VW Passat investigated for engine fire risk
Volkswagen keeps making it harder for their fanboys to defend their favourite carmaker. In the latest line of issues inflicting VW models as they drop out of warranty, the previous-generation Passat is under investigation in the U.S. over reports of engine fires. And for some reason, everybody disses Toyota for floor-mat recalls instead?
According to Autoblog, the fifth-generation 1996-2005 Volkswagen Passat “was afflicted by numerous mechanical maladies, including engine sludge and an issue with a heat shield that could contact the exhaust system and potentially trigger a fire in the engine compartment. In 2007 and 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted several investigations into the various problems that were reported, which later led to a recall to install a new heat shield and adjust fuel lines.”
The problems seemingly don’t end there. “Among the body of complaints that didn’t result in a recall were potentially defective ignition coils which could lead to stalling and/or engine fires. Now NHTSA has reportedly opened a fresh investigation into those ignition coil packs which have reportedly caused at least 10 fires in the past two years. Prior to the earlier investigation, there were 78 complaints of crashes resulting from engine stalls or fires.”
Up to 199,000 vehicles built between 2000 and 2003 could be involved if this investigation ends with another recall for the embattled VW Passat. Such a general recall would affect cars in the UAE and other GCC countries too.
Comments
Fahrer
“And for some reason, everybody disses Toyota for floor-mat recalls instead?”
Yeah, because 6 million vehicles (knowingly gone bad) is the same as 200,000 cars. WTF??
ROJ
If VW fixes their minor glitches like the one above and the reliability issues.. Then they’d probably be the no.1 carmaker in the world..
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
None of the allegations against Toyota have been fully proven. The majority of “unintended acceleration” cases were proven to be stupid people pressing the accelerator instead of the brake while panicking. The very public case of a cop and his family dying was due to thick rubber mats on top of regular mats. Misplaced mats can happen with any car. The American media hype made Toyota address faults that most would never notice. How many have experienced actual sticky pedals so far in THIS country?
Wall Street Journal: http://tinyurl.com/25oguto
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
^No, let’s start talking about AWD/FWD/4WD Chinese cars instead
vivek
@Fahrer: 6 million vehicles were only ‘potentially’ affected!! Moreover, the 6 million vs 200,000 ratio is nothing but a mere explanation of how many Toyotas and how many VWs are there on the roads! Furthermore, 300 cases amongst 6 million cars and 88 cases amongst 200,000 cars mathematically means, Toyota is still better than VW 😛
ROJ
obviously this is a conspiracy… Those Americans are doing what they do best.. Playing the instrument of media soo damn good.. Look at the bright side, this didnt end up with bombing and invading a random 3rd world country…
Big D
VW’s will burn your car in a run but not your house. I have turbo I go fast, you have stuck accelerator you still go slow. Aww sad.
Gigi
VW Passat (1996-2005)was and is one of the best production cars on sale.I knwow many vehicles with high mileage(350000+miles)with no technical problems.
P.S.:I live in a country with no highways an horrible roads,horrible fuels that is why the reliability of a car is almost imposible