Problems with 2003 Volkswagen Passat ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while pulling out of the driveway, the contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. the low coolant warning indicator illuminated and an abnormal beeping sound was heard while driving various speeds. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and it was diagnosed that the coolant leak was due to an engine failure that was not repairable. the dealer was not contacted for diagnostic testing or repairs. the manufacturer was not informed of the failure. the failure mileage was 124,675. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing belt needed to be replaced. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14e007000 (engine and engine cooling). the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Engine lights come on. car at times start shaking - not consistently though. took it to shop: found out ignition coils misfires. this has occurred 4 times in a 2 year time span. the most recent 2 being a month apart. the most recent incident burned almost all of the spark plugs. did research and this website describes my situation perfectly: http://www.vwproblems.com/trends/ignition-coil/. *tr

Fuel supply line began leaking at mounting point on firewall above catalytic converter. break/crack in line was significant and posed a high probability of fire, as any fuel leak, but substantially more so due to the location above the catalytic converter. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. the contact also stated that the vehicle emitted a noise in which it sounded like it was low on fuel. the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was not under recall. the manufacturer also stated that they were not responsible for repairs. the failure and current mileages were 113,008.

Owner drove the 2003 volkswagen passat (2.8 v6 engine) home and parked it. he came back out to the driveway approximately 2 hours later and found the vehicle smoking. small fire at right front floor pan/minor melting of dash plastics caused by heat from right side exhaust pipe/catalytic converter. heat shield melted, rubber body plug ignited and consumed, carpet just above body plug was charred. car just had right side catalytic converter and pipe replaced. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat has had recurring problems with ignition coils over the past two years (have already had two replaced at personal expense, as they were not under recall/warranty) most recent issue with such has occurred the past two weeks, beginning with the appearance of the check engine light along with periods of my vehicle running very rough (a "rumbling" type sensation, particularly when idling/while stopped) this soon escalated into a total loss of power while driving on the freeway the other day, which necessitated in me having to abruptly pull onto the shoulder, smoke came out from under the hood for a minute or two. took my passat to a local repair shop the next day, where they read the error code(s) for my check engine light---turns out there are 10 in all, 1 for each cylinder in my engine (i have a v6), 3 for each ignition coil, and 1 general engine code. this will be the third time i have dealt with this issue in a very short time frame. i will be calling the dealership first thing in the morning but i do not believe there is any recall/warranty out for this issue still. i am very upset and displeased with vw and their lack of reliability/credibility regarding this issue. it seems that it is quite widespread from what i have researched and read and i hope that something will be done about it soon, i cannot afford to keep paying for this and certainly cannot afford for the safety hazards of it to get any worse, im afraid an engine fire will be next!! *kb

Engine failure. *tt

I own a 2003 vw passatt 1.8l turbo. i purchased this car brand new, and have used fully synthetic oil for the entire life of the vehicle. from reading several forums on the issue i am going to report, i do not have a gold plated record of all oil changes and maintenance. i have changed my oil every 3000-5000 miles. two months ago, i was driving my car when the stop engine oil pressure light came on. i immediately pulled over and had the car towed to my mechanic, who is a master mechanic. the cause of the problem was the oil intake tube in the oil pan....it was completely clogged up and no oil was getting through it. i paid for parts and labor for him to make the repairs and it cost me $2500 dollars. i would like to be reimbursed for my cost, and find out what vw has done to cover owners for these repairs? thank you very much. *tr

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat with 77,650 miles with problems with the oilpump and engine problems that is unknown. the automobile will stall not start it hasn't been driven in over 6 months due to the rattling noise in the engine and i believe slugged is build up in the engine but since then i have replaced two oilpumps in the vehicle and the sensors. engine oil pressure failure and defective coils on each cylinder. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was driving approximately 55 mph when the oil warning light illuminated. the contact moved off the roadway and shut the vehicle off. the vehicle was restarted and driven a short distance before the failure recurred. the vehicle was later taken to the dealer for the failure and she was advised to call back and schedule an appointment. she stated that the dealer advised her that there was a warranty repair dealing with the oil sludge. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 125,600.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat w8. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably causing difficulty in the steering. suddenly, the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the engine stalled while attempting to drive onto the emergency lane. within ten minutes, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive to an independent mechanic who informed him that the failure was related to the cam shaft and torque. the technician could not guarantee that the failure would not recur after the vehicle was repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 78,000. the vin was unavailable. updated 06/29/11*lj updated 1/13/2012 *ln *tr

Heater core plugs thus resulting in inoperable heating of the interior of the car. also causing a leak thus spewing steam and fluid into the interior of the car. with the windscreen receiving the steam and impairing the vision of the driver which may lead to an accident. *tr

The vw 1.8t engine has know sludge issues that lead to engine failure. when the engine fails the driver looses all power functions associated with the vehicle. this includes steering and brakes. this is exactly what happened to me and i was lucky enough to be in the left hand lane and was able to pull over and park. had this happened when i was on an interstate it could have been a completely different outcome. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated the timing belt could not be adjusted. the check engine light illuminated because of the timing chain failure which also caused damage to the ignition coil. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated the timing chain was designed to be a lifetime timing system and could not be adjusted. the contact was unable to register the vehicle because the check engine light was on. the contact spoke to the manufacturer who stated the only thing that can be done is to replace all four cam gear adjusters, control solenoid housing, adjuster bolts and timing chains, the valve cover gasket and seals, torque converter bolts, exhaust gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, injector seals, chain cover, chain tensioners, rear main seal and the throttle body gaskets. the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

Catalytic converter heat caused fabric material behind silver reflective liner on passenger side to catch and hold a smolder and flame causing damage to the structural body panels and melting some plastic components. fire was extinguished by using a chemical fire extinguisher and remaining smoldering components had to be extinguished as exposed manually. caused grass to catch fire and left smoky residue. *tr

2003 vw passat wagon 1.8 t sludge issue stop engine light came on at 88,683 miles indicating oil pressure is low and vehicle should not be driven. has not yet been repaired/replaced: oil sludge low bar pressure $1792. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was driving approximately 65 mph when the accelerator pedal became stuck in the depressed position. the vehicle was pulled over and shut off. upon restarting, the vehicle operated as normal. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they were unable to diagnose the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure recurred intermittently. in addition, when driving approximately 65 mph the oil pressure light began illuminating on the dashboard. the vehicle was pulled over and towed to an independent mechanic where it was repaired. the failure persisted so the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the head gasket would need to be replaced. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure mileage was 96,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

The check engine light on my vw passat 2003 with only 60 k miles came on while i was driving and as a result of that the thermostat and the oxygen sensor had to be replaced. the car mechanic was is an independent vw mechanic and he was of the opinion that at such mileage such malfunctions should not occur in this car. *tr

Driving at 65mph and oil pressure light comes on -takes us 15 minutes to find a safe spot to pull over- get car to dealer -'sludge " in the engine- regularly serviced car for 7 years. *tr

My 2003 passat has 104,000 miles and is currently being fixed due to oil sludge in my engine. 2 years ago my mechanic warned me of this issue; however, a faithful volkswagen owner i decided to keep my car and faithfully change my oil every 3,000 miles while the owner's manual say every 5,000 miles. friday, january 15, 2010 i found myself stranded off the highway, on a trip, due to oil sludge. i am firm believer in taking care of your car and feel as though this is a volkswagen issue. it seems as though there are several issues with this and volkswagen and would like for an action to be considered. *tr

Had my ignition coils in my vw 2003 passat go out. went to auto repair had repairs done at 340.00. 2 months later got letter of recall for exact problem, letter said to send in receipts for reimbursement. sent forms, followed up with call and got check this week...for 78.00. called # on form and they said they refund what the us average cost would be and in this case that was it. i went back to the dealer to ask them and they said they would have done the repairs for 320.00 and that i was being ripped off. after talking with the recall agency and being put on hold 4 times they said that was it and all i would receive. *tr

I purchased an 03 vw passat from a vw dealer as a certified pre-owned vehicle back in 2/07. within the first week of purchase i had brake problems. the next couple years were followed by valve cover leaks, engine leaks, auto window problems, battery problems, recall issues, water intrusion issues, ignition coil recall and the list goes on. after a water intrusion just days after the replacement of faulty ignition coils i contacted the manufacture notifying them of the problems. the manufacture had held their foot to the ground that my car is out of warranty (that i was told at time of sale i did not have) and so they are able to do nothing about any of the problems with this vehicle. however as it stands i have nearly $3000 in repairs needed to this vehicle. not to mention the water leak/damage from what i understand may actually mean my vehicle is considered a total loss at this point. i have expressed to the manufacture that i am concerned for the safety of myself but my small children as well ever time we are in this vehicle. among the several things that are potential to occur while i am driving i also worry about the potential for mold exposure from the water damage. due to cost i am unable to get any of this corrected and can not afford to go thru my insurance only to be told that it is a manufacture issue and so i am stuck. i feel that at this point i am driving around in a safety hazard and don't know what to do. every time i receive a replay from anyone i just end up back at the same place....contact the bbb, etc. i am getting no where and don't know what to do therefore am looking into any and all resources so any information would be useful. thank you for your time. *tr

2003 vw passat spontaneously combusted in the garage of our home. there are no events of concern leading up to the fire. the car had been parked in the garage since 5:00 pm on january 9, 2010 and the fire was discovered at about 3:00 am on january 10, 2010. a noise from the car alerted us and upon looking in the garage there were flames coming from the engine under the car. the fire totaled the car and caused over $100,000. damages to the structure of our home. the cost to replace and repair contents is not yet known. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated the vehicle started to make noises while driving 40mph. he stated that the oil function light also came on. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and they stated that they have seen this before and should take the vehicle to the manufacturer. the contact took the vehicle to the manufacturer and they refused to repair the vehicle because he didn't have all his records for the oil changes. the failure and current mileages was 96,000.

My 2003 vw passat 1.8t has the well documented sludge issue that thousands of vw/audi owners are experiencing. initially i had to have the car towed b/c a gasket was leaking oil into the spark plugs, and my engine coil pack was bad. i paid $700 to repair and replace the parts. 80 miles after leaving the mechanic shop, the oil light and stop engine lights came on. towed the car again; no oil pressure. collected all of my maintenance records and took them to vw to get approval of the warranty issue before letting them "confirm" engine sludge ($500 diagnosis fee for dropping the oil pan). if the issue is engine sludge, the engine is a lost cause because the low oil pressure starved the engine head for oil. the vw dealership is waiting for my money before they'll diagnose the engine sludge- which you can see in the engine head with your eyes. vwoa has issued an extended warranty, unlimited mileage, 8 years from sale date, to owners with all of their oil change/maintenance receipts. yet, despite the "effort" by vw, they deny all the claims i've researched- saying everyone was irresponsible with their maintenance- no one took care of their engine. loopholes left and right to blame the consumer, while we sit powerless to get our cars back on the road. yet, this issue leaves me with no car. all of us "sludge" owners are left with cars dead on the side of the road, all with the same problem and vw turning their heads the other way. *tr

While driving or idling, an engine warning light appears telling the driver to stop immediately due to no oil pressure. this can happen at any time. the problem is due to a known issue by vw of oil sludge buildup. the consequence is the engine will seize up and need to be replaced along with but not always including the turbocharger. vw has extended the warranty to 8 years unlimited miles for those engines, but unreasonably requires production of all oil change receipts for the entire history of the car. *tr

My 2003 vw passat was having problems with coils and valve covers. my car caught on fire! luckily the fire went out about 10 minutes after i stopped the car! i can't believe this happened! is there anything i can do? are there any recalls out there?! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 55 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to a side road. a technician from the dealer stated that the engine needed to be replaced because of an oil/sludge problem. no repairs were made. a representative from the manufacturer stated that they would not provide her with any assistance. the current mileage was 84,167. the failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

Vw issued a voluntary safety recall for replacement of the underbody heat shield on my 2003 passat wagon. (open campaign: 26e5/r5). i took the car to the local dealer to address the recall but was told my car could not be serviced without potential damage to the flexible joints behind the catalytic converter. both joints were said to have small fractures in the metal and braided steel. i was told that the heat shield replacement required the exhaust line to be dropped via the flexible joints and that they could be broken in the process. if damage to the joints occurred, the charge for the parts (excluding labor) would be $1500 and that the full bill for parts/labor would be my responsibility. because of the excessive cost, i was not able to have the heat shields replaced. i am concerned about the potential safety hazard for continued use of the vehicle without addressing the recall. i would like volkswagen to be responsible for the full cost of replacing the heat shield up to and including the replacement of the flexible joints, should that be necessary. *tr

Heater core has failed (plugged up) at just over 90,000 miles. over $1200 to replace; may burst hot fluid through vents into passenger compartment if not replaced soon. currently the smell in the car when running is very strong of radiator fluid. *tr

Our 2003 passat wagon (4 cyl 1.8 engine) had a fire in the engine last week. after driving about 20 minutes and parking, my husband noticed the check engine light and then smoke coming out from under the hood. he opened the hood and saw a fire in the engine. he was in a parking space and drove it a block to a service station, where the mechanic put out the fire with water. the fire had started in the ignition coils (which had been replaced in 4/2003, before the recall) and would have required the replacement/rebuilding of the engine harness. our insurance company declared the car a total loss. *tr

2003 vw passat heater core had to be replaced and vw america refused to do it at no cost. *tr

I purchased a 2003 volkswagen passat from flow motors of greensboro, nc. the vehicle was certified by volkswagen with a two year 24,000 warrant. the engine blew when is was 260 miles over or outside the warranty. the cause of the engine blowing was due to oil pressure and the lack of oil pressure in the engine. my wife and three year old were driving back from washington, d.c. to greensboro and broke down in lynchburg, v.a. the service manager at terry's volkswagen in lynchburg towed the vehicle in to their shop and looked at the engine. they reported that a cam bolt snapped in the engine which caused the oil pressure to cease and in return caused the engine to blow. they told me that a cam bolt should never snap and this was a product failure. flow motors retrieved the vehicle and denied any responsibility for the product failure and recommended i put a new engine in the vehicle at the cost of 6,500. i replaced the engine and a couple of months later had to replace a cooling flange at 300.00 and after that a vacuum hose at 300.00. before replacing the vacuum hose there was a leak in my back floorboard and had the vehicle in at flow motors on two occasion but they could not locate the leak but still charged me 50.00 to look for the leak. i've had to cut the carpet out of the back floorboard because of mold. volkswagen broke my hood support bar and also refused to cover the expenses to pay for that. when the vehicle's engine blew my wife called me immediately to tell me the engine light was on. i told her to pull over immediately and she did. when she came to a stop the engine cut off and would not start back up. the engine had just over 91,000 and can't accept having to replace the engine when all the maintenance was kept up. terry volkswagen says the cam bolt snapped and stated that should never happen on a vehicle with only 91,000. i have complained to volkswagen, the bbb, and currently am speaking with an attorney. *tr

Apparent engine oil sludge problem. the oil light came on with a warning to stop the engine. the car is currently in the shop awaiting evaluation of the extent damage. i purchased the car used and have no record of the previous owners maintenance. i maintain my own vehicle therefore do not have receipts to prove each oil change according to the schedule. vw recommends changes every 5,000 miles; i changed it every 3,000. *tr

I have had my 2003 vw passat for 7 months now and have already had it in the shop 3 times. right after i bought it used from a vw dealership the turbo went out. i had to pay for that. i then drove the car about 150 miles for a tournament and when almost there a light came on saying to stop and turn off the engine. took it to vw dealership and it was covered by vw. it had something to do with sludge from oil. got it back and 3 days later a light came on. it was the mil light. i took it in to the vw dealership. still waiting to hear what the problem is this time. i have now had my oil changed 3 times in 5 thousand miles due to repairs. it has been one thing after another with this car so far. *tr

Dealer refuses to fix recall unless i accept responsibility for any damage to aftermarket parts occurring while replacing heat shield on exhaust system. there is a potential for fire if original heat shield is not replaced. recall r5, criteria 1. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that a new pair of rare brakes failed on her vehicle after 14,952 miles. she usually gets over 36,000 miles on a pair of brakes. she stated that the brake pads failed and damaged the rotors. the contact feels that the pads are defective and should have lasted longer than 14,000 miles. she also feels that the dealer should cover the cost of the new pads. the current and failure mileages were 95,100. updated 04/21/09. *lj the serpentine belt was cracked, the power steering fluid was low, the vc boot and hood strut was replaced.. updated 04/21/09.*jb

Car missing a getting bad milage ...same car does not run well and caught fire by turbo 2003 passat vw 1.8 liter turbo. *tr

9/2002 purchased 2003 volkswagen passat 1.8 turbo. 2005- 48,000 engine failed due to sludge. towed to commonwealth motors santa ana, ca after 2 mos installed new oil pump, we each paid half even though it is a known design flaw with oil pump. 2007 same thing happened( but i was away and car towed to local garage) mechanic stated that no warranty would cover problem. estimated 95. final $2,569 to replace oil pump and turbo picked up car in march 2008, in dec 2008 engine failed again towed to mesa west who suggested dealer should be called. dealer accepted responsibility on phone since they had done original repair, 4 months later car needs new engine is still at dealer. oil pump cannot process properly. vw aware of chronic problem but won't stand by product unless all receipts from oil changes are available. car need $6000.00 of work and dealer doing nothing to assist regardless of promises made. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. on two separate occasions, once while driving 50 mph, the contact made a sudden stop and the engine shut off. on the second occasion, while driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled. on both occasions the vehicle immediately restarted. the dealer informed the contact that the failure would have to repeat itself in order for them to diagnose the vehicle. she was advised not to restart the vehicle and have it towed to the dealer. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 80,000.

The heater core tubing in the car disintegrated at about 18,000 miles. this resulted in the check engine light appearing, coolant leaking into other parts of the engine department,and the fumes from the coolant in the passenger compartment. at this time the vehicle was under warranty, so i took it to the volkswagen dealership. they replaced the purge valve (about an hours work) and returned the car to me. i took the car back two more times for the same problem before the warranty ran out and the dealership performed the same service. the coolant leak became significantly worse (i began adding coolant every 3-4 days) at around 82,000 miles and the fumes from the coolant in the passenger compartment became very strong. i took the car to another repair shop and the mechanic discovered that the tubing from the heater core had completely disintegrated and the heater core needed to be replaced altogether. i have seasonal asthma associated with allergies and inhaling the fumes from the coolant has made the condition worse. i am currently having the vehicle repaired at a cost of approximately $1200. *tr

I was driving about 55 on the highway when i saw smoke coming out of my vents i stop and open the hood and notice my car had caught on fire from the left bottom side. *tr

I have owned 3 vws and have always made sure to stay up to date on scheduled maintenance. recent knocking noise in engine lead us to take the car in for a repair at which time we were informed that we had a major sludge problem and it would cost me $6900 to replace the engine. *tr

At a stoplight car began to shake and sputter, i made it home with the car shaking the entire time. had to replace coils. have broken down twice and had to have car towed since then and replace coils. not too mention the other several times coils were replaced without the car actually breaking down. due to the coils constantly going bad caused the catalytic converter to go bad, which had to be replaced may 2011 along with the coils and o2 sensor. but two months later the engine light was on again, once again due to the coils. they were replaced, and engine light on again. they told me it would void the warranty on the converter due to the issue with the coil packs! the car now smells like it is burning when only driving for 20-30 mins. had to get a emissions waiver from the dot for 2 years due to the problem since it wouldn't pass inspection. there is obviously a problem with more than just the coil packs themselves. they have been replaced a dozen time, yet there is still a problem. it seems to me that the whole housing unit for the coils need to be replaced along with the wires, too prevent fire and other problems with the cars. *tr

My oil pressure light came on. i was driving on a mountain, and there was no where to pull over, so i had to keep driving. the engine locked up and the car lost power. i was able to steer it off onto a shoulder. i have also been burned my the heated seat when the wiring overheats, and it has both shocked and burned my skin. *tr

Driving on i-87 upstate ny around albany in the fast lane about 80 miles an hour the car completely lost power. we pulled over quickly to the grassy area between the highways. we heard a sound but it might have been from the road when we pulled off or a backfire? the car was completely dead. we called 911 and a sheriff arrived soon and told us how difficult it would be to get back on the highway with traffic going 90-95 miles an hour. we had to get into the fast lane. we drove a little on the grassy area to see if the car would work. with great difficult and tremendous fear we managed to get onto the highway. we were then able to drive to nyc without problems in the slower lanes. no lights or sounds came on to warn us of the loss of power. this happened about 6 weeks ago as we were approaching the williamsburg bridge in manhattan but going at a much slower speed. we pulled over and had to restart the car. we have had the recalls from vw but not a recent one that may have come out in may. it seems like it could be a fuel tank issue. i will be taking it back to vw in brooklyn in two weeks to have them look at it. they have told me that since i did come in and get all the recalls that it could not be that. i am afraid of this car and only have about 27,000 miles after 5 years. it is a 2003 passat turbo wagon. it was a hot day on june 8th and when we turned on the car the temp out side light said 101 degrees. *tr

I was pulling out of my apartments when my car lost all horse power and pretty much sputtered then died; i was left exposed to traffic on a busy road. then, i was towed to the vw dealership where i was told that my ignition coils failed and that in turn ruined my oxygen sensor and catalytic converter. all these had to be replaced by vw at my cost. the mechanic told me when i was being towed there he already knew what it was because they go out all the time. doing further research it seems many people have the same problem. *tr

I purchased a used 2003 vw passat 1.8t wagon in 2006. it worked perfectly until the warranty ran out at 75,000 miles and a number of issues occurred that i found out are know issues with this vehicle and issue. first the engine coils started failing and needed to be replaced. i ended up replacing four of them and then vw issued a recall but only covered a fraction of what it cost to replace. then the stop turn engine oil pressure light started coming on and i found out that the 1.8t engine has a known design flaw that leaves this engine susceptible to creating oil sludge even with routine maintenance. vw issued a warranty extension for this engine and issue because they know it is a design flaw but will not fix the issue unless you show them a complete record of all oil changes. i maintained this car routinely but do not have all records millions of owners of this vehicle are now stuck with a dilemma of spending a lot of money to fix something that vw knew about and should have fixed. vw needs to be held accountable and made to repair this issue for vehicle owners regardless of a complete maintenance record, because it is clear that this is an issue even with complete maintenance. *tr

I purchased a 2003 passat and have been in for two coils, engine light, back hatch lock broken, fuel pump but the most important one thus far was when i told them my oil pressure light came on two days prior and they told me it will cost 4000.00 to fix it because the engine is full of sludge. i would produce receipts for services that i actually do regularly every 3-4 thos. miles or three months. however they informed me from vw of america that 99% of the people have to pay for it because their receipts don't meet the requirement of the mileage of the services. they state that it must be done prior to 5 thos. miles but the book states every 7 thos. miles for services to be done. when i bought the car they didn't tell me that i should use the expensive filters/and synthetic oils when servicing the car. is everyone '!@#$% out of luck on them covering this. and once done what prevents it from doing it again? i am getting rid of this asap and never buying another vw ever! i will spread the word about buying a vw to everyone i know. *tr