I wish I have done more research on this car before buying it three years ago. It is positively the most unreliable car I've owned. I'm 65 and have owned quite a few. The low oil light came on and before I could pull over the engine began to make a rattling sound and began to fail. It's in my driveway now leaking coolant. I haven't had it checked out yet but I've had so many problems with the cheap plastic lower engine parts(all have been replace over the past few years) power window failure and transmission failure that I may just junk it and cut my losses. I'm finished with VW/Audi and let as many people as I can know about what my mechanic calls the end of quality from this manufacturer.

I brought this 03 Passat in 2010 from used car dealer paid $8000.00 in cash for it.Had no problems with it only the heat didn't work but they fixed it right away.Then in march of 2011 my immobilizer stopped working, took it too the VW dealer cost me $600.00 to have that fixed.Got it out of the shop then two months later my struts and shocks fell, didn't take it back to dealer because they would charge me an arm and leg, took it to Precision Tune which cost me $1500.00. they changed the oil pan as well.Got it out of the shop & once again it seemed to be working okay until one day I was driving on a busy intersection and it started stalling then just cut off completely. this guy had pulled over to help me move it out of traffic, when we got to a safe place he opened the hood to look at it for me and said that i need some new valve covers because i had oil leaking all over my wire's.So right now my car is in the shop at a local dealer. he fixed the valve covers but said it still is having a lot of loud noise and seems as though it hesitates to stay running. so now i have to take it to the VW dealer because this dealer doesn't know too much about this particular problem with VW.This problem is driving me out of my mind. I'm thinking about selling it for whatever i can get it for it because I'm putting too much money into this damn car.I'm thinking i may need a new engine,going to get it diagnosed tomorrow. is anybody having the same problem with this damn car.I really love the car but don't have the money to put in it.

The Passat I own is again at the mechanic as I type! It's always been one of several issues ...for the last 3 years. The red letters spelling the words STOP TURN ENGINE OFF and often I am unable to pull over and stop, which is also quite dangerous. I have had the car checked out. Engine diagnostic service costs $100.00! This is my first complaint but I have documentation regarding all the $$$$$$ spent on this car in the last 3 years!! In addition, I will be documenting additional complaints of past problems.

my 2003 Passet 1.8 turbo has been nothing but problems for the past 10,000 miles ... started with the door lock system, to the brakes now it's the damn low oil pressure chime and light... dealer says its most likely the oil pressure sending unit for $170.00, or oil screen is backed up with carbon build up for $1,300.00- 1,500.00....... now that i look all this up i see this is not just a problem with my car but has happened to most all of them, for being one of the top rated cars it sure is a real piece of crap.....

Engine oil lamp came on. VW said do not drive with this condition.150 miles from home, car was towed to a VW dealer. Repaired to the tune of around $4000. Dealer claims oil pump was weak along with the water pump missing some teeth. VW will not cover this under warranty. What is the difference if there is sludge or the oil pump does not provide the proper pressure? Oil changes done every 5000 miles along with larger filter, to no avail. I think this should be covered if not completely at least partially. VW has lost all their credibility with me. What can I do?

Like many others...same problem here. STOP car now message for low oil pressure. Checked oil level and was fine. Had car towed to dealership who said oil pump might be covered under 8 year extended warranty by VW because of the number of complaints on failed oil pumps/engine seizing problems. Did oil changes every 5 thousand miles using synthetic oil. Show VW all the receipts and they still refused to reimburse me the 1,100 to replace oil pump and oil pick up screen. Had car towed to my local mechanic. Due to number of high number of incidents for this problem...I will be contacting an attorney and meeting with supervisor at VW to help protect myself if something more serious happens.

bought the car 2008 c/o Mitsubishi trade center on finance still paying been off road since may 09 a sad lost tried complaining to garage but informed nothing doing trade garage shut down late 2008 .went main garage dealers no responsability to the car .finance company said it was my job to maintain the running so in all very cheesed off ive foot the bill bought the parts let down by a few mobile mechanics due to nature of work .i have started stripping the front end . my self and friendly trainee mechanic having a go to restore it back to life

I bought the Passat used from a dealer and was thrilled with it. I drove it for about a year, putting 10,000 miles on it. Had the oil changed at the dealer when it was time. Basically babied the car.

Last week my wife was driving 100 miles from home when the stop engine oil pressure light came on. It was 9 degrees out and she had our two kids with her. A one year old and seven year old.

She pulled off the highway and the kid at the gas station she found checked the oil. Smoke came out of the engine when oil cap removed. He checked it and found it was very low.

Added two quarts and she was on her way. For a mile. Finally had car towed to dealer. Sludge. I hate VW. I hate the dealer. I swear to God I am going to tell every person I ever meet this story and try my damndest to persuade them form buying a VW.

Also, just for fun, the dealer claims we voided the warranty when she added oil to the car. Instead she should have turned off the engine immediately, and the ability to heat the car, and sat on the side of the road with two small children in nine degree weather until a tow truck could arrive.

So I had this dreaded problem and was worried Vw wouldn't fix it. With 112000 miles we got our oil changed one day and the next we got a flashing STOP engine message. I thought it was related to our oil change only to find out sludge was blocking the oil pick up tube and potentially other problems. I took it to Leith VW in Cary NC with receipts from 4 oil changes over the past year. I've owned the car since march 08 (86,000 miles to current 112,000 miles). The service manager took all my paper work and sent it to vw warranty. 2 days later I got a call that my car was fixed at no charge. This was totally unexpected! VW does stand behind their product, hopefully some of you have the same experience I did!

I HAVE A 2003 PASSAT AND WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME A LIGHT CAME ON THAT STOP ENGINE CHECK OIL PRESSUR. HOWEVER THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPEN. IT DID IT THREE YRS AGO WHEN THE CAR WAS AT 74,000. I ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS WHEN IT FIRST HAPPEN. OF COURSE VOLKSWAGON FOUGHT TOOTH AND NAIL NOT TO PAY FOR IT BUT I WON IN THE END. tHEY SAID THE OTHER PERSON WHO OWNED THE CAR BEFORE ME MUST HAVE NOT KEEPED UP WITH THE MAINTANCE ON THE CAR.

NOW THREE YRS LATER IT HAPPEN AGAIN. I STILL HAVE NO CLUE HOW MUCH IT IS GOING TO COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE MORE I READ IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS NO SOULATION EXCEPT BUY A NEW CAR. IN MY CASE THAT IS NOT AN OPTION.

WHEN I MADE A COMPLAINT TO VW THEY TOLD ME I NEED TO USE SYNTHIC OIL. WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT IS ALL I USE THEY WERE SPEECHLESS. SO SWITCH THE OIL TO SYNTHIC WILL NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM IT JUST DELAYS IT. I CALLED A LAWYER AS WELL ABOUT THE LEMON LAW WHEN I HAS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE CAR. SINCE MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRENTY THE LEMON LAW DOSEN'T APPLY TO ME

In April 2009 my stop engine light came on, I took it to the vw dealership and was told that the stop engine light did not come on when they had it in there possession. I said ok can you give me an oil change. They gave me a oil change. On June 27, 2009 while taking a trip with my family to Maryland the stop engine light came on and before i can pull over i heard a bang sound and the car was smoking. I opened the hood of my vehicle and my car was on fire. When i took it to the dealership in Maryland he advised me that it was low oil pressure and the valve stem exploded threw the engine block and it would cost me 6,000 to 8,000 dollars to fix.

When i first got a vw vehicle i was excited, i thought it was a beautiful car, now i would never by another car for vw again. I am out of a car that i only had for one year and now i have to find a way to get back and fourth to work. I am now looking for a dependable car,a car that i can go out of town and dont have to worry about anything anymore. I don't recommend a vw to anyone. I also had to pay 260.00 for a rental car to get back to New York.

My STOP ENGINE light came on followed by the low oil pressure light. I took my car into the shop where they replaced my low pressure switch. 2 weeks later the light came back on and my car completely shut down. I had my car towed back to the shop that claimed to fix the problem and they said I need a new engine. $5500.00 for a salvaged engine with 50,000 miles. I contacted CarMax who sold me the car. They said there was nothing I could do, but they wish I would have been encouraged to buy an extended warranty considering VW came out with so many engine problems in the time frame that my car was purchased. I have had the car for less than 2 years. Still making payments, and yet I have no car. My job is as a marketing director where I drive everyday. This has been terrible and I WILL NEVER EVER RECOMMEND VW'S TO ANYONE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I PLAN TO POST HOW TERRIBLE THEY ARE ON EVERY SITE I CAN FIND! NO ONE SHOULD BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF LIKE THIS AND IT SEEMS THAT ALL OF US HAVE! VW IS A SCAM!!!!!!!

Check Engine/STOP Engine NOW light and ratcheting sounds required that I stop the car/engine on a rural road (Kern Canyon) at 5:30 am. Called AAA and had it towed to Family Motors in Bakersfield. They called me and said it was an "Oil Sludge Problem" and would cost me over $1800 to fix and Oh by the way you need this that and ---. Total was $3300. I asked them how they knew it was an oil sludge problem nd were they sure the engine was OK. They said they checked and it was a sludge caused problem that caused the oil pump to break. a day later they called again and said they pulled the pan and that there were metal shavings and the entire engine had to be replaced at a cost of $7200. I believe this is BS and that there is a real problem here that VW is ignoring. Sludge is their stock answer - there is NO WAY "sludge could have been a problem here because we have diligently used the required synthetic oil from the day we bought it new. I believe that the engine oil pump is deficient and breaks apart no matter what oil you use. VW should cover repair and/or replacement of all "BS OIl Sludge" or engine failures caused by oil pump failure. VW is leaving Die Hard VW lovers out in the cold - Literally! This was the last VW I will ever own. I bought my Wife a brand new Acura instead - a very nice dependable car.

I've have always used synthetic oil in my car from day one, and had the oil change ever 3-4k miles. the 4 times that this car 03 VW Passat oil pressure light has comes on- each one costing me 1100.00 and extremely rude treatment at local VW dealers around Phila area. The worst was YBH and Fred Bean, accuse me of not changing the oil regularly, and refused to repair the cost unwarranty. I handed them the paperwork from all my oil changes. Prior to this I've purchased 5 VW's first in college. The 96 VW Jetta prior to this had electrical issue and caught fire. My VW Passat recently had the the notorious "STOP ENGINE" light come on and when transported to the dealer -I was again informed, the oil pump needed to be replaced out of pocket. This time however I parked this car and bought a new Lexus. In short I'm done with VW.