2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Steering Problems

TRYING TO START CAR AND WON'T TURN ON WITH KEY ALL MY KEYS DON'T WORK SAYS STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE CAN'T GET MY CAR TO TURN MY RADIO ON I AM PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY AND CAN'T EVEN TOW IT TO DEALER NOW BECAUSE IT WON'T GO INTO NEUTRAL. *TR

Mileage: 128,000

MY VW HAS BEEN HARD TO START AND GETTING THE STEERING LOCK FAULT WARNING. I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY RECALL, BUT I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND DO NOT REMEMBER GETTING THE RECALL NOTICE.

Mileage: 212,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG MIGHT DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JOSEPH VOLKSWAGEN OF CINCINNATI (LOCATED AT 3813 MONTGOMERY RD, CINCINNATI, OH 45212, (513) 914-1785) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V247000 (AIR BAGS). IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBERS: 180151960, 181324957, AND 08125390. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

HAVE BEEN GETTING STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTIONS WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. TODAY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE AT ALL. WAS ABLE TO STOP AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. SEEMS THIS IS/ WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL VOLKSWAGEN AND A VOLUNTARY RECALL WAS AVAILABLE UNTIL 2013. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PREVIOUS OWNERS OF THE CAR NEVER DID ANY RECALLS OR EVEN REMEMBERS EVER BEING NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS. THIS PROBLEM IS ONE OF MANY FOR THIS MODEL. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN AND THEY WERE NO HELP. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. MY 17 YEAR OLD SON DRIVES THIS CAR. I CANT ALLOW HIM TO DRIVE IT NOW AFTER THIS. HOW CAN VOLKSWAGEN ALLOW THIS? THEY BASICALLY DONT CARE IF WE CRASHED AND HURT OTHERS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. A VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR A STEERING ISSUE?? DOES THAT SOUND SAFE??

Mileage: 80,000

FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW THE CAR STARTS AND SUDDENLY TURN OFF. I WENT TO START THE CAR ON 09/10/2017 AND A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE MFD: "STEERING COLUMN LOCK" AND THE KEY IS UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK ON VARIOUS FORUMS AND FOUND THAT VW ISSUED A VOLUNTARY RECALL WHICH EXPIRED SOMEWHERE AROUND FEBRUARY 28, 2013. SINCE IT WAS VOLUNTARY, AND MANY PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM MYSELF INCLUDED, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL. IT IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN CAN LOCK UP AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF THIS SHOULD OCCUR WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL YEARS LATER AND I HAVE READ MANY OF THE NEWER VW MODELS ARE EXPIRIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD MERIT A RECALL.

Mileage: 66,100

CAR WILL NOT START AFTER FLASHING SIGN OR IT COULD STOP ANYWHERE WHICH COULD CAUSE CRASH: STEERING - INSPECT FOR STEERING CONCERN - COMFORT CONTROL MODULE NEED TO BE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE OWNER OF THE CAR - STEERING COLUMN CONTROL MODULE: ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK, HARDWARE NEED TO BE REPLACED AND PROGRAM CORRECTLY AT NO COST TO THE OWNER OF VEHICLE AS IT IS VW PROGRAMING IS DEFAULTED.

CAR IS IMMOBILIZED AT THIS TIME W/ KEY STUCK IN IGNITION, DEFECTIVE STEERING WHEEL APPEARS BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVE WAY, COLD WEATHER, FIRST START. IT'S INTERMEDIATE & HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. STEERING HAS BEEN FIXED A FEW YEARS AGO FOR ISSUES OF THE SAME SORT. CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 194,000 ON IT BUT THE ISSUE IS THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE PROBLEMS, CAM (REPLACED 2 X'S; ONCE UNDER WARRANTY OTHER TIME HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET), TURBO, SENSORS, PVC, STEERING, CONVERTER (OUT OF POCKET), REAR AXLE (OUT OF POCKET), ETC. HAVE ALL DOCUMENTS BUT DO NOT HAVE A WAY TO PROVIDE THEM IN THIS FORUM. PROBLEMS STARTED UNDER CERTIFIED WARRANTY BUT CONTINUED AFTER. BOUGHT CAR W/ APPROXIMATELY 23,000 MILES ON IT. BEEN NOTHING BUT A BIG HEADACHE. CAR IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF BUT CONTINUES TO HAVE ISSUES.

Mileage: 194,000

TAKATA RECALL FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY MY SUNROOF OPENS AND CLOSES IT SELF THEN. SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN CAR ON IT SHUTS OFF SAYS STEERING DEFECTED THEN ITS TAKES A COUPLE SECONDS TO COME ON. MY WIND SHIELD WIPERS KEEP SAYIN I NEED WATER BUT ITS FULL THEN MY DAYTIME LIGHTS ARE OFF THIS CAR HAS MANY PROBLEMS I KEEP GETTING THE SAME PARTS FIXED OVER AND OVER. AND THEN I HAVE NO RECALLS WHAT THE ONLY WAY IF WE CRASH AND DIE THEN WE WILL GET IT FIXED IM PUTTING SO MUCH MONEY INTO CAR SO CAN YOU PLEASE HELP THANK YOU. THIS HAPPEN IN DIFFERENT PLACES THE CAR SHUTS OFF DIFFERENT TIMES. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE FOR THE PAST WEEK WITH OUR CAR NOT CRANKING IN THE AFTERNOON. WE FIGURED IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. WE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. SO THE CAR DID GREAT FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES, THEN WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING COLUMN LIGHT CAME ON, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN. IF WE HAD BEEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD LIKE I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS, WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED AS MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE? THE STEERING COLUMN LIGHT COMES ON GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND EVERYTHING LOCKS UP FOR SOMEONE TO DIE. WILL VOLKSWAGEN THEN DECIDE ITS TIME TO RECALL IT? NOW THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION AND IT WILL NOT CRANK AT ALL.

Mileage: 106,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V613000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

MY VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT HAS A STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LIGHT COME ON.. MANUAL SAYS THE STEERING COULD BE COMPROMISED... VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA DID WANT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT MANY CARS HAD THIS PROBLEM ALL OVER THE WORLD.. THE PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY FIXED. NOW, LESS THAN 10,000 LATER, I HAVE THE PROBLEM AGAIN. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT VW DOESN'T NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR TAKE CARE OF. THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL DONE ON THIS MATTER AS IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. IN MY CASE NOT ONLY DID IT AFFECT THE STEERING, BUT IT ALSO WOULD NOT LET ME START THE CAR AT ALL. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST BUT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORST. IT GOT TO WHERE I COULD NOT START THE CAR AT ALL.

Mileage: 39,556

ATTEMPTED TO START MY VEHICLE BY PRESSING THE KEY FOB INTO THE IGNITION. CAR DID NOT START AND THE MESSAGE "STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE" WAS DISPLAYED. ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THE CAR FAILED TO EVEN TURN THE ENGINE OVER. IN ADDITION, THE KEY FOB CANNOT BE EXTRACTED FROM THE IGNITION. NOW THE CAR IS IMMOBILE. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND QUICKLY DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A PREVALENT ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. MANY OTHER'S HAVE VOICED THEIR COMPLAINT WITH VW REGARDING THIS ISSUE BUT DESPITE THIS, VW STILL HAS YET TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE CAR, BEING BOUGHT THROUGH A VW DEALERSHIP PRE-OWNED, WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 80K MILES ON IT AND HAD ONLY ACCRUED 10K MILES SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED, BY ME AND FROM THE DEALERSHIP, 14 MONTHS AGO.

Mileage: 86,000

MY CAR SUFFERS FROM A "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE" ISSUE FOR WHICH VW OF AMERICA HAS ISSUED A RECALL AS IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR OF THE CAR. FOR SOME REASON MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL (BY VIN), AND NOW THAT THE PIECE IS STARTING TO FAIL THEY WILL NOT COVER IT. IT IS A CLEAR DEFECT AND IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED, BUT THEY STILL WANT ME TO PAY OUT OF POCKET ($800) TO COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. IF THIS PART FAILS, I WILL BE LEFT STRANDED WITH NO WAY OF TURNING THE CAR ON. A LOT OF MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT FIXING THIS CAR AS THIS WAS A PROBLEMATIC YEAR FOR THIS MODEL. I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND MORE MONEY FIXING WHAT IS CLEARLY A DEFECT AND SOMETHING THAT VW HAS RECOGNIZED IS A PROBLEM AND IS FIXING IN OTHER CALLS FROM THE SAME YEAR. THANK YOU.

Mileage: 92,585

STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE -JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE LISTED. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED? I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE PAGES OF COMPLAINTS YOU NEED. *TR

Mileage: 74,900

STEERING LOCK DEFECTIVE - SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE PART OF VW - I HAVE A VW PASSAT 06 AND KEEP ON GETTING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD RANDOMLY DIE OUT TURN BACK ON AND RANDOMLY DIE OUT AGAIN. ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 115,000

THE PROBLEM STARTED OFF SMALL. MY PASSAT ONE DAY STARTED AND SHUT OFF. OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS THE PROBLEM GOT MUCH WORSE. FIRST IT TOOK A COUPLE TRIES TO START AND NOW TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT 15 MINUTES TO START. THE STEERING WHEEL LIGHT POPS UP AND THE CARS WARNING STATES "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE". TODAY 6/8/14 I WAS DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STALLS. LUCKILY WE MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. WITH A CRYING BABY IN THE BACKSEAT, I FINALLY GOT THE CAR TO START AFTER 2 HOURS OF TRYING! *TR

Mileage: 103,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING COLUM LOCK DEFECTIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING COLUM LOCK DEFECTIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Mileage: 140,000

ELECTRONIC EMERGENCY BRAKE FAULT; WAS DRIVING ON JANUARY 18,2014. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH WHEN THIS EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING YELLOW. ALSO THERE WAS A RED BRAKE LIGHT THAT WAS FLASHING AND BEEPING THREE TIMES. SHE GOT THE CAR UNDER CONTROL MIND YOU SHE IS ONLY 17 AND SHE JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM CAMPUS AUTO HERE IN FORT DODGE, IA ON THE 10TH AND HE TOLD HER NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. EVERYTHING HAS WENT WRONG WITH THIS CAR THAT CAN GO WRONG. SHE PULLED OVER AND READ IN HER MANUAL THAT WITH THE BEEPING 3 TIMES AND THE RED LIGHT INDICATOR SAID THAT SHE WAS SUPPOSE TO GET IT TO A TRUSTED MECHANIC RIGHT AWAY. SO SHE DID THE SMART THING AND CALLED ME TO HAVE THE CAR TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. BUT WHAT IF SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. SHE WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THIS CAR ON A HIGHWAY. PLEASE LOOK INTO THESE PASSAT. THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THEM. WHEEL BEARINGS ARE BAD IN THE REAR. FUEL PUMP WENT BAD. COILS BURN. THESE ARE ALL DANGEROUS THINGS. PLEASE HELP. *TR

Mileage: 145,990

I HAVE CODE STEERING LOCK COLUMN DEFECTIVE THIS IS MY SECOND VW PASSAT WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 139,765

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 05V540000 (STEERING) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

WENT TO START MY CAR AFTER WORK, IT TURNED OVER AND STALLED IMMEDIATELY. I GET THE ERROR MESSAGE 'STEERING COLUMN LOCK IS DEFECTIVE' FOLLOWED BY 3 LOUD BEEPS. THIS ISSUE HAD ME STRANDED FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR UNTIL MANY TIMES OF TRYING, IT FINALLY STARTED AND RAN. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE AND VW DEALERS ARE WANTING ON AVERAGE $1800 TO REPAIR. *TR

Mileage: 140,000

AFTER STARTING CAR IT WOULD IMMEDIATELY STALL THIS WOULD HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL EVENTUALLY IT WOULD START DURING THIS TIME I WOULD SEE ON THE CARS DISPLAY A WARNING THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS ISSUE CONTINUES TO HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES THE KEY WILL GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND UNTIL YOU GET IT OUT IT WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO TRY AND RESTART THE CAR. THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED BY PRESSING THE BUTTON ON THE GEAR SHIFT THREE TIMES IN SUCCESSION. I FOUND THAT BIT OF INFORMATION ON A CAR FORUM BUT NOT IN THE VW MANUAL. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A PRETTY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE VW PASSAT SPANNING SEVERAL YEARS. *TR

Mileage: 32,000

GOT WARNING MESSAGE THAT 'STEERING LOCK WAS DEFECTIVE'. *TR

Mileage: 126,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE COLUMN STEERING LOCK WARNING LIGHT. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 83,000

WHEN I USE THE KEY TO START MY 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT IT WILL NOT START, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND THE CAR IMMOBILIZES. I CANNOT START THE CAR FROM 15 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR. THE KEY WILL NOT COME OUT. WHEN I CALL FOR HELP ALL ANYONE TELLS ME IS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT, BUT THIS DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 3 TO 5 TIMES A DAY. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN SEPT. 2010 AND THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY DAY SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR. WHEN I TOOK IT BACK, I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THE CAR STARTED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. AS I WRITE THIS, THE CAR IS IMMOBOLIZED IN MY GARAGE AND WILL NOT START, I HAVE MISSED APPOINTMENTS OVER AND OVER. I WENT ON HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?3656214 TO TRY TO FIND OUT HOW TO CORRECT THIS AND FOUND OUT THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAS OR HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT AND THE SOLUTION SEEMS TO BE TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. I DO NOT HAVE ANY MONEY TO PAY FOR SUCH A BIG JOB, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE NOT HAD THIS CAR FOR SIX MONTHS. THIS CAR WAS SOLD WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I GOT 2006 VW PASSAT 2.0T - 77,000MILES. LAST WEEK, I GOT ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON DURING THE DRIVE AND WENT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED COMPUTER SYSTEM THEN FIXED AIR FILTER HOUSING. I PAID $585.00. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT CAN BREAK, BUT I DON'T HAVE CHOICE. AND NEXT DAY ON THE DRIVING IT HAPPEN AGAIN AND I WENT TO DEALERSHIP AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY TOLD ME PCV VALVE WAS NOT WORKING SO ANOTHER FIX COST $281.00. LAST SEPTEMBER I DID REGULAR MAINTENANCE SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING GOOD. BUT AFTER EVERY MONTH IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN, FIRST PROBLEM WAS STEERING COLUMNS......I PAID $485.00 SECOND PROBLEM WAS BATTERY........I PAID $130.00 THIRD PROBLEM WAS ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I PAID $585.00 AND THIS TIME ANOTHER ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON $281.00 WITHIN TWO DAY. NOW I KNEW VW CARS ARE PIECES OF JUNKS. IT IS REALLY JUNKS. *TR

Mileage: 77,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 346. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO STATED THAT THE LEFT TIE ROD ARM KNOT BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL ( 05V540000) SINCE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,700.

Mileage: 78,700

I OWN A 2006 VW PASSAT 3.6, ENGINE DIED SUDDENLY AFTER PULLING OUT ACROSS A 45MPH STATE ROUTE, AFTER ENGINE FAILED, THERE WAS NO STEERING OR BRAKES, HAD TO PUSH CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC WITH MY 2 YOUNG SONS INSIDE. YOUNG VW, EASTON PA. STATED THE FAILURE AS A OIL PUMP BOLT THAT HAD BACKED OUT AND SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND 58 FAILURE OF THIS TYPE OF THIS SAME YEAR AND ENGINE, AT: HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?3462993-ATTN-3.6L-OWNERS-HAS-YOUR-ENGINE-FAILED , - THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE VW WAS AWARE OF SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AS EVIDENCED BY THE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR OF SO MANY, 58+ ENGINES THAT I CAN DOCUMENT, AND CHOOSES NOT TO RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE, I BELIEVE DUE TO FINANCIAL REASONS AS THIS FIX IS $3,000 IN LABOR ALONE. I CONTACTED VWOA, (REF. # [XXX]) AND VW AG, (,REF. NO.: [XXX]) WITH THIS ISSUE AND NEITHER HAD RECOGNIZED THIS AS A KNOWN ISSUE, MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND VW ESTIMATED THE REPAIR AT $12,800 FOR A REBUILT ENGINE. ASIDE FROM BEING ABUSIVELY EXPENSIVE, THIS FAILURE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO OCCUR RANDOMLY, IN TRAFFIC OR ANYWHERE CREATING A VERY UNSAFE AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION, VWOA SHOULD BE WELL AWARE OF THESE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR ENGINE, BY THE MANY THEY HAVE REPLACED OR FIXED AND SHOULD MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE AND EFFECT A FIX TO PREVENT A LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO THIS KNOWN ENGINE DEFECT. MY VIN # [XXX], 2006 VW PASSAT 3.6L 4MOTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 85,000

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT REGARDING THE STALLING ISSUES I'VE EXPERIENCED ON MY 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 3.6L MODEL. THE DESCRIPTION BELOW IS A HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE PROBLEM AND HOW IT PROGRESSED TO THE CURRENT STATE. I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE AROUND 8000 MILES OR SO WHERE THE KEY FOB WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. AFTER READING SOME POSTS ON VWFORUM, I WORKED AROUND THE INTERMITTENT ISSUE BY CLICKING THE GEAR SHIFT 3 TIMES TO DISENGAGE THE KEY FOB FROM THE IGNITION. AROUND 24K MILE OR SO, I NOTICED THE STALLING ISSUE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CAR WAS STARTED. THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AS WELL AND SEEMED TO OCCUR DURING EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS - COLD OR HOT. AT THIS TIME, THE ERROR 'STEERING COLUMN FAILURE' WOULD REGISTER INTERMITTENTLY. AROUND 60K THE PROBLEM PROGRESSED AND THE FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE INCREASED. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. LOOKING BACK AT THE MULTIPLE BLOGS AND FORUMS ON THIS TOPIC, I BELIEVE THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE BEEN FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH THE ISSUE THAT FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE BEEN WARRANTED. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE WIDESPREAD ISSUE AT THE TIME AND DID NOT INSIST ON HAVING THE DEALER RESEARCH THE ISSUE WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL IN WARRANTY. THE INSPECTION FEE WAS ENOUGH TO DETER ME FROM PUSHING FURTHER SPECIALLY IF THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. CURRENTLY, AT 88K MILES, THE PROBLEM OF STALLING WHEN STARTING CAN BE REPRODUCED AT WILL. THERE IS A WORKAROUND POSTED ON THE SAME VW FORUMS OF SPECIFIC STEPS TO START THE CAR THAT I'M CURRENTLY USING. OTHERWISE, THE CAR DOES NOT START AND THE ERRORS 'STEERING COLUMN FAILURE 'IMMOBILZER DEFECTIVE' IS DISPLAYED CONSISTENTLY. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED TWO INSTANCES OF THE CAR STALLING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I BELIEVE THIS IS CAUSED BY THE SAME IMMOBILIZER ERROR CAUSED BY THE STEERING COLUMN FAILURE AS THE TWO ERRORS DISPLAYED WHEN TRYING TO RESTART. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 24,000

THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING WITH MY 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT IS THAT WHILE I AM DRIVING THE CAR SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT FIVE TIMES THIS YEAR. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE IN TWO ACCIDENTS AND TO HAVE TO QUICKLY PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE DEALER WANTS ME TO PAY $1,700 TO REPAIR IT. *TR

Mileage: 55,328

2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT - "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE " ERROR MESSAGE. 1. CAR WILL NOT START IMMEDIATELY; SOMETIMES UP TO 20 MINUTES AFTER INITIATING THE STARTING PROCEDURE. 2. FAILURE OCCURS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. CONSEQUENCE FOR FIRST INCIDENT WAS A LOST CONTRACT FOR AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTING POSITION. CAR IS CURRENTLY OUT OF SERVICE REQUIRING ME TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND/OR WALK TO WORK AND APPOINTMENTS. 3. ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. CAR IS CURRENTLY OUT OF SERVICE. *TR

Mileage: 66,222

MY CAR IS 2006 VW PASSAT - 2.0T. AROUND 60,000MILES, CAR BECAME INCREASINGLY HARDER TO START. BUT IT WORKS. AND AT 75,000MILES IT LOOKS LIKE THE BATTERY DIED AND "STEERING COLUMN LOCK" IS DEFECTIVE. SO I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE GUY, HE TOLD ME THE BATTERY HAD LOW VOLTAGE. SO I CHANGED, BUT IT HAPPENED SAME PROBLEM WITH NEW BATTERY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ONLY MY CAR OR OTHER VW ALSO HAS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE 73,000 MILES, I DID IT REGULAR MAINTENANCE SERVICE, AFTER THAT THE CAR WASN'T THE SAME BECAUSE WHEEL SIDE HAD MORE NOISE BUT I TRUSTED DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, SO I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS OK. BUT THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 75,000

2006 VW PASSAT "DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN LOCK" WARNING SIGN AND THE CAR WON'T START AT ONCE. *TR

Mileage: 31,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THEN A STEERING COLUMN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER TEN MORE ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED; THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MODULAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE KEY ALSO BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

Mileage: 56,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT STATED A LITTLE RED LIGHT BLINKED ON AND OFF AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT LOOKED IN THE MANUAL AND IT STATED THAT IF THIS LIGHT CAME ON THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK. THE MANUAL STATED THAT THE COILS IN THE DASHBOARD CONTROL THE STEERING AND DASHBOARD FUNCTIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE TOWED SINCE EVERYTHING LOCKED, INCLUDING THE WHEELS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37000.

Mileage: 37,000

2006 VW PASSAT HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS STARTING (STEERING COLUMN LOCK, ETC - SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE) AND THEN ONE DAY WHILE DRIVING @ 55 MPH, MY CAR DIED. I HAD TO TRY AND GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VERY SCARY! I TRIED TO RESTART WITH NO LUCK AND JUST ABOUT THE TIME I WAS READY TO GIVE UP, I TRIED ONE MORE TIME (WHILE WAITING FOR AAA TO ANSWER THE PHONE) AND IT WORKED. I'VE HAD IT INTO MY MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE STARTING ISSUE AND THE DEALER GAVE ME THE "REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN" THING. I HAVE BEEN HOLDING OFF BC ITS SO EXPENSIVE AND I CAN GO FOR WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS WITHOUT HAVING THE PROBLEM, THEN IT FLARES UP AGAIN IN SPADES. MY BIGGEST CONCERN NOW IS THE MOTOR CUTTING OUT ON ME AGAIN WHILE I'M DRIVING. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BASED ON THE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 72,000

I HAD A STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE WARNING LIGHT COME UP IN MY CAR, THE CAR ALSO WOULD NOT START. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, IT STARTED. I CALLED MY DEALER AND HE SAID HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE CAR HAVING THIS PROBLEM. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICAN TOO HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM NO ONLY HERE IN THE STATES BUT ALL OVER THE WHOLE WHERE THE CAR WAS SOLD. MY CAR ONLY HAD THE WARNING AND THE NO START PROBLEM. BUT MANY OTHERS WERE COMPLAINING THAT THE CAR WOULD SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I CAN'T BELIEVE VOLKSWAGEN WON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. MY CAR IS A 2006 PASSAT WITH ONLY 38,000 MILES. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE HERE. *TR

Mileage: 38,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THE IGNITION WOULD ONLY START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE "STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE" MESSAGE LLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVEN TIMES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM IF THE WARNING INDICATOR DID NOT REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

Mileage: 38,000

MY CAR HAS HAD STARTING ISSUES SINCE I HAVE HAD IT. SOMETIMES, EVERYTIME I WOULD TRY TO START IT WOULD NOT START AND GIVE ME THE "LOCKED STEERING COLUMN" MESSAGE. IT WOULD STOP DOING THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THEN START AGAIN. FINALLY, AFTER 100,000 IT STOPPED COMPLETELY AND WOULD NOT START. IT IS $600 TO FIX IT BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAD A RECALL ON THE STEERING COLUMN. WHAT CAN I DO? *TR

Mileage: 50,000

VW, 2006 PASSAT, NOW HAS A "STEERING COLUMN DEFECT" WARNING, AND THE CAR DOESN'T START. THE CAR HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT, AND THIS STARTED JUST AFTER THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CAR ALSO STALLS AT HIGH SPEED WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON WITHOUT WARNING, AND CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE CAR ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH DOWNSHIFTING WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY, AND SLAMS INTO LOW GEAR AS THOUGH THE CAR HIT SOMETHING. THE DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM WHEN THE CAR IS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. I HAVE READ MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THESE SAME ISSUES WITH THE 2006 PASSAT, AND FOUND THAT THE FIX FOR THE STEERING COLUMN ALONE COSTS BETWEEN $1400 AND $2000. BECAUSE THIS APPEARS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT, AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I WANTED TO REPORT IT AS SUCH. ALTHOUGH THERE HASN'T BEEN AN ACCIDENT CAUSED IN MY CASE, THE POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER IS HUGE. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, BECAUSE THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM, AND CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

MY DAUGHTER OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. RECENTLY THE KEY BOX, HAS NOT ALWAYS WORKED TO START THE CAR. IT HAS BECOME VERY UNDEPENDABLE. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE CHECKED EVERYTHING AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE CHIP IN THE KEY THAT HAD A PROBLEM AND MAYBE THE KEY NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. SHE STARTING USING HER OTHER KEY AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOR A FEW WEEKS. CALLED ABOUT HAVING THE KEY REPROGRAMMED AND THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP IN BRAINTREE THOUGHT IT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN AND TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED MANY WEBSITES WHERE THERE WERE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALL WHEN THE CAR HAD JUST GONE PAST THE WARRANTY AND ALL WERE ATTRIBUTED TO THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKING UP. ALL WERE SOLVED IF THE OWNERS WERE WILLING TO PAY $1500-$2000 TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION I READ. I THINK THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. THE CAR ONLY HAS 72,000 MILES AND IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THE MAIN VOLKSWAGEN OFFICE TO COMPLAIN, BUT ACCORDING TO ALL THE PEOPLE AND SITES I FOUND ON THE WEB, THEY WERE OF NO HELP. *TR

Mileage: 72,000

2006 VW PASSAT 2.0 TURBO DIFFICULT TO START TAKING SEVERAL TRIES. STEERING COLUM LOCK IMMOBILIZER ACTIVATED CODE SHOWN. VEHICLE WILL NOW NOT START AT ALL. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED OF STEERING COLUMN FAILURE NEED TO BE REPLACED AT $1800. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

I HAVE A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T WITH 65,000 MILES ON IT. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS I'VE BEEN RECEIVING SEVERAL ERROR MESSAGES FROM THE HUD / HEADS-UP DISPLAY: "DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN LOCK" AND "IMMOBILIZER ACTIVE". THIS IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY THE CAR FIRING FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STALLING OUT. ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR AGAIN IMMEDIATELY ONLY RESULTS IN A STRANGE AND LOUD ON/OFF "CLICKING" TYPE SOUND (AS IF IT'S TRYING TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND FAILING TO DO SO). WAITING 2-3 MINUTES AND TRYING AGAIN USUALLY SEEMS TO DO THE TRICK, BUT TODAY THE CAR WOULDN'T START AT ALL. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED-- NEARLY $2000 IN REPAIRS. OF COURSE, CURIOSITY GOT THE BEST OF ME, AND I DECIDED TO RESEARCH INTO THIS A BIT MORE. TURNS OUT THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POSTS ONLINE OF VW CUSTOMERS HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE EXACT SAME YEAR AND MODEL. IT'S SORT OF INSULTING, ESPECIALLY LEARNING THAT VW INITIATED A RECALL IN IRELAND FOR THE SAME ISSUE, JUST NOT IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS HAS CLASS-ACTION LAW SUIT WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. OBVIOUSLY I WAS NOT HARMED BY THIS DEFECT, BUT I CAN SEE HOW IT *COULD* HARM SOMEBODY, AND READ OF SEVERAL OTHER VICTIMS WHO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. IT'S JUST SAD THAT IT TAKES SOMETHING AS AWFUL AS PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE BEFORE SOMEBODY STEPS UP AND TAKES ACTION. THIS IS NOT RIGHT... *TR

Mileage: 65,000

ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR WOULD NOT START, WOULD TRY OVER AND OVER AND IT WOULD FINALLY START. EVENTUALLY IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. WAS TOLD I HAD A DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WOULD LIKELY BE A RECALL AND I WOULD BE REIMBURSED THE $2000 I HAD TO SPEND TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

THE CAR WILL OCCASIONALLY, YET SPORADICALLY, NOT START. THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO START BUT IT STALLS. THE ERROR MESSAGE SOMETIMES SAYS STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY, INCLUDING WHEN I LEAVE FROM WORK. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AND ONCE AFTER AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *TR

STEERING LOCK CONTROL MODULE DEFECTIVE: SIGNALS WARNING MESSAGES, PREVENTS VEHICLE STARTING, SHUTS VEHICLE OFF. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

2006 PASSAT WITH 54,000 MILES, SUDDENLY AM HAVING TROUBLE STARTING THE VEHICLE. GOT STRANDED ON DOWNTOWN FLINT, MICHIGAN (NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE AFTER 7:00PM AT NIGHT!). CAR JUST WOULD NOT START, THEN DISCOVERED THAT MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL ALLOWED CAR TO START. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE, AND TWICE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, MAKING IT VERY HAZARDOUS TO PULL CAR TO SHOULDER. AFTER TALKING WITH THE DEALER, WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE COMFORT SENSOR FOR $1,600! I CALLED VWUSA, AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE IT WAS 4,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY, I WAS ON MY OWN! THIS IS NOT ONLY A DESIGN FLAW, BUT IS PROVING TO BE HAZARDOUS AS IT IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. *TR

Mileage: 54,000

2006 VW PASSAT STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE DUE, EVIDENTLY TO COMPUTER MODULE MALFUNCTION INSIDE STEERING COLUMN WHICH PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING RELIABLY. NOT COVERED BY RECALL OR WARRANTY. DEALER WANT $2,000 FOR NEW STEERING COLUMN, NEW STEERING COLUMN, LOCK, NEW STEERING COLUMN MODULE AND THEN THE CONVENIENCE MODULE HAS TO BE REPLACED TO SYNC THEM. WITH 8-10 HOURS OVER LABOR OVER 2 DAYS ESTIMATE IS $2,000. ALL BECAUSE THEIR CRAPPY DESIGN PUT THE DEFECTIVE COMPUTER MODULE INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN AND THEY WON'T UPDATE THE SOFTWARE OR REPLACE THE MODULE. THEY REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN! *TR

Mileage: 48,000

MY 2006 VW PASSAT 2.0T SEDAN REFUSES TO START GIVING A "DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN DEFECT" ERROR. THE FIRST ERROR WAS ON THE 18TH OF MAY, 2010. IT HAPPENS AT LEAST 3-5 TIMES PER WEEK. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START IT FINALLY STARTS. 3-15 ATTEMPTS STARTS THE CAR. DEALER HAS QUOTED ME $1800 TO REPAIR, CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY IS THEIR RESPONSE. AFTER SEARCHING THE INTERNET, APPARENTLY IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE AND VW HASN'T DONE MUCH ABOUT IT. *TR

Mileage: 63,500

IN APRIL 2009, WHILE DRIVING, THE "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT" MESSAGE APPEARED. AS DIRECTED, TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY TO DEALERSHIP. AFTER SERVICE, THEY INDICATED NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND. AFTER THIS, I WOULD HAVE THIS SAME ERROR MESSAGE APPEAR WHEN TRYING TO START THE CAR. MANY TIMES, IT WOULD TAKE 5-10 MINUTES OF TRYING BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START. HAD IT IN FOR OTHER SERVICE OVER THE PAST YEAR & EACH TIME RELAYED THE PROBLEM. THEY NEVER COULD DIAGNOSE IT & SAID IT WAS PROBABLY JUST AN ISSUE WITH THE COMPUTER. IN APRIL OF 2010, THE PROBLEM STARTED OCCURRING MORE & MORE FREQUENTLY. IN LATE MAY 2010, COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO START AFTER SAME STEERING COLUMN LOCK MESSAGE. THEN COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY. FINALLY GOT THE KEY OUT; HOWEVER, THE DASH AND INTERNAL LIGHTS STAYED ON AND RAN DOWN THE BATTERY. WAS ABLE TO GET A CHARGE TO THE BATTERY BUT THEN THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM IMMOBILIZER ENGAGED RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNUSABLE. AFTER A YEAR OF REPEATEDLY TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT IS NOW BACK THERE BUT IT HAD TO BE TOWED. DOING RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR; HOWEVER, NO RECALLS, ETC. HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND OBVIOUSLY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE/FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT CAME TO THE POINT OF THE CAR BEING TOTALLY UNUSABLE. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

2006 VW PASSAT EXPERIENCING "STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK" FAILURE. THE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL SIMPLY TURN OFF WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. MY ONLINE RESEARCH FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2006, 2007, 2008 MODELS. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES CONTINUE RUNNING AFTER THE KEY IS PULLED OUT OF THE IGNITION. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN AND CONTROL MODULE FOR $1500 AND THIS NORMALLY HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF FACTORY WARRANTY SO WE THE CONSUMERS ARE STUCK WITH THE BILL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL! AND NOT THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNERS. *TR

Mileage: 57,000

SYMPTOM #1) CAR WILL NOT START OR IF IT DOES START IT WILL IMMEDIATELY STALL AND STEERING COLUMN WILL LOCK. AFTER MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH REPEATEDLY, REOPENING THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES AND ATTEMPTING TO START THE PUSH IGNITION 5-10 TIMES IT WILL EVENTUALLY START AND RUN. SYMPTOM #2) MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! CAR WILL LOSE ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS DEFECT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL IMMEDIATELY, THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE LOSS OF ALL POWER CONTROLS AT SPEEDS AT LEAST UP TO 70 MPH. THERE IS NO WARNING FROM THE CAR ITSELF. THERE IS NO STUTTERING OR NOISE. SUDDENLY THE CAR IS JUST DEAD AND ROLLING ALONG AT EXTREME SPEEDS. THE FIX IS TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND ATTEMPT TO RESTART BY REMOVING AND REINSERTING THE KEY UNTIL IT STARTS AGAIN. THE DASHBOARD WILL LIGHT UP "STEERING COLUMN DEFECT" AND PROMPT A WARNING LIGHT FOR THE STEERING COLUMN AS IF IT WERE LOCKED FROM A CAR ALARM PROMPT. OCCASIONALLY, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION AND HAVE HAD TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS DONE WITHOUT THE AID OF POWER STEERING AND CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC AND AT HIGH SPEEDS AS THERE IS NO WAY OF "KNOWING" WHEN THE DEFECT WILL OCCUR. THIS DEFECT IS OCCURRING DAILY. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. WAS TOLD IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE STEERING COLUMN REQUIRING A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. ESTIMATED COST TO MYSELF WAS $1,000-2,000. CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY (58,000 MILES). I BELIEVE THIS DEFECT IS NOT A RESULT OF ANY HABIT OF MYSELF AS THE DRIVER BUT RATHER A DEFECT IN THE WORKMANSHIP OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. A SEARCH ON GOOGLE ABOUT THIS ISSUE REVEALED THOUSANDS OF OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM (STALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, DIFFICULTY STARTING AND RESTARTING, POSSIBLE STRANDING OF THE DRIVER). I URGE A RECALL TO MOVE FORWARD IMMEDIATELY! *TR

Mileage: 58,000

THE 2006 -2009 VW PASSAT IS HAVING MASSIVE PROBLEMS WITH THE ( DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN LOCK ). THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI THEFT MODULE AT THE BASE OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS IS HAPPENING TO PASSAT OWNERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I AM GIVING YOU AMMUNITION TO GET THE RECALL DONE. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CAR WILL NOT START AND THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP. THEN AT TIMES THE CAR WILL NOT SHUT OFF AND KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. *TR

Mileage: 51,898

MY 2006 VW PASSAT 2.0 TURBO HAS STEERING COLUMN ISSUES. THE CAR WILL NOT START WITHOUT MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THEN WAITING AND KEEP ON TRYING. THE CAR WILL START THEN IMMEDIATELY STALL, WITH AN ERROR IN THE MESSAGE BOARD THAT THE STEERING COLUMN IS DEFECTIVE. THIS HAPPENS 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 WHEN GOING TO START THE CAR. THE CAR HAS DIED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THEN RESTARTS. I HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE REPORTED BY MANY OTHER CONSUMERS ON VARIOUS FORUMS AND COMPLAINT SITES, BUT VW REFUSES TO RECALL FOR THE ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 81,000

VW PASSAT 2006 2.0T STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILURE LIGHT. COMES ON AND DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO START THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 67,500

WHEN TRYING TO START 2006 PASSAT 2.0T, I GET ERROR MESSAGES ABOUT STEERING COLUMN LOCK BEING DEFECTIVE OR THERE ARE NO DASH LIGHTS AND CAR WON'T TURN OVER. PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. LOCATED ONLINE FORUM WITH 6 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE. SEE THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE: HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?3656214-STEERING-COLUMN-LOCK-FOR-2006-PASSAT/PAGE1. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

2006 PASSAT STARTS AND STALL IMMEDIATELY. "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT". DEALER WANTS $2000.00 TO REPLACE IT ALONG WITH COMFORT SENSOR. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK ERROR ON COMPUTER OF 2006 VW PASSAT. CAR STALLS ANYTIME THIS LIGHT WARNING COMES ON. IT HAS COME ON WHILE DRIVING CAUSING IT TO STALL AT HIGH SPEEDS MAKING IT HARD TO STEER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER SAFELY. THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED TWO INCIDENTS WHILE IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND WAS A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT EACH TIME. IT OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS NOW AND WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST. I WAS TOLD THAT THE FIX IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WHICH IS ABOUT $2K. TO GET THE CAR STARTED AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE STEERING COLUMN BACK AND FORTH AND AFTER ABOUT 4-10 ATTEMPTS TO START, THE CAR WILL START. THERE IS NO WARNING, IT JUST STALLS WHEN THIS ISSUE ARISES. IT HAS STALLED AT A RAIL ROAD CROSSING WHICH HAS A STOPPING POINT BEFORE YOU CROSS. VERY UNSAFE SITUATION, I WORK FOR THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AS A SAFETY INVESTIGATOR AND IF THIS EXISTED IN OUR AIR FORCE WE WOULD HAVE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE PUSHED FORWARD AND INVESTIGATED. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I HAVE NOTICED MULTIPLE FORUMS STATING THE SAME ISSUES AND SAME COMPLAINTS. *TR

Mileage: 68,856

MY WIFE'S CAR 2006 PASSAT HAS BEEN STARTING AND THEN STALLING IMMEDIATELY. A WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INDICATING "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT". IT WAS FINE FOR A WEEK OR TWO, THEN IT STARTED OCCURRING SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. I TOOK CAR TO REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT PROBLEM WOULD NEED A DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP TO CORRECT. AFTER DOING SOME ONLINE SEARCHES FOR PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE I NOTICED MANY OWNERS WERE HAVING SAME PROBLEM AND WERE TOLD THAT THE STEERING COLUMN AND COMFORT SENSOR WOULD BOTH HAVE TO BE REPLACED, ESTIMATES FROM $1200 TO $2000 DOLLARS FOR REPAIR. OUR CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AS OF FEB, 2010 BUT HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT. REPORTS FROM MECHANICS SAY A PERSON CAN GET STRANDED AT ANY TIME, BUT IF CAR STARTS IT WILL NOT FAIL WHILE DRIVING. THIS REPLACEMENT SHOULD NOT BE AT THE COST OF THE OWNER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE OCCURRENCES AND REQUEST A RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE NEW VEHICLE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT/ STEERING COLUMN. *TR

Mileage: 36,000

06 VW PASSAT STEERING COLUMN LOCK INDICATOR LIGHT ON. MESSAGE READS" STEERING COLUMN LOCKED TAKE TO WORKSHOP. WE HAVE HAD THE MESSAGE A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE. WONDERING ABOUT A RECALL TO HAVE THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM FIXED. *TR

Mileage: 79,400

1A. I INSERTED THE KEY FOD AND THE "STEERING WHEEL" LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASHED YELLOW AND THE MFD ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SAID, "STEERING COLUMN LOCK MALFUNCTION. GO TO VW DEALER IMMEDIATELY" 1B. OTHER TIMES, IT'S THE SAME, BUT THE "STEERING WHEEL" LIGHT FLASHES WITH RED LIGHT. 1C. OTHER TIMES, I MUST INSERT THE KEY FOD ANYWHERE FROM 5-20 TIMES BEFORE THE CAR EVEN STARTS. THE CAR WON'T START AND I MUST REPEAT THE PROCESS UNTIL IT DOES. 2. IT OCCURS AT LEAST 5-9 TIMES PER WEEK WITH THE YELLOW LIGHT FLASHING, 3-5 TIMES A WEEK WITH RED LIGHT FLASHING, AND 1-3 TIMES PER WEEK WHEN I MUST REPEAT THE INSERTING OF KEY FOD TO TURN ON. 3A. THE VW DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM AND IT USUALLY RUNS $1500-$2200 TO FIX. THEY SAID THEY USUALLY REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN MODULE (COMPUTER BOARD STUFF) AND THE STEERING COLUMN AS WELL. THEY SAY THE PROBLEM IS CAUSE BY THE MODULE GOING BAD AND NOT RESPONDING AND TELLING THE COMPUTER TO TURN THE CAR ON. 3B. THE VW CORPORATE CUSTOMER CARE SAID THEY CANNOT HELP BECAUSE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. I HAVE ABOUT 60K MILES AND WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 50K MILES. PLEASE GO TO THIS THREAD TO SEE HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS: HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3656214. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK ERROR ON COMPUTER OF 2006 VW PASSAT. I DID RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS AND ITS AN KNOWN ISSUE AMONG MANY OWNERS OF THIS TROUBLESOME CAR. ITS NOT FAIR TO HAVE TO PAY OF $ 1500 FOR SOMETHING THE MFG BUILT DEFECTIVELY. *TR

Mileage: 69,500

MY CAR KEEPS GETTING THE MESSAGE, "STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE" MESSAGE IN THE MFD. THE CAR WILL NOT START ON MORE THAN SIX TIMES NOW. WHENEVER, THE MESSAGE "STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE" COMES ON, THE CAR WILL NOT START. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, AND MANY PEOPLE ONLINE EXPRESSED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

Mileage: 76,000

MY 2006 VW PASSAT HAS A "STEERING COLUMN LOCK" ERROR AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE HAS BEEN LOTS OF THE 2006 VW PASSATS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL YET. IF I DON'T GET IT FIX IT WILL STOP WHILE DRIVING, AND THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 38,000

BRAND NEW VEHICLE, 06 VW PASSAT, DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS--THEN, CAR STARTING DYING SUDDENLY AFTER BEING STOPPED (AT A RED LIGHT) THEN ACCELERATING ONCE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. WOULDN'T SPUTTER OR CHOKE--JUST DIE. TOOK IT TO VW TO CHECK INTO IT--THEY TRIED TO CONVINCE ME IT WAS THE GAS I WAS PUTTING INTO MY CAR--BUT IT WASN'T. FINALLY, AFTER 34 CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN THE SHOP, THE DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. I TALKED WITH VW HEADQUARTERS. THEY OFFERED ME $300. I EXPLAINED THAT THE CAR WAS DYING--COMPLETELY QUITTING ON ME--IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS--AND HOW MANY NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS I HAD AVOIDED--SO $300 WASN'T GOING TO CUT IT--BUT VW CLAIMED IT WAS NOT A "SAFETY ISSUE". I EXPLAINED FURTHER THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS INTERMITTENTLY DOING THIS, I WOULD LOSE ALL STEERING, ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE--STILL, VW WOULD NOT ADMIT TO THERE BEING AN ISSUE. OUT OF SHEER PANIC, I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND CONVINCED THEM TO GET ME A NEW CAR. I BELIEVE THE DEALERSHIP RE-SOLD MY OLD CAR, THE ONE THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX. A YEAR LATER, A FRIEND OF MINE HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE HAPPEN WITH HER 92 JETTA. HER MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION COILS AND REPLACED THEM. NOW, A YEAR LATER, VW SENT A NOTICE TO ME IN THE MAIL SAYING IT IS "NOT A RECALL" BUT THEY WANTED US TO REPLACE THE IGNITION COILS "ONLY IF A CERTAIN LIGHT INDICATOR" GOES ON IN THE CAR. I NEVER HAD SUCH A LIGHT GO ON IN MY OLD CAR, SO I THOUGHT THIS WAS RIDICULOUS AND TOOK MY CURRENT VW VEHICLE IN TO REPLACE THE IGNITION COILS ANYWAY. THANKFULLY, THE DEALERSHIP DID IT FOR ME, BECAUSE THEY KNEW MY HISTORY. THE NOTICE FROM VW CLEARLY STATES THAT THEY ONLY WANT YOU TO REPLACE THEM IF THE LIGHT GOES ON IN YOUR CAR AND YOU ONLY HAD UNTIL A CERTAIN DATE (FEB. 28TH) TO DO IT. STILL SEEMS TO BE NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM VW THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AT HAND. *TR

Mileage: 10,000

I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FACT THAT VW HAS FAILED TO OFFER A RECALL FOR 2006 PASSAT STEERING COLUMN AND COMFORT MODULE MALFUNCTION. THOUSANDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, SAFETY ISSUE IS A POTENTIALLY STRANDED DRIVER. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS MY STEERING COLUMN LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING ON AND OFF. IT STATES STEERING COLUMN DEFECT. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT TURNS OFF AFTER I RESTART MY CAR A FEW TIMES. I FIGURED IT WAS AN ELECTRIC ISSUE. NOW FOR THE PAST WEEK OR SO, MY CAR HAS PROBLEMS TURNING ON AND IT CONTINUES TO STATE STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE. IT TOOK 10 TIMES TO GET MY CAR STARTED TODAY. MY STEERING COLUMN LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT, PARKING BRAKE LIGHT AND ENGINE ALL CAME ON EACH TIME I TRIED TO START MY CAR WITHOUT SUCCESS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND BEFORE I FINISHED EXPLAINING MYSELF, THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY WILL HAVE TO REPLACE MY STEERING COLUMN. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, BUT MY CAR IS CERTIFIED SO IT MAY BE COVERED. THERE ARE OVER 40 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO RECALL WHATEVER IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM! *TR

Mileage: 36,000

I HAVE A 2006 VW PASSAT 2.0T WITH 30,000 MILES. I'VE HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS OVER THE LAST YEAR, KEY WILL NOT COME OUT IN PARK, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, CAR CONTINUES TO RUN EVEN WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I BROUGHT THESE ITEMS TO THE DEALER'S ATTENTION, BUT WAS BRUSHED OFF BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET THE VEHICLE TO "DO IT AGAIN." NOW THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT IS ON. VW DEALERSHIP SAYS I NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN. IF NOT REPLACED, THE STEERING WHEEL COULD LOCK WHILE DRIVING. I WAS TOLD REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN SHOULD FIX ALL THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

1ST OCCURRENCE, STEERING COLUMN LOCK WARNING CAME ON UPON IGNITION, IMMEDIATELY DISABLED THE CAR. TRIED AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT EVENTUALLY STARTED. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY HAPPENED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND IN MOTION. THE PROBLEM CURRENTLY HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS STARTED. WE FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO DEALER "A" IN OCTOBER OF 2007, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE OUR COMPLAINT, THEY TREATED IT AS AN ISOLATED EVENT. WE CONTINUED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM AT EVERY SERVICE VISIT TO DEALER "A", WITHOUT RESOLUTION. UPON TAKING THE CAR TO DEALER "B", THEY REPORTED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MODULE AND COMFORT MODULE ARE BOTH DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK. DEALER "B" ALSO STATED THAT THEY SEE 2-3 CARS A WEEK FOR THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT AND THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST $1500, DESPITE THAT WE FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, A TEMPORARY METHOD TO CIRCUMVENT THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE CAR IS STARTED WAS DISCOVERED ON A FORUM FULL OF HUNDREDS OF REPORTS FROM OTHER PASSAT OWNERS WITH THE SAME DEFECT. (HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3656214&PAGE=1) ADDITIONALLY, VW IRELAND HAS DEVELOPED A SIMPLE SOFTWARE FIX FOR THE PROBLEM THAT WAS COVERED IN A MAJOR IRISH NATIONAL NEWS PUBLICATION, HOWEVER VW AMERICA DENIES SUCH A FIX EXISTS AND REFUSES TO COOPERATE WITH VW IRELAND OR LOCAL DEALERS OR ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE WHEREIN AN INEXPENSIVE SOFTWARE FIX WOULD CAUSE VW TO EITHER LOSE OUT ON A $1500 MECHANICAL REPAIR AND HAVE TO REIMBURSE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THE FIX. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PREVALENCE OF THE DEFECT WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A RECALL. *TR

VW 2006 PASSAT 2.0 T STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE SIGNAL AND THE CAR DOESN'T START. AFTER DOING INTERNET SEARCH, IT SEEMS MANY OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH PASSATS AND JETTAS. IT SEEMS THE VW COMPANY SHOULD HAVE A RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM THIS SEEMS TO BE GENERALIZED. MANY OF US ARE BEING TOLD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE UNIT TO HAVE SOLUTION. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

FOR 2 TIMES THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK AND A WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH HAD APPEARED. MAY CAUSE STEERING WELL MALFUNCTION. RISK OF LOSE CONTROL. AFTER RESTART THE ENGINE THE PROBLEM WAS GONE, NO ERRORS ON ECU. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

MY 2006 PASSAT WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND HE STEERING LOCK LIGHT WILL COME ON PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. *TR

Mileage: 92,442

'07/19/2006: PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT '04/13/2007: RADIO WILL NOT EJECT CD- THE STEREO SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FAULTY RADIO '12/06/2007: CAR WILL NOT START ' CALLED TOW COMPANY, UPON ARRIVAL CHECKED BATTERY AND IT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM; TOW COMPANY COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO START; CAR WAS TOWED TO LASHER VOLKSWAGEN '12/14/2007: CAR WILL NOT START AGAIN, SAME ISSUE AS BEFORE ON 12/06/2007; CALLED THE TOW COMPANY AND HAD IT TOWED TO LASHER DEALERSHIP; AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS BACK AND FORTH, VW DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM NOR HAVE THEY FIXED THE VEHICLE YET '01/12/08: PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM LASHER VW ' SEEMED TO WORK OKAY '01/14/08: WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, DOOR LOCKS BEGAN TO UNLOCK AND LOCK BY THEMSELVES AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY; ALSO, SUDDENLY LIGHT INDICATORS (BLINKERS) DID NOT WORK, HIGH BEAMS DID NOT WORK, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK, STEERING WHEEL INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON, TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON, CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON; THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION '01/17/08: WHILE DRIVING TO BERKELEY, ON THE FREEWAY, THE BLINKERS STOPPED WORKING, AND COULD NOT GET THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK; LOCKS BEGAN TO LOCK AND UNLOCK WHILE DRIVING; TELEPHONE CALL AGAIN, TO LASHER VW TO EXPRESS GREAT CONCERN AND WORRIED ABOUT BEING STRANDED; WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN ON FRIDAY 01/1/08 AT 7:30 AM; ONCE WE ARRIVED IN BERKELEY, WE PARKED THE CAR AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION ' THE RADIO WAS STILL ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT SHUT OFF; WE STARTED UP THE CAR AGAIN AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED; WHEN LOCKING THE CAR WITH THE ALARM, THE DOORS LOCKED BUT THE ALARM DID NOT TURN ON; LIGHTS REMAINED ON FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, FEARING THAT THE BATTERY WOULD RUN LOW AND WE WOULD BE STRANDED '08/05/09: TOOK THE CAR TO ELK GROVE VW AND TOLD THAT WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIRS '10/24/09-12/14/09: THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO START SINCE 10/23/09 AND SITTING IN OUR GARAGE & NOW AT NEILLO VW. *TR

Mileage: 17,815

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING ON A BRIDGE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER A FEW MINUTES HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. HE WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER, BUT HE WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 72,000.

Mileage: 72,000

2006 PASSAT SEDAN DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN MESSAGE IN DASHBOARD MONITOR. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

2006 PASSAT THAT WON'T START AND HAS STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE LIGHT COME ON. TOLD I NEED NEW COLUMN AND COMFORT CONTROL MODULE ALSO FOR $1500.00 THAT I DON'T HAVE. I AM SO SICK OF THIS CAR. LOTS OF BIG PROBLEMS BUT THEY WERE UNDER WARRANTY, NOW I AM OUT OF WARRANTY BY 5000 MILES. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL WITH SO MANY CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 54,400

MY 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT SOMETIMES WILL NOT START-- STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECT IS THE ERROR MESSAGE. THIS HAS LEFT MY CAR INOPERABLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS,... EVENTUALLY IT DOES START. I AM PLANNING TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED FOR $1500. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY NOW. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

I OWN A VW PASSAT 2006 AND KEEP GETTING A STEERING WHEEL COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE MESSAGE IN MY HUD. THIS STALLS OUT THE CAR AND TAKES RESTARTS OF IGNITION JUST TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE. I HAVE READ THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND COSTS AROUND1500 DOLLARS TO FIX. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND UNNECESSARY EXPENSE ON THE CONSUMER END WHEN VW SHOULD REALLY BACK THERE PRODUCT BETTER. *TR

Mileage: 67,000

MY DASH KEEPS TELLING ME STEERING COLUMN LOCK IS DEFECTIVE. MY CAR WON'T START HALF THE TIME. I HAVE TO LEAVE MY CAR RUNNING IF I PLAN ON GETTING RIGHT BACK IN. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN LOCK MESSAGE KEEPS COMING UP ON 2006 VW PASSAT STARTED HAPPENING OVER THE SUMMER NOW 1 1/2 MONTHS LATER IT IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

1) THE CAR HAS 67,000 MILES AND IT HAS BEEN SERVICED EVERY 5,000 MILES AS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER. 2) THE CAR WOULDN'T START AND IT CAME UP WITH A WARNING MESSAGE THAT READ "STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE." IT CAME ONLY ONCE, BUT FAILURE OF THIS STATIONARY PART COULD RESULT IN LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. AS PER THOUSANDS OF BLOG THREADS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS. 3) THE PART HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER (VOLKSWAGEN) NO LONGER USES THE SAME PART. THEY USE A NEW IMPROVED PART THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 67,000

EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS, 'STEERING COLUMN DEFECTIVE' MESSAGE APPEARS ON 2006 VW PASSAT SCREEN, AND CAR WON'T START. AFTER 5 OR 6 TRIES THE CAR EVENTUALLY STARTS. I SEE POSTINGS SIMILAR TO THIS IN MANY INTERNET FORUMS REGARDING 2006 PASSAT. *TR

Mileage: 39,000

VOLKSWAGEN 2006 2.0T PASSAT HAS A DEFECTIVE STEERING WHEEL LOCK THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I KNOW OF NUMEROUS PASSAT 2006 DRIVERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS UNSAFE AND THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANK GOD I WAS NOT DRIVING WHEN IT OCCURRED. IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX AND I AM JUST OUT OF THE WARRANTY. IT IS UNFAIR AND UNSAFE. IT HAS HAPPENED TO SO MANY PASSAT DRIVERS. PLEASE DO SOMETHING. THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO TOW BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS LOCKED UP ON THE CAR, COULDN'T PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL, ALL WHEELS WERE LOCKED, BRAKES,ETC. THE SERVICE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE KEYS ARE NOT BEING READ BY THE CAR AND THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR OVER $1300. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THIS ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS A VW DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 57,000

2006 VW PASSAT 3.6 4-MOTION. 65K MILES. STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE. WHILE ON MY HONEYMOON TRIP WITH MY NEW WIFE TO VANCOUVER B.C. MY CAR FAILED TO START AS USUAL. KEY IS PLACED IN DASH AND PRESSED INTO STARTING POSITION. CAR STARTS AND THEN ABRUPTLY ENGINE STOPS. VERY INTERMITTENT. PROBLEM IS WORRYING BECAUSE IT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 64,000

2006 VW PASSAT 2.0T. STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 92,000

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS LEADING UP TO 07-30-08, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START PROPERLY. VW REPROGRAMMED KEYS BUT REFUSED TO COVER COSTS EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. AROUND APRIL 2009, VEHICLE BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS CRANKING AGAIN. VEHICLE WOULD START THEN THE ENGINE WOULD IMMEDIATELY DIE, BUT NOT EVERY TIME. CONDITION GOT WORSE AT THE BEGINNING OF JUNE AND HAD THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR CHECKED OUT. THEY WERE FINE. ON ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE COMPUTER GAVE A "STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE" ERROR. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER ON 06-16-2009. THIS TIME THEY SAID STEERING COLUMN CONTROL MODULE AND COMFORT MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO EARLIER PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED AT DIFFERENT VW DEALER AT OWN COST. I KEPT THE OLD PARTS. *TR

Mileage: 42,305

CAR WOULD NOT START WHEN KEY WAS INSERTED. PROBLEM WAS VERY INTERMITTENT AT FIRST AND THEN BECAME MORE AND MORE COMMON. THEN SOMETIMES THE CAR WOULD START BUT STOP IMMEDIATELY. DEALERS AT FIRST TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BUT NOW STATE THAT THE CAR REQUIRES A NEW STEERING COLUMN. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED. THE COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1,200. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY OFFERED TO ASSIST WITH 30% OF THE REPAIR COST. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 78,000.

Mileage: 78,000

HAVING ISSUES WITH STEERING COLUMN LOCK, CAR NEVER STARTS, TAKES MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET IT TO START. SAVING MONEY TO PAY FOR 1500.00 REPAIR. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON MONDAY JUNE 22 @ 72 MPH, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF. THIS WAS EXTREMELY SCARY DUE TO BEING ON MAJOR HIGHWAY AT SUCH A SPEED. I ALMOST DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT BEING STRUCK FROM BEHIND. THE VEHICLE TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS FROM THERE TO START AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 105,460

ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN CONTINUES TO PRODUCE WARNING LIGHTS AFTER BEING SENT IN FOR SERVICE. WARNING MESSAGE THAT ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK IS DEFECTIVE CONTINUES COMING ON. ERROR MESSAGE CAUSES THE CAR TO NOT START, SOMETIMES TAKING 2-10 RESTARTS TO GET THE CAR RUNNING. POWER ASSISTANCE AND ELECTRONIC STEERING CAN FAIL (ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL) IF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. COULD CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY TO SELF AND OTHERS OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IF THIS IS NOT FIXED. HAVE RESEARCHED PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALERSHIPS SEEM TO HAVE DIFFICULTY DIAGNOSING AND REPAIRS ARE VERY COSTLY. ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,500-2,600. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR AND MAKE, AND MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IF NOT FIXED. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

THE CAR SUDDENLY WOULDN'T START. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING. "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE" WARNING APPEARED ON THE IN-DASH CONSOLE. THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I REMOVED THE KEY AND TRIED AFTER A FEW MINUTES, AND THE CAR STARTED OKAY. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES IN THE STRETCH OF ONE WEEK OR SO. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

CAR WILL NOT START, DASHBOARD WARNING "STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE" I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH B6 PASSAT OWNERS. THE PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY FAULTY CONTACTS YET THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN IS REPLACED BY VOLKSWAGEN AND COULD COST UP TO $2000.. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

I HAVE A 2006 VW PASSAT, AMONG MANY ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR, THE MOST RECENT AND MY SERIOUS CONCERN FOR SAFETY IS THE ""STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE" THE CAR SOMETIMES WILL NOT START AT ALL OR WILL START AND IMMEDIATELY DIE. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND WAS SHOCKED BY THE NUMBER OF VW CUSTOMERS THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET! THE COST TO FIX THIS IS IN THE UPWARDS OF $1500. ONE THE CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND TWO THERE SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN HERE THAT THIS IS A VW DEFECTIVE ISSUE! THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, I AM PREGNANT AND CAN'T EVEN GET HOME AFTER DRIVING TO WORK OR THE STORE! I FEEL VW HAS AN ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THIS RECURRING PROBLEM! I HOPE YOU CAN PURSUE THIS. *TR

Mileage: 58,000

WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START MY CAR, IT WILL INITIALLY TURN OVER BUT WILL THEN SHUT DOWN. THE IN DASH COMPUTER STATES A STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH A MODULE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND THAT THE REPAIR BILL WOULD BE $2000.00. THEY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, EXCEPT THAT THE STEERING LOCKED UP ON THEM WHILE DRIVING. THE GENTLE I SPOKE WITH EXPLAINED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP CAN ALSO OCCUR WITH MINE. HE THEN STATED THAT VW AMERICA WAS GOING TO PAY FOR APPROXIMATELY 800.00 OF THE REPAIR BILL AND I WILL HAVE TO COVER THE REST. *TR

Mileage: 56,500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKS UP ON HER VEHICLE AND PREVENTS IT FROM BEING DRIVEN. SHE ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE AND AN INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED A MODULE. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $1,300. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 05/27/09 *BF UPDATED 06/08/09 *BF UPDATED 6/16/09 *NJ THE LEFT REAR CALIPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE TRANSMISSION WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE, THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL DID NOT WORK, THE LEFT WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE HOOD RELEASE LEVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 06/17/09.*JB

Mileage: 63,000

VEHICLE WILL NOT START 70% OF THE TIME. VEHICLE STALLS ONCE STARTED. PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. QUOTE WAS PROVIDED TO REPAIR, BUT PARTS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A 2006 VW PASSAT, WHO HAS HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE LATEST BEING OF MOST CONCERN. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR, IT WILL EITHER NOT TURN OVER AT ALL, OR THE ENGINE TURN OVER, THEN DIE. THIS HAPPENS NEARLY EVERYTIME I AM IN THE CAR. MY VEHICLE IS 4,000 MILES OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY, SO NEITHERVOLKSWAGON, NOR MY LOCAL VW DEALER WILL ASSIST ME WITH THE COST (BEING AN '!@#$% AMOUNT OF $1643.00 OUT OF POCKET), NOR HAS A RECALL BEEN ISSUED. I HAVE CALLED AND EMAILED NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS AT VW CORPORATE LEVEL, WITH NO RESULTS. IN DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND MANY FORUMS, WITH MULTIPLE POSTS OF CUSTOMERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THIS CAR, SPECIFICALLY THE 2006 MODEL. I HAVE ALSO WENT THROUGH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU TO ATTEMPT TO GET ANSWERS ON WHY VW IS NOT DOING MORE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH A PART THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. BELOW IS THE REPLY EMAIL I GOT FROM THEM, INSTRUCTING ME TO CONTACT YOUR COMPANY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND TIME ON THIS MATTER. COPY OF EMAIL FROM BBB-- {I AM IN RECEIPT OF YOUR EMAIL SENT TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, INC. UPON REVIEW OF YOUR EMAIL, IT DOESN'T APPEAR AS THOUGH YOU HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. I SUGGEST YOU BEGIN THERE. THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) IS AN OFFICE WITHIN THE NHTSA. ODI CONDUCTS DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS AND ADMINISTERS SAFETY RECALLS TO SUPPORT THE NHTSA'S MISSION TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON OUR NATION'S HIGHWAYS. NHTSA IS AUTHORIZED TO ORDER MANUFACTURERS TO RECALL AND REPAIR VEHICLES OR ITEMS OF MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPMENT WHEN ODI INVESTIGATIONS INDICATE THAT THEY CONTAIN SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECTS IN THEIR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OR PERFORMANCE. ODI ALSO MONITORS THE ADEQUACY OF MANUFACTURERS' RECALL CAMPAIGNS. BEFORE INITIATING AN INVESTIGATION, ODI CAREFULLY REVIEWS THE BODY OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND OTHER AVAILABLE DATA TO DETERMINE WHETHER A DEFECT TREND MAY EXIST. WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV}. *TR

Mileage: 54,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE IGNITION AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO LOCK UP. THERE WERE TWO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MESSAGES DISPLAYED WERE "EMBOLIZATER ACTIVATED MOVE STEERING WHEEL" AND "STEERING LOCK DEFECTIVE". IN ADDITION, THE IGNITION KEY WAS STUCK AND FAILED TO RELEASE. THE FAILURES OCCURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED BETWEEN SIX TO TEN TIMES WHILE IN OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM HER RESIDENCE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 69,000.

Mileage: 69,000

2006 VW PASSAT 2.0T STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM INDICATED BY WARNING MESSAGE IN DASHBOARD. WE'VE SEEN THIS MESSAGE ON AND OFF OVER SEVERAL DAYS. ACCORDING TO SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE VW DEALER THE STEERING COLUMN WILL LOCK. THEREFORE, IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE ESTIMATE IS 1,500.00 DLLS. I DID A WEB SEARCH TO SEE IF OTHER OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS AMAZED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS AND SO FAR THERE IS NO RECALL FROM VW FOR WHAT IS APPEARS A DESIGN ERROR. *TR

Mileage: 64,701

CAR INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, AND DISPLAY READS "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE". HAS HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIMES. DEALER DENIES ANYTHING WRONG WITH CAR AFTER INSPECTION. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

2006 VW PASSAT STEERING LOCK FAILURE..WILL COST ME 1500 TO FIX EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE COUNTLESS PAGES OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH CAR. VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS BIG ENOUGH FOR A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

2006 VW PASSAT "STEERING WHEEL LOCK DEFECTIVE". CAR WILL NOT START CONSISTENCY. *TR

Mileage: 61,000

GOSH WHERE DO I START VW PASSAT 51000 MILES ALOT OF THINGS WENT WRONG.. CAR STARTER VOLKS CAME OUT CAUSING THE STARTER TO BREAK MY TRUNK DOESN'T CLOSE POPS OPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD/FREEWAY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE THING FROM MY TRUNK EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN THE FREEWAY MY STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS DEFECTED DOES NOT LOCK I HAVE CALLED NUMEROUS OF VW DEALER SHIPS AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME CAUSE ITS WARRANTY EXPIRED AND FOR STEERING LOCK I WENT BEFORE WARRANTY AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME 90 DOLLARS I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY LYING AROUND I HAVE CAR PAYMENT. INS ECT... IM SCARED IF SOMETHING WAS TO HAPPENED WHILE ME DRIVING WITH MY KIDS. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2008, I WAS HAVING MINIMAL ISSUES WITH HAVING THE KEY STICK INTO THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE EASILY PUSH THE KEY IN AND TAKE IT BACK OUT WITHOUT A PROBLEM. AROUND DECEMBER 2008 I HAD A "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE" APPEAR ON MY DASHBOARD AND MY CAR SHUT OFF. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ABOUT ONCE EVERY 10 TIMES I TURN THE CAR ON. I TOOK IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE COMFORT SYSTEM MODULE. TOTAL COST: $1,500. *TR

Mileage: 51,000

2006 VW PASSAT WITH STEERING ISSUE. MESSAGE IN DASH INDICATES "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE." LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP SAYS ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT MY COST SINCE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY WITH 69,000 MILES. COST OF REPAIR IS CLOSE TO $2,000. THE CAR HAS PROBLEMS STARTING DAILY BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE. AFTER SEARCHING VARIOUS INTERNET SITES IT LOOKS LIKE OTHER 2006 PASSAT OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA, TRYING TO HAVE THEM COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE/DEFECT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A COMMON TREND FOR THE 2006 MODEL AND SHOULD POSSIBLY BE A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

I WAS DRIVING MY VW PASSAT 2006 2.0T TODAY WITH MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR. WE STOPPED FOR A SHORT BREAK. WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR, I GOT THE "STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE" MESSAGE ON THE CAR COMPUTER. AFTER I RESTARTED THE CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE MESSAGE WAS GONE. WHEN I CHECKED THE PASSAT OWNERS FORUM, I REALIZED THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. I DECIDED TO INFORM NHTSA ABOUT IT. I WILL SEE THE DEALER TOMORROW TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 30,200

STEERING COLUMN LOCK DEFECTIVE CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT OFF VERY OFTEN. VW DEALER REPLACING THE STEERING COLUMN AND COMPUTER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE, 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0T AT 61,000 MILES, VEHICLE STARTED SHUTTING ITSELF OFF ONE SECOND AFTER STARTING WITH NO MESSAGE. WITHIN 500 MILES, DIAGNOSTIC MESSAGE REPORTED STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILURE. VEHICLE IS 2,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY (LESS THEN 1 YEAR OLD), DEALER INSIST ON REPLACING STEERING COLUMN, STEERING COLUMN LOCK, STEERING COLUMN LOCK CONTROL MODULE AND THE CONVENIENCE CONTROL MODULE FOR A TOTAL OF $2400. I HAVE FOUND ON VARIOUS INTERNET FORUMS MULTIPLE IDENTICAL INCIDENTS. THIS STEERING WHEEL LOCK IS AND WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE START AND VW HAS AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE IT RIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 61,000

WHEN TRYING TO START OUR 2006 PASSAT THE INFO PANEL SHOWS "STEERING WHEEL DEFECTIVE". A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH CAME UP WITH 4 OF THE SAME SITUATIONS IN 2006 PASSATS ON ONE SITE. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT $1700. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. IT'S ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. VW TOLD THE DEALER THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE PART ONLY FOR "GOOD FAITH". NO, IT'S A FACTORY DEFECT FROM THE START WHICH IS ALSO A HUGE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPLETE COST IN ADDITION TO A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

I BOUGHT A CAR BRAND NEW AND EVER SINCE 1700 MILES IT'S BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. FIRST IT STARTED WITH WINDOWS NOT WANTING TO ROLL UP, THEY'D ROLL DOWN FIRST THEN UP. MY RADIO WAS STUCK ON LOUD AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF OR DOWN OR CHANGE RADIO STATIONS. THE PARKING BRAKE (ELECTRICAL) ENGAGED ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, A HOSE CAME UNDONE AT 18K MILES ON THE FREEWAY AND CAUSED HEAVY CONVULSING. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK RANDOMLY HAD "ERRORS", THE AIRBAG HAS "ERRORS", THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED VERY ROUGH WHICH MADE ME JOLT IN THE CAR AND STARTED MAKING MY NECK SORE. FOR EVERY INCIDENT MY CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED, THEY FIX THE PROBLEM AND A NEW ONE HAPPENS A WEEK LATER. I AM A VALET AND OTHER VW OWNERS SAY THE SAME THINGS HAPPEN TO THEIR CARS. SO I KNOW I HAVE A LEGIT COMPLAINT HERE. *TR

Mileage: 1,700