2006 Volkswagen Passat

THE CAR WILL OCCASIONALLY, YET SPORADICALLY, NOT START. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO START BUT IT STALLS. THE ERROR MESSAGE SOMETIMES SAYS STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY, INCLUDING WHEN I LEAVE FROM WORK. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AND ONCE AFTER AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *TR

WHEN BRAKING OR IDOL, MY 2006 VW PASSAT WILL HAVE AN ENGINE SURGE THAT AMOUNTS TO A SUDDEN INCREASE IN RPM. THIS WILL MAKE THE CAR DIFFICULT TO BRAKE AND HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN A ACCIDENT NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO IDOL AT THIS HIGHER RPM UNTIL YOU BEGIN DRIVING AGAIN AND THE PROBLEM WILL LIKELY OCCUR AT THE NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO HOLD DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL UNDER THIS INCREASED ENGINE SPEED AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. MY WIFE STRUGGLES TO KEEP THE CAR STOPPED FOR 3 MINUTES AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH AMOUNTS OF FORCE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN AND THE CAR STOPPED. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY FREQUENT WHEN UNDER HOT TEMPERATURES OR WHEN THE AC IS BEING RUN. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR YEARS BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX IT. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING FROM OTHER DRIVERS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A DEALER 4 TIMES TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE AND CAN EASILY REPEAT IT BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIX IT. THIS CAR IS NOW DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, ESPECIALLY FOR MY WIFE. PLEASE HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. THANKS *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 63-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. ALL THE GAUGES WENT TO ZERO YET THE RADIO AND THE RADIO DISPLAY REMAINED ON. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY WHERE SHE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THIS TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE KEY DISLODGED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. SHE STATED THIS WAS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THE FAILURE. BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED AND SHE WAS AWAITING A RETURN CALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,300 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,320.

SYMPTOM #1) CAR WILL NOT START OR IF IT DOES START IT WILL IMMEDIATELY STALL AND STEERING COLUMN WILL LOCK. AFTER MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH REPEATEDLY, REOPENING THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES AND ATTEMPTING TO START THE PUSH IGNITION 5-10 TIMES IT WILL EVENTUALLY START AND RUN. SYMPTOM #2) MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! CAR WILL LOSE ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS DEFECT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL IMMEDIATELY, THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE LOSS OF ALL POWER CONTROLS AT SPEEDS AT LEAST UP TO 70 MPH. THERE IS NO WARNING FROM THE CAR ITSELF. THERE IS NO STUTTERING OR NOISE. SUDDENLY THE CAR IS JUST DEAD AND ROLLING ALONG AT EXTREME SPEEDS. THE FIX IS TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND ATTEMPT TO RESTART BY REMOVING AND REINSERTING THE KEY UNTIL IT STARTS AGAIN. THE DASHBOARD WILL LIGHT UP "STEERING COLUMN DEFECT" AND PROMPT A WARNING LIGHT FOR THE STEERING COLUMN AS IF IT WERE LOCKED FROM A CAR ALARM PROMPT. OCCASIONALLY, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION AND HAVE HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS DONE WITHOUT THE AID OF POWER STEERING AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC AND AT HIGH SPEEDS AS THERE IS NO WAY OF "KNOWING" WHEN THE DEFECT WILL OCCUR. THIS DEFECT IS OCCURRING DAILY. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. WAS TOLD IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE STEERING COLUMN REQUIRING A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. ESTIMATED COST TO MYSELF WAS $1,000-2,000. CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY (58,000 MILES). I BELIEVE THIS DEFECT IS NOT A RESULT OF ANY HABIT OF MYSELF AS THE DRIVER BUT RATHER A DEFECT IN THE WORKMANSHIP OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. A SEARCH ON GOOGLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE REVEALED THOUSANDS OF OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM (STALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, DIFFICULTY STARTING AND RESTARTING, POSSIBLE STRANDING OF THE DRIVER). I URGE A RECALL TO MOVE FORWARD IMMEDIATELY! *TR

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE. NO ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR WAS OBSERVED BEFORE THE LIGHT CAME ON. ON SUBSEQUENT STARTS THE ENGINE SPUTTERED THEN DROVE NORMALLY (BUT THE LIGHT STAYED ON). THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A "FAULTY INTAKE FLAP MOTOR" WITH A QUOTED COST OF $475 TO REPLACE. PROBLEM RELATED TO SERVICE BULLETIN NUM : TSB-01-08-12, NHTSA ITEM NUMBER : 10028104. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT IS A POLLUTION PROBLEM (CAR CANNOT PASS EMISSIONS INSPECTION). *TR

2.0T FSI ENGINE WITH 44K MILES HAS HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH MISFIRES IN CYLINDER #2, UNRESOLVED AFTER 5 VISITS TO DEALERSHIP FOR WARRANTY SERVICE. DEALER HAS FOLLOWED VW CORPORATE TECHLINE INSTRUCTIONS AND REPLACED IGNITION COILS (TWICE), CAMSHAFT, FUEL PUMP, HYDRAULIC LIFTER IN BAD CYLINDER, INTAKE BREATHER HOSE, INTAKE MANIFOLD SENSOR AND OTHER PARTS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. CAR WILL RUN OK WITH NO ERROR CODES FOR AN AVERAGE OF 3 - 5 DAYS AFTER REPAIR BEFORE PROBLEM RECURS, AND CONDITION OF ENGINE CONTINUES TO DETERIORATE. DUE TO MISFIRES, UNBURNED FUEL IS NOW REACHING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER (DETECTED BY SULFUR SMELL) AND LIKELY DAMAGING THAT COMPONENT AS WELL. ENTIRE ENGINE VIBRATES SEVERELY DUE TO IMPROPER FIRING SEQUENCE AND FEELS AS IF IT WANTS TO JUMP OUT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAR HAS 1 MONTH LEFT ON WARRANTY; WAS ADVISED BY DEALER THAT "WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS FIXED WHILE THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS OUT OF POCKET," BUT THEY APPEAR EITHER UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO FIX THE ROOT CAUSE. DEALER HAS NOT OFFERED TO PROVIDE RENTAL OR LOANER CAR DURING MULTIPLE REPAIRS, SO I HAVE HAD TO RELY ON A 15-YEAR OLD VEHICLE AS PRIMARY TRANSPORTATION DURING MULTIPLE REPAIRS LASTING 1 TO 5 DAYS. WILL CALL VW CUSTOMER CARE TODAY BUT DO NOT EXPECT SATISFACTION, DESPITE THE RELIABILITY AND SAFETY CONCERNS. *TR

I BOUGHT MY CAR WITH 65000 MILES ON IT. OWNED IT FOR MONTH AND A HALF, THEN THE PIECE CONNECTED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, CLAMP AND GASKET BROKE. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED AND THEY REPAIRED THIS BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL LAW STATING IT WAS COVERED UP TO 80,000 MILES OR 8 YEARS. WHILE IT WAS AT VW BEING REPAIRED THEY CHECKED FOR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS AND INFORMED ME THAT MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP LOBE AND FOLLOWER WERE ALSO IN NEED OF REPAIR SOON. AND BEGAN TELLING ME VW OF AMERICA HAS ADMITTED THAT THE CAMSHAFT LOBE (AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP LOBE) WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, BUT THE BULLETIN WAS ONLY ISSUED TO THE DEALERSHIP (NOT THE PUBLIC). THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE EVAP SYSTEM. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A COMPANY CAN KNOW OF A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND NOT HAVE A RECALL ON A CAR? THE WARRANTY SPECIALIST SUGGESTED THAT I CALL VW CUSTOMER CARE, BUT THEY DID NOT SHOW ANY CONCERN... WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO GET A RECALL ON THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE COIL FOR THE SPARK PLUG MADE A RATTLING NOISE. HE SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL ODOR, THEN THE ENGINE STALLED. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, SMOKE WAS RELEASED FROM THE COIL ITSELF. HE USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO BUY THE VEHICLE BACK FROM HIM AND GIVE HIM CREDIT TO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS NOW AND THEY ARE WAITING FOR PERMISSION FROM THE MANUFACTURE VOLKSWAGEN TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS WAITING FOR HIM TO ACCEPT. THE OFFER TO BUY THE VEHICLE BACK. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 14000.

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A 2006 VW PASSAT, WHO HAS HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE LATEST BEING OF MOST CONCERN. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR, IT WILL EITHER NOT TURN OVER AT ALL, OR THE ENGINE TURN OVER, THEN DIE. THIS HAPPENS NEARLY EVERYTIME I AM IN THE CAR. MY VEHICLE IS 4,000 MILES OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY, SO NEITHERVOLKSWAGON, NOR MY LOCAL VW DEALER WILL ASSIST ME WITH THE COST (BEING AN '!@#$% AMOUNT OF $1643.00 OUT OF POCKET), NOR HAS A RECALL BEEN ISSUED. I HAVE CALLED AND EMAILED NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS AT VW CORPORATE LEVEL, WITH NO RESULTS. IN DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND MANY FORUMS, WITH MULTIPLE POSTS OF CUSTOMERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THIS CAR, SPECIFICALLY THE 2006 MODEL. I HAVE ALSO WENT THROUGH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU TO ATTEMPT TO GET ANSWERS ON WHY VW IS NOT DOING MORE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH A PART THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. BELOW IS THE REPLY EMAIL I GOT FROM THEM, INSTRUCTING ME TO CONTACT YOUR COMPANY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND TIME ON THIS MATTER. COPY OF EMAIL FROM BBB-- {I AM IN RECEIPT OF YOUR EMAIL SENT TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, INC. UPON REVIEW OF YOUR EMAIL, IT DOESN'T APPEAR AS THOUGH YOU HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. I SUGGEST YOU BEGIN THERE. THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) IS AN OFFICE WITHIN THE NHTSA. ODI CONDUCTS DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS AND ADMINISTERS SAFETY RECALLS TO SUPPORT THE NHTSA'S MISSION TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON OUR NATION'S HIGHWAYS. NHTSA IS AUTHORIZED TO ORDER MANUFACTURERS TO RECALL AND REPAIR VEHICLES OR ITEMS OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT WHEN ODI INVESTIGATIONS INDICATE THAT THEY CONTAIN SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECTS IN THEIR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OR PERFORMANCE. ODI ALSO MONITORS THE ADEQUACY OF MANUFACTURERS' RECALL CAMPAIGNS. BEFORE INITIATING AN INVESTIGATION, ODI CAREFULLY REVIEWS THE BODY OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OTHER AVAILABLE DATA TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DEFECT TREND MAY EXIST. WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV}. *TR