2002 Volkswagen Passat Transmission Problems

WHEN IT RAINS THE CAR GETS FLOODED CAUSING THE WHOLE WIRING SYSTEM THROUGH THE CAR TO GET DAMAGE. THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER AND DIE AS YOUR DRIVING. SEEMS TO HAPPEN. WHEN ON HIGHWAY MOST. THE CAR WILL NOT START OR CRANK. I'VE HAD TO VACUUM THE FLOOR BOARDS AND TRUNK, SEARCH FOR DAMAGED WIRES, CHANGE RELAYS AS WELL AS CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, AND FUEL PUMP.AS WELL AS SENSORS. TRYING TO GET IT RUNNING AGAIN. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION JERKS VERY HARD WHEN TRYING TO GO INTO REVERSE AND MOST OF THE TIME IN SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WITHIN1OR 2 SECONDS.

I STARTED MY CAR AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE DOWN AROUND CITY STREETS FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. I WAS GOING SPEED LIMIT(25-30 MPH) DURING A COOL NIGHT(60*F). I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE SPIKED(CAR WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURE PRIOR(190*F; ACCORDING TO GAUGE); THIS GAUGE SPIKE WAS FOLLOWED BY A BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY CUT OFF MY ENGINE. MY CAR BECAME IMMOBILE AND I LOST BRAKE AND STEERING FUNCTION. HOWEVER, MY RADIO AND CAR LIGHTS STILL WORKED! LUCKILY THERE WAS NO SURROUNDING CARS AND MY PARKING BRAKE WAS FUNCTIONAL. I THEN TURNED OFF THE CAR, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN OVER THE ENGINE ONCE MORE. IT DID START HOWEVER I AM WORRIED THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN UNDER LESS FORGIVING CIRCUMSTANCES.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE REAR AXLE BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FALL ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN; THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT NO REPAIRS COULD BE MADE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

MY CAR HAS SUDDENLY STARTED TO DOWNSHIFT ON IT'S OWN , RPM'S WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR, AND THEN SUDDENLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP THE CAR WILL NOT REACT AT ALL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN RAPIDLY SURGES FORWARD UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS ALL IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CONTINUED COMPLAINT OF A BURNING SMELL FROM MY CENTRAL DASHBOARD VENT. ( THIS BURNING WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN REMEDIED BY A RECENT RECALL. THE MECHANIC AND SERVICE ADVISOR WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THIS , BUT IT WAS DEEMED NORMAL AND WITHOUT DUPLICATION BY THE HEAD MECHANIC. THE SERVICE MANAGER LATER INVESTIGATED THIS AND DECIDED A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY REMEDY THE SITUATION. THIS HAS NOT HELPED AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO REACT INCONSISTENTLY WITH SUDDEN DOWNSHIFTING WHILE ACCELERATING AND THEN SUDDEN RAPID ACCELERATION SURGES FORWARD WHICH SEEM VERY UNSAFE WHEN NEGOTIATING BUSY CITY STREETS. MY CAR HAS ONLY 49,000 MILES ON IT! *TR

3 1/2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2002 VW PASSAT, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WENT MY OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON WITH A GRINDING NOISE AND THE COMPUTER ADVISED ME TO SHUT DOWN MY ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. I THOUGH MY OIL WAS LOW SINCE I MISSED MY LAST OIL CHANGE AND WAS PLANNING ON GETTING ONE DONE THAT WEEKEND AND ADDED MORE OIL TO MY CAR. THE PROBLEM NEVER WENT AWAY AND I HAD TO TOW MY CAR TO THE VW DEALER (HERITAGE VW). I WAS CHARGED $1178 FOR A DESLUDGE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS NO GOOD SINCE MY OIL CHANGED WAS OVERDUE. AFTER THE DESLUDGE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT MY TIMING WAS OFF AND WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PAY ANOTHER $1100 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I REMOVED MY CAR FROM THEIR SHOP BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY TO REPAIR, THEIR ERROR. I WOULD LIKE VW TO PAY FOR THEIR FAULTY ENGINEERING OR POOR WORKMANSHIP, SINCE THE SLUDGE BUILDUP SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT AND NOT A MAINTENANCE ISSUE HAS THEY CLAIM. *TR

2002 PASSAT BEGAN THUMPING AND LURCHING WHILE IN MOTION AND WHILE IDLING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ACCELERATION WAS ABNORMALLY SLOW. THREE INCHES OF STANDING WATER APPEARED IN RIGHT REAR FOOTWELL. DEALER INFORMED ME ACCELERATION PROBLEM WAS DUE TO WATER IN TCM. TCM SHORT CIRCUITED AND THEN POWERTRAIN DROPPED. WATER DAMAGE WAS DUE TO LEAKING POLLEN FILTER SEAL, WHICH WAS SUBJECT TO P9 RECALL. CAR WAS PAST WARRANTY ON TIME, BUT NOT MILES. THEY FIXED POLLEN FILTER SEAL AND TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE $4,000-$5000 DAMAGE FROM THE LEAKING WATER. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. MY CAR IS PARKED OUTSIDE. WE HAD SEVERAL RAINY DAYS IN THE WEEK BEFORE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED I MUST HAVE LEFT THE WINDOW OPEN. I CONTACTED VW CORP AND THEY SUGGESTED I TAKE IT TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR AT MY OWN EXPENSE. *TR

HAD TO REPLACE BOTH CV BOOTS WITH LESS THAN 55,000 MILES ON CAR. *TR

THE CLUTCH ON MY 2002 VW PASSAT FAILED AT 47K MILES! MY WIFE AND I ARE BOTH IN OUR MID-FORTIES AND ARE VERY EXPERIENCED AND GENTLE CLUTCH DRIVERS. WE HAVEN'T OWNED CARS WITHOUT A CLUTCH FOR OVER 20 YEARS. IN ADDITION THE REPAIR COST TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH ON THIS CAR IS OUTRAGEOUS. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I NOTICED SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ON A NUMBER OF CHAT BOARDS. HAS THIS EVER BEEN INVESTIGATED? THANKS,

I BOUGHT A 2002 IN 2005 WITH 30,000 FROM A CERTIFIED USED VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. AFTER ONLY DRIVING THE CAR SOME 29,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. FORTUNATELY I HAD 11 MILES LEFT UNDER WARRANTY SO THE NEARBY DEALERSHIP HONORED THE WARRANTY AND FIXED MY CAR. HAD IT NOT I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT $7-9,000. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO GO INTO DRIVE AND REVERSE GEARS. SLOW TO GO INTO GEAR. CONTACED REPAIR SHOP, TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING NEEDED NEW ONE. COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY.*AK

TOOK CAR (2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT) TO LOCAL DEALER FOR 65,000 MILE SERVICE AT WHICH TIME THEY FOUND A DETERIORATING AXLE PROBLEM. INFORMED BY DEALER THAT USUALLY THIS ISSUE IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DESIGN FLAW. CAR OUT OF WARRANTY AND REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. IN TURN CONTACTED VOLKSWAGAN CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEIR WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE CARE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I IN TURN WROTE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF VOLKSWAGEN AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL (I AM SURE HE DID NOT SEE IT)REINFORCING WHAT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME. IF THIS IN FACT IS A DESIGN ISSUE I DO NOT FEEL YOU SHOULD BE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AXLE'S @ 65,000 MILES SINCE THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED EVERY 5,000 MILES PER MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATIONS AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. MILEAGE SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. *JB

2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON / 92350 MILES PLACED IN "PARK" ON A SLIGHT INCLINE (PARKING BRAKE NOT USED). ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEYS WERE REMOVED. DRIVER STEPPED OUT OF THE CAR AND A FEW SECONDS LATER CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS WITH CHILDREN (AGES 3 AND 10 MO) IN THE CAR. DRIVER JUMPED IN CAR TO SET THE BRAKE, BUT FELL ON STREET AS CAR ROLLED. CAR CROSSED STREET AND HEADED DOWN A STEEPER INCLINE HITTING BUSHES, CROSSING ANOTHER DRIVEWAY, AND FINALLY HITTING A ROCK WALL COMING TO A STOP. CHILDREN WERE OK. DRIVER HAD BRUISES / SCRATCHES FROM FALLING ON PAVEMENT. CAR SUSTAINED $3,400 IN DAMAGE. NEIGHBORS VERIFIED CAR WAS IN PARK, AND OWNER MANUAL STATES THAT KEYS CANNOT BE REMOVED WITHOUT THE CAR BEING IN PARK ( KEYS WERE OBSERVED BY SEVERAL NEIGHBORS TO BE OUT OF THE CAR). VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA ASKED ME TO GO TO A DEALER FOR PROBLEM DETERMINATION. DEALER TRIED PARKING THE CAR 5 TIMES ON UPHILL AND DOWNHILL INCLINES, AND PARK HELD. THEY ALSO CHECKED THE COMPUTER AND FOUND NO FAULTS. NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CHECK THE INTERNALS OF THE TRANSMISSION, TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE INCLINE WAS THE SAME AS THE DRIVEWAY WHERE IT OCCURRED, OR TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WAS A REASON FOR AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. VW OF AMERICA STATED THAT THE DEALER HAD FOUND THE CAR WAS IN SPEC (WITH THE 5 HILL TESTS AND COMPUTER CHECK), AND NO FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. VW STATED THAT WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN USING THE PARKING BRAKE ANY TIME WE PARK (WE DO ON STEEPER HILLS, BUT NOT ON HILLS AS SLIGHT AS OUR DRIVEWAY). NOBODY HAS EXPLAINED WHY PARK FAILED EVEN THOUGH THE KEYS WERE OUT OF THE IGNITION (AND OBSERVED TO BE BY OTHERS) -- I CONCEDE THE PARKING BRAKE SHOULD ALWAYS BE USED OUT OF EXTREME CAUTION, BUT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT ON SLIGHT HILLS -- PARK SHOULD NOT FAIL IN ANY CASE. WE FEEL WE HAVE TO GET RID OF THE CAR ASAP BECAUSE THIS HAS NOT BEEN EXPLAINED / ADDRESSED. OTHER CARS (LIKE 2006 BMW) HAVE RECALLS ON THE PARKING PAWL, BUT VW WILL NOT INVESTIGATE FURTHER. *NM

DT: THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE VEHICLE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR ONE YEAR THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. BUT IT STILL TRANSMISSION NOT WORK PROPERLY. . IT JUMPED INTO GEAR. ALSO, THE ENGINE AIR BAG, AND THERMOSTAT LIGHTS KEPT COMING ON. ONE WEEK AGO, THE CAR WOULDN'T START. REPLACED THE BATTERY, AND A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN. CURRENTLY, THE DEALER INSISTED IT NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR, AND F WARRANTY EXPIRED. IN ORDER TO GET TO THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM, IT WOULD COST $1100.00.*AK

FAILED OF BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT OUTER CV BOOTS.

MY 2002 PASSAT HAS HAD THE TURBO REPLACED TWICE, THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE REPLACED TWICE, AND NUMEROUS OTHER RECALLS. THURSDAY, 10/7/04 MY CAR WAS AT THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE FOR THE SECOND TIME. I DROVE HOME (8 MILES, LOW SPEED). THE NEXT MORNING WHILE DRIVING TO A MEETING I NOTICED A STRONG PETROLEUM SMELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRUCK AHEAD OF ME. SUNDAY 10/10/04 I NOTICED SPOTS ON THE SIDE OF MY CAR, AND AFTER CRAWLING UNDER IT I NOTICED THAT MY CV JOINT BOOT HAD SPLIT. THIS IS AFTER 67000 MILES. I FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY PREMATURE AND THINK THAT VW SHOULD ABSORB THE COST FOR REPAIR. I AM CURRENTLY FIGHTING WITH VW FOR THIS CORRECTION. *NM

MY 2002 PASSAT HAS HAD THE TURBO REPLACED TWICE, THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE REPLACED TWICE, AND NUMEROUS OTHER RECALLS. THURSDAY, 10/7/04 MY CAR WAS AT THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE FOR THE SECOND TIME. I DROVE HOME (8 MILES, LOW SPEED). THE NEXT MORNING WHILE DRIVING TO A MEETING I NOTICED A STRONG PETROLEUM SMELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRUCK AHEAD OF ME. SUNDAY 10/10/04 I NOTICED SPOTS ON THE SIDE OF MY CAR, AND AFTER CRAWLING UNDER IT I NOTICED THAT MY CV JOINT BOOT HAD SPLIT. THIS IS AFTER 67000 MILES. I FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY PREMATURE AND THINK THAT VW SHOULD ABSORB THE COST FOR REPAIR. I AM CURRENTLY FIGHTING WITH VW FOR THIS CORRECTION.

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW VW PASSAT GLS 2002, ON JUNE 18, 2002 AT COMMONWEALTH VW AUDI, 1450 AUTO MALL DRIVE, SANTA ANA CA 92705. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VW PASSAT GLS 2002 HAS NOT HELD UP TO ITS PROMISE OF BEING A WELL-ENGINEERED CAR. AFTER LESS THAN 9 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, I HAD TO BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES, WHICH IS A FAR DRIVE FROM MY PRESENT RESIDENCE IN HIGHLAND, CA. I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW CAR WITH THE INTENTION OF HAVING A RELIABLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE TWO-HOUR TRIP BACK AND FOURTH FROM TUSTIN TO ONTARIO ON A DAILY BASIS FOR WORK. I HAD CONFIDENCE IN VOLKSWAGEN BECAUSE OF ITS PRESTIGIOUS REPUTATION. HAVING SUCCESSIVE CAR PROBLEMS HAS MADE ME RELUCTANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR. THE FIRST BREAKDOWN WAS IN OCT. 2002, THE MIL (MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP) LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE, AND IT LOST POWER ON MY WAY TO WORK. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COIL, AND SET THE READINESS CODE. I DID NOT GET A LOANER CAR, AND THE CAR WAS LEFT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR TWO DAYS. THE SECOND TIME, WAS IN DEC. 2003. THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AROSE. THIS TIME THEY HAD REPLACED ALL FOUR IGNITION COILS, SET THE READINESS CODE, AND SUPPLIED ME WITH A VW RENTAL. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR TWO DAYS AS WELL. I HAD LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN THE PASSAT I PURCHASED. THE THIRD OCCASION, AS I EXITED THE FREEWAY TO GET TO WORK, THE MIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS, THE CAR JERKED TWO TIMES. I MADE IT TO THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB, AND HAD THE CAR TOWED YET ANOTHER TIME. THIS WAS MARCH 18, 2003. THE DEALERSHIP REMOVED AND INSTALLED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID PAN, THE TRANSMISSION SPEED SENDER, AND THE VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR. THEY SUPPLIED ME WITH A 3-DAY LOANER CAR. THE PASSAT STAYED IN THE SHOP FOR 4 DAYS. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND NOISE PRIMARILY BETWEEN 40-45 MPH. THE OWNERS BACKROUND IS AN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER AND HAS MEASURED THE PROBLEM AND IDENTIFIED ISSUE TO BE DRIVELINE INBALANCE. DEALERS FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE ISSUE WHILE DRIVING WITH OWNER THEN CLAIM "NON-VERIFIABILITY" TO A CONDITION WHICH OCCURS 100% OF THE TIME. OWNER HAS MEASURED SIMILAR VEHICLES FROM DEALER LOT AND HAS VERIFIED THAT THE CONDITION IS NOT INHERANT TO ALL LIKE VEHICLES.

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD CAME ON , VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATED OVER 40MPH. HAD VEHICLE SERVICE 3 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM, DEALER CANNOT FIX PROBLEM, CAUSE UNKNOW. NLM

I HAD JUST GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE SHOP AROUND 4P.M. I HAD PARKED MY CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY , WELL ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER MY FRIEND WAS LEAVEING AND SHE NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS DOWN THE STREET IN MY NEIGHBORS YARD AND THAT THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE LOOKING FOR WHO OWNED THE CAR. I GO RUNNING OUT AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE COMMING UP THE STREET AND I TOLD THE THAT IT WAS MY CAR. ANYWAY THE CAR WAS IN GEAR AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON THE POLICE OFFICER TOOK PICTURES OF THE CAR AND TOOK PICTURES OF THE CAR BEING IN GEAR AND THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEING ON HE ASKED ME TO FILL OUT A REPORT SO I DID. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT THIS I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE CAR, AND SEND IT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO LET ME KNOW WHAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO ABOUT THIS SITUATION. THANK YOU STEVE NYE. *AK

LACK OF INFORMATION PROVIDED TO CUSTOMERS ON SPECIAL NATURE OF 4 MOTION PASSAT DRIVING DURING A SKID IN WINTER CONDITIONS. *AK

THIS WAS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER I TURNED RIGHT IN MY PASSAT. WITH LESS THAN 800 MILES ON MY CAR, I DROVE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. WITHIN AN HOUR THEY DETERMINED THAT THE CV JOINT WAS "BAD". WHAT SURPRISED ME WAS THERE NONCHALANCE. NO OFFER OF A LOANER CAR (THEY'RE PAYING FOR THE RENTAL OF A MUCH CHEAPER CAR), NO ATTEMPT TO RUSH DELIVERY ON THE NEEDED PART (AT THE EARLIEST, IT WILL ARRIVE 4 DAYS AFTER IT WAS ORDERED), NOT EVEN THE SIMPLIEST APOLOGY.