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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 261 of 335

#2592 of 3340 Re: 2004 Passat? or any Passat [altair4] by dustman1

Mar 12, 2008 (2:58 pm)

Replying to: altair4 (Mar 12, 2008 11:41 am)
It wasn't a VW specialist, but it was a very reputable garage in this area that I am familiar with. That being said, that is the first time that I left there unimpressed.
The local VW dealership here does have a reputation and that's why I went elsewhere. Do you suggest a VW specialist?
I've searched high, but not low for additional air leaks. I will continue looking and see if I come up with anything. Thanks for the input and I welcome more!

#2593 of 3340 Re: 2004 Passat? or any Passat [dustman1] by altair4

Mar 12, 2008 (5:27 pm)

Replying to: dustman1 (Mar 12, 2008 2:58 pm)
Pay close attention to the hoses under the intake manifold. They're hard to see and access, but I've read about others having issues and throwing the same codes as you are.

#2594 of 3340 Gas: premium but with ethnol by greatcars

Mar 13, 2008 (12:38 pm)

Yesterday I added just the 3rd tank of gas. During filling I noticed on the nozzle that the gas has 10% or less of ethnol. It's on a Hess gas station. Is that bad for Passat? how bad is it? I prefer to use Shell.

#2595 of 3340 Re: Gas: premium but with ethnol [greatcars] by robr2

Mar 13, 2008 (1:21 pm)

Replying to: greatcars (Mar 13, 2008 12:38 pm)
Read your manual. It most likely says that fuel containing up to 10% ethanol is fine.
 
FYI - most gas today that once contained MTBE now contains ethanol as MTBE was been banned as it is can contaminate ground water. The change happened about 18 months ago.

#2596 of 3340 Passat overheating and oil questions by wrightsax

Mar 14, 2008 (7:08 am)

Hello forum,
 
I have a 2000 VW Passat with the 1.8 (ATW) engine. I am experiencing an overheating problem. I recently had a new timing belt, water pump etc put on so I am confident that is not the problem. Then, I had a new thermostat installed, and the problem subsided for a short while, but now when I start it up, the temp gauge stays "cold" for a while, then pops up to normal...but no heat. Then I'll get blaring heat and the temp guage will return to normal. This sequence continues, and I'm afraid that one of these times it heats up (the temp warning light illuminates and the alarm sounds), I might harm the engine. Is there some kind of sensor that I can replace? I have done a little research and I find that there is a Coolant Temperature Sender (Standard #TS477) and a Coolant Temperature Sensor (Airtex #5S1478), I'm not sure which does what...Suggestions please!!
 
Also, often at a low idle, my oil level idiot light will come on (with the obligatory alarm), but when I rev the engine, it goes off. The oil level is fine, and changed frequently. I think this may be the Oil Level Sensor?
 
Thanks for any help!
 
Dave

#2597 of 3340 Re: Unknown Indicator Light, HELP! [jenneka1] by saskchic

Mar 16, 2008 (10:11 pm)

Replying to: jenneka1 (Feb 02, 2007 5:10 pm)
I bought my 2002 Passat with no manual as well. Just got the car last week and today the same light came on for me. I shut the car off and when I started it again, the light was off. Did you ever get a manual and find out what the light means?

#2598 of 3340 Passat Long Term Reliability by bronsonb

Mar 17, 2008 (6:37 am)

Replying to: greatcars (Feb 15, 2008 12:13 pm)
We have a 1999 Passat GLS with the V6 engine. We now have 130,000 miles on it. It's certainly not as nice as it was when new, but my wife, who drives the car, comments regularly about how nice it rides. It's solid, accelerates like a champ, corners well, and has not left us on the side of the road yet.
 
That's not to say we've not had maitenance issues. We've had to replace the front axles twice (one was warranted...three were not). It ate brakes until recently..switched to a different OEM brand, and they've worn very well.
 
It did have an oil leak at 90,000 miles, but that was covered under the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty. When that was fixed, VW also discovered some sort of cam tensioner problem and had to replace that as well.
 
I do change the oil religiously every 5,000 miles. But since we had the V6, we didn't get hit with the sludge problems (although VW changed their recommendations for all of their engines for oil if I recall).
 
This year, I spent $450 replacing a bunch of vacuum hoses that had dry rot and were falling apart, but heck, the car is 9 years old, so that's to be expected, and it once again, runs like a champ. We get about 30 MPG on the highway, which exceeds the estimates (and it beat my 2003 1.8T Passat that I had up until 2 years ago).
 
Would we get another? I don't know. We hope to get another 1.5 years out of this one (gotta get son #2 out of daycare). My DW has her heart set on a an Infiniti M (used probably). But she has said a couple of times that if we can't get a good deal she'd go buy another Passat. Me...I'd keep the current one another year and then try to get an M

#2599 of 3340 Passat B5.5 Hydraulic Cam Tensioner Problem by joninslc

Mar 05, 2008 (2:16 pm)

I took my 2001.5 2.8L 4Motion Passat in to the dealership today for a check engine light and they reported back to me just now that I have a faulty Hydraulic Tension Adjuster for my Cam position. I Am not a car guy per se, but my Passat has been running fine. I'm getting nearly 20 MPG's and no loss of power.
  They told me the repair is $1,300 or $2,200 for both tensioners.
  What do you guys think? Can I fis this problem for less and what should I be looking out for? Thanks you in advance.
 
Jon in SLC.

#2600 of 3340 Re: Passat B5.5 Hydraulic Cam Tensioner Problem [joninslc] by majicman

Mar 19, 2008 (5:14 pm)

Replying to: joninslc (Mar 05, 2008 2:16 pm)
I have a 2001 Passat with the 1.8 T motor. 130K miles.
 
The technicians first told me the codes in the computer indicated a faulty cam chain tensioner, but it also had codes for a faulty crank position sensor. I ended up having the crank position sensor replaced (about $180).
 
I had been experiencing the car just shutting down several times. It would start again after sitting for 15 minutes. I drive 55 miles to work so I can't have the thing dieing on me like that. After I had it fixed, the car runs great. According to the computer it says I am getting between 32 to 35 mpg highway.
 
Did your mechanic say anything about the crank position sensor or have you ever had the thing just quit?
 
It is possible the cam chain tensioner needs to be replaced but the crank position sensor can trick the computer into posting the fault code for the cam chain tensioner. If it were me I would have the crank position sensor replaced and see if it cured the problem.
 
Also, do you use synthetic oil in the car? Even though VW did not start recommending it for these cars they have changed their recommendation and synthetic is now recommended and instead of 10K miles between oil changes 5K is recommended. These engines are quite succeptible to sludge problems and the synthetic helps prevent that.
 
jcm

#2601 of 3340 Manuals on VW literature website by greatcars

Mar 20, 2008 (8:19 am)

What are these manuals? Are they the same that come with the car you bought from dealer? If so why charge $60 instead of make them available onine as PDF files?
 
WSA281557PL623 2008 VW PASSAT OM PACK ENGLISH
  Yes $60.00
 
http://www.vw.ddsltd.com/cgi-bin/default

Messages Page 261 of 335

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