by another individual of the company. [xxx] was dismissed from his duties for the day after refusing the labor. he advised to the store manager as well as the district manager that this practice was unsafe and could potentially be deadly to the installer of the tire as well as to the driver and passengers of the vehicle. being a nys licensed shop they have a duty to keep the customer safe to the best of their abilities and that did not happen today. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Previously repaired fuel leak has recurred, ~18 months later. leak can be seen when vehicle has been sitting for several hours and is then backed out of garage down inclined driveway. fuel is leaking from passenger rear wheel area. *tr

Vehicle accelerated on its own while i was driving on the freeway. the freeway was congested and i had just accelerated quickly to move into the left lane to avoid a semi truck entering the freeway on my right. i took my foot off the accelerator but the car continued to accelerate. i immediately pushed hard on the brake to avoid hitting the car in front of me. i had to apply considerable pressure to keep the car from increasing speed. i then placed the car in neutral and took my foot off the brake. the tachometer showed the engine revving up over the red line to 7000 rpms. fearing that the engine might be damaged i put the car back into gear and controlled the car by applying the brake as hard as i could. the acceleration slowed after about another 30 seconds or so to the point where the car was traveling at a sustained 70 mph without my foot on the accelerator or brake. this continued for several miles and eventually the accelerator began operating normally. during the last portion of sustaining 70 mph i tried switching cruise control on and off several times but this had no effect. after i got off the freeway and stopped, i checked the floor mat or anything else that might have interfered with the accelerator pedal and did not observe anything out of the ordinary. *tr

My 2000 vw passat 4 motion has 9k miles. just recently the abs brakes lights came on and the car puts on the brakes by itself. you are driving 65 mph and the car slams on the brakes. feels like you have hit a big hole in the road, but only with the front wheels. very scary. *tr

Abs module failure. common problem with unit. vw wants 1200 to fix but they realize this is a major issue with all of the bosch abs units from the period. *tr

I have been having dashboard warning lights coming on and off for the abs braking system. when the lights are on the abs system does not work. *tr

I stepped on the brakes and the right front brake line blew. the brake pedal went to the floor. i was making a u turn when it happened and i was able to stop using my emergency brake. i took it to my mechanic he said he had never seen anything like it. the rupture occurred in the rubber lining. he was thinking it was the steering of the front wheels all the time. the left side also showed signs of wear. had to replace both lines. i felt it was to much of an urgent matter to not let people know. *tr

The abs braking module has prematurely failed on our 2000 vw passat. mine occurred 6 months ago. as a 9 year old car to have the primary braking safety mechanism to fail, is dangerous, scary and absolutely ridiculous. the car itself properly indicates how vital a failure this is by showing a gigantic stop brake fault filling the dashboard followed by 3 ear piercing beeps. it appears as this is one of the most common vw and audi failures when we talked with the dealer and local vw repair shop as well as looking on the forums. if you google "stop brake fault vw" or any similar term (audi, passat), you will find hundreds of issues reported. there are multiple repair shops specifically setup to address this type of issue unfortunately. this should not be the case. hopefully your research will also show this. we did have ours repaired for $1000 after 5 months of letting this go as it was difficult to pay for this. there are probably thousands of other owners who can't scrape up the money to pay for a repair like this. vw and bosch should issue a recall and people who have already had this fixed should be reimbursed. thanks for your time. other customers have reported similar issues: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173334 http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280206 http://www.myvwlemon.com/ubb/forum2/html/000169.html a small sample of sites setup to fix this type of repair: http://www.modulemaster.com/en/index.php http://www.absfixer.com/ http://www.autoecu.com/ repair guides to show you how to fix this: http://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec116.shtml http://www.bba-reman.com/content.aspx?content=bosch_5.3_abs_removal. *tr

Failure of anti-lock brake system control module on 2000 1.8 t volkswagen passat with 90k miles. the failure is a problem with the abs control module. requires replacement. intermittent failure at first, that increases over time. brakes will not function as anti-lock brakes. brakes will still function, but may lock up in the event of hard braking, increasing stopping time and potentially causing unnecessary collisions. to correct this failure, the abs control unit must be replaced. part number (volkswagen) 8e0998375g. cost to replace this unit is high at dealer the cost for replacement is quoted at $1100. *tr

2000 vw passat abs/brake lights on. probably bad abs module. *tr

Similar to other reports, there is apparently a common defect with older vw passats (mine is a 2000) fuel lines leaking gas when pressurized by the fuel pump. the gas leak occurs in the rubber fuel line near the gas tank and filter. the leak was visible in front of the rear wheel on the passenger side. mechanics, including the dealer have trouble locating the leak since it appears to be intermittent and only when the car is first started for a minute or so. the leak is significant and typically involves about a cup of gas. it is a fire hazard that should be part of a recall, but apparently is not since the dealer charged me for the diagnosis and repair. *tr

2000 vw passat 1.8t had fuel leak. the car had a fuel leak in the garage which could have caused afire. this is a serious problem. i did some reading and thought it would be covered by a recall. however, the vw dealer charles maund volkswagan indicated that it was not covered by any recall. *tr

Abs/brake light indicator has began flashing while driving vehicle. i have taken car to have this viewed for safety concern & mechanics could note no failure w/ the abs. states this may be a malfunction & would need a new module. if the cause of these lights to continually stay on were due to any neglect of the car on my behalf i then would be more cooperative in remedying the situation, but as i have learned this is nothing to do w/anything i have caused rather than poor quality of this part. i have been advised not only could this lock my rear wheels in sudden stopping, but could happen when driving as well causing loss of control when steering the vehicle. now i am required to fix a problem and an expensive one, that is not due to anything that i have caused, but rather the manufacturer. so at my expense i will have to fix their problem in order to maintain safety of my children and myself. this is not my problem and i do not feel as though i should have to repair this and would request something be done about this issue. as it is documented that i am not the only one troubled with this and yet there has not been anything done to help fix this problem. does it take an actual accident or fatality to occur to have someone step in and get serious about getting this fixed? a bad abs module in all of these vehicles is just not a coincidence. *tr

Defective abs module in 2000 volkswagen passat. abs and brake/stop lights flash but brakes work. *tr

2000 passat abs control module has failed *tr

My 2000 vw passat was parked for approx. 45 minutes then the engine caught on fire. the only "problem" i had with the vehicle was when i was trying to lock it with the electronic key it would not "beep". i moved closer to the vehicle two times and only the rear tail lights faintly flickered. no beep. other than that there were not problems whatsoever. the fire was in the engine. the interior of the car was not damaged except for when the fire department came and broke out the windows. tires and engine melted. i have pictures i can send. *tr

Creaking, groaning, clunking, squeaking out of the front end, most notably at low speeds over broken pavement, speedbumps, coming to a slow stop and pulling away slowly from a stop. control arms issue. *tr

2000 vw passat has a water leak on drivers side floors and under passengers side floor. this has caused wire damage disabling electric windows, locks, gas cover release and interior lights. i may have even damaged to airbag system. this is a very serious matter and needs to be dealt with through vw. this should be a recall since the problem it causes are very serious. this needs to be dealt with asap. it is costing consumers a lot of money and hurting the reputation of vw. i know for a fact that unless something is done, i will not buy another vw and will not recommend anyone else from buying one either. i will go out of my way to say this. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. when the contact started the vehicle, there was fuel leakage and smoke appeared from the muffler. she received a recall notice for the fuel system and took the vehicle in for repair. a technician repaired the vehicle, but did not acknowledge the smoke. the contact was informed that there was no failure with the vehicle. she has not driven the vehicle since the repair because she feels it is unsafe. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 156,520.

My car keep surging when my foot is on the brake, my check engine light is not on. *tr

My 2000 vw passat 1.8 manual smells strongly of gasoline on a semi-regular basis. despite the fact that other passats from 1999-2005 are subject to a recall for this problem, vw has refused to correct the same problem in my car, based on the vin number. *tr

Abs light come on while driving with a flashing brake light.....brakes are very touchy. *tr

2000 volkswagen passat 4 dr sedan abs anti-lock braking system control module failed. *tr

2000 vw passat developed failure of abs control modulator. car has had a single owner and all recommended factory maintenance at authorized dealers. to correct the failure the whole part needed to be replaced at a cost of $1000. *tr

1. my 2000 vw passat 1.8t automatic reached 130k miles. 2. there is a failure in whatever component stabilizes the steering wheel at idle when the car is in drive or reverse. the problem does not in occur when at idle in neutral. the exact symptoms of the problem are a very strong vibration that can be felt through the steering wheel and the entire cabin. the only fix has been to put the car in neutral when at the stop sign/light. 3. corrective actions that have been taken so far are new engine mounts, new transmission mounts, new transmission stabilizer bar, and verifying the drive belt is tight enough. vw is well aware of the problem, because it is a common problem that occurs in b5 & b5.5 model automatic passats. there are some reports of passats with low mileage that have this problem. the vw corporation does not have a solution. people have literally traded in their passats, because they can't fix the problem. my stand is that there is no way that a car company this size doesn't have a clue as to what causes this problem and how to fix it. i refuse to subscribe to the notion that i have to buy another car when this problem occurs. *tr

Abs brake failure. defective abs electrical module. standard braking system still functional. *tr

Abs brake fault. *tr

1. i have a 2000 vw passat and have been driving it since 2000 without issues. 2. in march 2004, soon after the warranty expired, the abs light went on and didn't turn off. 3. the dealer said it was a faulty abs control module and replaced it for $1500. i did some research and found a lot of other people with faulty abs control modules. i asked the dealer about this and they said that they do get a lot of them but vw hasn't yet issued a recall for the part. i also called vw and they declined to cover the part. i've recently looked into this and appears that it's happening to more and more passats. *tr

Abs control module failure. intermittent but often. seems a systemic safety issue in vw passat. *tr

2000 passat 4 motion bosch 5.3 abs module has failed. 82,000 mi. *tr

The fuel line on my 2000 volkswagen passat simply broke as i was driving. i don't know how it occurred. the fuel line was repaired at a volkswagen dealership in glastonbury, ct. i am filing this complaint because i am not getting a satisfactory answer to why this problem is not being handled through a recall earlier this year of 412,000 1999-2005 passats and the possibility that others are having the same problem. *tr

On raising the window, the glass falls into the door without warning. this happens with both front and rear doors, driver and passenger sides. each time, the diagnosis is the same: the "regulator" failed. repairs cost approximately $400 per window. my wife and i own identical cars and of the eight windows, four have failed. after roughly $1600 for the four windows, i'm losing patience. a coworker owns a similar car and has had the same problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving at high speeds, the driver lost control of the vehicle. the vehicle veered off the road and dropped down approximately one foot. the vehicle flipped over three times. the air bags deployed, but the driver's side seat belt failed. the contact was pinned halfway out of the vehicle with the other half underneath the vehicle. he suffered severe head trauma and passed away at the scene. the other passenger, who was the owner of the vehicle, suffered minor injuries, a concussion, and minor cuts and bruises. a police report was filed. he believes that the seat belt in the vehicle should have restrained his body within the vehicle. he has not called the manufacturer, but a friend referred him to nhtsa. he believes that the seat belt was defective. the current and failure mileages were 95,000. updated 2/2/09 *cn updated 02/04/09. *jb

Volkswagen has a recall due to fire hazard. because i live in a small town, the nearest volkswagen dealership is in the next state. when i explained this to the volkswagen people they said i had to do this recall at a dealership with no compensation from them for my time or my expense. they also said that since i called them, they are no longer liable for this problem if my car caught on fire. i told them that i am not waiving any of my rights with this phone call and asked to have the call recorded. the nearest dealership is a six hour drive from my residence and be expected to wait three or more hours for the replacement on my vehicle to be done. this is unacceptable for me due to the fact that i am disabled and on a limited income. we have a volkswagen repair shop here in my town. german motors 1065 k st arcata ca 95521 they will not let me have the recall done there. *tr

Abs light started blinking and beeping. scan tool shows "unable to communicate with abs control module." this abs blinking and beeping happens everytime i start my car now. when i attempt a panic brake stop, there is no pulsating from the brake pedal, which indicates the abs is not functioning. my 2000 passat glx has 45,000 miles on the odometer. *tr

The abs module has failed, this on searching the internet is a very common problem with vw's. there has been no effort to fix this issue by vw. on driving there are 3 beeps on the driver console and a message saying brake fault appears on the screen. although the brake is working and is in good condition. *tr

I have a faulty abs control unit on my 2000 volkswagen passat. this should be covered by volkswagen. *tr

My 2000 vw passat 1.8t began exhibiting a flashing/beeping red light to indicate a failure in the abs system. the light activates 99% of the time i drive the car. the abs system is not functional in this state, which means the car is drivable, but significantly less safe under panic stop or reduced traction conditions. upon further research with other owners of this vehicle, it is obvious that this failure is common on 1998-2001 passats (and audi a4s) with the bosch 5.3 abs module. the dealership acted as if they had never seen this type of problem, although an independent shop said they had replaced several at their shop. however, no action has ever been taken by the manufacturer. i did opt to have the abs module rebuilt by a third party. the result was a $400.00 instead of $1000.00 at the dealer. outrageously, many people who have sought vwoa dealership service work for this same problem have spent well over $1,000. the apparent failure rate of this module, and the fact that it degrades the operation of the most fundamental safety feature of a car (the brakes), make it my opinion that it should be subject to recall. recall action should include compensation for owners who have undertaken repairs, and replacement of the faulty module. thank you. dk *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 15 mph, all of the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. prior to the abs warning indicator illuminating, the contact heard a beeping noise. the warning indicators remained lit until the engine was turned off. the contact stated that the vehicle was operating properly at the time. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the failure was related to the abs control module. the vehicle was repaired. the contact was concerned of the safety risk involved. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 75,000 and current mileage was 85,000. updated 11-19-08 *bf the abs module failed. updated 11/20/08.*jb

Abs and brake warning light (intermittently) on instrument cluster of 2000 volkswagen passat. mechanic advises this to be a common problem, demonstrates an electrical issue with anti-lock brake module. mechanic also advises that abs in inoperable when warning lights are on. (computer code 01203). *tr

Brake fault , brake light flashes, abs comes on due to bad abs module. *tr

It couldn't have been a month before buying my previously owned 2000 vw passat that the anti-lock brake system module failed. this is an extremely serious issue as it compromises the safety of the driver, passengers, and all others who travel the same routes as i do. i have held off complaining, but over the years we have seen an alarming amount of members with the exact issue. our online community only constitutes a small percentage of passat owners, yet we have had hundreds of members with this problem. i can only imagine how many more have had this problem, but haven't known where to turn. i purchased the part alone for $1200 and then had to pay additional labor costs. it almost seems like a scam on the part of vw. it just doesn't seem fair. *tr

Faulty abs control module installed from factory. *tr

The abs control module has failed on my vehicle three times since it was purchased new in 2000. each time it fails, my brakes experience a mass of malfunctions which include random lock-ups, brake shudder, etc. *tr

2000 vw passat 1.8t, manual 5-speed abs module showing constant failure indication, along with stop, service manual warnings. i'm filing this to add to the numbers, voicing safety issues that should be addressed by vw free-of-charge like so many others believe vw should do. not many have an extra $1500 laying around to replace a part that should not fail to begin with, or should have a lifetime warranty regardless of ownership. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 30 mph and making a right turn, the accelerator pedal became stuck and caused the vehicle to continue accelerating. the contact swerved to avoid a bus and struck a curb instead. as a result, the rear axles were damaged. there were no other vehicles involved in the crash and he was uninjured. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the vehicle was salvageable. the dealer also stated that there were no recalls relating to the accelerator pedal. he took the vehicle to a local repair shop and the rear axles were repaired. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was 102,000 and failure mileage was 101,000.

Abs / brake light warning on dashboard. it happens occasionally, but it getting more common. it is not a constant warning. it does not happen on every drive of the vehicle. have read that it is common on this era of vehicles. *tr

My 2000 vw passat 1.8t began exhibiting a flashing/beeping red light to indicate a failure in the abs system. the light activates every time i drive the car, but does not turn on until the brakes are warm. the abs system is not functional in this state, which means the car is drivable, but significantly less safe under panic stop or reduced traction conditions. upon further research with other owners of this vehicle, it is obvious that this failure is common on 1998-2001 passats (and audi a4s) with the bosch 5.3 abs module. however, no action has ever been taken by the manufacturer. i may opt to have the abs module rebuilt by a third party, and do the removal and installation work myself; the result would be at least $200 out of pocket. outrageously, many people who have sought vwoa dealership service work for this same problem have spent well over $1,000. the apparent failure rate of this module, and the fact that it degrades the operation of the most fundamental safety feature of a car (the brakes), make it my opinion that it should be subject to recall. recall action should include compensation for owners who have undertaken repairs, and replacement of the faulty module. thank you. *tr

2000 passat wagon 1.8 caught fire and burned - its was not running and was parked for 20 min then fire started under the right side of the engine. *tr

I have a 2000 vw passat. the abs light comes on, the brake warning light flashes, and "stop"/"brake malfunction"/"service manual" cycles on the dash display. sometimes this occurs while driving, sometimes as soon as i start the car. sometimes they go right back off...but most of the time they stay on for about ten minutes, and then go off and then the asr light comes on and stays on until i turn off the car. if the car is off for a few hours, the lights will usually not come back on until i drive again for a few miles. it appears after doing some searching that this is a common problem with the abs control module and is a known issue that volkswagen is doing nothing about except replace the part for around $1300-$1500. *tr

Abs module failure. code is 18057 p1649 data bus powertrain: missing message from abs ecu. i own a 2000 volkswagen passat, with 59,100 miles on it. the abs light comes on everyday periodically. the part has a high price. i believe the part should be replaced at no charge because it is a safety problem that should not occur. due to this failure, i do not trust my brakes in case of an emergency. *tr

I have a '00 vw passat, and belong to passatworld.com i bought this car brand new in 2000, and now the car just has 90k on the odometer. my abs control module just went bad, as many many vw and audi owners have experienced. i think this is way too soon for this to happen, have kept the car in excellent shape, have followed all recommended maintenance schedules, etc. for such a potentially life-saving piece of equipment (abs and traction control, which the module controls,) you'd think vw would use a longer lasting part that is not prone to early failure. *tr

My car has been recalled 3 times, to which i adhered. two months after my extended warranty expired, with 45,000, the abs sensor module failed. i don't believe it's failed as the dash board lights infrequently return to normal state; with no indication of problem, only to return to abs, brake failure, stop, service manual, lights flashing. vw of america offered $300 towards a $1024.00 repair only to retract offer when i voiced i could not buy another vw nor recommend to anyone. *tr

I have a 2000 volkswagen passat. my abs module has failed and i no longer have my abs or anti-slip regulation (traction control). there are no indications leading up to this failure. upon starting my car, warning lights flash, three beeps are heard, and a "brake fault" message is displayed on my instrument panel. the failure is due to a faulty design from the manufacturer that volkswagen of america is fully aware of and refuses to recall. to get the part replaced by the dealer costs over $1000 and is replaced by the same badly designed part that will eventually fail again. i am unable to afford to buy the new part from the dealer at this time. *tr

The control arms in my 2000 vw passat need to be replaced. i believe that this is a design defect. control arms should not fail after only 116,000 miles. *tr

2000 passat abs control module failure summer 07. no unusual circumstances... abs light just came on when driving down the highway. confirmed "lack of comms with ecm for $80 at vw dealer in august 07. vw wants $1300 to repair. i plan to order repair through bbs for $250. still have good braking just no abs asr. *tr

Abs module bosch 5.3 for 2000 vw passat - due to a defective disconnected small wire in the module causes non-communication to vw vagcom computer to abs system, thus rendering the abs brakes ineffective and deemed dangerous causing brake locking. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving 40 mph, the accelerator pedal became stuck. the contact had to place the vehicle into neutral in order to slow down the vehicle. the current mileage was 61,456 and failure mileage was 61,440.

Premature abs electronics failure, disabling the abs system. vehicle is a 2000 volkswagen passat station wagon. *tr

My abs sensor failed at 130k miles. this causes a annoying flash across the dash and sounds that beep loudly. *tr

2000 vw passat was diagnosed to need abs (antilock braking system) control module replaced at $900 by vw dealer. hundreds of pages on forums across the world exist on this same problem. thirty-one pages alone can be found at http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=6316&start=0&tstart=0. hundreds more can be found by searching "passat" and "abs". on the positive side, apparently, there's a 2005 vw service bulletin #0517 and nhtsa item 10016037 acknowledging the longevity and frequency of the problem. on the negative side, despite the fact that, flashing lights warn drivers to stop immediately and the manual says that rear brakes may lock up at any moment, vw and nhtsa have not taken action to make this potential safety issue the mandatory recall and repair it would seem to be. is there some reason why this hasn't taken place yet? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact experienced issues with the electrical system. the alarm in her vehicle would go off unexpectedly. she had to unplug the battery in order to shut off the alarm. in addition, the contact could not control the locking and unlocking of the doors or the windows going up and down. the only window she could control was the driver's side window. there was also approximately four inches of water under the driver's seat. she believed that it was collective rain water that did not drain, but rather escaped into the vehicle. she took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the repairs would cost over $4,000. the manufacturer called the dealer and asked them why it would cost so much for the repairs. the contact's case was filed by the manufacturer. she also took the vehicle to an outside mechanic and they stated that the issues were common among volkswagen owners. the current mileage was approximately 103,000 and failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

Defective abs controller. *tr

Abs control module failure.*tr

Heat shield caught fire while driving down the road. i had bought the car from carmax who had lied about the auto from the broken seatbelts forward on the day of sale. vw dealership repaired auto after fire but another mishap with heatshield when it fell off and under the passenger front tire @ 65 mile per hr, while driving down turnpike. i was not injured thanks to a truck driver who assisted my navigation to the side of the road and cut off the shield so i could return home. the tie rod was damaged and had to be replaced, since the fire the car has never been the same and has been a hazard, stalling on a beltway, etc... no apparent reason for this was found on a diagnostic machine as it has been checked several times..it is when the emission light comes on and a bad sensor needs replaced or switch. but nothing fixes this car for long. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. when the contact depressed the brake pedal, the vehicle would not stop properly unless the brake pedal was repeatedly depressed. in addition, the abs warning light was illuminated on the instrument control panel. he took the vehicle to a local mechanic and was informed that the abs module was malfunctioning. the dealer stated that because there was no recall, the contact would be responsible for the $1,300 repair cost. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer was unable to provide adequate assistance. the failure mileage was 105,000 and current mileage is 143,000. updated 07/29/08 *bf the abs moduel was the cause of the brakes going out. updated 08/01/08. *jb

Abs /brake light started coming on at about 80,000 miles. first the problem was intermittent, but now it is constant. the abs pump seems to function properly. the problem is with the electronic component known as the ebcm. i realize the government doesn't consider this a safety issue, otherwise vw would have been pressured to issue a recall. however, the state of nj will not allow you to pass inspection with the lights on because they consider it a safety issue, even though in reality it's just like driving in the pre-abs days. so, the consumer is forced to pay $1500-$2000 to get this problem fixed. of course vw and bosch, who made the faulty component, get off the hook and in fact profit this extremely common failure. who is looking out for the consumer? please help! *tr

I am the owner of a 2000 vw passat with the 1.8 liter turbo engine. this engine is known to have serious sludging issues. this was unknown to me. two months ago my oil pressure indicator lit up. i could not find any oil pressure issues so i took the car to the dealership 45 miles away. they "inspected" the car and informed me the engine was sludged up. apparently vw has a warranty regarding this issue but only if you can produce every receipt of every oil change the vehicle has ever had from the day it was purchased from vw. problem: i am the second owner. i can not produce receipts from the previous owner. to compound the problem i purchase my oil and filters by the case to last me several years. i do not have those receipts of those purchases anymore. i changed the oil according vw specifications located in the manual. to make matters worse vw decided to change the owners manual to state that synthetic oil must be used instead of regular motor oil, but did not inform me of this. vw will/has contacted me as the new owner of the car regarding recalls but would not inform me of this very important maintenance change that could destroy my engine. now vw wants to charge me over $4,000 to put a new "oil sludging kit" on my car to compensate for a known defect simply because i can not produce records to show that i changed the oil every three months and that i used synthetic oils instead of regular oil as the owner manual states. *tr

2000 passat -oil pressure light and a big stop light came on with no prior warnings or anything wrong. immediately turned off. waited about 1 hour then drove 1 mile home. next day had it towed to dealership for diagnosis. was told by vw mechanic he was not supposed to tell me but my engine was blown due to oil sludge in the engine which was a "known problem" with this year. wanted $9500 to replace engine (only 52k miles) i still owed $7500 on the car. replaced engine at another garage for $5400 then had to replace turbo for $2000. oil is now leaking and they do not know what the problem is. called vw. they said they would be glad to pay for a replacement engine if i could produce every oil change receipt. the garage where i got my oil changed only keeps records in the computer for 6 months then they are put in boxes in storage. vw basically said "too bad". i have had 2 jettas and now this passat. i will not buy another vw product. i had no problems with the jettas. if they have "known problems" why are they not recalls? vw could not answer this question. *tr

A fire occurred in the passenger compartment of my 2000 volkswagen passat 4motion wagon. the fire occurred while i was traveling east on us 80 near auburn. my life was saved because a county sheriff was traveling behind me and summoned the fire department and police as i hurried to exit ca 49 at auburn, california. flames and smoke filled the passenger compartment, which the fire department flooded. the car has been totaled. i have instructed my insurance company, aaa, not to destroy the car for parts in light of the vw safety recall 26e5/rf (1999-2002 model year volkswagen passat and passat wagon.) i incurred considerable expense (car rentals over the six months that aaa insurance took to settle the claim). i have also had to purchase a new vehicle at a cost to me of more that $25,000 over the paid claim. i would like to be made whole, following this costly and extremely dangerous situation. the fire department and aaa determined that the fire was an electrical fire that began in the electrical system behind the dashboard in the passenger compartment. mary coady *tr

2000 passat auto transmission began to catch on fire near engine and where exhaust meet. my son and a friend both 20yrs old were driving late at night when this occurred. i thank god it did not end tragically. *tr

At just over 90,000 miles, a warning message came up stating: stop! brake failure. see service manual. the abs and brake light also came on and stayed on. i immediately had my brake system checked at an independent mechanic. he found nothing wrong with the brakes or the abs. according to vw it is a abs central module failure. replacing it will cost over $1000. this is outrageous! this is clearly a defect that vw should correct. it is incredible that vw is allowed to scare its customers into thinking they are in serious danger of brake failure just to get them to correct an electronic defect. checking the internet i discovered this is a common problem with the 2000 passat. *tr

Abs module failed at approx 80k miles. repaired by dealer. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving 5 mph, the vehicle began to shake and the front end made a clicking noise. the contact then noticed a burning rubber smell and noticed smoke coming from the front passenger side. a police report was filed. the vehicle caught fire under the hood and has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the failure mileage was 90,000. updated 05/28/08 *bf

Lit abs warning light and flashing brake light. on a 2000 gls passat as a result of a faulty abs module. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving 50 mph, the check engine and oil lights illuminated. when the contact depressed the brake pedal, it felt as if the rear tires were locking. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that there was computer chip failure with the abs and the entire computer needed to be replaced. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 83,000 and failure mileage was 82,978.

Events leading to failure. first the fuel tank door switch became inoperable forcing me to remove the opening mechanism which allowed me to open it manually. two days later the alarm began to sound on it's own, and did so for at least 8 hours or more. by the end of the night the car would not turn over and all the functions in the drivers side door as well as the alarm, ceased to operate apart from the locks. i had to remove the drivers side seat and carpet to access the convenience control module and subsequent wiring, while underneath the carpet i tried to suction up as much moisture as i could off the bottom of the floor and out of the padding. as of know i am quoted to purchase a new convenience control module to correct the situation. *tr

Abs /brake light started coming on at about 112,000 miles. first the problem was intermittent, but now it is constant. the abs pump seems to function properly. the problem is with the electronic component known as the ebcm. i realize the government doesn't consider this a safety issue, otherwise vw would have been pressured to issue a recall. however, the state of nj will not allow you to pass inspection with the lights on because they consider it a safety issue, even though in reality it's just like driving in the pre-abs days. so, the consumer is forced to pay $1500-$2000 to get this problem fixed. of course vw and bosch, who made the faulty component, get off the hook and in fact profit this extremely common failure. who is looking out for the consumer? please help! *tr

Abs light on and brake light flashing. big letters saying to stop! *tr

While driving my 2000 vw passat 1.8t, a brake fault was identified on the display screen and the abs light came on. i brought the car to a dealership who said their computer couldn't communicate with the control module and it would take hours to troubleshoot the reason. they suggested a brake flush and i agreed. i almost ended up in an accident on my way home when i needed to stop quickly and my brakes needed to be fully pressed to the floor before the car began to decelerate. i have had nothing but difficulties having this issue addressed. to my surprise, this is a widespread issue. more to my surprise is the fact that there has been no recall; i am disappointed in vw and agencies protecting our safety on the road. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving 40 mph, the word "stop" appeared on the instrument panel and the abs warning light illuminated. as a result, the abs failed to operate properly. the dealer stated that the abs module malfunctioned. the contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. as of october 31, 2007, the dealer had not repaired the vehicle. the failure mileage was 48,000 and current mileage was 62,500.

Abs warning light flashes and beeps intermittently. dealership diagnostics show abs module needs replacement. dealer quotes $1400 for repair. *jb

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. *tr

Abs and brake warning light comes on and stays on. message section displays stop, brake failure message. according to dealership, the abs module needs to be replaced. price quoted was $1,000. apparently, a very common problem with vw and audi cars. vw owes us a recall. *tr

Abs light and brake fault light comes on and will not go off. *tr

2000 vw passat ebtcm (abs module) failure @ 80k miles. *tr

Abs system failure. a warning is dispayed on the instrument panel that there is a brake fault and the abs system warning light is also illuminated. this occurs intermittently but with greater frequency when the ambient temperature is above 60 deg f. below 60f the warning only appears after the vehicle warms up. above 75f the warning displays as the vehicle is started from cold. between 60f & 75f the occurrence is more random. the abs system works before the warning is displayed but does not work after the warning is displayed. once displayed the warning remains for the remainder of the journey and until the vehicle cools down. estimates to replace the abs unit are approx $1500 plus fitting. *tr

Bought a vw passat used from private dealer~i owned the car for exactly 1 year, turbo failed ~ check engine light has been on since owning vehicle. car has been diagnosed with oil sludge issues from previous owners. just paid for turbo and two oil lines to be replaced. vw of america stated they would take responsibility ~ never heard from them, i keep calling ~ check engine light has been on since day one ~ no one wants to help me on this quest to seek action. i owe 11,000.00 more on the vehicle car was smoking severely ~thought it was an undercarriage~but it is near the turbo line so it could be mistaken. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while attempting to start his vehicle on a cold morning, the defrost feature failed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they diagnosed the failure as the heater core. the dealer replaced the heater core. the current mileage was 65,700 and failure mileage was 65,600.

Fax from congressman on behalf of constituent regarding a safety problem with her vw passat. *kb immediately after the consumer purchased the vehicle, the air bag light illuminated. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealership. she was told the problem had been fixed, however the air bag light continued to illuminated on a regular basis. the consumer has been to the dealer 8-10 times for the same problem. the battery was replaced. *jb updated 09/18/07 *tr

I have a 2000 vw passat wagon awd v6 which has a faulty abs module, causing the abs light to come on along with a blinking and beeping brake light. i get a stop! brake fault; service manual message which many, many others are also getting. vw should absolutely issue a recall for this as many vw dealers are seeing this exact issue (which happens to be very expensive to fix and diagnose). *jb

Vw passat v6 wagon 2000 65k miles abs brake fault warning lights (abs, brake and warning illuminated; stop message) appeared while driving at high speed on freeway. intermittent for fist day, remained illuminated day 2 -3. dealer service indicated the abs communication module failed; when lights are on abs will not activate. abs module replaced at a cost of $1189. *jb

I own a 2000 v6 passat with 80500 miles. my catalytic converter banks 1 and 2 have been diagnosed as not effective enough necessitating a catalytic converter replacement. vw usa refused to offer me assistance with the replacement of this catalytic converter, pointing out that the warranty for this item expired 500 miles ago. i find this unacceptable and hope that the federal government does not allow this car manufacturer to shirk its responsibility to its consumers and to the environment.

Bought used 2000 passat. abs brake fault light came on within 30 days of purchasing vehicle. mechanic has tried replacing abs sensor, abs control module and hydraulic booster, changed wire harness, and installed instrument panel twice. light still comes on. mechanic assures me brakes are working and abs is working. hope i don't prove him wrong. very frustrated. have gotten no help from vw service. they seem at a loss of what to do also. recall this vehicle please!! *jb

2000 vw passat. abs module went out causing loss of anti-lock brake system and reduced safety of car. replacement will be $1200-$1500. mechanic explained that this wa scommon to volkswagen cars between 50-100k miles.*ak

I have had my 2000 vw passat for a little over two years and it has been a money pit! i have had so many problems since a month or so after i bought my car. i bought the car from a private party, test drove the car, had it checked out by a mechanic, and i have put thousands of dollars into the car. i bought the car just before my senior year in high school thinking i made a wonderful choice, and i had to replace a new right side boot just after a month of owning the car. the check engine light/abs/airbag kept coming on and beeping at me, and i had to buy a whole new brain to the car over $1500. i had to replace the timing belt way before the mile warranty, oil leaks which ruined some wires, new shocks/shock absorbers, now the window will go part way down, but will no longer go up... and my headlights are fogged up which i have noticed on all other 2000 passats...! many things have gone wrong with this car. i am so frustrated with the car. i do not recommend a vw to anyone! i am going into the second year of college and have spent most of my savings on this piece of junk. i think after fixing a part of the car that it should run without any problems. since i have put so much money into this car i cannot afford to get a reliable car. there is something seriously wrong with vw and the recalls! as far as i am concerned the whole car should be recalled!!!! *tr

I just bought my daughter a new "used" vehicle. because it is over 5 years old, the vehicle is sold "as is" - no warranty. since getting the car home, in the first 120 miles i drove, not 1, but 2 window regulators broke creating a load crashing noise and a safety concern. the noise caused me to brake suddenly since i did not know where the noise came from. fortunately, the vehicles behind were able to stop without crashing, but it was a very unsafe condition. the car is in the repair shop right now and the estimated repair is cost $501.75. i have been driving for 35 years and in my lifetime, i have never seen a vehicle have 2 window regulator failures within a one hour time span, also within a 20 mile driving span. it seem to me this is a defective part and should be recalled and replaced by volkswagon. all this after i just spent $7000.00 for this vehicle. in doing research, i see this is a common problem for volkswagon. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle will not read the amount of fuel that is present in the fuel tank. the failure is caused by a fuel sender malfunction. the dealer and the manufacturer referenced recall # 01v157000 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly). they stated that once a recall repair is performed, they do not perform the repair again. the contact's vehicle was not included in the recall. the current mileage is 40,000 and failure mileage was 38,000. updated 01-14-08. *kb the consumer stated he is experiencing problems again. updated 12/12/07. *jb

Car is a 2000 volkswagen w passat,v6 all wheel drive with 68000 miles on it. abs control unit failed. repair cost was $1000. web and forum searching showed this to be a very common problem with both volkswagen and audi. see tp://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa? *threadid=6316&start=0&tstart=0 for numerious examples. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. while driving 60 mph the vehicle hesitated and there was a loss of power. he noticed smoke coming from the hood. approximately five minutes later he noticed fire in the engine compartment. the dealer has not been inspected the vehicle to determine the cause of the fire. there is a defect investigation open for the ignition switch (nhtsa action # pe07024). the fire destroyed the vehicle. there is a police report available. the failure and current mileages were 80,000.

Check engine light has been on since purchasing of car ~ electra auto sales was aware of this and noted this was their records they would be responsible. they have been given me the run around because of the faulty engine system. my daughter and i were subjected to almost being killed on the highway because of the car stalling and rough idliing ~ paul vargas owner of electra auto sales has not returned any called back . ak

Tl*contact owns a 2000 volkswagen passat. it was repaired on two occasions. the check engine light was always on, and when she accelerated the vehicle made an unusual noise. the mechanic stated that the failure was the air pump and fuse. the contact was concerned of the risk involved since the failure mileage was 51,971 miles. the current mileage was 75200. *ak

Anti-lock braking system abs, electronic controller module started with the brake and abs lights on or flashing from time to time, then, all the time, and the oil light came on. also, warning - stop sign came on, and the tachometer dropped to zero. never happened all the time, but it did get much more frequent , probably about 80% of the time these things were happening. *ak

1) rain water entered the vehicle , 2000 passat, 6cylinder, auto matic transmission and pooled approximately 2-3 inches) in the rear passenger side of the vehicle. source of leak was unknown. all windows and doors were closed. *ak 2) this led to the transmission control unit, which is housed under the passenger side, to become wet and malfunction. the transmission then began shifting up, and down erratically, while driving. 3) the dealership claimed this was not covered under the transmission warranty. the transmission control unit had to be replaced at a cost of $1351 dollars for the part and $250 for labor. research on the web indicates that this is a common problem with vw's and is likely due to a design flaw which causes water to drain into the interior of the vehicle when certain drain holes become clogged.

Purchased my 2000 passat in 2003, had numerous problems since. it seemed like everything on the car had to be replaced. the control arms, o2 sensors, twice, belts, stereo didn't turn on, all new hoses right away, all 4 window regulators, and now to top it all off, the abs lights kept coming on. my husband has a 2000 audi a4, virtually the same car, and had to replace all of the same things. the abs seemed to work fine, but the dealer said it would be $1800 to fix it. i looked at some online forums and found thousands of people with similar problems. the manufacturer, (bosch or volkswagen, should do something about this. my car has been parked since august 2006 because i don't have money to fix it! i am college student. help!

My 2000 volkswagon passat has started reporting errors, including brake faults, abs errors, check engine lights. i've taken it to mechanics and they are unable to find any problems. they simply reset the codes and send me on my way. a few hours of driving and the errors come back. all the errors are intermitent. it's incredibly frustrating. others have experienced a similar problem and vw only says that our model year does not have significant issues to warrant a recall. there are hundreds of posts with these symptoms all over the internet. please help.

Turbo started sucking up oil, eventually leading to engine failure. *jb

I own a 2000 passat v6 glx wagon. it has 94,000 miles. there are defects in the abs and brake light warning system. i have taken the car to certified import mechanics, who stated there was absolutely nothing wrong with the brakes or brake functions. i have been investigating this problem online and have found that thousands of people were having the same problem. how are we as consumers supposed to know when to take the warning light seriously? in my online investigation i have found a number of people that have been taken advantage of by volkswagen. they were charged thousand of dollars to fix this problem, and volkswagen never fixed the problem the warning lights still popped up randomly. consumers pay for a feature such as abs brakes for the safety of our children and our own safety, but this volkswagen situation was disconcerting. *ak

There were no events leading up to this incident. the heater core broke on my 2000 volkswagen passat. when this happened white smoke was emitting into the passenger compartment causing a film on the windshield. this caused a fog on the windows reducing my visibility severely causing me to have to pull over quickly. the smoke has an odor of antifreeze and in fact that is what it was. when i got home i checked the antifreeze and it had dropped to half of what it was. this is a known issue at volkswagen whose only recourse is that i should have purchased the extended warranty when i bought the car. the worst part about this entire experience is that after nearly crashing my car i have to pay $1200.00 to repair this defect. *nm

Abs module failure: this problem initially aroused in 2004 which was serviced by a local vw dealership in san francisco. the technician reset the code which made the beeping stop and made the light disappear temporarily. when it came back on again a few weeks later, i contacted the same dealership who advised me that since "it's not a safety concern, i didn't need to get that problem fixed right away." in the beginning, the abs light was temperamental. it would come on and off but it has been on consistently since april/may 2005. i attempted to get it fixed a few times to no avail. i was told that it would cost me nearly $2000 out of pocket. upon further investigation, i became aware that this is a common problem with vw but vw of north america refused to correct this issue and consumers are being forced to pay out of pocket, which is an expensive repair. in october of last year, i filed an official complaint with the california dept of consumer affairs, bureau of automotive repairs (bar) who attempted to advocate on my behalf but were unsuccessful as well. i was told by the bar that there have been thousands of complaints registered but no action has been taken against the vw of north america yet. vw of north america needs to step up to the plate and act responsibly to correct this issue before tragedy hits. if govt entities such as nhtsa and other organization cannot force vw to act then the vw owners need to consider filing a class action law suit. this is a serious matter and i for one have already begun looking in to this option. i am tired of dealing with vwofa and they need to be held accountable for their action. please click on the following link to read complaints registered by other vw owners. http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?message id=261419 *jb

Owner was driving and noticed a smell, then he saw smoke coming out of the dash vents. he then saw fire on the passenger-side footwell area. the fire was first observed on the floor where it sloped upward, where the passenger would place their feet. he pulled over, got out, and threw some snow on the passenger-side floor area. he opened a rear door and took some personal belongings out and then observed the dash break out into flames. *nm

Am i filing this report in the correct place? i have a 2000 vw passat. three of the 4 windows have dropped into the door. options: costs $350 each to fix or $60 to have mechanic freeze window in place, creating a safety hazard. many may go this route as their only option. considering it myself. the regulator is the same one used in the vw jetta and these have been recalled. the window regulators in the passat need to be recalled also. concerned for the safety of my teenage drivers who may need to lower the window (front passenger) in times of poor visibility. *jb

2000 vw passat with ~72000 miles. abs control module has failed. vw says it will costs ~$1400 to repair. internet research indicates this is a common problem which many vw owners are experiencing. long past time to investigate whether a recall is warranted. *jb

While attempting to make an emergency stop in my 2000 vw passat, there was a 1 to 2 second delay in braking power. the roads were wet and the brake rotors were wet due to lack of shields to prevent water from making the brake rotors wet. the 1-2 second delay (from the time i applied the brake) caused my vehicle to not stop in the typical stopping distance and caused my vehicle to impact another vehicle. vw passats from 2003-newer seem to all have these brake rotor shields "splash shields", but not the older 1998-2002 passats. a call to the volkswagen customer care hotline (800-822-7661) did not address this serious safety defect to my satisfaction. the agent kept saying "there's no current open campaign for your vehicle". i know of numerous vw passat owners who have experienced this serious issue. *nm

Owner was driving the vehicle, parked it, turned off the engine, and went inside a restaurant to pick up a pizza. while owner was inside, the volkswagen caught fire. fire burned carpet in front center of passenger compartment, plastics in front center of dash. all damage above location of exhaust and catalytic converter underneath the floor.

Owner parked the vehicle at a doctor's office. shortly after he went into the doctor's office, the vehicle caught fire. fire burned throughout engine compartment and passenger compartment and caused severe scorching to the front of the floor pan. exhaust heat shield melted. *nm

Owner drove the vehicle approximately 7 miles, went into a store, came out, and observed a fire in the vehicle. heat shield above right side catalytic converter melted and some wiring in the dash was burned.

Owner had the catalytic converters and oxygen sensors replaced. a few weeks later, owner was driving the vehicle and then stopped and was sitting in her driveway using her cell phone when she smelled smoke. she got out of the vehicle and looked at the engine and saw fire. exhaust system had overheated, causing melting of the exhaust heat shield and materials on the floor pan just above the catalytic converters.

I've had my 2000 passat now for 3 years, my husband and myself see to it that our cars have annual tune-ups and regular oil changes. for the past month the abs and brake light has been flashing non-stop. during my most recent tune up, i was informed that the catalytic converters have to be replaced. my mechanic was convinced that a recall had to be in place because he was seeing this problem occurring frequently. i called the vw dealership where i purchased the vehicle and was informed that $100 was needed to even look at the car. all of this has me furious. a recall is needed--right a way!!!!! *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the abs brake light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer, who replaced the abs module.

2000 passat oil sludge build up caused engine to fail. *ts while driving the oil indicator light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer who explained that the oil pressure was low, but close to manufacturers specifications. the oil pump, pvc system, and turbo tubes were replaced. less than three months later the consume started hearing a rumbling noise which seemed to be coming from the engine. the vehicle was taken back to the service dealer where id was determined that he noise was probably rod knock and the remedy was to replaced the engine. the consumer feels that vw should be responsibly fro replacing the engine because they were aware that the oil filter was too small. *nm

Abs system has failed in my 2000 vw passat. it gives warning lights and messages that it's not working. *jb

(1) normal driving circumstances (2) abs module failure, no abs or traction control functionality (3) replaced abs module, problem fixed. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph on a street, the traction control and the antilock brake warning light illuminated on the dash panel. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined the antilock brake control module needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not contacted.

I own a passat 2000 v6. at 82,000 miles my abs module has failed. my car has still not been fixed because i can not afford the ridiculous amount that i was told by a local shop. $3,000 to fix this? i don't think so! there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of vehicles made by volkswagon between 1998-2001 with failing abs units. i demand a recall! how dare they charge us so much for our cars, when they can not guarentee that they will even last?! *nm

Without prior issues, the abs and brake warning lights came on, the trip computer displayed "stop", "brake failure" and "service manual" lights, and there were a sequence of loud beeps. after talking to the vw mechanic, who read and looked up the dtcs, he discovered it's a problem with the abs control module. there is a replacement for just the control module and not the entire abs unit. the vw dealer charges $716 for replacement and installation, and will take at least a week for the part to be ordered. the car only has 60,000 miles on it! it is a 2000 vw passat 1.8t. *nm

2000 vw passat stationwagon v6; 82,000 miles- last week, the asr, abs and brake warning lights came on, the multi-function indicator displayed the "stop", "brake" and "service manual" lights, accompanied by loud beeps. all of the warnings are inconsistent-as another person said, "[the lights] will come on after driving for a period of time, or will not come on at all, or will stay on all the time" (the lights aren't necessarily on at the same time either). i read the manual and promptly made an appt. w/dealership, couldn't keep the date and have since received online notification that this is an ongoing problem that is expensive to fix. i do not have a grand burning a hole in my pocket so, despite the manual's dire warnings, i cannot fix my car. this is obviously a common and well known problem that the manufacturers should take responsibility for! unless there is a recall very soon, i'll be buying a new car that i can feel safe about driving (i have children).

Hello i just bought a 2000 vw passat 1.8t with 36000 miles. after i drove it home, two days later my abs module went bad. after some research i found out that this is a very common problem with vw/audi cars, but my dealer wouldn't do anything to fix this problem. instead he wants to charge me $1500 for the part and 2.5 hours of labor + tx =$2000 out of my pocket. if this is such a common problem why isn't vw doing something about it. i'm very disappointed with vw and government form doing nothing about this issue. what would it take? how many deaths or property damage will it take? please do something about it. thank you, adis halimic. *nm

My vw 2000 v6 passat has the abs light on and blinking brake light. per vw dealer scan service, there is nothing wrong with the brake but the abs control unit has failed to function. my car is only 58,000 miles. *nm

The abs and brake warning lights came on and the dashboard display indicated to stop immediately. the drivers manual indicated that the brakes could fail at any time. *nm

I have a 2000 passat gls. it's abs light is on now with the brake light flashing and the message stop shown on the dashboard. *jb

Abs system failure. *jb

The problem is intermittent, having occurred approximately fifteen to twenty times during the past year. it can be best described as a sudden lurching, which has occurred while stopped, while at freeway speeds (60-70 mph), and at speeds between these two extremes. while stopped, it is as if the transmission engages, and the vehicle lurches forward; extra brake pressure must be applied during these occurrences, which last less than a second or two, but which occur without warning. while the vehicle is in motion, the problem manifests itself as a sudden, unexpected, virtually instantaneous decrease in speed of between five and ten miles per hour; this decrease in speed occurs in less than a second. one good way to describe the feeling is that it is as if the vehicle has hit something. i consider this an extremely dangerous condition, because if this were to happen, for example, at freeway speeds while on a curve in the rain, control of the vehicle could be lost. i have informed my local dealer of this issue, but since they have been unable to reproduce the problem themselves (due to its intermittent nature), they have done nothing to rectify it. *nm

A 2000 passat station wagon had water leak into the passenger-side foot well twice after heavy rains. once the leak was more than an inch. all of the windows and the sunroof had been securely closed prior to the rains. a series of electrical problems in the dashboard resulted on the two different occasions, leading to approximately $3,500 in repairs. the repairs were to the engine timing system and to a motor in the air conditioner. *jb

Due to the cloudiness of my front headlights i almost ran over two joggers in my neighborhood. i was not speeding and i had just replaced the light bulbs in both headlights, yet, because of the decreased light output of my headlights which i estimate to be at least a 40% reduction, i simply couldn't see the joggers until i was almost on top of them. this is unacceptable. consumers should not have to replace/repair non-consumable safety items such as headlights assemblies. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated a puddle of fuel on the driveway was noticed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the fuel lines, clamps and seal were replaced. also, while driving at various speeds, the abs light illuminated on the dashboard. the dealer replaced the entire abs system.

The engine light has been on for a while. i had the catalytic converter replaced last year in 08/05 when it initially occurred. the problem went off. it came back on just yesterday 07/11/2006. the message says it is emission workshop. i have not taken it to a vw dealer, however, i suspect it is the same catalytic converter problem. another problem i have had is the stop - brake fault message. the abs light is on while the brake light is illuminating. i have taken my car to two different independent mechanics to check on the issues. they mentioned that the brake pads were all fine. and so was the fluid brake reservoir level. they were guessing it was electrical problem or abs sensor problem. *jb

Steering tie rods and front suspension are worn out on vw passat making steering very inaccurate and in a state of constant steering input to maintain straight direction of vehicle. afraid this will lead to an accident. car has only 82,000 miles on it and this is the first time i have ever heard of such complete impending failure of a front suspension. i understand that this is common in passats. it seems to me this is a design flaw that should be corrected. *jb

Abs failure warning appeared intermittently after vehicle was properly boosted. also may have spilt w/w fluid onto abs unit when filling w/w container. dealer wants at least $700 to replace control module. brakes are otherwise ok. dealer said he wouldn't drive without abs as was too dangerous. this is my 1st car with abs and i am not convinced it is worth fixing at least at that cost. should be a class action suit against vw & bosch to repair defective units. a few sites promise to rebuild ecm for $250. not sure if this is not just another scam. *jb

Premature driver's side air bag failure. i have received an air bag fault' warning code. further diagnostics have indicated that replacement of the driver's side air bag is necessary. this on a 6-year-old vehicle. considering that there are vehicles 3 times as old that are still on their original air bags, i would consider this failure unacceptable. *nm

Abs computer failure. no events leading to its failure it just shut down one day and the abs light has been on since. failure = no abs, dealer wants over $1000 to replace entire setup however the pump is ok the computer is gone. currently waiting for a cheaper fix or possible recall. *nm

9/2003: headlights aimed incorrectly; road wasn't illuminated. within 2 wks, 1 of the bulbs burned out. within a week of the 1st, the 2nd bulb burned out. cost to have headlights repositioned & bulbs replaced: $267. 9/2003: rear tail light out. cost to have bulb replaced by mechanic: $32.50. 11/2003: both rear windows off track. cost to tear doors apart & fix: $159.75. 12/2003: electrical problems with front power windows. never know if window will go up or down. 2004: had car in for (at least) 3 different dashboard warning codes. one had something to do with fuel, or the fuel tank or something. after some trial and error on my mechanic's part, discovered that unscrewing and tightly rescrewing gas cap fixed the problem. cost to diagnose and "fix": $165. had (at least) two other warning codes in 2004 that required me to take the car in. 6/24/2005: had been hearing crunching sound from front right portion of car that was particularly apparent when hitting a pothole, a dip in the road or attempting a tight 360 turn. mechanic (specializing in european cars) identified a bad control arm. cost of repair & alignment: $713.70. cost of rental car: $100.88. total: $814.58. note: the left side has been making the same sound since 12/2005. have not yet repaired it. 10/24/05: car started going dead intermittently. the car had less than 60000 miles on it. replaced battery for $106.50. 1/2006: temp gauge maxed out, coolant boiled over, smoke & steam issued from hood in less than 8 minutes at idle. cooled car for 2l hours, replaced coolant and drove to mechanic, who replaced thermostat, water pump & timing belt. cost: $725. 2/2006: brakes are spongy and provide no resistance until nearing the floor. mechanic says rotors and brake pads are fine. 6/2006: transmission gets stuck in 1st gear. must stop the car, turn it off and then restart. this is an electrical problem and is governed by the computer. cost to fix: unknown. 6/2006: front window now off track. have not yet fixed it. *nm

Abs control module failure on 2000 vw passat. *jb

2000 passat gls 4-motion v6 has been regularly serviced. oil changes every 3000 miles. at appx 65000 miles, with no warning, the car overheated while idling (it had been idling for less than 8 minutes, it was only 50 degrees outside, the coolant had been checked a few weeks previous at the car's last oil change). the temperature gauge in the dash maxed out and steam and smoke started issuing from under the hood. turned the car off & let it cool for appx 20 minutes before opening hood. checked coolant, it had completely boiled away. replaced coolant, let car continue to cool for appx another 1.5 hrs. started car and drove it (slowly) to a garage specializing in european cars. (my regular mechanic.) replaced the water pump and thermostat, both of which had stopped working. vw recommends that the timing belt be replaced at 80000 miles. mechanic told me that the timing belt looked significantly worn and that it should be replaced now for fear it might break before the regularly scheduled replacement. replaced timing belt. total cost of replacing water pump, thermostat and timing belt: $725. due to excessive engine temperature from the water pump and thermostat failure, pistons and valves in engine now knock and engine is noisy, particularly when first started. engine no longer seems to be as responsive, power wise, as it was previously. 65000 miles seems a bit young to be experiencing a water pump failure. the fact that the engine overheated so quickly and with no prior indication of an impending problem, and that this resulted in such stress to the engine leads me to believe that there may have been a design flaw involved. (have had water pumps go out in other cars, but never prior to 80000 miles, never in under 8 minutes and never with such dire results and high repair costs. *nm

Abs braking system malfunction. abs control module needed replacement due to ecu defect or failure. *jb

With 47,000 miles on my vw passat, the abs module failed with no warning. following the instructions in the owners manual (which state that the car is unsafe to drive without operational abs) i had the module replaced at an out of pocket cost of $750. $500 of this cost was the "new and improved" module. this appears to be a very common issue with this model of passat, and passing this cost onto the consumer is unacceptable. i've read many posts online from owners that aren't repairing this issue due to cost, which as vw states, isn't safe. vw should be doing something to offset the costs of these repairs. *jb

I am the original owner of a 2000 vw passat, 4 cyl. on 3/24/06, the defrost no longer worked properly in the vehicle. pinkish-orange coolant started spraying out on my feet while driving, white smoke came spilling out of the vents & the coolant spread itself thick on the interior of the windshield & windows. this left it cloudy & i had to pull the vehicle over and wipe the windows with cleaner and paper towels. with it becoming immediately cloudy, i lost visibility of the cars in front of me. coolant also leaked onto the passenger floor board/mat. i immediately looked online for feedback and found it could possibly be a cracked heater core (which is not covered under my extended warranty). i took it by a vw dealer for a drive by diagnosis, it was confirmed it was the heater core. i contacted vw of america immediately to notify them of this problem and asked if they could assist with 50%-100% of the repairs because it was a reported problem everywhere. vw customer care said i needed to set up a diagnosis appt with the vw dealer, which was on 4/24/06. 10 minutes after i dropped my car off, my service consultant russell dilley w/miramar vw in san diego, ca called my cell phone and said "yes it is the heater core". prior to leaving my car with him, he believed it to be a cracked heater core, just with my few symptoms explained and he said he has seen this problem many times before and he confirmed vw of america had covered the cost of the repairs. i notified vw of america customer care that the diagnosis was performed and ready. i had to pay $99.00 for the so called one hour diagnosis appt, even though it was confirmed in 10 minutes. customer care said they would contact me within 48 hours to let me know their decision w/the assistance of the repair. i received a call yesterday 5/1/06 from marlina, she said vw of america will not be able to assist with the repair of the cracked heater core because of the age of the vehicle & the mileage. year 2000, mileage 89k. *nm

Abs light and brake failure warning light problem on my 2000 vw passat wagon. research shows this is a common problem and should be included in a recall. *jb

Failure of abs brake system computer. *nm

My 2000 vw passat with 60,000 miles has 2 serious and expensive problems first one was when i noticed a loud popping noise on bumps and steering was very unstable on bumps. took it to a shop and they told me it was the control arms and tie rod ends and that both were dealer items. so upon going to the dealer they told me they needed $90 dollars before they could even look @ it. so i said no but how much are the parts and turns out there more than $500 dollars. three weeks later my abs light and asr light comes on and it reads in the middle of the dash to stop! brake fault so reading this with my family in the car i immediately pull over find out where the nearest vw dealer is and ask them to inspect the problem. well that was easier said than done first they wanted the $90 dollars again before they would look at it and since i didn't have the money there was nothing they could do! nothing they can do!! that's crazy!! after arguing with them on why they don't want to look at it but it could cause a serious accident they said there's no immediate problem its ok to drive but it could be the abs module or the dash cluster its self. so i asked the price abs $1200 dollars new dash over $700 and that's not including labor.. so sorry to say but vw lost a customer with me and my family and friends. the car is just to new for this type of stuff to happen there should be a recall on this because i know im not the only one. and just to add, my old car which i have to drive now since i don't have the money to fix the problems with the vw is a honda prelude with 185,000 miles and still no problems. *jb

While driving my 2000 passat, the stop engine light came on to notify me that there was a problem with oil pressure. there was nothing prior to this warning that would have lead me to believe that there was a problem. no odd noises in the car and it was driving fine. i took the car to the dealer and was informed that the engine was totaled and it needed to be replaced at a cost of $7,000. i did find out that in august of 2004, vw of america issues a service notice to all the service departments that due to a malfunctioning fuel pump, oil sludge may build up in the engine, ultimately leading to engine failure. this was not sent to any of the vehicle owners. in the notice, vwoa said that they would extend the warranty of the car and replace the motor, only if there was proof that the oil was changed every 5000 miles. because i have gaps in my oil changes with the dealer, they will not honor this extended warranty and are trying to charge me for the new motor. i've had the care in a number of times between august of 2004 and february 19, 2006 when the light came on and was never notified that there may be a problem. i asked the service manager at the dealer why i wasn't notified of this issue and he said that vwoa issues a number of service memos and was he to tell all of the customers everytime one was issued. had i been notified that this might be the end result of the oil pump not being replaced in 2004, i wouldn't be in my current situation. i have read a number of web posts with people that have had similar problems with their local dealers and vwoa. *jb

The antilock braking system on my 2000 vw passat failed without warning at only about 61,000 miles. i have checked various websites and found that abs failures on volkswagens from this era are extremely common--so common in fact that an entire industry has sprung up to rebuild the defective bosch abs systems in vw's and audis. although there was no accident or injury as a result of this failure i still received an alarming message on the dashboard to stop while in the left lane of the nj turnpike in heavy traffic and that could have caused a serious accident. there's absolutely no excuse for a failure like this at such low mileage to be so common. *nm

Oil sludge build up in engine. 2000 volkswagen passat 1.8 turbo 4 cylinder 49000. *jb

The 2000 volkswagen passat is designed so that the owner/operator cannot change the tail light bulbs. it must be taken to a mechanic. to quote from the operator's manual: it is becoming more and more difficult to replace vehicle light bulbs since in many cases, other parts of the car must first be removed before you are able to get to the bulb......for your safety, we recommend that you have your authorized volkswagen dealer replace any bulbs since your dealer has necessary tools, the correct bulbs, and the expertise. suppose i am on a long drive over the weekend, miles from home, and the tail lights burn out. i cannot replace them, even if i have the correct bulbs, consequently i would have to drive home without tail lights or brake lights. that is a safety hazard. *nm

Abs module failure. same as everyone else's on this complaint list. i'd like to only add that i took the car in twice only to have them tell me the second time that the part would take ten (10) business days to order because of the apparent back log. that tells you the prevalence of the problem. this is definitely a safety issue. and as one vw service manager told me, "you can drive around with the abs light on, just avoid hard braking." thanks for the tip. i was thinking of purchasing a van from vw...guess again. *nm

In november of 2005 my vw passat began to intermittently have the abs warning light come on. my local dealer said it would be $2000 to replace the abs control module and that the part was not even available. after a simple search under "vw abs control module failure" it is clear that many hundreds of people have had exactly the same problem. this is clearly a defective part. it goes to the safety of the vehicle as warning lights indicate "brake failure" and stop immediately. from the many threads, and my experience, it is clear that vw is aware of this defect but does nothing. why are they not forced to replace this defective part that effects the safety of my car? *jb

The abs and brake warning lights came on, the trip computer displayed "stop", "brake failure" and "service manual" lights, and there were a sequence of loud beeps. after talking to the vw mechanic, who read and looked up the dtcs, i discovered it's a problem with the abs control module. there is a replacement for just the control module and not the entire abs unit, model number 8e0-998-375-g, available from the vw dealer for $686 plus labor costs to install. still, my car only has 63,000 miles on it!! it is a 2000 vw passat 1.8t. *nm

Abs braking system failure for 2000 1.8t passat with manual transmission. problem has yet to be fixed.*ak

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was parked for over an hour, when the heat shield on the top of the exhaust system began to smolder. no indicator lamp illuminated prior to the problem. the fire department was notified and came, although no flames erupted. the fire department could not determine the cause of the smoke. however, an independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and discovered the cause of the smoke was the heat shield.

Purchased a used car from dan perkins chevrolet, in milford, ct on march, 18, 2004.i was advised by the salesman, john almeida, that the car came in as a trade from a girl who bought cars from him all the time at dan perkins. upon further investigation i found the car was purchased brand new from a couple in massachusetts and that dan perkins purchased it at an auction. when i picked the car up and drove it home the engine light was on/the lighter did not work/the tires were bald, and the 6 disc cd changer was not in the car. when i contacted the salesperson, john almeida, and the used car manager, they stated they fixed everything, but that they were not responsible for the cd changer, i wrote a letter to dan perkins himself, and he gave me a new one because it was advertised with the cd changer. when my oil light came on i brought it to curran volkswagen in stratford, ct. they advised me to get a copy of my contract from dan perkins and any other paperwork from dan perkins. i contacted the salesman, john almeida and his manager told me that there was no way i was getting a copy of anything. they do not keep copies of contracts from their customers. he also yelled in the background that curran vw was trying to pass the buck and that i was out of luck!!!the car is now sitting in my driveway with no engine!i am making car payments on a car that does not work, on a car that i have had less than 2 years!i contacted curran vw because vw extended the warranty for the engine to 8 years, i only found this out because i did my own research online. vw of america denied my claim because one of my mechanics, who does not have a computer, handwrote receipts for the oil changes.curran volkswagen gave me an estimate of $12,074.60. the kelly blue book value is $8,000!!!!!vw of america advises their consumers to have oil changed every 5,000 miles or every 6 months. i had mine changed every 3,000 miles.dan perkins showed me no vehicle history reports. *ak

After recent rain, a pool of water collected on the right rear floor. electronics are starting to malfunction. apprently is a huge problem that hasnt been resolved. http://www.theautobahn.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-12789.html. *nm

Alexandria vw damaged my engine and refuses to take responsibility for proving a replacement engine. also, vw of america won't replace a defected engine. *nm

Battery drain was designed too small, so it's clogged. there is a water leak entering from pollen filter through the housing down to tcm which caused a damage to tcm(transmission control module). although this is a design issue i was told that this is an outside influence so it doesn't cover under warranty. i was driving out of parking lot and the gear won't shift out of second. so i restarted the car then everything was normal. but shortly after it went back to the same. and when i put the vehicle in park, gear shift out of park without having to put your foot on brake. very dangerous. nothing has done from dealership under warranty yet nor there isn't any recall . i'm still waiting for a call back from volkswagen. but the dealer wants me to repair it at my cost for $2000 even though it is power train component. *nm

2000 passat abs computer module is failing. several postings have already occurred - should be a manufacturer's recall. *nm

When i brought my 2000 vw passat (55k miles) to dealer for service, they said that the cooling system has sludge. the radiator, heater core needed to be replaced and need to have coolant flush for 2 times. the total is $2600!!! the service advisor said the only cause would be wrong type of coolant, but i have not done service other than the vw dealer. so, i suspect that that is defect in the cooling system of the 2000 passat. *nm

My 2000 volkswagen passat has 92,000 miles on it and has never been in an accident. i have an error indicating that the computer can no longer communicate with the abs controller. according to one of the vw chat groups, the replacement pumps cost approximately $2000. i think the car is too new to have an abs failure and the cost is excessive.*jb

2000 vw passat 1.8 l turbo 4 cyl. abs control module failure. safety issue. vw wants $1,800 to repair part. flashing lights appear in random pattern warning about malfunction. *jb

Premature tie rod failure. left and right tie rod ends are prematurely worn resulting in the passenger side tie rod in breaking, parts need to repair damage, left and right tie rod assembly, ball joints, 1/2 shafts. estimated repair cost $1678. *nm

Inter.,brake abs light w/stop do not drive message. *nm

The abs warning light will come on after driving for a period of time, or will not come on at all, or will stay on all the time. dealership has quoted repair estimate of $1700 to replace module. they advised that this should be recalled as they are seeing more of these come in with about the same mileage, just out of warranty. technical bulletin has been issued for this repair. *nm

Dt: the contact was complaining about a front suspension control arm:lower arm problem. the rubber boot prematurely wore out. he received a special service action for this problem in november 2004 from the manufacturer. he took the vehicle to local dealer for repairs. later, while he was inspecting the vehicle, he discovered the defective part had not been replaced. when he contacted the dealer, they were no longer willing to offer a free remedy under this special service campaign. the vehicle has not been repaired at this time. *ak

I currently have about 43k miles and i have noticed for some time now that the clutch needed to be let out further than seemed normal for it to engage. i've mensioned it several times when it was in for routine service, and was told it was 'normal' and they couldn't adjust it. as i was driving and went to shift, i notice that all of a sudden it had to be let almost all the way before anything happend; it felt very different. took it to the dealer the next day and found out that it was "burnt out." at only 42k miles, it seems a little premature to have burned out a clutch already. *nm

The fuel gauge reads full when, in fact, it is not. this vehicle has only received 93 octane gasoline per the manufacturer's requirements and no additives or other chemicals have been added to the fuel tank. *jb

Failure of abs brake system on vw passat, yr=2000, model=passat, engine 2.8l. bosch abs 5.3 (vw p/n 8eo 614 111 ah) has very poor reliability history. *nm

I have a 2000 volkswagen passat gls 5 speed manual car with 65000 miles; for past 6 months while cruising on the highway with speeds above 65 mph, the cruise control automatically gets engaged many a times even though i have never switched the cruise control on. this has happened atleast 10 times in the last 6 months and i have no way of knowing how and when it gets engaged. i have to be always alert to press the brake to disengage-engage this. please let me know if you need more information. *nm

Abs control module on 2000 vw passat failed in october 2005. replacement costs approximately $1000. according to several internet forums, this is a common problem that vw is refusing to acknowledge. a recall is needed. *nm

Failed abs module on 2000 volkswagen passat 4 motion wagon at 71000 miles. *jb

Following a 90,000 mile service and engine valve seal replacement my abs warning indicator activated intermittently indicating a failure in the abs system. the service department at two dealerships told me this required replacement of the abs control module. *jb

Apparent defect in the abs control system or display. intermittently flashes warning message stop brake failure owners manual. bulletin boards inform me this is a frequent occurrence for many vw owners. no repairs yet attempted. *jb

The abs and brake light on my volkswagen passat (2000 v6) started blinking as i was driving. the abs no longer works in my car and the manual states that it should not be driven as the brake proportioning aren't correct when the abs is out and that the rear wheels can lock under heavy braking. after doing the diagnostic test i find out the that bosch abs module has stopped working (8eo 614 111 ah). the vw dealer wants $1700 to fix the problem. from internet research i have found the problem is quite common and because it is safety related i belive there should be a recall. 8jb

While driving at various speeds the abs & brake light chimes & comes on. the dashboard display comes on and indicates to stop, break fault. this has been occurring randomly. dealer says that the abs brake module needs to be replaced at a cost of between $900-2400 us dollars. *nm

(1) at 79,000 miles: abs and flashing brake light warning message on dashboard and read stop, service manual / brake fault. a simple web search reveals hundreds of cars with this common failure as a result of a defective design. (2) during this failure traction control is disengaged along with abs system, could possibly result in an accident. (3) i will continue to drive car without repair as this is obviously something that the owner should not be paying to repair or even diagnose! i will also contact vw of america to log issue with them and request a recall. *nm

Continental ecoplus 195/65 r15 radial tires were 2 yrs old with approx. 25,000 miles on them. my mechanic noticed two tires had bubbles in sidewalls (driver side front & rear) and were on the verge of blowouts. fortunately i was able to replace all 4 tires without further damage or crash. now with 4 new tires (same model) that are 2 weeks old, yesterday i discovered that one tire had 12.5 psi (front passenger side) while other 3 were at 30 psi. faulty again? *jb

The abs abd brake warning lights started to blink on my 2000 vw passat vr6 wagon. my dealer informed me that the repair will cost $1100 and that will only enable them to do the diagnostics to determine what is really wrong with the brake system. the costs of the additional repairs will be additional. if i don't change the module, my brakes are in danger of failing. *nm

While backing up out of a parking spot in july of 2004, i began to smell gas very strongly in the cabin of my 2000 v6 passat and immediately stopped and got out to see what was causing the smell. for unknown reasons, the car was randomly and visibly leaking gasoline onto the ground just in front of the fuel filter on the passenger side. it leaked gasoline in puddles and the engine began running 'lean' almost immediately, with significant valve clatter. due to the serious safety risk posed by the profuse gasoline leak, i immediately turned off the car and had it towed to a reputable vw dealer in a nearby town. upon inspection at the dealer, the fuel line had clearly split on the top side just in front of the fuel filter....for no apparent reason. i submitted a complaint and a reimbursement request to volkswagen of america re. this issue, due to the significant safety risk and repair cost created by the fuel leak. unfortunately, vw ultimately refused to stand by their product citing the age and mileage of the car. at the time, the car was 3 years old and had just over 55k miles. i paid over $700 to have the line replaced, plus towing fees, and vw provided exactly $0 in reimbursement. this episode is on record with vwoa and with martens vw in bethesda, md. feel free to contact me or vw directly for more details.*jb

My 2000 vw passat, with 38,000 miles, has worn tie rods to the point where i have been advised it could be dangerous to drive. this problem was discovered when the car was having an oil change and i mentioned i had been hearing creaking sounds from the front while doing 3 point turns over the past month. my mechanic (not a dealer) thought there had been a recall for the problem. upon checking, the recall was for 1999 passats only. since the 2000 model is the exactly the same as the 1999 model, why was this recall not extended to the 2000 cars? i now have to replace the tie rods at my own expense. please note the service action issued by vw in november 2004 did not include the tie rods. *jb

Failed abs controller. error codes on dashboard. abs is no longer working. quoted ~1200 to fix. *nm

Problem extended over the period of about 2 years. the check emissions light came on sporadically, then stayed on at all times. the sensor was worked on by 3 mechanics : 1st time- diagnosis unsealed gas cap - stayed off for 6 months; 2nd time - 4th time- "just happens on vws" and computer reset - stayed off about average of 2-4 weeks before lighting up again; 5th time - on all the time, mechanic would reset, would take on test drive and it would come on again. at this point i had moved to nc where the car proceeded to fail inspection due to this issue. the second local mechanic managed to fix problem; car passed emissions inspection and light has been off for 6 months. *jb

I recently had an experience that i believe would be of interest to your organization. in july of 2000 my wife and i researched for an finally purchased a volkswagen passat [xxx]. we were very pleased with our purchase for a number of years, until what were described to us as "normal" repairs became necessary. some of the more memorable normal repairs included rear brakes at 40,000 miles (front brakes were in very good condition) for approx. $700.00, and the outside rear view mirror adjustor for $400.00. we began to suspect the pricing structure of vw parts and labor was skewed toward the expensive. a big part of of our decision to buy vw was their reputation for solid transportation over a long time. the car was even listed as a recommended purchase on a number of consumer magazines! the most outrageous example of this situation occured in july 1st 2005, when the check engine light came on, and we took the car to our dealer for service. the result of the check was that the catalytic converters (2 of them) needed to be replaced, at a total cost of $3,400.00! since our state has vehicle testing, this is a required repair to be able to continue to drive the car. we have owned the car for 5 years and have 108,000 miles on the odometer. contacting vw gave no relief, as their stated warranty was for 5 years, but only for 80,000 miles. needless to say, i will never purchase a volkswagen product again, and would like to inform potential purchasers of this type of unexpected cost. updated 07/19/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Abs module failure leads to reducytion of braking effectiveness

Vw passat (2000 sedan): abs brake failure indicator comes on, typically in warm weather or when engine is warm, along with indicator bell. "stop" indicator also comes on at this time. failure occurs almost every time the car is operated under these conditions and continues until ignition is shut off. dealer has confirmed no failure of abs and notes that this is computer module/ecm problem that will cost between $1,500 and $2,000 to repair. other complaints at this site and on other sites document a very similar problem at similar mileage (~75,000).

2000 volkswagen passat glx 4-motion had a anti-lock brake system (abs) module failure at 51,000 miles disabling the abs feature on my car. it also causes distracting abs failure wearing lights and noises at unpredictable times causing distraction while driving. on the console display it also tells you to stop immediately. pacific volkswagen says it is a $750.00 part they have to order to fix plus labor. after doing some searching on various message boards i discovered it is a very common problem at any mileage. many drivers have not elected to have this module replaced due to cost and are not driving with the safety features the car was manufactured with. i am awaiting the part ordered to complete the repair on my vehicle as i value my abs system. this sounds like a defect that volkswagen will not recognize or recall and compromises safety. *nm

At 58,000 miles my oil pressure light came on and the stop demand light came on. i contacted the dealer and the service man indicated to me that the 2000 passats' where having problems with the oil pumps. he further explained to me that what was happening was that the pumps that were manufractured were not built strong enough to up hold certain sythetic oils. he further stated that when the oil gets to hot the oil cyrstalizes and then turnss to sludge. given that information i then proceeded to get my car serviced. however upon the date of service ( even knowing the problem) my car was diagnosed at a cost to me for $75.00. at the time of service i learned that the pump was only covered under the warrenty if i could produce 5 years of oil slips. i have several concerns regarding this matter. the first, the owners mannual does not indicate that the pumps are sensative to certain types of oils (synthetic). secondly, the mannual does not state that the warrenty repairs will only be coverded if all receipts for services performed on the vehicle are provided. thridly, it is clear in my mind that if a manufracturer places a default or defective oil pump in a car that it should be a recall? i have read in the most recent comsumer report magazine and it seems to be a reoccuring problem with vw passats. fourthly, when contacting volkeswagon directly i spoke to customer "care" the attidude was appauling. the response i received was "oh well" " that is our policy" did not get that reception when buying the car! i bought my passat july 13, 2000 and by july 13, 2005 i have a serious engine problem. finally, the dealer stated that the cost to me would start anywere at 1,000. can anyone tell me why this is my problem? i am a therapist and i come across many paths in my travel. my paths include physiatrist, teachers,doctors, clients etc i will be sure to share with them my dissatification with volkeswagon. this should be a recall issue. thank you

Abs light goes on. *jb

Abs module needs replacement at 53000 miles on 2000 yr. model passat. my research shows this to be a "normal" problem.

The abs control module on my 2000 vw passat 1.8l turbo is bad. i discovered this because the light indicating a problem with my abs came on the dash. the car fishtails if breaks are applied sharply going faster than 50 mph, even when driving straight. i tested this in a safe place to see if the abs was really not working. now i have no abs and the replacement part costs so much that i will have no abs for awhile. and the breaks on cars that are built to use abs don't work properly without it. i am reporting this because i have seen a number of forums with many people who have had the same problem. also because i bought this car because it was safe, one of the safety features being abs. hopefully there have been enough people who have complained about this that it can be taken care of before it causes too many accidents or any injuries. by the way, bosch made this abs control module and it is the same one used in the audi a4 and a6. i think they have come out with a new one that they recommend replacing the old ones with but they still haven't admitted they screwed up and now the consumer is paying for it. *nm

2000 volkswagen passat abs module failed. abs, brake and warning lights constantly illuminated.

I own a 2000 v6 passat, which i have serviced regularly at a vw dealership. on march 25, 2005, the dealership performed a 60k mile maintenance check on my passat. this service included a check of my original vw battery. the battery readouts indicated that the battery was fine. on may 13, 2005 (mileage 61336), my battery completely exploded like a bomb when i went to restart my car after refueling at a petrol station. i contacted vw usa and they not only did not care about the situation but did not see that any resulting damage should be covered by them. ultimately, i paid for the new battery, my insurance carrier covered windshield replacement and my vw dealership covered the remaining damage to the vehicle. my dealership informed me that i was the 2nd customer to experience this problem at their dealership.

2000 passat - 82000 miles - front right power window - regulator failed allowing window to drop into door. technician found plastic part which rides in track broken and pieces in door. vw has similar problem in mulitple vehicles. extended warranty issued to cover repair on other vehicles but not on passat.

The secondary air filter on my 2000 vw passat failed at 14,000 miles. it was replaced under warranty. my car now has 50,000 miles on it and it has failed again. replacement price is $1,000. the vw repairshop stated that this not a necessary part and really doesn't need to be replaced. but without replacement the engine light goes on everytime the car is started. i contacted vw directly and filed a complaint. they refused to fix the part. i see that two other people have filed a complaint about the secondary air filter.

2 main problems continual buildup of oil sludge even though i have regular oil changes. the oil sludge buildup eventual clogs a screen that causes the car to be inoperable and the dealer then charges $700 - $1000 to remedy. the second problem is the abs control module failure. the module is faling and will cost $700 - $900 to be replaced. i have 75,000 miles on my 2000 passat

2000 volkswagen passat developed abs module failure.***no answer required***. *mr *jb

Dt: the consumert owns a 2000 volkswagon passat. the abs module failed prematurely. the abs warning light came on and off for the past couple of days.*ak *tt

Abs control module failure. 2000 vw passat with 60,000 miles experienced an abs control module failure - symptoms are abs warning light turns on, and "stop" shown on display screen. took it to a vw dealer who quoted me $1185 usd to replace. this appears to be a very common problem with passat's at about 50,000 miles. this problem was intermittent. *sc

Both abs and brake lights came on with a cycling message in the center of the dashboard (stop, brake fault, consult manual). after stopping car and restarting it, the lights were off. after another few miles, they came back on... in one occasion, the antislipregulation light was on. in another occasion, upon stopping the vehicle, a sudden acceleration occured as i pushed on the brake pedal, prompting me to use the emergency manual brake. after diagnostic of the failure at the vw dealership, it was found that the abs control module (electronic part) was faulty. it has now been repaired. the technician at the dealership mentioned this was their 3rd similar repair in 3 days and as a result of being a frequent failure, vw had made a kit to replace only the electronic part of the module instead of the whole module. i have kept the old part.

Abs control unit fails, failure of upper control arms

Details: (1) no disernable events prior (2) abs module failure (3) none 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."

Abs computer failure. no events leading to its failure it just shut down one day and the abs light has been on since. failure = no abs, dealer wants over $1000 to replace entire setup however the pump is ok the computer is gone. currently waiting for a cheaper fix or possible recall.

While driving my 2000 passat wagon the abs warning light came on and the brake warning light began to blink. the alphanumeric display began cycling through three messages, "stop", "brake fault", "service manual". the dealer first said i needed new front brake pads. i had it done, and of course it didn't address the problem. now the dealer says that i need a new abs control unit and instrument cluster for $2200 + tax. given the number of failures reported on this part, and given that audi has recalled a very similar part for this problem, i was not satisfied with the vw "customer advocate's" polite response that they can't do anything to help. although i can live w/o anti-lock brakes, i can't live with intermittent anti-lock brakes. one shouldn't be checkng the dash in an emergency to see whether to stomp hard, or to pump the brakes. this is a safety issue and a common one. my car ehibited this problem at 46004 miles.

Fuel sender unit fails to record proper level of fuel in tank. manufacturer has been contacted and they have refused to address the issues despite a recall on same vehicle with different 'trim' level. fuel guage will read full for 250 of approximately 300 total miles then rocket down to empty.

Abs light came on, i took it to an independent vw mechanic and was told the abs contol unit had failed and therefore the abs would not function. cost of repair $1500-$2000. after researching on vw forums i have learned that many passat owners have this same problem. vw customer care thanked me for calling and they would note the problem.

Abs module (p/n #8e0 614 111 ah) failure in 5 year old vehicle with only 70,181 miles. volkswagen of america refuses to acknowledge this is an issue despite hundreds of similar posts i have found with a simple web search for vw passats (1999 - 2005) and audi a4s (1997-2001) that have the same control module. vw will not cooperate on replacement of this $1,600 module despite the obvious safety risk of failed abs systems.

Failure of abs brake module. i paid naples fl vw dealer $100 for diagnostic test for blinking abs light, brake warning, stop, etc. they said i needed a new module for $1400+ ... i'm still driving with blinking warning lights and buzzers beeping...

Failiure of abs brake module on a 2000 vw passat (pn 8e0614111ah). module failure causes rear wheels to lock during emergency braking situations.

(1) my car is a daily driver. 2000 vw passat gls, 1.8t auto. (2) abs module died at around 85k, abs no longer works as a result. apparently this has happened to a lot of other passat owners as well. (3) i have not corrected the failure as of yet as it is a very costly repair from the vw dealer. around $1,500.00.

This is the third power window to fail and fall into the door. the dealer won't pay for it since vw does not acknowledge it as a defect.

(1) no disernable events prior (2) abs module failure (3) none 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."

As i was driving along i noticed my brakes where getting spongy. drove it a little more, and the brake light came on and was flashing . pulled into the closest parking lot, checked under the hood and noticed brake fluid dripping from the abs unit, and that the brake reservoir was below the minimum line. had it towed to the dealer and they had to replace the abs module. my car is a 2000 vw passat with 52,600 miles

Abs lights are reporting failure but brake activity appears okay. dealer says new module will be needed to fix problems at a cost of $1,500. looking for options to replace/rebuild abs module due to expense of total replacement. believe number of complaints found on internet should result in manufacturer recall.

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.

Abs control module failure on 2000 passat with 41,666 miles.

I own a 2000 volkswagen passat. i was driving on a city street under normal conditions and the control arm on the front passenger side cracked causing me to loose control of the car. fortunately i was able to stop without further incident. the control arm is being replaced. however, the incident could have been much worse under different driving circumstances.

Abs control unit failing - usually in warm weather after 15-20 min of driving the abs and brake light come on on the dash and a message saying stop/brake fault is displayed. the fault may go away after some time or stay. my guess is abs is disabled when this happens. dealer suggests replacing the abs unit at a cost of $1300. there are many similar occurrences of the defect described in news groups on the web. *nm

Fuel level sending unit reading wrong causing fuel to run out causing a hazardous situation on the road. this is identified in 01v157000. my car is vw passat glx 2000 listed on the campaign, but manufacturer and dealer say not included in this campaign. i need to cover the repair myself which is a shame. old part is available. *nm

Abs unit; ) flashing abs and brake light in car; 2)abs will not work 3) i will have to replace the unit, through the dealer the unit new costs approx $1200.00. 2000 volkswagon, passat 2.8l. *ak

I am adding my voice to the list of vw owners having trouble with their abs modules. the electronic abs senser had failed and caused the dash lights to stay on consistently for two weeks now and will require a replacement to fix. meanwhile i am left without abs and face the potential of a serious accident if i have to hard brake to avoid an accident. i find this probelm absolutely unacceptable and vw of north american needs to take some responsibility for the problem. e.g. replace the defective part!

Upper control arm bushings (4 upper control arms, 2 per side) are torn and suspension has play coupled with loose steering resulting in noise.

Owner of a 2000 passat 1.8t. ike hundreds of other people i have a problem on the board appears the message: stop/break fault/service manual.. abs and break lights flashed on. have spent so much money when i go to the dealer and they suggest to replace some parts but at the end the issue stays and not even the dealer can give me explanations or hints of how to fix the problem. i believe there is a problem with the abs module which costs around $1500 this problem is so common that vw should make this a recall. *ak

Abs control module on a 2000 volkswagen passat is out, we also had a2001.5 passat that had this same problem, we traded it in. so when our second car came up with this same problem we took it to a local v.w, repair shop and the man there said his personal car had this same problem and v.w. replaced it at no charge. in called v. w. and they said they know nothing of the sorts. i started researching this and it seems alot of people have this problem. bottom line is that it makes the car unsafe, causing the rear wheels to lock up under heavy braking situations. v. w does want to replace it tio the tune of $1400.00 and with a different model number which tells me that the first model # is deffective.*ak

Abs and brake light warning message on dashboard readsstop service manual brake fault. car taken to mechanic, computer check revealed code 18057 databus missing message from abs control module. expense to replace estimated at over 1500dollars. car has 62000 miles, not covered under warranty. during this failure traction control is disengaged along with abs system, could possibly result in an accident. auto mechanic explained that there are 13 modules in the vehicle and he cannot replace, vehicle must be taken to a dealer for repair. this occurred within one month after car was at dealer for 60000 mile service before warranty expiration and for a front steering linkage recall. dealer stated at that visit that passat needed new brakes and rotors, the "second opinion" mechanic stated that there is zero wear on front brakes and rotors. mechanic suggested i check recalls because this is the 4th vehicle has has had with this problem with similar mileage. mechanic states that this brake module failure is common.

While driving 55 mph the brake light and abs light flashed and a stop car messages appeared on the instrument panel. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the consumer that the abs module needed to be replaced.*ak

2000 4-cyl vw passat, 64000 miles: 2 emissions failures within 48 hrs: 1.) replaced defective evaporator check valve and hose, replaced fuel reg to manifold line and n249 valve line to manifold, replaced vacuum lines ($331); 2.) cleaned carbonated throttle body, replaced jet valve, repalced air filter. replaced mass air flow meter (under extended warranty) ($236). at 50,000 miles: replaced 2nd pump, n112 valve, cobi valve, cracked pipe, fuse set codes. *ak

Emissions workshop light is on. *ak

Abs contol module failure

My 2000 passat 1.8t has a problem with the abs system. i have an appt on monday to take it in, but i stumbled across a web forum (http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447&start=30&tstart=0), and now i pretty much know the answer i will get, and i see there are tons of other people with the same problem: the abs light comes on the brake light flasher my info center says "brake fault" and then says "stop" according to the forum, this is a common problem, and should be a manufacturer recall because to fix it typically costs around $2000 for a part that fails (not due to wear and tear or use)*ak

The engine check-emission light has come on five times. each time the dealer made a different repair. 1) secondary air pump 2) check valve 3) mass air flow sensor 4) inlet hose for booster valve 5)combi valve and secondary air pump. the first time the secondary air pump was replaced was at 58000 miles. the second time at 72000 miles, only 14000 miles later. the dealer said the emission system is poorly designed.*ak

A well known problem with volkswagen passat's, my abs module failed and i was forced to spend $1200 on a new module. there are thousands of people who have this same problem who do not understand why this faulty product has not been recalled. *jb

1) i was driving along a major highway (i-75) when i saw someone driving erratically, weaving in and out of traffic in my rear-view mirror. he looked close to hitting me, so i accelerated to not allow his car to do this.*ak 2) after stepping on the gas, and getting out of danger, my car would not slow down. i would step on the brake, and it would slow, but once i let off on the brake the car would surge foward (without me even pressing the gas). i did not have cruise control on at all. 3) i was unable to have the car stop suddenly accelerating. once i was able to pull off to the side of the higway, i put the car into neutral and then back to drive and that was able to solve the problem. though if there was more traffic i worry if i would be able to pull of to the side of the road safely, while having to press my brake the entire time. 2000 volkswagon passat v6

Upper control arms are failing and dangerous, which is leading to the tie rods failing. i am told the car is unsafe to drive. vw quoted me $1100 to make my car safe to drive. i am puzzled that vw is unconcerned about life and safety issue for the owner and other drivers. i have seen many websites asking for owners to contact nhtsa about this issue.*ak

We took our 2000 vw passat in to the vw dealer for state safety and were told that our drivers side tie rod was unsafe to drive on and that the passanger side would need to be replaced soon also. we took it to our regular mechanic for a second opinion and he was shocked how bad of condition they were a year 2000 and having 55,000 miles. we had to replace the left front outer tie rod end; link rod; and left front upper ball joint total cost was 370.00 and we will need to do the same soon for the left front side very soon. i am appalled that vw is aware of these complaints in the 2000 model and has not issued a recall. *ak

My car has multiple problems,first i purchase my passat in november of 2000.since then i have replaced two upper control arms,two ti rods.i received a recall for the lower control arms to be replaced but the dealer said i didn't need them replaced.while driving from my sister's house the abs indicator light came on my dash board and said stop brake faluire.i took in to the dealer the next day and the dealer said my abs module needs replacing and it cost $1300 plus labor.i just paided $1500+ dollars to replace my generator and battery on my car.the dealer also said i need to peplace my motor mounts and valve cover gaskets. i understand the annual maintenance on the car ,but these repairs are not annual repairs on a 2000 volkswagon passat wagon car with 80,000 miles on it.*ak

Abs control unit and pump failure on vw passat 2000 @ 72k miles. this is not a standard failure in my mind. the car has never been in an accident and it just occured. should be a recall item from vw.

In early november 2004 my abs started to failed in my 2000 passat gls. the dealer said it would cost nearly $2200 to fix this. after doing much research on the problem and trying to diagnose exactly the problem i stumbled on some information from http://forums.vwvortex.com/ and http://www.passatworld.com/forums/ also http://myvwlemon.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimate.cgi all of these site had numerous owners of volkswagen passats with the same exact problem i was having. i wondered why vw has not had a recall since there were so many problems with the abs control modules. i eventually found a company that rebuilds the abs control modules for $350. after getting it rebuild everything works fine. i still think this issue is an error on vw's the company and the should pay for it! the abs failing is one thing but the cost of the fix is outrageous. *jb

If found on www.epa.gov a recall for emission on the passat 2.8l. mfr recall # we/lk, epa# 1694. the exact defect was found on my passat 1.8l. vacuum supply within the secondary air system is lost when the secondary air vacuum hoses disconnect from the system control valve. the rubber vacuum hose connectors split and separate from the vacuum connection the valve due to heat dissipation in that area. the secondary air hose part# 058133817d. i took my vehicle in after the check engine light went on for the emission workshop. my repair was not covered due to recall not covering my vin. *jb

Intermittently the front seat belts would not release for more room, making it impossible to wear the seat belts. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak...*ak

The car was making a funny noise and then the engine stopped. we had it towed to minuteman vw in bedford, ma and they said that the oil pump had failed and that both the oil pump and the engine would have to be replaced at a cost of $6,320.00. the 2000 passat has 60,586 miles on it and had been in for service at 55,478 miles. the service department told us that it should be covered under the 10 year/100,000 mile power train warranty, but when they submitted our claim to vw they refused to cover it because they said i needed to provide copies of every oil change receipt for the past 4 1/2 years. i was able to find 4 receipts, but i do not see anywhere in the owners manual where it clearly and explicitly states that warranty repairs will only be performed if all receipts for all services performed on the car are provided. i noticed that there have been several technical service bulletins issued on this car which relate to engine problems and would like this defect to be considered for a recall. thank you. *jb

While driving driver applied the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. driver was able to stop. then, noticed that fluid was leaking from underneath the vehicle. the pedal was hard when pressed. driver took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the brake booster needed to be replaced. *ak

Brake warning light and "stop" message displayed intermittently. *nm

The fuel sending unit of my vehicle does not operate correctly. the gas guage continuously registers as half-full whether or not the tank is full w/gas. this is not ony a nuisance but dangerous as there is the potential to run out of fuel on the highway and/or in rural areas.*ak

Catastrophic failure of front end parts (tie-rods, upper links) when car had 59,000 miles on it. *ak

2000 vw passat with only 42,000 had worn tie rods to the point where it was dangerous to drive. fortunately this was discovered when the car was taken in to the dealer for other maintenance/service work. the tie rods were replaced at the owner's cost. vw refused to pay for the repairs even though there were two recalls for tie rods on 1999 passats (nhtsa campaign id #99v248000 and 00v414000). vw also just issued a "service action" in november 2004 for checking/replacing front suspension lower control arms. however i was told that this service action did not include tie rods. i believe vw is attempting to circumvent a recall by issuing this "service action" bulletin, and by not covering problems with tie rods in this service action maintenance. since the prior year of passat (the 1999 model) had problems with the tie rod and the recall was after the 2000 passats went on the market, it is most probable that the same problems were still present in the 2000 passat. *jb

While driving at any speed a knocking noise was coming from the engine compartment. dealership repaired the gas recirculation valve (egr valve). *ak

Abs module failure on a 2000 vw passat, 84,000 mi. car dash computer, sends flashing "stop" "brake fault" "consult manual" to console. took to two different repair ships, said nothing is wrong with the abs brakes, but the abs console is not working. dealership said it would cost $1,400 to replace part. seems like there a re many vw owners with similar complaint about failing abs modules.

(1) driving on expressway at normal highway speed while rounding curve car made a loud snapping noise and began swervinguncontrolably to the right. (2) car came to rest half on and half off of the highway, lane had to be closed and traffic jam resulted. (3) dealer said right front and rear upper control arms failed. parts must be replaced.*ak

A plastic gear on the headlight adjustment breaks, preventing the adjustment of the headlight, and causes the aiming of the headlight to "drop". the only method of repair is to replace the entire headlight assembly. i know of 3 other people with 2000 passats with the same problem.*ak

The mass air flow meter gave out on my 2000 volkswagen passat in august 2003. a couple of months later, the warranty for the part was extended to 70,000 miles. i received a rebate for the expense (five months after submitting it). now, 16 months later, the air flow meter failed again, and my car is past the 70,000 mile warranty period (but the part is only 20,000 miles old). volkswagen is clearly having a significant problem with this part, which has been confirmed by two different volkwagen dealerships. *jb

Antilocking brake system (abs) module failure. "no communication" abs system code received - not covered under manufacturer's warranty. *ak

This vehicle had multiple problems. consumer noticed that the abs braking system failed, and the srs air bag light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer was able to shift the vehicle into drive and reverse without the vehicle being turned on. consumer took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the abs braking system, and the srs air bag light module needed to be replaced. also, a transmission problem. *ak

Abs failure light came on at 55000 miles. abs not operational. garge to charge $13850 for new abs module. ridiculous. this is not a wear component!!! this should be a recall item. *ak

While driving 20 mph heard a loud noise coming from the front and the vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the tie rods needed to be replaced. *ak

My check engine light comes on every 2 weeks, my transmission is jerking when gearing down. this is a new car and it should be more dependable. they reset my light and then we start over because it always comes back on.*ak

While routinely driving home from work, the abs light and the asr indicator lights turned on, and a few seconds later the dashboard computer said "abs fault". these lights have remained on constantly since then.*ak i took the car in to the dealer the very next day and was informed that the abs control module had failed, which is a $1200 part with an accompanying $500 or so in labor. despite the car having only 33000 miles and the numerous consumer complaints about this commonly occurring failure, the dealer and vw of america were both unwilling to do anything to take responsibility for these repairs. the vehicle does not have abs anymore, which represents a safety risk. the vehicle is a 2000 vw passat glx v6, purchased december 1999.

Beginning approximately 14 months ago the fuel gauge began acting erratically - showing less fuel in the tank than actually existed. currently (12/04) after a complete fill-up, my gas gauge shows 3/4 full. once the fuel gauge indicates slightly less than 1/4 tank remaining, the actual amount in the tank is approximately 1.3 gallons. i now have to regularly monitor the mileage i have driven on each tank to make sure i do not run out of fuel before filling up.*ak

The abs check light remained on the vehicle. taken to dealer, and was informed that the abs module needed to be replaced.*ak

In wet weather brakes responded poorly. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and they stated this was normal. *ak

In wet weather brakes responded poorly. vehicle was taken to the dealer, and they stated this was normal.*ak

Over the past couple of years i have noticed various noises coming from the front end of my vehicle. upon inspection, no problems were noted by the service centers i took the vehcile to.*ak however, the steering control on the vehicle has suddenly gotten very bad. after taking the vehicle to a service center, they told me both of the tie-rod ends in my 2000 vw passat have failed at 100,000 miles. both of the front wheels have a huge amount of "play" in them which leads to the car being difficult to control, especially at highway speeds. i have owned many cars and it is very unusual to have these critical parts go bad in a vehicle this early. the estimate for the repair work was well over $500. i have gotten numerous second opinions, and all have come to the same conclusion: the tie-rods are bad. all of them also tell me they have seen this failure on these vehicles before and not on any other vehicles and that it seems to be a defect in the design. as of yet, i have not had the vehcile repaired but i hope to do so soon.

For second time, in two months the emission check light has come on. this is on my vw passat 2000, which has 43,000 miles. after taking the car to dealership, i was told that there are faulty vacuum hoses again in the engine that needs to be replaced. i was told by dealership that i should be expecting to change these vacuum hoses every 40,000 miles. this sounds like a manufacturing defect to me, as i have never replaced this component in my other cars, let alone on a regular basis. i had replaced other vacuum hoses a month ago. *jb

The dealerships stated recall 01v157000 concerning fuel sending unit expired, and dealership will not repair the vehicle free of charge. lithia auto group, 775-852-3300, reno,nevada. *ak *sc

1. brought 2000 passat glx to dealer twice to fix 'smoke coming from engine compartment and accompanying burning smell.' dealer charged $430 to replace "in/out transmission cooler lines" the first time in the shop, and "tightened the cams" the second time. 2. less than 3 weeks after the second service 'tightening the cams', car caught fire while traveling northbound on i-95 at mile marker 8 in ny. after being notified of smoke coming from the car by another motorist, we pulled over. shortly thereafter, the entire car was engulfed in flames. 3. nothing was done to correct the failure as the car was totaled. investigation may or may not be conducted by insurance company to find the cause of the fire. *ak

Drivers seat cushion failed prematurely on bottom of seat. replaced seat cushion at upholstery shop recommended by dealer at my expense. no warranty service coverage offerred by vw. old part still on hand. *ak

At 40,000 miles, the water pump bearing failed. foutunately, i stopped the car immediately and did not incur further engine damage. was advised by the dealer that wv "under-engineered" the water pump bearing, resulting in premature failure.*ak

The fuel gauge indicated fuel wan the vehicle, however there was no fuel and the vehicle ran out of gas. the vehicle was not included in recall number. 01v157000. *jb

When driving with cruise control set at 55 mph, upon moving down a slope of a hill, the engine raced off and vehicle, a 2000 vw passat accelerated uncontrollably.*ak

Abs failure light came on at 55000 miles. abs not operational. dealer to charge $1200 for new abs module. ridiculous. this is not a wear component!!! this should be a recall item. *ak

When accelerating from a stop light front passenger side axle broke. as a result, vehicle was unable to be moved, and consumer had to get the vehicle towed. *ak

Britax, model # e900232/72501, the child was inside of the car seat and the mechanism holding the strap straight failed. consumer contacted the manufacturer. *ak

Abs module fails at 70,000 miles, and it cost me around $1,500. many people seem to have the same kind of problem. the manufacturer should be responsible for it, rather than worrying about the cost of recalls. *ak

This is concerning my 2000 vw passat 1.8t automatic(tiptronic) vehicle. i am having issues with my anti lock brake system. my car warns me of an abs failure randomly (warning lights come on and go away for no apparent reason) i have found a multitude of other people on the internet that experience the same exact issues with this car. i have contacted vw of america and was told that there is no known issue with the car (no recall) and that if in fact there are as many people having this problem, that they should call vw and also report it to the nhtsa. she said that if the nhtsa got enough complaints that they could force vw to do a recall. here are some links where i found alot of other people with the same car/same issue: http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/search!execute.jspa? resolution to this problem is a $2000 replacement of the abs unit to "see" if that fixes it. something needs to be done for these guys to admit to having faulty parts in these model vehicles. any help is greatly appreciated! thanks, steve brickhouse. *ak

While driving check engine light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. consumer drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic informed consumer that the problem could not be duplicated. *ak

After random intervals the abs warning occurs, sometimes it will end but most of the time the error will continue until the car is turn off and restarted after 5 minutes. after the first abs warning i took the car into the dealer. the dealer determined the the unit (bosch abs and controller) would need replacing. after researching online, i found that several companies buy back these particular units for remanufacturing due to the common failure of this part. since this part is common on 1996-2001 audi a4's, a6's and vw passat and is failing consistently that several companies are now in the business of remanufacturer these units, i find it hard that such a vital component to the safety of the vehicle can fail so consistently. in addition, sunnyvale volkswagon dealer said that vw no longer sells the abs controller seperate from the abs pump due to the fact that when replacing a failed controller it was common for the pump to fail within several months.

The upper and lower control arms on both sides of the front of the vehical are failing. the dealer said that it was very odd to see these items faling at only 67,000 miles. if they were to completely fail it woud cause the driver to lose control of the vehical. this same failure has occured on a number of other vehicals of the same model.*ak

Abs control unit failure at 67,000 miles. *ak

Abs and brake warning light suddenly appears accompanied by warning message "stop - brake fault" and loud audible alarm. my independent vw mechanic retrieved vehicle fault codes and advises the replacement of the abs control unit. the mechanic said he has seen this problem several times in the past year. the abs is inoperable and the drivers normal braking effort could result in the rear wheels locking up. failure to correct this problem by replacing the abs unit is likely due to the high part cost ($1,123.25) as this is becoming a common issue with many vw owners (evidence of this is readily availabe on the internet), the driving public's safety is being jeopardized for ecomomic reasons. *ak

Analysis of system after check engine light showed one of two oxygen sensors defective. item was replaced. no other codes indicated further problems..two days later, check engine light lit again. second oxygen sensor replaced. three days later, check engine light on again. . analysis determined air mass meter defective and was replaced. repair costs = $841.25. very reputable repair shop said this happens frequenly to vw's??? vw will be notified and asked to compensate for repairs. *ak

Consumer complained that at 43000 miles catalytic converter was replaced under warranty. currently, at 90,000 miles another one needed to be replaced. dealer will not replace the catalytic converter for free.*ak

After the dealership performed the fuel sending recall 01v157000 repairs the fuel gauge failed to work. the fuel gauge was working prior to having repairs done. dealership indicated that the fuel pump was causing the fuel gauge not to work.*ak

Defective engineering of the volkswagen passat abs control module, causing it to fail around 50000 miles. through significant research, i have discovered this is a prevalent problem in 1998-2000 volkswagen passats upon reaching approximately 50000 miles. despite the fact that this is a recognized common issue by vw service shops, they have not issued a recall of this significant safety control component nor offered to share the cost of repair. furthermore, they have increased the cost of this component from $200-$300 a few years ago to $1100-$1700 today. *ak informed if not corrected, could cause rear breaks to lock up upon sudden stop.

Control arms on 2000 volkswagen passat are failing. the car has 55,000 miles; arms also failed at 36,000 and were replaced. this is not acceptable; i have also heard of people who had the control arms break while driving. this problem has happened to many, many owners.*ak

Rear brakes replaced/tie rod boots/ front axle rusted/replaced. *ak

While driving on the highway at 62 mph the vehicle started shaking, lost power then coasted to a stop. this occurred because the left rear rotor melted down and gummed up the brake fluid. this resulted in the braking system and transmission being inoperative. the dealership couldn't identify the cause of the rotor melt down ,they only replaced the melted and damaged parts. *nm *la

2000 vw passat 4 motion ran out of gas while gauge showed fuel. upon checking i discovered there was a safety recall for this problem issued oct. 2001. i took the car to the dealership and they attempted to fix the problem but when i got the car back the gauge did not work at all. i took it back immediately and they said i would have to bring it back another time after they called tech support. when i took it back they said it needed a fuel pump (the fuel pump has a fuel sending unit built in). the recall stated that there are 3 sending units in the tank and any one of them can give trouble. the dealership is refusing to do any more work under the recall. i have called the vw customer relations dept but they refuse to help me. what can i do? can you help me? the dealership is pete moore vw pensacola fl.*ak

Steering was making a funny noise - broght car in for service was told it was unsafe to drive it home. had to replace all control arms (4) dealer said this was common on this vehicle. car had 60,000 miles on it. these items should not fail so soon - cost $1600 to repair. *ak

While driving on the freeway my abs light came on. the display read"stop, brake failure immanent". after talking on my cell phone with my regular vw mechanic he said it would be safe to drive except i would not have any anti-lock braking capability. i had to take the car to the dealer and they diagnost the anti-lock brake controler and pump. the diagnostic cost me $90.00 and later when they found the part that bill was $1580.85. why is a safety item like that not payed for by the manufacturer? the car is 4 years old and has 70,000 miles on it. seems a little to soon to be replacing such a seldom used and expensive part.*ak

Air bag light came on twice. the first time front and side driver side airbags were replaced, costing $1200. the second time the light came on vw was contacted and they agreed to pay for the repair, $300 for a wiring harness under the steering wheel. please advise, this is a problem that should happen considering the car was not involved in any type of accident. service manager at volkswagen compared air bag to a "light bulb." saying that like light bulbs airbags also burn out after a while, a rather pompous statement to make. *la

Idle pulsates heavily at stops when in gear. idle is rough when car is cold. car hesitates heavily sometimes while accelerating from a stop. no fault codes displayed. have replaced combination valve due to fault code stored in ecu, valve showed heavy buildup of carbon. have replaced secondary air pump due to water buildup in pump. problem occurred 1 year ago, was resolved by replacement of throttle body and coolant temp sensor at cost of $600. problem now back. *ak

Engine speed pulsates at idle when automatic transmission is in gear and brakes applied. no failure or warning lights displayed. to prevent surging of car while stopped, transmission must be put in neutral. also hesitates significantly during some accelerations from stop due to condition, and idles rough when cold. same fault last year in jan. 2003, resolution through replacement of coolant sensor and throttle body.*ak

After parking the vehicle 5 to 10 minutes consumer noticed smoke, then flames coming from the hood. the fire consumed the vehicle,it was totally damaged. *ak

When the brakes are applied there is a delay before the vehicle will stop. also, engine service light will appear on the dashboard. dealer replaced the sensor at consumer's expense of $1,500. *ak

Faulty outer tie rod end seal for vw passat 1.8t. car with only 46000 miles already needs new outers tie rod end due to premature/faulty brakage of seal.*ak

I have a 2000 vw passat and have carbon build up on the valves due from premium gas use as required in manual. 2 seperate occasions i had to pay hundreds to repair this recurring problem. the dealer says they don't know what fuel i should use. vw headquarters first said a year ago to strictly use premium. now they tell me to use regular but they will not do anything for me. i had to replace a re circulation valve and vacuums. i beleive there is a consumer issue here that someone has to address because i cannot get anybody to agree which fuel to use. they should repair my problem for free.

Complete engine failure check oil pressure light appeared at 38000 miles; brought to vw dealer - told that the sensor light was stuck on car is taken to vw dealer at 40444 for 40000 mile maintenance check oil pressure light appears at 44578 miles; car taken to another dealer and dealer claims engine is total loss.

I purchased a vw 2000 passat in 5/00. i never received a recall 01v157000 notification on my car. this recall was for passats manufactured from 9/99 to 12/00 affecting 70,000 vehicles where this is a faulty fuel gauge system problem. it's from sulfur deposits in the fuel tank which causes the fuel gauge to read full when it is not and even close to empty. i've been experiencing this problem. my vehicle has been about a quarter tank full or half full and fuel gauge consistenly shows full. i'm still having this problem. i have not gone to a dealer yet because i wanted to call vw directly at 800-822-8987. i was informed since my vin # was not on vw's list for recall notification that it does not apply to my car. is there any way you can help or provide assistance with this problem? i feel i do have this problem mentioned in the recall. again my fuel gauge consistenly displays full when car is half-full or near emply. this is a major concern and i feel a safety issue. thank you!

2000 vw passat- when you try to lock the drivers side door it will not lock with the door control unless you open all the doors and then push the lock button. this does not concern me as much as when you push the unlock button and open the drivers door and close it beind you. the door will lock you in and the panic alarm starts going off. if you only have one key it will lock you or your children in the car and will set the panic alarm off.

Defective fuel gauge and temp. gauge causing to replace entire instrument cluster. *ak

I have had persistent emission problems with my 2000 v6 vw passat since date of purchase. the maf/oxygen sensors have been replaced numerous times and now i have an emissions issue again (now outside of warranty) that traces back to something in my secondary air system (error codes 1411, 1423). these emission problems are regular and persistent and vw should take care of them without me spending hundreds/thousands of dollars time and time and time again! *nm

I have a vw passat 4-motion wagon tiptronic that exhibits the problem of refusing the downshift from second into first at slow speeds when the accelerator is pushed firmly. then, the engine races wildly for an instant and then "bangs" into gear. the dealer acknowledges the problem, but thus far there's no fix for it. engine: 2.8 v6 year: 2000 gear: moving from 2nd into 1st erratic and seems somewhat heat-related--worst in hot weather first noticed: about 49,000 miles car can be downright dangerous if problem occurs while merging onto a busy highway. refer to audiworld web page for similar owner audi quattro problems with 2.7l v6 and tiptronic. *ak

Abs module failure on a 2000 passat with 55,230 miles. *ak

I have a 2000 vw passat gls sedan (automatic) 1.8t engine. i have taken the car to service every 5k miles to vw and then to a reputable mechanic (have all the service records). it is currently at 82,000 miles. 2 months ago the car stalled on the road. the oil check light had been on for awhile. i had called vw regarding the sensor light and they said that it is only a sensor problem, and not worry about it. after investigation, the car is in need of a new engine. cam shafts 3 and 4 were dry and not receiving oil. i submitted the car to vw to claim under the 10 year/100k mile powertrain warranty. after 2 months of investigations, vw usa has denied my claim and states that this is due to poor maintenance. the mechanic shop i take my car to is very reputable. my family and friends have and continue to go to this shop and have never had a problem. i am in the stages of legal action against vw usa.*ak

2000 vw passat wagon. my wife was driving on the highway (70 mph) when her passenger side air bag deployed without any impact, bump or incident which should have caused deployment. the driver's side air bag then deployed about 1 minute later while she was still in motion. preliminary investigation showed an electrical short/meltdown in the center console wiring. futher investiagtion impending. thankfully the front air bag did not deploy at that rate of speed and a full fledged fire did not develop.*ak

Abs control module malfunctioned,- suspected the part was faulty because of many other instances documented w/various agencies. after fully engaging abs - two days later, stop brake failure lights coming on and dealer diagnosed as abs control module failure. *ak

Had to replace all of the front control arms and tie rod ends on my 2000 passat glx 4-motion wagon. five out of 8 control arms were in very poor conditions with torn boots over the ball joints. the ball joints in the controll arms were torn and ball joins were dry and noisy. the tie rod ball joins were worn out and making noises. the car has not be wrecked or damaged other wise.*ak

A noise was heard in the front end when turning the steering wheel left or right. consumer took vehicle to the dealer, and dealer determined that upper and lower ball joints were defective. *ak *mr

I own a 2000 vw passat. my abs light and break light are going on intermittantly. i recently took my vehicle to the dealer and i was told it was the abs module that needed to be replaced. the cost to repair will be approx. $1200 for parts and labor. the dealer told me they could not help with the cost because i am out of warranty and i have 50k on the odometer. i feel that the abs is a safety feature on the vehicle and vw should be willing to cover at least some of the cost. i have had no such luck thus far. i have been looking into this problem in vw forums and have found i am not the only one with this problem. most people are saying the same story $1100 - $1500 for replacing the abs module. it seems a bit odd that a part that has little use would go bad so frequently on this vehicle. ganted i'm not sure what the frequency rate is but i would like to be another voice filing a complaint. my manual states that i should avoid sudden stops bacuase this could cause my back breaks to lock and cause accident, serious injury or even death. yet their is nothing the dealer could do to help! well maybe you can!!

While stopped at a traffic light the vehicles brake locked up. the mechanic examined the vehicle and informed the consumer that the brake master cylinder had failed. the manufacturer and the dealer are aware of the problem. *nm

While driving at any speed front end wobbled. consumer took vehicle to a mechanic for a front end alignment. mechanic determined that the tie rods needed to be replaced. *ak

Bosch abs control module fault causes abs, brake, and traction control warning lights to come on despite there being no actual abs fault.*ak

Molding on the car is defective!!! the dealer nor the warranty wants to help me out. i will not pay for the defective of the molding and i was hoping that there is someone out there that has the same problem as me!!!! am i now not suppose to open the car door to prevent the molding being ripped off as the door opens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????? *ak

The cv boot cover has failed on both cv joints. this allowed grease from the cv joints to sling onto the front brake rotors, causing the brakes to operate with much less stopping power. the cv joints are now damaged and need to be replaced. this repair is not covered under warranty.*ak

While driving the exterior lights failed intermittently. the dealership has been notified on four occasions but the problem still exist. *nm

I have a '00 volkswagen passat. the fuel gauge has not worked adequately since soon after i purchased the vehicle "new" in july/august '00. during the time the vehicle was under warranty i brought the vehicle in for service twice due to this defect. it was temporarily replaced and soon after warranty expiration the problem recurred. i have not had a workable fuel gauge on this vehicle for at least two years. i understand that the vw '00 4 motion model was recalled for a similar problem and i urge a recall to be made for all '00 passats. *ak

The vehicle's abs module malfunctioned without warning. please provide any additional information. *nm *mr

4th winter in a row since purchasing vehicle it has experienced a problem starting. each year the "diagnosis" has been somewhat different...but mainly a "problem with carbonization buildup". 4 times in 4 years, resulting in new plugs, oil change, this year a new battery, "decarbonization procedure"....hundreds and hundreds of dollars. have used only the finest fuel (vw claimed this was the root problem, poor quality fuel) since the first incident in 2000. problem persists.

Air bag warning indicator light came on. circle volkwagen dealer quoted me $900 to fix four sensors. we called volkswagon u.s. and they said vw would pay all costs to fix the air bags sensors. *ak

Was driving to work and had a full stop activating abs. two days later the abs/brake light started flashing - took to dealer who informed that abs module needs replacing for $1300.

Dealer informed of a $2,200 clutch repair at 32k miles which seems very early. vw customer service provides no assistance.

Malfunction in abs module abs brake lights on also traction control light on. *la

While driving between 5 to 10 mph and with out any warning the driver and passenger cv-joint broke. as a result the front suspension fell off. manufacturer stated so what there is no big deal. dealer replaced both cv-joint. *nlm *mr

Windows fogged up due to a faulty heater core. this was causing poor visibility to the driver. *ak *sc *jb

Tie rod ends failed on 2000 passat effecting the steering control. prior to 44000. dealer stated this is considered normal for passat . tie rod ends were returned to me and the seals were not protecting the swivel bearing. *ak independent auto repair shop advised there had been a previous recall in 99 for the same problem but this car was not included. we believe volkswagen may have the same or similar issue with tie rod ends on additional autos.*ak

Faulty abs speed sensor. *ak

Issues may all be related, could be vacuum problem. these problems are constant, occurring every day regardless of weather. 1. engine revs in neutral, while creeping at lowest rpms and while stopped in drive. rpms fluctuate every split second, 750-900 rpms. while pulling into garage, the revving often causes collision with objects in garage. 2. also, engine almost stalls on takeoff immediately after cold start or hot restart. 3. power-assist brakes fail in reverse immediately after engine start and backing out of parking slot. dangerous situations have occurred. dealer has checked at least three times, replaced parts, made adjustments. within several blocks of leaving the dealership after repairs, all problems begin occurring again.*ak

2000 vw passat wagon- less than 50 thousand miles- mechanic informed us that the tie rod ends were shot. contacted vw with a complaint about the rate of failures of many parts of this car. these failures are what would be considered premature. vw asked me to bring in vehicle for a thorough inspection and confirmed tie rod failure- replacement to be at my expense.*ak

Heater core defect - this car is only 3 years old with just over 50,000 miles and now needs a new heater core - a $1500 repair! when the heat is turned on, an anti-freeze mist (not too healthy for the driver!) comes out of the vents and all of the windows fog up. the only way to clear the windows is to turn the heat off and sometimes that doesn't even work and we have to turn the a/c on to get the windows de-fogged. i did some research and found that volkswagens (vw) have had heater core problems for 10+ years, and some of the older vw's were in fact recalled for this problem. vw has obviously not made any changes to the heater cores being put into newer cars. i bought the car in the spring and had no way of knowing that this was going to be an issue until it started to get cold outside. now i'm stuck trying to get vw to offset the cost. *la

The floor well of my vw passat becomes wet every time it rains. accordingly to the vw dealer there is a crack in the pollen filter housing which results in the leak. i have read numerous accounts of the same problem occuring in other passats, along with electrical failures. besides being inconvenienced, my concern is the potential for an electrical fire and/or other electrical failures which could result in harm to driver, passanger(s) or other individuals. i would like volkswagen to acknowledge this design fault and respond accordingly by rectifying the issue.*ak

My clutch failed at only 21,000 miles. i have never heard of a clutch failing in a vw that early. vw did cover parts, but i was required to pay $600.00 in labor. *la

My husband and i purchased a 2000 passat with 927 miles on the odometer on july 21, 2000 (ancira, san antonio, tx). three visits to the dealer three for a fluid leak (3/29/01, 2/13/02, 1/17/03). each time, we were told that nothing was wrong. four months ago- "emission control," "check engine" light came on. also the following quit working: power mirrors, the travel computer, temperature sensor was erratic, fuel door quit and the fuel mileage gauge malfunctioned. most recently, the car started running rough and a clear, viscous fluid appeared on my garage floor. the car has 25,000 miles. we change the oil regularly. it had a 15,000-mile check-up. we took the car to a reputable mechanic (mander automotive in helotes, texas). the owner of mander (bob mander) was very concerned that this car had so many electrical and computer problems. ancira informed (mander) that the car's warranty had expired by 900 miles (24,990) that visit (11/6/03). computer scan and analysis showed several codes related to misfires and running lean. also: transaxle seal leak and battery failed the load test-would not hold acharge. mander fixed: seal leak, replaced the battery, changed the oil, replaced the actuator (fuel door), repaired vacuum leaks, reset the t.e.h. computer and corrected the faulty wiring to the mirrors. we spent $649. 24 hours later-"check engine" light re-appeared. the car began to vibrate hard. we took the car back to mr. mander (11/14/03). he found a defective oxygen sensor and problem with the coolant sensor- both replaced. that time we spent $358. my husband and i have an established relationship with mander automotive and trust their work and analysis. the "check engine" light and "emissions control" light is back on. the car is running hard, again. i have contacted vw (reference #30522917) and my husband was advised to take the car to a different dealer here in san antonio (rod east). *la

It was determined that both upper and lower links on my 2000 passat had failed with 48,000 miles on the car. *la

When the vehicle stopped at a stop sign or a traffic light, it stalled. *ak the problem was diagnosed as a secondary air injector valve. the vehicle experienced a rough idle. the valve was replaced, but the vehicle still idled rough. the check engine light was intermittent prior to repair. *sc *jb

3 emissions system failures in one year. secondary air pump replaced twice and mass air flow sensor replaced once. car has less than 24000 miles. *la

At 62k miles 3 control arms/bushings and tie rod end have failed for no apparent reason. authorized dealer's mechanic seemed surprised that this part failed so early. on the other hand, it seems like it is a well-known problem with 2000 passats (and audis which are supposed to use same parts), and the recall has already been supposedly issued for in germany. why has it not been addressed here in the u.s. if it's a known problem and safety risk? *la

While driving abs control module failed, causing warning bell to sound, which indicated for the driver to stop. dealer statesd parts needed to repair vehicle were on back order. *ak

While driving at moderate speeds of about 35 to 45 mph, car engine lost all power. engine was still running and all accessories (lights, radio, etc.) were on, but pressing on the gas pedal lead to no movement by the car. epc warning light came on at the time of power loss as did the asr warning light. stopping the car and turning it off and then back on remedied situation, but it recurred on 9/2/2003 under same conditions. dealer analysis showed a sticking turbo booster valve and a bad oxygen sensor (this is the 2nd o2 sensor to be replaced within a year). dealer had to order parts and they will not be in until at least 9/9/2003. meanwhile, i have to drive a 79 mile round trip commute daily in traffic, and fear that this will happen when i am at 75 mph on the interstate. this could lead to a crash with possible fatalities if it occurred.*ak

I was dirivng the car when smoke started entering the cabin area. pulled over, and the engine compartment was englufed in smoke. had to call the fire department to extinguish the fire. there was no flames, but the firefighters had to use a hose to kill the smoke. volkswagen dealer in tallahassee indicated that the alternator "malfunctioned". i'd like an investigation into how a malfucntion int he alternator could cause a near fire hazard, and if it was a malfucntion -- what caused it, and a bulletin posted as to how to avoid it. this is a very serious matter as the car was paractically in flames.*ak

Malfunction of robert bosch 5.3 abs module. *ak

Mass air flow sensor needed to be replaced 4 months after having the secondary air pump and actuator valve on the back of the head replaced.*ak

Sunroof making loud clanking noise when in operation since purchase back for repair one month later now infomed by dealer needs new sunroof frame at a cost of $850 to me. *ak

Consumer states while driving fuel tank burst. dealer notified. *ak

Vehicle experienced the same defect with its tie rods as stated in recall 00 v 414 000. but, it's model/ year, and vin number not included.*ak

Front upper control arm needs replacement because ball joint is loose. this causes severe rattling when driving over even little bumps. *jb

The engine shook violently and continued during the entire time the engine was on. it seemed to start at every ignition activation, the problems does not occur while driving or idle. it happened every time i am ready to go to work!! i took the car three times to the dealership while warranty was still good - they could not find anything wrong in all three times. the main indicator has always been the "engine symbol w/the volt" symbol that goes on in the dashboard. the fourth time it happened (past the warranty period, now), it went away while the dealer was checking it out. again the mechanics could not detect the source of the problem. on july 11, as i was coming home the problem again showed up. this time the dealer changed an engine part "coil" and said that the coil was the problem and these passat cars had the same problem all the time. i am really mad because i did not expect the added expense $620 total, the time lost, the inconvenience, and the lack of respect by the dealers (these guys behave as if they are doing me a favor, i am paying dearly by choosing wv brand). *jb

Had a rear tire blow ut a while back and now my car is experiencing a significant size gas leak( in the rear left passenger side of car), which is the summary and consequence of the vw passat recall issued jan 23, 2002. i, however, just received the recall notice 2 weeks ago. i did report my tire blow out with nhtsa because i was concerned i had a defective tire. it appears the remedy for this recall is too late for me, i already have to deal with the consequence of vw's defect. i only hope vw rectifies this problem asap.*ak

While driving i experienced a spontaneous deployment of the passenger side lateral air bag in my 2000 vw passat. with deployment, all electical power was lost to the vehicle, leaving me with no control of the auto. there had been no collision or impact to the vehicle. the air bag just went off by itself. there was no injury to passengers from the airbag, but it almost caused me to lose control of the vehicle.*ak

The vehicle was taken to the shop for an alignment. the technician noticed that the tie rod ends were worn but the vehicle only had 60000 miles on it. the consumer found a recall (99v24800) on the internet which described the symptoms the vehicle experienced with the tie rods. the consumers vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak *ph *nlm

Fire: 2000 vw passat gl - sedan/v6. spontaneously combusted. car had not been driven for 3 hours. fire started in engine compartment on right side and destroyed major components. fire was not discovered until fuel line breached at which time fire consumed vehicle. subsequent investigation by insurance company indicated failure of an electrical component, however exact cause remains undetermined.*ak

The malfunction indicator light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on 5/24/2003, and the temperature sensor was replaced. six days later light the illuminated again.*ak the volkswagen headquarters did pay for the hose when the malfunction indicator light illuminated at approx. 24,000 miles. *ph *jb

Apparently the fuel injectors in my 2000 vw passat wagon 4motion are defective. the car has 63,000 miles. starting and idling problems led to the discovery of excess carbon build-up in the valves and the failure of the combination valve. this valve cost me about $400 to replace. vw says the fuel injectors should be replaced because they are a certain color (of manufacture), implying they are defective. replacing them will cost me about $600, or about $1000 for everything. *nlm

(2000 vw passat) mechanic indicated excessive tie-rod-end wear due to seal failure -- identical to failure subject to recall in 1999 model. vw was notified on 7/7/2003 and declined to take responsibility for the repair.*ak

The vehicle hesitated and jerked when it reached the speed of 40 mph. *jb

Control arms on this model are chronically failing. every passat owner i have talked to is having a similar problem. my vehicle is only at 40000 and the control arms are starting to crack and tear. please investigate and consider a safety recall. a control arm failure at high speed could be fatal.*jb

Arm control ball joints and bushings prematurely failed on vehicle. ball joint failure was so severe that it could have separated from the rack and disabled steering of vehicle.*ak

Control arm failure leading to suspension breakdown. second occurrence in 60000 miles. first owner. not happy about vw's inability to claim fault for problem. *nlm

Tie rod and control arms are prone to failure, i.e. bushings become worn and will tear after time. the bushings on my vehicle for both upper control arms (currently @ 48000 miles) on both sides and tie rods have started to crack and tear. *jb

Seven of the eight control arms on my 2000 vw passat have failed. there has been a recall issued in europe for the same problem. likewise, the audi a4 shares the same chassis and same front end suspension. just like the vog recalled the passat aoa has recalled the a4. however voa has decided to not issue a recall and risking the passat customer base injury or even death. why is it the exact same parts were recalled and the same chassis, but voa has not recalled the passat. the dealership has told me that it will cost 1,400.00 dollars to replace the control arms. nhtsa needs to question voa on this matter. my car has 40,000 miles on it and is being maintained by a volkswagen technician. there is just no reason why a part that is designed to last the life of the car has failed at 40,000 miles. *jb

I purchased a new 2000 passat in feb. of 2000. on nov. 5, 2001 the engine light came on, the dash displayed emission workshop.the sysmptoms were a jolting when placing the car into any gear and the car losing power for several seconds while driving.i took it in and found out the "engine control module" needed replacment & the "mass air flow sensor" needed to be replaced and it was fixed at no charge. then, on dec. 23, 2002 i had the same symptoms and took it in and had topay $161.00 to replace the "vaccum line to manifold". now yesterday april 28,2003 i had the same symptoms and found out the "mass air flow sensor" needs to be replaced for the seoncd time and the dealer will only pay 50% and they will stand behind their decision because they feel it's more then fair. the dealer has told me that it is very rare for this problem to happen. well it has already happened 3 times in the 3 years i have owned it and they are unable to give me an answer to why this happens. i would like to know how may complaints you have received on case number:748685. i feel like i purchased a lemon and will be dealing with this same problem over and over. i will never purchase or recommend a volkswagen to anyone.

Our volkswagen dealer (martens volkswagen) was initially contacted for service when an engine light came on my 2000 passat gls wagon that said "emissions workshop". they said they couldn't take a look at the car for about two weeks because it wasn't a serious problem and we should just keep driving it. after a few more days of driving the car, we smelled gasoline fumes coming from the engine compartment (while driving, not while starting). we then insisted that martens look at the problem immediately. the mechanic said that all four fuel injectors were leaking fuel through the side of the injectors into the engine compartment and needed replacing. he claimed that something in the gasoline was melting the seals. the car has only 33,421 miles on it. it has had regular service at volkswagen dealers and was only filled up with 93 octane gasoline bought in the us as required by volkswagen. in addition we have never used any fuel additives. i believe that these fuel injectors are defective and there may be many other people who are also being told to continue to drive with the engine light on who may in fact have gasoline leaking into the engine compartment due to leaking injectors. therefore we recommend that nhtsa investigate if a safety recall is needed to prevent engine fires that might result from defective fuel injectors in this model volkswagen. *nlm

The vehicle started to make a noise, and then stalled.*jb

This is regarding a 2000 volkwagen passat. i have read that there is an "action plan" by volkswagen for 2001 and newer passats for coil wires. i feel that volkswagen should include the 2000 as well. although my car is not included i have already had two coil failures. unlike cars which are covered by the recall i have to get them replaced as they fail. i believe vw is just trying to save money by not including the 2000 cars. *jb

Intermittently car will not start. usually i can maneuver the automatic shifter from the park position down through the gears, (neutral, drive, etc...) then back to the park position & then the car will start. vw dealer is unable to isolate the problem but offered to replace a part for a fee of $400.00 because the vehicle is now out of warranty. *jb

I had two tires blow out within three weeks of each other. the tires are original to my 2000 vw passat gls wagon and have approximately 30000 miles of wear. the tires are made in germany - model: "195/65 r15 radial 91h m+s ecoplus contitouring contact" *nlm

Vw will not cover the repair of the control arms and after researching the web i found that failure of the control arms are normal for this model. *ph *jb **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**770854

Wet weather braking...same as other complaints. there is a significant delay in braking response in wet weather. once the brakes 'grab' stopping is not a problem; i've learned to brake early. the problem seems to be reduced if you try to frequently touch the brakes, i'm assuming this clears water build-up from the rotors/pads. is this a problem with the open design of the alloy wheels or is the disc/rotor guard that sits behind the wheel becoming filled with water? fyi, i have a 2000 passat 4motion glx wagon.

The airbag light illuminated on the dashboard.*jb

Consumer states while driving the ignition coil broke causing lost of acceleration. please provide any additional information. ts

There are four oil packets located into her vehicle. causing the vehicle to stall and the engine light appear on the dashboard. please provide additional information dealer is aware of the problem. ts

Vehicle was in a frontal collision, and the pressure of the driver impacting the console, caused the console to twist and activate the seat belt release bottom. this resulted in the driver being thrown from there seat, which cause them to have head injuries. please provide more details. ts

While driving at 35 mph, vehicle was in a frontal collision, and none of the airbags deployed upon impact. this resulted in driver being seriously injured. consumer is currently on disability as the result of the injuries obtained by this accident. please provide more details. ts

Nar 1/15/2003. the instrument cluster failed at a low mileage. the first sign of a problem was the air bag light which had come on and did so sporadically. the problem progressed to the tachometer and speedometer which began moving erratically, to the point the vehicle began stall. the instrument cluster failed again and the mechanic thought the problem was with the ignition. the problem continued and after performing a diagnostic there was a reading that there was a problem with the starter. as of now the problem has not been resolved. *jb

While driving the malfunction light came on and stayed on. in the owner manual it states when this light comes on don't drive vehicle. consumer took vehicle to the dealership to have service. the dealership indicated theirs a problem with the ignition switch coil, and it needs to be replace. this is a common problem per dealership. ts

I drive a 2000 volkswagon passat glx 4motion. i have felt that i got a bad car since very early on in my lease (i now have 8 months left). on this particular occaision, i had a severe oil leak. the dealer informed me that there was a hole in my oil pan that must have been caused by a rock (i don't recall feeling anything hit the car hard enough to put a hole in anything). i was told that this was not a warranteed item, rather normal wear and tear. i have owned 5 other cars and never had this problem. i also noticed that the car was shaking when the breaks are applied. i was told by the dealer that this is due to warped rotors. i only have 20,000 miles on the vehicle and have never heard of any kind of break problems with that few miles. i was also told that is not covered by warrantee either, again, normal wear and tear. the other 5 cars that i owned easily had over 20,000 miles on them and never had a problem with brake rotors. this seems to be a trend with this vehicle. early on in my lease, i had multiple problems with my car not starting. each time it was due to carbon buildup on my spark plugs. the first time it happened there was only 2,000 miles on the car and the dealer had the nerve to tell me that spark plugs were standard maintenenance items and i must not be taking care of my car properly. 2 years later, there was an emission controls recall which fixed this problem, which the dealer initially called driver error, not a vehicle problem.

Secondary air injection pump used for ignition has failed. when starting vehicle it makes a loud wining noise. hard part replaced 3 times, but problem reoccurred. *ak

Consumer states that the air bag senor light came on and stayed on. vehicle ran over a small rock and the air bag deployed. which cause damage to vehicle. replaced air bag, senor light came back on and stayed on. *mr

While driving at 45mph vehicle decelerated to 5mph, like the brakes were being applied. consumer pressed accelerator, however vehicle would not accelerate. transmission will not shift gears. drove vehicle at 15 mph. vehicle decelerated at 5 mph, and mashing the accelerator to the floor did not increase the speed. both happened in a duration of 5-7 mins. the vehicle then resumed at normal operation. consumer had taken vehicle to the dealer, no problem was determined. dealer claimed that the vw factory contact had no record of aberrant action and had no fix for the problem. *scc

Vehicle was entering highway and due to traffic speeding up consumer had to accelerate faster. accelerator pedal got stuck by slamming down on it. consumer had to reach down and pull pedal up while driving. volkswagen will be contacted. please provide more information.*ak

Consumer states while driving the vehicles sun roof suddenly shattered, cause is unknown. took to dealer and they stated it probably was a rock.*jb *jb

While driving, a loud grinding noise would be coming from the front wheels. dealer notified and informed consumer that front rotors and calipers needed to be replaced. *ak *jg

Middle rear seat, when back seat is folded down seat belt will get stuck.dealership is aware of problem.*ak

The shift lever cannot be shifted past reverse due to faulty gearbox. nlm

Low beam headlights cannot be adjusted, vehicle has been inspected by dealer 3 times indicating that the lights do not extend out far enough. nlm

There is a noise in front, underneath vehicle while wheels are in motion. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Right front seat side air bag deployed when consumer hit a pothole, damage to right wheel and tire, vehicle needed an alignment, claim 13-7212-517. *slc

I owned a 2000 vw passat. my car failed several times upon acceleration during passing or accelerating onto the expressway. i had it into the shop at least eight times. the vw rep insinuated that i was doing something to the vehicle. they finally allowed me to trade for a 2003. there is now a recall on the ignition coil starting with 2001. i think you had better include 2000 on that recall. *nlm

I have owned this vehicle for a little over a year. during this time this passat has had several suspension problems. the upper control arms have been pointed out as a problem by various service centers and vw. the control arms have been replaced twice and the passat has again developed a loud squeaking noise from the front end of the vehicle. *nm

For no apparent reason the car caught fire on the right (passenger) side of the engine compartment. the garage where the car is serviced investigated and said that they cannot seem to find a cause other than it may have been electrical. the car is a complete loss. *nm

Tire jack is weak. consumer jacked up vehicle to change tire, and jack bent/ twisted, causing it to fall from under vehicle.also, axle of vehicle fell to ground. contacted dealer, and dealer urged consumer to call the manufacturer's customer service. manufacturer told consumer to take jack to dealer for inspection. *ak

Vehicle has stalled numerous times at any speed. vehicle taken to dealer every time vehicle stalled, could not remedy problem. *ak

Had received recall notice #00v1471000. contacted dealership several times before appointment was given. after taking vehicle to dealership for repairs,had to wait. was informed repairs were done. one (1) week later, vehicle ran out of gas. had vehicle towed to dealership, where repairs were done. mechanic indicated that gas gauge was defective and needed replacing.*ak

Oil pan was designed without a protective cover, and has on two occasions became punctured, causing a major oil leak.*ak *nlm

While traveling engine check indicator would flash, and soon after vehicle would stall. dealer has been notifed. please provide further information.*ak

Would be pulling out of parking lot or driveway when vehicle would stall out. this problem has happened at least 4 other times. contacted dealer and informed use different fuel which did not work. *ak

Vehicle was involved in a side impact collision. left side airbag made contact with "left center pillar post" which ruptured airbag, releasing gasses into vehicle. consumer has experienced vision problems after this incident. *ak

Recall 00v147000; been put off by dealer and volkswagen company since october 2000, no parts available.*ak the part was still on back order from factory overseas. *yh

Consumer was pulling into parking lot at approximately 10 mph when engine started to race and rev up to 6000- 7000 rpms. consumer had to hit brakes and shift into neutral. dealer could not determine cause. *ak

Intermittently vehicle will not start up. dealer has repaired and replaced various parts, and the problem still exists. *ak

Vehicle stalled and died while driving. vehicle is currently at the dealership awaiting parts. *ak

The consumer states the problem is the control arm bushings because the car creaks over bumps and when being driven around corners also when you sit down in the car it creaks. *jg

Engine occassionally stalls when shifting from a gear into neutral (for the purpose of braking). today it happened 3 times stopping at stop lights, and 2 times in parking lots. this has been happening, often, all week (once at highway speeds, slowing for an exit ramp - engine stalls, power steering and braking goes out, not good). this problem was 'fixed' at around 40k miles when a 'waste solenoid gate' and a 'turbo valve' were replaced at the dealership over 3 separate visits. the stalling was gone for about 6000 miles, but now it has returned. this may be connected with the 'check engine light' which was on at that time, and has flashed on recently. i'm planning on taking it to a local vw shop soon to get thier opinion. dt

The engine uses too much oil prior to the recommended regular service changes, the vehicle has had 3 oil changes. nlm

Consumer states vehicle shakes when idle at a light, consumer states vehicle has been in for service many times and the problem contiues to exist, possibly engine related. *jb

The boot covering the ball joint for the tie rod ends and both front and rear upper control arms has failed on both sides of the vehicle. the boot failing has caused the ball joint to fail causing excessive play in the wheels. this is causing the vehicle to be difficult to control and could possibly cause an accident. volkswagen recalled the parts due to the same failure for 1998 & 1999 passats, so they should also include the 2000's. dt

The speedometer does not read correctly, the speedometer is approximately 3 mph higher, reading 73 mph when actually going 70 mph, volkswagen accepts an error of up to 5 mph and will correct problem from manufacturing. *mjs

Vehicle check engine light and emissions workshop indicator have been coming on 2-3 minutes after start up. vehicle taken in for 40,000 mile service and check engine light diagnostic. visit # 1) replaced oxygen sensor on emissions system. check engine light back on next day. visit # 2)reset check engine light. check engine light back on next day. scheduled appointment for full diagnostic next week. visit #3) replaced vacuum lines, thought 40,000 mile service was stressing older parts. check engine light on next day. visit # 4) reset check engine light. check engine light on next day. scheduled another full diagnostic. visit # 5) ordered and replaced secondary air pump, left vehicle overnight. check engine light on at pick up. no alternate transportation available, agreed to return vehicle next day. visit # 6) replaced relay for secondary air pump. plan to return vehicle to me after 3 more days. hoping 6th repair attempt is successful (11/22/02) dt

I bought my 2000 volkswagen passat from georgia auto square in athens, ga. it was brand new with no miles. i have had all service requirements & recommendations done at this dealer. my car hesitates & loses power when trying to pass other cars on two lane roads, accelerating onto the expressway or accelerating while on the expressway. i have taken my car to the dealer one hour away six to seven times over a year (not including the times it was in for routine maintenance). they have kept my car over 50 days trying to find the problem, which they claim, is a wet air filter. they told once that they had to remove the snow guard, which worked with other cars experiencing this problem (obviously i am not the only one). this seems bizarre since it doesn't appear to be weather related. how does water get into an air filter (if that in fact is the problem) and why after all this time haven't they been able remedy it? i have had numerous close calls involving my family & other drivers unfortunate enough to be near me during these power failures. being in several life threatening situations after being assured that my car was fixed, their service manager apologized for "my inconvenience". three weeks ago while driving to a funeral, my car stalled while merging at i-985 & i-85. after suddenly losing power & terrifying me and the driver behind me, who saw that i experiencing trouble, the car finally started jerking, let out a billow of smoke & finally (and thankfully) caught & drove on. i have been forced to drive a nissan with 240,000 miles on it while i pay for a volkswagen with a little over 40,000 miles, which once again sits at the dealer's. this time he has had it for over a week (test driving, yet again) the car i am paying for. he has admitted previous times experiencing the exact problems i reported while driving the vehicle. yet, the dealer and the volkswagen rep continue to exercise reckless disregard for my life, my family's lives, and others on the road. dt

Vehicle failed to start.*et

Brake pad sensors failed by cracking down the middle prematurely, setting off brake light snesor on dashboard. dt

The belly pan became dislodged from the front undercarriage as i accelerated onto a major highway. when i stopped for assistance at the nearest gas station. the two mechanics on duty told me that they had seen eight similar instances that week, all involving volkswagens. to my knowledge, i hadn't ran into any curbs or belgian blocks with the front of my car recently. i believe that all the screws/bolts that had held up the pan had falllen out over time. three days later, i took the car to a vw dealer, because only a dealer had the right fasteners to secure the pan. they told me that the pan was scraped in the front, that i must have hit something for the pan to fall off. i disagree i think the screws fell out over time. the mechanics had the opinion that the design of the screws/bolts is flawed, since they had seen this situation happen on so many recent model vws. i'd like to know if there is a trend of vw belly pans coming loose over time. i was told that the belly pan serves to deaden road noise. isn't it purpose also to protect the uindercarriage? if so, it should be able to withstand scraping up against curbs or survivng assault from other regular road debris. the fact that the belly pan may fall off without warning at any time is a dangerous situation. dt

In the past 12 months, i have had the window regulator in my vehicle replaced 4 times. upon researching, there appears to be (literally) hundreds of customers with the same complaint. i understand there is a shortage of replacement parts, there needs to be a recall. will volkswagen do nothing until slapped with a class action law suit because someone dies from a window malfunction in an auto accident?*ak

First problem 07/2002 driving at approximately 45 mph, car decelerated as though brakes applied to about 5mph. transmission (automatic) dropped to low gear. responded by depressing accelerator all the way down with no increase in speed. car acted like there was either a transmission or fuel feed problem. a second similar occurrence took place 08/2002 except this time car exhibited similar trait after having been parked. on both occasions, the identical problem lasted approximately five to seven minutes and then the vehicle resumed normal operation. after the second episode, contacted vw dealer, the imported car store, 1432 s harbor city blvd., melbourne, fl who performed diagnostic tests, but could find no causative factor. while in the dealer service waiting room, afemale owning a vw jetta, spoke of having a very similar problem with her 2001 0r 2002 model. had we been traveling on an interstate highway and had these problems, the action of the vehicle could very likely result in an accident involving personal injury or death. every time i operate the car, i feel as though a repetition of hte behavior could happen and i feel the safety of any occupants of the car are in jeapordy. *ak

Driver's side power door lock unlocks itself while car parked. intervals vary. *ak

Control arm failures are very common on this suspension design, please investigate further before there are fatalities. *ak

Rack and pinion needs to be replaced. this problem started directly after 40,000 mile tune up at dealer. i have heard stories of other people with same problem of wheel sticking when turning. feels like rack is not aligned with rack and pinion. have heard of one instance where steering went completely out. please correct this problem so mylself and other are not in danger of loosing steering while driving.*ak

The engine starts to stall when you accelerate at higher speeds. every time taken to the dealer, he says the air filter is soaked w/water. he has no explaination. finally admitted that there are "several" cars throughout the country w/this problem. his last solution (from vw) was to remove the snow grill (which makes no sense & did not correct the problem). it is terrifying to try & pass a car on a 2 lane road or in the middle of a 5 lane expressway & have your car start to stall . the airbag default light has also come on twice. please help. *ak

Every passat owner i have talked to (5) indicated this part had failed. recall? no safety defect listed. *ak

Car wouldn't start, towed to dealer, was told it was a carbon buildup on the valves. solution oil change, tune up, change thermostat, fuel cleaner. cost $946 not covered under waranty. *ak

Emissions workshop light comes on, then engine check lamp shows on dash. dealer replaced air pump, said that a hose was loose and never found the problem. vw of america was contacted along with the customer service rep at the dealer. we had to trade the car becauce the problem could not be repaired. i have not contacted an attorney at this time. why is vw allowed to sell cars that they cannot repair? i would like to be compensated for our financial loss as well as for our time and trouble.*ak

My sunroof shattered outward with explosive force, no warning, no collision.*ak

Sun roof leaks - drains cleaned by dealer twice - still leaking. driver's seat back moves forward when brake applied. dealer claims this is normal. seat back can be moved by hand. car has vibration and steering wheel shakes at most speeds. dealer claims tires are the problem. however, tires have been inspected twice (at my expense) by independent dealers who state tires are o.k. wheels rebalanced, front end aligned, (all at my expense) and proplem persists. vw refuses to help claiming problem is related to tires.*ak

Dealer has failed several times to correct steering problem. car has constant vibration and steering wheel shake on turns. front end aligned (not needed) wheels balanced and rotated (at my expense) without problem correction. sunroof leaks. driver's power seat moves when coming to a full stop. dealer states this is ok

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Control arm failure is common among vw passats. please do something about this potentially life threatening problem.*ak

Transmission periodically experiences intermittent hard shifting on startup. the vehicle then goes into "limping mode" which causes very slow acceleration. the problem causes a sensor in the car to display "emissions workshop" warning on the dash indicator. turning the car off and restarting seems to correct the fault. vw diagnostic procedures identified the problem as "1 dtc recognized 18227 p1819 035 pressure control solenoid 2 open/short to ground sporadic dtc 1551 diagnosis". the problem has occurred immediately after startup, and on a second occassion while in gear standing at a traffic signal. subsequent testing could not identify a specific defective component and no corrective repairs were made. this problem is a safety hazard if the vehicle fails to operate according to manufacturers specifications when operated on high speed controlled access highways. failure to accelerate on a freeway at a critical time could result in death or serious injury.*ak

Brake pedal slowly went to floor. vehicle at major intersection and situation dangerous. next time, brake pedal went directly to floor and had to be pumped to stop the car. reported to dealer on first warranty check. dealer failed to check brakes at all. returned to dealer with complaint that they failed to check brakes. flushed hydraulic brake system and checked completely at request of owner. dealer asserts "brake system is to factory specification." i have no reason to believe problem resolved as dealer states he must still refer to vw in germany for advice and instructions. vw in germany has been contacted and they can only refer to subsidiary in auburn mi who does not know anything except matter is entirely in hands of dealer.*ak

Window molding and door moldings fall off. *ak

Braake pedal goes slowly to floor when brakes applied. dealer could not repair. needs further info from volkswagen. *ak

Check engine light keeps coming on along with emissions workshop lights; gas tank, vacumn pump and sensors all replaced but still this problem continues. *ak

Drivers seat belt comes unlatched intermittently, sunroof slider jambs/hard to slide. *ak

Deadly fault at low mph, low rpm, emergency or lane change situation! no safety defect listed. *ak

Vehicle engine fails to respond in emergency situation / pedal to the floor. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

2-3 sec delay when brakes are used in wet weather. problem present since new. *ak

The vehicle has had three failures of the mass airflow sensor since it was purchased. in each instance the failure occurred while accelerating onto a freeway. each failure resulted in a severe loss of power for several seconds that could have resulted in an accident. the dealer has only replaced the mass airflow sensor with no other cause found reported for the previous failures.*ak

The problem resulted in engine shut down without warning. potential for catastrophic failure. technicians worked for nearly two weeks - problem not resolved. *ak

My rear right tire blew out and completely shredded on the freeway for no reason. it appeared others have reported the same situation. is this vehicle with these tires safe?*ak (dot number: hdtacxyx48 tiresize: 19565r1591)

Since i purchase this car there has been a bad odor when the heat has been turned on, the dealer has twice tried to fix by "cleaning" the system. cannot use heater because of this problem.

The explosive in the seat belt went off when the door was closed when the car was parked. injuring the driver of the vehicle with ear ringing and brusing. the vehicle filled with smoke. the dealer told me they wonder why the airbags didn't deploy. now they want me to drive this car again. *ak

During wet weather braking, pedal is not firm and pronounced delay(2+ seconds)before brakes respond to driver input. *ak

I had to replace 2 oil pans within a week apart due to small hole in pan. they told me it was from driver error but i know i did not go over anything to make hole. i was willing to concede first time as i could not remember if i had indeed maybe hit something but a week later it happened again and i had been extremely careful. the hole happened to be in the exact same spot as before. they gave me very hard time and would not allow me to take both oil pans with me so i could investigate. i bought car from checkered flag in virginia beach but live in texas and these events occurred here in tx. i went to autobahn vw in fort worth,tx for repairs. please help.*ak

I have had this problem occurring consistantly when in rain/snow. initally the brake pedal goes to floorboard. *ak

I have had this problem occurring consistantly when in rain/snow. initally the brake pedal goes to the floor, but after a 1-2 second brake application, brake pedal feel returns to normal. this is a frightening situation, considering the extra caution required during adverse weather.*ak

Brakes fade terribly in wet weather. *ak

Very poor wet braking. car is not predictable when braking.. driving up interstate 83 in maryland, no standing water on road, just wet raining conditions. i attempted to brake suddenly and car pulled to left. other occasions car had had substantial decrease in braking capability when wet. *ak

Wet braking is poor - at highway speeds in rain at near-freezing temperatures, brake pedal application results in a lag time before braking begins. occurs when roads are wet, not icy. problem vanishes if brakes are applied first to "dry" them and then applied, but can't always plan for that. *ak

When it rains, there is a 3+ second delay before the brakes engage. this car is identical to the audi a4 (same platform and brake system) which currently has a defect investigation open. the passat should be included in this investigation (both cars are "b5" platform cars). *ak

Braking power greatly reduced in the rain. takes a couple of seconds for the brakes to work after applying brakes. the brake pedal drops quite far before you can feel the brakes start to work. this is not a matter of reduced tire grip. see the following links: http://www.clubb5.com/discussionforums/index.htm and http://www.audiworld.com/forum/m/a4/msgs/233090.phtml. to my knowledge, the passat and a4 have the same or similar braking systems. this problem only occurs in the rain and did not occur when the car was new. being in southern california i do not drive in the rain very often but it is still alarming that i am having this trouble. i have been driving for 16 years and this is the first time i have experienced this. *ak

Suspicious repairs denied warranty coverage; threats of unsafe condition forced immed. repairs; numerous grievances due to despicable service treatment; additional damage sustained while at dealer; no accidents or warnings that brake line failure was imminent as claimed by vwofa service departments. *ak

Was involved in a collision that sandwiched my car between two vehicles.the seatback on the driver side(the only occupied seat).went backwards from a near upright position to approx 45 degrees.also the lumbar support collapsed on the left side.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Sulfur deposits collect on sending units causing fuel to be read as empty when tank could be empty or full. car will immediately shut off when this occurs. this problem was a recall issue beginning in june of 2000 for all 4motion passats. i was not notified of this recall at the purchase of my vehicle in july of 2000 nor when i brought the car in intially for this problem. on second visit to local dealer was a recall mentioned, but nothing was fixed. i was informed by dealer to monitor fuel level at certain mileage. originally 250 miles, which then decreased to 200 and then currently 150 due to last incident of car failure again. dealer has been notified of problem and car was taken into dealership on 10/26, 11/1, 11/28 and was to be fixed 12/2. problem not fixed. wrong part was installed in car. therefore, i will be having to take car in for a add'tl visit when correct part arrives at dealership. i am to wait for notification from the dealer when part will be delivered and ready. recently found on website that this problem has been rendered by the nhtsa as possible to cause a crash. once i notified dealer of this, a rental car was the offered, but at no other time was a loaner car offerred even with the recall stating such a claim. proper follow up has not been done in regards to my situation and i am seeking a new car. i would like dealer to buy back car and acknowledge the default of this car or i refunded the purchase price of the car as just compensation. the problem has caused myself to suffer lost wages due to time lost at work and placed me in several saftey hazards. on the first incident my vehicle stopped while driving on the freeway at 65mph and i had to pull over on the side of the road. i called roadside assistance through volkswagen on my cellular phone and the employee arrived, requesting $10 because the problem was gas related, although i had just filled up my tank the day before and had not driven more than 30 miles that day or the previous one. *ak

Car wouldn't start. when brought to the dealership, we were told that there was a design defect in the v6 model passat engines. they are not properly burning any of the u>s> available gasolines, which is causing a carbon build-up on the valves. this will be an ongoing problem with the vehicle. their solution is to adjust the engine so it burns hotter and this might allieviate the problem. they are also supplying dealers with a machine to clean the carbon off the valves, but these machines are not available at this time. *ak

Only the drivers door and trunk lid have a dash light and chime indicator to let the consumer know that these doors are open, on one occasion the consumer was driving with three small children when he noticed that the interior light was on, only then did the driver realized that a rear door was ajar, the consumer feels this is a safety hazard. nlm

Consumer stated the passenger door lock no longer worked from the remote, drivers door switch or the key, the door could not be opened from the inside, and also unable to lock all doors with the master lock button.*jb

Consumer stated the front passenger window was making a grinding noise, the dealer ordered regulators for both windows, also the mirrors would not adjust properly, drivers seat memory function stopped functioning.*jb

Consumer stated the vehicle hesitated during start up in cold weather, and also there was a rough start at times, also the water pump seized, causing the timing belt and the hydraulic tensioner to be damaged.*jb

Consumer stated the air bag warning light came on twice, the second time required the replacement of the spiral spring assembly and adapter harness.*jb

Consumer stated the driver side headlamp did not illuminate the road properly, consumer was informed that the headlamp was operating as designed.*jb

Consumer stated on 2 occasions the vehicle would not start, it was finally determined that the battery needed to be replaced.*jb

Consumer stated there was a shake/shimmy in the steering wheel, the alignment was checked and tires were rotated, consumer was informed that everything was ok, however when consumer went back to have the shake/shimmy checked out it was determind that vehicle had a bad tire.*jb

Consumer felt a vibration in the steering wheel but by the time the consumer pulled over to the side of the road the left rear tire completly shredded/blownout (michelin mxv4 plus tire 205/65r15p). nlm

Tire failure. tire ripped from wheel. by the time the car stopped, the entire tire houseing had shredded off the rim.*ak (tiresize: r195/65r15)( dot number: tire size: r195/65r15 )