The "Small nuisances that I hate about my car!" Thread

[hotrodalex]

Maybe he runs out of gas on the side of the road a lot and feels safer filling it up on the passenger side, away from the dangerous passing cars who are distracted because they are laughing at him.

[MrH]

I prefer it on the passenger side honestly.  BRZ is really low, and has pretty long doors.  That means I need a decent amount of space to open the door and get out.  With the filler on the passenger side, I can pull up right next to the pump, and swing my driver's door open as wide as I want to get out.

On the driver's side, they have those concrete pillars you have to be careful around if you park close to the pump.

[MX793]

I would like to hear Raza's reasoning. I can't think of a good reason passenger side would be preferred.  Unless you make your wife pump the gas maybe.

With how long my doors are, I have to be careful that I don't hit my door on the protective posts they put next to the pumps at a lot of places, or stop further away from the pump.  If the filler is on the passenger's side, I can generally open my door wide to get in and out without fear of hitting anything.

[AltinD]

^This

And:

1- The light monitoring system is really finicky. If the left (only the left) turn signal has been on for a long time, say two or three cycles going through a long line at a light, sometimes the bulb out indicator will come on and the screen will say "Left Tail Bulb Not Working!". (The left tail light is the same set of LEDs as the turn signal, just lower intensity.) That's annoying, but what is more annoying is it turns off power to that component, presumably to protect against a short or some such thing, so then although your LED tail light was always working to begin with, now doesn't work at all because it got confused and actually turned the damn thing off. Have to restart the car to reset that. Seems to happen more in lower temperatures, but can happen any time. Interestingly the turn signal function is totally unaffected, it just kills the left tail light. Passat forums revealed this to be a common problem.

2- If you overfill your tank... like, even a little bit over when the nozzle on the gas pump shuts off... then it can overflow and foul up something related to the EVAP/carbon filter/some weird thing and the car will take forever to start and will then run really rough for a few minutes. If you've done it several times then the whole EVAP system gets mad and it'll rough start (you may have to try 3-4 times to start the car) every time the gas cap is opened. Only solution is to replace the EVAP valve, or god forbid the whole filter assembly by the fuel nozzle, and then never fill it over when the nozzle clicks off. Reason that is annoying: People with OCD or OCD trait like even dollar amounts on the fuel receipt. Also, some gas pumps are really conservative and shut off way too early. I've had the tank underfilled by as much as an 1/8 a tank before because I didn't dare fill it anymore after the nozzle clicked off.

3- The AC will sometimes just decide not to give you cold air. This happened most often when the temperature dial is set to the coldest setting, which is what most people do when it's 100+ outside and your black interior is hotter than fires of hell. Sometimes turning the fan all the way off and back on will fix it, but most of the time you have to turn off the AC button, let it blow hot air at you for a minute, then turn the AC button back on. Solution to the problem my mother discovered accidentally when she was driving it: Just set the temperature dial to 72 and it works perfectly every time. Wtf?

4- Who the hell decided 5w-40 "european" synthetic was what this thing needed? Almost no traditional shops carry it in the non-diesel-truck formulation. A quick call to the dealer confirmed that the infinitely more common 5w-30 synthetic was just fine and some brands of it were even covered by warranty since so many owners were having problems getting 5w-40 oil...

5- I don't like the little clicker on top of the wiper stalk to adjust the intermittent speed- I strongly prefer the style where you rotate the end of the stalk to change the timing of the wipers.

6- I need to have a spare key made but the stupid fob is something like $300+ and apparently when the battery inside it eventually dies it has to be replaced by the dealer at a high cost.

7- It's stupid expensive to repair anything on despite not being a luxury brand. Timing belt job cost almost $400 more than the Lexus did.

8- The change in the series of engine in 2008 means shops are always confused about which version of the 2.0T mine is and causes delays in getting pretty much anything done since they have to call me.

9- Gas mileage is kind of mediocre for a 4 cylinder but it's quicker than the equally thirsty V6s I had been driving so I forgive that.

10- I have no idea what I'm supposed to put in the strange little slide-out drawers on either side of the hazard button. This picture shows coins but I did that once and since the thing angles back in when you close it the coin fell out the back and got stuck behind the drawer and rattled around until I removed the whole assembly to get it out.

1 - Never happened to me in more than 6 years of ownership, though I don't live in a cold place

2- Never happened to me either, and mine it always get filled up to the max, way past the clicking pump point.

3 - The coolant in side the compressor freezes, that's why it happens. You are not supposed to keep the A/C all the way to the max for a prolonged amount of time. Although the compressor in the Passat did had some design flows (more like a valve made of plastic that will freeze and shutter and debris penetrating the compressor and fucking it up, but it was corrected). You also might have something that prevents the A/C compressor not to work properly, or you simply don't get the heavy duty improved A/C we get here in the dessert. Another thing, if you suddenly go full throttle, the car might think it is an emergency situation and disengage the A/C for a few seconds in order to send all the power to the drivetrain, which means you might experience cut off of cold air coming from the vents. This is NOT an malfunction.

4 - ...

5 - Raza explained it perfectly

6 - Your car didn't come with two key fobs? While the keys are indeed expensive, the dealer does NOT have to change the key fob battery, you can easily do it yourself. It has a standard CR 2032 round battery inside. I did have myself a problem with one of the keys, though I have KESSY keyless lock/unlock/engine start function, which you don't. The car stopped recognising the key for keyless operation, though as a regular remote key it would work perfectly. The dealer said they can do nothing about and I had to use the spare key .... which not being used for years had lost the programing and didn't work, but its reprograming was part of the diagnostication process so I didn't pay extra for it.

7 - Agree, everything is expensive (though I have a chain driven VR6)

8 - If they have to call you to ask what engine it has, (sorry to say, but) you're an idiot for sending the car to those bunch of incompetents in the first place. The VIN number alone is enough to find out what exactly is in the car 

9 - My VR6 has the same mileage as my previous B5.5 Passat with the 2.sl0w engine and no 4Motion, so a lighter car basically.

10 - I have kept coins in there for as long as I have got the car, and they have never fallen down from the back, although they do move around in curbs 

[CALL_911]

With how long my doors are, I have to be careful that I don't hit my door on the protective posts they put next to the pumps at a lot of places, or stop further away from the pump.  If the filler is on the passenger's side, I can generally open my door wide to get in and out without fear of hitting anything.

And that's why I prefer a passenger side gas filler

[Soup DeVille]

I guess this is where the psychological advantage of an older car kicks in; sure there are plenty of little things "wrong" with it; but hey, its a 20+ year old car. The sort of thing that woyuld be annoying on a new car I forked forty grand over for gets filed under "personality" instead.

Driver's seat controls sometimes have a "dead spot" in them, so I have to fiddle with the switch for half a second? Personality!

Hood shakes at speed if I don't fiddle with the little rubber stoppers that are supposed to stop that? Personality!

Strange old person smell that I can't get to go away for the life of me, despite using solvents banned by the UN? Personality!

Rear window sometimes doesn't seal right? Hell: how many of you can even lower your rear window?

[Rupert]

Old person smell? You know that thing's big enough to actually have an old person living in it.

[Soup DeVille]

Old person smell? You know that thing's big enough to actually have an old person living in it.

I thought about that.

I checked.

[Raza]

Gas filler belongs on driver side hello.

Why? Having it on the passenger side allows you to pull up closer to the pump without worrying about dinging your door.

[Raza]

I prefer it on the passenger side honestly.  BRZ is really low, and has pretty long doors.  That means I need a decent amount of space to open the door and get out.  With the filler on the passenger side, I can pull up right next to the pump, and swing my driver's door open as wide as I want to get out.

On the driver's side, they have those concrete pillars you have to be careful around if you park close to the pump.

With how long my doors are, I have to be careful that I don't hit my door on the protective posts they put next to the pumps at a lot of places, or stop further away from the pump.  If the filler is on the passenger's side, I can generally open my door wide to get in and out without fear of hitting anything.

And that's why I prefer a passenger side gas filler

Ding ding ding.

[Raza]

No, it's a Passat.

Why does that matter? Good design is good design.

[CALL_911]

Why does that matter? Good design is good design.

"Silly rabbit"

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Why? Having it on the passenger side allows you to pull up closer to the pump without worrying about dinging your door.

I see your point but As long as the hoses are you can pull far enough away from the pump to safely open your door! Hell I see people pull the hoses all the way to the other side of the car to pump gas.......

[Byteme]

With how long my doors are, I have to be careful that I don't hit my door on the protective posts they put next to the pumps at a lot of places, or stop further away from the pump.  If the filler is on the passenger's side, I can generally open my door wide to get in and out without fear of hitting anything.

With the 6 or the truck I just pull through the pump area far enough that the driver's door clears the metal or concrete posts.   That leaves the filler just about the right place.   

The CLK's filler is on the passenger side and It's just different, not any more or less convenient, IMO.

[hotrodalex]

El Camino is 30 feet long so the door is way past the posts anyway.

[thewizard16]

Sigh.  The clicker is infinitely better.  It can be operated with one finger, whereas the rotating stalks mean you have to take your hand off the wheel to grip the stalk.  Silly rabbit. 

That makes sense but I still don't like it. I'm going to be a great grouchy old person.

Guys, just so you know, the fuel filler belongs on the passenger side.  Might as well complain that the steering wheel is on the driver's side. 

Oh man, I don't even know where to start. Overall I love the car, but there are some really small things that do piss me off about it

That seems to be a universal truth of VWs. You love them for a variety of reasons, but the quirks can be very frustrating.

No, it's a Passat.

1 - Never happened to me in more than 6 years of ownership, though I don't live in a cold place

It concerned me the first time but once I realized it goes away after you re-start it I quit worrying about it. PassatWorld, VWVortex, etc. revealed it to be a relatively common problem. Possible differences in the electronics in your car (yours is a higher end model, I believe they used a different main electronics module in the higher trims and it has some slight different lighting controllers as well) may mean it's not possible for it to be an issue for you. It did happen last week when it was over 100, so it's not just cold temps, but it does happen much more frequently in cold temps. It's not a big deal on around town trips, but it did bother me when it'd happen on long road trips and I'd feel like I should stop and reset it so I wasn't driving with a light out.

2- Never happened to me either, and mine it always get filled up to the max, way past the clicking pump point.

It's apparently only an issue on the 2.0T. Some bit of odd design apparently, I read up on it and then promptly forgot about it once I found out just to leave it be after it clicks and it won't happen. An irritation, but not hard to live with. Also relatively common according to PassatWorld, etc. and the dealership I took it to.

3 - The coolant in side the compressor freezes, that's why it happens. You are not supposed to keep the A/C all the way to the max for a prolonged amount of time. Although the compressor in the Passat did had some design flows (more like a valve made of plastic that will freeze and shutter and debris penetrating the compressor and fucking it up, but it was corrected). You also might have something that prevents the A/C compressor not to work properly, or you simply don't get the heavy duty improved A/C we get here in the dessert. Another thing, if you suddenly go full throttle, the car might think it is an emergency situation and disengage the A/C for a few seconds in order to send all the power to the drivetrain, which means you might experience cut off of cold air coming from the vents. This is NOT an malfunction.

That's possible of course, but that's not at all what happens in this case. You can have not run the AC for days or it may have been sitting in your driveway for days off and it still won't blow cold air sometimes. If it starts blowing cold air right away or eventually (sometimes it will after a random period of time) it continues to be totally fine for the rest of that drive, no freezing up or anything. It's something that only happens when you first start the car and try to turn the AC on. Doesn't matter if you're driving or if it's sitting parked in your driveway. What I'm referring to most definitely is a malfunction and the dealership also validated that they have a number of complaints about the B6 passat related to it, but it doesn't seem to be an issue when the temperature dial is nearer the middle temps. Several people on PassatWorld had apparently been told it was a bad compressor, etc. and even after having all that replaced (fortunately under warranty) the issue was still exactly the same. Seems to be something electronic rather than mechanically wrong. Strange, but since there's a work-around I haven't bothered looking into it further.

4 - ...

It's an inconvenience since it's not commonly stocked here, but it's not uncommon for the German cars to have very specific fluids that aren't really any better than the more common alternative for 98% of environments the vehicle will be in. When I changed the oil myself I ordered 5w40 but I haven't had time to change it myself in a while and I am not taking an out of warranty car to the dealer for an oil change.

5 - Raza explained it perfectly

I get the logic, would still prefer driver's side. Camry and the Lexus were driver's side caps and never had any issues with the door hitting things. [/crotchety old man]

6 - Your car didn't come with two key fobs? While the keys are indeed expensive, the dealer does NOT have to change the key fob battery, you can easily do it yourself. It has a standard CR 2032 round battery inside. I did have myself a problem with one of the keys, though I have KESSY keyless lock/unlock/engine start function, which you don't. The car stopped recognising the key for keyless operation, though as a regular remote key it would work perfectly. The dealer said they can do nothing about and I had to use the spare key .... which not being used for years had lost the programing and didn't work, but its reprograming was part of the diagnostication process so I didn't pay extra for it.

The second key went MIA at the dealer I bought it from, so I only have one. Glad to know I can change the battery though. Not surprised the dealership lied to me about that.

7 - Agree, everything is expensive (though I have a chain driven VR6)

Lucky bastard.

8 - If they have to call you to ask what engine it has, (sorry to say, but) you're an idiot for sending the car to those bunch of incompetents in the first place. The VIN number alone is enough to find out what exactly is in the car 

I totally understand what you're saying but it has been an issue at places I didn't expect. Almost every shop, including major chains like Goodyear or Sears Auto (I only used chains with nationwide locations while traveling in case they screwed something up), it's been to (it's been to a few due to travel and being OCD enough I get oil changes and such done pretty damn close to a target mileage) has just called me to verify the engine line rather than look up the VIN. I guess their logic when they plug 08 Passat 2.0T into their computer and get two different sets of oil filters and such is it's easier to be lazy and call the owner to see if they know which part it takes rather than go get the VIN and enter it in. My preferred shop scans the VIN barcode so they never had any questions of course, but they've got dealership level equipment and most small oil change places aren't quite so fancy. It's only an issue with the 2008 since it had both the BPY and CCTA engines in it. I actually didn't check to see which one mine had before I bought it. I would have preferred the TSI over the FSI due to the timing belt vs. chain and apparently some improved carbon build up fixes, but the FSI has been fine. It's primarily been an issue getting the oil changed since one uses an insert filter and one uses a canister and the places want to be able to check and see if they have the right filter in stock before they pull it into the bay to change the oil. I guess if I paid as little attention as the average car owner they'd have to actually go out to the parking lot and get the VIN and look it up, but that sounds like so much work! 

9 - My VR6 has the same mileage as my previous B5.5 Passat with the 2.sl0w engine and no 4Motion, so a lighter car basically.

I wanted to find a V6 Passat but they were quite uncommon even in a market the size of Dallas and the only one I saw as an option in my price range sold before I could see it. I'm not unhappy with my mileage, I've never really been one to care too much about that.

10 - I have kept coins in there for as long as I have got the car, and they have never fallen down from the back, although they do move around in curbs 

I laughed when it happened because it was literally the first time I'd used it for coins. The drawer apparently didn't care for being used so I leave it alone now.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't get me wrong- I still really like the Passat and would buy it again in a heartbeat. But at times it can be far from perfect/a bit irritating. Plus we aren't all lucky enough to have fully loaded V6 Passats with the high end electronics that might be theoretically less quirky.  No discriminating against us poor 2.0T Komfort owners! 

[Onslaught]

RX-8
Trunk is large enough to fit golf bags. But opening isn't big enough to fit them in without pulling driver out of the bag.

Tire pressure sensors don't tell you what tire is low.

"Soft" interior parts scratch too easy.

Flat little credit card size key is stupid and easy to forget.

[thewizard16]

RX-8
Trunk is large enough to fit golf bags. But opening isn't big enough to fit them in without pulling driver out of the bag.

Tire pressure sensors don't tell you what tire is low.

"Soft" interior parts scratch too easy.

Flat little credit card size key is stupid and easy to forget.

Mine's that way too, agreed.

[Lebowski]

Why? Having it on the passenger side allows you to pull up closer to the pump without worrying about dinging your door.

Hmmm.  Even w/ the C6 and it's longer doors, I never had a problem getting close enough.

Maybe they have really short hoses in Philly?

[ifcar]

Hmmm.  Even w/ the C6 and it's longer doors, I never had a problem getting close enough.

Maybe they have really short hoses in Philly?

[Rupert]

[SVT666]

On the Infiniti, the steering wheel has this really thin coating of non slip rubber on the spokes and if it gets scratched it starts peeling off.  My steering wheel looks like it's 20 years old.  I see that happening in lots of Gs.

[93JC]

The car has rain-sensing wipers but I find that they don't work well in light rain. I'd much prefer to have intermittent settings, but it was an either-or situation: either you got the rain-sensing wipers or you got intermittent, you couldn't get both.

Fuel economy sucks for a small car. I average about 26 mpUSg around the city and no better than 30ish on the highway. The transmission is geared too short.

[280Z Turbo]

The car has rain-sensing wipers but I find that they don't work well in light rain. I'd much prefer to have intermittent settings, but it was an either-or situation: either you got the rain-sensing wipers or you got intermittent, you couldn't get both.

Fuel economy sucks for a small car. I average about 26 mpUSg around the city and no better than 30ish on the highway. The transmission is geared too short.

Mazdas get lousy fuel economy.

[ifcar]

Mazdas get lousy fuel economy.

Not anymore! At least not the 3, 6 or CX-5.

[MX793]

The car has rain-sensing wipers but I find that they don't work well in light rain. I'd much prefer to have intermittent settings, but it was an either-or situation: either you got the rain-sensing wipers or you got intermittent, you couldn't get both.

Fuel economy sucks for a small car. I average about 26 mpUSg around the city and no better than 30ish on the highway. The transmission is geared too short.

Prior to E10 fuel, I used to get 33-34 mpg in my MkI Mazda3 on the highway.  After they switched to E10, it dropped by ~2 mpg.

[Byteme]

Mazdas get lousy fuel economy.

I keep fuel logs in each new car we buy, always have.

Our 06 3 averaged about 31 MPG overall in 100,000 miles of use.  I got up to 39 MPG on the highway and 28+ in town.

The 07 6 averages about 29 MPG overall, no trip computer so I can't give a highway, city breakdown.

The 95 Miata got about 28-30 city or highway.  Gearing and it was not very aerodynamic.

[afty]

On the Infiniti, the steering wheel has this really thin coating of non slip rubber on the spokes and if it gets scratched it starts peeling off.  My steering wheel looks like it's 20 years old.  I see that happening in lots of Gs.

Mine's like that too.  I don't really care, but I can see how it could really bother someone.

This is super nitpicky, but my G doesn't have an anchor for the passenger side floor mat, so it slides around.  It has one for the driver's side, just not the passenger.  Kind of annoying.

[mzziaz]

The car has rain-sensing wipers but I find that they don't work well in light rain. I'd much prefer to have intermittent settings, but it was an either-or situation: either you got the rain-sensing wipers or you got intermittent, you couldn't get both.

Fuel economy sucks for a small car. I average about 26 mpUSg around the city and no better than 30ish on the highway. The transmission is geared too short.

Should have gotten a Stang over your 2, so you at least could enjoy the shitty mpgs.

[68_427]

In my mom's Legacy the leather on the door cards and in other places of the cabin is so soft I bumped a round corner of a mini fridge into it and tore it.  Also sat on my sunglasses and badly scuffed her seat.

All the quirks to my car come from it being old and rusty.