2001 Volkswagen Passat Visibility & Wipers Problems

01 VW PASSAT HEATER CORE. IT DOESN'T PUT OUT ENOUGH HEAT TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD FROM FOGGING UP OR DEFROSTING IT EITHER. THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM IN THE COLDER MONTHS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WHERE I'M DRIVING AT TIMES. THERE HAS BEEN OCCASION WHERE I'VE DRIVEN OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE CLEARLY. I HAD THE HEATER CORE CLEANED THOROUGHLY AND BACK FLUSHED. STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR

VW PASSAT WINDSHIELD SHATTERS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS SEEMS TO BE A TREND THAT I DISCOVERED WHILE TALKING WITH OTHER VW OWNERS AND SEARCHING THE WEB....THIS HAS HAPPENED TO PEOPLE WHILE DRIVING. TIME BOMB WAITING TO HAPPEN AND MONEY OUT OF PEOPLES POCKETS!! *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THE FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC DIMMING REAR VIEW MIRROR ON MY 2001 VW PASSAT. IT IS A DONNELLY MIRROR, PART 3BO857511E (ALSO HAS THE NUMBER 4231909 ON IT). THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FLUID SUDDENLY CREATED A BUBBLE AND LEAKED WHEN I HAD IT REPLACED. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THESE MIRRORS WERE USED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF CARS AND HAVE ROUTINELY FAILED AND MAY CONTAIN MERCURY AND OTHER VERY TOXIC SUBSTANCES. THIS PRESENTS A DEFINITIVE SAFETY HAZARD AS ONE DOES NOT EXPECT THEIR REAR VIEW MIRROR TO FAIL, ABSENT BEING STRUCK AND BROKEN, AND TO POSSIBLY LEAK TOXIC PARTICLES/FLUID INTO THE CAR OR THE AIR OF THE CAR. ALSO, ONE CAN'T SAFELY DRIVE WITHOUT THE MIRROR AND THEY OFTEN COST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE (MINE WAS $227.30) AND MUST BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY IF THE HEALTH HAZARDS ARE TO BE MINIMIZED. *TR

HEATER CORE FAILED. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE CAR SERVICED REGULAR ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER SPECS. THE COST IS $1000.00 TO REPLACE THE PART. IT FAILED ON A VERY COLD NIGHT TRAVELING THROUGH A WINTER STORM. TRY DRIVING A CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WITH NO HEAT TO DEFROST THE WINDOWS. WRECKED DUE TO THE INABILITY TO SEE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 2 MPH, SCALDING HOT RADIATOR FLUID SUDDENLY SPEWED FROM THE VENTS AND ONTO THE CONTACT'S FEET. SHE IS PREGNANT AND STATED THAT SHE HAD NOT BEEN TO A DOCTOR TO CHECK IF THE RADIATOR FUMES HARMED THE UNBORN CHILD. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPLETELY FAILED AS WELL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEATER CORE FAILED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE VIN AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 124,000.

HEATER CORE FAILED, CAUSING SUDDEN AND SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF VISIBILITY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. INTERIORS OF ALL WINDOWS WERE SEVERELY FOGGED WITH COOLANT MIST. I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. AWARE THAT VW HAS FREQUENTLY REPLACED THIS KNOWN DEFICIENT COMPONENT OUT OF WARRANTY, I CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA THREE TIMES. I WAS CONSISTENTLY TOLD THAT I WOULD RECEIVE NO HELP. COST OF HEATER CORE REPLACEMENT AT DEALERSHIP WAS $1600. *TR

INTERIOR LEFT FRONT FLOOR OF CAR FLOODED WITH WATER AFTER VERY HEAVY RAIN. THERE WAS AN INCH OF STANDING WATER SITTING ON THE VEHICLE'S CARPET. THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT IN 5 WEEKS. AFTER A SIMILAR HEAVY RAINFALL IN AUGUST THE INTERIOR LEFT FRONT AND REAR FLOOR WAS FLOODED. STANDING WATER WAS IN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON-LINE THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE SUN ROOF DRAINS. *JB

2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAS PARKED, LOCKED AND SEALED FOR PERIOD OF ONE WEEK. DURING THIS PERIOD, HEAVY RAINS FELL AND INTERIOR OF CAR WAS FLOODED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS ON 10/21. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DEFECTIVE SUNROOF FRAME AS SOURCE OF LEAK CAUSING DAMAGE TO "TRANSMISSION COMPUTER AND AIRBAG MODULE." MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP DO NOT WANT TO ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEFECT AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THEY ARE AVOIDING AND OR CONCEALING INFORMATION ABOUT MORE THAN JUST MONETARY DAMAGES AND VEHICLE'S DEFECT. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS AIRBAG MODULE DAMAGE AND ANY OTHER COMPONENTS OF THIS SYSTEM THAT COULD BE DAMAGED OR DEFECTIVE ALSO. PLEASE ADVISE. *NM

BAD HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER 48,000 MILES. DEALER SERVICE UNWILLING TO COVER REPAIRS.*AK

I WAS TRAVELING AT FREEWAY SPEED OUTSIDE OF PENDELTON OREGON WHEN THE WIND BLEW MY SUN ROOF OFF OF MY CAR. THE SUN ROOF WAS CLOSED, AND THE CAR JUST ERUPTED AND THE ROOF WAS LITERALLY PEELED OFF THE TOP OF MY CAR. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS OF THE PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS VOLKSWAGEN IS USING A PLASTIC CALIPER SYSTEM TO CONNECT THE SUNROOF GLASS ASSEMBLY TO THE DRIVE MECHANICS ON THE MOTOR DRIVEN CARRAIGE. THE PLASTIC FATIGUED BECAUSE OF USE AND VOLKSWAGEN COULD CARE LESS. THE NEW ASSEMBLAGE IS $2200 AND THERE IS NO SECOND CHOICE, PURCHASE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY OR GO WITHOUT A SUNROOF..... AFTER CALLING VOLKSWAGEN AND GETTING NOWHERE I AM PROCEEDING TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT IN OREGON FOR PURSIUT OF MY MONEY BACK.*AK

SUNROOF AREA RATTLES / KLUNKS OCCASIONALLY OVER BUMPS. PAYED $69.95 FEE AND DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *AK

FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 6.5 MONTHS, THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW ON MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON HAS SHATTERED. THE PREVIOUS TWO OCCURRENCES WERE REPORTED EARLIER. THIS TIME THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT AT WORK AND THE WINDOW WAS OPEN A FEW INCHES. UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR AFTER WORK AROUND NOON, I FOUND THE WINDOW SHATTERED AGAIN AND SHARDS OF GLASS ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. AFTER THE PREVIOUS INCIDENT, THE VOLKSWAGEN REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A DEFECT IN THE CAR. HE FELT THAT OUTSIDE INFLUENCES CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THAT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE AFTER THE THIRD OCCURRENCE.

HEAT EXCHANGER (HEATER CORE) FAILURE AT 50004 MILES. *AK

REAR PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE. THIS OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN A 5 MONTH PERIOD. THIS COMPLAINT IS FILED FOR THE MOST RECENT EVENT. THE FIRST EVENT OCCURRED ON 10/30/2003. THE FIRST TIME THE WINDOW SHATTERED IT WAS CLOSED. THE SECOND TIME IT SHATTERED,THE WINDOW WAS OPEN A FEW INCHES. *NM

HEATER CORE FAILED 2.5 YEARS OLD. *LA

WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR GLASS EXPLODED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE SOUND WAS LIKE A GUN SHOT. THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF GLASS PIECES. THE WINDOW WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. MUCH OF THE GLASS FELL IN, CAUSING MINOR CUTS TO THE PASSENGER. SOME OF THE GLASS FELL DOWN INSIDE THE DOOR. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE DEFECTS IN THE WINDOW (CRACKS, STARS, ETC.) AND NOTHING IMPACTED THE WINDOW TO CAUSE IT TO BREAK.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK ON RAINY DAYS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. A LADY HIT MY CAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE COLLAPSING THAT SIDE ALONG THE DOORS AND SOME OF THE REAR AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I PUT MY FEET ON ACCELERATOR FOR SPEED AND THE CAR REFUSES TO RESPOND. THE MORE I ACCELERATE THE SLOWER THE CAR GOES. *NLM

WHEN FRONT/LEFT DOOR WAS CLOSED, GLASS FOR THE WINDOW OF RIGHT/REAR DOOR SHATTERED. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALERSHIP. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE WINDOW WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.*JB

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTED A BLURRED VISION ON RIGHT SIDE OF GLASS, MAKING EVERYTHING DISTORTED. HORIZONTAL LINES LOOK CHOPPY AND GUARD RAILS LOOK WOBBLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED WINDSHIELD ON JULY 5TH AND HAD SAME PROBLEM. ALSO, DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE WINDSHIELD AGAIN.*AK CONSUMER STATES WINDSHIELD ALSO HAS STRESS FRACTURES THAT LOOK LIKE STRANDS OF A COBWEB, DEALER STATES THIS IS NOT A DEFECT AND THAT THIS IS NORMAL. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING REAR PASSENGER'S WINDOW EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. JUST PRIOR TO EXPLOSION, HAD JUST CLOSED WINDOW.*AK *JB