2010 Volkswagen Passat Complaint Log

DSG TRANSMISSION - FAILURE TO PROPERLY ENGAGE FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS A FREQUENT, RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM A COMPLETE STOP, FIRST GEAR IS NOT/WILL NOT ENGAGE UNTIL THE CAR HAS BEEN IN MOTION FOR A FEW SECONDS. THIS DELAY RESULTS IN UNCERTAIN ACCELERATION, WHICH CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO MOVING TRAFFIC OR MERGE ONTO A ROADWAY. IN MANY INSTANCES, THE DELAYED ENGAGEMENT OF FIRST GEAR IS VIOLENT ENOUGH SPIN THE FRONT TIRES, SLAP THE DRIVERS HEAD BACK AGAINST THE HEAD REST AND ENGAGE THE TRACTION CONTROL. THE DANGER IS NEVER KNOWING WHEN THIS PROBLEM WILL OCCUR, HOW LONG THE DELAY WILL BE AND HOW HARSH THE ENGAGEMENT INTO FIRST GEAR WILL BE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIPS ON MULITPLE OCCASIONS TO ADDRESS THIS COMPLAINT AND HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED. VW NORTH AMERICA HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION SINCE ITS FIRST OCCURENCE, AND HAS FAILED TO MAKE THE CAR RIGHT OR BUY IT BACK. THIS PROBLEM IS SO PREVALENT THAT ONE VW SERVICE MANAGER HAS INDICATED TO ME THAT HE IS RETURNING HIS PERSONAL CAR WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION BECAUSE HE FEARS FOR HIS CHILDREN'S SAFETY WHILE DRIVING WITH THEM IN IT. *JS

THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL) AS IMPLEMENTED ON THE 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. THE ONLY LIGHTS THAT LIGHT UP ARE THE HEADLIGHTS, NOT THE REAR, FRONT, TO SIDE "RUNNING" LIGHTS. A DRIVER CAN EASILY START DRIVING AT NIGHT WITHOUT ANY REAR OR SIDE LIGHTS ON. THE DRL HEADLIGHTS ON, GIVES THE DRIVER THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT THEIR LIGHTS ARE ON. WHEN IN FACT, ONLY THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. *TR

HEARD A LOUD "WHIRRING" NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN CAR WAS STATIONARY - LIKE IT NEEDED STEERING FLUID - BUT IT DOES NOT USE FLUID. ALSO HAVING SPORADIC TROUBLE WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING WHEN THE KEY FOB WAS PUT INTO THE IGNITION. VW REPLACED CLOCK SPRING, STEERING RACK & PINION, AS WELL AS THE STEERING RACK 3 TIMES SO FAR. THE SECOND TIME THEY REPLACED THESE PARTS, THEY OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T TEST DRIVE IT. CARS FRONT TIRES MADE LOUD NOISE - LIKE I HAD ON SNOW TIRES. I BROUGHT IT BACK IN FOR STEERING NOISE (STILL) AND NOW THE TIRES, AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT TIRES DUE TO "CUPPING" WHICH WAS CAUSED BY INCORRECT INSTALLATION OF THE STEERING RACK. 20,000 MILES LATER I STILL HEAR THE NOISE, BUT NOW THAT MY CAR HAS BEEN "ESCALATED" BY VW, THEY NOW CLAIM THAT THIS NOISE IS NORMAL. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR.

CAR SHUTTERS AND JERKS IN ITS ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING TO AND FROM FIRST GEAR. IF CAR IS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WHEN STARTING IT WILL ROLL BEFORE IT IN GAUGES INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS ROLL OCCURS DURING THE TIME BETWEEN WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED AND THE CAR IN GAUGES; MANY TIMES ROLLING OVER A FOOT BEFORE EITHER THE CAR'S WHEELS RESPOND TO THE ENGINE OR WE STEP ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE ROLLING. PARKING IS EXTREMELY HARD WHEN CAR JERKS AS YOU ARE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AND OR WHILE YOU TRY TO ADJUST CARS POSITION IN PARKING SPACE. AT FIRST, WITH MUCH PRESSURE WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE CLUTCH PACK REPLACED; BUT SINCE THEN WE ARE TOLD WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE ARE DOING OUR BEST NOT TO REAR-END ANOTHER CAR BUT ARE TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

PURCHASED 2010 VW PASSAT WITH 69 MILES ON 6/14/2010 IMMEDIATELY NOTICED VEHICLE SHUDDERED IN REVERSE AFTER STARTING. ON 6/27/2010 AFTER DRIVING APPROX. 4 BLOCKS WHILE ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE RPMS AND THE ENGINE WAS REVVING UP AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD GO NO WHERE IN ADDITION NO GEAR WAS INDICATED ON THE CONTROL DISPLAY. CHANGING GEARS DIDN'T HELP. AFTER REPEATEDLY RESTARTING THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO DISPLAY A GEAR AND MOVE. THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED AGAIN LATER THAT SAME EVENING ALMOST UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS. AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 150 MILES. I PLACED THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE THE NEXT DAY. THE SERVICE TECH INDICATED THAT VW WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLLED THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT I SHOULD BE GETTING A NOTICE ABOUT A RECALL AND THAT IT WOULD TAKE UP TO TWO WEEKS TO GET THE PART. MY VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE IN THE SHOP FOR AFTER MARKET DETAILING FOR TWO DAYS ANYWAY. ON 6/29/2010 I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS READY THAT THE TECH'S HAD DRIVEN THE CAR AROUND THE PARKING LOT AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO JUST LEARN THE TRANSMISSION. ON 6/30/2010 I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO PA. ON 7/1/2010 I EXPERIENCED THE SAME MECHANICAL PROBLEM. AFTER DRIVING APPROX 1/4 - 1/2 MILE I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN INTO A FASTFOOD ESTABLISHMENT. AFTER TURNING IN ABOUT A CAR'S LENGTH THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND TRIED TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AND CALM DOWN THE IRATE DRIVER BEHIND ME. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER SPOKE WITH VW REPEATEDLY AND WAS TOLD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE CONDITION REPEATED. I AM BEING TOLD A CODE RELATING TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS DETECTED. THAT IT WAS CLEARED AND TEST DROVE AND THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO PROBLEM. THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO RELEARN THE TRANSMISSION. NO PARTS WERE REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE FAILED AT LESS THAN 150 MILES AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE! *TR

BLINDING GLARE PROBLEM: I PURCHASED 2010 VW PASSAT KOMFORT 2 WEEKS AGO WHICH HAS A SILVER SHINY PLATE AROUND THE SHIFTER. WHEN SUNSHINE HITS THIS PLATE, IT RADIATES LIGHTS INTO DRIVER'S EYES. IF YOU HAPPEN TO LOOK AT IT, YOU GET BLINDED FOR A FEW SECONDS LIKE SOMEONE POINTED THE BRIGHT FLASH LIGHT INTO YOUR EYES. I AM STILL KEEPING THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC COVER TO REDUCE THE BRIGHTNESS BUT EVENTUALLY IT WILL PEEL OFF. I CANNOT PAINT IT IN A DARK COLOR SINCE IT WOULD VOID MY WARRANTY. THE OTHER PART THAT PRODUCE GLARE IS THE SILVER PORTION OF DASHBOARD WHICH IS SLIGHTLY TILTED. WHEN THE SUN IS BEHIND YOUR BACK AND HITS A DASHBOARD, THE SILVER PART OF DASHBOARD REFLECTS ON THE SIDEVIEW MIRROR CREATING AN IMAGE THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE PUT WHITE TAPE ON IT. HALF OF THE SIDEVIEW MIRROR IS BLOCKED FOR A DRIVER'S VIEW. THIRD PROBLEM IS THE NIGHT GLARE IN THE REARVIEW AND SIDEVIEW MIRROR FROM THE HEADBEAMS OF THE OTHER CAR BEHIND MY CAR. IF THE REARVIEW MIRROR IS IN A DIMMED POSITION, THAN A DASHBOARD REFLECTION IS SHOWING IN IT. AND IF YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE SIDEVIEW MIRROR, THE HEADBEAMS LIGHT ARE SHOOTING THE EXTREMELY BRIGHT LIGHT STRAIGHT INTO THE EYES. THIS DARK AND BRIGHT CONTRAST GETS YOU BLINDED & DISORIENTED. I AM NOT SURE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WINDOWS. I CONSIDER ALL OF THE ABOVE DESIGN FEATURE VERY DEADLY. I AM ALWAYS DRIVING WITH SUN GLASSES, DURING A DAY DRIVE, WITHOUT THEM, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. I COMPLAINED TO VW CUSTOMER SERVICE & DEALERSHIP, SENT THEM AN E-MAIL AND A FEW PICTURES, THE CASE MANAGER DID NOT OFFER ANY SOLUTION, ONLY EXCUSE THAT THIS IS A VW DESIGN FEATURE & AS SUCH THEY CANNOT CHANGE ANYTHING. *TR

I PURCHASED 2010 VW PASSAT IN JUNE 2010. THE CAR STARTED TO JUMP ON ACCELERATION FROM STOP, AUTO HOLD BUTTON DID NOT WORK, AND CAR WAS ROLLING BACK ON MILD SLOPE. I TOOK CAR TO THE VW DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR. I HAD TO WAIT FOR 2 WEEKS SINCE THE PART WAS COMING FROM GERMANY. THEY REPLACED THE MECHATRONIC UNIT AND AUTOHOLD BUTTON. THE CAR IS NOT JUMPING NOW BUT I HAVE A FEELING THE PROBLEM IS COMING BACK SINCE IT DOES NOT GO SMOOTHLY FROM STOP TO DRIVE SOMETIMES. AUTOHOLD BUTTON IS WORKING. IF THE AUTOHOLD BUTTON IS NOT ON, A CAR IS STILL ROLLING BACK ON A MILD SLOPE SO YOU HAVE TO MOVE YOUR FOOT QUICKLY FROM BRAKE TO GAS AND PRAY THERE IS NO CAR BEHIND YOU. 2010 VW PASSAT PERFORMS VERY WELL AFTER YOU REACH 60 MILES AND OVER BUT BELOW THAT SPEED, IT TAKES TIMES TO PICK UP A SPEED. SOMETIMES, THE GAS PEDAL HITS THE FLOOR AND A CAR IS STILL NOT PICKING UP THE SPEED. DRIVING IN A SPORT MODE DOES NOT HELP, SINCE THE TRAFFIC IS ON STOP AND GO. *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2010 VW PASSAT WHICH HAS A CHROME BEZEL AROUND THE SHIFTER. THE CHROME BEZEL REFLECTS LIGHT INTO THE DRIVER'S EYES WHEN THE SUN IS DIRECTLY OVER HEAD BLINDING THE DRIVER DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. I CONTACTED THE VW HELP DESK ABOUT 10 DAYS AND FILED A COMPLAINT. I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM VW YESTERDAY AND THEY TOLD ME NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO SEEMED TO BE PRETTY RECEPTIVE IN GETTING THIS MATTER RESOLVED. THEY ORDERED A NEW BLACK ON BLACK SHIFTER WHICH WAS THE ONLY OTHER REPLACEMENT PART AND IT IS THE SAME ONE THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR I HAVE SEVERAL PHOTOS WHICH DEMONSTRATE THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY DESIGN FLAW. *TR

BOUGHT 2010 PASSAT NEW ON 05/25/10. ON 05/26 WITH LESS THAN 100 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY WOULD NOT GO PAST 1ST GEAR AFTER ACCELERATING FROM STOP SIGN. WAS CLOSE TO HOME SO DROVE AROUND THE BLOCK TRYING TO GET IT TO UPSHIFT. ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE AND WHEN GEAR SHIFTER WAS MOVED TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT MOVE FROM DRIVE. CALLED DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD TOW IN. NEXT DAY I DROVE TO WORK AND HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM SINCE. IT DOES LEAP FORWARD WHEN FOOT REMOVED FROM BRAKE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THERE IS MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT. KEEP FOOT ON BRAKE. WE'LL SEE. *TR

TEST DROVE NEW VW PASSAT (2010) NOT UNDERSTANDING THE DSG TYPE OF TRANSMISSION, FIRST DRIVE FROM A RED LIGHT HAD THE CAR JERKING A LITTLE. THOUGHT THIS WAS UNUSUAL BUT ACCEPTED THE CAR FOR THE PERFORMANCE. AFTER READING ABOUT THE DSG AND DOUBLE CLUTCH TRANSMISSION BEING A SMOOTH TRANSMISSION. I KNEW I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANS. (VERY JERKY STARTS FROM A DEAD STOP AFTER ENGINE GOT WARM) I THOUGHT THE "AUTO HOLD" SWITCH WAS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. VW CONFIRMED NO PROBLEM WITH THAT SWITCH. (THE ROUGH STARTS FELT LIKE A BEGINNER ON A MANUAL DRIVE TRANSMISSION ON A STEEP HILL.). 1ST ROUND OF COMPLAINANTS, VW REPLACED "CLUTCH PACK" BUT SYMPTOMS WOULD NOT GO AWAY . AFTER MANY FRUSTRATING DAYS HOPING THE SYMPTOM WOULD GO AWAY, I PUSHED VW TO FIX OR BUY BACK THE CAR. FINALLY HAD VW CONSULTANT (AN OUTSIDE MECHANIC WORKING THE REGIONAL AREA) TEST AND APPROVE THE "MECHATRONIC UNIT " SWAP OUT FOR IT WAS AT FAULT. VW REPLACED AT 3254 MILES. WAITING SEE HOW LONG THIS WILL LAST AS MANY BLOGS HAVE STATED THIS IS A GROWING TREND. *TR

TAKATA RECALL - WAITING SEVERAL YEARS FOR PERMANENT AUTHORIZED REPAIR!

I PURCHASED A 2010 VW PASSAT WAGON WITH DSG IN DEC. '09. SINCE THE BEGINNING I NOTICED A STRANGE QUIVERING/SHUTTER AS IT GEARS DOWN FROM 2ND TO 1ST GEAR. I TOOK IT IN AT 1500 MILES AND A SERVICE COORDINATOR TOLD ME IT WAS "NORMAL". IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND BECAME A VIBRATING CLUNK WHEN GEARING DOWN. IT ALSO STARTED LURCHING FORWARD WHEN STOPPED AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. I COULDN'T ACCEPT THAT THE CAR WAS ENGINEERED TO ACT THIS WAY. I TOOK IT BACK AT 4,000 MILES AND THEY DROVE IT AND AGREED THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND DUPLICATED IT DURING A DRIVE. THEY RESET THE ELECTRONIC SETTINGS TO FACTORY AND TOLD ME IT WAS FIXED. I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND IMMEDIATELY FELT THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY SAID THEY HAD TO CONSULT WITH VW FOR A FURTHER FIX. THEY GOT WITH VW AND CONCLUDED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED A REPLACEMENT FRONT CLUTCH PACK. SO THE PARTS ARE ON ORDER. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE THIS WILL FIX IT SINCE I HAVE NEWLY LEARNED ABOUT ALL OF THE DSG ISSUES IN PREVIOUS MODELS WITH SAME TRANSMISSION THAT SEEM TO HAVE NO FIX. IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO PAY $32K FOR A CAR THAT IS BROKEN FROM THE BEGINNING. VW NEEDS THEIR FEET HELD TO THE FIRE JUST AS TOYOTA IS WITH THEIR QUALITY PROBLEMS. AT LEAST TOYOTA HAS STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE TO ADDRESS THEIR WITH FINALITY. *TR

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERED AS THE VEHICLE SLOWED AND WENT FROM A HIGHER GEAR TO A LOWER GEAR. THE VEHICLE ALSO LURCHED FORWARD WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION IN THAT MANNER. THE DEALER WAS REPLACING THE CLUTCH AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000.