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Electrical System
02/01/2007
VEHICLE VOLKSWAGEN 1997 PASSAT GLX - V6 ENGINE. FULL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER - SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, DIGITAL CLOCK... EVERYTHING ON IT, DOES NOT OPERATE WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 50 DEGREES. CAR MUST BE DRIVEN FOR 10MIN., OR ABOUT 8-12 MILES, BEFORE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RETURNS TO NORMAL FUCTION. CAR IS BEING DRIVEN WITHOUT FUNCTIONING SPEEDOMETER, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE MY SPEED AND DOES NOT FEEL SAFE. THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE, EXCEPT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD MAKE A BUZZING NOISE WHEN CAR STARTED AND TRIP MILEAGE WOULD RESET. THIS STARTED A FEW MONTHS BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE BEGAN. THIS PROBLEM GETS WORSE AS TIME PASSES, AS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PROBLEM OCCURS IN WARMER WEATHER NOW. PROBLEM USED TO OCCUR WHEN TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 35 DEGREES. NOW HAPPENS AT 50 DEGREES. *TR
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Visibility
06/04/2007
HEATER CORE FAILED- CLOUDING THE WINDOW TO A DEGREE THAT WE NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT BEFORE WE COULD GET THE CAR PULLED OVER.
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Electrical System
10/18/2006
VARIOUS ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING--WINDSHIELD WIPERS, LIGHTS, DEFROST MOTOR--ON A VERY DARK, RAINY MORNING, CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND A NEAR-ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER PREVIOUSLY WARNED OF 'IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE', BUT WOULD ONLY REPAIR AFTER FAILURE AND BEFORE 10 YRS OR 100,000 MILES. MY CAR HAS 100,600 MILES. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO BEAR THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS KNOWN DEFECT THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *NM
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Electrical System
08/13/2006
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE WHILE VEHICLE OPERATIONAL. SAME CONDITION WAS COVERED UNDER RECALL ON 1996 VW PASSAT MODELS, MANUFACTURER IS NOT OFFERING COVERAGE ON SAME BODY STYLE UNDER 1997 AND 1995 DESIGNATION. IMPACTED VEHICLE IS A 1997 VW PASSAT WAGON. *JB
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Visibility
05/10/2006
HOT COOLANT SUDDENLY STARTED COMING OUT OF THE VENTS AND CAUSED ALL THE WINDOWS TO FOG OVER. HAD TO PULL OF FREEWAY AND GET A TOW. NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. PROBLEM TURNS OUT TO BE A BAD HEATER CORE. HAD HEATER CORE BYPASSED BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *NM
