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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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bottom line is that some supplier screwed up, VW didn't catch it for too long, and it took even longer to (supposedly) redo the coil line so they can make two in a row that ought to last. the customers are really getting dumped on, and the dealers are caught in the crossfire. if it was me, I'd find another source for coils somehow and slap (four to eight) of 'em in... or carry a couple spare so I could keep driving until repair parts come in and they could swap the stinkers. I have got to believe that the aftermarket supply houses... parts plus, CSK, napa... have got a supplier that knows about the VW debacle and got another company to make knockoffs that work. since VWoA and dealers can't get enough coils to keep the customers on the road, don't know why there isn't a permission letter to put in something else and extend warranty over it as well, just to get on top of the situation before it eats them alive. even if they do have good coils coming off the line now, it's going to take years to get all the dreck out of the sold vehicles... and in that time, everybody will be learning to spit and moan when anybody asks about VW. I would think there's a lot of pressure out there, and they just ought to certify some other sources and turn 'em loose on the problem. got a guy in the office who took two Passats to the dealer over the weekend for coil failure... one was his daughter's and they treated her like something foul on the rug, one was his wife's and they've had eight cars from this dealer with a good rep in the area... and because of the daughter's car, the wife has been reviling the dealer over the phone all day, whenever she gets another idea and some breath back. this can't be good. |
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Well THAT won't work very well. A dealer knows how to "revile back" very skillfully. The dealer is in a "bookend" here and you have to work with them, while very persistently keeping track of progress. |
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| a large part of the relationship I have with my ford dealer is based on discussion and knowing to some extent what is happening with the vehicle, so I don't just go in there and say "it's making THAT noise just like the dishwasher did before the light bulb went out in the garage." they haven't tried to screw me yet, and I haven't tried to send them to a gulag yet. that works for me. | |
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Has anyone filed a lawsuit? If so how is it going? Is there a class-action lawsuit against this obviously flawed car that is leaving us owners stranded? Unless something is done soon, I'd would like to sign-up. Currently my 2002 Passat is on its second visit to the dealer for another ignition coils. My dealer service dept. told me there are 35 Passats ahead of mine with coil problems on his lot, he has no idea when he will have new coils and last week got two coils to fix one car that had been there over two weeks. He told me another dealer he knows has over 50 Passats on their lot with fried ignition coils. I did make several requests that VW replace all the coils at once so I would not have to keep having my car towed in and being stuck in rather frigid temperatures of Chicago for two or more hours, waiting for a tow. On both occassions, VW could not supply me with a rental or loaner car until monday, which meant I had two weekends without any car at all. VW Customer Care suggested they might be willing to replace the remaining coils, but only from those who request it, so my suggestion to you is that you at least try and request that they replace the coils. Unfortunately, they would not give this to me in writing, stating legal concerns. Unless of course you don't mind not having a car from time to time. They have had a coil shortage for greater than a month and have not corrected the problem. Dealer stated they have 35 Passats on their lot with the problem and other dealers have 50. Customer care said they "understand" the problem. That said,by not replacing all the coils at once, they are doing little to find a long term solution to fix the problem. At minimum, I suggest you file a complaint with: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ and your better business bureau. |
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got to wondering if there ARE any alternate sources... not at napa, csk/parts america, echlin, neihoff, JC Whitney. autozone search says a wells coil for 2002 passat is "not yet availiable," which I assume means they plan to make one, but have not done so yet. it could also mean nobody has updated the catalog and/or website also. if you look at a 2000 passat (have assumed a 4-popper in these searches,) there is a match... wells C1318, one per cylinder required, $86.99 each. they are special order. that's an option, assuming these special orders are being filled. if somehow these coils are reboxed for Wells by VW... well... back to square one. good luck. |
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| I finally got my Passat SW back yesterday from the dealer in Cincinnati. It sat on his lot since 12/26. They replaced two coils. I wonder when the other two are going to go. I do not have to worry about going over the mileage with this lease. The car is always in the shop. | |
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Hey Spike27, You mentioned that you are in Chicago. Which dealer are you working with? I also am in the Chicago area, and am curious. Maybe you are having better luck than we are. That dealer with 50 cars waiting was probably the one that mine sat at for two weeks. FYI: Illinois state lemon law defines a lemon as a vehicle that is out of service for 30 business days, or has a repeated issue of four times making it undriveable within the first 12,000 miles. How many times have you been in your service department? We are currently giving the dealer a little space, and waiting for legal advice. The bottom line is that your attorney can negotiate you out of your car in a couple of different ways. I highly suggest you check out the laws. Also take a look at the Magnuson-Moss federal lemon law. All I'd like to see is our downpayment back, and any money we've put into payments, minus mileage at 37 cents per mile. Since it's been in so many times now, the mileage is low, low, low. The file we have on this car is pitiful. It's three times the thickness of our '95 Infiniti that just got totaled by a guy in a beemer. Even at 105K miles, I'd rather drive that if it still had a rearend! Good luck, and hope you don't freeze roadside in this 2 degree weather! |
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I purchased my 2002 Passat in November of 2002. After I had the vehicle for 3 months I noticed a problem with the vehicle shaking. I took the vehicle in for service and was told that there was a bad ignition coil that they replaced. In May of 2002 When I started my vehicle in the morning the engine light was flashing and the vehicle was shaking. I contacted Volkswagen and they told me not to drive the vehicle as it has to be towed or more damage could occur. Well, the vehicle was towed and again I was told that there was another bad Ignition Coil they had to replace. All went well with my vehicle until December 31, 2002. The vehicles' engine light started to flash again and shake. So again the vehicle was towed, this time to a different dealer. When the tow truck driver arrived he told me that he tows so many passats for the same problem. Well a week went by and I was told by this dealer that two Ignition Coils went bad. They also told me that Volkswagen knows that they have a problem with the coils, but only allow them to replace the one that goes bad. I was told to contact customer care. Upon contacting them, I asked them why if they knew of a problem with the coils, why wasn't the Passat recalled, which they couldn't answer. Oh but I did get a claim number to refer to. I also asked them who would be responsible for the repair cost once the warranty ran out. Get this, I was told that in that case I could always refer to my claim number and send in the repair amount to see if they would reimburse me. I couldn't believe it. Even when they know they have a problem. Well, thing went well for 6 days when the same problem happened again, and the vehicle had to be towed again... Wouldn't you know it another bad Ignition coil... I could see maybe one time, but four different times.. Com'on Volkswagen!!!!! I bought the Passat because I thought that Volkswagen's were reliable, I was wrong. I do think some kind of action should be brought against Volkswagen for not telling the owners of the vehicles that there was a problem, and for the headaches they cause us owners.. |
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File a complaint at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain/complaintsear- ch.cfm This one of the few ways we can get back at VW for ignoring this issue. If enough of us complain, the NHTSA will pressure VW to issue a recall. -Craig |
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This is just terrible. I've been on the fence between a Passat Wagon and a Subaru Outback, and although I really like the way the Passats look, I just can't in good conscience buy one after reading all this. NHTSA has about 65 similar complaints for 2002 MY's, and 7 so far for the 2003's. Carreview.com has about 200. How the hell has this slipped under the radar for Consumer Reports, who considers the reliability of the Passat to be above average? I'll be interested to see how they rated it in their car issue for this year. |
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