1997 Volkswagen Passat Engine Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN HIS VEHICLE TO THE GARAGE AND THE DEALER EIGHT TIMES. THE ENGINE HEAD WAS REPLACED AT 42,000 MILES AND THE TURBO CHARGE IS CURRENTLY FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIRS COST MORE THAN THE ACTUAL PRICE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE TURBO CHARGE. THE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST $1,000. THE VIN WAS VERIFIED, BUT APPEARS TO BE INVALID. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 03/18/08. *LJ UPDATED 03/18/08 *TR

NHTSA ID

10219330

Incident

Nov 6, 2007

Mileage

38,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 1997 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VR6 AT CHECKERED FLAG BMW IN JUNE 2004, AND SINCE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS HORRIBLE. FIRST, THE AIR CONDITIONER( A/C) QUIT WORKING, THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE AC STARTED WORKING FOR A DAY, THEN BLEW A CHEMICAL CLOUD INTO THE VEHICLE, WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. MY EYES WERE BURNING (AS WELL AS MY FACE) FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. FINALLY, I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY, AND THERE'S A SLOW COOLANT LEAK. MAY I SUGGEST THAT WE REMOVE ALL VW'S FROM AMERICA'S STREETS? THEY ARE A TOTAL MENACE TO ANYONE WHO OWNS THEM! I WENT TO CHECKERED FLAG VW, TO HAVE IT SERVICED, AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE 89 DOLLARS A PROBLEM, JUST TO LOOK, THEN THEY SAID I COULD TRADE IT FOR A NEW ONE. WHY WOULD I WANT A NEW ONE? I DON'T NEED TO TRADE AN OLD PROBLEM FOR A NEW, MORE EXPENSIVE ONE, I JUST WANT A RELIABLE WORK VEHICLE, AND I WISH I HAD STUCK TO MY GUNS AND BOUGHT ANOTHER PRELUDE. THIS THING WILL SEE THE CRUSHER WHEN I'M DONE PAYING IT OFF! FOUR PROBLEMS IN NOT SO MANY MONTHS. ONLY ANOTHER VW OWNER WOULD KNOW THAT KIND OF FRUSTRATION!*AK

NHTSA ID

10093585

Incident

Jul 15, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 1997 PASSAT WHEN IT STARTED TO OVER HEAT. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE ROSE VERY QUICKLY AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE NEXT EXIT OFF OF THE FREEWAY ( 1/8 OF A MILE IN DISTANCE). WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GAGE REACHED 240 DEGREES MY RED DASHBOARD LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH. I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. WITHIN SECONDS, NOT MINUTES, I HEARD A LOUD POP SOUND, LIKE AN EXPLOSION. STEAM SHOT OUT AT MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER INSIDE THE CAR AND WE WERE SPRAYED WITH BOILING LIQUID ON OUR FEET AND LOWER LEGS. VISABLILITY WAS ALMOST ZERO FROM THE SPRAYING STEAM AS I SWERVED INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. I TRIED TO COME TO A STOP IN THE NEAREST PARKING SPACE BUT I COULD NO LONGER KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS BEING SPRAYED WITH BOILING WATER. I THREW THE CAR INTO PARK AND TRIED TO GRAB THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT WE HAD ALREADY JUMPED THE PARKING SPACE CURB AND HIT A LARGE BUSH. THE ENTIRE FRONT INSIDE OF MY CAR IS DAMAGED FROM WATER AND COOLANT, AND THE FRONT OF MY CAR ON THE OUTSIDE HAS A DENT AND PUNCTURE IN THE BUMPER. THE MECHANIC THAT CAME TO MY AID TOLD ME THAT THE HEATER CORE HAD EXPLODED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD NOT NOTICED MY CAR OVER HEATING, AND I HAD STILL BEEN ON THE BUSY FREEWAY DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THIS EXPLOSION OCCURED! REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE. THE CAR IS AT A REPAIR SHOP. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NEXT.

NHTSA ID

10086508

Incident

Aug 9, 2004

MY GIRLFRIENDS 1997 VW PASSAT HAS A PLASTIC COOLANT HOUSING WHICH FAILED. WHEN FAILURE OCCURS CATASTROPHIC LOST OF ALL COOLANT OCCURS IN SECONDS WHEN CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10062066

Incident

Mar 10, 2004

HEATER CORE FAILED SPONTANEOUSLY, CAUSING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF SWEET SMELLING WHITE/GREY SMOKE AND HOT MIST TO FILL THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CAUSING A TOTAL VISUAL OBSTRUCTION TO THE DRIVER AND CHOKING/COUGHING OF A 5 YEAR OLD PASSENGER. THE DRIVER, MY DAUGHTER, MANAGER TO PULL SAFELY OFF THE BUSY ROAD (US RT 1), BUT SHE AND HER CHILD WERE VERY SHAKEN BY THE EVENT. THE FAILURE OF THE HEATER CORE COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY! I HAVE REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO VW OF AMERICA. I EXPECTED TO HEAR BACK TODAY FROM THE VW DEALERSHIP, BUT DID NOT. I REQUESTED THAT THEY PAY IN ENTIRETY FOR THE REPAIR. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS RESISTANT, AS THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL VW, ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN ON MANY OTHERS. THE CAR HAS BEEN A LEMON, VERY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN. IT WAS A MODEL BUILT EITHER IN BRAZIL OR MEXICO. AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED WITH THE DEALER, WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED VW MECHANIC WHO WAS METICULOUS ABOUT MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE MECHANICALLY--WE HAVE DETAILED COMPUTERIZED DOCUMENTATION. NEVERTHELESS, THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE DOORS AND LOCKS, EITHER THE DOORS NOT STAYING SECURELY LATCHED DURING DRIVING, PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER WINDOWS, AND NOW THE DOORS MAY BE LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE ONLY--NOT WHEN ONE IS DRIVING AND WISHES SECURITY. I DID NOT REPORT THIS TO VW. I WILL BE DELIGHTED IF THEY COME THROUGH FOR ME ON THE HEATER CORE. ONE THING AT A TIME.

NHTSA ID

10070948

Incident

Aug 15, 2003

Mileage

158,000 mi

SEAT BELTS NEVER RAVAL ALL THE WAY (MINOR ISSUE), AIR CONDITIONER GETS COLD ONLY FOR ABOUT A MINUTE (ONCE AGAIN MINOR), AND NOW IT MISFIRES ON CYLINDERS 5 AND 6. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH O2 SENSORS, THE COIL PACK (3 TIMES), IGNITION WIRES (TWICE), SPARK PLUGS (TWICE IN 4,000 MILES), AND THE ECU. STILL MISFIRES AFTER 3 SHOPS AND THE DEALER HAVING IT TWICE FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS STRAIGHT (KEN GARFF OREM VW/AUDI DEALERSHIP). THEY TOLD ME "THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO", VW AMERICA SAID "THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, THOSE DEALERSHIPS ARE INDEPENDENT FROM US". THE DEALER THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN, BROKE SOME ENGINE COVERINGS, THAT I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TO HAVE THEM DECIDE TO REPLACE. THE NEXT ROUND I GOT THE CAR BACK AND THE HOOD WAS POPED A LITTLE BIT BUT CLOSED (I LIVE 2 MILES FROM THE DEALER). SO I DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AND NOT TO MY SUPRISE, THEY LEFT A FEW ENGINE COMPONENTS UNBOLTED AND SITTING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THEY ALSO LEFT THEIR TOOLS AND THE BOLTS IN SMALL CASIM PARTS OF THE SHEET METAL. THE WIRE HARNESS WAS LOOKED AT AND THEY CONVIENIENTLY LEFT THE WIRES CUT BUT NOT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. VW AMERICA ALL THROUGH THIS SAID ONLY THAT I CAN COMPLAIN AND THAT THEY WILL "NOTE THIS IN MY RECORD, BUT THATS ALL WE CAN DO." THEY HAVEN'T EVEN OFFERED TO HELP ME FIND A NEW DEALER OR TELL ME A TYPICAL WAY TO FIX A MISFIRE.

NHTSA ID

10070187

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

Mileage

65,000 mi

STALLING WITHOUT REASON. DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

10069159

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

THE ENGINE CUTS OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I AM DRIVING. I HAVE NOT BEE REAR ENDED BUT I'M AFRAID THAT I MIGHT BE. WHEN THE ENGINE DIES I PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH ANY REMAINING POWER. AFTER 30 SECONDS TO 1 MINUTE I'M ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND PROCEED. I HAVE HAD THE VECHICLE TOWED 2 TIMES TO THE VOLKSWAGEN AUDI DEALERSHIP HERE IN LAS VEGAS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER DID RECALL WORK ON THE ENGINE, CHANGED THE TIMING BELTS AND AIR FILTER. THE SECOND TIME THE DEALER BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE STILL EXPERIENCED THE ENGINE CUTTING OUT. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN LAS VEGAS WHERE THE TRAFFIC IS INTENSE. I HAVE READ ONLINE AT A TDI FORUM THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THIS CAR HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IT MAY BE DUE TO A FAULTY RELAY IN THE FUSE BOX. MR

NHTSA ID

767947

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

STARTED WITH AIRBAG LIGHT TURNING ON. A WEEK OR SO LATER THE PARKING BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS TURNED ON BUT ONLY FOR THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING. WHILE THESE WERE ON, THE AC FAN, WIPERS, AND HEADLIGHTS DO NOT OPERATE. THESE LIGHTS NOW STAY ON MOST OF THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

750374

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 95 IN THE PASSING LANE AT 70 MPH, THE CAR ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART FOR 30 SECONDS, NECESSITATING QUICK MANUEVERING TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

745640

Incident

May 19, 2001

VEHICLE HAS A HESITATION PROBLEM AT SLOW OR HIGH SPEEDS. WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLS AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER. *AK

NHTSA ID

844086

Incident

Apr 12, 1997

ENGINE INTERMITTENT STALLING. OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION & STEADY SPEED. HOT OR COLD. NO IDENTIFIABLE PATTERN. IF CAR DIES, IT WILL START RIGHT UP (MOST TIMES IT JUST SURGES & DOES NOT ACTUALLY DIE). THE SURGING MOTION CAN LAST BETWEEN 15 & 45 SECS. HAS OCCURED 4 PREVIOUS TIMES (THATS PROMPTED THIS COMPLAINT). PREVIOUS OCCURRENCES: 8/19/97 8,658 MI; 6/19/98 18,413 MI; 7/31/98 19,841 MI; 9/14/98 21,402. COMPLETELY FRUSTRATED AND CONCERNED DEALER WILL BILL ME WHEN I TAKE THE CAR IN THE 5TH TIME TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. *AK

NHTSA ID

704779

Incident

Mar 20, 1999

DOOR HANDLE HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID

542357

Incident

May 15, 1998