2006 Volkswagen Passat

DRIVING DOWN SNOW AND ICE COVERED MOUNTAIN PASS IN COLORADO WHEN I SUDDENLY EXPERIENCED HEAVY RESISTANCE OF BRAKE PEDAL AND LOSS OF BRAKING. BRAKE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. FORTUNATELY, I MADE IT HOME SAFELY. SUBSEQUENTLY BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE VACUUM LINE FOR THE BRAKE HAD CRACKED CAUSING LOSS OF VACUUM PRESSURE AND DECREASED BRAKING. *TR

HIGH IDLE DURING HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. IDLE IS RAISED TO 1000-1050RPMS DURING TEMPERATURES ABOVE 90F. THIS CAUSES LOADING OF THE TRANSMISSION AND ADDITIONAL BRAKE PRESSURE IS NEEDED TO KEEP THE CAR AT A STOP. THIS CAN OCCUR SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY PRESENTING A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE ALMOST RAN INTO SEVERAL CARS AT VARIOUS TIMES WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC. IT HAS HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES DURING THE HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES. *TR

ABS BRAKES HAVE BEEN PUMPING WITHOUT INCLEMENT WEATHER. IT PUMPS RANDOMLY AT ANY SPEED AND ANY WEATHER. NOTHING HAS BEEN RESOLVED FROM THE DEALER. THE BRAKES ALSO MAKE EXCESSIVE NOISE, GRINDING OR METAL TO METAL TYPE OF SOUNDS OR CONTACT. IN ADDITION, MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL OR MALFUNCTIONS WITHIN THE YEAR I HAVE OWNED THE CAR- ONLY 9491 MILES. A. AIR BAG LIGHT WENT ON AND STAYED ON UNTIL I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER. B. THE DRIVER SUN VISOR SHORTED AND WAS INOPERATIVE. C. IGNITION WAS WEAK AND WOULD NOT START AFTER SEVERAL TIMES. CAR WOULD DIE. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, NO RESOLVE. THE COMPUTER COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. FINALLY AS I AM DRIVING THE OTHER DAY, A MALFUNCITON LIGHT APPEARS AND THE CAR DIES. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER. D. AFTER 5,000 MILES CHECK UP, THE SERVICE LIGHT APPEARED AND STAYED ON UNTIL I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER TO TURN OFF. E. AT THIS TIME, THE CAR IS IN THE DEALER. THEY FOUND THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAULTY AND WILL BE REPLACING IT. *TR

I OWN A 2006 VW PASSAT 2.0T. TWO DAYS AGO, AS MY WIFE WAS PARKING WITH THE BABY IN THE BACK SEAT, THE BRAKES SUDDENLY FAILED COMPLETELY AND SHE SMACKED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER AND IT INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN THOSE CARS AND MY WIFE AND BABY ARE OKAY. SHE THEN FILED A POLICE REPORT AND HAD THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER. NOW I KNOW ABOUT THE LATE 2006 RECALL AND WE HAD THAT FIXED BUT GEEZ, IT'S A GOOD THING SHE WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY! AS OF YESTERDAY, VW MECHANICS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND COULD NOT FIND A MECHANICAL OR COMPUTER ERROR. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THEY ROAD TESTED IT AND IT WAS FINE. HOWEVER, MY CAR MODEL WAS RECALLED BY VW IN 12/06 AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED A POWER BRAKE ISSUE. OF COURSE YESTERDAY THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ALSO RECALLED JUST YESTERDAY FOR A SOFTWARE UPDATE. MEANS NOTHING I GUESS...AND THEY'VE ROAD TESTED IT AGAIN. BY THE WAY, HAD MY WIFE FLOORED THE GAS, WITH THE 2.0T ENGINE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE. WITNESSES SAW HER SCREAMING AND LOOKING DOWN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. VW CONSUMER AFFAIRS, IS ALSO INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE AND THE DEALERS SERVICE LEVELS. NOW TODAY, SOMETHING SURPRISING HAPPENED. MY LOJACK EARLY WARNING SYSTEM CALLED AN EMAILED ME BECAUSE AS IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE ROAD TESTING IT. FUNNY, THEY SAID THEY ROAD TESTED IT YESTERDAY AS WELL BUT I HAD NO EARLY WARNING FROM LOJACK. SOUNDS LIKE I CAUGHT THE SERVICE CENTER IN A LIE. *JB

ON JANUARY 23, 2007, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH CRESTMONT VW IN POMPTON LAKES, NJ TO PERFORM THE BRAKE LINE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 06V472000 ) AND WIPER MOTOR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 06V470000 ) RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I INTENTIONALLY MADE THE ADVANCE APPOINTMENT FOR NINE BUSINESS DAYS LATER, FEBRUARY 2, 2007, TO GIVE CRESTMONT VW TIME TO ORDER THE NECESSARY PARTS. DURING THE FIRST VISIT ON FEBRUARY 2, 2007, CRESTMONT VW WAS ONLY ABLE TO REPAIR THE WIPER MOTOR BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE TO SECURE THE NECESSARY PART FOR THE BRAKE LINE RECALL, EVEN WITH THE ADVANCE NOTICE OF NINE BUSINESS DAYS. SHORTLY AFTER MY FIRST VISIT, ON FEBRUARY 4, 2007, THE BRAKE PART COVERED BY THE RECALL FAILED AND RENDERED MY PASSAT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO CRESTMONT VW, AND ON FEBRUARY 6, 2007, I WAS INFORMED THAT CRESTMONT VW HAD BROKEN ANOTHER PART WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR THE BRAKE VACUUM LINE. AT THIS TIME, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE NECESSARY PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL AT LEAST THE MIDDLE OF MARCH. *JB

2/5 NOON: AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY APARTMENT COMPLEX ON TO A MAIN ROAD, MY BRAKES WENT OUT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS GOING 10 MPH SO WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP SIMPLY BY LETTING OFF THE GAS AND PUSHING THE WHEEL AGAINST A CURB. ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE AND EMI CAME ON. 12:07: IN MY ATTEMPT TO REACH VW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, I WAS PUT ON AUTOMATED HOLD FOR OVER 25 MINUTES. 12:35: I CALLED THE GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND AT THAT POINT WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE REGARDING VACUUM HOSE TO THE BRAKE LINES BUT THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE RESULTED IN TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. RE-DIRECTED ME TO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AGAIN. 12:40: PLACED ON AUTOMATED HOLD WITH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FOR 15+ MINUTES AGAIN AND AT THAT POINT BEGAN LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS. 1:15: RECEIVED A CALL FROM THIRD PARTY MOC ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CONFIRMING SOMEBODY WAS ON THEIR WAY TO PICK ME UP AND SHOULD BE THERE WITHIN THE HOUR. 2:25: CAR WAS DROPPED OFF AT TOM WOOD VOLKSWAGON OF INDIANAPOLIS, IN. I WAS GIVEN A RENTAL CAR FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. 2/9 WENT TO GET MY CAR. THEY HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM AND HAD NO EXPLANATION WHY I DIDN'T RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER. THEY SAID THE RECALL HAD BEEN MADE PUBLIC 26 DECEMBER 2005 AND THAT I SHOULD CHECK MY MAILING ADDRESS WITH VAG (IRONIC HOW ALL MY FINANCING STATEMENTS COME ON TIME THOUGH!). THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE WIPER SYSTEM ISSUED AT THE SAME TIME (ALSO OF WHICH I WAS NOT NOTIFIED). WHEN THEY PERFORMED THIS RECALL AT THIS TIME ALSO, THEY RETURNED THE CAR TO ME W/O THE WIPERS FUNCTIONING! I WAS OUTRAGED THAT THEY DIDN'T CHECK THE WIPER SYSTEM BEFORE TELLING ME IT WAS O.K. IT TOOK THEM A FEW MINUTES TO GET THE WIPERS GOING AND I WAS ON MY WAY. IT WASN'TT DOING ANY GOOD TO SPEAK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAVE BEGUN TO CONSULT LAWYERS REGARDING ACTIONS AGAINST VAG DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS SAFETY RECALL. SUFFERING: MENTAL ANGUISH, FEAR OF UNSAFE CAR, LOST PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VW PASSAT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON JANUARY 25, 2007 RE: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM. THE DEALER HONORED THE RECALL. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DIDN'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. FIVE DAYS AFTER RECEIVING THE RECALL THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE A FAMILY MEMBER WAS DRIVING 10 MPH. THE BRAKES WOULDN'T ENGAGE. THE BRAKES REMAINED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. VOLKSWAGEN WILL HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE CONTACT REQUESTED TO TERMINATE THE LEASE AND ACCEPT A DIFFERENT VEHICLE OR AN ALLOWANCE FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. ALSO, THE CONTACT'S RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 200 MILES AND HE FELT THE VEHICLE WAS A LEMON. *AK

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT IT STALLED IN A TURN. HE HAD BEEN DRIVING ALONG STEADILY FOR 2 HOURS WITH OUT INCIDENT PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE LOSING POWER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS INOPERABLE, THE WORK WAS COMPLETED, HOWEVER 2 HOURS LATER THE HEADLIGHT FAILED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS A ONE TO THREE SECOND LAG IN THE ACCELERATOR, MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN THE CONSUMER IS TRUING TO ACCELERATOR. THERE WAS A RATTLE COMING FROM THE HEADLINER/SUNROOF ASSEMBLY. THERE WAS A RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TRIM PIECES. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE FOG LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 01/31/07. *JB

I HAVE HAD RECURRENT ISSUES WITH MY 2006 PASSAT. I JUST GOT THE CAR BACK FROM THE DEALER AFTER BEING AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS FOR 25 DAYS, AND I WAS TRYING TO BRAKE AT THE END OF MY STREET AND THE CAR DID NOT BRAKE. THE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD -- I COULD BARELY PUSH IT IN WITH TWO FEET. I ACTIVATED THE PARKING BRAKE, AND THE CAR STOPPED -- THANK GOD, I WAS ONLY GOING 10 MPH, BUT IF I ROLLED INTO THE INTERSECTION I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHEN THE CAR STOPPED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING UP AND DOWN AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FLICKERING OR SURGING AND GETTING BRIGHTER AND DIMMER AND BRIGHTER VERY RAPIDLY. I TURNED ON THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO BETTER VIEW MY DASH, AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE SURGING/FLICKERING AS WELL. IN ONE OF MY PREVIOUS VISITS FOR DEALER REPAIRS, THEY TOLD ME THEY PUT IN A BRAND NEW ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING AGAIN? THIS CAR IS BEYOND REPAIR. I BELIEVE I HAVE A LEMON AND IT IS DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT AFTER A 25-DAY STINT IN THE DEALER REPAIR CENTER IT'S STILL NOT WORKING. THIS IS THE LAST OF MANY TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. INCIDENTALLY, WHILE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, I BOUGHT IT AFTER USING IT AS A LOANER WHEN MY 2006 JETTA TDI WAS IN THE SHOP MORE THAN I DROVE IT DURING MY PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP. THAT CAR HAD SOME ISSUES AS WELL, SO WHEN I LIKED THE PASSAT I DECIDED TO TRADE IT IN. I'VE ONLY DRIVEN THIS PASSAT FOR LESS THAN 5,000 MILES AND IT IS TERRIBLE. MY WIFE DRIVES A 2006 JETTA TDI (A DIFFERENT ONE) WHICH RUNS GREAT. HOW CAN ONLY ONE OF THREE CARS PURCHASED IN LESS THAN A SIX MONTH PERIOD FUNCTION PROPERLY. THIS IS SERIOUSLY IMPACTING MY VIEWS OF VW QUALITY. I HAVE TROUBLE WRITING VW AND THE WORD QUALITY IN THE SAME SENTENCE. THANK GOD I DIDN'T DIE TONIGHT. *NM