2007 Volkswagen Passat Body & Structure Problems

FAULTY DOOR HANDLES ARE PREVENTING ACCESS TO THE INSIDE OF THE CAR POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER BEING LOCKED IN THE CAR AFTER AN ACCIDENT. FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR NOW, THE DOOR HANDLES ARE ONLY ENGAGING WITH THE INNER DOOR LOCK SYSTEM OCCASIONALLY. ONE CAN HEAR THE UNLOCK MECHANISM CLICK WHEN ENGAGING THE REMOTE, BUT WHEN ONE TRIES TO PULL THE HANDLE, IT IS MISSING THE USUAL TENSION AND LIFTS MORE EASILY THAN USUAL, AND THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN. IF ONE CRAWLS INTO THE CAR VIA ANOTHER DOOR (POTENTIALLY THROUGH THE TRUNK) AND MANUALLY OPERATES THE DOOR HANDLE FROM THE INSIDE, THE DOOR WILL OPEN. HOWEVER, PRESSING THE AUTO LOCK BUTTON ON ANY DOOR WHEN INSIDE WILL RELEASE THE LOCK, BUT WILL NOT ALLOW AN OUTSIDE PERSON TO PULL THE HANDLE (WHICH REMAINS STILL DISCONNECTED). THE ISSUE STARTED WITH THE DRIVER DOOR AND OVER TIME HAS MOVED TO ALL OTHER DOORS. I WAS INFORMED BY MECHANICS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH VW PASSATS AND IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY WIRING INSIDE THE DOOR. AS IT RELATES TO ALL DOORS, IT SEEMS EVIDENT THAT IT IS TRIGGERED BY A FAULTY DESIGN. GOOGLING, IT APPEARS THAT DOOR ISSUES ARE REPORTED FOR VW JETTAS AS WELL. THIS IS VERY ALARMING BECAUSE IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER WAS INCAPACITATED AND UNABLE TO UNLOCK DOORS FROM THE INSIDE (DESPITE UNLOCKING THE AUTO LOCK SYSTEM), EMERGENCY CREWS OR FIRST RESPONDERS WOULD LIKELY NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. *TR

I AM WRITING YOU TO ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN EXPEDITING THE REPAIR OR REPURCHASE BY VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA OF THE 2007 PASSAT VIN [XXX] OWNED BY MY COMPANY, THE LUNT MARYMOR CO., INC.. THIS VEHICLE HAS A MOLDY SMELL THAT IS PERSISTENT AND IS A LIKELY HEALTH HAZARD. WHEN ANYONE GETS INTO THE CAR THEY START TO COUGH. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND UNSELLABLE. THE MOLDY CONDITION IS A RESULT OF PLUGGING OF BOTH THE A/C DRAIN SYSTEM AND THE SKYLIGHT DRAINS. THE OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN REPAIR DEPT, LEAD BY LEE MOLINONI, HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEY'VE TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IF IT CAN'T BE FIXED I AM DEPRIVED OF ITS USE. I DID NOT CREATE THIS PROBLEM. WHILE YOU HAVE READY ACCESS TO ALL THE SVC RECORDS AT OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN ALLOW ME TO SHARE WITH YOU A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM. THE MOLDY SMELL STARTED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. THE PROBLEM WAS PROMPTLY DIAGNOSED BY OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN AS A PLUGGED A/C DRAIN. THE DRAIN WAS CLEARED AND THE A/C DUCTING SYSTEM WAS TREATED BY A MACHINE DESIGNED TO CLEAN THE DUCTS. THE MACHINE BROKE WITHOUT COMPLETING THE TREATMENT AND A NEW MACHINE HAD TO BE ORDERED. THIS TOOK A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET AND I HAD TO DRIVE A MOLDY CAR WHILE OAKLAND VOLKSWAGEN WAITED FOR IT TO ARRIVE. ON RETURNING TO THE DEALER, WHEN THE NEW MACHINE ARRIVED, THE DUCTS WERE CLEANED BUT IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL VALVE OPERATED DUCTS HAD FAILED. THIS REQUIRED REMOVAL OF THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD TO REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP SUBSEQUENTLY THOROUGHLY CLEANED THE CAR. THE MOLDY SMELL PERSISTED. MY WIFE AND I THOROUGHLY CLEANED THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR TO NO AVAIL. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY THEN FOUND 3 OF 4 SKYLIGHT DRAINS WERE PLUGGED. THESE WERE CLEARED. IN THE COURSE OF ALL THESE VISITS THE MECHANIC ALSO FOUND A FAULTY BRAKE MODULE (THE PRKG BRAKE WOULDN'T RELEASE) AND A FAILED BATTERY. THE DEALER. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WAS DRIVING AND LOOKED OVER TO SEE SMOKE ROLLING UP FROM MY CENTER CONSOLE/ARM REST I LIFTED UP THE ARM REST AND SAW THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. I PUT MY HAND OVER IT WHICH STOPPED THE SMOKE AND I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE ONLY THING NEAR IT WAS 2 BOTTLES OF WATER. *TR

VEHICLE SUBFRAME BOLT FAILURE. LOS ANGELES AREA DEALER NETWORK HAS ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE FAILURE BUT HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS FOR THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS HAD SUBFRAME BOLTS RETORQUED SUBFRAME WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD TO VEHICLE SAFETY. SUBFRAME BOLTS ARE STRETCHABLE COMPONENT TO THE SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY AND SHOULD BE REPLACED RATHER THAN RETORQUED WHEN REMOVED OR LOSE.