1999 Volkswagen Passat electrical system problems

“CAR WAS HAVING A FOUL ODOR. DEALER DID NOT HAVE INFORMATION FOR OTHER COMPLAINTS. AFTER WORK, CAR WOULD NOT START, ALARM WOULD NOT STOP. ALARM KILLED BATTERY. DEALER SAID LEAK IN SUNROOF CAUSED MODULE TO CORRODE AND LEAK INTO INTERIOR. $1,440.00 TO REPAIR. PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED IN CLASS ACTION BUT OUR CAR IS NOT INCLUDED. I AM LEASING A CAR FOR MY SON TO DRIVE BUT NOW HIS DAUGHTER HAS ECZEMA AND ASTHMA FROM THE MOLD. HOW CAN I GET VW TO FIX MY CAR TOO? *TR”

“PURCHASE VEHICLE ON NOVEMBER 23,2012 AFTER GETTING THE MECHANICS APPROVAL THAT IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE (OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON) SUPPOSEDLY THE VEHICLE PASSED EMISSIONS,AND DROVE 17 MILES AWAY FROM DEALERSHIP APPLE AUTO IN WALLINGFORD,CT WHEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. NO POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALERSHIP AT MY EXPENSE. *TR”

“ELECTRICAL FIRE IN A 1999 VW PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING, I HAD TO TOGGLE THE FAN SWITCH TO GET THE FAN TO TURN OFF. THIS SLIGHT MALFUNCTION WAS FOLLOWED BY A PUFF OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE CENTER DASHBOARD VENT, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY MORE AND MORE SMOKE. I PULLED OVER AT A AUTO DEALERSHIP/SERVICE STATION AND ASKED EMPLOYEES FOR ASSISTANCE. BY THE TIME THEY BEGAN SPRAYING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER INTO THE VENTS (ABOUT A MINUTE OR TWO AFTER THE INITIAL PUFF OF SMOKE), FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF THE CENTRAL DASH VENT. THE FIRE MELTED THE A/C BLOW CONTROL ASSEMBLY, 3 ELECTRICAL PIGTAILS AND SOME CONNECTORS. *TR”

“AT RANDOM INTERVALS WHILE DRIVING, THE ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, AND ASR LIGHT FLASH WITH ACCOMPANYING WARNING BEEPS AND THE TACHOMETER GOES TO ZERO. THESE WARNING EVENTUALLY GO AWAY ON THEIR OWN. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAS BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL INTERMITTENTLY PRESENT. *TR”

“I GOT IN MY CAR ONE MORNING AND STARTED THE ABS LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND HAS PRETTY MUCH BEEN ON SINCE AND I HAVE NOTICED WITHOUT ABS MY CAR DOESN'T STOP NEAR AS FAST AS IT USED TO THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE ABS COMPUTER FAILED AND THE MANUFACTURE WOULD HAVE TO SEND ME ANEW ONE BUT THAT IT WAS REALLY PRICY TO FIX AND A GROUP THAT I AM WITH ALSO DRIVE THE SAME CARS A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM AND THERE'S HAS FAILED JUST LIKE MINE DID. *TR”

“NORMAL USAGE ON THE CAR. AT ~75K MILES, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT BLINK AND THE DASHBOARD BEEPS ANY TIME THE CAR DROPS BELOW 15 MILES PER HOUR. ABS MODULE IS FAULTY, DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN. WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE ON PASSATS OF THIS ERA. *TR”