NHTSA Complaint #10138929 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

DT: 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, AND IT STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAD IT FOR 77 DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONTACT TWICE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED A COIL PACK, SPARK PLUGS, AND FOUR BRAKE LIGHT BULBS. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE WAS READY, HE PICKED IT UP AND DROVE 3 MILES AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. HE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CONTACTED TECHNICAL SUPPORT, WHO TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK FOR THE ELECTRICAL GROUNDS. THE DEALERSHIP THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE ON A TEST DRIVE AND IT STALLED AGAIN. THE FACTORY SERVICE ENGINEERS SAID TO PUT EVERY ELECTRICAL WIRE ON THE CAR THROUGH AN OHM TEST. ALL OF THE WIRES CHECKED OUT, AND NO OUT OF TOLERANCE RATINGS WERE FOUND. THEY TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO CHECK THE IGNITION KEY ADAPTATION, AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM FOR PROPER FUNCTION. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THEY FOUND NOTHING DEFINITIVE AT THAT POINT. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS THAT WAS REPLACED AUGUST 8, 2005. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PICKED UP ON AUGUST 10, 2005. THE CONTACT WENT ON VACATION, AND 175 MILES LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN ON THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP; THEY FOUND 20 FAULT CODES IN THE ENGINE COMPUTER. THEY REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP ON AUGUST 25, 2005. THEY ROAD TESTED IT AND IT STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS TRYING TO GET VOLKSWAGEN TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ARE STILL WORKING ON IT. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOW GOING TO REPLACE CYLINDER HEADS. *AK IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS THE PROBLEM AND THE REASON WHY THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM THE FIRST SEVEN TIMES WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE RELYING ON THE COMPUTER TO DISPLAY CODES. UPDATED 01/11/06.*JB