2006 Volkswagen Passat

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT WIRES WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. THE LIGHTS ARE SO BAD THAT IT IS A DANGER DRIVING AT NIGHT. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE REGULAR LIGHTS WITH LED LIGHTS, SLIGHT BETTER BUT STILL DANGEROUS. AFTER RESEARCHING WE FOUND THAT THIS IS A DEFECT AND THE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS. WE TOOK IT TO THE VW DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR AND THERE IS NOT MUCH WE CAN DO ABOUT IT BUT REPLACE THE ENTIRE LIGHTING SYSTEM WHICH WOULD BE VERY COSTLY. I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER DRIVING THIS CAR AT NIGHT.

2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. ATTORNEY REPRESENTING CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO EMERGENCY/ SIGNAL LIGHTS MALFUNCTION, SUNROOF PROBLEMS AND OTHER VEHICLE ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE ELECTRONIC KEY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE. THE BLINKER/TURN SIGNALS FAIL TO TURN OFF WHEN PROMPTED. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THE SIGNALS WOULD NOT TURN OFF UNLESS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED COMPLETELY STRAIGHT. THE SUNROOF OPENS UNPROMPTED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ROTTED UNDERNEATH. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHTS FLASHED INCESSANTLY. *JS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED AND FORCED THE DRIVER TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS AT NIGHT. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT CONCEALMENT DEVICE AND THE SWITCHES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,792. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V079000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT REPAIRED. BOTH HAD STOPPED WORKING OVER THE WEEKEND DUE TO THE INSULATION BECOMING BRITTLE AND BREAKING OFF OF BOTH WIRES TO THE PLUG THAT HOLDS THE LIGHT BULB. THE WIRES WERE SHORTING OUT PREVENTING THE HEADLIGHTS FROM WORKING. I MADE A TEMPORARY FIX BY APPLYING ELECTRICAL TAPE TO THE WIRES THAT ALLOWED THE LIGHTS TO WORK. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 120000 MILES ON IT. THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT WEST HOUSTON VW, [XXX], INDICATED THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM AND THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF ABOUT $ 800. I SEE THIS AS A DEFECT WITH THE WIRES USED FOR THE ASSEMBLY. I CHECKED ON-LINE AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THE 2006 PASSAT HEADLIGHTS FAILING. I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER CARE FOR ASSISTANCE AND WAS DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR AND THE MILEAGE. THEY ALSO INDICATED THERE WAS NO RECALL OR SERVICE ALERT ON THE PROBLEM. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE THE STAFF AT WEST HOUSTON VW KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS ONCE WE DESCRIBED IT TO THEM. IT SEEMED TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE SEEN WITH THE HEADLIGHTS FAILING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BOTH FROM THE LACK OF LIGHTS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE WORKED FOR A WIRE MANUFACTURER AND THE INSULATION DOES NOT JUST BECOME BRITTLE AND FALL OFF OF THE WIRE. THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THE INSULATION ON THE WIRE. VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE WIRING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP ON HER VEHICLE AND PREVENTS IT FROM BEING DRIVEN. SHE ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE AND AN INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED A MODULE. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $1,300. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 05/27/09 *BF UPDATED 06/08/09 *BF UPDATED 6/16/09 *NJ THE LEFT REAR CALIPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE TRANSMISSION WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE, THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL DID NOT WORK, THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE HOOD RELEASE LEVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 06/17/09.*JB

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW VW PASSAT IN JANUARY 2007. SINCE THEN I HAD TO HAVE THE HID HEADLIGHTS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY THREE TIMES. IN THE LAST WEEK I HAVE NOW HAD THE DRIVERS HEADLIGHT AND THE PASSENGER HEAD LIGHT BURN OUT. THUS I HAVE NO HEADLIGHTS ON VEHICLE THAT IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND SHE IS ALMOST LEGALLY BLIND IN ONE EYE. IN MY OPINION THE CONSTANT HEADLIGHT FAILURES (ESPECIALLY BOTH IN A TWO WEEK TIME FRAME) REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. I APPRECIATE YOU INVESTIGATION AND FEEDBACK. *TR