I purchased a 1997 Volkswagen Passat VR6 at checkered flag BMW in June 2004, and since have discovered that the electrical system is horrible. First, the air conditioner( A/C) quit working, then the airbag light came on, and the ac started working for a day, then blew a chemical cloud into the vehicle, while I was on the highway. My eyes were burning (as well as my face) for the rest of the day. Finally, I have already had to replace the battery, and there's a slow coolant leak. May I suggest that we remove all VW's from America's streets" they are a total menace to anyone who owns them! I went to checkered flag VW, to have it serviced, and they wanted to charge 89 dollars a problem, just to look, then they said I could trade it for a new one. Why would I want a new one" I don't need to trade an old problem for a new, more expensive one, I just want a reliable work vehicle, and I wish I had stuck to my guns and bought another Prelude. This thing will see the crusher when I'm done paying it off! four problems in not so many months. Only another VW owner would know that kind of frustration!

- Norfolk, VA, USA

I was driving my 1997 Passat when it started to over heat. The temperature gage rose very quickly and I immediately took the next exit off of the freeway ( 1/8 of a mile in distance). When the temperature gage reached 240 degrees my red dashboard light started to flash. I decided that I needed to pull over immediately. Within seconds, not minutes, I heard a loud pop sound, like an explosion. Steam shot out at myself and my daughter inside the car and we were sprayed with boiling liquid on our feet and lower legs. Visablility was almost zero from the spraying steam as I swerved into the nearest parking lot. I tried to come to a stop in the nearest parking space but I could no longer keep my foot on the brake pedal because my foot was being sprayed with boiling water. I threw the car into park and tried to grab the emergency brake, but we had already jumped the parking space curb and hit a large bush. The entire front inside of my car is damaged from water and coolant, and the front of my car on the outside has a dent and puncture in the bumper. The mechanic that came to my aid told me that the heater core had exploded. I don't know what would have happened if I had not noticed my car over heating, and I had still been on the busy freeway driving 55 mph when this explosion occured! repairs have not been made. The car is at a repair shop. I'm not sure what to do next.

- Pleasant Hill, OR, USA

My girlfriends 1997 VW Passat has a plastic coolant housing which failed. When failure occurs catastrophic lost of all coolant occurs in seconds when cruising at highway speeds.

- Buckeystown, MD, USA