2001 Volkswagen Passat Powertrain & Transmission Problems

AS MY SON GOT ON THE HIGHWAY THE TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING AND JERKING TO THEN CATCH BACK UP TO THE ORIGINAL SPEED I WAS GOING. WHEN HE PUT HIS FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULD STRUGGLE TO GO, 5 SECONDS LATER IT WOULD GET UP TO SPEED BUT THEN SLOW BACK DOWN. AT A STOPLIGHT THE CAR WOULD SHAKE ROUGHLY AND IDLE REALLY HIGH, THEN HE SAW THE FRONT OF THE HOOD START TO SMOKE AND I REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TEETH ON THE GEARS OF THE TRANSMISSION HAD FRACTURED AND THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 8/19/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR BUT, THE CONSUMER'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. UPDATED 9/30/2015*JS

2001 VW PASSAT STICKING GAS PEDAL COMMENTS: THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME RECENTLY 2 TIMES....GAS PEDAL STUCK TO FLOOR, REDLINE, ALMOST CRASHED. RESEARCHING I FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. VW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE... THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION! SHOULD I STOP DRIVING IT??? MORE ACCOUNTS AT: HTTP://WWW.PASSATWORLD.COM/FORUMS/42-VOLKSWAGEN-PASSAT-B5-DISCUSSION/236513-ANYONE-ELSE'S-GAS-PEDAL-GET-STUCK.HTML. *TR

DEC 12TH 2008 THE INTERIOR OF MY PASST WAS FLOODED WITH WATER, VW SERVICE REMOVED 10 + GALLONS OF WATER WHICH ENTERED FROM AIR PLENUM /POLLEN FILTER HOSING(CABIN AREA). SERVICE INFORMED ME OF THE P9 RECALL FOR THE PASSATS MANUFACTURED NOV '00 TO DEC '05. BUT, VW OF AMERICA WILL NOT HELP ME THEY SAID MY VIN # IS NOT IN THE RECALL. THE COMPUTERS ARE ON THE FLOOR OF CAR. AIR BAG IS IN DEFAULT DAMAGE FROM ELECTRICAL DAMAGE FROM WATER DAMAGE.. MY TRANS MOD IS WRECKED FROM THE WATER DAMAGE, JUST THE PART ALONE WILL COST $1,300. I HAVE LOST WORK AND CAN NOT DRIVE. THE MAKE OF CAR & YEAR IS IN RECALL SO WHY IS MY VIN NOT INCLUDED?! SOMEONE PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME. *TR

MY CAR IS A 2001 V6, WE HAD HEAVY RAIN DURING THE PAST WEEK AND ONE MORNING MY CAR HAD A PUDDLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND FAILED TO START OR EVEN PUT IN GEAR THE MECHANIC EXPLAINED THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER WAS FLOODED AND IT TOOK 4 DAYS FOR THEM TO TAKE ALL WATER OUT OF THE CAR AND TEST ALL SENSORS . *TR

2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT LOW MILEAGE OF 21,000 MILES. NORMALLY GARAGED AND MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE. AFTER RAIN, FOUND AN INCH OF WATER IN REAR PASSENGER FLOOR. TRANSMISSION NON-FUNCTIONAL, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND OTHER WARNING LIGHTS ON. DEALER SAID THE POLLEN FILTER SEAL WAS NO GOOD AND THAT WATER LEAKED IN AND DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL UNIT WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE FLOOR BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT. COST OF REPAIR IN EXCESS OF $3,100. VW REFUSES TO COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY BECAUSE WARRANTY WAS ONLY FOR TWO YEARS. TRANSMISSION AND POWER TRAIN ARE COVERED FOR 5 YEARS, BUT VW SAYS THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO "OUTSIDE INFLUENCE". I HAVE READ MANY ACCOUNTS ON THE INTERNET FROM MANY ANGRY OWNERS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHERE LEAKS FROM THIS SEAL HAVE CAUSED CATASTROPHIC REPAIRS. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE VW DEALER TOLD ME THAT CHECKING THE POLLEN FILTER SEAL IS NOT PART OF ANY REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND THAT IN ORDER TO CHECK IT, YOU'D NEED TO DISASSEMBLE QUITE A FEW THINGS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN I ASKED HIM HOW AN OWNER COULD POSSIBLY KNOW IF THE SEAL NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND HE REPLIED "YOU FOUND OUT HOW". I AM CLEARLY NOT ALONE IN HAVING EXPERIENCED A FAILURE FROM A PART THAT IS NOT IN ANY WAY MAINTAINABLE (THE POLLEN FILTER SEAL) AND THAT HAS CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR. I FEEL THIS IS A CONSUMER ISSUE AND THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE PASSAT THAT VW SHOULD COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR. THERE IS NO WAY FOR AN OWNER TO BE ABLE TO AVOID THIS SITUATION -- IT IS NOT A MATTER OF MAINTENANCE. IT GOT TO DO WITH THE PASSAT LEAKING WATER AND THE LOCATION OF AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE COMPONENT IN THE REAR PASSENGER FLOOR, THE AREA WHERE ANY WATER THAT LEAKS MIGRATES TO. IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED DURING DRIVING, I MIGHT HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 PASSAT WITH 66,XXX MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IT IS GOING TO COST 4000.00-5000.00 TO HAVE THIS FIX. I DO NOT THINK A CAR WITH THIS MANY MILES SHOULD HAVE A TRANSMISSION GO OUT AND TO TOP IT OFF WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR 6 MONTHS AGO WITH 51,060 FROM WALSHER IN BLOOMINGTON, MN THEY SAID I HAD A 10YR/100,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY ON IT, WELL COME TO FIND OUT SINCE I AM A SECOND OWNER IT ONLY GOES TO 50,000 MILES WHICH MEANS *JBWHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR IT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE WARRANTY.

LACK OF POWER WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC. THIS WAS DUE TO WATER LEAK IN POLLEN FILTER BOX (CRACKED) WHICH AFFECTED THE SHIFT LOCK SOLENOID, AFFECTING THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH VEHICLE STALLED, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT CLUTCH PRESSURE PLATE BROKE IN TWO PARTS. THE PART WAS REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $1055. *AK *NM

I HAVE A 2001 NEW PASSAT GLX AWD SEDAN WITH 23,000 MILES. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS, AT LEAST TWO WITH SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS: (1) FROM A STANDSTILL START, THE TRANSMISSION WILL OFTEN PRODUCE A SEVERAL SECOND LAG BEFORE SYNCHRONIZING WITH THE ENGINE - THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE AT A RATE OF SPEED THE DRIVER COULD NORMALLY EXPECT AND MAY LEAVE THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS EXPOSED TO COLLISION FROM ON-COMING CARS AT DIFFICULT TRAFFIC INTERSECTIONS AND MERGES; (2) AT LOW SPEEDS, 15 MPH AND LOWER, THE TRANSMISSION OFTEN CLUNKS INTO GEAR CAUSING A FORWARD SURGE OF THE VEHICLE, CREATING THE RISK OF THE VW REAR ENDING A VEHICLE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. VW HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEMS.*AK

WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD.*AK

I HAVE VW PASSAT, 2001. IT HAS AROUND 30 000 MILES ON IT. THE CLUTCH HAS GONE DOWN ON THIS CAR AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PARTS AND LABOR FOR THIS REPAIR ARE MORE THAN $2200. THIS CAR HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALSO. THE WARRANTY IS GONE AFTER 24000K OR 2 YEARS. I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS CAR, BUT THEY DON'T COVER ANYTHING FROM THE LONG LIST OF REPAIR. I CALLED TO VW CUSTOMER CARE AND ASK TO REIMBURSE ME FOR CLUTCH REPAIR, SINCE IT MUST BE AFTER 10 YEARS/100 000 MILES POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THEY REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE. I COMPLAIN ABOUT VW QUALITY ( I HAVE FRIENDS HAVING TROUBLE WITH VW AS WELL). I BELIEVE THAT MANUFACTURE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF BAD PRODUCT AND COVER THE REPAIR COST. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND I EXPECT TO HAVE A QUALITY ITEM, NOT THE JUNK FOR MORE THAN $25K. I ALSO COMPLETELY DISSATISFIED WITH VW SERVICE!!!!

SAFETY: OPERATION OF THE "DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE" ON MY V6/TIPTRONIC 2001.5 VW PASSAT. THE THROTTLE DOES NOT OPERATE IN A "LINEAR MANNER". IT MAY STRUGGLE TO MOVE OUT FROM A STOP (SOUNDS AS IF THE ENGINE IS WORKING VERY HARD TO MOVE THE CAR) ONE MOMENT AND THEN IT MAY "LEAP" AHEAD UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE APPLICATION FROM THE NEXT STOP. (THIS CAN LEAVE YOU STRUGGLING TO CROSS A BUSY INTERESCTION) THE DEALER SAYS VW SAYS THIS IS "NORMAL OPERATION".

CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING ON 55 MPH ROAD. STARTER WORKED AND ENGINE WOULD TURN, BUT WOULD NOT RUN. DEALER FOUND NO CODES IN COMPUTER. ENGINE AND HORN FUSES BLOWN AND DEALER REPLACED HORN RELAY. I ASKED THE DEALER WHY THERE WERE NO CODES IN THE COMPUTER AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER. THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE COMPUTER. CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 7 DAYS. INCIDENT HAPPENED OVER 100 MILES FROM HOME AND DEALER FINALLY AUTHORIZED LOANER AFTER 2 DAYS. DEALER WAS VERY RUDE DURING THE WHOLE INCIDENT AND CONSTRUCTION MADE IT DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE. PHONE LINES WERE DISCONNECTED PART OF THE TIME.

WHEN AT A STOP OR DRIVING TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT TO HIGHER GEAR. ENGINE WILL RACE, RPM'S GO UP, AND VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN PICKED UP FOR 6 DAYS, THE FRONT LEFT CV BOOT WORE OUT DUE TO LOOSE INSTALLATION. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT FOUND BY DEALER BEFORE DELIVERY. THE CV BOOT IS NOW REPLACED BY DEALER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS DUE TO METAL FLAKING IN TRANSMISSION. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING OUTISIDE OF DRIVEWAY AND THE RED LIGHT DISPLAYED ON DASHBOARD SAYING STOP CHECK COOLIANT, DON'T DRIVE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP, AND KEPT VEHICLE OVER NIGHT. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 3000 MILES. CAR WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. NOW THERE IS AN EXTREME TURBO LAG HESITATION ON ACCELERATION. THERE IS A GOOD 1-2 SECOND HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. *NLM