Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 76 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 76, in the owner's own words
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT STALLS AND THE EPC LIGHT COMES ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES WHILE MERGING WITH OTHER TRAFFIC AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE SPENT WELL OVER $1000 TRYING TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED, AND THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. EVEN THE VW DEALERSHIP DOSE NOT HAVE AN ANSWER.
BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM ORIGINAL OWNER EXACTLY TWO YEARS AGO. ALL RECEIPTS FOR UPKEEP & MAINTENANCE WERE AVAILABLE. CAR RAN GREAT FOR 30,000 MILES. ONE DAY IT STARTING RUNNING BAD WITHIN 30 MINS WHOLE MOTOR SHUT DOWN. MOTOR JUST SHUT DOWN IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY. PIECE OF METAL FOUND UNDER VALVE COVER AND NOW FOR NO REASON NEEDS A WHOLE NEW MOTOR!!!! THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE! VERY DISSATISFIED! I HAVE OWNED THREE VEHICLES ALL FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS UNTIL THIS VW AND NOW AM WITHOUT A CAR. NEVER WILL BUY OR MENTION ANYONE ELSE BUYING A VW. CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND $3,000 FOR ANOTHER MOTOR AFTER ONLY OWNING FOR 2 YEARS! NOW THE CAR SITS AT A MECHANIC SHOP WITH NEW TIRES AND NEW VALVE COVER GASKETS AND A POS MOTOR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND "OIL PRESSURE" AND "STOP ENGINE" MESSAGES DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS OIL SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE, BUT THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,000. ..UPDATED 06/27/17 *BF *CN
I START THE CAR UP AND IT STARTED MAKING FUNNY NOISE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGH CAME ON THE ENGINE SHAKING ACT LIKE IT'S GOING TO CUT OFF
MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A NIGHTMARE! FIRST THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING BROKE GOT THAT FIXED AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE WENT DOWN HILL! OIL PRESSURE LIGHT STARTED GOING AND THEN IT STARTED OVERHEATING. THE HOSES ALL BREAK AND LEAK THE COOLANT OUT PLUS THE TRANSMISSION CODE P742 WHICH THE TRANSMISSION IS STUCK OFF IS ON . I CAN'T AFFORD THE CAR WORST CAR EVER. IT IS FINE IF IDLE BUT ONCE YOUR DRIVING EVERYTHING STARTS BEEPING AND WHEN I'M TURNING YOU HEAR A NOISE ON THE SIDE THAT YOUR TURNING!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT JERKED AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE AND COOLING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E007000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THE PASSAT IGNITED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AT 4:00 A.M. IT HAD NOT BEEN STARTED/DRIVEN IN A WEEK. WE WOKE TO THE SOUND OF THE TIRE BURSTING. THERE IS A HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT /ARSON CASE # [XXX] - PHONE # [XXX]. INSPECTOR [XXX]. HE SAID THE IGNITION AREA OF THE CAR WAS THE START OF THE FIRE. I THINK HE WAS ARSON DEPARTMENT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. WE ARE LUCKY WE DID NOT LOOSE OUR HOUSE AND NEIGHBOR'S IF WE HAD NOT HEARD THE TIRE BLOW. I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE OF THE MILEAGE BUT KNOW IT WAS LOW FOR THE YEAR AND THINK IT WAS BELOW 90,000...UPDATED 05/02/16 *BF INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
IGNITION COIL HAS FAILED 3 TIMES IN LAST 12 MONTHS.
MARCH 8 AT APPROXIMATELY 10PM: ON A TRIP BACK FROM OUT OF TOWN WITH MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN AND PUPPY, THE RPMS IN THE VW PASSAT BEGAN ESCALATING YET NO ADDITIONAL POWER WAS COMING INTO THE ENGINE. I TRIED SHIFTING TO A LOWER GEAR AND ALSO ATTEMPTED CRUISE CONTROL TO MINIMIZE THE RPM RACING. CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT RESPOND AND THE CHANGE IN GEAR DID NOTHING FOR THE RACING RPMS. A FEW MORE MILES DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN LOSING MOMENTUM -? IT WAS SIMILAR TO THE FEELING OF RUNNING OUT OF GAS THOUGH I HAD A FULL TANK. I MOVED THE CAR INTO THE SERVICE LANE BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. WITHIN SECONDS OF PULLING OVER, THE ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING. I FELT THE NEED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN THOUGH I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY LATE AT NIGHT, PREGNANT, WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND A PUPPY. WE LEFT EVERYTHING IN THE CAR, GOT OUT (I CALLED 911) AND WERE ABOUT 8 FEET AWAY WHEN FLAMES BECAME VISIBLE ESCAPING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. A STATE TROOPER WAS PASSING THROUGH AT THE TIME AND NOTICED THE STRONG SMELL; HE QUICKLY CIRCLED BACK AND THEN SAW THE FIRE.TWO FIRE TRUCKS AND 2 MORE STATE TROOPERS ARRIVED AT THE SCENE -?? BUT BY THAT POINT -?? THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF MY CAR WAS IN FLAMES. THE TIRES WERE SO HOT FROM THE FIRE THAT THEY HAD MELTED TO THE ROAD. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, THE DRIVER'??S SIDE WINDOW WAS BLOWN OUT, AND THE DASHBOARD MELTED. EVERYTHING IN THE CAR EXPERIENCED CHEMICAL SMOKE DAMAGE AND/OR WATER DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE TRUCKS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ??TOTALED?? THE CAR THIS MORNING. SUNDAY NIGHT I NOTICED THAT NHTSA WAS AT ONE POINT INVESTIGATING VW PASSAT ENGINE FIRES. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THAT INVESTIGATION. THOUGH MY CHILDREN AND PUPPY WERE NOT PHYSICALLY INJURED (I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE SUFFERED MENTAL TRAUMA) -?? I AM PREGNANT AND DO NOT KNOW IF THE FUMES WILL BE TOXIC TO MY UNBORN CHILD. *TR..UPDATED 06/01/16 *BF UPDATED 9/27/2017*CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, AN UNUSUAL SOUND WAS HEARD AND SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD BECOME FRACTURED AND THE CAM SHAFT PULLEY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE RADIATOR, THE WATER PUMP, AND THE TIMING BELT. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
POSSIBLE CAM TENSIONER THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO MAKE A LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AS A RESULT. TOOK IT TO 3 MECHANICS AND DID A DIAGNOSTIC BUT COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. HELP ME PLEASE! *TR
I BEGAN NOTICING A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COMING THROUGH THE VENT WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I PULLED OVER TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD, I NOTICED THAT THE RIGID FUEL LINE HAD CRACKED WHERE IT PASSED THROUGH A MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE UPPER REAR OF THE ENGINE BAY. THE CRACK WAS EMITTING A STEADY FLOW OF FUEL ONTO THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WE DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR ANY FURTHER AND HAD THE LINE REPAIRED WITH A PATCH OF FLEXIBLE FUEL LINE MATERIAL. *TR
THE VEHICLE HEATED UP DUE TO A FAULT IN VW'S PASSAT COOLING SYSTEM AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM ENGINE. I WAS DRIVING AT AROUND 25 MILES / KM ONLY. I TOWED THE CAR TO MECHANIC AND HAD TO DO A COSTLY REPAIR FOR WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT, ETC. I SEE THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL FOR THIS KIND OF ISSUE IN WATER PUMP IN PASSATS, SO I TRULY BELIEVE THE WATER PUMP WAS FAULTY FROM MANUFACTURER SIDE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REPAID FOR THE MONEY I HAVE ALREADY SPENT ON THIS. *TR
STEAM CAME BLOWING OUT PROFUSELY FROM ALL HVAC VENTS WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. AFTER THE STEAM, THEN CAME THE DASH WARNING TO STOP DRIVING. AFTER PULLING OVER, THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND BECAUSE ALL COOLANT WAS GONE, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHO IS DETERMINING THE EXACT DAMAGE AND CAUSE. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE WATER COOLANT SYSTEM AND THE TIMING BELT HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH 117000 MILES ON THIS CAR WITH 1.8 TURBO, STOP OIL PRESSURE LOW, TOOK TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND OIL SLUDGE WAS DETECTED, WAS CLEANED AND STARTED RUNNING NORMALLY AGAIN BUT EMITTED A WHITE SMOKE THAT SMELLED FROM EXHAUST. TWO WEEKS LATER STOP OIL PRESSURE LOW ON CAR AGAIN TOOK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP AGAIN. ANOTHER 500.00 AND THIS WAS YET AGAIN CLEANED AND WHITE SMOKE STILL COMING FROM EXHAUST. WAS TOLD THAT IF THE TURBO IS GOING OUT THAT THE OIL SLUDGE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD UP AND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
I NOTICED MY COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS LOW AND ADDED COOLANT. I HAD ALSO NOTICED THE SMELL OF COOLANT IN THE CAR. THE NEXT DAY I CHECK COOLANT LEVEL AGAIN IT WAS LOW WITH NO LEAKS NOTICED UNDER CAR. I OPENED REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND FOUND AT LEAST 1" OF COOLANT ON TOP OF THE CARPET. I STARTED LOOKING ONLINE FOR THIS ISSUE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ON VOLKSWAGEN. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE OR AT LEAST HAVE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM CASE BY CASE. MY GRANDDAUGHTER HAS TO RIDE IN THE BACK OF THIS CAR AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S SAFE ANYMORE. I WILL HAVE TO BYPASS HEATER CORE TO STOP THIS UNTIL REPAIRS CAN ME MADE. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET VOLKSWAGEN TO FIX THIS? *TR
I WAS DRIVING INSIDE TOWN APPROXIMATELY AT 35 MPH AND WAS STOPPING IN THE STOP LIGHT. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. AFTER THE STOP LIGHT TURNED GREEN I RELEASED BRAKE AND THE SHAKE WAS NOT THERE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS GONE. I WENT FEW MILES TO PICK MY DAUGHTER AND AFTER PICKING MY DAUGHTER AND LESS THAN A MILE ON ROAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THERE IS A SLIGHT VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNED ON. I'M YET TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP. NOT SURE IF THERE IS ANY FACTORY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE FAILURE AND UNSATISFACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD COST 8,000 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. SHE DISCOVERED A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR WAGONS FOR ENGINE OIL SLUDGE. THE DEALER THEN STATED, THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $4,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MILEAGE WAS WELL WITHIN RANGE, FOR THE ENGINE TO BE COVERED UNDER THE 65,000 MILE WARRANTY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS PRESSURE BUILDING UP IN THE OIL, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
FLASHING ENGINE LAMP/MIL LIGHT, VIOLENT SHAKING, LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, FOUL ODOR, MISFIRING, PINGING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SMOKE AND FLAMES BEGAN TO EMIT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WHICH ORIGINATED WITHIN THE ENGINE AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED AS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO SAVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. UPDATED 05/11/12*LJ UPDATED 06/01/12
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT OIL SLUDGE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE OIL TANK FRACTURED, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE ERRONEOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE COIL MISFIRED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,068.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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