2006 Volkswagen Passat

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP ON HER VEHICLE AND PREVENTS IT FROM BEING DRIVEN. SHE ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE AND AN INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED A MODULE. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $1,300. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 05/27/09 *BF UPDATED 06/08/09 *BF UPDATED 6/16/09 *NJ THE LEFT REAR CALIPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE TRANSMISSION WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE, THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL DID NOT WORK, THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE HOOD RELEASE LEVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 06/17/09.*JB

I HAVE A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN 2.0T & ON THE 18TH OF APRIL AS I CROSSED OVER A RAILROAD TRACK THE CAR EXHAUST GOT VERY LOUD. I HAD TO PULL OVER & SHUT CAR OFF. THIS HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY LATE AFTERNOON SO I HAD MY MECHANIC (NOT VOLKSWAGEN DEALER) LOOKED & FOUND THE FLANGE THAT BOLTS THE WHOLE EXHAUST TO THE MANIFOLD HAD BROKE (CLEAN BREAK ALL THE WAY AROUND ) @ THE FACTORY WELD, ALMOST LIKE IT HAD NEVER BEEN "TIG" WELDED COMPLETELY @ THE FACTORY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. *TR

EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE: NONE - SUDDEN FAILURE. WAS ON INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. POWER SUDDENLY DROPPED AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS LIT UP. SPEED DROPPED VERY QUICKLY BUT WAS ABLE TO AVOID INCIDENT AND GO THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FAILURE: OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR BOLT BROKEN. CAR WAS AT DEALER FOR 15 DAYS TO REPLACE OIL PUMP, TIMING CHAIN, SPROCKETS, ADJUSTER TENSIONERS. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CAR WAS AT SECOND DEALER FOR ADDITIONAL 19 DAYS TO CORRECT PROBLEMS CREATED BY FIRST DEALER WHILE FIXING THE ENGINE. (RECEIVED APOLOGY BY PHONE FROM SERVICE MANAGER OF FIRST DEALER.) ISSUES: 1.SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. 2.FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS IN MANUAL, I DROVE CAR TO NEAREST DEALER ? A DISTANCE OF 10 MILES ? WITH REDUCED OR ZERO OIL CIRCULATION. LONGEVITY OF THE ENGINE MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED. 3.VW OF AMERICA DECLINED TO INSPECT THE ENGINE IN MORE DETAIL OR TO REPLACE ENGINE. 4.THIS IS A MODERATELY COMMON FAILURE OF THIS ENGINE. I FOUND 38 ALMOST IDENTICAL FAILURES AT: A.HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3462993 B.HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3193697 SUMMARY & REQUESTED ACTIONS: 1.RECALL ISSUED FOR AFFECTED ENGINES. 2.MY ENGINE REPLACED / VEHICLE REPLACED. *TR

MY VEHICLE HAD 19K ON IT AND FROM A COLD START SOUNDED LIKE A DIESEL. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DAY OF THAT APPOINTMENT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW HAD MY CAR FOR 9 DAYS AND HAVE STILL NOT DIAGNOSED IT. APPARENTLY THERE IS A MAJOR DEFECT WITH CERTAIN YEAR PASSAT ENGINES. THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE OIL PUMP IN PLACE BACKS OUT AND SHEARS OFF, THUS REQUIRING AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. I AM VERY DISSATISFIED WITH VW SERVICE AND UNHAPPY THAT MY VEHICLE HAD SUCH A FATAL PROBLEM SO EARLY. *TR

THERE WERE NO EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE FAILURE. BASICALLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BUSTED AT A FLANGE SEAM WHERE IT BOLTS TO THE MOTOR. THIS FURTHER CAUSED MY BRAKES TO FAIL AFTER HOT EXHAUST BLEW ON THE BRAKE VACUUM TUBE FOR THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER VOLKSWAGEN OR THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ARE WILLING TO BE OF ANY ASSISTANCE, SINCE IT IS 8,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. SUPPOSEDLY THE DEALERSHIP ORDERED THE PART 10 DAYS AGO, AND IT STILL HAS NOT ARRIVED. THE IRONY OF THIS IS THAT WHEN I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THEY WOULD RETURN THE DEFECTIVE PART TO ME, THEY SAID NO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO RETURN IT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR A WARRANTY EXCHANGE! *TR

ON A WARM DAY WITH THE A/C RUNNING, MY 2006 PASSAT 3.6L WILL HAVE AN ENGINE SURGE INCREASING RPM TO 1,000 WHILE STOPPED. THIS HAS ALMOST AMOUNTED IN A CRASH ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AS IT MAKES THE CAR DIFFICULT TO KEEP STOPPED AND CAUSES IT TO LUNGE FORWARD. IT ALSO RESULTS IN LOW FUEL ECONOMY AS THE CAR IDOLS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE NORMAL 600RPM. *TR

SHEARED OIL PUMP BOLT AT 16,000 MILES. ENIGNE LOST ALL POWER. DEALER REPLACED OIL PUMP, TIMING CHAIN AND ALL RELATED HARDWARE. ASKED MANUFACTURER (VOLKSWAGEN) AND DEALERSHIP FOR NEW ENGINE DUE TO LIKLEY OIL STARVATION AFTER OIL PUMP WAS INOPERATIVE. REQUEST DENIED. VERY UNHAPPY AS THIS VERY LOW MILEAGE CAR MAY HAVE A SEVERLY DAMAGED ENGINE THAT VW IS UNWILLING TO REPLACE.

HIGH IDLE DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. IDLE IS RAISED TO 1000-1050RPMS DURING TEMPERATURES ABOVE 90F. THIS CAUSES LOADING OF THE TRANSMISSION AND ADDITIONAL BRAKE PRESSURE IS NEEDED TO KEEP THE CAR AT A STOP. THIS CAN OCCUR SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY PRESENTING A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE ALMOST RAN INTO SEVERAL CARS AT VARIOUS TIMES WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES DURING THE HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *TR