10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
14,457 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Volkswagen Passat electrical problems

electrical problem

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2001 Volkswagen Passat Owner Comments

problem #20

Aug 182005

Passat 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,300 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At approx. 74,300 mi. Our 2001 VW Passat gls V6 automatic had an ABS failure. We purchased the vehicle new from a VW dealer in 2001 and have it serviced by VW dealers. Other VW owners I have spoken to (some while in the service area of the dealership!) have also had ABS failure. The ABS unit is back-ordered and wait listed because so many have failed and been requested. I am on my 4th week of waiting for the part, after having to pay for it in full up front. This is a very expensive part: Rebuild kit is $650 while the unit itself is approx. $1,100. I believe this part suffer chronic failure among VW's and Audi's. I also believe the ignition coils should be recalled as mine are failing and so many others are failing.

- Oakdale, CA, USA

problem #19

Aug 152003

(reported on)

Passat

  • miles
Ltr re his dissatisfaction with the way NHTSA handled situation re opening an investigation on defective ignition, ... failure of the ignition coils in certain 2001, 2002, and early 2003 Audi and VW of America vehicles. Refer to 10011100 and 10022428. All of the ignition coils were replaced prior.

- Boise, ID, USA

problem #18

Jul 242003

Passat 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 9,900 miles
Owner of a 2001 Volkswagen Passat. After driving vehicle and parking car will not restart. Has been taken to dealership 3 times; replaced electrical relay and problem still continues.

- New Hyde Park, NY, USA

problem #17

Jan 132003

Passat

  • 32,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ignition coil failure. ****dimsii IVOQ entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****770843

- Charlottesville, VA, USA

problem #16

Jan 162003

(reported on)

Passat

  • 16,041 miles
VW authorized the dealer to replace one of the four coil packs on the car, though failure of these coil packs are a known problem. With the increased probability that any one or all the remaining three coil packs might fail at one time, I cannot rely on this vehicle for long trips or night driving. **dimsii IVOQ entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**770856

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #15

Apr 282003

(reported on)

Passat

  • miles
Consumer was dissatisfied with NHTSA's response to senator larry craig in reference to the defective ignition coils in this vehicle, and questioned why the defect was not a motor vehicle safety issue, ES03-001397/S/brenner. Mr scc....

- Boise, ID, USA

problem #14

Mar 282003

(reported on)

Passat 4-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The consumer requested to have the ignition coils replaced even though the vehicle did not experience a failure.

- Boise, ID, USA

problem #13

Feb 072003

Passat 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 41,000 miles
2001.5 Passat gls 1.8T the coil pack fouled and caught the coil on fire. Had I not opened it up and removed the valve cover along with the coil pack itself, the car would have went up in flames. I feel sorry for those who dont know much about cars. This is an ongoing issue with VW coil packs. VW claims that if they go bad you can still drive it to the dealership. I dont believe this to be a safe idea.

- Carrollton, TX, USA

problem #12

Jan 312003

Passat

  • miles
Concerned with defects on ignition coil.

- Lexington, MA, USA

problem #11

Jan 272003

Passat 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 27,000 miles
Failing coil pack in 2001.5 Volkswagen Passat

- Sterling, MA, USA

problem #10

Jan 112003

Passat

  • Manual transmission
  • 17,900 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

VW Passat 2001 1.8T ignition coil failure. This happened at high speed, and could potentially have been a safety hazard, as the car lost power suddenly.

- Charlottesville, VA, USA

problem #9

Dec 022002

Passat 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,500 miles
Failed coil pack

- Lido Beach, NY, USA

problem #8

Jan 202003

Passat 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,000 miles
Multiple problems with the 2001 VW Passat. Problems began at 16000 miles and have continued up to the current date and mileage of 33000 miles. Car has been seen in VW service department 11 times since November 2001. Lawsuit has been filed against VW America.

- Millersville, PA, USA

problem #7

Dec 202002

(reported on)

Passat

  • miles
While diving the vehicle at 45mph suddenly loss power due to a faulty coil dealer has been notified.

- Beaver, PA, USA

problem #6

Apr 012002

Passat 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,000 miles
Re coil packs. VW has supplied the cars with defective coil packs that can fail without warnihg at any time.I had one failed at 18000 miles. The other three can fail at any time. Can't take the car on long trips without taking a chance of a coil pack failure.don't know what would happen at highway speeds if there was a failure. VW needs to recall the cars and replace these defective parts. And if you are unlucky enough to have a failure you can wait for parts for months and in turn not have anything to drive.

- Richboro, PA, USA

problem #5

Dec 022002

Passat 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,500 miles
Failure of ignition coil pack. Very rough idle, loss of power, stalling. Car is at dealership over 2 weeks still awaiting parts to repair. No definitive time schedule given by dealer or VW of America as to when parts will become available and repair can be made.

- Lido Beach, NY, USA

problem #4

Oct 092002

Passat

  • miles
Consumer has had four recurring ignition switch problems.

- North Smithfield, AK, USA

problem #3

Nov 152002

Passat

  • miles
No summary.

- Chestnut Hill, MA, USA

problem #2

May 182002

Passat

  • miles
A check of the Volkswagen forum shows this is a common occurrence.

- Tigard, OR, USA

problem #1

Sep 202001

Passat

  • miles
This vehicle has broken down 4 times within 11 months with the same problem. The car lost all power and the epc light came on. Each time it needed to be towed to the dealer. The dealer keeps claiming they fixed it, but after 4 times I no longer feel safe in this car. I am pursuing the lemon law currently. I commute a very windy highway for work and should the car break down with the problem again I could be killed. 4 times is too many for the dealer to say it's fixed. I have no confidence that this car is really fixed. They have fixed the electronic control unit 2X, the pedal 3X, and then the entire wiring harnes once. Since they keep replacing the same parts over and over I have no way of really knowing that the problem will not occur again.

- Soquel, CA, USA

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