1999 Volkswagen Passat Electrical Problems

CAR WAS HAVING A FOUL ODOR. DEALER DID NOT HAVE INFORMATION FOR OTHER COMPLAINTS. AFTER WORK, CAR WOULD NOT START, ALARM WOULD NOT STOP. ALARM KILLED BATTERY. DEALER SAID LEAK IN SUNROOF CAUSED MODULE TO CORRODE AND LEAK INTO INTERIOR. $1,440.00 TO REPAIR. PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED IN CLASS ACTION BUT OUR CAR IS NOT INCLUDED. I AM LEASING A CAR FOR MY SON TO DRIVE BUT NOW HIS DAUGHTER HAS ECZEMA AND ASTHMA FROM THE MOLD. HOW CAN I GET VW TO FIX MY CAR TOO? *TR

NHTSA ID

10520532

Incident

May 30, 2013

Mileage

154,000 mi

PURCHASE VEHICLE ON NOVEMBER 23,2012 AFTER GETTING THE MECHANICS APPROVAL THAT IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE (OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON) SUPPOSEDLY THE VEHICLE PASSED EMISSIONS,AND DROVE 17 MILES AWAY FROM DEALERSHIP APPLE AUTO IN WALLINGFORD,CT WHEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. NO POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP AT MY EXPENSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486641

Incident

Nov 23, 2012

Mileage

86,000 mi

CARS ABS MODULE HAS FAILED, AND CANT AFFORD THE ESTIMATED PRICE OF 1500$ TO GET IT REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10449735

Incident

Apr 13, 2011

ELECTRICAL FIRE IN A 1999 VW PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING, I HAD TO TOGGLE THE FAN SWITCH TO GET THE FAN TO TURN OFF. THIS SLIGHT MALFUNCTION WAS FOLLOWED BY A PUFF OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE CENTER DASHBOARD VENT, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY MORE AND MORE SMOKE. I PULLED OVER AT A AUTO DEALERSHIP/SERVICE STATION AND ASKED EMPLOYEES FOR ASSISTANCE. BY THE TIME THEY BEGAN SPRAYING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER INTO THE VENTS (ABOUT A MINUTE OR TWO AFTER THE INITIAL PUFF OF SMOKE), FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF THE CENTRAL DASH VENT. THE FIRE MELTED THE A/C BLOW CONTROL ASSEMBLY, 3 ELECTRICAL PIGTAILS AND SOME CONNECTORS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10260227

Incident

Sep 8, 2008

Mileage

114,646 mi

AT RANDOM INTERVALS WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, AND ASR LIGHT FLASH WITH ACCOMPANYING WARNING BEEPS AND THE TACHOMETER GOES TO ZERO. THESE WARNING EVENTUALLY GO AWAY ON THEIR OWN. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL INTERMITTENTLY PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10257957

Incident

Jan 31, 2009

Mileage

107,000 mi

I GOT IN MY CAR ONE MORNING AND STARTED THE ABS LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND HAS PRETTY MUCH BEEN ON SINCE AND I HAVE NOTICED WITHOUT ABS MY CAR DOESN'T STOP NEAR AS FAST AS IT USED TO THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE ABS COMPUTER FAILED AND THE MANUFACTURE WOULD HAVE TO SEND ME ANEW ONE BUT THAT IT WAS REALLY PRICY TO FIX AND A GROUP THAT I AM WITH ALSO DRIVE THE SAME CARS A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM AND THERE'S HAS FAILED JUST LIKE MINE DID. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239723

Incident

Jun 18, 2008

Mileage

105,556 mi

NORMAL USAGE ON THE CAR. AT ~75K MILES, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT BLINK AND THE DASHBOARD BEEPS ANY TIME THE CAR DROPS BELOW 15 MILES PER HOUR. ABS MODULE IS FAULTY, DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN. WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE ON PASSATS OF THIS ERA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233158

Incident

Jan 6, 2008

Mileage

75,000 mi

1999 PASSAT 4 CYL HAS A FLASHING BRAKE AND A CONSTANT ABS ALARM LIGHT ON ALMOST ALL THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10229446

Incident

May 10, 2008

Mileage

98,000 mi

OVER TIME LEAVES COLLECTED IN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT OF MY '99 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. THIS LED TO RAIN WATER LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CORRODING THE ECU UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE ALARM AND LOCKS STARTED WORKING ON THEIR OWN, SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER START. THE INITIAL REACTION FROM VOLKSWAGEN WAS TO "CHEAPLY FIX" AND THE SELL THE CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE LIFELONG PROBLEMS WITHOUT A "PROPER FIX" WHICH WOULD COST MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH (~$6-$8K). *TR

NHTSA ID

10223841

Incident

Dec 12, 2007

Mileage

105,435 mi

VEHICLE:1999 VW PASSAT 4 CYLINDER 1.8TURBO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE 2005. DEALER WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT PART OF THE WARRANTY AND TOOK 2 YEARS BEFORE THE PROBLEM WAS RECTIFIED. BUT TILL TODAY, STILL GET THE LIGHT AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO RECTIFY IT. ON 2 OCCASSIONS THE VEHICLE STALLED AT MAJOR INTERSECTION, AND WAS A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO OTHER VEHICLES. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE VW DEALER. I MET AN OWNER OF A VW GOLF 1999 AT THE DEALER (YESTERDAY JAN 3RD, 2008) AND HE GAVE ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS TOLD HIS CHECK ENGLINE LIGHT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE SEARCHED THE WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/RECALLS SITE AND THERE ARE NONE RECALLS REPORTED AND YET HIS CAR WAS BEING FIXED. LISTED BELOW ARE THE COST TOTAL $727 6/29/2005 REPLACED SECONDARY STAGE LIGHT $415 8/08/2005 CONSIDER SPORADIC AND RESET BUT DETERMINED CAMSHAFT $0 8/16/2006FAULTY MASS AIR FLOW$232 8/18/2006REPLACE ELBOW$80 THOUGH I HAVE DONE THE ABOVE, I STILL GET THE LIGHT AND SINCE THEY CANNOT TRACK THE SYMPTONS, THEY JUST RESET THE LIGHT. THIS IS A HAZARD AND COULD ENDANGER LIVES OF OTHER DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. 'THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT WOULD ENDANGER OTHER LIVES 'I REQUEST THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND SUBSEQUENTLY DOCUMENTED 'I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COSTS THAT I HAVE INCURRED. I WOULD LIKE VW TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND MAKE DO WHAT THEIR CUSTOMERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED. *CN

NHTSA ID

10213760

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

100,210 mi

ABS, BRAKE, AND OIL LIGHT COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. IT STARTED TODAY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE FROM MY RESEARCH IT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL I SPEND CLOSE TO 2K ON AN ENTIRE MODULE WHEN ONLY ONE SMALL CHIP SOLDER FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10206358

Incident

Oct 18, 2007

Mileage

160,000 mi

1999 VW PASSAT, 1.8T ENGINE: IGNITION COILS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 76,000 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10186382

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

77,500 mi

OVER TIME LEAVES COLLECTED IN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT OF MY '99 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THIS LED TO RAIN WATER LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CORRODING THE ECU UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE ALARM AND LOCKS STARTED WORKING ON THEIR OWN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER START. THE INITIAL REACTION FROM VOLKSWAGEN WAS TO "CHEAPLY FIX" AND THE SELL THE CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE LIFELONG PROBLEMS WITHOUT A "PROPER FIX" WHICH WOULD COST MORE THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH (~$6-$8K). *JB

NHTSA ID

10177917

Incident

Oct 14, 2006

Mileage

93,457 mi

SOLID ABS LIGHT/FLASHING BRAKE LIGHT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10176265

Incident

Dec 15, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ABS, OIL, AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THEN FLASHED. THERE WAS A BEEPING NOISE AS A WARNING SIGNAL PRIOR TO THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ABS, OIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS. THE TACHOMETER ALSO FAILED. THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND WORSEN OVER A TWO WEEK PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO INDICATED THERE WERE NO CODES AFTER THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THEY RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO THE AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. WHILE LOOKING THROUGH THE OWNER MANUAL, THE CONTACT OBSERVED A WARNING STATEMENT THAT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COULD RESULT IN THE LOCKING UP OF THE REAR BRAKES UNDER HARD BRAKING. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO HARD BRAKING WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

NHTSA ID

10172133

Incident

Oct 30, 2006

Mileage

120,000 mi

ABS WARNING LIGHT PLUS OIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS FLASH, TACHOMETER GOES TO ZERO. *NM

NHTSA ID

10165334

Incident

Aug 2, 2006

Mileage

134,000 mi

THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE, AND VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD OWN UP TO IT. WATER IS GETTING INTO MY CAR THROUGH SOMETHING UNDER THE HOOD AND SOAKING MY CARPETS. IT HAS FRIED MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS. THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE NEEDS REPLACING AS WELL AS THE CORRODED WIRES. THE ESTIMATED COST IS ABOVE $2000. *NM

NHTSA ID

10163411

Incident

Feb 1, 2006

ABS LIGHT, ABS INTERMITANT FAILURE, OIL LIGHT FAILURE, TACHOMETER FAILURE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10160611

Incident

Jun 10, 2006

Mileage

96,000 mi

I OWN A 1999 VW PASSAT GLX WITH 72,000 MILES. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO, THE ABS LIGHT, THE BRAKE LIGHT, THE OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR, AND THE TACHOMETER BEGAN TO BEHAVE ERRATICALLY. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE RIGHT FRONT CALIPER STUCK IN THE EXTENDED POSITION, STARTING A WHEEL FIRE AT THE ROTOR. I REPLACED THE CALIPER, ROTOR, AND PADS. A NON-VW SERVICE CENTER REPLACED THE REMAINING ROTORS AND PADS, REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER, AND FLUSHED/BLED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. THE PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS AND ALARMS PERSISTS. THE LIGHTS AND ALARMS ARE USUALLY ABSENT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY COLD, THEN USUALLY APPEAR AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF DRIVING. THE LIGHTS AND ALARMS CAN DISAPPEAR WHILE DRIVING, THEN REAPPEAR DURING LATER DRIVING. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED VW DIRECTLY, BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED WHAT THE ESTIMATE MIGHT BE TO ATTEMPT REPAIR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10158504

Incident

May 15, 2006

Mileage

72,121 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ABOVE 20 MPH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM RETURNED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE SAME COMPONENT WAS REPLACED AGAIN. UPDATED 06/07/2006. *AK *TS

NHTSA ID

10157799

Incident

May 11, 2006

Mileage

53,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LAMPS DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHILE DRIVING, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. AFTER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, THE DEALER CONCLUDED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS THE PROBLEM AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALERSHIP CAN NOT PERFORM ANY REMEDY TO THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 4/19/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10154282

Incident

Mar 27, 2006

Mileage

70,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS, BRAKE AND OIL LAMPS INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ABS MODULE NEEDS REPLACED ALTHOUGH THE REPAIR WAS NOT MADE.

NHTSA ID

10153983

Incident

Mar 29, 2006

Mileage

108,000 mi

ABS WARNING LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY WITH CHIME SOUNDING EACH TIME THE CAR STARTS. PROBABLY BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST 6-8 MONTHS. WAS TOLD BY INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THE PROBLEM WAS JUST ELECTRICAL, BUT NOW READING NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS I BELIEVE IT TO BE THE ABS MODULE FAILING IN SO MANY OTHER CARS. SEEMS LIKE VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10149056

Incident

Jun 1, 2005

I OWN A 1999 VW PASSAT V6. IT CURRENTLY HAS APPROX 67,975 MILES. FROM THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE TO THIS CURRENT DATE, I'VE EXPERIENCED THE SUNROOF OPENING ON IT'S OWN DURING WINTER MONTHS. THIS SUNROOF HAS A MANUAL DIAL CONTROL, AND THEREFORE IT MYSTIFIES ME THAT THIS CAN OCCUR. MY RATE OF SPEED HAS NO IMPACT ON THE OCCURANCE, SINCE I COULD BE MERELY TRAVELLING AT 45 50 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENS. I'VE REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE DEALER,BUT OF COURSE IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT REPLICATED WHEN THEY TEST DRIVE THE CAR, IT IS CONSIDERED NON-EXISTENT (IN THEIR OPINION). I AM TIRED OF THE MULTIPLE PREMATURE COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE AND AT THIS POINT, I'M CONSIDERING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS IS WHAT MY TIME LINE LOOKS LIKE: 48,824 MILES REPLACED ALL UPPER LINKS REPLACE V BELT 49,576 MILES REPLACED WATER PUMP AND BATTERY 53,629 MILES REPLACED CV BOOT JOINTS AND BOTH FRONT AXELS 57,512 MILES REPLACED UPPER LINKS AGAIN 61,972 MILES, BEING TOLD THAT ALL GASKET SEALS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I'M CURRENTLY DRIVING WITH THE FOLLING CONDITIONS: NO HEAT AT MY FEET IF MY HEAT SETTING IS FOR BOTH BODY AND FEET. MY KEY KEEPS COMING APART AND GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION. MY SUNROOF OPENS ON ITS OWN WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. MY LEFT REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCK WOULDN'T LOCK WHEN I LOCK THE CAR. THE TRUNK LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IT FEELS LIKE. I HAVE TO FILL UP ON COOLANT EVERY 700 MILES OR SO. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144844

Incident

Dec 2, 2005

DT: WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS A JERKING OF THE CAR AS IF THE TIRE WAS FLAT. PULLED OVER , INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FOR A FLAT AND NONE WAS FOUND. CONSUMER GOT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE MALFUNCTION ENGINE LIGHT WAS BLINKING. AT THIS POINT CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE DOWN THE SERVICE ROAD OF THE HIGHWAY OF ABOUT 15 MPH. THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING, NO SMOKE WAS SEEN. THIS SMELL WAS LIKE BURNED RUBBER. CONSUMER CALLED VOLKSWAGEN, AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT IF THE MALFUNCTION ENGINE"LIGHT WAS BLINKING TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. AFTER PULLING OVER, CONSUMER CALLED TOW TRUCK. TOW TRUCK ARRIVED , INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS FIRE FROM UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE ITSELF. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED TO EXTINGUISH FIRE WITH WATER AND LATER A FIRE EXTINGUISHER-THIS DID NOT PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE CALLED.,IN THE MEANTIME THE FIRE GREW LARGER. AT THAT TIME, FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT FIRE OUT. FIRE CREW NOTED THIS WAS MOST LIKELY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, PERHAPS DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE HEAT FROM SUMMER AND A MIX OF ELECTRICAL WIRING STARTED THE FIRE. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY LOT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. CURRENTLY, THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS H HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY SERVICED AND MAINTAINED. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 60,500 MILES. THE WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM EXPERIENCED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10133294

Incident

Aug 17, 2005

Mileage

65,000 mi