1998 Volkswagen Passat Engine Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED PREMATURELY AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT 105,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 91,000 MILES AT THE TIME THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL DID NOT INDICATE WHEN TO CHANGE THE TIMING BELT. UPDATED 09/19/06. *JB

1998 PASSAT TIMING BELT PREMATURELY FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO DIE. *TS ***NO ANS REQUIRED*** *JB

WHILE CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN MY 1998 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT, 3 EVENTS OCCURRED SIMULTANEOUSLY: A 'POP' SOUND FROM THE ENGINE AREA, COPIOUS WHITE SMOKE (NOT STEAM) FROM UNDER THE HOOD, AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ACTIVATION. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, AND WHITE SMOKE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY FROM (CLOSED) HOOD, FOLLOWED WITHIN 5 MINUTES BY OPEN FLAMES FROM THE PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL WELL. FIRE CREWS WERE ON SCENE WITHIN 10 MINUTES, BUT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED AND A TOTAL LOSS. *NM

WHILE DRIVING ON I95 (MD) SOUTHBOUND FROM ELKTON, MD TO ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS, MD, THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED. OBVIOUSLY, WITHOUT ENGINE POWER, THE STEERING AND BRAKES WERE DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. TRAFFIC WAS HOWEVER AVOIDED DUE TO AID OF A HIGHWAY PATROL RIGHT BEHIND ME. THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP AND TOWED WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS AND TAKEN TO A LOCAL GARAGE. CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS FAILED TIMING BELT. CAR HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES AND IT'S ONNLY 7 YEARS OLD. HOWEVER, VW REFUSE TO HONOR THE 100,000 MILES/10YEAR POWER TRAIN WARRANTY.

98 VW PASSAT HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ONE PROBLEM AFTER THE OTHER WITH THIS VEHICLE. JUST HAD TO REPLACE MY OIL PUMP NOW MY TIMING BELT WENT AND DESTROYED MY ENGINE. AFTER I SEE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHERS I BELIEVE VW SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS EXPENSE. I HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE EXPENSE OF THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS, SPEED SENSOR ETC. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE GARAGE MORE THAN I HAVE DROVE IT. PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION

I WAS JUST TOLD BY THE VW DEALER THAT MY 1998 VW PASSAT WITH 1.8T ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF SLUDGE PROBLEMS. I CHANGE THE OIL MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE REQUIRED 5000 MILES (USUALLY BETWEEN 3000 AND 3500), BUT DON'T HAVE EVERY RECEIPT, AND DON'T HAVE THE OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER, SO THEY WON'T HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. THEY WANT ME TO PAY $8000 WHEN IT IS THEIR RECOGNIZED DESIGN FLAW. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT IT YET. *NM

(1) WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT TURN OVER AGAIN. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT DELIVERED TO MY MECHANICS GARAGE. (2) MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE TIMING BELT THAT WENT, AND THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAD REMANUFACTUERED THE TENSIONER AND PULLEY FOR WHAT EVER REASON. AFTER BUYING NEW PARTS AND REBUILDING THE HEAD BECAUSE THE VALVES WERE DESTROYED UPON CONTACT WITH THE PISTONS( NATURALLY). AFTER PUTTING THE ENGINE BACK TOGETHER WITH THE NEW PARTS AND REBUILT HEAD, THE CAM SEIZED UP AND BLEW THE MOTOR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH TIMING BELT FAILED. VEHICLE LOST POWER AND IT VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

OIL PUMP FAILED. WHILE DRIVING THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, PREVENTING ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. A TSB WAS ISSUED FOR AN ENGINE PERFORMANCE. *AK DETERIORATE /SEIZE BECAUSE OF SLUG BUILT UP. THIS FAILURE CAUSE THE OIL PUMP TO FAIL WITHOUT SLUG BUILT UP.

VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER ON FREEWAY TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. WOULD NOT TURN OVER. LINKAGE TO TIMING BELT MALFUNCTIONED @ 100,710 MILES. FOUND OUT THAT BOTH TIMING BELT AND LINKAGE ARE NOT DUE TO BE CHANGED UNTIL 105,000. FAULTY PRIOR TO VW'S SPECIFICATIONS. *JB

OIL PUMP FAILURE, FAULTY CD PLAYER, INOPERATIVE CRUISE CONTROL, IGNITION MODULE. MANY FAILURES FOR SUCH A NEW CAR. WARRANTY IS GOOD FOR 10 YEARS 100,000 MILES FOR ORIGINAL OWNER, 5 YORK 50,000 FOR SECOND. CAR WAS PLACED IN SERVICE 2/19/98 WE THERE FORE MISSED THE 5 YEAR COVERAGE BY 4 MONTHS. *NLM

AIR FLOW METER O2 SENSOR. *NLM

CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS COMPLETELY DETERIORATED, CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. DEALER WILLING TO REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FOR $3000. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE TIMING BELT ON MY 1998 VW PASSAT WITH THE 1.8T ENGINE FAILED AT 75,000 MILES STRANDING ME BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED BY VW. THE VW MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF THE BELT AT 105,000 MILES. VW DENIED MY WARRANTY CLAIM STATING THAT THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY APPLIES ONLY TO THE FIRST OWNER. HOWEVER, MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM AND VW REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB

NAR 04/07/2003 MR. THE TIMING BELT, CYLINDER HEADS AND THE MASS AIR FLOW HAD TO REPLACED AND THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. IN THE PAST THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE 2 WINDOW REGULATORS, THE SUN ROOF OPENED AND CLOSED FOR NO REASON, THE REAR DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK. *JB

MY CAR DIED SUDDENLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 9. MY CAR STARTED TO LOSE ACCELERATION, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE RELATED TO THE TIMING BELT. APPARENTLY THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILED, CAUSING THE TIMING BELT TO GO INTO THE ENGINE AND DAMAGE CYLINDER HEADS. MY LOCAL MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME THE MANUFACTURER HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE PART. I HAD THE PART INSPECTED AT 55,000 MILES BY MY LOCAL DEALER AND WAS NOT TOLD OF THE PROBLEM OR ADVISED TO REPLACE THE PART. AT 66,000 MILES, THE PART FAILED, CAUSING THE ENGINE FAILURE DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER IS REFUSING TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR, STATING THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AS I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *JB

CONSUMER HAS COMPLAINED ON 3 OCCASIONS ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION, THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN SHIFTING THROUGH GEARS, WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND DRIVING ON AN INCLINE, DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER IN FEB 2000 THE DEALER DID FIND THE ENGINE COVER TO BE LOOSE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE BEING HEARD WHEN SHIFTING GEARS.*JB

CONSUMER STATES EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS EXCESSIVE NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. *TT

CONSUMER STATES ENGINE STARTS SLOWING. OIL SPOTS ON FLOOR. OIL PAN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TT

VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED AND AT ANY TIME. DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK

WHILE AT DEALERSHIP FOR OTHER REPAIRS MECHANIC NOTICED EXTREME HEAT FROM TURBO CHARGER CAUSED DAMAGE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD. UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER FAILS CAUSING THE BELT TO BECOME LOOSE AND FAIL PREMATURELY. VW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE IN FACT ISSUED AN UPDATED PART THAT CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER I KNOW OF MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. IT IS GOINGT O COST ME MORE THAN 1,500 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS AND I AM DOING IT MYSELF. IF I WERE TO HAVE TAKEN THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP IT WOULD BE DOUBLE THAT. WHEN THE BELT FAILS THE VALVES GET BENT. I LOVE THIS CAR, BUT HTIS IS A JOKE. THE WHOLE REASON I BOUGHT THIS CAR WAS SO I WOULD NOT NEED TO WORK ON IT. *AK

BEARING FAILED IN WATER PUMP CAUSED TIMING CHAIN TO LOOSEN. THIS RESULTED IN A VALVE BENDING WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO ENGINE HALTING WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH. DEALER ENDED UP REPLACING ENGINE AT NO COST.

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE ENGINE DUST COVER FLEW OFF, THIS HAPPENS RIGHT AFTER THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED, THE ENGINE DUST COVER HAS FLEW OFF A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES. *CJ

WHEN THE ENGINE DUST COVER LOOSENS AT HIGH SPEED IT'S LIKE AN EXPLOSION OCCURS. THIS HAS HAPPENED AFTER OIL CHANGES AT 3 DIFFERENT VW SERVICE CENTERS IN HOUSTON. I ADVISED GERD KLAUSS, PRES. VW ON 11-27-00. HIS ASSOCIATE JOE BERTRAND CALLED TO SUGGEST I ASK A VW SERVICE MANAGER WHAT WOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM - IT'S THEIR DESIGN THAT'S FAULTY AND DANGEROUS.

I HAVE THIS PROBLEM OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOING ON/OFF FOR 3 MONTHS, & I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, HE IS ALWAYS GIVING A TEMPORARY FIX, AFTER 2 OR 3 DAYS THE PROBLEM AGAIN POPS UP.I REPORTED THIS TO THE MANUFACTURER TOO. ONE MORE THING I WANT TO MENTION HERE, ONCE I MET WITH AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH BOTH THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.BUT THE CAR HAS BEEN FIXED WELL. MORE OVER I AM GOING OUT OF WARRENTY NEXT MONTH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THIS PROBLEM COMES UP AFTER THAT. PLEASE HELP ME IN THIS REGARD. *AK

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR EACH RECOMMENDED 5000 MILE SERVICE. ON TWO OF THE FIVE OCCASIONS, THE ENGINE COVER HAS COME LOOSE ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DISTRESS. IT IS MY AND OTHERS VIEW THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN DEFECT. *AK

OIL PUMP WENT OUT AS WELL, TOO MANY PROBLEN IN TWO YEARS!

WINDOW PANEL--PREVENTS CLOSING OF WINDOW. INTAKE MANIFOLD OIL LEAK (GASKET).

COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM AND ENGINE SENSOR FAILED CAUSING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. YH

VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED. YH

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE ENGINE SHIELD FELL OFF FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL. ALSO, STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO STEER, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE SHOULDER. THE CONSUMER LOOK UNDER THE VEHICLE,AND NOTICED THE FRONT OF THE SHIELD WAS ON THE FREEWAY, AND THE SHIELD WAS RUBBING UP AGAINST THE FRONT TIRES. *AK

MY CAR HAS A FACTORY DEFECT OF COOLANT MIXING WITH THE ENGINE OIL AND IS IN THE DEALER FOR ITS SECOND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE FACTORY FIELD REPRESENTATIVE DID NOT PIN POINT PROBLEM TO BE THE CYLINDER HEAD BUT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE AND IS REPLACING THAT COMPONENT ONLY. MY ARGUMENT IS THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING WITH CONTAMINATED OIL AND PREMATURE WEAR HAD OCCURRED TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THE ENGINE AND TURBO CHARGER. I HAD CLEVELAND TECH CENTER ANALYZED THE OIL AND FOUND ABNORMAL AND HIGH TRACES OF METAL AND GYCOL, THUS, RESULTING IN PREMATURE WEAR ON THE ENGINE COMPONENTS. I PURCHASED A NEW CAR AND FEEL THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF ONLY THE CYLINDER HEAD IS INADEQUATE AND UNFAIR TO A CUSTOMER. I ALSO FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAY SEIZE THE ENGINE.