2000 Volkswagen Passat Powertrain & Transmission Problems

1. MY 2000 VW PASSAT 1.8T AUTOMATIC REACHED 130K MILES. 2. THERE IS A FAILURE IN WHATEVER COMPONENT STABILIZES THE STEERING WHEEL AT IDLE WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT IN OCCUR WHEN AT IDLE IN NEUTRAL. THE EXACT SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM ARE A VERY STRONG VIBRATION THAT CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ENTIRE CABIN. THE ONLY FIX HAS BEEN TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHEN AT THE STOP SIGN/LIGHT. 3. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN SO FAR ARE NEW ENGINE MOUNTS, NEW TRANSMISSION MOUNTS, NEW TRANSMISSION STABILIZER BAR, AND VERIFYING THE DRIVE BELT IS TIGHT ENOUGH. VW IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT OCCURS IN B5 & B5.5 MODEL AUTOMATIC PASSATS. THERE ARE SOME REPORTS OF PASSATS WITH LOW MILEAGE THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE VW CORPORATION DOES NOT HAVE A SOLUTION. PEOPLE HAVE LITERALLY TRADED IN THEIR PASSATS, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. MY STAND IS THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT A CAR COMPANY THIS SIZE DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE AS TO WHAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM AND HOW TO FIX IT. I REFUSE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NOTION THAT I HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER CAR WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS. *TR

1) RAIN WATER ENTERED THE VEHICLE , 2000 PASSAT, 6CYLINDER, AUTO MATIC TRANSMISSION AND POOLED APPROXIMATELY 2-3 INCHES) IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SOURCE OF LEAK WAS UNKNOWN. ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS WERE CLOSED. *AK 2) THIS LED TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT, WHICH IS HOUSED UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE, TO BECOME WET AND MALFUNCTION. THE TRANSMISSION THEN BEGAN SHIFTING UP, AND DOWN ERRATICALLY, WHILE DRIVING. 3) THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1351 DOLLARS FOR THE PART AND $250 FOR LABOR. RESEARCH ON THE WEB INDICATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VW'S AND IS LIKELY DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW WHICH CAUSES WATER TO DRAIN INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN CERTAIN DRAIN HOLES BECOME CLOGGED.

THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, HAVING OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN TO TWENTY TIMES DURING THE PAST YEAR. IT CAN BE BEST DESCRIBED AS A SUDDEN LURCHING, WHICH HAS OCCURRED WHILE STOPPED, WHILE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (60-70 MPH), AND AT SPEEDS BETWEEN THESE TWO EXTREMES. WHILE STOPPED, IT IS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES, AND THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD; EXTRA BRAKE PRESSURE MUST BE APPLIED DURING THESE OCCURRENCES, WHICH LAST LESS THAN A SECOND OR TWO, BUT WHICH OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE PROBLEM MANIFESTS ITSELF AS A SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED, VIRTUALLY INSTANTANEOUS DECREASE IN SPEED OF BETWEEN FIVE AND TEN MILES PER HOUR; THIS DECREASE IN SPEED OCCURS IN LESS THAN A SECOND. ONE GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE THE FEELING IS THAT IT IS AS IF THE VEHICLE HAS HIT SOMETHING. I CONSIDER THIS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION, BECAUSE IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, FOR EXAMPLE, AT FREEWAY SPEEDS WHILE ON A CURVE IN THE RAIN, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE LOST. I HAVE INFORMED MY LOCAL DEALER OF THIS ISSUE, BUT SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES (DUE TO ITS INTERMITTENT NATURE), THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO RECTIFY IT. *NM

1) I WAS DRIVING ALONG A MAJOR HIGHWAY (I-75) WHEN I SAW SOMEONE DRIVING ERRATICALLY, WEAVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC IN MY REAR-VIEW MIRROR. HE LOOKED CLOSE TO HITTING ME, SO I ACCELERATED TO NOT ALLOW HIS CAR TO DO THIS.*AK 2) AFTER STEPPING ON THE GAS, AND GETTING OUT OF DANGER, MY CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I WOULD STEP ON THE BRAKE, AND IT WOULD SLOW, BUT ONCE I LET OFF ON THE BRAKE THE CAR WOULD SURGE FOWARD (WITHOUT ME EVEN PRESSING THE GAS). I DID NOT HAVE CRUISE CONTROL ON AT ALL. 3) I WAS UNABLE TO HAVE THE CAR STOP SUDDENLY ACCELERATING. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGWAY, I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK TO DRIVE AND THAT WAS ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THOUGH IF THERE WAS MORE TRAFFIC I WORRY IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO PULL OF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY, WHILE HAVING TO PRESS MY BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME. 2000 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT V6

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AXLE BROKE. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE MOVED, AND CONSUMER HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED. *AK

I HAVE A VW PASSAT 4-MOTION WAGON TIPTRONIC THAT EXHIBITS THE PROBLEM OF REFUSING THE DOWNSHIFT FROM SECOND INTO FIRST AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PUSHED FIRMLY. THEN, THE ENGINE RACES WILDLY FOR AN INSTANT AND THEN "BANGS" INTO GEAR. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM, BUT THUS FAR THERE'S NO FIX FOR IT. ENGINE: 2.8 V6 YEAR: 2000 GEAR: MOVING FROM 2ND INTO 1ST ERRATIC AND SEEMS SOMEWHAT HEAT-RELATED--WORST IN HOT WEATHER FIRST NOTICED: ABOUT 49,000 MILES CAR CAN BE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS IF PROBLEM OCCURS WHILE MERGING ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY. REFER TO AUDIWORLD WEB PAGE FOR SIMILAR OWNER AUDI QUATTRO PROBLEMS WITH 2.7L V6 AND TIPTRONIC. *AK

DEALER INFORMED OF A $2,200 CLUTCH REPAIR AT 32K MILES WHICH SEEMS VERY EARLY. VW CUSTOMER SERVICE PROVIDES NO ASSISTANCE.

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 5 TO 10 MPH AND WITH OUT ANY WARNING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER CV-JOINT BROKE. AS A RESULT THE FRONT SUSPENSION FELL OFF. MANUFACTURER STATED SO WHAT THERE IS NO BIG DEAL. DEALER REPLACED BOTH CV-JOINT. *NLM *MR

MY CLUTCH FAILED AT ONLY 21,000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A CLUTCH FAILING IN A VW THAT EARLY. VW DID COVER PARTS, BUT I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY $600.00 IN LABOR. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 5MPH, LIKE THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED. CONSUMER PRESSED ACCELERATOR, HOWEVER VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS. DROVE VEHICLE AT 15 MPH. VEHICLE DECELERATED AT 5 MPH, AND MASHING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR DID NOT INCREASE THE SPEED. BOTH HAPPENED IN A DURATION OF 5-7 MINS. THE VEHICLE THEN RESUMED AT NORMAL OPERATION. CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, NO PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED. DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE VW FACTORY CONTACT HAD NO RECORD OF ABERRANT ACTION AND HAD NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. *SCC

TIRE JACK IS WEAK. CONSUMER JACKED UP VEHICLE TO CHANGE TIRE, AND JACK BENT/ TWISTED, CAUSING IT TO FALL FROM UNDER VEHICLE.ALSO, AXLE OF VEHICLE FELL TO GROUND. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER URGED CONSUMER TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE. MANUFACTURER TOLD CONSUMER TO TAKE JACK TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

TRANSMISSION PERIODICALLY EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT HARD SHIFTING ON STARTUP. THE VEHICLE THEN GOES INTO "LIMPING MODE" WHICH CAUSES VERY SLOW ACCELERATION. THE PROBLEM CAUSES A SENSOR IN THE CAR TO DISPLAY "EMISSIONS WORKSHOP" WARNING ON THE DASH INDICATOR. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING SEEMS TO CORRECT THE FAULT. VW DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS "1 DTC RECOGNIZED 18227 P1819 035 PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID 2 OPEN/SHORT TO GROUND SPORADIC DTC 1551 DIAGNOSIS". THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTUP, AND ON A SECOND OCCASSION WHILE IN GEAR STANDING AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. SUBSEQUENT TESTING COULD NOT IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC DEFECTIVE COMPONENT AND NO CORRECTIVE REPAIRS WERE MADE. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE VEHICLE FAILS TO OPERATE ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS WHEN OPERATED ON HIGH SPEED CONTROLLED ACCESS HIGHWAYS. FAILURE TO ACCELERATE ON A FREEWAY AT A CRITICAL TIME COULD RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY.*AK

I CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 43K MILES AND I HAVE NOTICED FOR SOME TIME NOW THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE LET OUT FURTHER THAN SEEMED NORMAL FOR IT TO ENGAGE. I'VE MENSIONED IT SEVERAL TIMES WHEN IT WAS IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS 'NORMAL' AND THEY COULDN'T ADJUST IT. AS I WAS DRIVING AND WENT TO SHIFT, I NOTICE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT HAD TO BE LET ALMOST ALL THE WAY BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPEND; IT FELT VERY DIFFERENT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS "BURNT OUT." AT ONLY 42K MILES, IT SEEMS A LITTLE PREMATURE TO HAVE BURNED OUT A CLUTCH ALREADY. *NM

THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY, THE SPEEDOMETER IS APPROXIMATELY 3 MPH HIGHER, READING 73 MPH WHEN ACTUALLY GOING 70 MPH, VOLKSWAGEN ACCEPTS AN ERROR OF UP TO 5 MPH AND WILL CORRECT PROBLEM FROM MANUFACTURING. *MJS

THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND JERKED WHEN IT REACHED THE SPEED OF 40 MPH. *JB

FIRST PROBLEM 07/2002 DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, CAR DECELERATED AS THOUGH BRAKES APPLIED TO ABOUT 5MPH. TRANSMISSION (AUTOMATIC) DROPPED TO LOW GEAR. RESPONDED BY DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY DOWN WITH NO INCREASE IN SPEED. CAR ACTED LIKE THERE WAS EITHER A TRANSMISSION OR FUEL FEED PROBLEM. A SECOND SIMILAR OCCURRENCE TOOK PLACE 08/2002 EXCEPT THIS TIME CAR EXHIBITED SIMILAR TRAIT AFTER HAVING BEEN PARKED. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM LASTED APPROXIMATELY FIVE TO SEVEN MINUTES AND THEN THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. AFTER THE SECOND EPISODE, CONTACTED VW DEALER, THE IMPORTED CAR STORE, 1432 S HARBOR CITY BLVD., MELBOURNE, FL WHO PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS, BUT COULD FIND NO CAUSATIVE FACTOR. WHILE IN THE DEALER SERVICE WAITING ROOM, AFEMALE OWNING A VW JETTA, SPOKE OF HAVING A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH HER 2001 0R 2002 MODEL. HAD WE BEEN TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND HAD THESE PROBLEMS, THE ACTION OF THE VEHICLE COULD VERY LIKELY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. EVERY TIME I OPERATE THE CAR, I FEEL AS THOUGH A REPETITION OF HTE BEHAVIOR COULD HAPPEN AND I FEEL THE SAFETY OF ANY OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR ARE IN JEAPORDY. *AK