Other Engine Info: 50-St./Can. LEV emission.
Emissions Certification Test Group: 1ADXV02.8334
Other Restraint System Info: Active Seat Belt
Plant City: Emden
Plant Country: Germany
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GLX
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2005
ENGINE
ON 3/23/13, WHEN TURNING LEFT IN TRAFFIC, THE "SEALED FOR LIFE" 5-SPD AUTO TRANSMISSION MADE AN INCREDIBLY HARD SHIFT, BEGAN SLIPPING BADLY, AND QUICKLY LOST 3 FWD SPEEDS, "LIMPING" IN FOR SERVICE. NORMALLY, A TRANS FAILURE AT 143K WOULD NOT PROMPT AN NHTSA COMPLAINT. IT IS NOT THE CAR, BUT RATHER VWOA AND ITS DEALER NETWORK, THAT ARE THE PROBLEM. MY LOCAL DEALER REFUSED TO CHECK AUTO TRANS FLUID LEVEL, AND WOULD ONLY GRUDGINGLY DO A FLUID CHANGE IF I WANTED, FOR AN EXTORTIONATE $700, STEADFASTLY MAINTAINING THAT NEITHER WAS NECESSARY. VWOA TODAY 4/5/13, IRONICALLY, CRITICIZED ME FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE OWNER'S MANUAL RECOMMENDATION OF CHECKING FLUID EVERY 40K MILES. LOCAL DEALER WANTED OVER $4400 + MISC FEES & TAX TO REPLACE THE TRANS. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY INDICATED MY NEW TIRES WITH 500 MILES ON THEM WERE IN A MARGINAL TREAD WEAR CONDITION. DITTO THE RECENTLY RENEWED (AT THE SAME DEALER!) REAR BRAKES. BTW, THE TRANSMISSION MANUFACTURER, ZF, RECOMMENDS COMMUNICATING TO CUSTOMERS THE BENEFITS OF FLUID CHANGES AT 50K MILE INTERVALS. VW WON'T LISTEN TO EITHER CUSTOMER OR TRANS MFR. TRANS WAS REBUILT AT QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT SHOP. THERE WAS ALSO AN EARLIER RECALL (THANKS, NHTSA!) OF CERAMIC GLOW PLUGS THAT WOULD FALL INTO CYLINDERS AND CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE. FORTUNATELY, I HAD THE REPAIR DONE INDEPENDENTLY, AS THIS CONDITION WAS KNOWN FOR AT LEAST 2 YRS BEFORE VW'S OFFICIAL RESPONSE. VW DID COMPENSATE ME FOR THIS, BUT I WONDER HOW MANY $9K ENGINES WERE DESTROYED WHILE VW CONTEMPLATED ITS COLLECTIVE NAVEL. BTW, AFTER THE OFFICIAL VW FIX (DONE AT DEALER), THE CAR STARTS IN WINTER LIKE A 1980 RABBIT DIESEL. I FITTED A ZEROSTART AS CORRECTIVE MEASURE. VW ALSO REFUSES TO DISCUSS THE BALANCE SHAFT CHAIN DRIVE ISSUE WITH ME. A TICKING TIME BOMB AT 143K. THEY KNOW IT. I KNOW IT. NHTSA, PLEASE TAKE VWOA TO TASK! AS FOR ME, I'M NOW SHOPPING COMPETITORS. *TR
2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT
ABS MODULE ON MY 2001 VW PASSAT FAILED. THIS WAS A $1000 REPAIR. I T FAILED AT ABOUT 81,000 MILES. *TR