Two problems related to transmission failure have been reported for the 2004 Volkswagen Passat. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2004 Volkswagen Passat based on all problems reported for the 2004 Passat.
Transmission on 2004 vw Passat hard downshifts from 5th to 4th at 30 mph when transmission is warm. First occurred at 90k miles. Took to two vw dealerships both indicated catastrophic transmission failure that they would be happy to repair for $4000. Didn't fix, researched web and found this a common problem with vw transmissions. Called vw, they knew about it but didn't care since it is out of warranty.
The contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that he discovered water inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the sunroof was disengaged. The manufacturer advised the contact that there was an open recall on the vehicle under an unknown recall campaign and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer for repairs. In addition, the contact stated the vehicle was exhibiting an abnormal jerking sensation when driving at various speeds. The dealer replaced the soiled carpeting and noticed extensive water damage to the transmission module, which was also replaced. The contact stated that the jerking persisted when attempting to switch gears. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer however, the dealer was unable to locate a failure within the vehicle. The failure persisted until the transmission failed. The dealer refused to replace the transmission. The manufacturer offered no assistance. The vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000 and the current mileage was approximately 102,000. Updated 1/19/2010 updated 01/27/11.