2001 Volkswagen Passat Body & Structure Problems

VWOFA HAVE NOT TAKEN STEPS NECESSARY TO FACILITATE THIS FIRE HAZARD RECALL!

MY 2001 "NEW" PASSAT GLS V6 HAS BEEN FLOODING EVERY TIME THERE IS RAIN AND IT SOAKS THE DRIVER FOOTWELL AS WELL AS THE SAME SIDE'S REAR PASSENGER FOOT WELL. IT'S CREATED A MOLDY UNPLEASANT ODOR IN THE CAR THAT I'M CONCERNED WILL SICKEN MY FAMILY AND ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR CARPET BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT BECAME DAMP DURING RAINY CONDITIONS. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER RECALL ISSUE AND THEY REPAIRED THE WATER LEAKAGE FOR FREE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED AND THE DEALER CHARGED $196 FOR THE SECOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,210 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,647.

1) WYNCOTE, PA, APRIL 16, 2007, HEAVY RAIN 2) WATER ENTERS THE PASSENGER FRONT AND REAR FLOOR BOARD. ELECTRONIC MODULES LOCATED ON THE FLOOR AND WIRING HARNESS DAMAGED. VW DEALER CLAIMS TO NOT KNOW HOW WATER ENTERED MY VECHICLE. THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THE PROBLEM. VW CORPORATE SUGGESTS THAT IF I HAD BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER FOR OIL CHANGES THE DEALER WOULD HAVE CLEARED DEBRIS FROM DRAIN HOLES AS PART OF REGULAR SERVICE. WITHOUT REVEALING MY CONVERSATION WITH CORPORATE I ASK THE DEALER IF THEY DO ANY CLEANING OF DEBRIS AT ANY POINT ON THE CAR DURING AN OIL CHANGE SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T. RESEARCH ONLINE REVEALS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TELLING MY STORY. I HAVE ALSO FOUND INFO ON A CLASS ACTION SUIT BEING FORMED FOR THOSE WHO AGAIN TELL MY EXACT STORY. 3) VW OF AMERICA REFUSES TO PAY FOR ANY PART OF MY DAMAGES. I HAVE RECIEVED NO REASON FROM THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE AND ASSUME THAT I AM IN FOR THE SAME DURING THE NEXT HEAVY RAIN. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE RAINWATER DRAINAGE TUBES UNDER THE CARPETED FLOORBOARD AREA LEAKED ONTO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WHICH CAUSED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE TO MALFUNCTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE WIRING TO THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM

2001 VW PASSAT V6. A DEFECTIVE POLLEN FILTER SEAL ALLOWED WATER TO PULL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. THIS OCCURRED AFTER 24 HOURS OF RAIN. THE WATER HAS DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. THOSE REPAIRS AND THE REPAIR OF THE WATER DAMAGE TO THE CARPET AND RESULTING MOLD IS ESTIMATED AT OVER $2,000. THE DEALER REPORTS THAT THIS IS AN LONG-STANDING DEFECT. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH VW AND AUDI. *NM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, WATER ENTERS THE FLOOR ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WATER ENTERED THROUGH THE DUCTS THAT DISTRIBUTE HEAT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

HI, I HAVE A VW PASSAT 2001.5 SEDAN. I RECENTLY HAVE NOTCIED THAT WATER ENTERS INTO THE REAR PASSENGER FLOOR WHEN IT RAINS. I HEAR THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOTICED BY A NUMBER OF FELLOW PASSAT OWNERS ON VARIOUS FORUMS. I HAVE LEARNT THAT WATER CAN DAMAGE PREVIOUS ELECTRONICS AND CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. I FEEL THAT THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM HERE WITH THE VW PASSAT THAT ALLOWS WATER INTO THE CAR WHEN IT SHOULD BE KEPT OUT. I STRONGLY HOPE VW WOULD RECALL THE VEHICLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. -- ARAVIND. *NM

FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 14 MONTHS THE SYSTEM THAT DRAINS RAIN WATER OUT OF MY CAR HAS BECOME CLOGGED. THE RESULT IS THAT WATER COLLECTS UNDER THE FLOOR BOARD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, WHERE COMPUTERS ARE LOCATED INSIDE AN UNSEALED PLASTIC BOX. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, IN DEC 2004, I WAS TOLD THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN UNUSUALLY STRONG RAIN STORM AND THE RESULTING WATER DAMAGE EFFECTED THE BREAK SYSTEM. AT THAT TIME THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS TIME IT'S HAPPENING OFF WARRANTY AND I'M BEING TOLD THAT ONE OF THE COMPUTERS HAS TO BE REPLACED AND THERE COULD BE FURTHER DAMAGE WHICH WILL ONLY BE DETECTED AFTER A NEW COMPUTER IS INSTALLED. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE SEATS AND CARPETING HAD TO BE REMOVED AND THE CARPETING AND WIRING SYSTEM HAD TO BE FAN DRIED. THIS TIME AROUND I SPOKE WITH A VW MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE REPAIRS ARE BEING DONE AND HE SAID THIS IS NOT AN INFREQUENT OCCURRENCE AFTER A RAIN STORM. NOW, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT LOCATING A COMPUTER SYSTEM IN A FLAT, LOW LYING AREA OF THE CAR WHERE WATER CAN COLLECT IS A HUGE DESIGN FLAW, BUT THAT BEING THE CASE, HAD I BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT REGULAR FLUSHING OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM COULD HAVE PROBABLY PREVENTED A NOW COSTLY AND TIME CONSUMING REPAIR, I WOULD HAVE GLADLY TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR SUCH A SERVICE. RECORDS WILL SHOW THAT I FOLLOWED VWS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, HAVING THE SERVICE DONE AT AN AUTHORIZED VW DEALERSHIP ON TIME. SURPRISINGLY, FLUSHING THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS NOT PART OF VWS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS PROBLEM EXISTS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT FLUSHING THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN, SAY, FILLING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID, BUT THEN I GUESS VW STANDS TO BENEFIT FAR MORE FROM REPAIRING A WATER DAMAGED COMPUTER SYSTEM AS OPPOSED TO REPLACING A WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE. *NM

THIS FAILURE IS DOCUMENTED WELL BY DOZENS OF CONSUMERS: HTTP://WWW.THEAUTOBAHN.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=12789&PAGE=1. AK THIS COMPLAINT IS AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN FOR PASSAT YEAR GLS 2001.5 (1) HEAVY RAIN (2) GALLONS OF WATER COLLECTED IN REAR PASSENGER FOOTWELL (3) POLLEN FILTER REPLACED (TWICE SO FAR)

LOWER RIGHT SIDE NEAR THE VENT CONTROL OF DASHBOARD RATTLES AND MAKES A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ON UNEVEN ROADS. HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I BOUGHT IT, BUT IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE WITH TIME. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON IT. TOOK IT TO THE VW SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE WAS JUST THE LEATHER RUBBING; HOWEVER, WHEN THEY APPLIED FELT TAPE TO THE AREA, THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. ASKED IF IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH HOW THE DASHBOARD WAS MOUNTED, POSSIBLY A FAULTY CLIP, AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR WAS QUITE RUDE SAYING THERE WAS NO PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH HE HEARD THE NOISE DURING TEST DRIVE. I READ ON SOME VW MESSAGE BOARDS THAT THERE IS AN UPDATED CLIP KIT FOR THE PASSAT BECAUSE SO MANY VW/PASSAT DRIVERS HAVE HAD THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS. IS THIS TRUE? *AK

WATER LEAK DUE TO VEHICLE DESIGN FLAW. *AK

THE RIGHT REAR DOOR HAS BECOME MISALIGNED. IT DOES NOT SHUT SOLID AND IT STICKS OUT ABOUT AN 1/8 OF AN INCH WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. *NLM

MY 2001.5 PASSAT HAS FLOODED THREE TIMES, TWICE THROUGH THE POLLEN FILTER AND ONCE THROUGH THE SUN ROOF. MY INSURANCE COMPANY PAID $6000 FOR THE LAST REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS DESTROYED TWICE. FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS THE SUN ROOF OPENS ON ITS OWN WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, ENGINE OFF. RAIN WOULD AGAIN DESTROY THE ELECTRICAL WERE THIS TO HAPPEN DURING A STORM. I CHECK ON THE CAR EVERY NIGHT TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE ROOF IS CLOSED. VW WILL TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. THE VERY WORST HAPPENING WAS WHEN I HAD HAD THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK AND ATTENDED A VERY TRAGIC FUNERAL. THE HORN STARTED BEEPING AS IF AT A WEDDING. I DROVE OUT OF THE PROCESSION AND TO A SAFE PLACE WHERE I CALLED FOR TOWING. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND I WANT VW TO HONOR THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THEIR CONSUMERS. THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSIS WHICH COULD COST $1000, AND THEY WOULD THEN DECIDE WHAT TO DO. I HAD VW PICK UP THE CAR AND FIX THE SIDE AIR BAG STRIP THAT HAD FALLEN AND HUNG OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE'S WINDOW. THEY CLAIM THEY NEVER SERVICED THIS. THEY ARE NOT TRUTHFUL IN THEIR SERVICE TO ME. HOW FOOLISH IT WOULD BE TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM THEY WOULD CHARGE ME TO FIX ...LIKE GIVING A THIEF KEYS TO THE HOUSE. *TR

THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOUD AND SCRAPING SOUND CAUSED BY THE PLASTIC ENGINE NOISE SHIELD WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND BECAUSE IT HAD LOST THE FASTENERS, THE DEALER INSTALLED NEW INNER FENDERS AND LOWER COVER. *YH

REAR LEFT DOOR HAS A QUARTER OF AN INCH GAP BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE DOOR. THIS ALLOWS AIR AND SOMETIMES WATER TO ENTER INTO COMPARTMENT. *AK