Automotive, Volkswagon - 1999 Passat Wagon several problems with Passat wagon

Passat numerous problems

Volkswagon

From: Erica Eiting Email User

Date: Sunday, February 11, 2001 05:57 AM Sent To: Email User 2/11/01 5:57:22 AM Dear Volkswagon: a consumer posted the following e-message at Complaints.com. Please respond directly to the consumer, using the consumer's name and e-mail address (as per the From: field above). You may also wish to respond publicly on the Complaints.com site. Just locate this e-message posted in your business's conference and click on the "Reply to" link. (Note: a user registration is required before posting e-messages to the Complaints.com site.)

_____________________ I have a 1999 Passat Wagon. I first starting having problems a year after I purchased the vehicle. It was slow to start and had a knocking noise in the engine.

I took it in and they said there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and that all the noises were normal. The second time I had a problem the car was starting in second gear and bogging down and at highway speeds it wouldn't shift into 5th. The engine check light came on and the tip-tronic transmission wouldn't work. I let it set over night and all the problems went away.

I took it in for repair anyway and they replaced the "trans control module", the computer module that controls all functions for the transmission, and a brake switch, which took 2 weeks.

I drove it for about 2 days and I was driving down the freeway when all of the sudden the car surged forward and jerked or bumped to the side, the engine check light came on, the RPM gauge went to 0 even though I was still excellerating, and the lights in the shifter went out. I almost wrecked.

This happened 4 times within 5 minutes. I pulled over stopped the car, thinking it was the computer acting up, and tried to restart it. It did and I thought I would just get it home, but it happened again. I figured I wouldn't risk my own safety and those on the road, so I pulled over again, tried to start it, but this time it was dead. It wouldn't even try and turn over.

It was towed to the dealership where I had to wait 2 days to have someone look at it and when they did they said it started right up. They drove my car 220 miles in 4 days and gave it back to me with no repairs done. I drove it for another 4 weeks.

Tonight, after eating out, I returned to my car in the parking lot, tried to start it, it tried to turn over twice then just cut out. It wouldn't start. I heard the relay clicking and it sounded like the plugs were firing, but with no fuel, it won't start.

The engine check light came on again and I had to call for a tow. Through all of this, the dealership that I've been taking my car has patronized me, treated me unfairly, and taken way too long to fix my car.

I will never again buy a VW and I am most certainly on my way to filing under the lemon law or suing for the purchase price of my vehicle.