1996 Volkswagen Passat

I HAVE HAD ONGOING ISSUES WITH ELECTRONIC AND EMISSIONS SENSORS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND RECENTLY SPENT $756.54 TO (AGAIN!) REPLACE SENSORS SO THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD PASS ITS ANNUAL EMISSIONS TEST (AS MANDATED BY THE EPA). I WROTE TO VW CUSTOMER CARE TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT OF THIS (AND PAST) CHARGES AND WAS TOLD TODAY (7/13/06) THAT NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS WERE ISSUED, SO NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE. I TOLD THEM THAT NHTSA ISSUED RECALL 99V131 (WHICH ADDRESSES SOME OF THE AREAS) BUT VW TOLD ME THAT IT DID NOT APPLY, AS ALL REIMBURSEMENTS ARE VIN-SPECIFIC. CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP? THANK YOU. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC. THE RECALL, #02V256000 CONCERNING THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2002. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER HAD 1996 VW PASSAT IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TS THE FIRST TIME THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED IT WAS FREE OF CHARGE AND NOW THAT IT HAS FAILED AGAIN THE DEALER DOESN'T WANT TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH UNDER THE RECALL AGAIN BECAUSE THEY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS MORE THAN 8 YEARS OLD. *JB

MY 1996 VW PASSAT HAS AN IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY. MY FIRST TIME WAS AT NIGHT AND MY LIGHTS WENT OUT. I PULLED OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE NEXT TIME THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE WIPERS STOP. I HIT EVERY SWITCH AND WHEN I HIT THE IGNITION SWITCH EVERYTHING CARE ON. I CALLED DEALER AND HE SAID MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. IF MY CAR IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE RECALL WHY CAN'T THIS BE COVERED BY THE SAFETY RECALL?

IN JANUARY 2004 I DROVE BACK TO SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA AFTER SPENDING CHRISTMAS WITH MY FAMILY. ON THE WAY BACK WHILE I WAS ON THE PENNSYLVANIA TURN PIKE MY HEATER CORE BURST, SPRAYING BOILING HOT COOLANT (BOTH LIQUID AND STEAM) INTO THE VEHICLES INTERIOR. THE LIQUID FOR THE MOST PART CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE CARPET, AND FORTUNATELY ANY THAT WAS SPRAYED ON MY SIDE OF THE COMPARTMENT WAS BLOCKED BY MY PANTS. THE STEAM HOWEVER FILLED MY COMPARTMENT, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AND CAUSING A NEAR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO OPEN MY WINDOWS AND CLEAR IT OUT. THE INJURY LISTED AS SUCH IS IN REGARDS TO MY BREATHING THE COOLANT IN, WHICH IS HARMFUL TO ONES HEALTH. MAINTENNANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED PREVIOUSLY ON MY VEHICLE JUST BEFORE THAT REPLACING THE AUX WATER PUMP, AND I HAD THE COOLANT SYSTEM FLUSHED AND MAINTENNANCE DONE ON IT AT THAT TIME AT AN AUTHORIZED VW DEALERSHIP. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY COOLING SYSTEM, THE AUX WATER PUMP, THE HEATER CORE, AND THE THERMOSTAT. FORTUNATELY POLICE WERE PASSING BY AT THE TIME AND GAVE ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS CALLING A TOW TRUCK.*AK