1996 Volkswagen Passat Electrical Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHILE THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

THE IGNITION SWITCH ON MY 1996 VW PASSAT WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, WHICH SHUT DOWN THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 02V256000 I WAS INFORMED BY VW CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS RECALL DIDN'T APPLY TO MY VIN#, DESPITE IT BEING A 1996 PASSAT. I THINK IT SHOULD. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START SOMETIMES AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 02V256000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION: SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT PREVIOUS RECALL REPAIR INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEALER. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT CONTACTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY A MECHANIC. THE RECALL, #02V256000 CONCERNING THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2002. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER HAD 1996 VW PASSAT IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TS THE FIRST TIME THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED IT WAS FREE OF CHARGE AND NOW THAT IT HAS FAILED AGAIN THE DEALER DOESN'T WANT TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH UNDER THE RECALL AGAIN BECAUSE THEY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS MORE THAN 8 YEARS OLD. *JB

MY 1996 VW PASSAT HAS LOST ITS ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, VERY UNSAFE WITH NO BACKING FROM VW. *JB

MY 1996 VW PASSAT HAS AN IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY. MY FIRST TIME WAS AT NIGHT AND MY LIGHTS WENT OUT. I PULLED OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE NEXT TIME THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE WIPERS STOP. I HIT EVERY SWITCH AND WHEN I HIT THE IGNITION SWITCH EVERYTHING CARE ON. I CALLED DEALER AND HE SAID MY VIN WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. IF MY CAR IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE RECALL WHY CAN'T THIS BE COVERED BY THE SAFETY RECALL?

IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED IN A 1996 PASSAT VR6. WAS A RECALL ON SWITCH. I WOULD LIKE A REFUND ON PARTS AND LABOR. *JB

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL 02V256000. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL, CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. DEARSHIP INDICATED TO CONSUMER SORRY THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAD THE VERY SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 02V256000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH. ALSO, THE ELECTRICAL PART OF THE SWITCH SHORTED OUT THE LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND RADIO. TOOK VEHICLE DEALER, AND CONSUMER WAS GRANTED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

HEADLIGHTS CONTINUALLY GO OUT. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP SUPPOSEDLY DID ELECTRICAL PART OF IGNITION SWITCH REPLACEMENT, BUT HEADLIGHTS STILL DID NOT WORK. FURTHER REAIRS BY AN INDEPENDANT MECHANIC WORKED FOR A SHORT TIME, THEN ONE OF THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER A YEAR. DEALERSHIP COMPLETELY UNINTERESTED.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE CAME ON AND WENT OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *AK WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECTS AS STATED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. *PH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED UNDER THE RECALL REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH. *JB

1. MY CAR HAD IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. THERE IS A RECALL ON IGNITION SWITCH FAILURES FOR THE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL OF MY CAR. WHEN I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER THEY SAID THE RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VIN. 2. DRIVERS DOOR WINDOW REGISTER HAS FAILED. MANY OWNERS OF SIMILAR VEHICLES HAVE REPORTED SAME.

INSTRUMENT DISPLAY CLUSTER ON 96 PASSAT WAGON GLX TOTALLY FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ODOMETER AND TACHOMETER READINGS. PANEL WAS REPLACED FOR $500. WRITTEN LETTER TO VWOA WENT UNANSWERED. *JB

ENTIRE DASH BOARD WENT DEAD AFTER A FEW DAYS OF EXTREME COLD WEATHER. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING WITH MANY OTHER VOLKSWAGEN'S AND FEEL THAT MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM PROPERLY. *JB

ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL (FUEL, TEMP, SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER AND ODOMETER DISPLAYS) FAILED DURING COLD WEATHER. MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND VIA A GOOGLE NEWSGROUP SEARCH.

THE DASHBOARD AND ELECTRICAL WIRES HAVE BURNT. CONSUMER STATES' NONE OF THE GAUGES ARE WORKING AND BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING THE HEADLIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND TURN SIGNALS WILL GO OUT. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

CONSUMERS NOTICE THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY HAS FAILED CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE RESULTS IN WINDSHIELD WIPER, WINDOWS, AND BLINKER FAILURE AS WELL AS THE ENGINE NOT STARTING OR STOPPING ONCE STARTED. VERY DANGEROUS AND PRONE TO SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MAY CAUSE PERSONAL INJURY AND HARM AND INJURY TO OTHERS IN AN HIGHWAY ACCIDENT. DT

TRUNK LOCKING MECHANISM AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FAILURE. RESULTS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHEN THE TRUNK WILL OPEN WHILE DRIVING AND NOT CLOSE AND LOCK. MAY CAUSE A HIGHWAY ACCIDENT WHEN THE TRUNK POPS UP, COMPLETELY BLOCKING DRIVER REAR VIEW CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. DT

NHTSA# 15255-02-V-256-000 IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL CAUSING THE HEAD LIGHT, WIDSHIELD AND WIPERS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDE TO VIN# DEALER NOTIFIED TS

THERE IS A RECALL CAMPAIGN IN PROGRESS FOR PASSAT IGNITION SWITCH WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V256000. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS CAMPAIGN EXTENDED TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE AS I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME SAFETY DEFECT THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN. DT

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ALL VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FAIL W/O WARNING. TS

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE WITH FAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER, HEADLIGHTS, TURNING SIGNALS AND AC/HEAT FAN. ALL EXCEPT FOR THE LETTER I CONSIDERED A SAFETY CONCERN. NHTSA POSTED A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL BUT VWOA DO NOT HAVE RECORDS OF SUCH RECALL AND CHARGE FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR OF REPLACEMENT. DT

THE IGNITION SWITCH CUTS OUT INTERMITTENTENTLY. ENGINE STILL RUNS BUT NO LIGHTS, WIPERS, ABS BRAKING, AND OTHER SAFETY FEATURES OPERATE. DT

CALLED VW - NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V256000 DESCRIBING RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY CAR?! RIDICULOUS! I HAD THIS EXACT THING HAPPEN TO ME, IN SNOWY WEATHER. I DROVE 60 MILES WITH MY HAND ON THE KEY SWITCH TWISTING IT SO LIGHTS AND WIPERS WOULD STAY ON! THIS RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED! MR

RE: NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V256000 STATES THAT "ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. IF SUCH FAILURES OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN USE AT NIGHT OR IN A RAINY OR SNOWY WEATHER, A CRASH COULD OCCUR. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL PART OF THE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER 2002. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOFA AT 1-800-822-8987. WELL, AT THIS WRITING IT IS OCTOBER 14, 2002 I HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION. THE PROBLEM STATED ABOVE HAPPENED TO MY CAR. BUT I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE MY VIN DOES NOT MATCH THEIR LIST. DUH, PUT IT ON THE LIST BECAUSE IT HAPPENED. THE MORONIC "CUSTOMER ADVOCATE" AS THEY CALL THEMSELVES KEPT REPEATING THAT THE VIN IS NOT ON THE LIST SO HE CANNOT DO ANYTHING. CAN NHTSA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? MR

WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION AND TURNED, THE ENGINE DOES NOT START, WHICH ALSO CAUSED OTHER COMPONETS TO BECOME INOPERATIVE, CONSUMER HAD THE IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT, CONSUMER WAS STILL EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTIES IN STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY WAS FAULTY, ALSO THE BATTERY WAS EPLACED.*JG

THERE IS A RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH OF THE 1996 AUDI A4. THIS IS THE SAME VEHICLE AS THE VW PASSAT. WHEN THIS PART FAILS, IT CAUSES THE RUNNING OR HEADLIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, DEFROSTER, AND HEATER BLOWER TO FAIL. ALL OF THESE ELECTRICAL TOOLS ARE NECESSARY FOR DRIVING AT NIGHT OR IN BAD WEATHER. MY DEALER SEEMS TO BE UNAWARE OF THE AUDI RECALL AND ALSO DID NOT SEE WHY I FELT THIS INTERMITENT PROBLEM MADE MY VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO WEEKS I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GET THIS PROBLEM RECTIFIED...ONCE THE SWITCH DID FAIL COMPLETELY AND WAS NO LONGER AN INTERMITENT PROBLEM, THE ELECTRICIAN WAS ABLE TO PIN POINT THE CAUSE. *AK

COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND LIMITED CONTROL OF THE CAR. A SEARCH OF THE WEB INDICATES THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURANCE. VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NON EXISTENT. AS FOR THE DOOR HANDLE AND WINDOW PROBLEM, AGAIN THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. SO FAR NO ONE HAS LOST THEIR LIFE AT LEAST IN OUR CASE. M. *AK

CAR BEGAN FAILING TO START. BATTERY REPLACED. SYMPTOMS REAPPEARED IN 2 WEEKS. CAR RUNNING ROUGH, DIFFICULT TO START. STALLING DURING HIGHWAY OPERATION. REQUIRED TOW TO DEALER. DEALER REPORTED THAT COMPUTER MODULE WIRING HARNESS RUSTY AND CORRODED REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.*AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SHORTAGES. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND THE PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS BEEN OUT FOR A WHILE. LIGHT HAS BEEN ON/OFF ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC INDICATOR. TOWED TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT INSTRUMENT PANEL: CLUSTER MODULE HAD A SHORT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY: DIGITAL DISPLAYS FLASHED ON AND OFF SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER GAUGES MOVING CLOCKWISE AND COUNTER-CLOCKWISE OUT OF CONTROL, THIS PATTERN CONTINUED WHEN VEHICLE IGNITION TURNED OFF. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REGULAR SERVICE AND CURRENT PROBLEM. SERVICE ADVISOR SAYS BATTERY OK, NEEDS NEW INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. JAN.06 VEHICLE FAIL TO START, CHECKED BATTERY, BATTERY BURNED UP,CELLS DRY. REPLACED WITH NEW BATTERY, INSIDE OF 2 WEEK PERIOD FAILURE TO START AND NO POWERCONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR 6 WEEKS. DEALER INSTALLS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, GO TO PICK UP CAR AND IT FAILS TO START. CAR REMAINS AT DEALERSHIP. *AK

ELECTICAL CLUSTER FOR INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. YH

INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. DEALER HAS CONSUMER'S CAR BECAUSE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILURE. PARTS ARE ON BACK ORDER FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. *AK

WHEN THE CAR IS COLD OR IN THE FIRST 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING, HEADLIGHTS GO OUT. SOME OF THE DASHLIGHTS STAY ON, HOWEVER THE HEADLIGHTS, BLOWER MOTOR, TURNSIGNAL, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, POWER WINDOWS AND A/C DO NOT WORK. DEFECTIVE SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED. *AK *ML

THE IGNITION SWITCH PREMATURELY MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THE DESIGN WHICH CAUSED THE HEADLGHTS AND THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. *AK

DIAGNOSIS NOT COMPREHENSIVE, POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, TOO MUCH WAITING TO GET PARTS FROM GERMANY, IRRESPONSIBLE AND INSENSITIVE VW MANAGEMNENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 60MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED FOR NO REASON. THIS CAUSED A TRAFFIC HAZARD. HAD NO WARNING. TOWED TO DEALER. INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE PROBLEM WAS ALTERNATOR. THE BATTERY WAS ALSO DEFFECTIVE. BOTH ALTERNATOR & BATTERY NEEDED REPLACING. WAS GIVEN NO REASON CONCERNING ALTERNATOR. *AK

ON THIS MODEL VW--I.E., DIESEL, FAILURE OF IGNITION SWITCH RESULTS IN PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER BRAKING, HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION--THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PROBLEM WAS CALLED TO MANUFACTURER'S ATTENTION VIA LETTER AND VIA BRINGING INTO A VW DEALER FOR REPAIR. DEALER WAS NOT SELLING DEALER MENTIONED ABOVE. *AK

ON TUESDAY, OWNER NOTICED THAT THE DRL WERE NOT WORKING AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR A/C FAN. DRIVER HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED BY DEALER TO 'JIGGLE' SWITCH IN ORDER TO GET BOTH WORKING. INSTRUCTIONS DID NOT MAKE EITHER TO WORK. DRIVER SWITCHED OFF ENGINE WHILE MOVING, TRYING TO GET EITHER TO WORK. AFTER TRYING THIS SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO LUCK, ONE INCIDENT CAUSED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO 'SET'. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL EITHER BY SWITCH, BRAKE PEDAL OR CLUTCH PEDAL. DRIVER ENDED UP TURNING OFF CAR IN ORDER TO CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL. AFTER LETTING CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, BOTH ITEMS WORKED AGAIN, BUT AFTER THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT, BOTH ITEMS DID NOT WORK AGAIN. *AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING A MALFUNCTION OCCURRED WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, CAUSING THE SPEED OR FUEL NOT TO REGISTER, AND OTHER FUNCTIONS BECAME INOPERABLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEP COMING ON, AND NOW THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD DON'T WORK, INCLUDING THE SPEED GAUGE/GAS GAUGE, AND ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT ARE OPERATED BY THE COMPUTER. CONSUMER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

GAUGE CLUSTER AND HVAC CONTROL UNIT BOTH FAILED AT STARTUP. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE CAUSE OF FAILURES. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN THE OFF POSITION THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED REAR WINDOWS OPEN BY THEMSELVES. IN ORDER FOR WINDOWS TO REMAINED CLOSED, THE CONTROL BUTTON MUST BE DEPRESS UNTIL WINDOWS ARE CLOSED AND VEHICLE TURNED OFF. WINDOWS REOPEN WHEN VEHICLE IS RE-STARTED.

ALTERNATOR FAILED. QCAW

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WIRING HARNESS FAILED.

INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT, WIRE TO THE CORE WAS LOOSE. *AK