2001 Volkswagen Golf engine and engine cooling problems

“VW DEALER PERFORMED 2ND REQUIRED TIMING BELT/WATER PUMP CHANGE AT 154626 MILES, 5400 EARLIER THAN REQUIRED, AT APPROX 183600 MILES, 30K MILES LATER WATER PUMP FAILED UPON REMOVAL OF WATER PUMP FOUND PLASTIC IMPELLER SLIPPING / NOT ATTACHED TO METAL DRIVE SHAFT. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILED WATER PUMP, THE ENGINE OVER HEATED. DUE TO DEFECT HISTORY DID NOT INSTALL NEW VW MANUFACTURED WATER PUMP, PLASTIC/COMPOSITE IMPELLER,. REQUIRED AN AFTERMARKET OEM BUILT WATER PUMP, WITH METAL IMPELLER ASSEMBLY TO BE INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. THE REMOVED DAMAGE WATER PUMP IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR”

“EXPERIENCE TWO EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURES ON TWO DIFFERENT 01 TDI VW GOLFS. EXPERIENCED SEPARATION THE OF THE EXHAUST PIPE/DOWN PIPE ASSY AT THE WELD OF THE CAT EXIT. ONE CAR WITH 179800 MILES AND THE OTHER WITH 73000 MILES. AS A RESULT A STRONG EXHAUST SMELL WAS NOTICED IN THE CABIN DURING CITY DRIVING. BOTH CARS EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM WITHIN THE SAME WEEK. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED LOW POWER, ROUGH IDLING, AND HESITATION. THE CHECK ENGINE AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATORS REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE RELATED TO THE COIL PACK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES WITH NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY IS INOPERABLE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”

“THE DEALERSHIP SOLD ME A VEHICLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT HAS PROBLEMS WITH OIL LEAKS AND OIL CONSUMPTION (AS WELL AS OTHER PROBLEMS) EXPERIENCED WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICING 4 DAYS AFTER PURCHASED AND HAVE MADE 8 REPAIR ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WILL BE RETURNED, FOR THE SECOND TIME, TO THE DEALERSHIP AND RESOLD TO ANOTHER UNSUSPECTING PERSON UNLESS IT IS PROPERLY NOTED TO AUTOCHECK AND CARFAX THAT IT IS A LEMON AND HAS BEEN BOUGHT BACK TWICE. *TR”

“WHILE DRIVING 2001 PASSAT 1.8 TURBO ON INTERSTATE WHEN STOPPING ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TURNED CAR OFF, AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER, WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL SLUDGE PROBLEM, AND ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE TORN DOWN AND REBUILT. PURCHASED CAR IN MARCH 2005 ,AND HAD OIL CHANGED BY DEALER, WHO NEVER INFORMED ME OF LETTER ISSUED BY VOLKSWAGEN, MODIFYING INFORMATION IN OWNERS MANUAL ABOUT DECREASING TIME BETWEEN OIL CHANGES AND TYPE OF OIL TO USE.*AK”

“THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WENT ON, I HAD TWO HOSES REPLACED, AND WAS TOLD NOTHING ELSE WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. HOWEVER, A DAY LATER, THE LIGHT WENT BACK ON. I WAS TOLD THE AIR FILTER NEEDED CLEANING AND ALL WAS WELL. A DAY AFTER THAT, THE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN, AND THE CAR WAS HAVING PROBLEMS AT IGNITION, IT WAS STALLING AND JUST TURNED OFF. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED AN IGNITION COIL. THAT WAS FIXED. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN! THE NEXT MORNING BEFORE THE DEALER OPENED, I TRIED TURNING ON THE CAR, AND NOW HAD A SECOND LIGHT THE EPC (ELECTRONIC CONTROL PANEL). THE CAR TURNED ON, BUT GEARS AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS DOWN, AND I COULDN'T EVEN SWITCH GEARS. THAT WAS HARD TO GET IT ON A TOW TRUCK TO DRIVE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THAT WAS REPLACED, AND AT THAT POINT I WAS TOLD OF A RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED FOR THE CAR, SO IT STAYED AT THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE RECALL. A RECALL I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT, BY MAIL OR OTHERWISE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT MOVED IN 2 YEARS, AND PRIOR TO THAT I LIVED WITH MY PARENTS. ANYTHING SENT TO ME TO EITHER ADDRESS, DOES GET TO ME. AFTER THE RECALL WAS FIXED, THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN AND…”