2015 Volkswagen Passat

TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD NOT INSERT INTO THE IGNITION. CAMELBACK VOLKSWAGEN (1499 E CAMELBACK RD, PHOENIX, AZ 85014, (602) 648-9181) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF NEW PORT RICHEY (4719 US-19, NEW PORT RICHEY, FL 34652) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

UPDATE JUNE 2019 - NOW MY CAR HAS 53,000 MILES. MY REPLACED CLOCK SPRING HAS FAILED AGAIN. NO HORN, OR STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. THIS IS 8 MONTHS/10 MILES AFTER I HAD IT REPLACED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM REQUESTING THAT DOT NHTSA INVESTIGATE A SAFETY ISSUE WITH CLOCK SPRING PART ON MY 2015 VW PASSAT, WHICH CONTROLS BOTH THE AIR BAGS AND THE HORN. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN SEPT 2015. I STARTED MY CAR WITH 42,500 MILES AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN A FLAT PARKING LOT THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THE AIR BAG LIGHT. WHEN I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WERE CLICKING NOISES COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AREA. WHEN I GOT HOME, I GOOGLED A COUPLE POSSIBLE CAUSES AND SCHEDULED THE VEHICLE IN TO A MECHANIC. BEFORE I COULD GET VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, THE HORN AND OTHER STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS WENT OUT. I WAS LEFT WITHOUT AIRBAGS AND A HORN ON A VEHICLE THAT I DRIVE DAILY. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE THAT THE 2012-2013 MODEL PASSATS EXPERIENCED IN THAT THE LOW BEAM DIED MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING ON THE PASSENGER THREE TIMES AFTER THE ORIGINAL OWNER REPLACED IT ONCE. I TOOK IT TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP AND THEY FINALLY FIGURED OUT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPLIED THE SAME FIX THAT WAS PART OF A 2012-2013 MODEL RECALL AND GOT THE HEADLIGHT WORKING PROPERLY.

CLOCK SPRING FAILURE!!! CLOCK SPRING FAILURE!!! CLOCK SPRING FAILURE!!! WHILE MOVING AND EXECUTING A RIGHT TURN A CRUNCHING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IMMEDIATELY CAME ON. ALSO, THE HORN & ALL STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS/CONTROLS FAILED. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED A WEEK PRIOR FROM CARVANA. 49,300 MILES ON THE ODO. TOO LATE TO RETURN IT. THE CLOCK SPRING FAILURE MEANS THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS NOT ACTIVE UNTIL THE PART IS REPLACED, INSTALLED, AND THE SYSTEM IS RESET. A QUICK READ THRU OF THESE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM MODEL YEAR 2015 SHOW THESE FAILURES OF A SAFETY-CRITICAL PART OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS ARE NOW OCCURNG WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS TO ME THAT VWOA/CHATTANOOGA INSTALLED THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART, FROM THE SAME SUPPLIER, THAT FAILS AFTER ABOUT 2.5-3 YEARS IN SERVICE. THIS PROBLEM IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF THE THOUSANDS OF IDENTICAL FAILURES IN VW PASSAT MODEL YEARS 2012, 2013, & 2014 LEADING TO A RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED BY DOT TO READDRESS AND RECALL THIS PREVIOUSLY RECALLED PART. VW DEALERS ARE CURRENTLY CHARGING 2015 PASSAT OWNERS BETWEEN $500 AND $800 TO INSTALL A $35 PART. IF THEIR PASSAT IS OLDER THAN 2015, THE PART IS INSTALLED GRATIS AS PART OF THAT RECALL.. VW WILL NOT ACT UNTIL PROMPTED/ORDERED TO DO SO. SOMETHING IS ROTTEN IN WOLFSBURG AGAIN! LET'S QUICKLY ACT BEFORE MORE ARE HARMED/KILLED BECAUSE AN AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN PARAMETERS DICTATED IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.