The engine light comes on once a week.
The car would not start.
The coils are bad and they won't fix.
The seat material wore out prematurely.
The coolant reservoir cracked.
The ECU was misprogrammed from the factory.
The car stutters.
The shifter is very difficult to move from park to drive or reverse.
This has been a total nightmare! VW's dealership customer service sucks. Volkswagen's customer care is a joke! They say they will look into the problem, but they never say will will fix the problem. So, I am caught in a constant dealer to customer service circle. The coils are bad, but they won't fix them? This car and Volkswagen are a joke. Come on, you pay $20,000 for a car that has problems that they won't fix? The gas mileage they have on the window sticker should be more like 14 mpg, not 17 to 24 mpg. I had a Honda before this and it had close to 200,000 miles on it. I had replaced an alternator at a cost of $75 (used). The people at Volkswagen should be ashamed of themselves. If you are even considering buying a Volkswagen, don't do it. I have had so much trouble in the last year with this car that it is sickening.
An independent repair shop and a friend who has worked at V.W. and Audi dealerships say that the 1.8L engine needs synthetic oil. They both also recommended to me to just use "Castrol Oil"; a lot of oil change places use reconstituted oil...Also, the oil should be changed more frequently than manufacturer suggested.. The coil was a vendor problem that couldn't be fixed quickly enough because they couldn't produce enough at once to repair all the defective coils so they were just replacing each one as the engine would break down; unfortunately, if you have a coil for each cylinder and it may entail repeated visits to the dealer.. I believe they have finally caught up on most of the replacement coils.
My sister has a 1998 pas sat 1.8 turbo that was purchase through a used care dealer in 2000. Since she purchase the car it has been nothing, but endless problems for her. First of all the electrical interior parts Sunroof, Windows, door locks began to malfunction at different times over the years followed by the engine light coming on even after serviced. The rack & pinion fluid began to leak like pouring water out of a bucket when the seals go bad while making a turn. After having starting issues, the deal service person stated that the throttle body needed to be replace. My sister complained to the service guy about all the money she spend on constant mechanical problems, He cut her a little slack and provided some information on how to resolve the problem without replacing the throttle body using carburetor cleaner. This resolve the problem for a while, then the starting issue began again, but this time the carburator spray did not work. In all my days as a mechanic, I have never encountered so many problems with one vehicle. I have heard back in the 70's the VW Rabbits having problems, but this takes the cake. My advice, STAY AWAY FROM VOLKSWAGEN'S!
My 1995 Passat was wonderful for the first several years after it came home new to me. Then the warranty was done and the fun began. To date I believe I am trying to build a new auto with the parts I have replaced or should replace, but am out of dough. So far I have had windows that go up and down for no reason; a sun roof that will not shut completely; a whistling in the gas tank; two (yup 2) axles that needed replaced; boots, bearings and joints have all been replaced, brakes that whined, the battery exploded; a heater core that went bad and was replaced; a seat belting warning tone that would not stop even though the belts were buckled; swamped spark plugs and an engine light that has been on for the past five years without apparent reason. Today when I drove up the hill by my house there was yet another noise, slight vibration and well I am calling my mechanic once again. I only have 80,000 miles on this car. I drove my Dodge Dart back in the day 100,000 miles and would still be driving it had the body not rusted away. So fellow VW owners I feel your pain. I am saddened because I need this car to make it a few more miles. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
My experience with VW customer service and a lack of support for older VW's have changed my mind on ever buying another VW.
The check engine light on my 1997 Cabrio with 55,000 miles recently came on. The dealer mechanic said a valve in the transmission was stuck, so the car was actually driving in third gear all the time. Although the car is almost 10 years old, I didn't think I should be having transmission problems with such low mileage.
My complaint is that although I needed only a $100 part, VW said I had to buy an entire new transmission for $3,600, including labor. I tried VW customer service to see if it was possible to get just the single part and to let them know I thought this was rather unfair.
I was told that (1) customer service stands behind their dealers (I never complained about the dealer) ; (2) the car is, after all, 10 years old!; (3) parts come from Germany and they can't make every part for just one car; (4) she's not a mechanic, she's in Michigan and can't examine my car (again, I did not question the dealer's diagnosis).
She, and her supervisor, never really listened to what I was asking and couldn't get off their scripts. If I had a real problem with the dealer, I wouldn't expect any help from VW.
We own a 2002 VW Passat 2.8L, when my wife bought it (before she met me, otherwise I would have never ever let her buy vw) she was really excited about it and she researched and she trusted Consumer Reports, according to whom VW Passat was a best buy. Well here's the story:
- We had to change the tires at mere 20K miles (well no big deal I got Michelins put on)
- Car made a noise (it would come from the glovebox), it was at the dealership 4-5 times, they could never figure it out. We gave up and live with it. (Noise is like someone tapping an empty cardboard)
- Dealership scratched the bumper while it was in the shop
- The bottom cover came off while we were driving (I ripped it and threw it in the dumspter what piece of crap idea that is)
- Mileage on this car sucks worse than my Honda Pilot. I get 19mpg in the city and passat gets 18mpg
- Alternator and battery were changed for $750 at the dealership (Overpriced unreliable junk)
- Wiper blades cost us $30 (only available through the dealership)
- Got tuneup done cost me $800 for all the parts and labor.
Compare all the cost to a Camry Tuneup - $375, Alternator and Battery barely $400. Everything for Passat twice the price, half the life and not worth the ride or headache.
My advice stick with Japanese automakers, they know how to make a car. I would buy a Suzuki over VW anyday!!!
2002 VW Passat - base model.
As we all know they had engine coil problems from the start (when brand new) of which the dealers fixed one at a time until CR got a hold of what was going on. In the meantime, we claimed a LEMON LAW. Since that part things have went well. We have high mileage 115,000 currently and now all seems to have failed - blown lights, fuses, as noted in another posting fabric did NOT hold up well for use, HEAT gone out in winter and still an on-going battle with dealer to get fixed. They keep fixing something, sending us home saying now works and then we go back as does not work. It has progressed from a $300 coolant flush to a possible $2000? heater coil... So after 2 Weeks of this going on shouldn't that have been mentioned?? Anyway... car about to have been paid off and now $4000 of repairs... so be cautious on that cheap $10,000 '02 Passat at you local dealer!
I have an 02 Passat, about 75k miles and trouble free. Also have an 01 Beetle, no problems at all. I can't believe all the fools who go to the dealer for service. I service my own car for the most part - tune-ups, oil changes, brakes, tire rotation, etc. My dealer replaced all 4 coils when the car was still in its first year - no problem, under warranty. The only repair I have made is to replace front axle boots, and I took that to a local foreign car mechanic since I didn't want to do that job - breaking the axle nuts loose is not easy.
Sorry to see people having troubles with the vw's, but I can't stand Honda and Toyota - they are the most boring cars I've ever driven.
Well were to begin. I perchised an O2 jetta 1.8 a year ago and the best thing I got was the extended worinty since I baught the pos its had a new motor due to a timeing chain that faild 15,0000 miles before in need to be checked. a new transmission and to relays one set of tirers and a sun rooff and I also found out that in the fine print of my extendend worinty that all repairs will not exceed value of the car. and not to metion all of this hapend withen 15,000 miles.
I have a volkswagen jetta, the worst idea I've ever had was to buy a volkswagen jetta. I've had my car for just over a year now and the check engine light has not gone off.. the sunroof doesn't shut all the way the bumper is starting to come off the door light comes on every five minutes or less, I kid you not the only way that it shuts off, is when I open the door I've taken it to numerous shops to turn the light off.. a small evap leak, coils need replacing, co2 censor, thermostat gage, the front shocks needed replacing I got all this fixed.. (not cheap believe me) and what happens every week? the GODD&Q# engine light comes right back on I try to take care of her I treat her nice and vacume her out, but nothing seems to work.. the cd player sucks.. and the passenger side speaker will not stop with the noise I really honestly don't know what to do anymore the light is on, but I don't have the money to fix it and I really don't want to end up on the side of the road one of these days calling a tow truck the ONLY THING volkswagen cars has going for it is how they look I must admit I fell victim to the pretty car, but volkswagens SUCK they are horrrrible cars I would never ever buy one again and anyone thinking about doing so I suggest not.. ill sell you mine... real cheap.
VW cars are the crappy cars.. engine check light is like a recurring deposit for the maker and the service centers. Every three months we get to deposit 600-1200 dollars to them.
Nice scam by VW.
My fathers first car was a VW and he owned several VW/Audi products over the years. While his first car was an early beetle and was quit reliable years later the same could not be said of the Audi (A4 which shares many components with the Passat - both b5s) and the VW (Jetta). When looking for a car I decided to get a VW Passat 1.8t ( (2000) b5 last.5 of a year before 5.5 makes part finding confusing). I like the car for its looks (inside and out) and the fact that it has a 5spd manual. Mine was one of the few that has been relatively reliable as in no constant problems - lots of preventative maintenance helps knowing tune up/parts replacement periods very important.
That said THESE CARS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK ON - I like to do the work myself and have become horrified by this car the more I do the more disturbed I become.
Someone commented that they do all their own work no you don't tire rotation and oil changes could be done by an ape. Sensors fail and are not in places that you would expect. Most parts seem to be in places you would not expect example - fuse box = in door, charcoal canister = under spare tire WHY. You have to remove/and or detach the radiator to change the timing belt WTF, my secondary air intake (evap pump) broke because one of the bolts that holds it on striped itself HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN a bolt come on I had to take it in to be rebored. My 1992 Miata does not even have a evap pump. Why VW why - I could go on and on about this stuff design flaws and other annoyances in design.
People who say Japanese cars are boring usually have never driven one let alone worked on one
- seriously don't judge cars like that any company has the ability to build a good car - even VW on occasion.
I own a 2004 Jetta and I've already spent more time and money on fixing problems than I did on a Jeep Cherokee I owned for 12 years. The car constantly leaks when it rains (I was told by the service center to not park in my driveway when it rains), I was "misinformed" about a service package I bought with the car, ALL of my lights have already gone dead and been replaced, I've already replaced one coolant fan but this morning was told I had to replace the main fan, two more lights are out and the strut mount needs replacing. How silly of me to think this would have happened 10,000 miles ago when it was still under warranty. When I told the VW service center that I would just take it to my mechanic the VW guy seemed very put off and told me not to use any other "crappy types" of parts, but only VW. Isn't that convient? I go in for an oil change and come out needing over $600.00 worth of work on my four year old car!
Is there a hidden flaw in VW 1.8 gas turbo engine?
I have had two Passats, 02 and now 05. Loved the 02, gave me no problems, and after 12,000 miles traded it for a big v8 Tourage. It did not fit easy in the garage, so I traded it for a new 05 Passat wagon. It had issues with a fuel evaporating system early on and someone at the dealership finally made a judgment call and replaced the pump so check engine light stayed off. After 9,000 miles and car almost 3 years old, check light came on, dealer replaces a part on the same system, and as I'm driving it home there is a vibration while in gear at stop light. Back to dealer I'm told that the vibration is normal, but I know this is not normal for my car. Four months later, VW had done every thing it can to fix the rough idle, but it is still present.
The rough idle cannot be adjusted, according to Field Operations Manager because VW has locked out the access to the computer during a recent update program. I otherwise enjoy my VW, believe the service people have gone above and beyond what I expected, and have good feelings about VW of A Customer Care. I sat in another VW like mine with 3 times the miles and it vibrated more than mine. The rough idle did not come with my car, and there has to be method to fix it.
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