My first week with this car and the brakes start to make the nastiest sound. It was as if it had no brake pads. I immediately called the dealership and asked them what was wrong with the car I suspected the brakes from the start. I had to take it in and they checked their site and it reported that on this model and year the cars came with a defect in the brakes. They had to replace them with new ones. 2 months later it starts up again. The bad thing is that VW never admits to their faulty cars. They set me up with high payments and wont help me with any of my concerns. The car is nice no doubt about it but why would I want to stay with a faulty car and high payments? makes no sense!

- Whittier, CA, USA

We recently purchased a brand new 2013 VW Passat from crestmont VW, pompton plains, NJ. The car drove extremely well for the first few weeks. Shortly thereafter, there were loud beeping and warning sounds from the dashboard control panel and the car started to lose speed. Upon VW suggestion, we took it to crestmont service dept. It appears there was motor oil spewing all over the engine. A week later there were loud noises emanating from the roof area every time the vehicle negotiated a bump in the road. Once again crestmont VW service dept. Examined the car and they determined the entire sunroof panel had to be dismantled in order for additional insulation could be added to the entire roof, to dampen the sounds during normal, cursory driving conditions. Bob gross, the service dept. Manager at crestmont VW has left me a detailed voicemail informing me that he received a tech bulletin from VW, notifying all dealers that there were plastic shavings left behind during the manufacturing process that caused the oil tank to rupture, resulting in motor oil to gush profusely, which can lead the car to stall and possibly the engine to cease. I have written to [xxx], GM for VW North America, and to [xxx], president and CEO of VW North America. Neither of them deny the claims. It is clearly evident this vehicle need additional scrutiny to rectify the inherent flaws, shortcomings and inadequacies that are prevalent from the lack of oversight during the manufacturing process. The sole operator of this vehicle is my son who recently turned 17.

- Wayne, NJ, USA

Driving my Passat turbo diesel on I-81 noted a loss in power; drove the car home (about another 3 miles) and noted a strange humming sound from under the hood. Next day the sound was still there, with a blinking glow plug light and the engine light was on. Spoke with dealer and car was towed in; two weeks later the car was back with a new turbo in it.

- Clarks Summit, PA, USA