Automatic Transmission Control Module problems of the 2003 Volkswagen Passat

Due to a design flaw with all Passats 1998 and up they are prone to having major failure of tcm transmission control module as in cases of heavy rain water will leak into passenger floor area and fill the tcm with water hence locking transmission into park and no longer allowing vehicle to be shifted. . .

Power train lack of power when pressing the accelerator may have caused an accident, pulling out in traffic. This was due to water leak in pollen filter box (cracked) which affected the shift lock solenoid, affecting the transmission control module. 2003 Volkswagen Passat mileage of 121,000 miles. Normally garaged and maintained according to schedule. After rain, found an inch of water in rear passenger floor. Transmission non-functional, air bag warning light and other warning lights on. Dealer said the pollen filter seal was no good and that water leaked in and destroyed the transmission control unit which is located in the floor behind the passenger seat. I have read many accounts on the internet from many angry owners of similar problems where leaks from this seal have caused catastrophic repairs. The service manager at the vw dealer told me that checking the pollen filter seal is not part of any regular maintenance and that in order to check it, you'd need to disassemble quite a few things in the engine compartment. When I asked him how an owner could possibly know if the seal needed replacement and he replied "you found out how". I am clearly not alone in having experienced a failure from a part that is not in any way maintainable (the pollen filter seal) and that has caused major damage to the car. I feel this is a consumer issue and that this is a design defect in the Passat that vw should compensate owners for. There is no way for an owner to be able to avoid this situation -- it is not a matter of maintenance. It got to do with the Passat leaking water and the location of an extremely expensive component in the rear passenger floor, the area where any water that leaks migrates to. If this failure had occurred during driving, I might. I have been told to replace transmission spent another 2000$ and its not even this the problem!!!!.

Every time it rains, I have an accumulation of water under both the front and rear passenger side carpets. The car smells of mold and mildew. This is a recurring problem with many years of vw's and the dealers know about it. My research indicates design problems with pollen filter. Major problem is that the transmission control module is located in the same vicinity as the puddled water. I have had transmission problems for a while although have not had to replace tcm yet. Check the web for how many people complain about this problem. I understand there is a recall for the 2002 model year. 2003 is no different. First noticed problem after warranty ran out.

My 2003 vw Passat has shown cases of transmission problems following a recent rain storm. The rear passenger footwell collected water and the car would not shift normally. The car would not upshift and slammed into gear from park. I'm now unable to get the car out of neutral and can't remove the key.

2003 vw Passat with a sudden downshift in the transmission. Customer states the problem occurred through a leak in the sunroof. Dealer also stated he would have to pay for the repairs, because it wouldn't be covered under warranty. The dealer stated that a clogged sunroof drain had caused water to overflow down the passenger front windshield. A pillar causing corrosion in the transmission control module harness which was located at the passenger side footwell. The dealer stated the leak was considered an outside influence and that's why it wasn't covered under warranty. The consumer approved the repairs, however as he was pulling out of the dealers lot, the same problem happened. The consumer called the consumer and informed him, this time the problem was a faulty transmission control module and that the repair was covered under warranty. The consumer believed the problem may have been with the tcm the entire time.

While backing up out of the driveway the car lurched into reverse and then would not shift out of 1st gear causing drastically slow speeds while driving the car. Any speed above 15 mph would redline the tac and the engine. The vw dealership determined it was a bad computer control module that needed to be replaced.

I've spent over $8000 towards vw dealership attempts at fixing the horn, radio, homelink, climate control (a/c and heat) rear passenger side window, heated seats, dashboard panel lights, and defroster flap. Vw replaced abs and brake light module, but only fixed the horn. Vw stated they are not responsible even after I paid for them to fix the above problems and they are still unable to determine the cause of the problems. I request reimbursement from Volkswagen for the repair attempts and related expenses. Current vehicle mileage: 127,000.

1. Heavy rain storms 2. Water entered the car via either the pollen filter or backed up from the battery well. This water caused the transmission control module (tcm) to fail. 3. I paid for the pollen filter to be replaced, the tcm to be replaced, the cowl drain holes to be cleared, and the water to be removed.

This is a 2003 vw Passat with 27,000 miles. It is kept outside in northern California. There have been rains here recently, expected this time of year. The rear footwell was found to have water in it recently. Neither the sunroof nor windows had been left open. Although the vehicle has been maintained by vw dealers according to schedule, the bottom of the sunroof drain tube was clogged, backing water up. The resulting damage included carpet, dampened transmission control unit, wiring harness and a safety relay amounting to over $3,000 to repair. The dealer is replacing the damaged parts and unclogging the drain tube. There is no guarantee that this will fix the problem permanently. The transmission control module had an internal short.

I am investigating and gathering incident information about the flooding problems that Volkswagens, especially the Passat, exhibit from model years 1998 to the present. There is a chance of a class action suit for which this information is being gathered. If interested, please respond to doctor. Vinnie@gmail. Com for more information.

Car had trouble starting, electrical problems, lurching while driving and ultimately transmission and air bag failure.