2004 Volkswagen PASSAT: complaints, problems and recalls

WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP OR WHILE CRUISING, THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD. THE DEALER RECALIBRATED THE COMPUTER CHIP IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ALSO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *PH THE TRANSMISSION MADE A CLUNK NOISE, MALFUNCTIONED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC/HIGHWAY, AND A HARD SHIFT WAS PRESENT AT TIMES. *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050028 at NHTSA ↗

VOLKSWAGEN PASSATT 2004. VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE DESIGNED WITH A GROOVE IN THE RUBBER THAT HOLDS SNOW AND ICE AND CAUSES ICE BUILDUP ON THE WIPER. IN SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN THE WIPER SURFACE CANNOT CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN AN OBSTRUCTED WINDSHIELD. THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY. VOLKSWAGEN WAS CONTACTED AND DENIES THIS DESIGN FLAW EXISTS. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10052651 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LURCHED ON DOWNSHIFT WHEN COMING TO A STOP. DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE...PROBLEM HAS NOT YET BEEN DUPLICATED AGAIN, BUT IT HAS ONLY BEEN A DAY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056484 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION HORN DOES NOT BLOW. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT IN AN EMERGENCY SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS. *AK *MR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059711 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2004 VW PASSAT WITH A SAFETY ISSUE IN TRANSMISSION. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR LOW SPEED THE CAR HESITATES AND THEN JUMPS. THE PROBLEM IS MOST SEVERE IN REVERSE GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO RESOLUTION. AFTER CHANGING MULTIPLE PARTS THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. I HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER 2004 PASSAT AND TOUAREG OWNERS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT, SO IT APPEARS TO BE AFFECTING MORE THAN A SINGLE VEHICLE. CAN THE NHTSA DO SOMTHING TO HELP VW OWNERS BY FORCING VW TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE AND FIND A RESOLUTION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HUR…

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059936 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2004 PASSAT GLX 4MOTION STATION WAGON WITH 2000 MILES ON IT. LIKE OTHER OWNERS I FREQUENTLY EXPERIENCE A "CLUNK" FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN I SLOW DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. IT OCCASIONALLY LURCHES FORWARD AT THE SAME TIME. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NOT VERY SATISFACTORY FOR A CAR THAT COSTS OVER $30,000

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062194 at NHTSA ↗

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2004 PASSAT GLX 4MOTION, THE TRANSMISSION CLUNKS AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD, THIS HAPPENS EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS. NOT VERY IMPRESSIVE FOR A CAR THAT COST OVER $30,000.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062730 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2004 VW PASSAT WITH A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN I ACCELERATE AT SLOW SPEEDS IT HESITATES BEFORE TAKING OFF AND THEN BAM, IT'S LIKE SOME ONE HIT YOU IN THE BACK OF THE CAR AND THE CAR JUMPS IN GEAR. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. BUT THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS REAL SLOW GOING INTO FIRST GEAR AND IT DOES WITH A CLUNK.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10065756 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-12-15 (December 15, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL PUMPS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPER FASTENER, WHICH COULD ALLOW DIESEL FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE PUMP.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DIESEL PUMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 8, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2007-02-20 (February 20, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2008-04-07 (April 7, 2008)

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 412,000 MY 1999-2005 PASSAT (5TH GENERATION) VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND PRODUCED AFTER JUNE 14, 1999. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE AN UNDERBODY HEAT SHIELD THAT CAN BECOME DAMAGED. IN ADDITION, AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS MAY HAVE A FUEL LINE (1.8T ENGINES ONLY) OR FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE (4MOTION/ALL WHEEL DRIVE ONLY) THAT CAN LEAK DUE TO FRACTURE.

Consequence: A HEAT SHIELD THAT MAY CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE. IN ADDITION, A FUEL LEAK FROM A FUEL LINE OR FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, CAN LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL ADDITIONAL UNDERBODY HEAT SHIELDS ON VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS TO COVER THE POSSIBLY DAMAGED AREAS AND FLASH ALL 1.8T ENGINES WITH A PRECAUTIONARY SOFTWARE UPDATE. DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT AND ADJUST THE FUEL LINE ROUTING ON 1.8T VEHICLES AND THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE ON 4MOTION/ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES, AND REPLACE COMPONENTS IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 13, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.