8.3

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$590
Average Mileage:
128,050 miles
Total Complaints:
7 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
  2. do not buy vw or audi, worst cars ever expensive repairs, (2 reports)
  3. engine flush (1 reports)
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2002 Volkswagen Passat:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #7

Feb 152017

Passat 4 Motion Wagon 2.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 155,343 miles

On my way from Canada to Michigan in the middle of the night in a snowstorm and just what I needed, My dash lit up telling me oil problem stop immediately. Not taking any chances I got it towed to the closest shop and got a hotel for the night. In the morning the mechanic called and said the car is a write-off. Engine is completely destroyed. Oil sludge had built up around the pickup line and choked the motor. They estimated a new engine would be between $4000-$8000 and the car is not worth fixing at the high mileage. Unsure of what to do I called a buddy who had a truck and trailer and was willing to come across the border to pick me and my car up. I got the car home. first thing I did was use seafoam to blow the sludge out. that did not work. I then asked my buddy to help me drop the oil pan so we can get to the pickup line, sure enough, black tar sludge everywhere.We were able to blow the sludge away and changed the oil using expensive synthetic oil. Car ran great after that haven't had a problem since. I suspect part of the reason the oil because sludge is I'm guessing the previous owner used regular oil instead of synthetic. Anyways, just some hope to all the Passat owners struggling with oil sludge. it is possible to get it resolved for a couple hundred bucks.

-Cheers

- its josh, St Thomas, ON, Canada

problem #6

Feb 252011

Passat GLS 1.8L Turbo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,650 miles

THE DREADFUL OIL PRESSURE LIGHT HAS SHOWN ITSELF, I WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED THE OIL SENSOR, LIGHT CAME BACK ON. OIL LEVEL IS WERE IT SHOULD BE, I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS A SLUDGE PROBLEM OR A SHORT IN THE ELECTRONICS, THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING PERFECT FOR NOW, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT FOR 2 WEEKS AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED, THE MOTOR SOUNDS OK. HAS ANYBODY EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM??? IN CLOSING FROM WHAT I HAVE READ FROM OTHER VW OWNERS, VW SHOULD PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS WARRANTY OR NOT, THE 1.8L TURBO IS A VERY POORLY DESIGNED ENGINE, I FEEL FOR ALL OF YOU IN THIS MATTER. TIME TO GO TO HONDA DEALER, GOOD LUCK EVERYONE. P.S GOOD THING THEY DON'T MAKE AIRPLANE ENGINES.

- glicky, Granada Hills, CA, US

problem #5

Nov 032010

Passat GLS 1.8L T

  • Automatic transmission
  • 160,000 miles

DO NOT EVER BUY VW OR AUDI, WORST CARS EVER MADE, WORSE THAN KIA, THEY ARE PIECES OF SH*T, ENGINE CANT LAST, MADE IN GERMANY BUT THE PARTS ARE MOSTLY MEXICAN, BAD ENGINEERING, THEY COMPLICATE THINGS TO MUCH, RESULTING IN MORE BREAKDOWNS AND RETARTED SENSORS, MY ENGINE WONT START, ENGINE PRESSURE LIGHT WAS ON, HAD TO CLEAN OUT, WASH, AND REBUILD THE WHOLE ENGINE, BIGGEST PIECE OF SH*T EVER, THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN F*CKING RETARTED FUC#ING GERMANS MAKE CARS WITH MEXICAN SCUMBAGS, WHERE IS HITLER WHEN YOU NEED HIM TO KILL THESE RETARDS, VW WERE GOOD LONT TIME AGO, THESE NEW ONES ARE PIECES OF SH*T, BETTER BUY ASIAN OR AMERICAN CARS.

- garo616, Grand Rapids, MI, US

problem #4

Jul 052010

Passat

  • Automatic transmission
  • 108,335 miles

I just got my car in Feb. and from the start I had problems. I had the heater go out on me, than the coil acted up. Now of all things, the STOP motor Oil pressure light is on.. I called the Volkswagen place and they told me all I can do is have an engine flush. They said I need a car fax to get the 8 year warrenty.. Oh my god!!! I had the engine flushed in July of this year and it worked for 2 months. I did it again today which is Sep. 2nd, 2010 it hasn't turned off yet.

I don't know what to do, I got a lemon. I never thought a nice car could have problems like this.. I want to drive it in the lake. I have to pick up kids and now I don't have a reliable car... Someone please help by either telling people where the lawsuit page is, or helping get the problem fixed!!!!!!

- Shelley R., Lumberton, TX, US

problem #3

Aug 092010

Passat Limited 2.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 219,965 miles

click to see larger images

stop oil pressure light on

I went for vacation to abroad, and the car wasn't used for one month. and the oil was new before going for vacation. and after receiving this thing, I changed again with the filter as I'm always doing.. and I'm using high quality high performance oil all the time (Castrol or Total 20/50w), and for the first time it gave me that message with beeps couple times... Any solutions before going to VW dealer and spending hell of money... thanks to y'all

- Paul P., Washington, DC, US

problem #2

Jun 092008

Passat 1.8L T

  • Automatic transmission
  • 73,000 miles

It only gets worse!

The next year it's total engine failure.

- jaws, Johnson City, TN, US

problem #1

Oct 012009

Passat 1.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,000 miles

I bought this car from a autobroker about 8 months ago and have barely driven it since (< 3,000 miles). About 4 months ago, the Stop - Oil Pressure light came on and I stopped immediately and when I restarted, the light went off. I drove it for about 300 more miles and the light came on again and haven't driven it since. Since then, I've replaced the timing belt, had a tune up, and had the oil changed with synthetic oil. I am thinking about getting the oil pick up tube and oil pump replaced, but after reading other posts, I am wondering if flushing my money down the toilet would be a better idea. I would be willing to bite the bullet and shell out the money to repair it, if I knew the car would run for another 50K ... but from the sounds of things, that is not likely. I would be very interested in participating in a class action suit, if one is in the works. VW made a lemon with known design flaws and didn't recall the product like they should have and in the process screw all of their Passat customers.

- Caitlin M., Maricopa, AZ, US