2003 Volkswagen Passat Powertrain (other) Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY SHIFTED IN REVERSE AND THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS STUCK IN PARK. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE, TIRE PRESSURE, AND EPC INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HERITAGE VOLKSWAGEN OF SOUTH ATLANTA AT (678) 263-3711 (4305 JONESBORO RD, UNION CITY, GA 30291) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.

NHTSA ID

11051681

Incident

Nov 18, 2017

Mileage

172,000 mi

THE AD BLUE HEATER FAILURES ARE RAMPANT IS ALL PASSAT MODELS 2012 TO 2015. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT IN THE WINTER TIME WHEN AD BLUE FREEZES THE CAR GOES INTO A NON RESTART COUNTDOWN. IF THE CAR STALLS DURING THIS TIME THE PERSON MAY BE STUCK IN SUB ZERO WEATHER WITHOUT HEAT. THE AD BLUE HEATER IS ONLY COVERED UNDER THE 3 YEAR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY SAY IT DOES NOT QUALIFY AS EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN BECAUSE IF THE AD BLUE FREEZES THE EMISSIONS GOES UNEXPECTEDLY HIGH SO HOW CAN THIS NOT BE PART OF THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM? THE COST OF REPAIR IS $1,000 PLUS.

NHTSA ID

10758931

Incident

Aug 24, 2015

CAR WAS CONSTANTLY GETTING THE PASSENGER SIDE (FRONT AND BACK) FLOODED W WATER DURING A RAIN STORM. HAD TO GET NEW BATTERY CLEANED OUT SUNROOF DRAINAGE. IT DIDN'T MATTER. WHENEVER IT RAINED THE BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD BECAUSE THE CONTROL MODULE WHICH IS THERE IS ALL MESSED UP SENDING MIXED MESSAGES. FINELY JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. NOT WORTH PUTTING MONEY INTO THE CAR. I PURCHASED THIS CAR LESS THEN A YEAR AGO AND HAD THIS PROBLEM AFTER THE FIRST RAIN AND WENT DOWN FROM THEIR. IM SO DISAPPOINTED HOPING BUYING A USED VW I WAS GOING TO BE SATISFIED BUT HAD NOTHING TROUBLE FROM DAY ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10611205

Incident

Apr 15, 2014

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD INDEPENDENTLY SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE CONTACT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. ..UPDATED 12-26-13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED PROPERTY DAMAGED RESULTED, DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. UPDATED 12/30/13

NHTSA ID

10552097

Incident

Nov 6, 2013

Mileage

103,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ACURA MDX. THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION ON THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THE SHUTTERED STOPPED WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT IT STARTED TO SHUTTER AGAIN WHEN IT WAS ENGAGED. THE SHUTTERING SEEMED TO OCCUR BETWEEN THIRD AND FORTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10524079

Incident

Jul 9, 2013

Mileage

101,000 mi

ON OR ABOUT FEB. 1, 2013, I STARTED MY MANUAL-TRANSMISSION 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS (V6) AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARD EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT START AND DID NOT START UNTIL ABOUT AN HOUR LATER. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT THE ACCELERATOR COULD HAVE BECOME LODGED UNDER THE FLOORMAT, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE; NOR WAS IT THE CASE IN AT LEAST FOUR OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS. TWO OF THESE INCIDENTS TOOK PLACE AS I WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO PEDESTRIANS OR OTHER CARS AROUND ME AND I HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE, SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND PARK THE CAR. HOWEVER, I FEAR WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THIS INCIDENT RECURRED WHEN I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, RAILROAD CROSSING OR CROSSWALK. DESPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS, MY MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE INCIDENT OR IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507005

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

112,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 47-50 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A STRONG HIT,AS IF SOMEONE HIT ME FROM THE REAR... THEN MY DASHBOARD STARTED FLASHING AND ALL THE TRANSMISSION GEARS GOT LOCKED UP, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND TURN IT OFF, FUNNY THING IS THIS HAPPENS DURING SUMMER ONLY WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE OTHERWISE, I DON'T SEE IT... THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10498287

Incident

Feb 7, 2013

Mileage

152,000 mi

DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW WITH ALL PASSATS 1998 AND UP THEY ARE PRONE TO HAVING MAJOR FAILURE OF TCM TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE AS IN CASES OF HEAVY RAIN WATER WILL LEAK INTO PASSENGER FLOOR AREA AND FILL THE TCM WITH WATER HENCE LOCKING TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND NO LONGER ALLOWING VEHICLE TO BE SHIFTED...

NHTSA ID

10388617

Incident

Feb 28, 2011

Mileage

163,012 mi

CAR HAD SLUDGE IN 2007 DEALER CLEANED ENGINE AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. IN FEB 2009 THE SLUDGE CAME BACK AGAIN AND THE DEALER FIXED THE SLUDGE AGAIN. ON OCTOBER 2009 THE CAR OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN THIS TIME THEY SAID IT WAS NOT SLUDGE BUT THE CAM SHAFT ADJUSTERS WHICH THEY SAID WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CAM SHAFT ADJUSTERS ARE DAMAGED AND BREAK UP DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE WHICH IS A DIRECT RELATION TO SLUDGE IN YOUR ENGINE WHICH I HAD TWICE. DEALER NOW CLAIMS I DID NOT MAINTAIN MY CAR AND THIS IS WHY THEY ARE NOT COVERING IT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10289967

Incident

Oct 15, 2009

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A NEW PAIR OF RARE BRAKES FAILED ON HER VEHICLE AFTER 14,952 MILES. SHE USUALLY GETS OVER 36,000 MILES ON A PAIR OF BRAKES. SHE STATED THAT THE BRAKE PADS FAILED AND DAMAGED THE ROTORS. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE PADS ARE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN 14,000 MILES. SHE ALSO FEELS THAT THE DEALER SHOULD COVER THE COST OF THE NEW PADS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 95,100. UPDATED 04/21/09. *LJ THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS CRACKED, THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW, THE VC BOOT AND HOOD STRUT WAS REPLACED.. UPDATED 04/21/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10258613

Incident

Feb 7, 2009

Mileage

95,100 mi

EVERY TIME IT RAINS, I HAVE AN ACCUMULATION OF WATER UNDER BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE CARPETS. THE CAR SMELLS OF MOLD AND MILDEW. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MANY YEARS OF VW'S AND THE DEALERS KNOW ABOUT IT. MY RESEARCH INDICATES DESIGN PROBLEMS WITH POLLEN FILTER. MAJOR PROBLEM IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE IS LOCATED IN THE SAME VICINITY AS THE PUDDLED WATER. I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR A WHILE ALTHOUGH HAVE NOT HAD TO REPLACE TCM YET. CHECK THE WEB FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 2002 MODEL YEAR. 2003 IS NO DIFFERENT. FIRST NOTICED PROBLEM AFTER WARRANTY RAN OUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249807

Incident

Nov 25, 2008

I OWN A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH A 1.8T ENGINE. THE CAR HAS 70,000 MILES AND I JUST FOUND OUT IT HAS ENGINE SLUDGE. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AROUND MAY 2004 WITH AROUND 34,000 MILES AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM (NOT VW DEALER) ABOUT SLUDGE PROBLEMS AND NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION FROM VW OF AMERICA ABOUT ALTERED OIL CHANGE SCHEDULE AND USING FULLY SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL. BEING UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THESE ENGINES WERE HAVING I FOLLOWED THE OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES OF 5,000. I WAS NOT AWARE OF SAVING RECEIPTS OF CHANGES AND PERFORMED SEVERAL MYSELF. MY DISPLAY SHOWED A STOP ENGINE LOW OIL PRESS MESSAGE SO I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED SOME TESTS AND TOLD ME I HAD ENGINE SLUDGE. AS OF NOW I HAVE NO RECOURSE WITH VW OF AMERICA AS FAR AS FIXING AN ENGINE THEY KNOW IS FLAWED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249199

Incident

Oct 1, 2008

Mileage

70,000 mi

2003 VOLKSWAGEN GLS PASSAT WITH SEVERAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP, CAM SHAFT SENSOR AND MORE. *KB THE VEHICLE STALLED ON 2 OCCASIONS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THE CONSUMER SOON DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FRONT CV BOOT AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK. THE DRIVERS HEATED SEAT MALFUNCTIONED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10226270

Incident

Mar 5, 2005

Mileage

32,251 mi

FUEL PUMP FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR QUITE RUNNING. 1.8 LITER TURBO IN O3 VW PASSAT. DEALER CALLS AND TELLS US OUR VIN NUMBER IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. TO CALL VW OF NORTH AMERICA AND THEY SHOULD COVER IT. I TALK TO A WOMEN TELL HER THE SAME THING AS ABOVE AND SHE ASK ME TO HOLD WHILE SHE SUBMITS THE CLAIM. SHE COMES BACK ON THE LINE AFTER 45 SECONDS OR SO AND SAYS THAT THEY WON'T COVER IT. THE VIN NUMBER IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I ASK TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR. I AM TOLD THERE IS NO ONE ELSE I CAN SPEAK TO AND THIS IS THE FINALLY DECISION OF VW OF NORTH AMERICA. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST FAILURE FOR THIS CAR. TEMPERATURE SENSOR REPLACED, BRAKE MODULE REPLACED TWICE, THE HEATER CORE REPLACE, THE TRIP TRONIC SHIFT REPLACED, INSTRUMENT PANEL REPLACED, THE ENGINE FLUSHED FOR SLUDGE. CV BOOTS REPLACED. THEY'RE CRACKED AGAIN AFTER 3 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223082

Incident

Mar 31, 2008

Mileage

74,000 mi