I have a VW Passat 3.6 and am always having an issue with the parking brake. Currently I am unable to get the parking brake to release and don't know why. This has been going on for several months and the only place I go to get it serviced is Volkswagen. On about 5 different occasions the brakes would not engage nor disengage.

- West Columbia, SC, USA

Volkswagen 2006 2.0T Passat has a defective steering wheel lock that is very dangerous. I know of numerous Passat 2006 drivers with the same problem. It is unsafe and this should be recalled. Thank god I was not driving when it occurred. It is very expensive to fix and I am just out of the warranty. It is unfair and unsafe. It has happened to so many Passat drivers. Please do something. The car was difficult to tow because everything is locked up on the car, couldn't put it into neutral, all wheels were locked, brakes, etc. The service person at the dealership said that the keys are not being read by the car and the steering wheel column needs to be replaced for over $1300. I can not afford to pay for this especially since it is a VW defect.

- Miami, FL, USA

The vehicle I have the problem with is a 2006 VW Passat 3.6L 55,000 miles. The vehicle is equipped with an electronic parking brake. On Dec 27 2008, I was driving on the highway aprox 60mph and the electronic parking brake was engaged instantly without warning and cause me to loose control of vehicle, spin 180 and I got hit by an SUV driving behind me on the same directional lane. After the incident I try to move the vehicle from the travel lane but the wheels were still locked. After trying to disengage the parking brake several times I dragged the vehicle of the side of the road and turn off the engine. After trying several times to disengage the parking I was able to do it and leave the scene driving on the shoulder until I exit the highway. The vehicle that hit me left and because I had minor damages and I decide not to report the incident to the authorities. Immediately I contact the local dealer and VW of America and informed them about the situation and open up a case #80411298. I drove the vehicle to the local dealer located in naperville il and after 7 days the technician said: Was nothing wrong with the vehicle and they can't explain why the parking brake was engaged at the highway speed. After doing a research on VW forum called VW vortex, www.vwvortex.com, I found out the same thing happen to other VW Passat owners. The reason I'm writing you is because this is a safety issue here and I should say I was very lucky because I did not get hit by a heavy truck, I did not get injured or maybe killed. As of today the local dealer don't know what to fix on this vehicle and they want me to pick up the car because they said it?S safe to drive. I think you should intervene and analyze this issue and maybe we can find a solution quick before someone gets injured or maybe killed. Please fell free to contact me on my email address or my phone number at anytime I can assist with more details. Thank you very much.

- Naperville, IL, USA

Parking brake will not release. Has been serviced three times for this issue. Had to have car towed first time. The other two times I waited a while and tried again and the brake did release. Had to have the entire brake replaced. Also, parking brake engaged by itself once. Fortunately it happened when I was turning the car off and not while I was driving.

- Ashland, OH, USA

I bought a car brand new and ever since 1700 miles it's been having electrical problems. First it started with windows not wanting to roll up, they'd roll down first then up. My radio was stuck on loud and would not turn off or down or change radio stations. The parking brake (electrical) engaged on me while I was driving on the freeway, a hose came undone at 18K miles on the freeway and caused heavy convulsing. The steering wheel lock randomly had "errors", the airbag has "errors", the transmission downshifted very rough which made me jolt in the car and started making my neck sore. For every incident my car has been to the dealer to be fixed, they fix the problem and a new one happens a week later. I am a valet and other VW owners say the same things happen to their cars. So I know I have a legit complaint here.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

When the car is traveling approximated 2-10 mph, the automatic transmission accelerates and brakes as the automobile bucks a few times. Their is a loud thunking noise and then goes back to normal. From time to time the car gets stuck in 2nd gear, which forces me to pull over and restart the engine. Windows are supposedly automatic up and down, but don't work properly 50% of the time. Rear back speaker plays intermittently. When parking and shutting down engine, the emergency brakes turn on and off. The engine key is getting stuck in the ignition. Overall issues seem to be electrical or computer related. I have taken back to dealer twice in the last 6 moths and the problems keep building.

- Oxnard, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Passat. The contact stated that the push key becomes stuck and the gears must be shifted in order to correct the failure. Also, the emergency brake failed to operate properly, and the vehicle's interior smelled like rotten eggs. On April 9, 2007 the vehicle was brought to a dealer for a diagnosis. The current mileage was, 10,000 and failure mileage was 9,000.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

Electronic parking brake would not release. I had to call roadside assistance to walk me through how to "deactivate" the parking brake.

- New Glarus, WI, USA

Emergency parking brake malfunction. By pushing the button for the parking brake, you are not able to release it when you press your foot on the brake pedal. It appears locked and unable to release.

- Aliso Viejo, CA, USA