general problems of the 2002 Volkswagen Passat

The contact owns a 2002 Volkswagen Passat. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery) and immediately called the dealer. The contact was informed that they would repair the vehicle according to the remedy; however, if the heat shields and another component became damaged during the installation, he would have to pay for the repair. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer did not assist. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 90,000.

Vehicle leaked a large amount of fuel (~4 gallons in 3 days). No fire, but there is now a large hole in my driveway. Shop says leak is from top of engine.

The contact owns a 2002 Volkswagen Passat. While driving approximately 30 mph, the contact noticed smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. She pulled over to a local service station and noticed that the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. The fire was extinguished by a representative at the service station. Weeks later, the contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery). She is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The failure and current mileages were unknown.

Last Saturday (Feb. 9, 2008) around 11:00am, while I was picking up my two daughters from ballet school (boston ballet, 19 clarendon street, boston), the check engine lamp started to blink and I could feel my car (2002 Passat wagon, all wheel drive) was a little bit shaking. As the car manual says, I drove in low power to the closest Volkswagen dealership (boston Volkswagen, 168 western avenue, allston). While I was driving to the dealership, I saw some smoke coming out from the front hood (right front side). We (my daughters, my wife, and myself) got the dealership around 11:30am. A sales consultant (michael petersante) and another person there saw my car, and said that my car possibly would catch on fire. We evacuated from the car, they moved all the cars around my car to the other place. The dealer called for a fire department. Before the fire department came in, while I was looking at my car from the inside of the dealership building, I could see the flame coming out above the right front wheel in the car (somewhere the engine is located) and smoke filling up inside of my car. The fire department (boston fire-engine 41, ladder 14, unit d11) came and put out the fire. A police officer (boston police district 14, 301 washington street, brighton) came after the fire was extinguished (arrived at 11:53am), and checked out the scene and had my car, whose front part (engine compartment) was all broken and crushed while the wire was put out, be towed. It was hard to believe that a 5-6 years old car caught on fire while I was driving and in just 30 minutes reached to such situation. Fortunately, we were close to the dealership and were able to get there before the worst thing happens. And again, very fortunately, my family was able to get away to the safe place before the worst thing happens. But if it happened 10 minutes earlier or if it took 10 minutes longer than actually it did to get there, things that I dont ever want to imagine could happen to my family.

I am complaining about a 2002 Volkswagen Passat 1. 8t. With 76,000 miles on the car based on the latest news from the dealer today I will have invested over $1000 on various failures of the fuel evap system. First it was vacuum hoses and now it is the charcoal canister and purge valve. There has been one recall on one part of the system which of course was not what was wrong at any point with my vehicle. The entire fuel evap system is faulty and vw knows it and refuses to do anything about. It is a great moneymaker for them as only they have the access to the electronic codes and parts to repair the system and tremendously over inflated prices.

Check engine light came on for 6 times since purchased new. Latest incident, in first week of August, 2007 - the diagnosis was "found fault for evap system incorrect purge flow, tested purge valve and found to be stuck". For 6 dealer visits, 2 identical diagnosis with 2 replacements. Is this a design fault? defective part? why the repetitive issue with the same area. Car only has 48,000 miles.

Bought the car new 4/02, ignition coil failed in 8/02 with only 1000 miles on car. The vehicle started shaking and lost power w/ baby in the car on a highway. Car was towed to the dealer and they replaced the ignition coil. Happened again on 10/31/02, car was at the dealership for almost 1 month waiting for another ignition coil. Dealer provided rental car and complaint was filed with v. W. They paid my car payment for month of 11/02. Many people having same problem. Dealer's lot was full of cars waiting for this part. I took their last rental car, lucky for me, since I got an impala ss instead of a 2 door cavalier. There should be a recall issued on these ignition coils. There are many lemon law cases filed against vw. Also very poor gas mileage and acceleration. Very dangerous left hand turns when the car just sits there and you're hitting the gas!!!.