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'03 Passat W8: Torque Converter and Cam Adjuster Problem in last 10 days

152K views 155 replies 49 participants last post by  BIG DUB 
#1 ·
I've been reading this forum for years as I own an '03 Passat W8. Up until two weeks ago, this car ran like a top.
I had heard about torque converter and cam adjuster issues on this forum, but, never had experienced it in the 95K miles I've owned this car (got it new).
After a routine oil change (religiously kept to the maintenance schedule), a CEL code popped up that was translated to a Torque Converter service for ~$2.8K. Always one to hold cars unless it is financially no longer viable, I decided after consultation with the service manager and the mechanic to do this service.
Upon pulling into their garage, the car began a slight vibration (just slight) and another CEL code popped up, but, I did not have a reader available to see what the code was (dealer had cleared the previous one). I asked the dealer to check the code and consult with me once they reported to me what that code was. They never did.
After 5 days, I received a call that the car is ready, but, the CEL code that popped up was translated to a cam adjuster issue and would cost another $6.5K-$7K to fix. Feeling "bad", they decided not to charge me for the torque converter service and I limped home. They car now vibrates 10x as hard and spews black smoke.
I was told that the cats will fail once they fill up with carbon, so, this car is a total loss. So, I decided to take them to court.
Last Friday, I got a call from the dealer (service mgr) and they said that they are going to ask VW corporate to fix the car completely (for free) so that I can at least become a "semi-satisfied" customer. I said "We'll see".
My question to those of you in the forum is the following:
* has the dealer ever tried to do something like this to you
* were they successful in getting them to do the service?
* was it VW corporate techs that fixed it?
* did they car work like it did when you brought the car in to them in the beginning?
Thanks!
Dean
 
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#27 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

My car went back at 74K with never having cam adjuster issues in my possession. Maybe more frequent oil changes and/or better quality oil. My car is in another owner's hands for 2 1/2 years now as far as I know. I changed my oil far more than the factory recommends and did NOT use Castrol Syntec. It's not a great oil. Let's be realistic, Castrol was simply the lowest bidder. I was and a still am not a believer in the first oil change being at 5,000 miles.
I created a big stink on passatworld when I changed my oil at 1300 miles. All the internet engineers condemned me and my engine to a life of doom. I checked the oil new and at 600 miles. At 600, it was 1 qt low. I topped it off and checked it again at 1200 miles. Oil level was fine so I changed it and sent the factory oil for analysis. I think I still have the pdf file they emailed me. That whizz-bang factory don't change for 5,000 mile crap was just that, CRAP. "Copper level HIGH. Oxidation HIGH" among others. "RECOMMENDATION: Change if not already changed and check at normal intervals"
I used Amp Oil 10W60 racing synthetic that a friend's shop was the sole importer of. I used that up to the 35,000 mile point when it became too expensive for him to continue importing. I changed it at: 1300, 4200, 9700, 15,500, 23,000 - the longest interval I ever went on any car. I sent that Amp Oil to the same lab for analysis to see if I was wasting my money: "Copper,oxidation normal. Sheer of 10W40. RECOMMENDATION: Check at normal interval", 29,000 and 35,000 when I switched to PentoSyn 5W40.
10,000 mile oil change intervals are B/S in any car. Thank the accountants & marketing departments for that..
 
#28 ·
Re: (VWGUY4EVER)

600 miles on the first quart of oil on a brand new W8?
I have a brand new W8 and I just put 600 miles on it. The oil level has not changed.
I'm not sure I understood the point you were trying to make. I changed my oil every 3-4K and I used Mobile 1 full synthetic. No amount of expensive oil will fix a bad design.
I change my oil religiously and I use only premium synthetic oils every 3-4K.
 
#29 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

I was speaking generally that the oil change intervals and quality oil they spec'd sucks. As for my consuming a quart of oil in the first 600 miles, I don't find it unacceptable for a new engine to consume oil. And leaving that crappy oil in for the first 5000 miles is a definate no-no in my book, particularly with the analysis that came back on it..
 
#30 ·
Re: (VWGUY4EVER)

I agree that you should change he oil the first 500-1000 miles. As soon as mine gets out of the shop for 3 new fuel sending units I will change the oil. It will have about 650 miles on the new engine.
Eveyone has their own opinion on what is acceptable for oil burn off. If that car burned 1qt in 600 miles you would have had engine codes going off like the 4th of July. It just isn't possible. I have rebuilt several motors myself and if I had an engine that could not go 1500 miles on the 1st quart I would tear it down and do it over.
 
#31 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

I have (gasp) two w8's an 03 and a 04.
Both from new. Both at 75K
Wifes car, almost zero issues, drives sane no drifting red lining or drag racing. Brakes, tires, set of plugs and filters that is all.
used liqua moly 5-40 from day one in both, screw that castrol blend the dealers push. Both oil changes at 5k every time.
Who broke a balance shaft belt. tensioner faults and multiple sets of brakes and tires. Me not her.
you drive hard, you need more service. end of story. Find a used w8 with a soft driver and you will see a few less problems.
How many of you have changed the balance shaft belt.... it is a 40k service and after skipping a tooth will run poor. maybe even enough that a dealer will miss diagnose.


Modified by KubvanTurbo at 11:17 PM 12-11-2008
 
#32 ·
from what i am reading here is W8 is avoid unless your brave.. is that really the case?
Considering one for a tow car for my racecar, but i need something i just drive, oil change and use.
Seems the fix is to simply replace the poor design component for the same poor design one. filter mesh and particle contamination etc if i get the gist of what people are saying.
why is'nt the oil filtration system picking these up or is it a case of the filters are too coarse for the problem particles? is a finer engine oil filter available?
Who would advise me to buy a W8?
or VR 4motion 2.8 motor instead.
 
#33 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

Quote, originally posted by un4givun2 »
I agree that you should change he oil the first 500-1000 miles. As soon as mine gets out of the shop for 3 new fuel sending units I will change the oil. It will have about 650 miles on the new engine.
Eveyone has their own opinion on what is acceptable for oil burn off. If that car burned 1qt in 600 miles you would have had engine codes going off like the 4th of July. It just isn't possible. I have rebuilt several motors myself and if I had an engine that could not go 1500 miles on the 1st quart I would tear it down and do it over.

I'm with you in some respect but it burned 1 quart at the first 600 miles then never another drop so I was fine with it.. I drove the car 100 mph the first night I got it, not bouncing off the rev limiter at each shifts, just a sedate roll up to 100 mph, which was only about 3600 rpms in 6th gear. After the first oil change, I drove it the way I drive every car...
 
#34 ·
Re: (KubvanTurbo)

I drive better/easier today than I ever have in my life. For the first time I have no tickets on my driving record. Yet, this W8 has been in the shop now 13 of the last 14 weeks. In the past 24 months it has been in the shop for 5 months. It has had the transmission and the engine replaced (not removed, repaired, or rebuilt.....But, REPLACED!).
This W8 is the most unreliable car I've ever owned in my entire life. Here's a list of cars I've owned since 1982 (in order from most reliable to least reliable):
1) 1993 Chevy Caprice (just sold it, 140K no repairs & 26 mpg)
2) 1976 Chevy Impala 220K (water pump, shocks)
3) 1995 Mistu Eclipse (wrecked at 80K, no repairs)
4) 1987 Dodge Shadow Turbo (200K, head gasket at 185K, struts & ball joints at 170K)
5) 1998 Honda Accord (currently own 110K, intake gasket, EGR valve, & ignition switch)
6) 2000 Dodge Dakota R/T (currently own 60K, upgraded brakes @ 10K, no other repairs)
7) 1994 Dodge Dakota (Lousy brakes!!, brake rebuild every 10K)
8) 1989 Ford Taurus, (lots of minor electrical repairs: light switches, window motors, widshield wiper motors, door locks, fuel pump, etc..)
9) 1992 Taurus SHO 120K (ECU, Coil Pack, Crank Sensor, Cam Shaft Sensor, Water Pump, Fuel Pump, & Alternator)
10) 1992 Dodge Dakota 4WD (totaled @ 80K, replaced transmission @ 44K, terrible brakes)
11) 1972 VW Beetle (where do you start? Worked on it every day. Everything replaced at least once.)
12) 2002 Passat W8, 77K, (currently own, replaced Alternator, Water Pump, Radiator Fan, Cam Adjusters, CV joint boots, Transmission, Engine, ECU, Gas Tank, All 3 Gas Gage sending units, emergency brake cable, timing chain, steering wheel electronic control unit, home link sun visor, carpet from massive water leak) (currently needs hood strut, new red LCD read out in the instrument panel)
 
#35 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

Whining about a carpet from a water leak. no way... too funny
oh my your hood shock has failed. wow I would so not work on your car if you were at my shop.
i have had over 100 cars in my life.. now have 18 personally, What do I drive everyday for the last 4 years, the W8.
never even keep a car this long, that's how much I like it. I would never tow a race car with a passat ; thats not right... get a truck!
Read between the lines when you see a post about how the car has been in the shop forever and I'm a hostile customer and hate the car...
Now I want to flame it to everyone and kill the love and your resale value with my posts (even though I am moving on)
Wow
just wow
 
#36 ·
Re: (KubvanTurbo)

Maybe you should drive HARD like I did lol. My W8 bounced off the rev limiter many a time, saw many a top speed run, drove from north Jersey to Myrtle Beach, SC in 8hrs 45min - actual driving time ALLEGEDLY. Stopped for an hour for fuel and food at 1am. Other than the 3 items I listed previously, loved and still love the car. Replaced rear pads at 40K, plugs were clean at 40K when I replaced them. I wish I still had it. It's still not out of the realm of possibility for me to end up with another 6 speed in the near future...
 
#37 ·
Re: (KubvanTurbo)

.........And if your carpet had been wet for 3 years because the factory forgot to seal the floor pan to the firewall and the fire wall to the transmission tunnel you wouldn't be upset and demanding new carpet?
You must be one of those little sissy guys that everyone picks on.
Get over it SISSY! The W8 is a P.O.S. It was a great idea. It didn't work. Must be why they quit making it.
Even the VW dealers advise people that have them to get rid of them.
My Service Manager today asked me to not judge VW as a company based on the problems with the W8. I was blown away.
However, I completely understand where he's coming from. I work for a company that has to sell what they design/build. I'm a Mechanical Engineer responsible for quality. If something as bad as the W8 got out the door to our customers they would fire me.
 
#38 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

You people are RIDICULOUS!!!! Out of thousands of cars made some will be bad, parts can be made poorly. I'm looking at getting a w8 so I came to read up on the motor and all I see is 10 or so people complaining about how much it sucks. I'm not saying the motor isn't flawed but if you don't like it that much, ready here comes something no one seems to get, SELL IT! Out of all the people talking about the cam adjusters being replaced and having to deal with all this crap it seems that all of you still own the car so you must like something about it...
To mister un4givun2 I think your service center just sucks... Just because they work there doesn't mean they are good at what they do...
As for this VW tech that told you there was no difference between the parts... I call B.S. just because he is a tech does mean he knows everything. They don't make a new rev. of a part unless a change is made. As for oil pressure, vr's run high oil pressure and they don't blow their parts to pieces. As far as a recall goes, maybe the issue isn't as wide spread as you think it is or they would have. Car company's will do multiple recall of a part that has gone through a recall already. I had a Mountaineer and they did 3 or 4 recalls on the heater box with a new part design every time, and they recalled it because the problem was wide spread. Yes they will tell you to get a different car... because they sell cars!!!! Thats what they want people to do or maybe they are just tired of you complaining about this one... Every car has problems and some are worse that other and some cars are built poorly from the factory. If you don't like it that much SELL IT!
 
#39 ·
Re: (sicktertothemax)

Do you think anyone would buy this car after doing a CARFAX? THis car has had everything replaced except the suspension, seats and the paint.
It was for sale 6 months prior to the factory warranty expiring. My wife and I knew we had to sell it before the warranty expired because there was no way we could afford to keep it running. It didn't sell. At that point, I was forced to buy a 48K/4year extended warranty for $5,000.00 or risk it breaking down with no coverage. That more or less married me to this car.

As for my VW Service Station "sucking", there's little I can do about it. They are the only game in town. It's not that small of a town @ 800,000 (over 1.5 million when you include the border towns), but there is only one VW dealer. That's what sucks! If they had some competition they might be compelled to do a better job.


Modified by un4givun2 at 3:31 AM 12-15-2008
 
#40 ·
Re: (KubvanTurbo)

Quote, originally posted by KubvanTurbo »
I would never tow a race car with a passat ; thats not right... get a truck!

why?
my previous audi s8 towed perfectly well.
truck is not what i want, car which can tow, be daily driven, practical for carrying race weekend stuff is all i want.
why would the passat be such a bad tow car then?
 
#41 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

Quote, originally posted by un4givun2 »
.........And if your carpet had been wet for 3 years because the factory forgot to seal the floor pan to the firewall and the fire wall to the transmission tunnel you wouldn't be upset and demanding new carpet?

lol my dealer got an 03 w8 6mt from the auction a month ago. It to had flooded floor in the front. But it was because the sunroof drain was clogged with beach sand
 
#42 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

Quote, originally posted by un4givun2 »

As for my VW Service Station "sucking", there's little I can do about it. They are the only game in town. It's not that small of a town @ 800,000 (over 1.5 million when you include the border towns), but there is only one VW dealer.Modified by un4givun2 at 3:31 AM 12-15-2008

Yea that is crappy. I have been denied service from the dealership back home on my corrado just on the basis that it was a corrado. They said "with how little where made the parts are expensive, and the age of the car the parts are worn and starting to break so if we go fix one thing but 4 other things break while we fix the first one we a liable to fix the other 4 so we just wont work on them" I'll give them 2 point for being honest and -1 for denying service on a vw.
I think you happen to get a car that was very poorly built and it sucks that happens but, it can and does happen with every car maker.
True point about the Carfax. All dealer service is listed on them, hence why I used it when looking into the w8 and my local dealership. Though I did buy a car once with a clean Carfax and the motor turned out to have a blown head gasket that the seller of the car clean up all evidence of so then I had to rebuild the motor and replace most of the coolant system. Carfax can't stop all dishonest people.
In your situation you did get stuck with the car.
Also sorry for calling you out in my rant, it was undeserved.
I was exceptionally pissed of that day.
 
#43 ·
Re: (sicktertothemax)

Noproblem man. I sensed something besides my W8 bashing was bothering you. If it did bother you I appologize. I know all these negative post have got to get on everyone's nerves. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
On the + side, this is the best car I've ever driven for traction, handling, performance, and ride. I don't think there is a better balanced car on the road. Any car that rides better than this car will handle worse. Any car that handles better than this car will definitely ride worse. I can't think of any car with a better traction control. There are many cars in it's class that will out accelerate it, but none of them will do it on wet payment, ice, or gravel. There are very few sacrifices you have to make to drive this car.
It's a crying shame VW won't step in and fix the problem with the engine. I've owned a VW of some kind ever since 1983. I've ridden in a VW all my life since my parents and grandparents all had VW's. This W8 may very well be my last VW if they don't do something.
 
#44 ·
Re: (un4givun2)

It wasn't you w8 bashing (thought it is nice to hear the car has some good points) I was pissed of already and it fell on you. I've never bought a car from a dealership so I have never had to deal with there service so I might soon have the same complaints about them as you. Though the parts department back home did give me a discount on anything i bought.
The thing is vw has put w engine in other vehicles(or at least designed them) beside this car. Engines that where also used for much high hp (generating more heat and pressure) applications so you think they would be about to take care of this problem that people are having.
 
#46 ·
Re: (KubvanTurbo)

Quote, originally posted by KubvanTurbo »
Retarded, the whole thread has gone retarded ..
Tow a race car with a car. Tarded
I'm a sissy W8 lover. Tarded
My dealer hates me and keeps my car too long. Tarded
Last I checked this was a VW Fan page. Not "I hate / pos / name calling" site.


why is it just about every thread you are in you talk like some know it all, i'm better than every one d-bag? none of that had anything to do with you so why involve yourself??
 
#47 ·
Re: (sicktertothemax)

Man, I changed my oil last night after an 800 mile break in. I took it out to test the new motor and it feels like it is up at least 40% on the HP. I can't remember this car ever running this good. I've owned it since 20K miles & now it has 77K.
I even had a short street race with a Pontiac Grand Prix GTP. NO CONTEST!!
Another victim of the WAGON.
 
#48 ·
Re: (sicktertothemax)

At least i own 2 W8's and not a 85 Jetta
Why are you posting in W8?
Quote, originally posted by sicktertothemax »

why is it just about every thread you are in you talk like some know it all, i'm better than every one d-bag? none of that had anything to do with you so why involve yourself??
 
#49 ·
Re: (sicktertothemax)

You want to buy a W8, eh?
Why don't you buy mine? It's for sale (and been for sale) on this website! It's been for sale on many lists--no takers. It's been almost 4 months and no takers.
Put your money where your mouth is and buy my W8!!!
If you really like this car and want to buy one, here is one for you--BUY IT!!
BUY MINE!!!
 
#50 ·
Re: (KubvanTurbo)

Quote, originally posted by KubvanTurbo »
Retarded, the whole thread has gone retarded ..
Tow a race car with a car. Tarded


you must feel right at home.. retard that you clearly seem to be.
nothing constructive to add then I suggest you **** off
you sir seem a complete arse
http://****************.com/smile/emthdown.gif

w4nker


Modified by badger5 at 5:21 PM 12-16-2008
 
#51 ·
Re: (KubvanTurbo)

Quote, originally posted by KubvanTurbo »
At least i own 2 W8's and not a 85 Jetta

at least you own 2 w8's? well you still sound like your 5 says stuff like that.
Quote, originally posted by KubvanTurbo »
Last I checked this was a VW Fan page. Not "I hate / pos / name calling" site.

well i think we can add to the list of what the site isn't, an elitist game of who was the biggest junk. though you do seem to think it is...

Quote, originally posted by KubvanTurbo »
Retarded, the whole thread has gone retarded ..
Tow a race car with a car. Tarded
I'm a sissy W8 lover. Tarded
My dealer hates me and keeps my car too long. Tarded
Last I checked this was a VW Fan page. Not "I hate / pos / name calling" site.


usually i don't nitpick but... nice job trying to make a point and contradicting it in the same statement.



Modified by sicktertothemax at 9:31 AM 12-16-2008
 
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