2000 Volkswagen Passat Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, SMOKE BILLOWED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY LEAVE THE ROADWAY, THE HOOD WAS RAISED AND FLAMES APPEARED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED AND REMAINED AT THE SCENE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V156000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING AND THE "EMISSIONS WORK" INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SOMETIMES DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E007000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

WHEN ACCELERATION AND ENGAGING PASSING MODE, VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE EVEN WHEN PEDAL RELEASED. VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL SPEED AND BRAKE. HAVE DONE INTERNET SEARCH ON PROBLEM AND FIND IT FAIRLY COMMON WITH VW PASSAT AND CERTAIN AUDI MODELS THAT USE SAME THROTTLE BODY. THIS DEVICE APPARENTLY REQUIRES REGULAR SERVICING TO AVOID STICKING PROBLEM. THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND IN MY OWN INSTANCE, COULD EASILY HAVE LED TO A HIGHSPEED ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE WAS JUST PURCHASED BY ME AND WENT THROUGH MD MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTION IN DECEMBER, 2011. *TR

THE HEATER CORE STARTED TO LEAK AND MY WINDOWS FOGGED UP WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. I ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR CRASH BECAUSE I LOST MY VISIBILITY. *TR

2000 VW PASSAT 1.8T ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP. *TR

CHECK ENGINE TURNED ON. MY CAR STARTS TO LOSE POWER. THERE WAS A MISFIRE AT #2 CYLINDER ACCORDING TO THE AUTO MECHANIC.. IN A STOPPED POSITION OR WHEN I TURN CAR OFF, I SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. HAD NEW COIL INSTALLED AND DID A ROAD TEST. THE CAR WAS STILL MISFIRING. CHECKED AGAIN, AND ALL IGNITION COILS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN 01/2012, AGAIN, THERE WAS A MISFIRE AT THE #2 CYLINDER. THE BURNING SMELL RETURNED. I HAD THAT REPAIRED. IN 05/2012, AGAIN, THERE WAS A MISFIRE AT THE #3 CYLINDER. THE BURNING SMELL RETURNED. I HAD THAT REPAIRED. *TR

IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS MY 2000 VW PASSAT HAS A BURNING SMELL LIKE A FIRE IN THE ENGINE AFTER DRIVING A BIT (I'VE NOTICED THIS PARTICULARLY WHEN THE HEATER IS ON), HAS HESITATED AND JUMPED WHEN I'VE TRIED TO SHIFT GEARS AND ACCELERATE, AND A WHILE AGO THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS GOING ON WHEN THIS HESITATION OCCURRED; ALTHOUGH THIS LIGHT HASN'T COME ON IN THE SAME SITUATION LATELY, AND THE HESITATION ITSELF DOESN'T SEEM TO BE OCCURRING AS MUCH AS BEFORE. AT ANY RATE, I STILL GET THE BURNING SMELL AND RECENTLY READ THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS VERY MAKE AND MODEL BY NHTSA FOR SAID PROBLEMS. MY MECHANIC HAS BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG THERE IS NO PROBLEM, BUT PERHAPS HE DOESN'T KNOW OF THIS INVESTIGATION. WHAT SHOULD I DO? *TR

2000 PASSAT WAGON 1.8 CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED - ITS WAS NOT RUNNING AND WAS PARKED FOR 20 MIN THEN FIRE STARTED UNDER THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. *TR

2000 PASSAT AUTO TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO CATCH ON FIRE NEAR ENGINE AND WHERE EXHAUST MEET. MY SON AND A FRIEND BOTH 20YRS OLD WERE DRIVING LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I THANK GOD IT DID NOT END TRAGICALLY. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2000 VW PASSAT WITH THE 1.8 LITER TURBO ENGINE. THIS ENGINE IS KNOWN TO HAVE SERIOUS SLUDGING ISSUES. THIS WAS UNKNOWN TO ME. TWO MONTHS AGO MY OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR LIT UP. I COULD NOT FIND ANY OIL PRESSURE ISSUES SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 45 MILES AWAY. THEY "INSPECTED" THE CAR AND INFORMED ME THE ENGINE WAS SLUDGED UP. APPARENTLY VW HAS A WARRANTY REGARDING THIS ISSUE BUT ONLY IF YOU CAN PRODUCE EVERY RECEIPT OF EVERY OIL CHANGE THE VEHICLE HAS EVER HAD FROM THE DAY IT WAS PURCHASED FROM VW. PROBLEM: I AM THE SECOND OWNER. I CAN NOT PRODUCE RECEIPTS FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. TO COMPOUND THE PROBLEM I PURCHASE MY OIL AND FILTERS BY THE CASE TO LAST ME SEVERAL YEARS. I DO NOT HAVE THOSE RECEIPTS OF THOSE PURCHASES ANYMORE. I CHANGED THE OIL ACCORDING VW SPECIFICATIONS LOCATED IN THE MANUAL. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE VW DECIDED TO CHANGE THE OWNERS MANUAL TO STATE THAT SYNTHETIC OIL MUST BE USED INSTEAD OF REGULAR MOTOR OIL, BUT DID NOT INFORM ME OF THIS. VW WILL/HAS CONTACTED ME AS THE NEW OWNER OF THE CAR REGARDING RECALLS BUT WOULD NOT INFORM ME OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE CHANGE THAT COULD DESTROY MY ENGINE. NOW VW WANTS TO CHARGE ME OVER $4,000 TO PUT A NEW "OIL SLUDGING KIT" ON MY CAR TO COMPENSATE FOR A KNOWN DEFECT SIMPLY BECAUSE I CAN NOT PRODUCE RECORDS TO SHOW THAT I CHANGED THE OIL EVERY THREE MONTHS AND THAT I USED SYNTHETIC OILS INSTEAD OF REGULAR OIL AS THE OWNER MANUAL STATES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE FRONT END MADE A CLICKING NOISE. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED A BURNING RUBBER SMELL AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 05/28/08 *BF

BOUGHT A VW PASSAT USED FROM PRIVATE DEALER~I OWNED THE CAR FOR EXACTLY 1 YEAR, TURBO FAILED ~ CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE OWNING VEHICLE. CAR HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH OIL SLUDGE ISSUES FROM PREVIOUS OWNERS. JUST PAID FOR TURBO AND TWO OIL LINES TO BE REPLACED. VW OF AMERICA STATED THEY WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ~ NEVER HEARD FROM THEM, I KEEP CALLING ~ CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE DAY ONE ~ NO ONE WANTS TO HELP ME ON THIS QUEST TO SEEK ACTION. I OWE 11,000.00 MORE ON THE VEHICLE CAR WAS SMOKING SEVERELY ~THOUGHT IT WAS AN UNDERCARRIAGE~BUT IT IS NEAR THE TURBO LINE SO IT COULD BE MISTAKEN. *TR

TURBO STARTED SUCKING UP OIL, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. *JB

I'VE HAD MY 2000 PASSAT NOW FOR 3 YEARS, MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF SEE TO IT THAT OUR CARS HAVE ANNUAL TUNE-UPS AND REGULAR OIL CHANGES. FOR THE PAST MONTH THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING NON-STOP. DURING MY MOST RECENT TUNE UP, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS HAVE TO BE REPLACED. MY MECHANIC WAS CONVINCED THAT A RECALL HAD TO BE IN PLACE BECAUSE HE WAS SEEING THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING FREQUENTLY. I CALLED THE VW DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS INFORMED THAT $100 WAS NEEDED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR. ALL OF THIS HAS ME FURIOUS. A RECALL IS NEEDED--RIGHT A WAY!!!!! *JB

OWNER DROVE THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES, WENT INTO A STORE, CAME OUT, AND OBSERVED A FIRE IN THE VEHICLE. HEAT SHIELD ABOVE RIGHT SIDE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MELTED AND SOME WIRING IN THE DASH WAS BURNED.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE PURCHASING OF CAR ~ ELECTRA AUTO SALES WAS AWARE OF THIS AND NOTED THIS WAS THEIR RECORDS THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN ME THE RUN AROUND BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY ENGINE SYSTEM. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE SUBJECTED TO ALMOST BEING KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF THE CAR STALLING AND ROUGH IDLIING ~ PAUL VARGAS OWNER OF ELECTRA AUTO SALES HAS NOT RETURNED ANY CALLED BACK . AK

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2000 VW PASSAT, 4 CYL. ON 3/24/06, THE DEFROST NO LONGER WORKED PROPERLY IN THE VEHICLE. PINKISH-ORANGE COOLANT STARTED SPRAYING OUT ON MY FEET WHILE DRIVING, WHITE SMOKE CAME SPILLING OUT OF THE VENTS & THE COOLANT SPREAD ITSELF THICK ON THE INTERIOR OF THE WINDSHIELD & WINDOWS. THIS LEFT IT CLOUDY & I HAD TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND WIPE THE WINDOWS WITH CLEANER AND PAPER TOWELS. WITH IT BECOMING IMMEDIATELY CLOUDY, I LOST VISIBILITY OF THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME. COOLANT ALSO LEAKED ONTO THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD/MAT. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED ONLINE FOR FEEDBACK AND FOUND IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A CRACKED HEATER CORE (WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY). I TOOK IT BY A VW DEALER FOR A DRIVE BY DIAGNOSIS, IT WAS CONFIRMED IT WAS THE HEATER CORE. I CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA IMMEDIATELY TO NOTIFY THEM OF THIS PROBLEM AND ASKED IF THEY COULD ASSIST WITH 50%-100% OF THE REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WAS A REPORTED PROBLEM EVERYWHERE. VW CUSTOMER CARE SAID I NEEDED TO SET UP A DIAGNOSIS APPT WITH THE VW DEALER, WHICH WAS ON 4/24/06. 10 MINUTES AFTER I DROPPED MY CAR OFF, MY SERVICE CONSULTANT RUSSELL DILLEY W/MIRAMAR VW IN SAN DIEGO, CA CALLED MY CELL PHONE AND SAID "YES IT IS THE HEATER CORE". PRIOR TO LEAVING MY CAR WITH HIM, HE BELIEVED IT TO BE A CRACKED HEATER CORE, JUST WITH MY FEW SYMPTOMS EXPLAINED AND HE SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES BEFORE AND HE CONFIRMED VW OF AMERICA HAD COVERED THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. I NOTIFIED VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE THAT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS PERFORMED AND READY. I HAD TO PAY $99.00 FOR THE SO CALLED ONE HOUR DIAGNOSIS APPT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CONFIRMED IN 10 MINUTES. CUSTOMER CARE SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT ME WITHIN 48 HOURS TO LET ME KNOW THEIR DECISION W/THE ASSISTANCE OF THE REPAIR. I RECEIVED A CALL YESTERDAY 5/1/06 FROM MARLINA, SHE SAID VW OF AMERICA WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR OF THE CRACKED HEATER CORE BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE & THE MILEAGE. YEAR 2000, MILEAGE 89K. *NM

OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP IN ENGINE. 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.8 TURBO 4 CYLINDER 49000. *JB

WHILE DRIVING MY 2000 PASSAT, THE STOP ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TO NOTIFY ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH OIL PRESSURE. THERE WAS NOTHING PRIOR TO THIS WARNING THAT WOULD HAVE LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. NO ODD NOISES IN THE CAR AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS TOTALED AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $7,000. I DID FIND OUT THAT IN AUGUST OF 2004, VW OF AMERICA ISSUES A SERVICE NOTICE TO ALL THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS THAT DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL PUMP, OIL SLUDGE MAY BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. THIS WAS NOT SENT TO ANY OF THE VEHICLE OWNERS. IN THE NOTICE, VWOA SAID THAT THEY WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY OF THE CAR AND REPLACE THE MOTOR, ONLY IF THERE WAS PROOF THAT THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 5000 MILES. BECAUSE I HAVE GAPS IN MY OIL CHANGES WITH THE DEALER, THEY WILL NOT HONOR THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY AND ARE TRYING TO CHARGE ME FOR THE NEW MOTOR. I'VE HAD THE CARE IN A NUMBER OF TIMES BETWEEN AUGUST OF 2004 AND FEBRUARY 19, 2006 WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM. I ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER WHY I WASN'T NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE AND HE SAID THAT VWOA ISSUES A NUMBER OF SERVICE MEMOS AND WAS HE TO TELL ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS EVERYTIME ONE WAS ISSUED. HAD I BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THIS MIGHT BE THE END RESULT OF THE OIL PUMP NOT BEING REPLACED IN 2004, I WOULDN'T BE IN MY CURRENT SITUATION. I HAVE READ A NUMBER OF WEB POSTS WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LOCAL DEALERS AND VWOA. *JB

2000 PASSAT GLS 4-MOTION V6 HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES. AT APPX 65000 MILES, WITH NO WARNING, THE CAR OVERHEATED WHILE IDLING (IT HAD BEEN IDLING FOR LESS THAN 8 MINUTES, IT WAS ONLY 50 DEGREES OUTSIDE, THE COOLANT HAD BEEN CHECKED A FEW WEEKS PREVIOUS AT THE CAR'S LAST OIL CHANGE). THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN THE DASH MAXED OUT AND STEAM AND SMOKE STARTED ISSUING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. TURNED THE CAR OFF & LET IT COOL FOR APPX 20 MINUTES BEFORE OPENING HOOD. CHECKED COOLANT, IT HAD COMPLETELY BOILED AWAY. REPLACED COOLANT, LET CAR CONTINUE TO COOL FOR APPX ANOTHER 1.5 HRS. STARTED CAR AND DROVE IT (SLOWLY) TO A GARAGE SPECIALIZING IN EUROPEAN CARS. (MY REGULAR MECHANIC.) REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT, BOTH OF WHICH HAD STOPPED WORKING. VW RECOMMENDS THAT THE TIMING BELT BE REPLACED AT 80000 MILES. MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING BELT LOOKED SIGNIFICANTLY WORN AND THAT IT SHOULD BE REPLACED NOW FOR FEAR IT MIGHT BREAK BEFORE THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED REPLACEMENT. REPLACED TIMING BELT. TOTAL COST OF REPLACING WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT AND TIMING BELT: $725. DUE TO EXCESSIVE ENGINE TEMPERATURE FROM THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT FAILURE, PISTONS AND VALVES IN ENGINE NOW KNOCK AND ENGINE IS NOISY, PARTICULARLY WHEN FIRST STARTED. ENGINE NO LONGER SEEMS TO BE AS RESPONSIVE, POWER WISE, AS IT WAS PREVIOUSLY. 65000 MILES SEEMS A BIT YOUNG TO BE EXPERIENCING A WATER PUMP FAILURE. THE FACT THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED SO QUICKLY AND WITH NO PRIOR INDICATION OF AN IMPENDING PROBLEM, AND THAT THIS RESULTED IN SUCH STRESS TO THE ENGINE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A DESIGN FLAW INVOLVED. (HAVE HAD WATER PUMPS GO OUT IN OTHER CARS, BUT NEVER PRIOR TO 80000 MILES, NEVER IN UNDER 8 MINUTES AND NEVER WITH SUCH DIRE RESULTS AND HIGH REPAIR COSTS. *NM