2006 Volkswagen Passat Engine Problems

WE HAVE 2006 3.6L VW PASSAT WITH 55K MILES FOR MY DAUGHTER. JUST RECENTLY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH. IT HAD BEEN RUNNING GOOD AND NO OIL WAS LEAKING. THIS SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO AN ISSUE MANY OTHER PASSAT OWNERS EXPERIENCED WHERE THE OIL PUMP BOLT BECOMES LOSE AND CAUSES A FATAL FAILURE.

IT'S COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THE 2006 3.6L V6 ENGINES HAVE A TERRIBLE FLAW. THE OIL PUMP BOLT INSTALLED FROM THE VW FACTORY WAS EITHER SPECIFIED INCORRECTLY, INSTALLED WRONG, OR HAS SOME OTHER FATAL DEFECT. MY WIFE DRIVES LESS THAN 10 MILES TO AND FROM WORK EVERYDAY CONSERVATIVELY. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE ENGINE LOST POWER STARTED SMOKING AND LEAKING OIL ALL OVER THE GROUND. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE GOT MISFIRING CODES SO WE IMMEDIATELY PARKED AND HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL VW DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THE LOOSE BOLT & CHAIN RUBBING WAS WHAT CAUSED AN INTERNAL FAILURE SO WE'D NEED A NEW ENGINE @ $4,554.00! THE CAR HAS DRIVEN PERFECTLY AND IS SERVICED REGULARLY BUT SUDDENLY DIED DUE TO NO FAULT OF MY WIFE OR MYSELF. THERE'S A RUNNING LIST OF THE PEOPLE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO @ HTTP://WWW.PASSATWORLD.COM/FORUMS/VOLKSWAGEN-PASSAT-B6-DISCUSSION/327507-3-6-OIL-BOLT-FAILURE-REFERENCE-MATERIAL.HTML PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN UP ABOUT THIS AND I'M SURE THERE ARE A MANY OTHER FOLKS THAT NEVER SPOKE OUT. VW IGNORES THE TRUE SCOPE OF THIS ISSUE AND SHOULD RECTIFY THESE FAILURES WITH A LEGITIMATE RECALL. THE REAL ISSUE IS THE BOLT. IT COMES LOOSE OR BRAKES. VW NEEDS TO RECALL THIS SINCE IT IS A MAJOR FACTORY ISSUE. ALTHOUGH COSTLY IT WOULD KEEP LOYAL VW DRIVERS IN VW'S.

OUT OF THE BLUE THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND SAID SHUT OFF CAR. IMMEDIATLY PULLED OVER AND SHUT CAR OFF. OIL WAS FINE BECAUSE I CHECK IT CONSTANTLY. COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAS A THIMBLE CALLED THE CAM FOLLOWER. THE CAM FOLLOWER BLEW OFF THROUGH THE TIMING CHAIN AND HOUSING. MY MOTOR IS DONE. IT HAS 109,000 MILES ON IT. VW KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. I DON'T HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. VW IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE ON MY 2006 PASSAT 2.0T. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. MY CAR HAS NOW BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE MARCH BECAUSE I DONT HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPLACE THE MOTOR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE COOLANT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

"IN RELATION TO FUEL PUMP RECALL"....SINCE THE YEAR STARTED MY CAR HAS BEEN HESITANT TO START AND SOMETIMES NEEDS A SECOND START. ON JANUARY 9TH I STARTED MY CAR UP IN THE MORNING AND ABOUT 3 SYMBOLS POPPED: THE GAS CAP, ENGINE CHECK, AND THE WARNING SYMBOLS. I TURNED IT OFF SECURING MY GAS CAP AND WAITED A FEW MINS AND TURNED IT BACK ON. NOW THE ENGINE CHECK IS GONE SO I CONTINUE MY MORNING COMMUTE. EVENTUALLY THE GAS CAP SYMBOL IS OFF, WARNING IS STILL ON BUT NOW THE ENGINE CHECK IS BACK ON SO I WENT TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AT ADVANCE AUTO PARTS WITH EMISSION AND LEAKAGE CODES IDENTIFIED. SO THEN I BRING IT TO A LOCAL SHOP WHO SPECIALIZES IN VW AND THEY TELL ME I HAVE FUEL, OIL, AND COOLANT LEAKAGE. THEY CANT FIX THE FUEL LEAK BUT THE OTHER TWO IS FIXABLE WHICH ONLY BRINGS TO ME CONCERN ABOUT THIS RECENT RECALL. I HAVE READ OTHER DRIVERS OF MY VEHICLE (2006 PASSAT) GETTING INVOLVED IN FENDER BENDERS, CAR STALLS, ENGINE PROBLEMS ETC. THIS WILL BE A HUGE INCONVENIENCE IF THE CAR GIVES OUT ON ME AND I NEED A QUICK RESOLUTION TO THIS BECAUSE I HAVE A CHILD WHO JUST TURNED 4 MONTHS AND CANT RISK GETTING INTO A CAR WRECK WITH HER IN THE CAR. VW AT LEAST GIVE US A TIME FRAME ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING OUR LIVES AT RISKS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CRASHED INTO A CURB AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FENDER WHEEL AND GRILL WERE CRACKED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND OPERATE WITH NO FURTHER ISSUES. UPON RETURNING HOME AND DRIVING BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A MALFUNCTIONING THROTTLE BODY THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MCDANIELS VOLKSWAGEN, 440 KILLIAN RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29203, (803) 786-6408) FOR REPROGRAMMING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPROGRAM THE THROTTLE BODY DUE TO IT BEING A USED PART. THE CONTACT THEN PURCHASED ANOTHER THROTTLE BODY ONLINE. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO THEN SENT THE VEHICLE TO MIDLANDS VOLKSWAGEN OF COLUMBIA (655 BROAD RIVER RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29210 (803) 799-635) FOR THE COMPUTER REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT, AFTER ALL THE REPAIRS, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

MY CAR COMPLETLY STALLED ON MY ON THE ROAD AND I GOT STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC CALLED THE TOW TRUCK ANDH TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP AND THEY DID DIGNOSTICS AND SAID THE FAMOUS PROBLEM THIS CAR HAS IS THE ENGINE OIL PUMP BOLT CAME OFF THE TIMING CHAIN PULLEY THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, THE 07 VW PASSAT 3.6L HAVE A RECALL ON THE PARTICULAR PROBLEM BUT THE 06 VW PASSAT 3.6L DOESNT CAR IS JUST PARKED AT MY HOUSE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. AFTER FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY STALL WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (MOLLE VOLKSWAGEN, 808 W 103RD ST, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114, (816) 941-2400), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 172,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

2006 VR6 PASSAT. MAINTAINED AT LOCAL GARAGE WITH OIL AND FILTER CHANGES (SYNTHETIC OIL) EVERY 5,000 MILES. LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND TOOK TO A VW DEALER. TIMING CHAIN RUBBED ON COVER DUE TO LOOSE GEAR AND CAUSED PLASTIC PARTS TO FALL INTO OIL PAN. SUCKED UP BY OIL PUMP CAUSING FAILURE. ENGINE DID NOT FAIL, BUT THE REPAIR IS MORE THAN 3X THE VALUE OF THE CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

WHILE DRIVING A 2006 PASSAT 3.6L, THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING CAME ON. TOOK TO VW OF ORLAND PARK IL.THEY TOLD ME THE OIL PUMP BOLT IS BACKING OUT, IT HASN'T YET, BUT IT WILL, IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM. THEY RECCOMENDED A NEW OIL PUMP, BOLT INCLUDED, AND NEW TIMING KIT AS THAT WOULD HAVE SUFFERED RESIDUAL DAMAGE FROM THE BOLT BACKING OUT. THEY OFFERED TO DO THIS FOR $6000. A NEW ENGINE FOR $11,000. BEING DISGRUNTLED, THE LEAD TECH SUPERVISOR PULLED ME TO THE SIDE AND SAID THIS BOLT WAS FIXED IN LATE 2007 MODELS. I ASKED HIM HOW MUCH TO JUST REPLACE THE BOLT. HE TOLD ME $3000 + $12.00 FOR THE BOLT. I COULDN'T AFFORD THE REPAIR. VW OFFERED NO GOODWILL FOR ISSUE. EVERY TIME CAR IS STARTED, OIL PRESSURE WARNING SOUNDS AND THEN GOES OFF, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS EVER COME ON. NO WEIRD SOUNDS. CAR IS NOT BEING DRIVEN NOW. VW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS DONE NOTHING. ONE WRONGLY SIZED BOLT CAN CAUSE THE WHOLE ENGINE TO FAIL. VW' HAS BEEN HAVING PLENTY OF RECALLS LATELY, PUTTING LIVES IN DANGER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS! THERE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE A BODY COUNT TO ISSUE A RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, A LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD AND SMOKE AND FLAMES APPEARED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE, IT ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON I 70 GOING HOME , I WAS RUNNING 75 MPG AND IT WAS A LOT CAR THAT DAY , AND I WAS GOING DOWN THE HILL OF I70 ALL THE SUDDEN MY CAR WAS LOSS ENGINE POWER GOING ON DOWN HILL ON TURNINGS ROAD . AND THE ENGINE MAKING MAKING LOUD NOISE THE THE USUALLY, I ALMOST GET HIT VIEW TIMES WHEN I TRYING TO MOVE MY CAR OF THE TRAFFIC FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT LANE SO I'M NOT BLOCKING THE TRAFFIC. IT WAS SCARY CAUSE THE CAR TOTALLY LOSING POWER IN HIGHWAY I70 ON THE CURVES ROAD WHERE OTHER VEHICLES CAN SEE ME STOPPING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD . IT'S SCARRY EXPERIENCE DRIVING IN MY LIVE .I'M LUCKY TOW TRUCK WAS PASSING BY ,AND STOP HELPING ME TO GET HELP . AND OTHER TOWING TRUCK CAME AND TOW MY CAR TO MY HOUSE , UNTIL NOW THE CAR SEAT IN MY GARAGE. AND I HAVE MY MECHANIC COME TO MY HOUSE AND CHECK WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MY CAR ,AND HE SAY IT'S THE OI PUMP BOLT IS BROKEN AND IT'S COMING OUT THAT WAY MY CAR LOSE THE POWER ALL THE SUDDEN HE SAY . AND HE TOLD IT HAPPEN A LOT FOR THIS PASSAT 3.6L 4MOTION 2006 AND HE SUGGESTED ME TO DO RESEARCH ABOUT THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET.

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE

LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING AND THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON. NOW THE "STOP NO OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE IS NOT OF NORMAL SOUND. HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO GARAGE AND THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. OIL PUMP BAD ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PARTS.

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY GOING TOWARDS HOME AND WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND A SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING AND ALL THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND OPENED THE HOOD AND GOT OUT TO CHECK WHAT WAS GOING ON. WHEN I VISUALLY INSPECTED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT I NOTICED A HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND LOOKING CLOSER I NOTICED CRACKS WHERE THE BOLTS HOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON. ALSO THE AIR FILTER BOX MOUNTS ARE ALSO CRACKED AND THAT IS ALL I CAN SEE WITHOUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION (REMOVING ENGINE). I TOWED IT TO A VW DEALERSHIP IN EASTON PA WHERE I PURCHASED IT. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE SAID THEY WOULD EVALUATE IT AND IT COST $129 TO TELL ME THAT THEY HAD TO PULL THE TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE DOWN WHICH WOULD COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $1000 JUST FOR THE LABOR AND WOULD LET ME KNOW WHAT ELSE IS NOT BROKEN. I TOLD THEM NO. THEY WOULD NOT TELL ME WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS WRONG BUT WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER ONE ON ONE OUTSIDE THE BUILDING HE ADMITTED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF VW. I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO MY HOME. I AM MECHANICALLY INCLINED AND AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON THE COMPUTER SAW THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF VW HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE. THE CAR LOST TIMING CONTRIBUTING TO THE TIMING CHAINS BEING DISCONNECTED. ONLINE THEY MENTION ABOUT THE OIL PUMP BOLT BACKING ITS WAY OUT AND THE TIMING CHAINS BECOMING DISCONNECTED. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR IT WAS USED AND HAD 70,000 MILES AND ONE OWNER AND WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT HAD 120,000 AND ACCORDING TO OUR RESEARCH THIS OIL PUMP BOLT ISSUE OCCURS USUALLY BETWEEN 70,000 AND 100,000 IN THE 2006 AND 2007 VW PASSAT 3.6. IF VW KNEW THESE BOLTS WERE COMING OUT THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. VW KNEW THIS WAS AN ISSUE.

TRAVELING OVER 400 MILES, 70 MILES PER HOUR, ENGINE LIGHT ON, OIL LIGHT ON, STOP DRIVING. CHECKED OIL, RESERVOIR FULL. TOWED ON FLATBED TO NEAREST DEALER. METAL IN OIL, TOLD I NEED A NEW ENGINE. LIKE ALL THE OTHERS I READ ABOUT, ALL MAINTENANCE WAS DONE PER VW. NEW TIRES TWO WEEKS AGO TO THE TUNE OF $1100+ . TIMING BELT HAS BEEN DONE. INSPECTIONS DONE PER STATE REGS. OIL CHANGES ON TIME. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT MENTIONED THE BOLT ON THE OIL PUMP, BUT WHAT ELSE WOULD PUT METAL IN THE OIL. NICE JOB VW. NO RECALL, NO RECOURSE. WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THEY WILL GIVE ME FOR THE CAR AS I AM TOLD NEW ENGINE IS $11K. :(

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE "PLEASE STOP, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE IS LOW" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE OIL PICKUP TUBE WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING IN-CITY, I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER. MY MIL INDICATOR STARTED FLASHING A YELLOW ENGINE LIGHT. AFTER LIMPING THE CAR HOME (<1MILE) MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED A HAMMERING NOISE BEFORE I TURNED IT OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED THE ISSUE WAS ENGINE SLUDGE. AFTER CONTACTING VW REGARDING THE ISSUE THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS. I HAVE FULLY MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE BASED ON MANUFACTURER SCHEDULED SERVICE INTERVALS, OFTEN MORE FREQUENTLY THAN LISTED. I DID LEARN THERE WAS AN ACTIVE RECALL FOR THE POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM WHICH CAN DIRECTLY EFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINE SLUDGE. DESPITE THIS CONNECTION, VW STILL REFUSED TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON THE DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE. *TR