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Maintenance & Repair Maintenance & Repair - Archived Discussions VW Ignition Coil Problems? 
243 messages, Last post on Aug 11, 2003 at 7:24 PM
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I am planning to get an A4 3.0 Quattro and I noticed that many A4 owners (both 1.8T and 3.0) experience coil problems. I would like to know whether the 2003 models still have coil problems or not; also I would also like to hear opinions of 2003 owners. So fellow A4 owners, please post some messages regarding your beautiful A4s (strength, weakness, problems and dealership experience etc). Thanks! |
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| Nice looking car. Why not post in Audi thread, this is for Passats! | |
| i test drove a 2003 Jetta GLI over the weekend and the salesman told me that the GLI doesn't have problems with the ignition coils, that it's only the 1.8T and some others. is this true or was he yankin my chain? | |
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I just bought a used 2001 Audi A4 1.8T about 11 days ago, and sure enough, last night I came to a stoplight and started experiencing the troubles that seem to be described here. The idle got extremely rough suddenly, and there was a lot of engine wobble, almost as though a mount were failing or something. Shifts were really harsh, and at low RPMs the whole car shuddered pretty badly. Anyway, I just dropped it off at the dealer, and without even fully explaining the problem, the mechanic stopped me short and proclaimed that it was most likely ignition coil failure. He spat out his diagnosis pretty quick, so I'm guessing they must deal with this A LOT. My Mom drives a VW Passat, and from what I understand the Audi and VWs, despite being otherwise phenomenal cars, share this common gremlin. I'm gonna call her and give her a heads-up, based on everybody's experience and advice. She drives slower than an arthritic grandma with low-grade narcolepsy in a mollassas factory, but still-- I'd hate to think about her getting plowed into by someone 'cause her Passat blew a coil pack. Thanks for the warning, guys! I know I'm intruding a bit here as a loathsome Audi owner, but I wanted to say that I very much appreciated the reassurance I got from reading these posts. I was absolutely freaking out when my car started acting goofy, and now I feel MUCH better. I had only had the car on the road for less than 2 weeks, and I was terrified I was looking at a thrown rod or a warped head or dozens of other worse-case-scenarios. Also, it was extremely relieving to learn that my car's symptoms are probably the result of a coil issue, and not the admittedly brutal way I've been tossing it around corners and stomping on the gas pedal. I thought I had broken my new baby by driving like a moron; it was nice to see that perhaps it's not my overzealous lead-foot after all. =) Lastly-- it great to see so many Canadians posting. I live in Colorado, but I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, and I get homesick, so it was cool to see all the maple leafs on the board; makes me miss it a little less. Thanks for posting, everybody! |
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actually a broken one... it either sounds like a submarine full of doomed souls banging with wrenches on the hull... or it just stops like somebody jammed the crank with a chunk of pipe. hey, in fact that's what a broken rod does. if it hasn't seized yet, don't worry, it will. an ignition failure, you just gasp along or shudder to a stop like a shaky old dog. fixable when you get the parts. |
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Hi all....I'm in need of honest opinions. I have a 2003 Passat Wagon GLS 1.8T w/Tip. Right now it has about 6.5K on it. I'm planning on taking a road trip in about a month, and not sure whether or not I should be nervous. I will be driving from the midwest to the east coast. I'm thinking it would be in my best interest to take it to the dealership to see if possibly I could have some bad coils...what do you think? Or would anyone advise not to drive it? Kind of had my hopes up to get it out on the open highway (not only to improve my gas mileage, but also because I look pretty in it...LOL)! Would love anyone's honest opinion. Thanks in advance. |
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several articles have indicated you can see the deaders after the fact if you look at the underside... because the potting compound cracks and lets water in. if the dealer has an attack of customer satisfaction envy and checks for you, great. but cracks alone may NOT indicate whether they go into the coil and have you set up for "the shudders." if your dealer is ready to implement preventative recall changeouts as VW has been promising in newspaper articles, even better. if not, there's no telling when they will conk out, if ever. if you don't get the engine all that warmed up much, you might not have gotten the coils busted up enough to have the issue. if you're really paranoid, log all the VW dealers on a map on routes you're likely to take, and take the route that has the fewest gaps... or buy a spare coil for the trunk. otherwise, try to allow a dead day or two in your planning in case you have to spend them in Gutbuster Junction waiting for the bus to catch up to the tow truck that hauled the Passat away. I personally wouldn't wake up screaming over this. while you might have gotten your coils from the last of the rotten materials, life is short enough, and VW should have parts in stock now if you need 'em. be flexible and have fun. |
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I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I finally got the "consumer word" on all the problems with VWs. I am the original owner of a 2000 Passat 4-cylinder and, sure enough, right around when my lease was up this past January, I started having all kinds of problems. I have taken meticulous care of the car because I didn't know if I was gonna turn it back in or not. Dealer for all the repairs/oil changes. This is a huge problem for me because I'm a real estate agent, and when my check engine light comes on and beeps that really loud beep while my clients are in the car, they think they're gonna die in my POS car with me. I think I'm having that ignition coil problem. At first I thought it was the starter. Now that I know many people are having the same problem, I guess I will take it to the dealer ASAP. It's been so bad that my car almost didn't start at all a few times. And the other morning, I started my car and right away it died. I had to restart it and it was okay, just okay. My problem is that I can't afford to be without my car. I took it to an independent after I took out a loan to buy my car when the lease was up (BIG mistake), and he hooked the car up to the computer and did a diagnostic test to see what the problem was that was making the check engine light come up. He said it was a faulty error and that there was nothing wrong, and he re-set the computer in the car. I'm serious, about 2 weeks later the light started coming on again! My clients are freaking out! I don't have the time to take my car in every 2 or 3 weeks just to have the freaking thing re-set! Anybody else having this problem? Hm, what else, I noticed probably a year and a half ago or so that my fuel gauge seems to "float" when it gets down to low levels. I can watch it floating while I'm driving! Also, I got a flat tire while showing property, and the car wasn't even 3 years old. Crappy tires. Also, there's something wrong with the light panel on the dash because the lower part of the light panel doesn't work, and then, all of a sudden, zing! we have lights down there. I'm also having another problem that I don't know what it is. But in reading other messages, I think I have that steering wheel column problem. At first I thought it was the right wheel bearing, because it only makes the rattling noise on the right front side when you turn the wheel, but now I don't know. Help!!! What is going on with this stupid car? Is anybody else as frustrated as me? I would just die if I got stranded with a client in the middle of nowhere. Thanks for the feedback!! |
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| VW dealers have a booklet of all US and Canadian dealers, along with phone numbers, etc. After the coil pack thing broke in the news, I started carrying that in my glove box. Jackieb31 may want to make sure she has one, if the coil packs aren't changed before the trip. | |
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I don't know about your check engine light problem. Could be lots of things. But let me address some of your other issues: Flat Tires: Any tire at any time can pick up a nail or what-have-you from the road and go flat. It's not a VW problem. Rattling Sound on Right Turn: Sounds like a torn CV boot that was not replaced quickly enough and ruined the Constant Velocity joint, from your description. Can happen to any front wheel drive car...I've had it happen on Hondas, Toyotas, etc, which have bullet-proof reliability reputations. It's just part of owning a front wheel drive car. Good luck with your other problems. |
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