4.0

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
30,076 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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problem #12

Jan 042024

Passat

  • miles
I'm having issues with the heat in my vehicle. There is no heat on the passenger side which also affects the visibility of seeing out the windshield because the defroster does not function properly. The original owner replaced the heater core somewhere around 40-45000 miles. I have owned 2 other vehicles of this model and had the same issue on everyone of them where the heater core was replaced.. This is more than a inconvenience it is a potential hazard not being able to see when the windshield is frosted or fogged up. It is a poor design and this needs to be addressed and investigated further. It's a bad time of year to have an equipment failure like this. There was no accident or incident but there is a potential hazard waiting to happen.

- Poland, NY, USA

problem #11

Dec 172021

Passat

  • miles
heater core getting clogged again, after multiple replacements, vwgoa will not perform recall because of other not related recall not performed. when heater core gets clogged three things happen, passenger side stops producing heat, windshield defrost does not operate correctly, and coolant lost due to evaporating and or leak into intercooler that can lead to engine damage

- W Sac, CA, USA

problem #10

Dec 012017

Passat

  • miles
2014 car. Dec 2017 heat has failed because of problem with heater core which followed failure of radiator in 2/2017. Replaced radiator in 2/2017 and heater core in 12/2017. 10/2019 heat failed again. Heat is insufficient to keep windshield clear in cold icy weather in northeast. Winter is hear again and heat is inadequate to keep windshield clear.

- Hackensack, NJ, USA

problem #9

Feb 142020

Passat

  • 54,720 miles
Poorly designed heater core clogs prematurely regardless of maintenance resulting in inability to defrost windshield before or while driving, especially in colder climates. This vehicle has had cooling system flushed at 3 years of age, well in advance of recommended interval and, yet as seen in multiple complaints on computer search still has clogged. 54,750 miles on a vehicle less than 5 years old that we cannot feel safe operating during temperatures below freezing due to likelihood of condensation from our breathing freezing on inside of the windshield.

- Liberty Township, OH, USA

problem #8

Dec 262019

Passat

  • 110,000 miles
Heater blows cold air. Does not allow for defrosting while driving.

- West Conshohocken, PA, USA

problem #7

Dec 012019

Passat

  • 74,990 miles
Vehicle stopped blowing air through outlets causing fogging of wndows and reduced visibility air blockage occurs while stationary and moving

- Greenville, TX, USA

problem #6

Nov 112019

Passat

  • 50,800 miles
The heater core becomes clogged due to excessive flux use in the heater core construction. Causing no heat output on defrost or through vents. Vwofa has acknowledged this as an issue and offers an extended warranty on the heater core, however, there is a 4-6 backorder on the replacement heater cores. This is dangerous when driving in winter conditions and coming upon freezing rain/sleet or snow this causes the vehicle to become unsafe to drive and potentially leaving you stranded in bad weather. Currently, vwofa is not offering any loaner vehicle while they wait for parts, making my Passat unsafe to drive in any possible winter weather conditions.

- Lees Summit, MO, USA

problem #5

Mar 012019

Passat 4-cyl

  • 26,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the windshield is separating from the frame. The vehicle was taken to hanlees hill top Volkswagen (3255 auto plaza, richmond, ca 94806, (510) 283-6300) and the contact was informed that the glue used to seal the windshield was defective. The windshield was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 26,000.

- Richmond, CA, USA

problem #4

Dec 022015

Passat

  • 19,000 miles
Backup camera/navigation/radio system system does not working in a consistent manner (camera works when it wants to-big safety concern, screen goes blank, etc.). radio/navigation controls are inoperable at random occasions while vehicle is in motion or even at a stop position. Radio screen goes blank even if radio is on and user is unable to control it for up to a few minutes. On 2 occasions, even after turning the entire car on and off multiple times the radio was on but all controls were inoperable and unable to turn off. Eventually the system became operable a few minutes later. Safety issue has been discussed with VW dealer and they stated VW knows about all the owner inquiries into this issue but it has yet to make a recall. My concern is that backup camera does not work as it should and therefore the safety feature that the vehicle came with does not function properly. This causes the driver to go in reverse with only the help of mirrors. If safety equipment does not work properly then it should be replaced. Second, when the system controls malfunction the volume and on/off buttons cannot be used and therefore driver is left focusing on how to fix this issue not on keeping their eyes on the road. As per my discussion both with the dealership service department and the customer service at corporate office, they admitted to the recurring issue for many VW owners but said it had not become a big enough issue or safety concern so there was not recall. My question is if system (backup camera/radio/navigation) is already a documented issue for many owners and does not allow a safety feature to work properly (backup camera) or can cause a distraction for a vehicle operator then why is not a recall. I purchased a brand new vehicle with the expectation that all equipment would work as described.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #3

Jan 012016

Passat

  • miles
Heater core clogged, reduced defroster performance due to decreased defrost air temperature causes decrease in visibility.

- Cameron, MO, USA

problem #2

Jan 082016

Passat

  • 25,000 miles
My car suffered a clogged heater core with 25K miles on the odometer. The result was low cabin heat and an inability to maintain windshield visibility using the defroster setting when outside temperatures dropped during winter. Symptoms occur when stationary or moving.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #1

Oct 242014

Passat

  • 400 miles
After owning the vehicle for approximately a week I realized what I thought was a slight inconvenience turns out to be a major visibility issue. I had noticed shortly after purchasing the vehicle that in congested traffic the interior rearview mirror causes blind spots. At first I noticed that this was blocking the upper sections of most sedan type vehicles. However on the date in question I was in major traffic there was a delivery truck with a higher road clearance. This vehicle began moving left into my lane. That is when I noticed that the interior rear view mirror was blocking my ability to see the tail lights and turn signal lights on the rear of the delivery truck. After noticing this issue I took greater concern when driving and looking at the visibility. Then on the 27th while driving to a local park the interior rear view mirror only allowed me to see about a small portion of their lower torso. The cyclist was in the bike lane just off my front passenger tire. This was still the issue when the cyclist was slightly ahead of my car. If the cyclist had signaled he was merging into my lane for the upcoming intersection I would not have been able to see the hand signal. Luckily because I know there is a blind spot basically in front my car I was able to avoid any incident. These issues would normally not be an issue as most rear view mirrors have both the ability to tilt (up, down, left, right) however also can be moved around two inches upward, downward, left and right. This is due to the ball joints at both the upper and lower (base) of the interior rear view mirror. However on a number of VW vehicles they do not have the lower (base) ball joint. Thus I am unable to position the internal rearview mirror to an appropriate location. Hopefully I can have this resolved before an accident occurs.

- San Diego, CA, USA