2000 Volkswagen Passat engine and engine cooling problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING AND THE "EMISSIONS WORK" INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SOMETIMES DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E007000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.”

“WHEN ACCELERATION AND ENGAGING PASSING MODE, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE EVEN WHEN PEDAL RELEASED. VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL SPEED AND BRAKE. HAVE DONE INTERNET SEARCH ON PROBLEM AND FIND IT FAIRLY COMMON WITH VW PASSAT AND CERTAIN AUDI MODELS THAT USE SAME THROTTLE BODY. THIS DEVICE APPARENTLY REQUIRES REGULAR SERVICING TO AVOID STICKING PROBLEM. THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND IN MY OWN INSTANCE, COULD EASILY HAVE LED TO A HIGHSPEED ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE WAS JUST PURCHASED BY ME AND WENT THROUGH MD MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION IN DECEMBER, 2011. *TR”

“2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE THAT DIE UNEXPECTEDLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED WHILE MAKING TURNS ACROSS HIGHWAYS AND ENTERING FREEWAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES WHERE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE STALLING CONTINUED. *JB”

“IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS MY 2000 VW PASSAT HAS A BURNING SMELL LIKE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE AFTER DRIVING A BIT (I'VE NOTICED THIS PARTICULARLY WHEN THE HEATER IS ON), HAS HESITATED AND JUMPED WHEN I'VE TRIED TO SHIFT GEARS AND ACCELERATE, AND A WHILE AGO THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS GOING ON WHEN THIS HESITATION OCCURRED; ALTHOUGH THIS LIGHT HASN'T COME ON IN THE SAME SITUATION LATELY, AND THE HESITATION ITSELF DOESN'T SEEM TO BE OCCURRING AS MUCH AS BEFORE. AT ANY RATE, I STILL GET THE BURNING SMELL AND RECENTLY READ THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS VERY MAKE AND MODEL BY NHTSA FOR SAID PROBLEMS. MY MECHANIC HAS BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG THERE IS NO PROBLEM, BUT PERHAPS HE DOESN'T KNOW OF THIS INVESTIGATION. WHAT SHOULD I DO? *TR”

“WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED BY ITSELF (COMPUTER FAILURE?). MY HUSBAND, WHO WAS DRIVING, HAD TO USE BOTH FEET, PRESSING DOWN AS HARD AS HE COULD, TO STOP THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF US AND WE WERE FAR ENOUGH BACK THAT WE DID NOT ACCELERATE INTO THE INTERSECTION. THE ENGINE SOUND RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER 15-30 SECONDS AND WE DROVE IT HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT BUT WE HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR FOR SAFETY REASONS. IN ADDITION, THE ABS COMPUTER MODULE HAS ALSO FAILED, THOUGH WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY INCIDENTS RELATED TO THAT FAILURE AS THE BRAKES ARE OTHERWISE FINE.”

“I AM THE OWNER OF A 2000 VW PASSAT WITH THE 1.8 LITER TURBO ENGINE. THIS ENGINE IS KNOWN TO HAVE SERIOUS SLUDGING ISSUES. THIS WAS UNKNOWN TO ME. TWO MONTHS AGO MY OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR LIT UP. I COULD NOT FIND ANY OIL PRESSURE ISSUES SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 45 MILES AWAY. THEY "INSPECTED" THE CAR AND INFORMED ME THE ENGINE WAS SLUDGED UP. APPARENTLY VW HAS A WARRANTY REGARDING THIS ISSUE BUT ONLY IF YOU CAN PRODUCE EVERY RECEIPT OF EVERY OIL CHANGE THE VEHICLE HAS EVER HAD FROM THE DAY IT WAS PURCHASED FROM VW. PROBLEM: I AM THE SECOND OWNER. I CAN NOT PRODUCE RECEIPTS FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. TO COMPOUND THE PROBLEM I PURCHASE MY OIL AND FILTERS BY THE CASE TO LAST ME SEVERAL YEARS. I DO NOT HAVE THOSE RECEIPTS OF THOSE PURCHASES ANYMORE. I CHANGED THE OIL ACCORDING VW SPECIFICATIONS LOCATED IN THE MANUAL. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE VW DECIDED TO CHANGE THE OWNERS MANUAL TO STATE THAT SYNTHETIC OIL MUST BE USED INSTEAD OF REGULAR MOTOR OIL, BUT DID NOT INFORM ME OF THIS. VW WILL/HAS CONTACTED ME AS THE NEW OWNER OF THE CAR REGARDING RECALLS BUT WOULD NOT INFORM ME OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE CHANGE THAT COULD DESTROY MY ENGINE. NOW VW WANTS TO…”