1995 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Electrical System Problems

BACKUP LIGHTS DIDN'T TURN ON, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED THE ACCENT LIGHTS (LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATE THE GAUGES, WINDOW, A/C & HEATER CONTROLS AND LOCK BUTTONS ETC.) WOULD TURN ON. ALSO IF THE CAR IF THE KEYS WERE TURNED TO THE FIRST NOTCH (STEERING WHEEL UNLOCK) AND THE HEATER VENTS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION BUT NOT BLOWING (DUE TO NO POWER) WHEN YOU PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL THE AIR WOULD START BLOWING... I TRACED IT DOWN TO AN IGNORANT ELECTRICAL ENGINEER DESIGNING THE CAR. THE REVERSE LIGHTS WERE LOOMED ON TO THE TRUNK ARM, EVERYTIME THE TRUNK WAS CLOSED IT BENT THE WIRE CAUSING THE WIRE TO BREAK AND SHORT OUT OVER TIME, I FIXED THE WIRE AND REROUTED IT LOW AND BEHOLD THE REVERSE LIGHTS ARE APPARENTLY TIED INTO THE ACCENT LIGHTS AND THE A/C & HEATER CONTROLS CAUSING THOSE TO MALFUNCTION IF THE REVERSE WAS SHORTED, MY GUESS IS THEY MUST ALL SHARE A COMMON GROUND. *TR

Mileage: 165,000

I WAS STARTING MY 1995 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VR6 (MANUAL), AND IT STARTED UP JUST FINE, BUT AS I STARTED TO GET GOING, THE CAR DIED. I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE CAR INITIATED BY THE IGNITION SWITCH, INCLUDING POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING, AND HEADLIGHTS. I FOUND OUT THAT MY IGNITION SWITCH HAD MALFUNCTIONED. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA (1-800-822-8987), AND THEY TOLD ME THAT A RECALL WAS OUT FOR THE 1996 AND 1997 MODELS. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO MODEL YEARS AND MY MODEL YEAR IS THE SWITCH IN THE ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM FROM OBD 1 TO OBD 2. I KNEW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS THE SAME FOR ALL 1995 TO 1997 PASSATS, BUT JUST TO BE SURE, I CALLED STEVENS CREEK VOLKSWAGEN PARTS DEPARTMENT (1-408-492-1200). THE GUY THERE TOLD ME THAT PART NUMBERS MATCHED THROUGH ALL 3 YEARS, AND THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNTCIONS AN ALL 3 MODEL YEARS INCLUDING 1995. SO, I CALLED VW OF AMERICA AGAIN, AN ASKED THEM WHY THEY DIDN'T RECALL MY MODEL YEAR. THEY STATED THAT "VW COULD HAVE RECTIFIED THE PROBLEM" WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN ALL 3 PART NUMBERS ARE THE SAME. THEY THEN SAID THAT THEY WOULD LAUNCH THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION INTO IT, AND TOLD ME TO CALL NHTSA. MY FINAL SAY ON THIS MATTER IS THAT IT DEFINITELY IS LIFE THREATENING, BECAUSE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS ELECTRICAL, AND CAN MALFUNTCION AT AND TIME, CAUSING YOU TO LOSE POWER STEERING, BRAKES, AND LIGHTING ON THE ROAD. I WAS LUCK BECAUSE I JUST GOT GOING, AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR BACK BY MY HOUSE. MEANWHILE, VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA IS CUTTING CORNERS TO SAVE MONEY BY ONLY RECALLING THE MODEL YEARS THAT YOU HAVE TESTED, EVEN THOUGH THE MALFUNCTIONING PART IS THE SAME INALL 3 MODEL YEARS: 1995, 1996, AND 1997. AS A MEMBER OF A VW VORTEX FORUM, I WILL TELL OTHERS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM TO WRITE IN TO YOU. *AK

Mileage: 121,870

TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED AND VALVES WENT AGAINST PISTONS. ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME. IGNITION SWITCH FAIL AND LIGHTS GO OFF. RIGHT WINDOW DOESN'T WORK. IGNITION COIL IS DEFECTIVE.

Mileage: 175,000

THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO GO HIGH THEN LOW, THE FUEL GAUGE STOPPED REGISTERING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED. PH

Mileage: 87,491

THE IGNITION AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE.TS *JB

IGNITION SWITCH CAUSES INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH STARTING THE CAR, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD, IF THE CAR STALLS AND CANNOT BE RE-STARTED.*AK

ALL IN-DASH COMPONENTS TO NOT WORK WHEN KEY TURNED: A/C, FAN, ABS LIGHT COMES ON...

I LIVE IN ARIZONA. IN HIGH HEAT (90'S AND ABOVE) IS THE CAR SIT PARK FOR

I LIVE IN ARIZONA. IN HIGH HEAT (90'S AND ABOVE) IS THE CAR SIT PARK FOR

NO SUMMARY

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE INCLUDING, 5 BATTERIES IN FIVE YEARS, RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL DOWN, TRUNK LIGHT ILLUMINATES FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE DOOR LOCKS ARE INOPERATIVE. NLM

THE LOWER HALF OF THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO START. NLM

NO SUMMARY

THE MAIN AND SECONDARY CONTROL MODULES BLEW OUT WHILE GETTING A JUMP. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED.

BATTERY FAILED.

IGNITION CABLE AND SENSOR FAILED.

PURCHASED CAR NEW, REPLACED THE BATTERY FOR THE THIRD TIME . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK