1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Power Train Problems

BEGINNING IN JUNE 2002, I BEGAN REPORTING TO VW SERVICE CENTERS ISSUES WITH THE SUSPENSION AND DRIVETRAIN. MOST OF THESE ISSUES WERE REFERENCED BY THE NHTSA (SEE 99V248000). ON JANUARY 25, 2005 I WROTE TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA DETAILING THE SUSPENSION AND DRIVETRAIN ISSUES, INCLUDING REFERENCING THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBERS AND PROVIDING VOA WITH COPIES OF MY SERVICE RECORDS. VOA SUBSEQUENTLY RESPONDED BY SENDING ME A CHECK FOR $692.13, WHICH WAS OSTENSIBLY PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE LETTER I SENT. YESTERDAY, I WENT TO A VW SERVICE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE OUTBOARD CV JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (VW PART NUMBER 8D0498099BX). WHILE WAITING IN THE SERVICE CENTER LOUNGE, I NOTED THAT TWO OTHER CUSTOMERS, ONE OF WHOM ALSO HAD A 1998 VW PASSAT, WERE TOLD THAT THEIR CV JOINTS AND OR BOOTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE TODAY AND HAVE FOUND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT A PROPERLY MAINTAINED CV JOINT SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT SHOULD BE REGULARLY INSPECTED EVERY 50,000 MILES. I HAVE COMBED ALL OF MY SERVICE RECORDS AND NOT ONCE WAS THIS EVALUATION EVER PERFORMED. IT APPEARS THIS MAY BE A SERIOUS DEFECT OR FLAW IN CERTAIN VW PASSAT MODELS AND BECAUSE IT HAS SAFETY IMPLICATIONS, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT BEING INVESTIGATED. *JB

VOLKSWAGEN HAD NOT TAKEN ANY ACTION TO PERFORM THREE RECALLS ON 1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. LETTER ANSWERED BY MR. ALBERTO JIMENEZ VIA EMAIL. *PH *LA

CAR WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE. FINALLY AFTER TRYING AGAIN IT DID AND BROUGHT TO MECHANIC. PROBABLY A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. TOWED TO DEALER. FROM THEN ON ITS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. TWO WEEKS LATER AND THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN), JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY GET A CALL THAT SOMETHING ELSE NEEDS REPLACING. WAS TOLD THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW CENSOR NEEDED REPLACING AND WAS COVERED. GAVE APPROVAL. WEEK LATER GOT CALL THAT ITS NOT COVERED (ANY OTHER STORE WOULD HAVE TO HONOR THE INCORRECT PRICE TAG AND EAT THAT COST-NO-NOT THE DEALER!). ALL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ERROR CODE FLAGGED 10 PROBLEMS WHEN ORIGINALLY BROUGHT IN. OUTER CV BOOTS WORN, HARNESS (SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL WIRING GOING TO CENSOR), COOLANT HOSE, 2ND AIR HOSE. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THAT CAR HAS BEEN INFERIOR SINCE DAY ONE. HOSES AND PARTS REPLACED WITHIN FIRST MONTH OF OWNING NEW CAR. INFERIOR ON VW AND AWFUL RESPONSE FROM VW. HAD RECALL ON FILTER LEADING TO AIR FLOW CENSOR. SEEMS TO ME THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW CENSOR IS ALSO PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE UNDER RECALL. HAVE READ PRIOR COMPLAINTS ON THIS YEAR/MODEL AND SEEMS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ITSELF IS MAJOR PROBLEM. *AK

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

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, DEALER REPLACED RIGHT SIDE CV BOOT AND OUTER CV BOOT DUE TO THEM BEING WORN, AND ALSO THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS REPLACED.

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, DEALER REPLACED RIGHT SIDE CV BOOT AND OUTER CV BOOT DUE TO THEM BEING WORN, AND ALSO THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS REPLACED.

CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION IS MISSING GASKETS. *TT

DESIGN FLAW IN TIE ROD ENDS AND PROTECTIVE BOOT. EXCESSIVE WEAR AND FAILURE OF JOINT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF ABILITY TO STEER. THIS MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AND VEHICLE DAMAGE.*AK

DEALER STATE; WATER LEAK FROM FIREWALL FROM DRAINS IN COWLPANEL BEING CLOGGED, SHORTING OUT TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE 1,200 IN REPAIRS OWNERS RESPONSIBLE, BUT MANUAL DOESN'T INCLUDE IN MAINTENENCE. MANUFACTURER DEFECT OF A DENIED CLAIM. *AK

THE LIGHT FOR THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID INDICATOR BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. *SLC

THE LIGHT FOR THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID INDICATOR BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. *SLC

AT APPROX. 30,000 MILES, RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING BEGAN TO INTERMITENTLY EMIT A DRY, DRONING, WHINING SOUND. SOUND BECAME LOUDER AND MORE REGULAR OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. AT 37,000 MILES, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. WAS INFORMED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS WORN OUT. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR AT THEIR EXPENSE. I DON'T FEEL THAT A WHEEL BEARING SHOULD FAIL AFTER JUST 37,000 MILES. THE OTHER THREE WHEEL BEARINGS SEEM TO BE FINE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF JUST ONE OF FOUR BEARINGS FAILS, IT IS REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT BEARING IS DEFFECTIVE. I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *AK

LOOSE SHIFTER CAUSING SPORADIC SHIFTING FROM AUTOMATIC TO MANUAL TRANSMISSION CONTROL. NLM

SHIFTER CABLE MISADJUSTED CAUSING CONSUMER TO JIGGLE SHIFTER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START. NLM

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY. NLM

TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, UNABLE TO BE RECTIFIED. MJS

TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, UNABLE TO BE RECTIFIED. MJS

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING HARD SHIFT. *YC

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERTICALLY AND NOISE DEVELOPS BETWEEN 20-27 MPH AFTER APPROX. 1/2 TO 1 HOUR OF USE.

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS CONTINUALLY BE EXPERIENCED.