2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Visibility Problems

ONE OF THE PASSENGER REAR WINDOWS INTO FELL INTO THE DOOR RANDOM ON DAY, HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDOW REGULATOR. EVENTUALLY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW AND DRIVER REAR WINDOW ALSO BECAME DEFECTIVE, FALLING INTO THE DOOR AND THEIR REGULATORS HAD TO BE REPLACE. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED, CLEARLY THIS IS A DEFECT VW NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF AS MANY OTHERS WITH SAME CAR ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

THE HEATER CORE STARTED TO LEAK AND MY WINDOWS FOGGED UP WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. I ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR CRASH BECAUSE I LOST MY VISIBILITY. *TR

Mileage: 171,000

PASSENGER REAR WINDOW REGULATOR WENT OUT ON MINE FIRST WITH A CRUNCHING SOUND AND THEN THE GLASS JUST FELL INTO THE DOOR. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE PASSENGER FRONT REGULATOR. TYPICAL CHEAP PLASTIC VW PARTS. *TR

I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR ON MY 2000 VW PASSAT. A WEEK AGO I THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. TODAY MY FRONT PASSENGER REGULATOR FAILED. THIS SEEMED LIKE A LITTLE MORE THAN BAD LUCK. IT TURNS OUT I'M NOT THE ONLY VW OWNER WHO HAS HAD EXTREMELY BAD LUCK WITH THEIR WINDOW REGULATORS. *TR

Mileage: 82,051

ON RAISING THE WINDOW, THE GLASS FALLS INTO THE DOOR WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAPPENS WITH BOTH FRONT AND REAR DOORS, DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. EACH TIME, THE DIAGNOSIS IS THE SAME: THE "REGULATOR" FAILED. REPAIRS COST APPROXIMATELY $400 PER WINDOW. MY WIFE AND I OWN IDENTICAL CARS AND OF THE EIGHT WINDOWS, FOUR HAVE FAILED. AFTER ROUGHLY $1600 FOR THE FOUR WINDOWS, I'M LOSING PATIENCE. A COWORKER OWNS A SIMILAR CAR AND HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START HIS VEHICLE ON A COLD MORNING, THE DEFROST FEATURE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS THE HEATER CORE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEATER CORE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,700 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,600.

Mileage: 65,600

I HAVE HAD MY 2000 VW PASSAT FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AND IT HAS BEEN A MONEY PIT! I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS SINCE A MONTH OR SO AFTER I BOUGHT MY CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, TEST DROVE THE CAR, HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC, AND I HAVE PUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO THE CAR. I BOUGHT THE CAR JUST BEFORE MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL THINKING I MADE A WONDERFUL CHOICE, AND I HAD TO REPLACE A NEW RIGHT SIDE BOOT JUST AFTER A MONTH OF OWNING THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/ABS/AIRBAG KEPT COMING ON AND BEEPING AT ME, AND I HAD TO BUY A WHOLE NEW BRAIN TO THE CAR OVER $1500. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT WAY BEFORE THE MILE WARRANTY, OIL LEAKS WHICH RUINED SOME WIRES, NEW SHOCKS/SHOCK ABSORBERS, NOW THE WINDOW WILL GO PART WAY DOWN, BUT WILL NO LONGER GO UP... AND MY HEADLIGHTS ARE FOGGED UP WHICH I HAVE NOTICED ON ALL OTHER 2000 PASSATS...! MANY THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I AM SO FRUSTRATED WITH THE CAR. I DO NOT RECOMMEND A VW TO ANYONE! I AM GOING INTO THE SECOND YEAR OF COLLEGE AND HAVE SPENT MOST OF MY SAVINGS ON THIS PIECE OF JUNK. I THINK AFTER FIXING A PART OF THE CAR THAT IT SHOULD RUN WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. SINCE I HAVE PUT SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS CAR I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET A RELIABLE CAR. THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH VW AND THE RECALLS! AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THE WHOLE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED!!!! *TR

I JUST BOUGHT MY DAUGHTER A NEW "USED" VEHICLE. BECAUSE IT IS OVER 5 YEARS OLD, THE VEHICLE IS SOLD "AS IS" - NO WARRANTY. SINCE GETTING THE CAR HOME, IN THE FIRST 120 MILES I DROVE, NOT 1, BUT 2 WINDOW REGULATORS BROKE CREATING A LOAD CRASHING NOISE AND A SAFETY CONCERN. THE NOISE CAUSED ME TO BRAKE SUDDENLY SINCE I DID NOT KNOW WHERE THE NOISE CAME FROM. FORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLES BEHIND WERE ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT CRASHING, BUT IT WAS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION. THE CAR IS IN THE REPAIR SHOP RIGHT NOW AND THE ESTIMATED REPAIR IS COST $501.75. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 35 YEARS AND IN MY LIFETIME, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE HAVE 2 WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURES WITHIN A ONE HOUR TIME SPAN, ALSO WITHIN A 20 MILE DRIVING SPAN. IT SEEM TO ME THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED BY VOLKSWAGON. ALL THIS AFTER I JUST SPENT $7000.00 FOR THIS VEHICLE. IN DOING RESEARCH, I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR VOLKSWAGON. *JB

Mileage: 110,470

PURCHASED MY 2000 PASSAT IN 2003, HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING ON THE CAR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTROL ARMS, O2 SENSORS, TWICE, BELTS, STEREO DIDN'T TURN ON, ALL NEW HOSES RIGHT AWAY, ALL 4 WINDOW REGULATORS, AND NOW TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THE ABS LIGHTS KEPT COMING ON. MY HUSBAND HAS A 2000 AUDI A4, VIRTUALLY THE SAME CAR, AND HAD TO REPLACE ALL OF THE SAME THINGS. THE ABS SEEMED TO WORK FINE, BUT THE DEALER SAID IT WOULD BE $1800 TO FIX IT. I LOOKED AT SOME ONLINE FORUMS AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE MANUFACTURER, (BOSCH OR VOLKSWAGEN, SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE AUGUST 2006 BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO FIX IT! I AM COLLEGE STUDENT. HELP!

Mileage: 82,500

THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENT. THE HEATER CORE BROKE ON MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED WHITE SMOKE WAS EMITTING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING A FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD. THIS CAUSED A FOG ON THE WINDOWS REDUCING MY VISIBILITY SEVERELY CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO PULL OVER QUICKLY. THE SMOKE HAS AN ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE AND IN FACT THAT IS WHAT IT WAS. WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED THE ANTIFREEZE AND IT HAD DROPPED TO HALF OF WHAT IT WAS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AT VOLKSWAGEN WHOSE ONLY RECOURSE IS THAT I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE WORST PART ABOUT THIS ENTIRE EXPERIENCE IS THAT AFTER NEARLY CRASHING MY CAR I HAVE TO PAY $1200.00 TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT. *NM

Mileage: 79,000

AM I FILING THIS REPORT IN THE CORRECT PLACE? I HAVE A 2000 VW PASSAT. THREE OF THE 4 WINDOWS HAVE DROPPED INTO THE DOOR. OPTIONS: COSTS $350 EACH TO FIX OR $60 TO HAVE MECHANIC FREEZE WINDOW IN PLACE, CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. MANY MAY GO THIS ROUTE AS THEIR ONLY OPTION. CONSIDERING IT MYSELF. THE REGULATOR IS THE SAME ONE USED IN THE VW JETTA AND THESE HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THE WINDOW REGULATORS IN THE PASSAT NEED TO BE RECALLED ALSO. CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY TEENAGE DRIVERS WHO MAY NEED TO LOWER THE WINDOW (FRONT PASSENGER) IN TIMES OF POOR VISIBILITY. *JB

9/2003: HEADLIGHTS AIMED INCORRECTLY; ROAD WASN'T ILLUMINATED. WITHIN 2 WKS, 1 OF THE BULBS BURNED OUT. WITHIN A WEEK OF THE 1ST, THE 2ND BULB BURNED OUT. COST TO HAVE HEADLIGHTS REPOSITIONED & BULBS REPLACED: $267. 9/2003: REAR TAIL LIGHT OUT. COST TO HAVE BULB REPLACED BY MECHANIC: $32.50. 11/2003: BOTH REAR WINDOWS OFF TRACK. COST TO TEAR DOORS APART & FIX: $159.75. 12/2003: ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH FRONT POWER WINDOWS. NEVER KNOW IF WINDOW WILL GO UP OR DOWN. 2004: HAD CAR IN FOR (AT LEAST) 3 DIFFERENT DASHBOARD WARNING CODES. ONE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL, OR THE FUEL TANK OR SOMETHING. AFTER SOME TRIAL AND ERROR ON MY MECHANIC'S PART, DISCOVERED THAT UNSCREWING AND TIGHTLY RESCREWING GAS CAP FIXED THE PROBLEM. COST TO DIAGNOSE AND "FIX": $165. HAD (AT LEAST) TWO OTHER WARNING CODES IN 2004 THAT REQUIRED ME TO TAKE THE CAR IN. 6/24/2005: HAD BEEN HEARING CRUNCHING SOUND FROM FRONT RIGHT PORTION OF CAR THAT WAS PARTICULARLY APPARENT WHEN HITTING A POTHOLE, A DIP IN THE ROAD OR ATTEMPTING A TIGHT 360 TURN. MECHANIC (SPECIALIZING IN EUROPEAN CARS) IDENTIFIED A BAD CONTROL ARM. COST OF REPAIR & ALIGNMENT: $713.70. COST OF RENTAL CAR: $100.88. TOTAL: $814.58. NOTE: THE LEFT SIDE HAS BEEN MAKING THE SAME SOUND SINCE 12/2005. HAVE NOT YET REPAIRED IT. 10/24/05: CAR STARTED GOING DEAD INTERMITTENTLY. THE CAR HAD LESS THAN 60000 MILES ON IT. REPLACED BATTERY FOR $106.50. 1/2006: TEMP GAUGE MAXED OUT, COOLANT BOILED OVER, SMOKE & STEAM ISSUED FROM HOOD IN LESS THAN 8 MINUTES AT IDLE. COOLED CAR FOR 2L HOURS, REPLACED COOLANT AND DROVE TO MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP & TIMING BELT. COST: $725. 2/2006: BRAKES ARE SPONGY AND PROVIDE NO RESISTANCE UNTIL NEARING THE FLOOR. MECHANIC SAYS ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS ARE FINE. 6/2006: TRANSMISSION GETS STUCK IN 1ST GEAR. MUST STOP THE CAR, TURN IT OFF AND THEN RESTART. THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND IS GOVERNED BY THE COMPUTER. COST TO FIX: UNKNOWN. 6/2006: FRONT WINDOW NOW OFF TRACK. HAVE NOT YET FIXED IT. *NM

Mileage: 50,000

2000 PASSAT - 82000 MILES - FRONT RIGHT POWER WINDOW - REGULATOR FAILED ALLOWING WINDOW TO DROP INTO DOOR. TECHNICIAN FOUND PLASTIC PART WHICH RIDES IN TRACK BROKEN AND PIECES IN DOOR. VW HAS SIMILAR PROBLEM IN MULITPLE VEHICLES. EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED TO COVER REPAIR ON OTHER VEHICLES BUT NOT ON PASSAT.

Mileage: 82,040

THIS IS THE THIRD POWER WINDOW TO FAIL AND FALL INTO THE DOOR. THE DEALER WON'T PAY FOR IT SINCE VW DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS A DEFECT.

WINDOWS FOGGED UP DUE TO A FAULTY HEATER CORE. THIS WAS CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. *AK *SC *JB

Mileage: 59,998

HEATER CORE DEFECT - THIS CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD WITH JUST OVER 50,000 MILES AND NOW NEEDS A NEW HEATER CORE - A $1500 REPAIR! WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON, AN ANTI-FREEZE MIST (NOT TOO HEALTHY FOR THE DRIVER!) COMES OUT OF THE VENTS AND ALL OF THE WINDOWS FOG UP. THE ONLY WAY TO CLEAR THE WINDOWS IS TO TURN THE HEAT OFF AND SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T EVEN WORK AND WE HAVE TO TURN THE A/C ON TO GET THE WINDOWS DE-FOGGED. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT VOLKSWAGENS (VW) HAVE HAD HEATER CORE PROBLEMS FOR 10+ YEARS, AND SOME OF THE OLDER VW'S WERE IN FACT RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. VW HAS OBVIOUSLY NOT MADE ANY CHANGES TO THE HEATER CORES BEING PUT INTO NEWER CARS. I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE SPRING AND HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE UNTIL IT STARTED TO GET COLD OUTSIDE. NOW I'M STUCK TRYING TO GET VW TO OFFSET THE COST. *LA

SUNROOF MAKING LOUD CLANKING NOISE WHEN IN OPERATION SINCE PURCHASE BACK FOR REPAIR ONE MONTH LATER NOW INFOMED BY DEALER NEEDS NEW SUNROOF FRAME AT A COST OF $850 TO ME. *AK

Mileage: 22,000

IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, I HAVE HAD THE WINDOW REGULATOR IN MY VEHICLE REPLACED 4 TIMES. UPON RESEARCHING, THERE APPEARS TO BE (LITERALLY) HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF REPLACEMENT PARTS, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. WILL VOLKSWAGEN DO NOTHING UNTIL SLAPPED WITH A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT BECAUSE SOMEONE DIES FROM A WINDOW MALFUNCTION IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT?*AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES SUN ROOF SUDDENLY SHATTERED, CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED IT PROBABLY WAS A ROCK.*JB *JB

CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE, THE DEALER ORDERED REGULATORS FOR BOTH WINDOWS, ALSO THE MIRRORS WOULD NOT ADJUST PROPERLY, DRIVERS SEAT MEMORY FUNCTION STOPPED FUNCTIONING.*JB

DRIVER'S SIDE POWER DOOR LOCK UNLOCKS ITSELF WHILE CAR PARKED. INTERVALS VARY. *AK

MY SUNROOF SHATTERED OUTWARD WITH EXPLOSIVE FORCE, NO WARNING, NO COLLISION.*AK

SUN ROOF LEAKS - DRAINS CLEANED BY DEALER TWICE - STILL LEAKING. DRIVER'S SEAT BACK MOVES FORWARD WHEN BRAKE APPLIED. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL. SEAT BACK CAN BE MOVED BY HAND. CAR HAS VIBRATION AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT MOST SPEEDS. DEALER CLAIMS TIRES ARE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, TIRES HAVE BEEN INSPECTED TWICE (AT MY EXPENSE) BY INDEPENDENT DEALERS WHO STATE TIRES ARE O.K. WHEELS REBALANCED, FRONT END ALIGNED, (ALL AT MY EXPENSE) AND PROPLEM PERSISTS. VW REFUSES TO HELP CLAIMING PROBLEM IS RELATED TO TIRES.*AK

WINDOW MOLDING AND DOOR MOLDINGS FALL OFF. *AK

DRIVERS SEAT BELT COMES UNLATCHED INTERMITTENTLY, SUNROOF SLIDER JAMBS/HARD TO SLIDE. *AK

SINCE I PURCHASE THIS CAR THERE HAS BEEN A BAD ODOR WHEN THE HEAT HAS BEEN TURNED ON, THE DEALER HAS TWICE TRIED TO FIX BY "CLEANING" THE SYSTEM. CANNOT USE HEATER BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM.