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Volkswagen Passat Maintenance and Repair

3340 messages,  Last post on Apr 25, 2013 at 10:07 AM

You are in the Volkswagen Passat Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volkswagen Passat, Sedan, Wagon

    
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Messages Page 238 of 335

#2363 of 3340 Re: very bad mileage Passat Station Wagon [altair4] by tombolino

Oct 10, 2007 (2:10 pm)

Replying to: altair4 (Oct 10, 2007 10:14 am)
I bought this car on 9/30/07....11 days ago. The odometer was 40,711 when I bought it. It is a used certified car bought from a VW dealer. Tank was full.
 
As of yesterday 10/9, before pumping the 5th tank, it had 41,618: in 10 days I put 907 miles. So at the end of 4 tanks, I had driven 907 miles/17x4 gallons pumped=68 gallons used in 4 weeks. 907/68 = 13mpg (measured manually). Yes, I drive for work, locally. I have put premium gas in all fill ups except one.
 
I didnt really look into the mpg that deeply before I bought it except for asking the sales rep and manager, both told me 19-21 mpgs. Well acutally, I did look online on Edmunds.com -----it stated 19 city mpgs for both the Passat and the 2001 V6 TL.
 
I have calculated the work commute miles of my new home vs my old home which was closer to work. Old home was total of 76 miles of comute Mon-Fri. New home is 176 miles per week, Mon-Fri. BUT... up until July, and before I got the Passat I went to evening school (for 2 years) which was about 100 miles per week (when I still had Acura). School ended in July, I wrecked my Acura in August and I moved to my new place in August.So in a nutshell, I comutte more to work (about 100 miles more per week than old home) but I also dont drive to school anymore, which means no more 100 miles per week of school commute).
 
I am not driving more for work, in fact less, because I have had more paperwork at the office. I am driving less agressively since the Acura wreck and because the Passat is heavier and I can tell its no good stepping on it on 1st gear, like I could get away with on the Acura.
 
I drove the ACura agressively and I havent gona back to my Amex statements but Im pretty sure I was filling up once per week, when going to school and driving the hell out of it. Acura tank capacity is 17.4 and my Passat tank is 16.4, = .8 smaller.
 
Since the car is certified, I assume its in good shape maintenance wise but I dont think a filter change would dramatically change things.
 
Im thinking of going there this weekend at the 2 week mark, with my receipts and notes, and ask them to let me get something else. I know they have 2x 2004 Passat station wagons same year, similar miles, without the 4 wheel drive but I suspect it wouldnt make much of a diference. If they did have any V4 Passat wagons, I have read a lot of negative things about these regarding the turbo problems.

#2364 of 3340 1997 passat brake lights not working by georgepalucas

Oct 10, 2007 (10:33 pm)

so i'm trying to be a gentleman and fix my girlfriends car cause she is broke and cant afford to take it to the shop the only problem is that i'm an idiot.
 
so the brake lights are not working at all and i have already done the obvious attempts to fix it(check the bulbs and the fuse)but nothing. i've used a electricity tester and there is no electricity running to the buld sockets or even into the fuse box for that matter. a friend of mine suggested that it might be a relay but i'm not that familiar with cars and i dont have a lay out of the Wiring so pretty much i'm lost as far as what my next move would be. if anyone has experienced a similar situation or might know where i could find the relay or any other suggestions they would be much appreciated

#2365 of 3340 Re: very bad mileage Passat Station Wagon [tombolino] by altair4

Oct 11, 2007 (4:15 am)

Replying to: tombolino (Oct 10, 2007 2:10 pm)
You wrote:
As of yesterday 10/9, before pumping the 5th tank, it had 41,618: in 10 days I put 907 miles. So at the end of 4 tanks, I had driven 907 miles/17x4 gallons pumped=68 gallons used in 4 weeks. 907/68 = 13mpg (measured manually). Yes, I drive for work, locally. I have put premium gas in all fill ups except one.
 
There's something wrong with your calculation.
 
You yourself said that the VW's tank holds 16.4 gallons. Yet you are using 17 gallons per each fillup for 4 fills. At most you could have used was 65.6 gallons, for a final mpg of 13.82.
 
Now, I doubt that you ran the tank to completely dry. So let's assume that you left one gallon left each fillup. 15.4 x 4 = 61.6 gallons and that would get you 14.72 mpg. But if you filled up when the gas warning light on the instrument cluster chimed, you probably pumped in about 13 gallons. That would be 52 gallons of gas, or 17.4 mpg (about what I would expect with the 6 cylinder the extra drag of the 4 motion drivetrain).
 
You need to calculate your mileage more carefully. Record the miles per tank and the exact amount of gas you are consuming.
 
NEVER assume that a certified car is in top condition regarding tuneups. The web is full of certified cars that have not been tuned, have not had the oil changed, etc.
 
And the 1.8T is an inline 4, not a V4. There hasn't been a V4 since the Saabs from the late 60's/early '70's.

#2366 of 3340 hmm... by krzyss

Oct 11, 2007 (6:40 am)

if you can put 17 gallons into 16.4 gallon tank then it means there is a hole somewhere (tank or calculations).
 
Krzys
 
PS Another option is that you drain the tank completly, which is not advisable.

#2368 of 3340 Re: hmm... [krzyss] by altair4

Oct 11, 2007 (6:48 am)

Replying to: krzyss (Oct 11, 2007 6:40 am)
Full drain won't get him 17 gallons, I don't think. I doubt he's run out of gas four times in a row (if so, he can plan on replacing that fuel pump soon).

#2369 of 3340 Re: very bad mileage Passat Station Wagon [tombolino] by altair4

Oct 11, 2007 (6:55 am)

Replying to: tombolino (Oct 10, 2007 2:10 pm)
You wrote:
Since the car is certified, I assume its in good shape maintenance wise but I dont think a filter change would dramatically change things.
 
The pre-screen filter I mentioned previously is a fine mesh screen located in the air intake, before the main engine air filter. The intake could have swallowed a piece of cellophane or leaves (whatever) and be causing a blockage. It could significantly impact the fuel economy. It's easy to check.
 
Google "clean slush screen Passat" and you might find instructions on cleaning this.

#2370 of 3340 Re: hmm... [altair4] by krzyss

Oct 11, 2007 (7:55 am)

Replying to: altair4 (Oct 11, 2007 6:48 am)
By the way I got my next recall notice for fuel pump.
I do not recall any of my cars having so many recalls (coil packs, filler neck, brake switch and now fuel pump).
 
Krzys
 
PS 03 Passat 1.8T

#2371 of 3340 Re: hmm... [krzyss] by altair4

Oct 11, 2007 (8:44 am)

Replying to: krzyss (Oct 11, 2007 7:55 am)
Yes, I heard that the fuel pump recall had recently been extended. I helped push a lot of people to report this to NHTSA when this problem started appearing, hoping that a recall would come out of it. I think the original recall ran from 10/02 through 04/03 build dates.
 
Krzys, out of curiosity, what is the build date on your car? It's found on the placard on the driver's doorjamb (month/year).
 
It hasn't hit my vehicle yet, with a build date of 06/02.
 
PS: Like you, I've never seen so many recalls on any one other vehicle I've ever owned.

#2372 of 3340 my Passat is currently by krzyss

Oct 11, 2007 (8:57 am)

at body shop (minor parking lot fender bender - $900.00 estimate). I should be able to see it on Friday.
 
Krzys

Messages Page 238 of 335

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