2002 Volkswagen Passat Recalls

In July 2010, the Agency opened PE10-027 to investigate allegations of coil on plug (COP) ignition coil fires in MY2002-2003 VW Passat vehicles.The investigation was upgraded in January 2011 to include all MY2001-2007 4-cylinder VW Passat, gasoline, turbo-charged vehicles.Based on the analysis of VW's response, and including ODI's consumer complaints, ODI has since identified 135 unique engine fire reports attributable to the COP coils.After further review of the details as contained in each report, ODI determined that 43 of the 135 fire reports were actual fire/flame incidents, 83 fire reports were thermal events (smoke, spark, heat or wire melt), and another 9 fire reports were undetermined in severity due to the lack of information.These COP coil fires were characterized as initiated from within the COP coil circuit located at the top of the engine block and below the plastic engine cover.The fires observed were contained in the engine compartment and did not reach into the passenger compartment in contrast to those caused by an overheated catalytic converter examined in ODI?s investigation in 2007 and 2008.There were no reports of crashes or personal injury in this examination.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstancesSee the Closing Report for additional details.

ODI has received 11 complaints alleging that a fire started in the engine compartment of the vehicle that may be related to ignition coil failure, and 9 complaints of ignition coil failure that did not result in a fire.Reports state that the vehicle hesitated or lost power, and the check engine or dashboard lights illuminated.The vehicles were repaired by replacing the faulty ignition coil(s). Some of the complaints indicated that the ignition coils were replaced more than once.The scope of PE10-027 focused on Model Years (MY)2002-2003 Passat vehicles.Volkswagen provided data regarding their analysis of the vehicle fires and faulty ignition coils for these vehicles as well as other MY Passat vehicles.ODI needs to further investigate this issue.To facilitate the acquisition and analysis of additional information, this investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis, EA11-002.

VOLKSWAGEN (VW) IS RECALLING CERTAIN VW PASSAT 4MOTION AND AUDI A6 QUATTRO AND ALLROAD QUATTRO ALL-WHEEL DRIVE PASSENGER CARS.VW VEHICLES SUBJECT TO RECALL WERE MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 22, 2000 THROUGH MAY 31, 2005 AND AUDI VEHICLES SUBJECT TO RECALL WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 2, 2001 TO JUNE 1, 2005.THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER FOR THE VW VEHICLES IS 08V-156 (VW ALSO IS CORRECTING DEFECTS RELATED TO HEAT SHIELD AND FUEL LINE HAZARDS FOR THESE VEHICLES AND FOR 1999-2000 PASSATS IN THIS RECALL ACTION.)THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER FOR THE AUDI VEHICLES IS 08V-157.SINCE 2006, ODI HAS RECEIVED 17 COMPLAINTS OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE SUBJECT VEHICLES' FUEL TANKS.THE 400 COMPLAINTS SHOWN ABOVE MAY INCLUDE DUPLICATE REPORTS TO ODI AND THE MANUFACTURER. WHILE THE CONSEQUENCE (FUEL LEAKS FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK) IS SIMILAR FOR BOTH THE PASSAT AND AUDI SUBJECT VEHICLES, DIFFERENCES IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION REQUIRE A DIFFERENT REMEDY FOR EACH VEHICLE.ON THE PASSATS, THE VENTILATION LINE COULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY WITH TENSION AND WITH AN INCORRECTLY POSITIONED CABLE TIE.THE TENSION COULD CAUSE CRACKED OR BROKEN NIPPLES ON THE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVE.ON THE AUDI VEHICLES, A MATERIAL CHANGE (EFFECTIVE JUNE 2, 2001) WITH DIFFERENT AGING CHARACTERISTICS USED FOR THE ROLLOVER VALVE AND THE USE OF AN INFLEXIBLE ALUMINUM VENTILATION LINE COULD CAUSE CRACKING OF THE NIPPLE ON THE ROLLOVER VALVE.VW IS RECALLING ALL VEHICLES SUBJECT TO THESE DEFECTS.IT WILL INSPECT PASSATS TO ENSURE THAT THE VENT LINE IS TENSION FREE AND CORRECT THE INSTALLATION IF TENSION IS FOUND.IF A CRACK OR FUEL LEAK IS FOUND, VW WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK.AUDI WILL REPAIR ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES BY REINFORCING THE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVE WITH AN EPOXY ADHESIVE.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

THE MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED NHTSA ON 04-APR-08 THAT A SAFETY RECALL ACTION WOULD BE INITIATED TO REMEDY THE ISSUE.IN JUNE 2008, THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (CODE 26E5/R5) REGARDING THE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES TO BE EMPLOYED IN THIS CAMPAIGN.VEHICLE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTERS WERE SENT BEGINNING APPROXIMATELY JUNE 13, 2008.THE CAMPAIGN WAS ASSIGNED NHTSA NO. 08V-156.THIS RECALL AFFECTS ALL MY 1999-2005, 5TH GENERATION GASOLINE-POWERED PASSAT SEDANS AND STATION WAGONS.APPROXIMATELY 412,000 VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED.CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL CONSIST OF INSTALLING ADDITIONAL EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT SHIELDING TO MITIGATE THE POTENTIAL THERMAL EFFECTS OF ENGINE IGNITION PROBLEMS.BASED ON THIS ACTION, THE SUBJECT EA HAS BEEN CLOSED.

MANY OF THE FIRE REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE VEHICLE FIRE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO IGNITION COIL FAILURE.VW PROVIDED ADDITIONAL DATA REGARDING ITS ANALYSIS OF VEHICLE FIRES AND A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE THREE DIFFERENT ENGINES AND IGNITION SYSTEMS FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODIFINDS THE NEED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE.TO FACILITATE ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THIS INVESTIGATIONHAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-014).

DURING THIS INVESTIGATION, VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA (VW) IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH WATER ACCUMULATION IN THE FRESH AIR PLENUM THAT COULD, IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, RESULT IN REDUCED BRAKE POWER ASSIST IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 PASSAT VEHICLES.VW INDICATED THAT PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY LEAVES AND OTHER DEBRIS CLOGGING THE PLENUM DRAINS, WHICH MAY RESULT IN WATER FILLING THE PLENUM TO THE LEVEL OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER AIR INTAKE.THE BOOSTER AIR INTAKE IS LOCATED IN THE FRESH AIR PLENUM IN THE MY 2002 PASSAT VEHICLES, BUT NOT IN THE MY 2001 OR 2003 VEHICLES WHICH DRAW BOOSTER AIR FROM THE CABIN.VW TESTING SHOWED THAT BRAKE ASSIST COULD BE REDUCED IF WATER ENTERS THE BOOSTER AND FREEZES.VW IS ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM WITH A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, WHICH BEGAN IN AUGUST 2007.THE FRESH AIR PLENUM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS AN ENCLOSED SPACE AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD FROM WHICH THE VEHICLE VENTILATION SYSTEM DRAWS THE FRESH AIR SUPPLY VIA A POLLEN FILTER.RAIN WATER THAT FLOWS OFF THE WINDSHIELD INTO THE PLENUM IS DRAINED THROUGH TWO VALVES LOCATED BELOW THE BATTERY AND BRAKE BOOSTER.STRAINERS AT THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND IN THE PANEL COVERING THE TOP OF THE PLENUM BLOCK LEAVES, PINE NEEDLES AND OTHER DEBRIS.OVER TIME, DEBRIS MAY ENTER THE PLENUM THROUGH OPENINGS IN THE PLENUM PANEL OR AROUND THE HOOD HINGES.IF CLOGGED DRAINS ALLOW APPROXIMATELY 3-4 GALLONS OF WATER TO ACCUMULATE IN THE PLENUM, THE WATER MAY ENTER THE BOOSTER THROUGH THE AIR INTAKE.WATER ACCUMULATION IN THE PLENUM MAY ALSO RESULT IN COMPLAINTS OF WET CARPETS IN THE VEHICLE INTERIOR IF THE WATER REACHES THE LEVEL OF THE FRESH AIR INTAKE/POLLEN FILTER. VW STATED THAT ITS TESTING SHOWED THAT BRAKE PERFORMANCE AND ACTUATING FORCE (I.E., PEDAL EFFORT) ARE NOT AFFECTED WHEN THE BOOSTER IS FILLED WITH THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF WATER POSSIBLE (UP TO THE HEIGHT OF THE BOOSTER ENGINE VACUUM CONNECTION, THROUGH WHICH WATER DRAWN INTO THE BOOSTER IS EVACUATED).VW'S TESTING SHOWED THAT BRAKE PERFORMANCE AND ACTUATING FORCE COULD BE AFFECTED BY WATER FREEZING IN THE BOOSTER.HOWEVER, WHEN TESTED WITH RELATIVELY LOW VOLUMES OF FROZEN WATER IN THE BOOSTER, VW SHOWED THAT THE EFFECTS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS SEVERE THAN FOR CONDITIONS THAT RESULT IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF VACUUM ASSIST.WHILE VW INDICATED THAT THE EFFECTS WOULD BE MORE SEVERE WITH GREATER VOLUMES OF FROZEN WATER, IT MAINTAINED THAT THE CHANCES OF THIS OCCURRING WERE REMOTE AND WOULD BE READILY DISCERNABLE TO THE DRIVER UPON THE INITIAL BRAKE APPLICATION AFTER VEHICLE START-UP.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY DATA SHOWED DISPROPORTIONATE CONCENTRATIONS IN WINTER MONTHS AND IN NORTHERN STATES WITH COLDER WINTER CLIMATES. ODI IDENTIFIED THREE MINOR CRASHES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN MY 2002 PASSAT VEHICLES.TWO OF THE CRASHES OCCURRED INGARAGES/DRIVEWAYS AND THE THIRD OCCURRED IN A DEALER SERVICE GARAGE.THERE WERE NO INJURIES ALLEGED IN THE CRASHES BUT A FOOT INJURY WAS ALLEGED IN A FOURTH INCIDENT WHERE EXCESSIVE BRAKE EFFORT REQUIRED DURING A HARD STOP. VOLKSWAGEN IS CONDUCTING A SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO REMEDY THIS CONDITION IN MY 2002 PASSAT AND AUDI A4 AND A6 VEHICLES.THE REMEDY PROCEDURE REQUIRES VW DEALERS TO INSPECT, CLEAN AND MODIFY THE AIR PLENUM DRAIN, AS WELL AS MODIFY THE SUNROOF DRAIN (IF EQUIPPED) AND INSTALL AN IMPROVED SEAL FOR THE POLLEN FILTER.IN ADDITION, VW HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO ODI1. QUARTERLY COMPLETION REPORTS FOR ONE YEAR; AND 2. PROMPTLY REPORTING ALL CRASHES ATTRIBUTED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED BASED UPON THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY VW.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT C