Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN STEAM STARTED COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS AND THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP. HOT ANTI FREEZE LEAKED IN AND SCORCHED THE DRIVER'S FEET. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE HEATER CORE CAME APART AT THE SEAM. *AK *JB
LETTER CONCERNING THE MANNER IN WHICH VOLKSWAGEN CHOOSE TO HANDLE A RECENT FAILURE ON THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. (NAR) *PH WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER VEHICLE HEATER CORE EXPLODED. *CB
WHILE DRIVING AT ROUGHLY 25 MPH, HEATER CORE FAILED. INTERIOR OF VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN FILLING WITH FOUL SMELLING DENSE SMOKE, AND WINDOWS BECAME COATED WITH A FILM. DRIVER QUICKLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD, WHICH FORTUNATELY WAS EASY AS WE WERE IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. DRIVER AND PASSENGERS BELIEVED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, AS THE TRUE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN. WE QUICKLY EVACUATED ALL 4 PASSENGERS, INCLUDING A 5 YEAR OLD CHILD WHO WAS STRAPPED IN A CAR SEAT. THIS WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. WE HAD EXITED A BUSY FREEWAY LESS THAN 1 MINUTE BEFORE. IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED WHILE WE WERE STILL ON THE FREEWAY, WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD SAFELY PRIOR TO THE DRIVER'S VISION BEING COMPLETELY IMPAIRED. THIS COULD HAVE PROVED DISASTROUS. AFTER THE ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED, AND WE BEGAN TO DO SOME RESEARCH, WE WERE VERY UPSET TO FIND THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH OUR VEHICLE. WE WERE ALSO STUNNED TO READ THE COMPLAINT SUMMARIES ON THE NHTSA SITE WHICH NOTED THAT SOME DRIVERS/PASSENGERS WERE INJURED BY HOT STEAM/COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT IS AMAZING THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL HAS NOT YET BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. AS OF THE TIME THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING FILED, WE ARE ALSO DRAFTING A LETTER TO VOLKSWAGEN TO URGE THEM TO ADDRESS THIS FAILURE. A FAILURE THAT CAN CAUSE TOTAL LOSS OF VISIBILITY IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEREFORE LOSS OF CONTROL OF A VEHICLE, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY SERIOUS. WE STRONGLY URGE THE NHTSA TO TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THIS FAILURE IS ADDRESSED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING HEATER CORE WAS STEAMING THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
AFTER DRIVING FROM CT TO WASH, D.C., I WAS PARKING MY 1993 VW PASSAT. I HEARD A "POP" SOUND, AND IN < 5 SECONDS, THE CAR FILLED WITH ANTIFREEZE STEAM & SCALDING ANTIFREEZE POURED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE COMPARTMENT. AS THE CAR WAS NEARLY PARKED, WE WERE ABLE TO JUMP OUT OF THE CAR. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE WHEATON SERVICE CENTER IN WHEATON, MD. VIA PHONE, THE MECHANICS IMMEDIATELY SUSPECTED THE HEATER CORE. IRONICALLY, THERE WAS ANOTHER 1993 PASSAT GETTING FIXED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I GOT THERE. ONCE INVESTIGATED, MY HEATER CORE HAD CRACKED. THEY NOTED THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM IN VWS. I CALLED THE VW CONSUMER CARE LINE. AFTER LENGTHY NEGOTIATION, VW AGREED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE $788 REPAIR, IF I BROUGHT THE BROKEN PART AND THE NEW PART'S PACKAGING TO THE CAR'S HOME DEALERSHIP, RIVERSIDE MOTORS, IN CT. I WAS REIMBURSED SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, AFTER WEEKLY FOLLOW UP PHONE CALLS TO "REMIND" VW OF THEIR REIMBURSEMENT COMMITTMENT. I AM UPSET AND CONCERNED ABOUT THIS MATTER FOR SEVERAL REASONS: 1) I BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 1998. THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THE CAR WAS THAT THE WINDOWS TENDED TO "FOG UP", PARTICULARLY WHEN THE A/C OR HEAT WAS ON, WHICH HAD BEEN LOGGED AT SERVICE VISITS. AT NO TIME WAS THE HEATER CORE LOOKED AT. BUT, THERE ARE NUMEROUS HEATER CORE AND "DEFOGGING" CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. FURTHER, I BEGAN THE REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS AFTER LISTENING TO A RECENT NPR CAR TALK SHOW, B/C THEY REFERENCED THE PROBLEM WITH VW HEATER CORES. WHAT IS CONSPICUOUSLY MISSING IS A SAFTEY BULLETIN FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. 2) AS MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS NOTED, (SEE OID ID 755858 FOR EXAMPLE), THEY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED, AS WAS THE CASE FOR ME. 30 MINUTES EARLIER & I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY COMPLAINT CANNONT BE INVESTIGATED, THIS IS A FAILURE THAT CAN RESULT IN A LIFE-OR-DEATH SITUATION. I EXPECT THAT YOU WILL INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM FURTHER, AND AT MINIMUM ISSUE A SAFETY BULLETIN.
THE POWER WINDOWS OPERATE BY THEMSELVES-NEED TO PULL FUSE TO STOP THIS, BUT THEN THEY ARE NOT OPERABLE AT ALL--THIS COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN TERMS OF ESCAPE FROM VEHICLE, AND IS VERY INCONVENIENT FROM A VENTILATION STAND POINT. THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN CORNERING AND BRAKING, CREATING VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****760759
WAS DRIVING 25MPH WHEN FILM STARTED DEVELOPING ON WINDOWS. DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE OUT OF WINDSHIELD. HAD SMELLED ANTIFREEZE INSIDE VEHICLE. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT HEATER CORE HAD FAILED, CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK, WHICH CAUSED THE FILM ON WINDOWS. *AK
THE HEATER COIL BLEW AND CAUSED THE CAR TO RAPIDLY FILL UP WITH STEAM TO THE POINT THAT DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT ANY WINDOWS. DRIVER WAS TRAVELING IN THE FAST LANE OF INERSTATE 285 IN THE ATLANTA AREA AND AMAZINGLY WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND JUMP OUT WITHOUT BEING KILLED. THIS FAILURE OF THE HEATER COIL AND SUBSEQUENT RELEASE OF STEAM INTO THE VEHICLE IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF THE DRIVER.
115F DEGREE DAY. USED A/C. PARKED CAR. RETURN 15 MIN LATER. FLOOR/DASH/INSTRUMENTS WET/FOG/HOT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, STEAM AND HOT ENGINE COOLANT FLUIDS STARTED COMING OUT OF VENTILATION SYSTEM, BURNING DRIVERS FEET AND LEGS, AND REDUCING VISIBILITY OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND MADE REPAIRS TO HEATER CORE. THEN ON AUGUST 2, 2001, AIR CONDITIONING STARTED MAKING A STRANGE NOISE, AND STARTED PRODUCING STEAM AND HOT FLUIDS FROM THE VENTILATION AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
THE HEATER CORE RUPTURED AND FLOODED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WITH STEAM AND HOT COOLANT. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR HAD JUST COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS OCCURED IN THE ONLY OTHER VW VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED, A 1986 JETTA GL. THAT VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM. I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING THAT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE CAN BE AFFECTED BY SUCH AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE. I CAN ACCEPT THE HEATER CORE LEAKING IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, BUT NOT EXPLOIDING LIKE A BOMB. WITNESSESS THOUGHT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. LUCKILY, MY WIFE AND CHILD WERE NOT CRUISING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH.
DRIVING TO AIRPORT THE TEMPERATOR INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, FLASHING, AND THE HEATER CORE EXPLODED. INTERIOR OF THE CAR FILLED WITH DENSE WHITE VAPOR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR ON THE ROAD/SHOULDER AND MY WIFE AND I EVACUATED. ROAD AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT WAS BASICLY CLEAR OF OTHER VEHICLES OTHERWISE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM OF OUR SURVIVAL. *AK
TRANSMISSION/HEATER CORE/ FAN SWITCH AND ENGINE COOLING T SYSTEM WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND HESITATE. DEALER REPLACED HEATER CORE/WATER PUMP ETC. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
IGNITION : FOR THE LAST 9 MONTHS, INTERMITTENTLY, CAR WILL CONTINUE TO RUN AFTER THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND KEY IS REMOVED... BEEN TO 3 VW DEALERSHIPS 5 TIMES TOTAL. ABS BRAKES NEVER WORKED SINCE NEW, WOULDN'T STOP ON SNOW OR ICE LIKE OTHER ABS BRAKE SYSTEMS .. AFTER MANY COMPLAINTS FOR 4 YEARS VW FIXED SOME OF THE ABS PROBLEMS BUT ABS WARNING LIGHT STILL COMES ON SOMETIMES. ALSO, PEDAL INTERMITTENTLY WILL GO TO FLOOR, AND SNOW AND ICE PERFORMANCE IS MUCH WORSE THAN OUR OTHER ABS PASSATS . SEAT BELTS: LAP BELT BUCKLE SEEMS LIKELY TO CAUSE INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT . AIR CONDITIONER : $150 SWITCH IN DASH HAS FAILED 3 TIMES (COMMON ON 1993-94 PASSATS). SUNROOF: SMALL PART BREAKS ON TRACK REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE EXPENSIVE SUNROOF MECHANISM ... (SEEMS TO HAPPEN MANY 1993-94 PASSATS). FOG LIGHTS: CORRADO AND PASSAT LENSES FOG UP OR FILL UP WITH WATER AND THEN CRACK FROM HEAT. VW AND HELLA REDESIGNED LENS ON CORRADO MODEL BUT NOT ON PASSAT $26 TO $50 PER LENS, 11 LENSES SO FAR. *AK
HEATER CORE FAILURE WAS SEVERE SCOLDING COOLANT BLEW THROUGH DASH VENTS OVER HANDS AND FLOODED CAR WITH COOLANT AND TOXIC FUMES
MILES:1,519- DOESN'T TURN OVER - REPLACED BATTERY: 8602- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON- REPL BAD HOUSING CONNECTION:11,672-CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON-RPL CAM POSITION SENSOR&ECM&AC CONTROLS:22,013-RATTLING WHINING NOISE-REPL FROZEN RADIATOR FAN MOTOR, BURNT FAN CONN/REPRODUCED WRING, O/RING, DEFECTIVE CAM POSITION, SENSOR;25,763 REPLACE BATTERY;34,677-SERPENTINE BELT REPL;36,800-REPL HALL/TCI CONTROL UNIT;50,610- REPL BATTERY, ALTERNATOR HARNESS;51,070 REPL AUXILIARY WATER PUMP;CONNECTOR,HOSES;53,190-AC CONTROL WITH OPEN CONNECTION & WIRING OVERHEATED,REPL CONTROLS & REPAIRED WIRING, HEATERCONTROL, CONNECTOR:60,523-REPL HEATER CORE, SEALS, THERMOSTATE, HOUSING, SEAL RING, 3 O-RINGS, SERPINTINE BELT; 63,782-REPL BATTERY, CRUISE CONTROL & SUNROOF NO LONGER WORK TOO COSTLY TO REPAIR, 66,035- REPL POWER SUPPLY RELAY, FUEL PUMP;71,000 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. DEALER INDICATES FULL REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. PURCHASED '88 JETTA. IN '97 DECIDED TO UPGRADE TO PASSAT GLX. WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE BUY A VOLKSWAGEN. *AK
REPLACED BROKEN HEATER CORE. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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