2003 Volkswagen Passat GLS review from North America

In the fall of 2007, the car would start to run rough. As though it were only firing on two cylinders. The Check engine light would come on and then start to flash. Rev it up a little and the light would go out and the car would run fine. Took it to the dealership, they told us it was a sludge build up from running 87 octane fuel instead of 92. They said it would not be covered under warranty, but that the oil leak they found would be. So they fixed the oil leak, and it started running fine again.

Another oil leak 2 months later. Fixed and the car started running fine again.

This car is really fun to drive, and if you have so much money that you can't possibly spend it all, it's a car worth wasting money on. If you are like most of the population, and you want a reliable vehicle for daily use, do NOT get a VW. At least not one with a turbo.

I have turned away from VW because of the way they treat their customers. Our dealer has been great, although the service department left a lot to be desired. But VW of America has been a joke. There are a great deal of people who have had engines seize due to sludge buildup, and unless you have documented evidence from a dealer that every oil change has been done, using synthetic oil and a larger oil filter then the car came with, as well as every other scheduled maintenance, you are out of luck. I have heard horror stories of people having to spend in excess of $9000 to replace an engine that should have been covered by warranty.

If you are thinking about a VW, google it first. Take the time to research the class action law suits and the issues people have with VW first. It will pay off in the end.