1995 Volkswagen Passat

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/31/2002· POWER TRAIN

  CONSUMER STATES WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE. CONSUMER CAN NOT SHIFT THE CAR OUT OF PARK. TS

• 12/30/2002· VISIBILITY,SEAT BELTS

  WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CONSUMER FELT THAT VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO DRIVE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ,AND THEY REPLACED A PART. CONSUMER IS NOT AWARE OF WHICH PART WAS REPLACED PROBLEM STOPPED. CURRENTLY, SUNROOF AND REAR SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING. CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 NOT IN THE DIMS SYSTEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

• 12/29/1999· VISIBILITY

  NO SUMMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

• 12/17/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  THE IGNITION AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE.TS *JB

• 12/15/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHLE DRIVING DOWN A HILL BRAKES FAILED DUE TO AN UNCLEANED SENSOR. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING, AND IT WAS A FAILED/ SAFE SYSTEM, REGUALR BRAKES DID NOT KICK IN , TOTAL FAILURE OF ALL BRAKES. *AK

• 12/12/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  IGNITION SWITCH CAUSES INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH STARTING THE CAR, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD, IF THE CAR STALLS AND CANNOT BE RE-STARTED.*AK

• 12/12/2000· VISIBILITY,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,EQUIPMENT

  HEATER CORE IS DEAD CARE SMELLS LIKE ANTIFREEZE. DRIVER'S DOOR NO LONGER OPENS FROM OUTSIDE, AND OTHER DOORS ARE STARTING TO DO THE THE SAME. CAR CAN'T BE SHUT OFF FOR SHORT STOP OR IT WILL NOT START AGAIN. A/C WENT OUT 2 YEARS AGO CONTACTED VW OF AMERICAN NO HELP.

• 12/10/1996· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE RPM ACCELERATED AND VEHICLE JERKED, CAUSING A CRASH. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

• 12/07/1995· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS SYSTEM FAILURE, TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE TRAVELLING AT 64 MPH. TT

• 12/05/2005· VISIBILITY

  DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. THE VENTS STARTED STEAMING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTICS TEST, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE HEATER CORE MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK

• 12/05/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  IGNITION CABLE AND SENSOR FAILED.

• 11/20/2008· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE HEATER CORE FAILED ON OUR 1995 VW PASSAT WHILE MY SON WAS DRIVING IT. WITHOUT WARNING IT FAILED AND POURED 190 DEGREE ANTIFREEZE OVER HIS ANKLES. FORTUNATELY HE WASN'T SEVERELY BURNED OR CRASHED THE CAR, BUT IT WAS SERIOUS ISSUE. WE SPOKE TO VW BUT THEY WOULDN'T REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THE CORE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE RANDOMLY SELECTED. I HAVE READ ON THE FORUMS OF THIS HAPPENING OFTEN AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS RECALL THAT VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

• 11/12/1996· POWER TRAIN

  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT DOWNSHIFT UNTIL THROTTLE REACHES FLOOR WHEN TRAVELING AT 30-40 MPH. *AK

• 11/04/1999· VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE

  HEATER CORE GIVES A "MIST" SMELL LIKE ANTIFREEZE CAUSING DISCOMFORT TO DRIVER. DEALER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET PART UNTIL MONDAY 08-NOV-99. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS JAMMED & THE REAR DOOR BEHIND THE DRIVER IS MALFUNCTIONING. *YC

• 11/01/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  NO SUMMARY

• 10/31/1994· VISIBILITY

  DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. *TT

• 10/29/1999· VISIBILITY

  WINDOWS FOG UP VERY EASILY WITH AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF MOISTURE WITH MINIMAL DRIVING AND SUB NORMAL ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURES (WHEN THE CAR IS "COLD"). FOGGING FORCES DRIVER TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OT DEFOG WINDOWS. FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATOR UNIT FAILED ON HIGHWAY CAUSING WINDOW TO ROLL DOWN ON ITS OWN AND STAY DOWN. OWNER FORCED TO DISCONNECT MOTOR UNTIL PROBLEM COULD BE DIAGNOSED. WINDOW REGULATOR/MOTOR REPLACED. DRIVER'S WINDOW PRODUCED A CLICKING SOUND UPON REACHING THE CLOSED POSITION. WINDOW REGULATOR REPLACED.

• 10/24/2000· STRUCTURE

  ALL FOUR DOOR HANDLES OUTSIDE HAVE BROKEN OFF, THE PASSENGER INDOOR HANDLE HAS BROKEN OFF AND THE SAFEY CHECK WAS FAILED BECAUSE OF THIS. VW SAYS THIS IS JUST "WEAR AND TEAR" BUT WE BELIEVE THIS HAS TO BE A DESIGN FAULT - AND NOW IT'S A SAFEY ISSUE TOO.*AK

• 10/21/1997· STRUCTURE

  STEERING CATCHES/BINDS FOLLOWED BY A POPPING NOISE UPON MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS, SUBFRAME BOLT WAS TIGHTENED TO CORRECT THI PROBLEM, HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUES.

• 10/10/2003· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON MY 1995 PASSAT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSIS INDICATED I NEEDED A NEW ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT AT A COST OF $1,768.00. I CONSIDER THIS AN OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEM. I CONTACTED VWOFA CORPORATE AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *LA

• 10/02/1996· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  PURCHASED CAR NEW, REPLACED THE BATTERY FOR THE THIRD TIME . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

• 10/01/2001· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION COOLANT IS LEAKING OUT ON TO GROUND, AND COOLANT IS RUNNING INTO CYLINDER BLOCK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

• 09/19/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ALL IN-DASH COMPONENTS TO NOT WORK WHEN KEY TURNED: A/C, FAN, ABS LIGHT COMES ON...

• 09/17/2002· LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

  FOUR DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE, ONLY FROM INSIDE. DOORS ARE POWER OPERATED. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER HAS TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

• 09/17/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrashFire

  WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, SPEED CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE GOING NORMAL SPEED, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.. *AK

• 09/14/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  HEATER CORE EXPLODING, NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS I WAS SIMPLY GOING FROM A STOPLIGHT WHEN SMOKE STARTED POURING IN THROUGH THE VENTS AND ENGINE COOLANT GOING EVERYWHERE. I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANYTHING YET, BUT THE HEATER CORE IS DESTROYED.

• 09/10/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE MAIN AND SECONDARY CONTROL MODULES BLEW OUT WHILE GETTING A JUMP. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

• 09/09/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  I LIVE IN ARIZONA. IN HIGH HEAT (90'S AND ABOVE) IS THE CAR SIT PARK FOR

• 09/01/1995· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  HAD ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE AUG. 22, 1995 AND THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER PROBLEMS. *AK

• 08/31/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,EQUIPMENT

  NO SUMMARY

• 08/26/1997· SUSPENSION

  FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED/REPLACED. *AK

• 08/24/1999· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  NO SUMMARY

• 08/21/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE

  NO SUMMARY

• 08/17/2006· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND IS WORSE WHEN IN HIGH GEAR. PART OF THE FAN FRACTURED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 95V178000, REGARDING THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: FAN. THE VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

• 08/11/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  IN FEBRUARY OF 2003 ON ONE OF THE COLD DAYS, THE FAN SYSTEM DIDN'T WORK AND AS A RESULT CAR OVERHEATED AND BLEW OF THE HEAD GASKET. TOTAL COST TO FIX $2000. SMALL RECALL OF COOLING FAN COST ME $2000 AND IN SPITE OF CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, NO COST WAS BORN BY THE COMPANY. *NLM

• 08/01/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY IN FIRST OR REVERSE GEARS.

• 08/01/1996· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  VEHICLE'S IDLE SPEED DROPS DOWN WHEN IN FIRST OR REVERSE GEARS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY.

• 07/25/1996· SUSPENSION

  LEFT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED, CAUSING LEFT TIRE TO BUCKLE UNDER. *SD

• 07/21/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  CONTROL MODULE HAS INTERMITENT SHORTS - ABS SYSTEM CANNOT BE RELIED UPON TO WORK - MANUFACTURER STATES IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE - ABS SYSTEMS ARE PROVEN SAFETY DEVICES AND THIS SITUATION ENCOURAGES A "RUSSIAN ROULETE" SITUATION BECAUSE OF THE RANDOMNESS OF THE SHORT AND THE EXTREME EXPENSE TO FIX $1,500. DEALER STATED THAT THEY ARE SEEING PROBLEMS WITH THE UNIT ALOT - CAN VW BE ASKED TO REPORT THE NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THEY HAVE HAD WITH THIS PART/SYSTEM? *AK

• 07/16/2001· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,TIRES

  RECEIVED A SAFETY ADVISORY LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN REGARDING FUEL TANK SYSTEM AND RIGHT REAR TIRE. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE LETTER SHOULD BE CALLED A RECALL. PEOPLE MIGHT IGNORE IT BY BEING CALLED A SAFETY ADVISORY. PLEASE ADD VIN #*AK

• 07/12/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  COOLANT LEAKING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. MORE THAN LIKELY IT IS THE HEATER CORE. NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS SOON, CAR IS ONLY YEARS 8 OLD.*AK

• 07/08/1998· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAIL TO STOP VEHICLE PROPERLY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, REPLACEMENT OF PADS AND ROTORS DID NOT RECTIFY PROBLEMS.

• 06/30/1998· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,TIRES

  TIRE BLEW OUT RESULTING IN HOLE IN THE GAS TANK DUE TO LACK OF PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR TANK.

• 06/24/2005· STRUCTURE

  DT: CALLER CAN NOT OPEN DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. SHE HAS TO USE THE HANDLE ON THE INSIDE OF ALL THE DOORS EXCEPT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. DEALER SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP HER.*AK

• 06/24/1998· SEAT BELTS

  SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE MECHANISM. ALSO, THE BELT LOCKS INTO POSITION AROUND THE DRIVER WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES, OR IF THERE IS ANY SLIGHT MOVEMENT BY THE DRIVER. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

• 06/24/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  DIFFICULTY SCHEDULING COOLING FAN REPAIRS DUE TO UNAVAILABLE OF PARTS. *SD

• 06/21/1996· SUSPENSION

  FRONT LEFT WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE LOWER CONTROL ARM DUE TO BROKEN BOLT.

• 06/17/2005· VISIBILITY

  1. NORMAL DRIVING ON A SURBURBAN ROAD AT ABOUT 45MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN, SMOKE/STEAM FROM THE VENTS, A COMPLETELY FOGGED WINDSHIELD, A SWEET SMELL, AND SCALDING HOT COOLANT ONTO MY FEET, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT A PEDESTRIAN WALKING ALONGSIDE THE ROAD. 2. IT WAS THE HEATER CORE. A VERY COMMON PROBLEM TO 80'S AND 90'S VW PASSENGER CARS. SO NOW I HAVE NO WORKING HEATER (LUCKILY ITS SUMMER) AND MY CAR WONT REACH ITS MAX COOLING CAPACITY. THUS, CAR RUNS HOT. 3. BECAUSE I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND CANNOT AFFORD A $1200USD FIX, I HAVE BYPASSED IT WITH A COPPER U-PIPE. THE PART IS AVALIBLE, AND VWOA HAVE DONE A MASSIVE NUMBER OF 'GOOD-WILL' FIXES. I'M STILL TALKING WITH THEM TO COME OF WITH A RESOLUTION.

• 06/13/2000· STEERING

  LEATHER IS PEELING OFF THE STEERING WHEEL. NLM

• 06/12/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAILED DUE TO A HOLE IN BRAKE LINE.