2001 Volkswagen Passat GLX 4 Motion wagon from North America - Comments

Glove Box lock broken after 12-15 uses

replacement parts back ordered broken 9/01 replaced 3/02 after at least 2 parts backorder mishaps all within first 3000 miles.

Rear Right Light assembly failed at 9000 miles.

Main hazard/turn signal light control relay failed suddenly at 15000 miles.

Mysterious Oil missing/burned/leak still under investigation 4000 miles after 15000 mile dealer oil change. Almost no sign of oil in the vehicle. Suspected incompetence of oil changer personnel as no leak, stains, smells detected. 19000 miles. No damage detected.

Breaks are feeling choppy and at 20000 service dealer indicated they have life left on them. I am dubious as the hill and valley feeling during soft breaking. My research also leads me to other conclude will needs new brake pads and rotors soon.

7/26/03 Engine Malfunction Light went on. No detectable problem, checked gas cap as dealer suggested no help. Taking to dealer for full day investigation 21600 miles.

This car was the best of the best Volkswagen made the year I leased it 2001.5 New Passat. I leased it in June 2001 and have had regular problems since then. Until very recently none of those problems centered on the engine which delivers power smoothly on the highway, but is overpowered by the weight of the vehicle and the 4 motion system when applying power from a full stop. I have often felt the passat needed more lower end torque say 220 lbs under 3000 rpms would make this an excellent car off the line.

Other than the problems I have listed above the customer service of my local dealership was poor until summer of 2002 when they switched to having service hours from 7am to 1am Monday through Friday and only slightly less hours on Saturday (like 9am to 10 or 11pm). Service availability problems fixed the parts department has been awful requiring me to call in an appointment then check 2 or more times including the day I bring the car in for repairs to make sure my part is in or hasn't been 'lost' (read used on another car it wasn't ordered for). This has been a major disappointment for me as service is a critical component of the ownership experience.

As for road manners, after making compensations for lack of low end power, the car is agile, willing, and able. The suspension it adaptable though rough roads and potholes aren't handled all too well. 4 Motion has rarely engaged, but when it has the car reacts like it is on rails and going where you are pointing.

Storage space is less than I would have hoped for a midsize wagon, certainly less than my old Subaru. I am assuaged by the fact the the front and back seats are very well appointed. The leather is great, and the features and appointments will make this a hard car to replace. If only the mechanical components and customer service were half as pleasing.

I have a 2002 Passat V6 Sedan with a 5 speed manual transmission. I believe the manual transmission does wonders for performance as this car really moves at any speed.

The 4-motion package adds over 300 lbs. to the car - so that is not helping off the mark acceleration. The other strange thing about 4-motion Passats is the addition of dual mufflers in the rear, one on each side. This also adds weight and a considerable expense down the road. I don't see the economy in it as the standard front drive V6 gets away with one large muffler with two outlets and still makes the same amount of horsepower.

I have not had any mechanical failures in 2 years and 24,000 miles.

2001.5 update.

Oil consuption problem continuing. Looks like I just missed getting proper documentation for a lemon law claim.

Oil buring smell is worse than ever have taken the vehicle back at <19000 miles, 20000 miles, 25000 miles and have been told that 1 quart of oil per 1000 miles is not abnormal according to volkswagen specs. The burning oil smell is profound absent is actual white smoke from exhaust, or visible whisps of smoke underhood. No stains, or dripping oil, also no stalagtites or teats of oil clinging underbody. suspect a bad ring seal. Dealer indicates I would need to keep bringing it in when it gets low so they can document and get an order from volkswagen to rebuild the engine once the paperwork on the problem indicates this is a problem. I'm still going to look into the lemon law som more as the problem started somewhere after 15,000 miles and became a problem before I brought it to the dealer. I'm sure this is an abberation. The part the dumbfounded me is the 1 quart of oil per 1000 miles driven is within normal range. Who would willingly own a car that can regularly run low on oil before a standard 5000 mile oil change?? Who would wilingly buy a car that needs to have oil added between oil changes???

This isn't a 1975 LTD it's a 21st Century computer controller piece of german engineering.

2001.5 Last update.

At about 29,000 miles in end of April 2004 I had given up trying to correct oil burning problem and was going to ride it out until the lease expired in June, when the problem just went away. Best guess from my mechanic friends and a former VW salesperson is that the piston (s) were out of alignment slightly and eventually just seated themselves properly so that the minute amounts of oil seeping is now not happening. This would explain why no oil could be found anywhere outside the vehicle yet a good amount of oil was burning. The car is almost at 30000 miles now in Mid May and still reporting no oil burning. I also switch from 93 octane to 89 octane (as the indicated optimal 91 octane is nearly an impossible quest to find) and my fuel economy went from 16 in city driving to about 18.6 MPG!! Did the passat 2.8l engine heal itself, damned straight. I have not gone back to the dealer and last oil change was all Mobile One at a oil change shop called Grease Monkey. Also I had all wipers replaced (the rear wiper overall is a joke, it's the angle it has no pressure on the glass). Without all the mechanical problems this car seems like a great value. Bluebook has it anywhere from 17800-20400 dollars as a trade in and abot 2500.000 more if privately sold. My Lease payoff is like 18100 so I can trade it in and get some possible equity in the trade. I'm not going to buy this car though.