vw recalls 800,000 cars
 

these guys need to get their act together in the electrical dep't. :thumbdown: https://www.cnn.com/2007/AUTOS/02/26/...all/index.html

budomove-

Before my wife got the Civic coupe, she really really really wanted the hard to get Golf GTi 2 door. But after reading all the horror stories on VW ownership, she changed her mind. We read that you can end up with a VW in the shop for over a month because the V-Dumbos can't get the parts. VWs are very attractive from a gizmo-factor standpoint, but what do you do in the USA when all that stuff starts to break? They should get back to the KISS method that made the original Beetles so nice.

CarloSW2

A guy I know has a Passat that came with a really great fault. One day he left it running to warm up, and came back just in time to find the seat heater melting through the fabric. Can't have been a year old at the time, so everything was covered under warranty. But still, how does that even happen? Paperclips instead of fuses?

Not just VW...
 

Precisely why I didn't buy a Golf TDi a couple years ago. I test drove one, I loved it, it got great FE, but further research found that the reliability factor wasn't worth it. I trust the reliability of a Kia more. But why??? We want to love these cars...

For years, many German carmakers have been plagued with electrical "Gremlins". V-dub's Audi cousin has a recent past of the same -- it's not if the electric windows will quit, but when. Just a simple switch and motor! Is Bosch to blame? Audi and VW have great cars, with problems. The brake light issue: a simple plunger-switch that opens the brake light circuit when the pedal is depressed, and closed when the brake pedal springs back into place. This is one of the simplest engineering facets. Did they spend too much time on making the decision to put cupholders in cars?

The Audi R10 TDI is a racing vehicle of heroic proportions -- fuel economy and durability helped it win the 12-hours of Sebring and placed well at the 24-hours of Le Mans. The orginal Quattro revolutionized Rally Racing in the early 80's and set the gold standard for many AWD vehicles to follow.

The same, IMHO, applies to MB and even BMW. Great cars, but not super-reliable. But if you just own one for less than 80K miles, your set. What happened to the simple days of the 2002 tii, and the late 70's Benz diesels. I guess you're right cfg83, you can KISS that goodbye.

RH77

Yeah, I owned a Passat for a relatively short time and had a few minor problems, but I heard so many horror stories that I decided to quit while I was ahead. Nearly all my problems were a result of a poor choice of plastic for the parts. Coincidence? I think not.

Problems I had:
Windows - Very common, 1) wires in doors hinge points are made out of the same things as the non-hinging wires. They get brittle (especially in cold), crack, work-temper the copper, and finally break off. I'm surprised there haven't been more fires. My fix was to replace the wires with very flexible speaker wire. 2) The window regulator is a recirculating cable that runs around plastic pulleys. Duh. Of course they break. My fix: ebay for used part. Oh and getting into the door was a small nightmare.

Water pump - Very common, plastic impeller broke. Had to pull the engine to get at it.

Serpentine belt tensioner - Very common, plastic pulley disintegrated. Had to replace the whole assembly for lots of $.

Shift linkage connector - Say it with me now: "plastic." Yeah, it broke and it was an odd little piece but the linkage wouldn't work at all without it.

I have no doubt the list goes on but this only my personal experience.

I figure they're saving a lot of money. You see, once burned, many people won't buy another one so VW can build fewer cars....and save money. :rolleyes:

I just don't understand why they're giving all that money to the $dealers' service departments. They pay for both warranty work and the horrible customer experience. Me buy a new VW? Fustigate me first.

The process of designing for a new VW model year is 1) rebadge an outgoing Audi design, and 2) replace as many parts as possible with inferior materials.

The Korean brands were the bottom of the barrel in reliability when they first came here. Now they're getting up there with the Japanese.

I was kinda excited to see the come back of the rabbit, since I am a former owner, that is till I looked at the EPA rating. 20/30/25 Huh?? :thumbdown:

Go old school. You can drop in any 8/16V I4, or a 24V with a custom tranny mount. A two decade window for scrap yard parts, and o.k. reliability depending on vehicle type/parts. If you want wing windows, go for the bolt through type... ;)

Where j00 at? We see rain once in a blue moon out here... Things don't really rust.

Geez, should I pipe up or remain silent?
My last five cars have been VWs, and all diesels. Were it not for misfortune and an errant stop sign runner I'd probably still be driving the first one.
Yes the dealer service network $uck$, that's why I don't use them any more. My sole purpose for the dealers is for parts. I look up the items on my own copy of the dealers electronic part catalogue and order them by part number.
The window issue noted above does not pertain to my Passat, it has a gear drive.
The door wiring issue noted above hadn't affected me until my present Passat, none of my other three had any of this tendency to become brittle and fail. I lost sound from a speaker, hardly a critical item.
The rust issues I had were related to inferior fit of non-OEM windshields and poor installation practices. My present Passat still has the original glass and zero rust.
So keep complaining and dropping their market value, I appreciate that because I don't sell mine. I just buy them with the intent of driving them forever, or until yet another stop sign runner writes off yet another one (two so far, hopefully no more).

For those of us who don't have to put up with deadly dihydrogen monoxide, it ain't too bad. :D
https://homepage.mac.com/hshires/pcthike/mojave.JPEG

More power to ya Lug_Nut. BTW, don't VWs always have lug-bolts? :D

my ex's older sis had to replace the entire engine and shafts on her 03 Golf GL... lol... and that was the beginning.... sigh.... they just don't make VW's like they used to...

I forgot my best VW Story...
 

Geez, I almost forgot...

OK, the best (or worst) VW failure I've heard of personally.

My wife's cousin had a late-90's VW Jetta Automatic. While she was waiting at a traffic light, all of the sudden ka-blooey!

The engine broke loose from its engine mounts and breached the cabin. The block actually came to rest inside the car, at the passenger-side footwell. If anyone was sitting there (including her young daughters), their legs would have been crushed. :eek:

Apparently, the dealer didn't act too surprised. Nevertheless, the vehicle was totalled and full new value was given by VW Corporate. There was a critical weakness in the engine mounts that only effects a certain lot. The number of cars and severity wasn't enough for a recall. Scary stuff. :thumbdown:

RH77

We have only had our 2003 wagon since new with a lifetime of 54.40 mpg over the 57,731 miles. I did get the seat burning issue. It was funny or not so funny really, I was driving home and smelled something odd, then felt a warm spot and immediately turned off the seats, got out and looked sure enough there was a pencil sized burn hole in the seat. Then I was wondering how I hadn’t really felt it and checked my bottom. It was exactly where my wallet was, burned a hold through my pants to my wallet. I did ask about being paid for my pants but they said no.

The bad part was I had called about a month earlier asking if I could just get the seat heater replaced but they couldn't until it failed. Now the seat doesn't get as warm :(

That is the only issue I have had with the car since we bought it and the only time I have ever had it in the shop. I have heard horror stories about some VW shops so I do everything myself.

My car does fall under this recall, but I am nervous about bringing it in to let them mess with it.

I would buy a VW again if that says anything.

So....if you buy a VW w/ heated seats your money will burn a hole in your pocket. :D

Sorry, someone had to say it.

Ba-dump, ching. He's here all week folks -- Silveredwings -- ladies and gentlemen -- put your hands together folks!

Next week he'll be appearing at the Ramada in Allentown, Pennsylvania...

:D

Honestly, you beat me to it...shux

RH77

When I worked at a shop a while back, I got the professional scoop on how cars are built and how often they break down and why.

General overview:

The US used to make good cars, but now they build them to fail around 80-100k. Toyota and Honda are now the two makes to buy if you want your car to run 200k+

Some cars just suck, always have certain problems, 4runners have this odd MAF thing, always...

But anyway, just to show you that patterns are noticed, on to VW:

While I was there a 2005 jetta had a water pump failure, took a full two days for one of the mechanics to completely disassemble the front of of the car to fix it...and for 10 hour days at 80 and hour (shop charge)...that's a big bill.

One of the first days I was there I worked on a Golf that had a bad fuel pump, it hadn't been done all day because no one wanted to work on it since it was in so often and was considered a cursed car.

I remember two golfs with phantom wiring issues throwing cels for problems or parts that never existed in the first place, lots of cursing.

I got stuck on a lot of VWs because no one wants to do them since they always take longer to repair than the book has listed for the average car (most jobs are under/around book)...

Out of any car that came in, the older mechanics disliked VW the most, because they're always there and aren't built to be worked on.

I had been a huge VW fan until then. They're still okay looking though, :p

I had a '76 Rabbit and something was always breaking on it. Valve seals, carb, head gasket, timing belt idler, alternator, shift linkage, and probably a bunch I've forgotten. I lost count of how many outer CV joints I put on.

Electrical problems are nothing new to VW. Beetles with early electronic fuel injection were usually greatly improved by being fitted with carburetors. Many '75 and '76 Rabbits had fuse panel failures because rain and (in winter) salty water dripped into the fuse panel from the antenna cable grommet (in the fender well, exposed to road spray). The only reason I didn't have this problem was the the car wasn't fitted with a radio from the factory. I installed my own radio and antenna, and didn't route the cable as the factory did.

With all its faults the Rabbit had a couple of things going for it. It was actually not bad to work on. And it was a blast to drive. Noisy, full of rattles and squeaks, but very spirited for an econobox.

In 1975 VW was well ahead of the economy subcompact pack, which was mostly front pushrod engines (some OHC), 4-speed transmissions, and live axles in the rear. I had a friend with a Saab 99 and the Rabbit was in some ways like a cheap version of the Saab.

Thirty years have rolled by and from what I can see VW haven't done much but make their cars hard to work on. They've also blimped out tremendously - a 2007 Golf (Rabbit, whatever) is bigger but it weighs 63% more than a 1975 Rabbit (Golf, whatever).

And they've gotten thirsty. Back in the 1980s, VW consistently had a car with the highest EPA mileage rating. They even (birefly) sold a Rabbit with idle stop, foreshadowing the Civic hybrid. Today they have nothing that even leads its class in fuel efficiency. I think I read recently that the Toureg made the list of 10 *least* green vehicles available.

While they rested on their laurels, the folks in Tokyo have more than caught up, and Seoul isn't far behind.

It's a sorry situation for VW but I guess they brought it on themselves.

The moniker is a reference to my prefered driving habits and desired engine rpm, not any description of a fastener.
'Lugging' is not possible when the engine has 82 lb*ft of torque from 700 rpm.

I see. :thumbup:

Jeese, guys, I'm on my second VDUB and I can't complain. My 2003 passat was just real nice. Loved the way it drove. It was getting a little long in the tooth, so we upgraded to a 2008 Toureg II. LOVE IT. Ya I know, it only gets 21MPG on the highway vs. the 32 I got with the Passat. But I could never take that Passat on mountain trails I've taken the Toureg on. So I'm satisfied with the increased cost for the utility gained. I do plan to implement some of the hypermilage tips though, like parking so as to pull out rather than back out, and other methods. I've already discovered that while climing steep grades I get better milage if I let it lug than if I down-shift to a lower gear.

Happy Driving everyone

The last complaint in this thread was over a year ago.

You're probably not really lugging anyway, just using low enough RPM for a little noise/vibration...
https://www.gassavers.org/showpost.ph...0&postcount=13

I really enjoy my VW, but I know they're not perfect. No big deal, you pay a little in the occasional glitch, and you get other qualities instead.