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2002 Volkswagen Passat Wipers & Visibility Problems

20 owner-reported wipers & visibility complaints from NHTSA data

20
Complaints
Jan 2003Dec 2009
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (20)

mediumVISIBILITY,EQUIPMENT
Filed: Sep 2014

2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO BEING TOLD THE RECALL TO REPAIR THE FAULTY EQUIPMENT ON HER VEHICLE WAS TO OUTDATED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AT HER EXPENSE. *TGW THE CONSUMER REFERENCED PLENUM DRAIN SUNROOF DRAIN. THE CONSUMER STATED WATER DAMAGED THE HEADLINER AND OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE COLLECTS 1-2 INCHES OF WATER, EVERY TIME IT RAINED OR WHEN SHE WASHED THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA #: 10638946
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jul 2011

2002 VW PASSAT PLASTIC LENS COVER OVER THE HEAD LIGHTS ARE SO FILMY, CLOUDY CAN HARDLY SEE AT NIGHT..THE LENS COVERS HAVE BEEN CLOUDY FOR YEARS, I NOTICE LOTS OF CARS WITH CLOUDY LENS COVER NOT JUST VW...SHOULD BE SAFETY RECALL..... DO WE WAIT LIKE WE DID ON NO DOC LOANS UNTIL WE ADMIT WE HAVE A PROBLEM.........NO EXACT INCIDENT BUT I'M SURE THEY HAVE HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA #: 10410358
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jan 2010

WATER LEAKAGE FROM SUNROOF TO FLOOR BOARDS. THE SUNROOF HAS DRAINAGE TUBES, THAT CAN AND WILL BECOME CLOGGED. WATER ON FLOORBOARD CAN LEAD TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. TUBES HAD TO BE UNCLOGGED, LOCATED ON FRONT DOOR FRAMES. *TR

NHTSA #: 10300174
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Dec 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED. FRAGMENTS OF GLASS FELL ALL OVER OF THE VEHICLE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

NHTSA #: 10296711
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Mar 2008

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR HAS GONE OUT ON MY 2002 VW PASSAT 4MOTION GLX. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE DRIVERS WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED DUE TO A CORRODED CABLE IN THE ASSEMBLY. THE MOST RECENT JUST HAPPENED TO THE REAR PASSENGER REGULATOR, BUT THIS TIME THE PLASTIC ASSEMBLY THAT HOLDS THE GLASS WINDOW BROKE AND AND THE WINDOW FELL DOWN IN TRAFFIC. I AM VERY MECHANICALLY INCLINED AND HAVE FIXED BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS ON MY OWN TIME, AT MY OWN EXPENSE. JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE IS EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMATIC ISSUES. THANK YOU, DARIN. *TR

NHTSA #: 10221375
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jan 2008

2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT DEFECTIVE SUNROOF. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE DIDN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR ONE WEEK AND WHEN SHE STARTED DRIVING IT, THERE WAS A SLOSHING NOISE. SHE NOTICED THE ENTIRE REAR FLOORBOARD WAS FLOODED WITH WATER. *KB THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WAS INHERENT AND THERE WAS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THE SUNROOF DESIGN. *JB

NHTSA #: 10217188
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Aug 2007

SUN ROOF CYCLES ON ITS OWN TO RAISE AND LOWER AFTTER END (IN THE MOON ROOF MODE). *JB

NHTSA #: 10199102
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Nov 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LEAK FROM THE SUNROOF THAT WENT UNDER THE FLOOR MAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AFFECTING THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED A NEW COMPUTER WAS NEEDED.

NHTSA #: 10172519
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jun 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD FLOODED. THEN WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH, NUMEROUS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE SUNROOF DRAINS HAD CLOGGED, CAUSING THE FLOODING AND A SHORT IN A MODULE IN THE WIRING SYSTEM. THE DEBRIS IN THE DRAINS WAS BLOWN OUT. UPDATED 6/19/2006 - THIS HAS CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA #: 10159087
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Mar 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING A TERRIBLE SMELL WAS PRESENT AND WHITE GASES STARTED COMING FROM THE VENTS. IT WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED. 04/11/06. *JB

NHTSA #: 10153345
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Apr 2004

THERE IS A CRACK IN WINDSHIELD STARTING IN FRONT OF DRIVER BELOW WIPER BLADE, UP 5 INCHES AND OVER 3 FEET. THE CRACK APPEARED WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED IN DIRECT SUN ON A HOT DAY IN A PARKING LOT POINTED AWAY FROM OTHER MOVING VEHICLES. THERE IS ONLY ONE SHARED OF GLASS MISSING FROM BEHIND THE WIPER THAT IS PERHAPS 1/4 INCH LONG AND 1/8 INCH DEEP. VW MAINTAINS THIS IS AN IMPACT POINT AS DETERMINED BY RUNNING A BALLPOINT PEN ALONG THE CRACK. MY POSITION IS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT. THE HEAT AND EXPANSION CAUSED THE CRACK. IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE IMPACT RELATED, A TINY STONE WOULD HAVE TO HIT BEHIND THE WIPER FROM DIRECTLY OVERHEAD. THE LAWS OF PHYSICS RULES OUT THAT AN OBJECT WITH SO LITTLE MASS COULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH ENERGY TO CAUSE THIS MUCH DAMAGE. *LA

NHTSA #: 10065612
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Mar 2004

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED AND IMPLODED FOR NO EXPLAINABLE REASON. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO REPLACE WINDOW AS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE SERVICE DEALER SAID HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE AND THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS. *AK

NHTSA #: 10064252
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jan 2004

AUTOMOBILE REQUIRES SPECIAL WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHICH ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH DEALERS. THESE ARE CURRENTLY ON "NATIONAL BACKORDER" WITH NO TIME TO FULFILL. WIPERS ARE GENERALLY OF POOR QUALITY ANYWAY AND THUS THE NEED TO REPLACE TO MAINTAIN VISIBILITY IS IMPERATIVE. *CB

NHTSA #: 10054441
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Nov 2003

WINDSHIELD WIPERS "BOUNCE"/"STUTTERS" ACROSS THE WIND SHIELD IN LIGHT TO MILD RAIN CAUSING UNSAFE VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WARRANTS WIPERS FOR PERIOD OF 12,000 MILES, DEALER WAS TOLD ABOUT THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS, HOWEVER THEY DID NOT DOCUMENT MY COMPLAINT. THEY ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE OK. *LA

NHTSA #: 10045680
mediumVISIBILITY,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Filed: Oct 2003

AUTOMATIC LOCK AND POWER WINDOW ON REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR ARE INOPERATIVE. DEALER TOOK TWO ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT. ON THE FIRST, THEY APPLIED SOME ELECTROLYTIC GREASE IN THE HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE ENOUGH. THE NEXT TIME THEY REPLACED THE MOTOR AND LOCK UNIT. *AK

NHTSA #: 10043660
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Apr 2003

WHENEVER YOU USE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER, SOME OF THE FLUID GETS INTO THE VENT AND YOU CAN SMELL IT IN THE CABIN AND EVEN SOMETIMES TASTE IT AS YOU ARE DRIVING. I BELIEVE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID IS TOXIC. I HAVE TWO LATE MODEL VOLKSWAGENS, THEY BOTH DO THIS EVERYTIME. I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS WITH ANY OTHER CAR I'VE DRIVEN BEFORE.

NHTSA #: 10013900
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Feb 2003

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE DEALER INDICATED IT WAS CAUSED BY THE WEATHER.*JB

NHTSA #: 10009260
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jan 2003

CONSUMER STATED WHEN DEFROSTING FRONT WINDSHIELD, THE DEFROSTER WAS BLOWING AIR FROM OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

NHTSA #: 10003800
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Oct 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN WIPERS ARE IN MOTION THE WIPER ARM IS CAUSING A CRACK TO APPEAR ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. MR

NHTSA #: 8021409
mediumVISIBILITY
Filed: Jun 2002

WINDSHIELD AT AN ACUTE ANGLE HAS A DISTORTION OR LOSS OF CLARITY. BLUR STARTS IN CORNERS AND EDGES OF GLASS ONE END TO THE OTHER. PROBLEM IS VERY NOIICEABLE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA #: 8011815

Other 2002 Volkswagen Passat Issues