13 of the 348 complaints about the 2004 Volkswagen Passat are about the glass, mirrors and wipers — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 68,000 miles.
13
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE PLASTIC CLIPS HOLDING THE WINDOW IN PLACE BROKE AND WINDOW FALLS DOWN. IT COSTS $350 TO REPLACE THE $1.50 CHEAP PLASTIC PART.
NHTSA complaint #10557528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
THE DRAIN COMING DOWN FROM THE SUNROOF APPARENTLY BECAME CLOGGED CAUSING THIS VEHICLE TO SHORT OUT...HORN BLOWING, ALARM SYSTEM GOING OFF, ETC. THE WATERPROOF BLACK BOX, WHICH IS UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS SEAT, WAS FULL OF WATER AND THE COMFORT CONTROL BOX WAS ALL BURNED. THE DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR IS SOAKING WET AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DRY IT OUT FOR 6 DAYS NOW. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE WHILE OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER CAR. PLEASE ADVISE.....
NHTSA complaint #10459849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY
ON 1/28 12:30PM, AFTER AROUND 5 MINUTES AFTER DRIVING OUTSIDE MY GARAGE ONTO HIGHWAY WA-202, THE WINDOWS TURN VERY STEAMY. IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES, WE TRIED HOT, AIR, AND AC. RECYCLED AND NOT. IT JUST BECAME WORSE AND WARM STEAM COMES OUT OF VENTS AND COMPLETELY BLOCKS SEEING INTO FRONT. AND MY WIFE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND YOUNG DAUGHTERS FROM THE CAR SEAT IN THE BACK SEE STEAM ALL AROUND AND CANNOT SEE THROUGH WINDOWS EITHER. THIS DAMAGE ALMOST TURNS INTO A DISASTER ACCIDENT FOR MY ENTIRE FAMILY ON THE STATE HIGH WAY. MY PASSAT GLS HAS BEEN CAREFULLY MAINTAINED AND PROTECTED IN THE FULL GATED GARAGE. NEVER WATER DAMAGE WITH IT. WE ARE GENUINELY LOOKING FORWARD A FAIR SOLUTION OR TREATMENT FROM VW. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US FOR ANY DOCUMENT YOU WANT.
NHTSA complaint #10445769 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DISCOVERED WATER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE SUNROOF WAS DISENGAGED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE UNDER AN UNKNOWN RECALL CAMPAIGN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING AN ABNORMAL JERKING SENSATION WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SOILED CARPETING AND NOTICED EXTENSIVE WATER DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION MODULE, WHICH WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE JERKING PERSISTED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED UNTIL THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,000. UPDATED 1/19/2010 *CN UPDATED 01/27/11
NHTSA complaint #10357896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
I OWN A 2004 VW PASSAT. THE WINDOW REGULATOR WENT OUT IN THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE WINDOW DOES NOT GO DOWN WHEN THE BUTTON IS PUSHED. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO OWNS A 2002 PASSAT AND HER PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATORS KEEP BREAKING ALSO. SHE HAS HAD THEM FIXED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I HAVE NOT YET FIXED MINE.
NHTSA complaint #10311376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
SPORADICALLY THE REAR WINDOWS WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE WINDOW UP/DOWN SWITCH, THEN LATER WITHOUT TOUCHING THE SWITCH THE WINDOWS WOULD OPEN OR CLOSE. THE DEALER FOUND A CHEAP PLASTIC COTTER PIN TYPE INSTRUMENT CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO CHECK OUT THE REPAIR SINCE THE DEALER HAS MY CAR GOING ON 3 WEEKS FOR TWO OTHER ISSUES (TRANSMISSION SURGE AND ENGINE LIGHT/P0101) FOR WHICH THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10288796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
IN APRIL 2008 MY 2004 VW PASSAT SPONTANEOUSLY DEVELOPED A CRACK, GRADUALLY LENGTHENING, IN THE WINDSHIELD. I REPLACED IT WITH AN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WINDSHIELD, AND NOW, IN MARCH 2009, THE WINDSHIELD HAS AGAIN SPONTANEOUSLY DEVELOPED A LENGTHENING CRACK. IN NEITHER CASE WAS THERE ANY CHIP OR "DING" OR ANYTHING SUGGESTING ANY IMPACT OF ANYTHING INTO THE WINDSHIELD.
NHTSA complaint #10261759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY
MY LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT LIGHT KEPT CHIMING IN MY CAR EVEN THOUGH THE DOOR WAS SHUT. I RECENTLY TOOK MY VW PASSAT TO A DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A $400 COST. THE WIPER MOTOR THAT BROKE, WAS LEAKING FLUID INTO THE LOCK, WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. I NOTICED RECALLS FOR THE SAME PART IN NEWER MODELS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT.
NHTSA complaint #10251443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
MY A/C BLOWER MOTOR WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO AND MOST OF THE TIME WHEN IT'S HOT IT DOES NOT BLOW. THE BLOWER MOTOR WILL START ON IT'S OWN SOMETIMES DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. OR IF I GO THROUGH A CAR WASH (DRYING CYCLE WITH THE BLOWER) IT WILL START UP. I HAD IT AT 2 VW SHOPS AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10246294 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DROPPED INTO DOOR PANEL WITHOUT WARNING APPROX 11/2 YEARS AGO - WINDOW REGULATOR BROKEN. NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO DOOR OR WINDOW SUGGESTING A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. SIX MONTHS AGO CAR WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WAS NOT OPENING OR CLOSING COMPLETELY. PRIOR TO CHECKING TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED WINDOW REGULATOR WAS GOING BAD BUT CLAIMED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH WINDOW UPON INSPECTION. OCT 17, 2008 SAME FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW DROPPED INTO DOOR PANEL. WINDOW REGULATOR BROKEN JUST LIKE OTHER. $450 MIN SERVICE. VOLKSWAGEN CLAIMS ITS BAD LUCK NOT A RECURRING PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10245829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES HAVE A SPECIALIZED ATTACHMENT AND ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH VOLKSWAGEN NEW CAR DEALERS. THE BLADES ARE ALSO EASILY BENT BY SNOW BRUSHES, SCRAPERS AND THE LIKE. THE DIFFICULTY AND INCONVENIENCE OF OBTAINING REPLACEMENTS OF THIS CRITICAL SAFETY PART CAUSES VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AND AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF WRECKS. THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT IS THE APPROXIMATE DATE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW FROM VOLKSWAGEN.
NHTSA complaint #10206934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
2004 VW PASSAT. I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON THE FREEWAY AT 75 MPH WHEN I HEARD A SUDDEN LOUD CRASH AND BREAKING GLASS, SOME OF WHICH FELL INTO THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND IDENTIFIED THAT THE SUNROOF HAD JUST SHATTERED. GLASS FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE SUNROOF WAS IN LITTLE PIECES ON TOP OF THE HEADLINER. THE REMAINING RIM OF GLASS IS PRESENT, BOWED SLIGHTLY UPWARD BUT ALSO FULL OF LITTLE CRACKS. WAS IN A REMOTE AREA OF HIGHWAY, NO HOMES, BUSINESSES, OVERPASSES PRESENT. NO TRUCK TRAFFIC ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ONE CAR 300 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. I SAW NOTHING IN THE ROADWAY OR IN THE AIR. WHEN I GOT HOME I CAREFULLY EXAMINED THE ROOF (FINE LAYER OF DUST) AND THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO MARKS. THE PLASTIC SURFACE OF THE TOP OF THE HEADLINER PANEL ALSO HAS ABSOLUTELY NO MARKS ON IT. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED AND DOES POSE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AS GLASS FRAGMENTS FELL INTO THE CAR EVEN WITH THE HEADLINER CLOSED. THE DEAL HAS ADVISED I WILL NEED TO BRING THE CAR BACK ON MONDAY FOR THE MANAGER TO EXAMINE ALONG WITH POSSIBLY A REPRESENTATIVE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. IN BUSIER TRAFFIC OR IF HEADLINER HAD BEEN OPEN THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR PASSENGER INJURY DUE TO FLYING GLASS.
NHTSA complaint #10170827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
VOLKSWAGEN PASSATT 2004. VEHICLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE DESIGNED WITH A GROOVE IN THE RUBBER THAT HOLDS SNOW AND ICE AND CAUSES ICE BUILDUP ON THE WIPER. IN SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN THE WIPER SURFACE CANNOT CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN AN OBSTRUCTED WINDSHIELD. THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY. VOLKSWAGEN WAS CONTACTED AND DENIES THIS DESIGN FLAW EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #10052651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.