1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Electrical System Problems

FIRE IN RUBBER BOOT HOUSING BETWEEN LEFT REAR DOOR AND CAR FRAME. PRECEDING EVENTS, LEFT REAR DOOR SPEAKER WAS NOT FUNCTIONING, LEFT REAR WINDOW FUNCTIONED SOMETIMES. DOOR WAS CLOSED AFTER RETURNING HOME AND PARKING GARAGE. ARCING WAS HEARD AND SMOKE CAME FROM DOOR. OWNER REMOVED MANY FUSES FROM DRIVERS SIDE FUSE PANEL AND THEN REMOVED CONNECTIONS TO MAIN BATTERY. DOOR PANEL COVER WAS REMOVED AND BOOT REMOVED TO FIND HOUSING ON 5 OF THE 8 WIRES BURNT AND MOST OF THE WIRE BURNT THROUGH THE WIRE. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. *TR

Mileage: 81,000

THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON,FOLLOWED BY THE BRAKE LIGHT BLINKING THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT COMES ON AND THE TACHOMETER GOES TO 0 AND STOPS WORKING EVEN THOUGH I AM ACCELERATING. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE IT CAN BE RESEARCHED ON HTTP://TECH.BENTLEYPUBLISHERS.COM/THREAD.JSPA?THREADID=2447&TSTART=0. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

MY ABS LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON FOLLOWED BY THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHING> UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON SEVERAL VARIOUS FORUMS ON THE NET. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMONLY DEFECTIVE PART ON SEVERAL MODEL YEARS FROM 98-01. THE OLDEST POSTING I FOUND WAS DONE IN 2000 AND THE VEHICLE WAS A 99. FROM RESEARCHING THIS IT APPEARS EVEN VW DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO GET CORRECT PROBLEM CODES ON THIS ISSUE. I SAW POSTINGS FROM MANY OWNERS STATING THEY WERE TOLD EVERYTHING FROM ABS MODULES NEEDING REPLACED TO INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS TO WIRING ISSUES. IT APPEARS NO ONE IS ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS AS SOME OWNERS AFTER THE DEALER RECOMMEND REPLACEMENTS DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. IN THE SHORT TIME I LOOKED INTO THIS I FEEL THAT VW SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO RESOLVE IT. I SAW LITERALLY YEARS WORTH OF POSTINGS A ON THIS ISSUE ON BENTLEY PUBLISHERS WEBSITE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THINGS THAT DID NOT DO ANY RESEARCH ON IT. *TR

Mileage: 94,400

MY ABS LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON FOLLOWED BY THE BRAKE LIGHT FLASHING> UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON SEVERAL VARIOUS FORUMS ON THE NET. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMONLY DEFECTIVE PART ON SEVERAL MODEL YEARS FROM 98-01. THE OLDEST POSTING I FOUND WAS DONE IN 2000 AND THE VEHICLE WAS A 99. FROM RESEARCHING THIS IT APPEARS EVEN VW DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO GET CORRECT PROBLEM CODES ON THIS ISSUE. I SAW POSTINGS FROM MANY OWNERS STATING THEY WERE TOLD EVERYTHING FROM ABS MODULES NEEDING REPLACED TO INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS TO WIRING ISSUES. IT APPEARS NO ONE IS ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT THE ISSUE IS AS SOME OWNERS AFTER THE DEALER RECOMMEND REPLACEMENTS DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE. IN THE SHORT TIME I LOOKED INTO THIS I FEEL THAT VW SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO RESOLVE IT. I SAW LITERALLY YEARS WORTH OF POSTINGS A ON THIS ISSUE ON BENTLEY PUBLISHERS WEBSITE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THINGS THAT DID NOT DO ANY RESEARCH ON IT. *TR

Mileage: 94,400

OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, PARKED IT, AND THEN NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HEATER AND ALSO NOTICED THE HOOD LIGHT GOING ON AND OFF. FIRE BURNED THROUGHOUT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND PART OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE. CAUSE UNDETERMINED. *NM

1) ON EARLY MODEL VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS WITH THE 4CYL. 1.8 LITRE TURBO MOTORS, THE IGNITION CONTROL UNIT WILL FAIL WITH NO WARNINGS AT ALL. 2)THE CAR DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY. THE OWNER IS LEFT WITH CONSTANT MISFIRING, AND IF DRIVEN CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS EMISSION TROUBLES DOWN THE ROAD. SINCE THE FAILURE IS COMPLETELY RANDOM AND SHOWS NO SIGNS OF A PROBLEM, THIS CAN AND USUALLY WILL LEAVE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS STRANDED. 3)THE UNIT MUST BE REPLACED OR THE CAR WILL NOT RUN PROPERLY. I PURCHASED A UNIT OF THE BRAND HUCO, BECAUSE THE OEM UNIT (BOSCH) LISTS FOR NEARLY $400.

Mileage: 68,000

ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY LIGHT UP AND SOUND AN EMERGENCY. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO TWO GARAGES, AND NEITHER PLACE CAN DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES I CANI FEEL MY ABS SYSTEM LOCK UP IF I AM TURNING (NOT IN ANY WET CONDITIONS); AND IN THOSE OCCASIONS, I WAS FORTUNATE THAT NO CARS HAD BEEN COMING TOWARD ME B/C I WAS UNABLE TO GAIN CONTROL. NEITHER MECHANIC SAW ANY FAULT IN MY BRAKES, BRAKE PADS, SHOES, ETC., SO THERE IS SOMETHING ELECTRICAL TO BLAME; AND THIS IS A COMPLAINT HEARD OFTEN WITH 1998-1999 VW PASSATS. EITHER WAY, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, ONLY 300.00 IN DIAGNOSTICS.

Mileage: 83,730

DAILY DRIVING CONDITIONS THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON WITH AUDIBLE WARNING AND THE BRAKE LIGHT BLINKS CONTINUOUSLY. ROOT PROBLEM IS THE ABS ELECTRONIC MODULE THAT IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AS MUCH WEB RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED THROUGH ONLINE PASSAT FORUMS.

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. ALSO, VEHICLE LOST POWER. SIMULTANEOUSLY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. A MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WAS APPARENT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK

Mileage: 99,000

OIL PUMP FAILURE, FAULTY CD PLAYER, INOPERATIVE CRUISE CONTROL, IGNITION MODULE. MANY FAILURES FOR SUCH A NEW CAR. WARRANTY IS GOOD FOR 10 YEARS 100,000 MILES FOR ORIGINAL OWNER, 5 YORK 50,000 FOR SECOND. CAR WAS PLACED IN SERVICE 2/19/98 WE THERE FORE MISSED THE 5 YEAR COVERAGE BY 4 MONTHS. *NLM

Mileage: 96,000

WHILE DRIVING SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PULLED OVER, OPENED HOOD AND SAW VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE SUFFERED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. ALSO, THROTTLE BODY AND CV JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE STALLES, MISFIRED, AND IDLE FLUCTUATED FROM LOW TO HIGH. *AK

STARTER COIL FAILURE - FOR OVER A MONTH THE PROBLEM WOULD APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR. SOUNDED ALMOST LIKE THE MUFFLER FELL OFF, BUT WOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY LOSS OF POWER TO THE VEHICLE. UNEXPLAINABLE AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED.

Mileage: 62,520

CAR STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES AT ANY SPEED DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION COIL SWITCH. ENGINE WORK VERY SLOWLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER STATES INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS GOING OUT OR NOT COMING ON WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. BULB NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TT

THE VECHICLE IS HAVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS, CONSUMERS WIFE FOUND WATER IN THE CAR ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE, AND THEN TRIED TO START THE IGINTION, HOWEVER IT WOULD NOT START, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP TO BE LOOK AT ALL REPAIR WAS PAID PULL. *MJ *CB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD GONE OUT, NOTHING IN VEHICLE THAT WAS ELECTRICAL MOVED AT ALL. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE.*AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION STEERING LOCK. ONE TIME SINCE THE REPAIRS THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS STOPPED WORKING FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. ALL COMPONENTS ARE OPERATING FINE NOW. *JG

WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS W/THIS VEHICLE (SUSPENSION, TEMP SENSORS) BEFORE PROBLEMS WERE "KNOWN". THIS LATEST INCIDENT IS NOW @APPROX $1000 FOR DIAGNOSING AND THE EXACT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE DISCOVERED

SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER/ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WITH NO ENGINE SYSTEMS AND NO POWER STEERING ASSIST. SAFTEY CONCERN FROM REAR END ACCIDENTS FROM OTHER VEHICLES AND NO AVOIDANCE CONTROL. ALSO, REGULAR LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID REQUIRES CONSTANT MONITORING.

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE STARTING UP. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM IS STILL UNRESOLVED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

OIL PUMP WENT OUT AS WELL, TOO MANY PROBLEN IN TWO YEARS!

CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATED DUE TO FAULTY FUEL PUMP WIRING. NLM

VW HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSATS ELECTRICAL. VERY DANGEROUS. CAR STALLS INTERMITTENT. ALMOST GOT HIT MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN THE CAR STALLED. ALMOST LOST CONTROL ON THE FREEWAY WHEN CAR LOSS ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE ENGINE. *AK

# 4 MISFIRE CAUSING LOSS OF OPERATION. *ET

REMOTE DOES NOT OPEN / CLOSE LOCKS ON DOOR. *YC

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN MY VW PASSTA. I HAVE HAD THE RADIO PICK THE TURN SIGNAL WHILE LISTENING TO AM STATIONS. THE LIGHTS IN THE AIRCONDITIONG COMPONENT STOPPED WORKING. THE PASSAENGER DR BEHIND THE DRIVERS SIDE LOCKING MECHANISM IS STILL BROKEN (EVEN AFTER 4-5 TRIPS TO THE DEALER). THE PASSENGER DOOR BEHING THE FRONT PASSENGER HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED BECAUSE IT WOULD NO LOCK. THE TRUCK MECHANISM STOPPED LOCKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE LIGHTS IN THE BACK FELL OUT. THE CAR SIMPLY CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE SECURITY SYSTEM WENT HAYWIRE FOR NO REASON.

HORN SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS LOOSE. YH

COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM AND ENGINE SENSOR FAILED CAUSING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. YH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES CONTINUALLY, UNABLE TO RECTIFY FAILURE WHICH CAUSES MANY COMPONENT FAILURES.

WIRING FAILURE OVER THE GLOVE BOX AREA.