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27K views 40 replies 16 participants last post by  oktoymaker 
#1 ·
Ok, I've been driving my new 2012 S Passat for 3 weeks and I still love the car......but I have few issues that are bugging me and I didn't notice on the test drive. Granted I'm new to VW as this is my first experience with German engineering and these may be standard VW design features that I just have to gets used to, but here we go;

1. There is no "accessory" position on the ignition switch, it's either on or it's completly off. I frequently like to turn the engine off and listen to the radio, on the Passat you have to turn the engine off, then turn the key back to the on position to get the radio back on, of course then the dash lights and seat belt chime come on. Every car I have ever owned has had an accessory position, not VW?

2. Outside mirrors, they have such a radical curve to the top of the mirror, it significantly reduces the side mirror visibility and usefulness, dumb design.

3. The info panel between the main guages on the dash, there is so much wasted blank space on the display. You have to scroll thru all the information to get the outside temp, why not use some of that blank space and add the temp as a constant feature.

I know these are nits, but I'm a design engineer (aerospace) by trade and bad designs drives me nuts. Still love the Passat, just wish they had thought it thru a little more.
 
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#2 ·
1.) Every VW i have ever owned has had accessory position ..in my GTI and R32 it was turning the key to the first position in my current Passat CC it just simply putting the key in the slot and the guages do a bit test and the radio/nav starts up...and then when you depress the brake and push the key all the way in it starts the engine..(im in aviation as well and everytime it says Depress i think of Depressurizing a system). in my 2003 Jetta its the turning the key to the first position

2.) play with your mirrors some more and angle them a little bit more up if the top curve design is reducing visibility

3.) my Passat CC always displays the Temp...the same was true with my GTI and R32 i owned..make sure your MFI settings have it set up to be displayed..but i think it suppose to be displayed standard anyway..

congrats on the Passat purchase...you got ALOT of car for a little bit of money.
 
#3 ·
Some of the VW radios will power on without the car being on, not sure about the new Passat. Worth a shot though, try hitting the power button, I think it runs for 10 minutes at a time (at least that's the case in the MkV)
 
#4 ·
May I add a few of my own? 1. The coat hanger hooks are too small to actually hang a coat hanger on. 2. Delay on the touch screen. 3. No fog lights option as an accessory - you only get fog lights if factory installed. 4. The center console cover slides forward too easily. 5. Windshield wipers bump into the hood if you try to lift them up - have to figure out the "park" position to change the blades. 6. Owner manual is too hard to read... can we get a more American version. 7. No splash guards accessory (yet).

I totally love my new 2.5L SEL, and hope VW gets these minor details corrected.
 
#6 ·
As far as the windshield wipers (should be in the owners manual). After you turn the car off, tap the wiper stalk like you were using the mist mode. The wipers will go up and stop, this is the service position.
 
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#9 ·
shouldnt your MP3 player if connected to the car...be charging when its connected to the car...mine does..its in the glove box.. so how is this a battery vampire if its charging..more like battery saver?
 
#12 ·
You also have battery run down protection so if you forget it will shut off before it kills the battery.
 
#18 ·
One more nit...why do they have 3 clocks, 2 digital and one analog? German engineers must be obsessed with knowing the time. I have 1 on the radio dial, one in the center of the instrument cluster on the dash and the analog one in the dash. I think one well placed clock, maybe two, but really 3? I've had several passengers comment on the abundance of clocks and question why.
 
#19 ·
Looks high class, don't you think?
 
#20 ·
The stereo is not made by VW and most have clocks nowadays. VW/Audi have used LED dash displays for years and they've had clocks. I think the analog clock does add an upscale touch. Besides people have clocks everywhere since we're addicted to time. I bet you wear a watch eventhough your cell phone and computer both have clocks on them.
 
#21 ·
I guess we are obsessed with time. I don't even have 2 clocks on my airplane! I would like to see the center of the dashboard info panel changed.
  • Eliminate the 3rd clock
  • Add the outside temp readout as a fixed item
  • Add the mpg readout could be a constant item
  • Keep from having to flip thru all the trip data to get to the temp or current mpg readouts, very distracting.
There is so much blank space on the info center that could have been put to better use.
Just my nit picking engineer brain at work. Still love my Passat!
 
#22 ·
My wife and I just purchased our 1st VW, 2012 Passat TDI sel premium which has the push button start. The key fob has the flip key but there is no place to stick a key in except the drivers door. The ignition spot on the steering column just has a cover on it. Hope this info was helpful. By the way, we love this car so far.
 
#27 ·
Yes I did they are looking into it. I've had people tell me it's a European thing but I don't live in Europe and my last vehicle was an 07 wrangler and it's speedo was dead on. Does jeep send them to Europe and do that speedo error thing that everyone says they do there to keep people out of tickets? (which makes absolutely no sense if everyone knows about it they r just gonna speed up to adjust for it). Seems lazy if they just keep it that way. Idk maybe it's just me. But to answer your question it is being looked into.
 
#28 ·
This is why Volkswagen dumbs down their product for the US. People bitch about dumb things so they just take out all the cool features from their product for the US only. No hid's, no level adjuster in the vehicle for headlights, no proximity sensors for alarm, no led tails, no magnetic damped shocks, no in cluster navi until recently, no wide range of diesel engines, no 4motion options for all products, and the list goes on...
 
#29 ·
Yeah I'm sure that's why they do it. Let me tell u a little secret VW could care less what a very very small minority says on an Internet board. Don't give yourself that much credit. The reason those things are not on the car is because they want to move a boat load of cars and capture more American market share and the only way to do that here is to sell it as cheap as possible." People complain about little things so they punish us by removing options" Wow dude wow. Don't try to compare the European or even Asian market to the American market. They are completely different.
 
#30 ·
You are completely correct. The jetta over seas is 40 grand.....
 
#32 ·
From many people who post online they report a very high price tag for many of their vehicles.... prices I would never think to pay. However, in general, people who pay these prices also take care of their vehicles much more so than Americans do. Here in america we have a use and throw away mentality according to some. A several thousand dollar repair bill can easily push someone here to trade their car in for something new but since the vehicles cost more overseas they might be more inclined to repair it vs. trade it in.

As stated earlier, I feel the quality of product over seas is MUCH better than here. The 2011/12 jetta in the US has barebones everything and the euro spec jetta has all the nifty features and quality parts. Again, use and throw away mentality for the US.
 
#33 ·
Yes I agree but it has nothing to do with complaining about issues with the vehicle. Can't compare us to Europe or Asia as the markets are so different wagons are all over Europe we have crap small suv's instead. Diesels all over Europe we have trash hybrids. They give us what will sell and that's cheap cars and overpriced suv's.
 
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