2000 Volkswagen Passat GLS from North America - Comments

I own a 2001 Passat 1.8 Turbo wagon with about 150k kms on it. In the last 4 years the "Emissions Workshop"/Check engine light has come on about 3 or 4 times. My local VW mechanic has no idea what it is, and the warning light has always gone off after a day or so. I think, after reading all the comments that it is most likely an annoying glitch (I've not noticed reduced performance with the car) the result of an over engineered electrical system

. I don't see any clear consensus coming out of everyone's experience, other than the dealer will continue to let you spend money trying to solve the issue, so I am going to monitor the performance of the car and hope the light goes out again and stays off for another year.

I have a 2000 Passat GLS 4 Motion Sedan at just about 90K the Emissions Workshop and check Engine light is on and off. Recently had the coolant reservior container changed, and after that iI have been having that problems. Guess I am not alone.

I have a 2000 turbo wagon. I have the same problem with the check engine/emissions light as described elsewhere. It seems to go off after I add gas or just by itself. After reading all the comments I think it is a glitch that does not mean anything. No on has reported performance problems.

Well well...I too have the dreaded 200 VW Passat Wagon V6 and the state of Ca sent me to a smog station only for a test! I passed the smog test, however the code read failed B1 S2. Bank 1 Sensor 2. The mechanic said it was an O2 sensor behind the catalytic converter. We replaced it and two days later the workshop emission light came on again.

I called VW and the service manager said, you need to bring it in here to the dealership so that we can hook it up to the "Doctor". I said how much does that cost; he said; $100.00" He claimed that our techs know what they are doing. I said what if the "doctor" is wrong? He said we stand behind our work. I said the car passed the smog test fine, the failure is due to the sensor which we replaced.

Why does the great State of California want me to fix a sensor which may not be the problem? Now I have to spend more money and time to go to a dealer! This is just stupid!!! If the problem is a vacuum hose, why don't they have a code for that!!!

This is really irritating me and I am not highly strung, but this is really the fault to the VW people and the BAR for having way too many laws and way too many sensors!!!

Good Luck.

Wow, interesting reading. I think I've encountered everything mentioned in this thread at least once.

I have a 2000 Passat Wagon with the 1.8 ATW engine. I currently have 166,000 miles on it.

I first got the dreaded Workshop Emissions warning about 3 years ago, and I then got the BRAKE FAILURE-STOP-STOP problem a little after that. Put up with it until I tried to go through NJ inspection. They failed my car because they couldn't communicate with the OBD system. So I bought a new ABS electronics module on Ebay for about $129. Replaced that, the BRAKE warning went and was able to cleat the CEL long enough to get through inspection.

I replaced the Mass Air Flow sensor to get rid of the CEL - Workshop Emissions. Everything good until about a month ago, EPC light came on, car smokes like the old mosquito trucks and wouldn't go over 15 MPH. I was able to fix the smoke and EPC light by disconnecting the MAF sensor, but that set the CEL Workshop Emissions off again along with the transmission drop issue.

Inspection comes due, I reset the CEL via the ODBII but NJ caught me this time, failed because of Failed Readiness Status on 4 systems (discovered the Failed Ready means that you recently reset any codes). Not sure what to do now, don't really want to buy another Mass Air sensor but car runs fine (other than an occasional transmission shudder). Anyone live in a state where they don't check CEL and in market for a slightly used VW Passat Wagon?

I am another victim of "emissons workshop" agony.

2001 Passat GLS, 81k.

Any feedback from the the people who experience it back in 2005? Is it okay to keep driving til you see any change in performance?

I own a 2000 Passat GLX sedan with 90,000 miles and it is in the shop AGAIN because of the check engine light. I have had numerous problems over the past 8 years and will never buy another VW! I have spent hundreds of dollars on repairs and to top that off, my daughter owns a 1999 Beetle. Between the two of us, we have spent tons of money and time without our cars because of repairs. Oh well... next time I will buy a Honda...I'm already looking!

Wow! I didn't know the check engine and emissions control was such a problem with other Passat owners. I've had a 2000 GLX Wagon since it was new, has a $175KM on it now. The light has been coming on forever, fortunately I keep passing the emissions test every two years, I don't even bother to reset it before going in. It's a nuisance but the car runs great and I don't see the point of turning in the keys yet.

Welcome to the emissions workshop. I have a 2000 Passat 1.8 T, and I have received this personal invitation since my car had less than 30,000 miles, and it now has 80,000. My boyfried said it's just a reminder to be sure and attend. It never goes off; my car runs great and gets 30+ miles to the gallon. You'll get used to it.

Hey! I just bought a 2000 passat 1.8T this past November... it had 58k then, last week the famous check light came on.. I was worried but after reading this and other forums I'm relief now... the car now has 63k and the light comes off and on every single day, I've spent like $120 for resetting the computer at a local workshop... the light comes on and off still... the performance of the car is really good.. I think I'll get use to it... thx.

Ohh Jeez, Almost all VW owners have this problem with "Emission Workshop". I bought a used 2000 Passat 2.8L.2 weeks back. Fell in love with this car the fist time I drove it. Perfomance is awesome!! The "dreaded" signal came on 3 days back. Ran a OBD II test and the error was P0431. immediately afte the check the light goes off and comes back today. From all the forums and discussion I have seen and read, doesn;t really look like some thign that I need to be bothered aboutthough the dealer talked abt CATS and O2 sensors. Suggestions have indicated a reflashing of the ECU, since the 2000 models have oversensitive sensors. So would try that. Besides, the engine is actually not affected by it in anyway. So will try that and see how the performances is. 2 weeks got an average of 26- 28 mpg, and I am pleased!! So chill out people, with too many gizmos comes hassles of indicators. Any way if someone out there tried the ECU reflash, I need some feed-backs.

I'm about to purchase a 2000 GLX Passat Wagon - I think. I took it for a test run last week and of course 2 miles down the road the dreaded EW light came on. Dealer is trying to diagnose and now I have a good bargaining chip. Runs tops and my mechanic said it's a solid car. Based on this lengthy tread that dates back several years, I think I'll just put a piece of duct tape over the light and enjoy the performance and 25-28 MPG.

I am also a victim of Emission Control. However, in the state of CA you are an automatic "Fail" when attempting to smog your car (with the check engine light on). I have a 2000 1.8 and am trying to complete my yearly DMV registration. My mechanic is at a loss, after resetting the codes eight times is the last six weeks. A different code comes up every time. Does anyone have any information on how to pass a smog check in CA? Unhooking the battery does not work...it's also an automatic fail.

I have a 2000 GLX Passat with 85K miles.

I got the emissions light and couldn't figure it out. You can disconnect the battery but the computer picks it up again. The light originally came on and off on variable trips. I ended up replacing cat converters. Cost like $1500, but the problem didn't come back. This problem happened around 40K miles, and upon VW tune they told me it wasn't looking good. I think VW may just be using a bad manufacturer for their cat converters.

My 2000 GLX has 158k miles on it, and I've got to get it smogged.

The light was intermittent on and off for weeks at a time for the past 6 months, and then sure enough, right when it's time for a smog, I can't get the light to go off, so I brought it in. VW replaced the O2 sensors, and some vaccuum hoses, and now it's complaining about the catalytic converters, which are going to kill me at something like $2500 to swap out. Seems totally nutty.

Do I have any hope? I can't pass smog without getting that light to go away here in California, and all of the aftermarket cats say 'not legal for say in CA...' Help?