2014 Volkswagen Passat Visibility Problems

I'm having issues with the heat in my vehicle. There is no heat on the passenger side which also affects the visibility of seeing out the windshield because the defroster does not function properly. The original owner replaced the heater core somewhere around 40-45000 miles. I have owned 2 other vehicles of this model and had the same issue on everyone of them where the heater core was replaced.. This is more than a inconvenience it is a potential hazard not being able to see when the windshield is frosted or fogged up. It is a poor design and this needs to be addressed and investigated further. It's a bad time of year to have an equipment failure like this. There was no accident or incident but there is a potential hazard waiting to happen.

NHTSA ID

11563624

Incident

Jan 4, 2024

heater core getting clogged again, after multiple replacements, vwgoa will not perform recall because of other not related recall not performed. when heater core gets clogged three things happen, passenger side stops producing heat, windshield defrost does not operate correctly, and coolant lost due to evaporating and or leak into intercooler that can lead to engine damage

NHTSA ID

11444365

Incident

Dec 17, 2021

2014 CAR. DEC 2017 HEAT HAS FAILED BECAUSE OF PROBLEM WITH HEATER CORE WHICH FOLLOWED FAILURE OF RADIATOR IN 2/2017. REPLACED RADIATOR IN 2/2017 AND HEATER CORE IN 12/2017. 10/2019 HEAT FAILED AGAIN. HEAT IS INSUFFICIENT TO KEEP WINDSHIELD CLEAR IN COLD ICY WEATHER IN NORTHEAST. WINTER IS HEAR AGAIN AND HEAT IS INADEQUATE TO KEEP WINDSHIELD CLEAR.

NHTSA ID

11375653

Incident

Dec 1, 2017

POORLY DESIGNED HEATER CORE CLOGS PREMATURELY REGARDLESS OF MAINTENANCE RESULTING IN INABILITY TO DEFROST WINDSHIELD BEFORE OR WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY IN COLDER CLIMATES. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD COOLING SYSTEM FLUSHED AT 3 YEARS OF AGE, WELL IN ADVANCE OF RECOMMENDED INTERVAL AND, YET AS SEEN IN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON COMPUTER SEARCH STILL HAS CLOGGED. 54,750 MILES ON A VEHICLE LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD THAT WE CANNOT FEEL SAFE OPERATING DURING TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING DUE TO LIKELIHOOD OF CONDENSATION FROM OUR BREATHING FREEZING ON INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID

11309665

Incident

Feb 14, 2020

Mileage

54,720 mi

HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR. DOES NOT ALLOW FOR DEFROSTING WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11300282

Incident

Dec 26, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

VEHICLE STOPPED BLOWING AIR THROUGH OUTLETS CAUSING FOGGING OF WNDOWS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY AIR BLOCKAGE OCCURS WHILE STATIONARY AND MOVING

NHTSA ID

11286334

Incident

Dec 1, 2019

Mileage

74,990 mi

THE HEATER CORE BECOMES CLOGGED DUE TO EXCESSIVE FLUX USE IN THE HEATER CORE CONSTRUCTION. CAUSING NO HEAT OUTPUT ON DEFROST OR THROUGH VENTS. VWOFA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AS AN ISSUE AND OFFERS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE HEATER CORE, HOWEVER, THERE IS A 4-6 BACKORDER ON THE REPLACEMENT HEATER CORES. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN WINTER CONDITIONS AND COMING UPON FREEZING RAIN/SLEET OR SNOW THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BECOME UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND POTENTIALLY LEAVING YOU STRANDED IN BAD WEATHER. CURRENTLY, VWOFA IS NOT OFFERING ANY LOANER VEHICLE WHILE THEY WAIT FOR PARTS, MAKING MY PASSAT UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN ANY POSSIBLE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ID

11280237

Incident

Nov 11, 2019

Mileage

50,800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HANLEES HILL TOP VOLKSWAGEN (3255 AUTO PLAZA, RICHMOND, CA 94806, (510) 283-6300) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE GLUE USED TO SEAL THE WINDSHIELD WAS DEFECTIVE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.*PM*JB

NHTSA ID

11277399

Incident

Mar 1, 2019

Mileage

26,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE HEATER STOPPED AND THE WINDOWS FOGGED UP. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING AND THE HEATER STARTED NORMALLY AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY TIME THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.

NHTSA ID

10865757

Incident

May 15, 2016

Mileage

76,000 mi

BACKUP CAMERA/NAVIGATION/RADIO SYSTEM SYSTEM DOES NOT WORKING IN A CONSISTENT MANNER (CAMERA WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO-BIG SAFETY CONCERN, SCREEN GOES BLANK, ETC.). RADIO/NAVIGATION CONTROLS ARE INOPERABLE AT RANDOM OCCASIONS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR EVEN AT A STOP POSITION. RADIO SCREEN GOES BLANK EVEN IF RADIO IS ON AND USER IS UNABLE TO CONTROL IT FOR UP TO A FEW MINUTES. ON 2 OCCASIONS, EVEN AFTER TURNING THE ENTIRE CAR ON AND OFF MULTIPLE TIMES THE RADIO WAS ON BUT ALL CONTROLS WERE INOPERABLE AND UNABLE TO TURN OFF. EVENTUALLY THE SYSTEM BECAME OPERABLE A FEW MINUTES LATER. SAFETY ISSUE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED WITH VW DEALER AND THEY STATED VW KNOWS ABOUT ALL THE OWNER INQUIRIES INTO THIS ISSUE BUT IT HAS YET TO MAKE A RECALL. MY CONCERN IS THAT BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK AS IT SHOULD AND THEREFORE THE SAFETY FEATURE THAT THE VEHICLE CAME WITH DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THIS CAUSES THE DRIVER TO GO IN REVERSE WITH ONLY THE HELP OF MIRRORS. IF SAFETY EQUIPMENT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY THEN IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. SECOND, WHEN THE SYSTEM CONTROLS MALFUNCTION THE VOLUME AND ON/OFF BUTTONS CANNOT BE USED AND THEREFORE DRIVER IS LEFT FOCUSING ON HOW TO FIX THIS ISSUE NOT ON KEEPING THEIR EYES ON THE ROAD. AS PER MY DISCUSSION BOTH WITH THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CORPORATE OFFICE, THEY ADMITTED TO THE RECURRING ISSUE FOR MANY VW OWNERS BUT SAID IT HAD NOT BECOME A BIG ENOUGH ISSUE OR SAFETY CONCERN SO THERE WAS NOT RECALL. MY QUESTION IS IF SYSTEM (BACKUP CAMERA/RADIO/NAVIGATION) IS ALREADY A DOCUMENTED ISSUE FOR MANY OWNERS AND DOES NOT ALLOW A SAFETY FEATURE TO WORK PROPERLY (BACKUP CAMERA) OR CAN CAUSE A DISTRACTION FOR A VEHICLE OPERATOR THEN WHY IS NOT A RECALL. I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT ALL EQUIPMENT WOULD WORK AS DESCRIBED.

NHTSA ID

10837203

Incident

Dec 2, 2015

Mileage

19,000 mi

HEATER CORE CLOGGED, REDUCED DEFROSTER PERFORMANCE DUE TO DECREASED DEFROST AIR TEMPERATURE CAUSES DECREASE IN VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID

10823218

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

MY CAR SUFFERED A CLOGGED HEATER CORE WITH 25K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE RESULT WAS LOW CABIN HEAT AND AN INABILITY TO MAINTAIN WINDSHIELD VISIBILITY USING THE DEFROSTER SETTING WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES DROPPED DURING WINTER. SYMPTOMS OCCUR WHEN STATIONARY OR MOVING.

NHTSA ID

10823210

Incident

Jan 8, 2016

Mileage

25,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY MY SUNROOF EXPLODED. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT THAT SCARED THAT[XXX] OUT MY FAMILY AND ME. VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE AN OUTSIDE SOURCE HIT IT. FIRST THERE WAS NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME AT LEAST FOR 200 METERS. SECOND IT LOOKS LIKE THE GLASS PUSHED OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I ASKED IF THEY HAD ANY PROOF AND TOLD ME THAT THE GLASS WAS PUSHED OUT AND THAT SOMETHING HAD TO HIT IT. THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY HALF THE COST BUT I BELIEVE THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY THE FULL COST BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT ADMIT TO FAULT. IF A SUNROOF JUST DOES NOT EXPLODE, WHY ON YOU TUBE A CAMERA CAUGHT VOLKSWAGEN EXPLODING SUNROOF. VW JUST DOES NOT WANT TO REPORT PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF RECALLS. I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE FROM YOUR AGENCY INVESTIGATE, I HAVE NOT YET ORDERED THEM TIP FIX THE SUNROOF. IT'S AT THE DEALER IN UNION, NJ IF ARE WILLING TO INSPECT. THERE IS NO SCUFF MARK FROM AN OBJECT HITTING IT. I AM 99.9 SURE NOTHING HIT THE SUNROOF. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10680602

Incident

Jan 19, 2015

Mileage

11,500 mi

THE SUNROOF SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. NOTHING HIT THE VEHICLE YET VW REFUSED TO REPAIR THE DAMAGED SUNROOF. THREE PASSENGERS CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT NOTHING HIT THE VEHICLE AND NOTHING ENTERED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SUNROOF. IT SIMPLY SHATTERED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10679489

Incident

Jan 24, 2015

Mileage

6,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GLASS ON THE SUNROOF SHATTERED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,300. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10668125

Incident

Dec 6, 2014

Mileage

32,300 mi

AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY A WEEK I REALIZED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SLIGHT INCONVENIENCE TURNS OUT TO BE A MAJOR VISIBILITY ISSUE. I HAD NOTICED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THAT IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC THE INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR CAUSES BLIND SPOTS. AT FIRST I NOTICED THAT THIS WAS BLOCKING THE UPPER SECTIONS OF MOST SEDAN TYPE VEHICLES. HOWEVER ON THE DATE IN QUESTION I WAS IN MAJOR TRAFFIC THERE WAS A DELIVERY TRUCK WITH A HIGHER ROAD CLEARANCE. THIS VEHICLE BEGAN MOVING LEFT INTO MY LANE. THAT IS WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS BLOCKING MY ABILITY TO SEE THE TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ON THE REAR OF THE DELIVERY TRUCK. AFTER NOTICING THIS ISSUE I TOOK GREATER CONCERN WHEN DRIVING AND LOOKING AT THE VISIBILITY. THEN ON THE 27TH WHILE DRIVING TO A LOCAL PARK THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR ONLY ALLOWED ME TO SEE ABOUT A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR LOWER TORSO. THE CYCLIST WAS IN THE BIKE LANE JUST OFF MY FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. THIS WAS STILL THE ISSUE WHEN THE CYCLIST WAS SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF MY CAR. IF THE CYCLIST HAD SIGNALED HE WAS MERGING INTO MY LANE FOR THE UPCOMING INTERSECTION I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE HAND SIGNAL. LUCKILY BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS A BLIND SPOT BASICALLY IN FRONT MY CAR I WAS ABLE TO AVOID ANY INCIDENT. THESE ISSUES WOULD NORMALLY NOT BE AN ISSUE AS MOST REAR VIEW MIRRORS HAVE BOTH THE ABILITY TO TILT (UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT) HOWEVER ALSO CAN BE MOVED AROUND TWO INCHES UPWARD, DOWNWARD , LEFT AND RIGHT. THIS IS DUE TO THE BALL JOINTS AT BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER (BASE) OF THE INTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR. HOWEVER ON A NUMBER OF VW VEHICLES THEY DO NOT HAVE THE LOWER (BASE) BALL JOINT. THUS I AM UNABLE TO POSITION THE INTERNAL REARVIEW MIRROR TO AN APPROPRIATE LOCATION. HOPEFULLY I CAN HAVE THIS RESOLVED BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10650914

Incident

Oct 24, 2014

Mileage

400 mi