2013 Volkswagen Passat Body & Structure Problems

The drivers door lock will stop working, in freezing temperatures and keep the interior door handle from unlocking the door. This morning I had to get out my passenger door, and that could be a problem in an emergency situation. The car/latch assembly is available for inspection. The problem has been reproduced and TSB# 57-14-01 documents it. No warning lamps, indicators, noises, etc that the latch will not happen. You pull the handle, and the door does not open.

2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEALERSHIP FRAUD. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED HE REQUESTED FOR REAR BUMPER SPOILER TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE BUT, DID NOT COMPLETE THE REQUESTED WORK. *JS

THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS THAT HIS OCCURS IN COLD CLIMATES DUE TO WATER GETTING INTO THE LOCK ACTUATOR MECHANISM. IF YOU CANNOT OPEN A DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN.

I ATTEMPTED TO ENTER MY VEHICLE, BUT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 30F. AFTER FINALLY GETTING IN THE CAR, I WAS NOT ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR BECAUSE IT WAS STILL STUCK. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN AROUND 40 MILES BEFORE GETTING TO MY DESTINATION. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AND NOT RUNNING WHILE TRYING TO GET OUT. I COULD HAVE BECOME TRAPPED IN THIS VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY. I AM NOT EXTREMELY MOBILE AND HAD A LOT OF ISSUES EXITING THE CAR.

TAKATA INFLATORS I GOT INTO A VEHICLE COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SUFFERED A CONCUSSION DUE TO MY AIRBAGS FAILING TO DEPLOY IN MY VEHICLE.

WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ACTUATORS ON THREE OF THE FOUR DOOR LOCKS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE LOCKS CEASED TO FUNCTION LEAVING US WITH A CAR WE COULD NOT LOCK. WHEN DRIVING THE ACTUATORS WOULD CONSTANTLY CLICK TRYING TO LOCK. THE LAST ONE WAS REPAIRED AT OUR EXPENSE ON 14 MAY 2019 ( WE PAID FOR ALL THREE REPAIRS )

ON MARCH 7, 2019 PROBLEM BEGAN WITH ALL DOOR LOCKS CLICKING. ALL LOCKS MAKING NOISE WHEN STARTING OUT DRIVING OR TURNING. DRIVER'S DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK. RESET ALL DOORS WITH KEY, EXCEPT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, WHICH WAS NOT OPTIONAL. DRIVER'S DOOR STILL WOULD NOT LOCK. ALSO DRIVER'S DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE LATCH UNLESS HIT LOCK BUTTER. ON MARCH 8, 2019 DRIVING TO WORK, WITH CAR IN MOTION ON CITY STREET, DROVE OVER RAILROAD TRACKS AND DRIVER'S DOOR FLEW OPEN. AFTER COMING TO STOP AND CLOSING DOOR, THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH EVEN WHEN HITTING LOCK BUTTON. HAD TO TIE BUNGEE CORD FROM DRIVER'S DOOR TO PASSENGER DOOR TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK. TRAVEL TO AND FROM WORK REQUIRES LONG MILES ON INTERSTATE. HAS PLACED ME IN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DRIVER DOOR STILL WILL NOT LOCK AND WILL NOT CLOSE AND LATCH. WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR SAFELY UNTIL DOOR LATCH AND LOCKS ARE FIXED. WE REQUEST A RECALL REVIEW AND REPAIRS BY VOLKSWAGEN ARE MADE.

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FROZEN SHUT IN WINTER AND UPON OPENING HANDLE/LOCK BECAME INOPERABLE RESULTING IN FAILURE OF DOOR TO REMAIN CLOSED/LOCKED DURING OPERATION - DOOR WOULD SWING OPEN ON TURNS PRESENTING A SAFETY HAZARD. RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM.

DRIVER DOOR HANDLE STICKS IN COLD WEATHER AND WON'T OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. WHEN CRAWLING ACROSS FROM PASSENGER SIDE TO OPEN DRIVER DOOR FROM THE INSIDE, SOMETHING BROKE VERY EASILY. I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR, BUT NOW MY DRIVERS DOOR WON'TLOCK IN PLACE TO STAY SHUT. VERY DANGEROUS TO TRY DRIVING WITH THE DOOR SWINGING OPEN AT EVERY CURVE.

THE FRONT RIGHT FENDER LINER DOES NOT COVER A HOLE THAT ALLOWS SNOW AND WATER TO GET INTO THE FRESH AIR BLOWER INSIDE THE CABIN. WHEN IT IS VERY COLD OUTSIDE (WHICH IS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME IN MONTANA) THE WATER THAT HAS CONTACTED THE BLOWER MOTOR WILL FREEZE, IN TURN NOT ALLOWING THE FRESH AIR BLOWER TO TURN. WHEN THE FRESH AIR BLOWER DOES NOT TURN, THERE IS NO DEFROST OR HEAT IN THE CABIN. I DROVE HOME AND HAD TO GO THROUGH SNOW THAT WAS ON THE ROAD. THIS SNOW WAS THROWN UP INTO AN UNCOVERED HOLE AND GOT INTO THE BLOWER HOUSING. THE NEXT MORNING I WENT TO START THE CAR AND HAD NO BLOWER MOTOR. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE HAPPENED, AND I HAD TO SCRAPE THE WINDOW EVERY 30 SECONDS TO ENSURE THAT I COULD SEE WHERE I WAS GOING. I WAS ALSO VERY VERY COLD CONSIDERING THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 0 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN A SITUATION THAT I WAS TO GET TO A WARM PLACE FAST ENOUGH THAT MY FEET DID NOT FREEZE OFF. VOLKSWAGEN HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THIS PROBLEM AND HAS CREATED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THE ISSUE. THEY WILL NOT COVER ANY COST OF THIS OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THE BULLETIN NUMBER IS GROUP 87, NO. 15-15. THE REPAIR REQUIRES A NEW FENDER LINER, A NEW HVAC AIR INLET COVER, A NEW WATER DEFLECTOR, A NEW PLENUM CHAMBER COVER, AND A NEW CABIN AIR FILTER, AS SEEN IN THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN.

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAS BEEN HAVING THE ISSUE WHERE IT FIRST WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THEN AFTER A FEW WEEKS IT STARTED TO NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. EVENTUALLY IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL NOT EVEN LATCH SO IT'S VERY MUCH A SAFETY HAZARD. NOTHING HAS CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE IN REFERENCE TO THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A WRECK AND ONLY HAS 50K MILES ON IT.

CONCERNING ISSUE DESCRIPTION FROM VW: "IN EXTREME OUTSIDE COLD TEMPERATURES THE FRONT DOOR LATCHES MAY FREEZE (DUE TO MOISTURE), PREVENTING DOOR LATCH FROM OPERATING." MY CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF MY APARTMENT IN COLUMBUS, INDIANA. THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE WAS 28 F. FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH CAN'T BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE NOR INSIDE. I HAVE UNLOCKED THE DOOR USING REMOTE AND ALL OTHER THREE DOORS CAN BE OPENED. I'M CONCERNED IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS, I'LL BE TRAPPED INSIDE BECAUSE I CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE.

DOOR LATCH FREEZES IN COLD WEATHER DUE TO MOISTURE INSIDE THE DOOR AND PREVENTS OPENING OF DOORS. I COULD NOT EXIT MY VEHICLE USING THE DRIVERS DOOR AND HAD TO ENTER AND EXIT THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. I TOOK THE CAR TO VW DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED AND VERIFIED MY CONCERN. TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT THERE WAS MOISTURE INSIDE THE DOOR AND THE DOOR LOCKS WERE FROZEN AND NOT OPERATIONAL. VW INSTALLED NEW DOOR LATCH, CABLES AND BUTYL TAPE TO PREVENT MOISTURE ENTERING THE LATCH MECHANISM. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH 2013 PASSAT AND HE HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM MULTIPLE TIMES AND MENTIONED THIS TO HIS SERVICE ADVISOR, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNABLE TO VERIFY HIS CONCERN BECAUSE LOCKS WERE OPERATIONAL EACH TIME HE CAME BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER. WHILE BROWSING THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR SYMPTOMS I HAVE FOUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN COLD WEATHER. PLEASE SEE LINKS BELOW. FIRST LINK IS MY PERSONAL VIDEO THAT I TOOK BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AMWYC2LEDPM NHTSA ##10056454 - DESCRIPTION: VOLKSWAGEN: THE EXTERIOR HANDLE ON FRONT DOOR IS VERY HARD TO OPEN DUE TO VARIOUS CLIMATE OR TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE LOCK OPERATION AND MAY REQUIRE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO RELEASE HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?6873439-MY-DOOR-LOCK-FROZE HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=OO0PSIP_10A

1. ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR ON THE VEHICLE AFTER A COLD NIGHT WITH BELOW-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN, AND ATTEMPTING TO OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE AFTER GAINING ACCESS TO THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR LEFT THE DOOR UNABLE TO LATCH SHUT. 2. THE FAILURE IS WITH THE LOCKING MECHANISM AND LATCH ON THE DOOR. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED. 3. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DOOR LATCH WAS REPLACED IN TOTAL WITH A NEW PART AND THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS ADJUSTED.

IN LOW TEMPERATURES, DOORS OFTEN WILL NOT UNLOCK. IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES WHILE BEING INSIDE THE CAR. POSSIBLE SERIOUS HAZARD AFTER AN ACCIDENT.

DRIVER SIDE DOOR SEALS ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER DOOR AND ONTO LATCH WHICH CAUSING THE LATCHING MECHANISM TO FREEZE SHUT. THE FREEZING OF THE DOOR INHIBITS THE DRIVER FROM BEING ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY OF CAR TRAVELS FROM A WET ENVIRONMENT TO BELOW FREEZING ENVIRONMENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS WHERE TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE UPPER 30'S THEN FELL BELOW FREEZING. ONCE WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ALSO. WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY, ONE HAS TO ENTER THE CAR FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE, IF THE DOOR UNLOCKS AND OPENS, TO ENTER AND EXIT THE CAR. ON ONCE OCCASION, I WAS ABLE TO FORCE OPEN THE DOOR BY PULLING THE INSIDE HANDLE AND SHOVING UP AGAINST IT. IT IS KNOWN AND SHARED ON THE VW FORUMS THAT IF YOU PULL THE HANDLE TOO HARD, IT WILL STRETCH A CABLE WHICH MAY RENDER THE DOOR UNABLE TO SHUT OR NOT PROPERLY LATCH. VW IS AWARE OF THIS AS THEY HAVE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB #TT-57-14-01 FOR IT HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT CAN STOP THE DRIVER FROM EXITING THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY.

THIS IS MY THIRD COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. DURING THE AUGUST FLOODING, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND PASSING THROUGH SOME WATER PILES MY CAR LOST THE BOTTOM ENGINE COVER, LOWER GRILL BROKE, GOT THEM REPLACED NO PROBLEM. WINTER COMES AND WHEN IT GETS COLD FRONT DOOR FREEZES SHUT, REMOTE START BARELY WORKS ONLY WHEN IT WANTS TOO. ALSO NO PROBLEM. WE GOT OUT FIRST WINTER STORM THANK GOD I HAD PUT NEW TIRES BEFORE THIS. HOWEVER DRIVING HOME SOME AREAS HAD A BIT OF SNOW FIRST I GET STUCK AND CANT TURN OFF TRACTION CONTROL. THEN MY LOWER GRILL BREAKS AGAIN. IS THE GRILL MADE OUT OF WATER BOTTLE PLASTIC. IF EVERY TIME THERE IS A STORM I NEED TO SPEND 250 DOLLARS ON A LOWER GRILL THAT IS JUST A WONDERFUL CAR EXPENSE. YOU TRY AND TRADE IN THE CAR AND THE VALUE JUST DROPPED. THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST VW. HORRIBLE QUALITY THAT A BUMPER CAN'T WITH STAND SOME ACCUMULATION OF SNOW. I WILL FILE A COMPLAINT WITH VW AS WELL, LETS HOPE THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. PLUS THEY STILL DID NOT CORRECT THE NAVIGATION AND BLUETOOTH ISSUE. *TR

NOTICED MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR STICKING DURING RECENT COLD WEATHER, IT WAS FROZEN. CLIMBED THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR FOR A CPL DAYS.. NO BIG DEAL FOR A ONE YR OLD CAR, RIGHT? WHEN THE DOOR DID OPEN, IT WOULDN'T SHUT. I HAVE TO HOLD THE DOOR SHUT WHILE DRIVING. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER, WAS INFORMED THAT I AM THE THIRD PERSON TODAY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON A PASSAT, BUT IT WILL BE A WEEK AND A HALF BEFORE THEY CAN CHARGE ME $700 TO FIX IT. I REALIZE I'M OVER MY WARRANTY WITH MILEAGE.. BUT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE!! I'M NOW DRAGGING AROUND TOWN HOLDING MY DOOR CLOSED, DRIVING NO FASTER THAN 15MPH WITH BLINKERS ON. CAN'T SHUT OR LOCK IT, HOPE IT DOESN'T GET STOLEN! I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING THAT OPENS THE DOOR IS BROKE. THE DOOR LATCH, LEVER, AND 2 CABLES. THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT.. NO WAY IT'S SAFE AND OK FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE, WAS TOLD OVER WARRANTY, NOTHING THEY CAN DO.. HAVE A NICE WEEKEND. SMALL CONSOLATION. I GUESS IT'S TOTALLY FINE TO DRIVE MY CHILDREN AROUND IN A CAR IS PURCHASED BC OF THE SAFETY RATINGS ALL THE WHILE HOLDING A DOOR CLOSED FOR A WEEK AND A HALF. UNBELIEVABLE *TR

IN COLD WEATHER SOMETIMES THE FRONT DRIVERS AND PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REAR DOOR AND OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE, THEN MOST OF THE TIME IT WILL WORK FINE AFTER THAT, THOUGH A FEW TIMES THE DOOR WOULD NOT STAY LATCHED. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY HEARD OF THIS AND DID NOTHING, I JUST RECENTLY BROUGHT IT BACK AND THEY INSTALLED A UPDATED LATCH. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS STUCK AND FAILED TO OPEN THE DOOR. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE DOOR HANDLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FAILED AND THE DOOR COULD NOT BE LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE LOCK WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.