2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Structurebody Problems

THE PASSAT IGNITED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AT 4:00 A.M. IT HAD NOT BEEN STARTED/DRIVEN IN A WEEK. WE WOKE TO THE SOUND OF THE TIRE BURSTING. THERE IS A HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT /ARSON CASE # [XXX] - PHONE # [XXX]. INSPECTOR [XXX]. HE SAID THE IGNITION AREA OF THE CAR WAS THE START OF THE FIRE. I THINK HE WAS ARSON DEPARTMENT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. WE ARE LUCKY WE DID NOT LOOSE OUR HOUSE AND NEIGHBOR'S IF WE HAD NOT HEARD THE TIRE BLOW. I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE OF THE MILEAGE BUT KNOW IT WAS LOW FOR THE YEAR AND THINK IT WAS BELOW 90,000...UPDATED 05/02/16 *BF INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I NOTICED THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WATER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CARPETING. I CHECKED ALL DRAINAGE LOCATIONS FOR BLOCKAGE (I.E. PLENUM, SUNROOF). ALL WERE CLEAR. THE WATER FOUND IT'S WAY INTO THE VEHICLE BY WAY OF A FAULTY (DISINTEGRATED) SEAL BENEATH THE POLLEN FILTER HOUSING. THE CAR HAD 92,000 AND WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. HOWEVER, I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE ACTION P9/66C8 APPLICABLE TO MY VEHICLE FOR WHICH I WAS TO BE NOTIFIED BY VW IN 2008. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR AND RESIDE IT THE SAME ADDRESS SINCE 1978. THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD DIRECTLY TO ME BY A VW DEALER BRAND NEW IN OCTOBER 2004 AND REGISTERED TO ME AT MY HOME ADDRESS. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION NOTED ON THE P9/66C8 INCLUDED DIRECTING THE DEALER TO "INSTALL AN IMPROVED SEAL FOR THE POLLEN FILTER". I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER...

POWER TRAIN ISSUE: BAD TORQUE CONVERTER (TC). WHY A SAFETY ISSUE? IT CAN FAIL WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY SENDING DEBRIS INTO THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. CAUSED BY A BAD SEAL GASKET. TECHNICAL BULLETIN # 2011908 ADDRESS THE ISSUE IN 2007. BUT THE TDIS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE TB [SAME TC & TRANSMISSION], AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN MANY VW, AUDI AND BMW VEHICLES, INCLUDING TDIS. E.G. VW & AUDI: HTTP://KANSASCITYTDI.COM/AUDIPASSAT-P0741-17125-CODE/ BMW: HTTP://FORUMS.BIMMERFORUMS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1601642 WITH A P0741 ERROR: DTC RESULTS: 17125 P0741 003 TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH CIRC. PERFORMANCE OR STUCK OFF INTERMITTENT IF YOU DO A WEB SEARCH FOR: P0741 ERROR CODE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER THE RESULTS ARE STARTLING, IT SEEMS THAT VW, AUDI AND BMW ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH TCS, "MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE INTERNAL TC SEALS WERE NOT UP TO THE TASK ON THE ORIGINAL TCS OF THAT ERA. ...INCLUDING AUDI". HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWPOST.PHP?P=3036384&POSTCOUNT=5...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED WHENEVER IT RAINED, WATER BEGAN TO BUILD UP ON THE FLOOR BOARD BEHIND THE DRIVERS BACK SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

WE HAVE A 2002 AND A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT SEDAN AND WAGON. BOTH HAVE SUFFERED MOTOR MOUNT LEAKAGE AND BOTH HAVE BROKEN WATER PUMP DISPELLERS. WE HAVE REPLACED THE WATER PUMP PARTS AND ARE SAVING UP TO REPLACE MOUNTS ON BOTH VEHICLES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WEAK PART FOR VOLKSWAGEN. WE ARE CONSTANTLY GOING TO GET SOMETHING FIXED WHICH IS NOT A TYPICAL REPAIR FOR AUTOMOBILES FROM OTHER COMPANIES. *TR

2004 VW PASSAT 4-MOTION PASSENGER VEHICLES ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR A DRAINAGE CLOG RELATED TO THE SUNROOF. THIS CAN OCCUR EVEN WHEN THE SUNROOF IS IN THE DOWN OR CLOSED POSITION. THE LEAK WILL CAUSE WATER TO POOL IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FLOOR AND CAN CAUSE MOLD AND A VERY SMELLY AND POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITION FOR THE COMFORT AND BREATHING OF ALL PASSENGERS. HAVING ATTEMPTED REPAIRS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT VW IS ADEQUATELY ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM; IS ATTEMPTING TO MINIMIZE OR CONDUCT SUB-STANDARD REPAIRS; AND ARE RETURNING VEHICLES WITH MOLD TO CONSUMERS WHILE STATING THAT THERE IS NO MOLD. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW THAT CANNOT BE FIXED. *NM

WATER COMING INTO FRONT PASSENGER SEAT RESULTING IN DAMAGES TO THE TCM (TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE), WET CARPETING, AND RUST UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE TRANSMISSION MODULE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE NOT ABLE TO SHIFT INTO HIGHER GEAR, AND DELAY ACCELERATION. THE TCM AND CARPETING WAS REPLACED.