1996 Volkswagen Passat electrical system problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHILE THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.”

“THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 1996 VW PASSAT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, WHICH SHUT DOWN THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 02V256000 I WAS INFORMED BY VW CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS RECALL DIDN'T APPLY TO MY VIN#, DESPITE IT BEING A 1996 PASSAT. I THINK IT SHOULD. *TR”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START SOMETIMES AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 02V256000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIR INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEALER. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT CONTACTED.”

“I HAVE HAD ONGOING ISSUES WITH ELECTRONIC AND EMISSIONS SENSORS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND RECENTLY SPENT $756.54 TO (AGAIN!) REPLACE SENSORS SO THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD PASS ITS ANNUAL EMISSIONS TEST (AS MANDATED BY THE EPA). I WROTE TO VW CUSTOMER CARE TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT OF THIS (AND PAST) CHARGES AND WAS TOLD TODAY (7/13/06) THAT NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS WERE ISSUED, SO NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE. I TOLD THEM THAT NHTSA ISSUED RECALL 99V131 (WHICH ADDRESSES SOME OF THE AREAS) BUT VW TOLD ME THAT IT DID NOT APPLY, AS ALL REIMBURSEMENTS ARE VIN-SPECIFIC. CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP? THANK YOU. *JB”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC. THE RECALL, #02V256000 CONCERNING THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2002. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK”

“CONSUMER HAD 1996 VW PASSAT IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TS THE FIRST TIME THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED IT WAS FREE OF CHARGE AND NOW THAT IT HAS FAILED AGAIN THE DEALER DOESN'T WANT TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH UNDER THE RECALL AGAIN BECAUSE THEY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS MORE THAN 8 YEARS OLD. *JB”