2000 Volkswagen Passat fuel system, gasoline problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER BEING PARKED OVERNIGHT, HE NOTICED A FUEL ODOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS HALF EMPTY AFTER BEING REFILLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAM IN THE FUEL TANK WAS FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED FUEL LEAKING UNDER THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V156000 (FUEL SYSTEM), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. UPDATED 11/01/16*LJ”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LIFTED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.”

“THE CAR WAS PARKED. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE, BUT IT DID NOT TURN OVER. I TRIED A SECOND TIME AND NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE HOOD. BY THE TIME I WENT INSIDE TO CALL FOR ROAD SERVICE AND RETURNED TO THE PARKING LOT, THERE WERE FLAMES SHOOTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. *TR”

“MAKE:VOLKSWAGEN MODEL: PASSAT YEAR:2000 STREAMING GASOLINE LEAK INBOARD OF THE REAR QUARTER PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN THE ENGINE STARTS. AFTER OPERATING FOR A TIME (20 MIN OR MORE) THE LEAK STOPS AND DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITHOUT RUNNING. THIS CONDITION WAS FIRST REPORTED TO VW HILEY ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. THEY CHECKED IT OUT AND COULD FIND NOTHING. I HAD SEEN OCCASIONAL LEAKS SINCE BUT THIS TIME SCARED ME BECAUSE IT WAS SO MUCH THAT MY GAS GAUGE MOVED AS A RESULT. I WAS HEADED TO WORK WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MINUTES AWAY. BY THE TIME I GOT THERE THE LEAK HAD STOPPED. TODAY IS JULY 5TH 2011. IT WAS SITTING SINCE JULY 1ST 2011. *KB”

“STREAMING GASOLINE LEAK INBOARD OF THE REAR QUARTER PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN THE ENGINE STARTS. AFTER OPERATING FOR A TIME (20 MIN OR MORE) THE LEAK STOPS AND DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITHOUT RUNNING. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, BUT NEITHER THE VW DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR, NOR AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE WAS ABLE TO FIND IT (BY THE TIME I GOT IT INTO THE SHOP, THE LEAK WAS GONE AND THE GAS HAD EVAPORATED). IT HAS GRADUALLY WORSENED, THOUGH, AND LAST WEEK I TOOK IT TO THE NEAREST VW DEALER. WHEN THEY DETECTED THE STRONG ODOR OF GAS, THEY PARKED IT IN AN ISOLATED AREA. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THE "ROLLOVER" VALVE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THE CAR NEEDED A NEW GAS TANK. IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP AT DREW VOLKSWAGEN IN LA MESA, CA, AWAITING PARTS. WHEN IT OCCURS, THIS IS A VERY SUBSTANTIAL LEAK WITH GAS STREAMING ONTO THE GROUND.”