2009 Volkswagen Passat

The power steering system failed. At first I thought the steering wheel was locked. I started the car and could not turn the wheel. The power steering light illuminated in red and there was a loud beeping sound when the car is turned on. It was not until the car was towed that I realized that the wheel was not locked. The tow truck driver was able to turn the wheel to steer the vehicle on to the truck bed. I had someone plug in a diagnostic machine. I do not recall the exact code but he said the power steering system was not getting a signal. He replaced the steering angle sensor but that did not fix the issue. I had passenger at the time and was concerned for my safety. Luckily, the system failed while the car was parked, but we were left stranded. I have come across the following information on the Kelley Blue Book website: Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion) NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 08V577000 Report Date: Oct 31 2008 Vehicles Affected: 130 Consequence: DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO OVERCOME THE SYSTEM DURING MALFUNCTION WILL CAUSE (1) VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL; (2) THE STEERING SYSTEM MOTOR TO TURN OFF; (3) THE RED STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE; AND (4) AUDIBLE WARNINGS TO CHIME. A MALFUNCTIONING STEERING SYSTEM COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. What You Should Do: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 5, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-4822-8987. Summary: VW IS RECALLING 130 2009 PASSAT, PASSAT WAGON, AND PASSAT CC VEHICLES. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE AN ELECTROMECHANICAL STEERING GEAR CONTROL UNIT THAT CAN MALFUNCTION DUE TO A DAMAGED CAPACITOR. IF THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURS, THE DRIVER'S STEERING INPUT IS NOT PROPERLY PROCESSED BY THE SYSTEM AND THE VEHICLE MAY NOT RESPOND AS THE DRIVER INTENDS. THIS DEFECT CAN ONLY OCCUR IMMEDIATELY AFTER VEHICLE START-UP WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED FOR THE FIRST TIME AND AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 5 MPH.

THE CAR HAS STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. LIGHTS POP ON AND THE FUEL PUMP IS THE ERROR CODE, ALONG WITH MISFIRES. I HAVE HAD AT LEAST A DOZEN OR MORE CLOSE CALLS WITH THE STALL OUT AND FAILURE TO START UP, AND AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES I HAVE ALMOST BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED DUE TO THE STALL OUT. IT STALLS WHEN ITS IN MOTION OR EVEN WHEN IT IS PARKED AND IS STARTING UP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, A VERY STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (NORTH PARK VOLKSWAGEN, 21315 INTERSTATE 10 WEST, SAN ANTONIO, TX) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE BATTERY LOST ITS CHARGE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE FAILED FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V509000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE); HOWEVER, ANY OTHER DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE RECALLED PART WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL FROM VW IN OCTOBER OF 2017. IT SAID THERE COULD BE AN INTERRUPTION TO THE FUEL PUMP MODULE. RESULT COULD BE FUEL PUMP RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY, RESULTING IN DRAINED BATTERY AND/OR A NOT TART CONDITION OR CAUSE A LOTT OF MOTIVE POWER WHILE THE CARE IS IN MOTION. AFTER CONTACTING THEM NOW (JUNE 15, 2018) THEY HAVE NO FURTHER INFORMATION AT THIS TIME. IS THIS USUAL WITH A RECALL THAT SEEMS DANGEROUS?

ON 11/15/11 @33,125 MILES WHEN ACCELERATING INTERMITTENTLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL CORRECT BACK TO DRIVE "COULD NOT BE REPLICATED" BY VW SERVICE. THEN, CAR STARTED TO BECOME "HESITANT" ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR WHEN ON DRIVING. 1/16/12, HESITATION MORE FREQUENT; VW SERVICE TOOK A SHORT DRIVE,COULD NOT REPLICATE "IT'S NOT AN ISSUE UNLESS MIL" (RECOMMENDED NEW WIPER BLADES). 3/6/12, @ 41,117 MILES, CONTINUED TO INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE/WANTED TO STALL/ NEUTRAL" NO ENGINE LIGHT (MIL); 3/14/12 @ 41,595 MILES, LEFT HEADLIGHT BULB REPLACED. 6/7/12, WHILE IN TRAFFIC ON EXPRESSWAY APPROXIMATE SPEED WAS 20MPH, CAR HESITATED TO MOVE WITH FLOW OF TRAFFIC THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTER HESITATION, 2 THINGS OCCURRED @SAME TIME, I WAS REAR-ENDED & ENGINE LIGHT (MIL) CAME ON. THEN CAR HESITATED AS I WENT TO PULL OVER. MIL WENT OFF THEN FLICKERED ON. I CALLED VW SERVICE THE MIL WAS OFF & WAS TOLD THAT REAR-ENDED CAUSED THE FLICKER. MIL CONT TO INTERMITTENTLY GO ON & OFF. ON 6/30/12 @47,098 MILES, MIL ON STEERING LOCKED UP CAR HESITATING; VW SERVICE WAS INFORMED THAT AUTO BODY SHOP STATED OBD CAR MISFIRING; REPLACED L HEADLIGHT AGAIN-CAR PASSED INSPECTION. ON 7/12/12 @ 48347 MILES, MIL VW SWAPPED WIRES AGAIN; MIL, HESITATION WHILE DRIVING, & SHIFTING ISSUE STILL INTERMITTENT; 3/2/13@ 64070 MILES MIL ON L HEADLIGHT BULB REPLACED; 3/30/13 MIL REPLACE SPARK PLUGS; 4/15/13 @ 65,689 MIL IGNITION COIL MANIFOLD FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED; RETURNED 4/16/13 HESITATION REBREATHER CORRECTED; SAFETY INSPECTION MIL ON FORCED CAR TO PASSED. MIL STAYS ON STILL HESITATES @78,942 WATER PUMP; @79000 CAR HESITATING STALLING MIL INTAKE VALVE FUEL INJECTOR NEED CLEANING - L HEADLIGHT AGAIN; @91,195, LEFT HEADLIGHT REPLACED VEHICLE RET TO ME BY VW WITH MIL & STEERING LOCK LIGHTS ON REFUSED TO REPAIR 100,191 MILES MIL STILL ON 107,290 VW FORCED FAIL SAFETY INSPECTION MIL CAME ON &HAS NEVER GONE OFF

THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS STOPPED WORKING ONE DAY, ALONG WITH THE HORN. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE DISPLAY SHOWS "AIRBAG FAULT" EVERY TIME I START THE CAR. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS CAR, AND VW REFUSES TO COVER THE REPAIR. MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A FAULTY CLOCK SPRING.