2002 Volkswagen Passat power train problems

“WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR GETS FLOODED CAUSING THE WHOLE WIRING SYSTEM THROUGH THE CAR TO GET DAMAGE. THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND DIE AS YOUR DRIVING. SEEMS TO HAPPEN. WHEN ON HIGHWAY MOST. THE CAR WILL NOT START OR CRANK. I'VE HAD TO VACUUM THE FLOOR BOARDS AND TRUNK, SEARCH FOR DAMAGED WIRES, CHANGE RELAYS AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AND FUEL PUMP.AS WELL AS SENSORS. TRYING TO GET IT RUNNING AGAIN. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION JERKS VERY HARD WHEN TRYING TO GO INTO REVERSE AND MOST OF THE TIME IN SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WITHIN1OR 2 SECONDS.”

“I STARTED MY CAR AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE DOWN AROUND CITY STREETS FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. I WAS GOING SPEED LIMIT(25-30 MPH) DURING A COOL NIGHT(60*F). I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE SPIKED(CAR WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURE PRIOR(190*F; ACCORDING TO GAUGE); THIS GAUGE SPIKE WAS FOLLOWED BY A BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY CUT OFF MY ENGINE. MY CAR BECAME IMMOBILE AND I LOST BRAKE AND STEERING FUNCTION. HOWEVER, MY RADIO AND CAR LIGHTS STILL WORKED! LUCKILY THERE WAS NO SURROUNDING CARS AND MY PARKING BRAKE WAS FUNCTIONAL. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN OVER THE ENGINE ONCE MORE. IT DID START HOWEVER I AM WORRIED THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN UNDER LESS FORGIVING CIRCUMSTANCES.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE REAR AXLE BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FALL ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN; THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT NO REPAIRS COULD BE MADE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.”

“ABOUT 9 MONTHS AGO I WAS CAUGHT IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM WITH MY 2002 PASSAT 1.8T. WATER FLOODED THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT DUE TO DRAINAGE HOLE LOCATED UNDER THE BATTERY CLOGGED WITH LEAF DEBRIS. ALL POWER (STEERING, BRAKES, ETC.) WAS LOST AND CAR STALLED OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. NOW THE CAR'S BRAKES ARE MALFUNCTIONING IN FREEZING WEATHER. THE BRAKE PEDAL STICKS TO THE FLOOR AT TIMES; OTHER TIMES THE PEDAL IS VERY HARD AND MUST BE STOMPED ON TO STOP THE CAR. I CANNOT USE THE CAR UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AS IT IS TOO DANGEROUS. VW DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED DIAGNOSIS OF PROBLEM AS RESULTING FROM FREEZING WATER IN BRAKE BOOSTER. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO VW CUSTOMER CARE. THEY REFUSE TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE DEALER'S $1600 FEE TO REPLACE THE BOOSTER, BOOSTER LINES AND VACUUM PUMP. WHY HASN'T NHTSA FORCED VW TO ISSUE A RECALL AS I'VE DISCOVERED THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS? VW'S STANCE ON THIS WAS THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE NOTICED IN THE DRIVEWAY OR AT LOW SPEEDS AND THEREFORE DOESN'T POSE A SAFETY HAZARD. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AS TEMPERATURES CAN CHANGE QUICKLY DURING A JOURNEY. WHY HAS NHTSA BACKED DOWN IN THE FACE OF SUCH A LAME RESPONSE? I WILL…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS A LEMON WHEN SHE PURCHASED IT IN 2002. WATER ENTERS THE VEHICLE FROM THE SUN ROOF WHENEVER IT RAINS. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MORE THAN FIFTEEN TIMES, BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 MILES. UPDATED 8/24/09 *CN THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE WATER LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE AFTER MARKET SPEAKER. THE HEADLIGHT TAIL LIGHT AND FOG LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE COOLANT BOTTLE HAD A HAIRLINE CRACK. THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THE HEATER CORE HAD A BLOCKAGE. THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. BOTH OUTER CV BOOTS WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS A LARGE EVAP LEAK AT THE PURGE VALVE WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON. THE RIGHT SIDE VALVE COVER GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 08/26/09. *JB”

“MY CAR HAS SUDDENLY STARTED TO DOWNSHIFT ON IT'S OWN , RPM'S WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, AND THEN SUDDENLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP THE CAR WILL NOT REACT AT ALL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN RAPIDLY SURGES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS ALL IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CONTINUED COMPLAINT OF A BURNING SMELL FROM MY CENTRAL DASHBOARD VENT. ( THIS BURNING WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REMEDIED BY A RECENT RECALL. THE MECHANIC AND SERVICE ADVISOR WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS , BUT IT WAS DEEMED NORMAL AND WITHOUT DUPLICATION BY THE HEAD MECHANIC. THE SERVICE MANAGER LATER INVESTIGATED THIS AND DECIDED A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY REMEDY THE SITUATION. THIS HAS NOT HELPED AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO REACT INCONSISTENTLY WITH SUDDEN DOWNSHIFTING WHILE ACCELERATING AND THEN SUDDEN RAPID ACCELERATION SURGES FORWARD WHICH SEEM VERY UNSAFE WHEN NEGOTIATING BUSY CITY STREETS. MY CAR HAS ONLY 49,000 MILES ON IT! *TR”