1995 Volkswagen Passat Visibility Problems

HEATER CORE "DOORS " MELTED FROM THE R TYPE ANTIFREEZE BREAKING DOWN TO AN ACID. THIS CAUSE THE HEATERCORE TO BREAK, ANTIFREEZE ENTERED THE CAR THROUGH THE VENTS AND ALSO ODDLY ENOUGH FILLED THE GAUGE CLUSTER WITH STEAM FOGGING THE CLUSTER. IT'S $800 FOR A REPLACEMENT SO I BOUGHT A FITTING AND SOME HOSE CLAMPS AND BYPASSES THE HEATER CORE SO I COULD STILL OPERATE THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WASN'T TOO COLD. HOWEVER WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN COLD WEATHER ALL THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE DOWN DUE TO YOUR BODY HEAT CAUSING ALL GLASS IN THE VEHICLE TO FOG. REPLACED THE HEATER CORE IN JANUARY, FLUSHED THE RADIATOR AND INSTALLED REGULAR TYPE 50/50 ANTIFREEZE AND NOT THE VW R-TYPE FLUID TO PREVENT BREAK DOWN INTO ACID AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255023

Incident

Nov 1, 2006

Mileage

165,000 mi

95 PASSAT HEATER CORE RUPTURE FILLING THE VEHICLE CABIN WITH HOT RADIATOR FLUID AND STEAM. WINDSHIELD BECAME COATED WITH ANTI-FREEZE SOLUTION THAT JUST SMEARED AND COULD NOT BE WIPED OFF. VEHICLE LEFT THE ROAD INTO THE DITCH. I WILL BYPASS THE HEATER CORE FOR I CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. CONTACTED VWOA AND NO SPECIFIC RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10151853

Incident

Jan 17, 2006

Mileage

142,900 mi

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. THE VENTS STARTED STEAMING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTICS TEST, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE HEATER CORE MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10144473

Incident

Dec 2, 2005

Mileage

134,000 mi

1. NORMAL DRIVING ON A SURBURBAN ROAD AT ABOUT 45MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN, SMOKE/STEAM FROM THE VENTS, A COMPLETELY FOGGED WINDSHIELD, A SWEET SMELL, AND SCALDING HOT COOLANT ONTO MY FEET, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT A PEDESTRIAN WALKING ALONGSIDE THE ROAD. 2. IT WAS THE HEATER CORE. A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 80'S AND 90'S VW PASSENGER CARS. SO NOW I HAVE NO WORKING HEATER (LUCKILY ITS SUMMER) AND MY CAR WONT REACH ITS MAX COOLING CAPACITY. THUS, CAR RUNS HOT. 3. BECAUSE I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND CANNOT AFFORD A $1200USD FIX, I HAVE BYPASSED IT WITH A COPPER U-PIPE. THE PART IS AVALIBLE, AND VWOA HAVE DONE A MASSIVE NUMBER OF 'GOOD-WILL' FIXES. I'M STILL TALKING WITH THEM TO COME OF WITH A RESOLUTION.

NHTSA ID

10125669

Incident

Jun 10, 2005

Mileage

130,853 mi

HEATER CORE ON THE VR6 POWERED VEHICLES IS THE VALEO BRAND, KNOWN TO FAIL. IT JUST BLEWS COOLANT THROUGH THE DASH VENTS ALL OVER THE COUPE INSIDE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114256

Incident

Feb 6, 2004

TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED AND VALVES WENT AGAINST PISTONS. ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME. IGNITION SWITCH FAIL AND LIGHTS GO OFF. RIGHT WINDOW DOESN'T WORK. IGNITION COIL IS DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID

10071395

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

175,000 mi

THE HEATER CORE RUPTURED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10013793

Incident

Mar 25, 2003

Mileage

31,750 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CONSUMER FELT THAT VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO DRIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ,AND THEY REPLACED A PART. CONSUMER IS NOT AWARE OF WHICH PART WAS REPLACED PROBLEM STOPPED. CURRENTLY, SUNROOF AND REAR SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 NOT IN THE DIMS SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

10001661

THE REAR POWER WINDOW MOTORS HAVE FAILED TO OPERATE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. AFTER REMOVING THE DOOR PANELS AND CHECKING THE WIRING FOR GOOD CONTACTS, THE WINDOWS WILL OPPERATE FOR A SHORT WHILE. I SEE THIS AS A POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM DUE TO THE FACT THAT ONE MIGHT BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE AND UNABLE TO ESCAPE BY OTHER MEANS THAN THE WINDOW. IF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE WINDOW, YOU CAN'T ESCAPE. MY KIDS RIDE BACK THERE.*AK

NHTSA ID

745435

Incident

May 16, 2001

ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW STUCK IN DOWN POSITION. VEHICLE BROUGH TO AUTO-GLASS SHOP TO REPAIR. INTERIOR DOOR PANEL REMOVED FOR REPAIR. CAUSE OF DAMAGE WAS A WIRE BUNDLE THAT HAD RUBBED AGAINST A SHARP METAL EDGE ON INTERIOR OF DOOR. TWO WIRES WERE EXPOSED AND WERE ARCHING TO THE DOOR WHEN THE WINDOW BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED. THESE SPARKS ARE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD.*AK

NHTSA ID

745367

Incident

May 1, 2001

CONSUMER WINDOW MECHANISMS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE, FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE, AND REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOWS EITHER DO NOT MOVE UP/DOWN OR COME OUT OF ALIGNMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

883817

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

HEATER CORE IS DEAD CARE SMELLS LIKE ANTIFREEZE. DRIVER'S DOOR NO LONGER OPENS FROM OUTSIDE, AND OTHER DOORS ARE STARTING TO DO THE THE SAME. CAR CAN'T BE SHUT OFF FOR SHORT STOP OR IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. A/C WENT OUT 2 YEARS AGO CONTACTED VW OF AMERICAN NO HELP.

NHTSA ID

737705

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE INCLUDING, 5 BATTERIES IN FIVE YEARS, RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN, TRUNK LIGHT ILLUMINATES FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE DOOR LOCKS ARE INOPERATIVE. NLM

NHTSA ID

552644

AFTER REPLACING BATTERY IN CAR, THE SUNROOF, PASSENGER AND BOTH REAR WINDOWS CEASED TO FUNCTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

718303

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT POWER WINDOW FAILED AND 3 OF 4 DOOR HANDLES FAILED ON CAR OWNED BY INITIAL BUYER FOR 4 YEARS, 4 MONTHS. FAILURE OF SO MANY PARTS IS EXCESSIVE, AS IS QUOTE FROM DEALER FOR REPAIRS (>$1,000). REPORTED VIA PHONE TO VW, BUT NO RESPONSE.

NHTSA ID

716969

Incident

Oct 1, 1999

NO SUMMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

716582

Incident

Dec 20, 1999

HEATER CORE GIVES A "MIST" SMELL LIKE ANTIFREEZE CAUSING DISCOMFORT TO DRIVER. DEALER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET PART UNTIL MONDAY 08-NOV-99. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS JAMMED & THE REAR DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVER IS MALFUNCTIONING. *YC

NHTSA ID

852584

Incident

Nov 3, 1999

WINDOWS FOG UP VERY EASILY WITH AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF MOISTURE WITH MINIMAL DRIVING AND SUB NORMAL ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURES (WHEN THE CAR IS "COLD"). FOGGING FORCES DRIVER TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OT DEFOG WINDOWS. FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATOR UNIT FAILED ON HIGHWAY CAUSING WINDOW TO ROLL DOWN ON ITS OWN AND STAY DOWN. OWNER FORCED TO DISCONNECT MOTOR UNTIL PROBLEM COULD BE DIAGNOSED. WINDOW REGULATOR/MOTOR REPLACED. DRIVER'S WINDOW PRODUCED A CLICKING SOUND UPON REACHING THE CLOSED POSITION. WINDOW REGULATOR REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

714055

Incident

Oct 27, 1999

INTERNAL REAR VIEW MIRROR IS TOO LOW, OBSTRUCTS VIEW OF TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ID

533530

INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR ATTACHED TOO LOW, BLOCKING VIEW. TT

NHTSA ID

501013

Incident

Apr 8, 1995