2006 Volkswagen Passat

I HAVE A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T WITH 65,000 MILES ON IT. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS I'VE BEEN RECEIVING SEVERAL ERROR MESSAGES FROM THE HUD / HEADS-UP DISPLAY: "DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN LOCK" AND "IMMOBILIZER ACTIVE". THIS IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY THE CAR FIRING FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STALLING OUT. ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR AGAIN IMMEDIATELY ONLY RESULTS IN A STRANGE AND LOUD ON/OFF "CLICKING" TYPE SOUND (AS IF IT'S TRYING TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND FAILING TO DO SO). WAITING 2-3 MINUTES AND TRYING AGAIN USUALLY SEEMS TO DO THE TRICK, BUT TODAY THE CAR WOULDN'T START AT ALL. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED-- NEARLY $2000 IN REPAIRS. OF COURSE, CURIOSITY GOT THE BEST OF ME, AND I DECIDED TO RESEARCH INTO THIS A BIT MORE. TURNS OUT THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POSTS ONLINE OF VW CUSTOMERS HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE EXACT SAME YEAR AND MODEL. IT'S SORT OF INSULTING, ESPECIALLY LEARNING THAT VW INITIATED A RECALL IN IRELAND FOR THE SAME ISSUE, JUST NOT IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS HAS CLASS-ACTION LAW SUIT WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. OBVIOUSLY I WAS NOT HARMED BY THIS DEFECT, BUT I CAN SEE HOW IT *COULD* HARM SOMEBODY, AND READ OF SEVERAL OTHER VICTIMS WHO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. IT'S JUST SAD THAT IT TAKES SOMETHING AS AWFUL AS PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE BEFORE SOMEBODY STEPS UP AND TAKES ACTION. THIS IS NOT RIGHT... *TR

2006 VW PASSAT. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN MAKING RATTLING AND LOUD POPPING NOISE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE LEAVING WORK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A HALT. EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS ON, THE WHEELS WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE RIGHT AXLE HAD BROKEN. PRIOR TO THE AXLE FAILING, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND IT ALSO CAUSED THE BRAKE BOOSTER PIPE TO MELT, WHICH LEFT THE CONSUMER WITH NO BRAKES. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HEAT SHIELDS ON THE TURBO FAILED, CAUSING THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE CONTACT'S FACTORY WARRANTY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 47,000.

THE CAR WILL OCCASIONALLY, YET SPORADICALLY, NOT START. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO START BUT IT STALLS. THE ERROR MESSAGE SOMETIMES SAYS STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY, INCLUDING WHEN I LEAVE FROM WORK. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AND ONCE AFTER AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *TR

2006 VW PASSAT BOUGHT 14 MONTHS AGO IN SHOP 3 TIMES, THERMOSTAT FIXED MY EXPENSE, COILS REPLACED VW EXPENSE, CAR HAS 90000 MILES AND AM BEING TOLD CAMSHAFT NEEDS REPLACING ALONG WITH FUEL PUMP - NOTICED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. P2293 CODE ON AND OFF FOR 3 MONTHS VW IS NO HELP EXCEPT FOR PAY FOR REPAIRS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE COMPRESSOR CREATED METAL PARTICLES THAT TRAVEL THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM CAUSING THE AIR CONDITIONER TO FAIL. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE COMPRESSOR DEFECT THE REPAIR REQUIRED THE REMOVAL OF THE ENTIRE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED; HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.