1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Electrical System Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHILE THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE AIR CONDITIONER UNIT, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

I HAVE HAD ONGOING ISSUES WITH ELECTRONIC AND EMISSIONS SENSORS FOR THIS VEHICLE AND RECENTLY SPENT $756.54 TO (AGAIN!) REPLACE SENSORS SO THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD PASS ITS ANNUAL EMISSIONS TEST (AS MANDATED BY THE EPA). I WROTE TO VW CUSTOMER CARE TO SEEK REIMBURSEMENT OF THIS (AND PAST) CHARGES AND WAS TOLD TODAY (7/13/06) THAT NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS WERE ISSUED, SO NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE. I TOLD THEM THAT NHTSA ISSUED RECALL 99V131 (WHICH ADDRESSES SOME OF THE AREAS) BUT VW TOLD ME THAT IT DID NOT APPLY, AS ALL REIMBURSEMENTS ARE VIN-SPECIFIC. CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP? THANK YOU. *JB

MY 1996 VW PASSAT HAS LOST ITS ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, VERY UNSAFE WITH NO BACKING FROM VW. *JB