1999 Volkswagen Passat Powertrain (other) Problems

AFTER STARTING AND BEGINNING MOTION THERE'S A SLOWING IN MOTION AS THOUGH THE BRAKES HAD BEEN SLIGHTLY TAPPED OR AS THOUGH THE ABS HAD TOLD THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER TO SLOW DOWN. GAS CONSUMPTION WAS 16MPG. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS ONE TECH LISTENED TO ME, ADJUSTED THE 'FEEDBACK' FROM ABS TO THE TRANSMISSION MODULE COMPUTER AND THE SENSATION OF BRAKED SLOWING WAS GONE! AND THE GAS CONSUMPTION BECAME 19MPG! SEVERAL YEARS LATER MY DOOR LOCKS SHORTED OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER DESTROYING TWO BATTERIES. THE TECH THEN REPORTED THAT HE HAD REPROGRAMMED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO 'FACTORY SPECS' AT THAT POINT THE 'SLOWING (BRAKED)' PROBLEM RECURRED AND THE GAS CONSUMPTION DROPPED BACK TO 16 MPG. HOW CAN I GET THE CAR READJUSTED TO GET RID OF THE 'SLOWING' PROBLEM AND RETURN TO 19MPG GAS USAGE??? [XXX] , [XXX] MY DEALER IS :CARTER VOLKSWAGEN,SEATTLE, WA MY E-MAIL IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

NHTSA ID

11003904

Incident

Oct 31, 1999

I OWN A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT IN WHICH THE CONTROL ARMS, TIE ROD ENDS, BALL JOINTS, AND BUSHINGS ARE FAILING. BASED ON SOME INTERNET RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE FOR SIMILAR MAKES, MODELS, AND YEARS. THE PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY DAY, AND IF LEFT UNATTENDED, RESULTS IN SAFETY PROBLEMS AT HIGHER SPEEDS. PARTS WILL BE REPLACED IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND OLD PARTS WILL BE RETAINED, IF IT IS FEASIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10269345

Incident

Sep 15, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

1999 PASSAT ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO A OIL PUMP FAILURE. *TS THE CONSUMER HAD THE OIL LEAK REPAIRED ON 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE CONSUMER HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SUCH AS A FAULTY DRIVE SHAFT, RIGHT CV JOINT, THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LATCH, THE CONTROL KNOB FOR THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS, THE HEATER CONTROL UNIT, ENGINE CONTROL UNIT, WATER PUMP SEAL RINGS, A POWER STEERING LEAK WHICH WAS HAD TO BE FIXED TWICE, THE COOLANT PUMP, O-RINGS AND THE OIL PUMP AND PUMP ROD BEARINGS. THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL, OIL IS LEAKING FROM THE VALVE COVERS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10177477

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

FOR: 99 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT WAGON WHILE MY WIFE AND I WERE PARKING IN FRONT OF A BANK, IN A SUDDEN THE CAR SHOKE VIOLENTLY; WE STOPPED WITHOUT TURNING THE ENGINE OFF... THE CAR WAS SHAKING VERY HARD STILL. WE THEN HAD THIS CAR DIAGNOZED AT A FIRESTONE SERVICE CENTER NEARBY. AFTER A DAY, THE MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT THERE'S MISFIRING IN CYLINDER 2, AND IT'S COMMON THING IN PASSAT (I DID NOT KNOW THIS UNTIL THEN), BUT VW NEVER ISSUED A RECALL. SO THEY ASKED ME TO LEAVE THE CAR FOR AN EXTRA DAY SO THEY COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER DAY PASSED, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY NEEDED MORE TIME; THEY TRIED TO REPLACE THE COIL, IT'S STILL MISFIRING, AND THEY MENTIONED MORE TRIALS, BUT THOSE WERE NOT GOOD TOO. THEY SUGGESTED ME TO BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. ONE HOUR BEFORE I WROTE THIS TO NHTSA, I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND I FOUND SIMILAR OCCURANCES OF MISFIRING FROM CYLINDERS, AND A FEW HAS THE SAME TYPE: 99 PASSAT. HERE IS WHAT I HAD FOUND: 1. HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/VW_COILS.HTML 2. HTTP://EXPERTS.ABOUT.COM/Q/801/4003867.HTM 3. HTTP://WWW.TOPGEAR.COM/CONTENT/FEATURES/STORIES/FAQ/01/MODULES/02_ENGINE/17/ 4. HTTP://WWW.AUTOMOTIVEHELPER.COM/TOPIC291366.HTM 'BOSCHMANN' "NORTH AMERICAN MODELS HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH CRACKS FORMING IN THE IGNITION COIL." 5. HTTP://INMYEXPERIENCE.COM/ARCHIVES/000213.SHTML VERY RESOURCEFUL, MORE PEOPLE WRITE THEIR CONCERNS OF MISFIRING. 6. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_23919.HTML .... AND MORE. WHEN THE FIRST IT HAPPENED, I THOUGHT WE JUST HIT AND RAN OVER SOMETHING... I WAS ALREADY IN THE PARKING LOT OF A BANK. STO I PARKED AND LOOKED 30 FT AWAY TO WHERE THE FIRST SHAKE HAPPENED... NOTHING THERE. THEREFORE, I WOULD REQUEST NHTSA TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION FOR THIS MATTER. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, I WILL BE BEST TO BE CONTACTED BY EMAIL. SINCERELY, EDWARD YAHYA

NHTSA ID

10127804

Incident

Jul 3, 2005

Mileage

75,089 mi

THE CONTROL ARMS, TIE ROD, AND ONE CV BOOT FAILED. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR 1999 VW PASSAT AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE. *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC THE CONSUMER CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT WAS DENIED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED WHEN REQUIRED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10111046

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

WHILE TURNING A CORNER, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. ALSO WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT A BOLT SHEARED OFF INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR ANY OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10059344

Incident

Jul 20, 1999

Mileage

9,000 mi

CAR HAS HAD TIE RODS REPLACED UNDER A RECALL ,BOTH C.V.JOINTS REPLACED PLUS A WHEEL BEARING FIXED WHICH I HAD TO PAY FOR.DON 'T UNDERSTAND WHY THESE PROBLEMS HAVE CAME UP SO EARLY IN CAR SERVICE LIFE.

NHTSA ID

760321

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

VEHICLE HAD A RECALL ON BEARINGS WICH WOULD CAUSE ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. ALSO,WOULD CAUSE TIRE PROBLEMS. HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK

NHTSA ID

881405

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

WHILE MAKING A 180% TURN LEFT VEHICLE SUDDENLY DROPPED. CONSUMER GOT OUT, AND WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY OFF DUE TO TRANSAXLE BREAKING. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND MANUFACTURER TRIED TO TELL CONSUMER THAT IT WAS HER FAULT. CONSUMER HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, AND MANUFACTURER DID NOT WANT TO USE WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ID

880636

Incident

Jul 1, 1999

SPEEDOMETER AND TACOMETER WILL PERIODICALLY NOT LIGHT UP. THEY START TO FLICKER AND GO OUT. SPEEDOMETER AND TACOMETER WILL NOT LIGHT UP UNTIL ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. DEALER HAS NOT PROVIDED A REMEDY, AND HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT A REMEDY WILL NOT BE ISSUED UNTIL MATTER WAS CONSTANT.*AK

NHTSA ID

869171

Incident

Aug 1, 2000