KNOWN FAULTS · Volkswagen

Known faults for the Volkswagen Passat B5 / B5.5.

2000–2005 · Petrol / Diesel

Sources are not verified in real time and no entry confirms that your car is affected.

3 known faults with sources

Engines: 1.6 / 2.0 (atmosférico) (Petrol) · 1.8 T (Petrol) · 1.9 TDI (Diesel) · 2.5 TDI V6 (Diesel)

Applies if: Weak points of this model from inspections, breakdown statistics and recalls; anything specific to one engine is stated in the sheet.

Water in the brake servo and engine from blocked drains (Passat B5)Known weak points

Engine / equipment: Volkswagen Passat B5 and B5.5 (petrol and diesel)
Period mentioned: 1996–2005
Symptoms: Water building up below the windscreen (ventilation plenum) that rusts the brake servo from inside: a hard brake pedal, less braking or failure; if the diaphragm perforates, the engine sucks in water (emulsion under the oil cap) and can hydrolock. Also damp carpets from blocked air-conditioning or sunroof drains.
Possible cause described: Uncleared ventilation-plenum drains. In 2007 the VAG group issued a bulletin (TSB 51B8) to check the drains; replacing the servo, pipes and vacuum pump cost about £980.
Check for the garage: Clear the drains below the windscreen; look for water there and emulsion under the oil cap; feel the carpets.
Cost cited in the source: No verified estimate; ask the garage for a quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Engines: 1.8 T (Petrol)

Applies if: Only the 1.8 T.

Ignition coils on the 20-valve 1.8 TEngine

Engine / equipment: 20-valve 1.8 T: Golf IV, Bora, Passat B5, Audi A3 8L and A4 B5, Seat León
Period mentioned: Approx. 2001–2003
Symptoms: Misfires, hesitation and the engine light; the engine runs on one cylinder fewer.
Possible cause described: The individual coils on 1.8 T engines from those years failed frequently. The German guide quotes about €100–200 for coils and leads.
Check for the garage: Read the per-cylinder misfire codes and replace the affected coil (preferably with a revised one).
Cost cited in the source: Approx. €100–200 for coils and leads (German guide).A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Engines: 1.9 TDI (Diesel)

PD TDI camshaft, injectors and cylinder headInjection / cylinder head

Engine / equipment: 1.2, 1.4, 1.9 and 2.0 TDI unit-injector (PD) engines, including the VW-sourced 2.0 CRD in Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep
Period mentioned: 2000–2010
Symptoms: Growing noise from the cylinder head, power loss and rough running (cams and lifters); unstable idle, smoke or hesitation (injectors); on the 16-valve 2.0 TDI, coolant loss with no visible leak from a cracked head.
Possible cause described: The camshaft also drives the unit injectors and carries a heavy load: without VW 505.01 oil the lobes and lifters wear. 2.0 TDI PD injectors fail frequently. Some 16-valve 2.0 TDI heads (part number ending in A) crack; VW considered it fixed by the end of 2006.
Check for the garage: Check the oil history (VW 505.01), listen to the head, check injector balance rates with a diagnostic tool and, on the 16-valve 2.0 TDI, read the head part number (03G 103 351) and look for coolant loss.
Cost cited in the source: Camshaft and lifters: approx. €400–800; 2.0 TDI PD injectors: €900–2,000A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Mileage cited in the database: 120,000–200,000 km. This is not a maintenance interval and does not predict a failure.