Hi,

I'm new to the forum and I need some advise please.

I own a 2005 (new shape) 1.9TDI Passat and for the second time now the car has refused to start.

Both times I've been on a short drive, 10 mins or less. I stop turn the engine off, get out and go to lock the car but the car wont lock. I then try and start the car, I push the key into the ignition but the dashboard lights don't activate and when you push the key fully down (with the clutch depressed) nothing happens. The car is completely dead, she wont start, the central locking doesn't work.

Both times I have called the AA out. They simply remove the battery cables, leave it for 5mins and then reconnect the battery again and the car starts up fine and drives like not has happened.

I have been to my local VW dealer in Birmingham. The service manager confirmed that when the new shape model was released back in 2005 they were receiving 3-4 cars a week with this exact problem. VW were aware of the problem and instructed the dealerships to replace the parts under warranty.

Because my car is outside of the warranty, its 5 years old with 68k on the clock they are saying that I need to pay to have the parts, which I don't know the names of replaced. The total bill to do the work is nearly £1k!

I find this ridiculous that VW know that my car has a fault in it but are expecting me to pay to have the fault parts replaced.

Has anybody had a similar problem with their car and if so how did you get the problem fixed?

I'm going to write to VW GB and complain and I want to know if I'm not the only one in this position.

Please help.

Kind Regards
David.