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Volkswagen Passat 1.8 5V Syncro Trendline common faults.

1996–2000, saloon, petrol, 125 HP.

The fault list covers: ADR, ANQ, APT, ARG engine.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

5 fault write-ups. 2 important. 4 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

2 important faults

expensive2

B5: front suspension control arms

expensive

The front suspension of the B5 is multi link, and the bushes of the arms wear quickly; the upper arms go first. The signs are knocking over potholes, vague steering and uneven tyre wear. Owners typically replace them more than once over the life of the car.

What to check

  • Drive slowly over an uneven stretch of road and listen for knocking from the front suspension
  • Moving the wheel left and right, watch for free play or noise
  • Look at the wear on the inner and outer edges of the front tyres: uneven wear indicates a suspension fault
1 more steps in the write-up

B5: water ingress at the pollen filter housing, wet comfort control unit

expensive

Leaves and debris block the drains of the water collector under the windscreen. The standing water runs in through the lid of the pollen filter housing and its perished seal, into the cabin, under the carpet. That is where the comfort electronics control unit sits, and it corrodes when wet: the central locking, the window regulators, the interior lighting, the mirrors and the fuel flap release start dropping out, typically intermittently and after wet weather. The control unit is the expensive part: whoever replaces only the unit but does not clean the drain destroys the new one too.

forum sources only

What to check

  • Lift the front carpets on both sides and press the foam: is it damp
  • Under the bonnet, look at the tray below the windscreen: is it full of leaves and debris
  • Check the lid of the pollen filter housing: is it cracked, does it sit properly, is its rubber seal intact
3 more steps in the write-up

comfort3

B5: early failure of the ignition coils

comfort

The per cylinder ignition coils fail early: jerking, misfire, a flashing engine warning light, limp mode. Typically several age at once, and after a replacement the new ones can go early too. The phenomenon occurs on every B5 engine, not only the turbocharged ones.

What to check

  • After a cold start watch whether the idle is even and whether there is shaking
  • Under load (overtaking, a slope) check whether it jerks
  • With a code reader look for per cylinder misfire (P0300 to P0306)
1 more steps in the write-up

Coolant temperature sensor (G62) failure

comfort

The G62 sensor tells the engine control unit how hot the coolant is. If it is faulty, the control unit thinks a warm engine is cold, and runs it rich: hard warm or cold starting, a rough idle, markedly increased fuel consumption, and a dash temperature gauge that jumps around or never reaches its usual reading. The part is cheap and can be replaced in half an hour: the trouble is that many people do not recognise it and replace an injector or a lambda sensor instead. If the fault persists, the rich mixture can destroy the catalytic converter too.

What to check

  • Warm it up and watch the dash temperature gauge: the needle should sit steadily at the middle reading, not jump around
  • Watch a cold start, then a warm start after twenty minutes standing
  • With a code reader look for the 17664 / P1256 code in the engine control unit
2 more steps in the write-up

Secondary air system: pump and combination valve (P0411)

comfort

From the late nineties to around 2006, petrol engines used a secondary air pump to blow fresh air into the exhaust on a cold start, so the catalytic converter reaches operating temperature faster. The impeller of the pump rusts or its bearing seizes, soot clogs the combination valve (N112), and the rubber hoses crack. The control unit then stores the `P0411` code. It barely affects driving, but the engine warning light is on, and the emissions test can fail because of it, and the roadworthiness test with it.

What to check

  • After a cold start watch for 30 to 60 seconds: can you hear the pump droning from the engine bay
  • Check whether the engine warning light is on, and have it read out: P0411 (VAG code 16795) points to this system
  • Ask when the last emissions test was, and whether it passed first time
2 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Volkswagen Passat 1.8 5V Syncro Trendline

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall4 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

Most recent: 13 September 1999

99V248000STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTINGSTEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING13 September 1999 · NHTSA (USA)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TIE RODS OF THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ARE PROTECTED ON EACH SIDE BY A SEAL TO PREVENT MOISTURE AND DUST PARTICLES FROM ENTERING THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME TIE ROD SEALS MAY NOT SEAL PROPERLY.

Risk: IF MOISTURE AND/OR DUST PARTICLES ENTER THE SWIVEL BEARING MECHANISM, THE SWIVEL BEARING COULD WEAR OVER TIME DIMINISHING THE STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TIE RODS.

The authority's notice

99V131001SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGSSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS21 May 1999 · NHTSA (USA)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. A CONTROL VALVE IN THE VACUUM HOSE CONNECTING THE BRAKE BOOSTER TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MAY NOT OPEN OR CLOSE FULLY AT TEMPERATURES BELOW -4 F UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS.

Risk: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE INSUFFICIENT VACUUM TO BE PROVIDED TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A VACUUM BY-PASS SYSTEM INTO VEHICLES OPERATED IN THESE STATES WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT VACUUM FOR FULL BRAKE ASSIST UNDER ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS.

The authority's notice

98V134000ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEMENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM22 June 1998 · NHTSA (USA)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE BACKFIRES DURING A COLD-START, AN AIR SCREEN WHICH IS LOOSELY SEATED IN THE AIR FLOW METER CAN BECOME DAMAGED.

Risk: SCREEN PIECES COULD ENTER THE INTAKE AIR FLOW SYSTEM AND PREVENT THE THROTTLE PLATE FROM RETURNING TO ITS FULL IDLE POSITION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RETAINING RING TO HOLD THE AIR SCREEN IN PLACE.

The authority's notice

A12/00851/20Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

Volkswagen has been informed by its current supplier that driver-airbag gas generators from the original manufacturer Takata (‘NADI’ (non-azide driver inflator) generators) produced during 1997-1999 may be faulty. VW used these gas generators exclusively in vehicles with a wooden steering-wheel rim (at that time an equipment option). Internal investigations have shown that in the event of an accident the restraining effect of the deployed NADI driver airbag might not always be fully guaranteed. Compliance with the statutory requirements in force for protection by an airbag in the event of an accident is thus not ensured.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

4 engines · 0 transmissions

ADR · 1.8

92 kW (125 HP) · petrol

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it. More than one engine code is possible. The fault list shows the faults of each.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
5V Syncro Trendline
Body
saloon
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1781 cc
Power
92 kW (125 HP)
Drive
AWD
Production
1996–2000

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Engine oil and oil filter

    • LongLife30,000 km or 2 years(valid only with LongLife-approved oil)
    • 15,000 km or 1 year

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Haldex coupling: oil and filter

    • 64,000 km or 3 years(40,000 miles, or 3 years per the older VW documentation)

  • Coolant (antifreeze) change

    • first: 193,000 km or 10 years, then 97,000 km or 5 years(G13 / G12++: first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles or 5 years)

  • Spark plugs, petrol

    • 60,000 km or 6 years
All B5 versions

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms