Took car to vw dealer to have timing belt replaced and was notified that there were several open recalls and they offered to take care of them free of charge. However, they were unable to perform recall #08v156. Manufacturer #26e5. They installed the heat shield but could not perform software upgrade. I never received any recall notices in the mail. Now vw wants to buy the car back because they can't fix it. It's a 2001 vw passat with 25k miles in showroom shape. Was never driven in snow and garaged it's entire life. They offered me $1500 out of which I owe $1300 for the timing belt. They said it may need a ecu but they are no longer available from vw but refuse to install a used one. The car has been at the vw dealer since 12/28/2020. I was under the impression that recalls never expire.
2001 Volkswagen Passat fuel system problems
44 complaints (10% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 69,800.
- owner complaints
- 44
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- typical mileage
- 69,800
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 3
Which part fails
- Storage: tank assembly6
- Storage: fuel gauge system6
- Delivery6
- Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings5
- Delivery: fuel pump2
- Fuel injection system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Volkswagen Passat fuel system problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 Volkswagen Passat fuel system
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery
- What is wrong
- Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 passat (5th generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8t engines only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture.
- Risk
- A heat shield that may contact the exhaust system can result in a vehicle fire. In addition, a fuel leak from a fuel line or fuel tank ventilation valve, in the presence of an ignition source, can lead to a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install additional underbody heat shields on vehicles with automatic transmissions to cover the possibly damaged areas and flash all 1.8t engines with a precautionary software update. Dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8t vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4motion/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge. The recall began on june 13, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 08V156000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
- What is wrong
- On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage can occur increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the event of tire disintegration. Owner notification began june 13, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 02V026000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Sulfur in fuel interacts with certain additives found in widely available gasoline causing sulfur to become deposited on the contact points of three fuel sending units mounted inside the fuel tank. This could cause the fuel gauge to read full while the fuel tank may not in fact be full or could be empty.
- Risk
- Running out of fuel without warning while the fuel gauge indicates that there is sufficient fuel in the tank lead to safety problems.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove the existing fuel level sending units and replace them with fuel level sending units using a new alloy composed of gold, silver, and a small amount of nickel, which will not chemically react with sulfur. Vw/audi will also call back vehicles that were repaired under a previous recall last june in order to install the updated fuel sending units the federal safety agency 00v137/audi lb). Owner notification began may 1, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact audi at 1‑866‑892‑2834.
Recall number 01V157000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Fuel tank leak
Volkswagen (vw) is recalling certain vw passat 4motion and audi a6 quattro and allroad quattro all-wheel drive passenger cars.vw vehicles subject to recall were manufactured from november 22, 2000 through may 31, 2005 and audi vehicles subject to recall were manufactured from june 2, 2001 to june 1, 2005.the federal safety agency recall number for the vw vehicles is 08v‑156 (vw also is correcting defects related to heat shield and fuel line hazards for these vehicles and for 1999-2000 passats in this recall action.)the federal safety agency recall number for the audi vehicles is 08v‑157.since 2006, odi has received 17 complaints of fuel leaking from the subject vehicles' fuel tanks.the 400 complaints shown above may include duplicate reports to odi and the manufacturer. While the consequence (fuel leaks from the top of the tank) is similar for both the passat and audi subject vehicles, differences in design and construction require a different remedy for each vehicle.on the passats, the ventilation line could have been installed improperly with tension and with an incorrectly positioned cable tie.the tension could cause cracked or broken nipples on the fuel tank rollover valve.on the audi vehicles, a material change (effective june 2, 2001) with different aging characteristics used for the rollover valve and the use of an inflexible aluminum ventilation line could cause cracking of the nipple on the rollover valve.vw is recalling all vehicles subject to these defects.it will inspect passats to ensure that the vent line is tension free and correct the installation if tension is found.if a crack or fuel leak is found, vw will replace the fuel tank.audi will repair all subject vehicles by reinforcing the fuel tank rollover valve with an epoxy adhesive.this investigation is closed.
PE08008
What 2001 Volkswagen Passat owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Started smelling gas and mileage started droppi g bad around the end of november. We see that there has been recalls on the gas tank and fuel lines for 01 volkswagen passats but unfortunately not for this VIN # which happens to be my sons car. Now its at the shop because its gas mileage went way down and and smells like gas and he was told that he was driving a bomb basically. It could be around $1000 to fix it. None of us have that kind of $ and hes still has $800 left oweing on it. Help
My 2001 volkswagen passat has had an r5 recall for fuel lines, fuel tank, and a heat shield. The hard (low pressure fuel return?) line, the middle one of the mounting bracket atop the firewall, has failed catastrophically. It now sprays gasoline directly down onto the catalytic converter heat shield. This is the same failure in the same exact point that many other owners have had. This part is dangerous and could have killed me and destroyed my car. Volkswagen refused to fix it. I've been in contact with vw customer care and my local dealer, both told me that once the recall is closed on my vehicle that there is nothing they'll do. They wanted me to tow my car to the dealership and pay $135 for a diagnostic until I showed them a video of the fuel line under pressure spraying everywhere.
Vwofa have not taken steps necessary to facilitate this fire hazard recall!
I notice that fuel is leaking from my vw passat 2001's fuel tank. I fill out this complaint in order to seek a help from authorities on these matters and also knowing if my issues can be handled by volkswagen america.
2001 passat 1.8t manual transmission developed fuel leak on the firewall attachment area, on the middle line directly over catalytic converter; car compartment smelled heavily of gasoline. Stopping car and inspecting the fuel line showed the crack. This is a very serious issue and was very lucky in this case not to have car on fire. Please investigate this as there seems to be related recalls from vw on this issue. I'm scared to have kids on board the passat.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact noticed that the fuel gauge indicated that the vehicle had more fuel than what was actually in the tank. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the mechanic found the failure in the fuel tank level sending units. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign id number: 01v157000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly) but was advised by the manufacturer that the VIN was not included in the recall. The current and failure mileage was 78,370.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, he would smell a strong odor of gasoline. He then inspected the engine and was unable to locate a fuel leak. He later discovered a trail of gasoline leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they advised him that there were no recalls on his vehicle. The failure and current mileages were approximately 198,000. Updated 07/21/11 *bf the consumer stated the fracture occurred without external stress of any kind. It developed without warning and given the position within the engine compartment, it could have easily resulted in a fire. The consumer was informed his VIN was not included in the recall. Updated 02/03/12
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 volkswagen passat. The contact received notification that her vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for repairs. The dealer inspected and adjusted the fuel line routing as well as the fuel tank ventilation valve but did not replace any components. After repairs, the vehicle began spraying fuel onto the engine and was causing overpowering gasoline fumes to emit through the defogger system. The dealer was contacted who informed her that they made repairs to the vehicle under the recall and they only had to inspect the failure. The contact was advised that any further repairs would be at her expense. The manufacturer was contacted who confirmed that the dealer repaired the exact components listed under recall and nothing more. They offered no further other assistance. The failure mileage was 137,000.
Kept smelling gas threw the vents, strong odor of gas wherever it was parked when you approached or got down from the vehicle. The last few times before the fuel line snapped there were small puddles of gas underneath the front passenger side tire when one drove away from a parked position. When I noticed the puddles I opened the hood and realized that one of the fuel lines had snapped, went to the auto parts store and bought rubber fuel line and clamps to temporarily patch the leak. Still smelling strong gas order even though does not seem like line is still leaking but cannot get it to the mechanic again until the weekend.
Questions about the 2001 Volkswagen Passat fuel system
Does the 2001 Volkswagen Passat have fuel system problems?
Owners have filed 44 complaints about the fuel system of the 2001 Volkswagen Passat, 10% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2001 Volkswagen Passat fuel system problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 69,800 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Volkswagen Passat fuel system?
Yes, 3 recalls: 08V156000, 02V026000, 01V157000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Volkswagen Passat have the most fuel system problems?
The Volkswagen Passat model years with the most fuel system complaints are 2003 (169 complaints), 2013 (88 complaints) and 2002 (73 complaints).
Other 2001 Volkswagen Passat problems
Engine 97Electrical 73Brakes 63Transmission 34Lights 32Visibility 31Airbags 26Suspension 25Body 23Acceleration 20Steering 13Seats 7Tires 7Locks 4Seat belts 4Driver assistance 2
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