Topic: First major VeeDub electronics gremlin

[rrocket]

Interesting.....

[onearmed]

You're coming up to waterpump, timing belt and tensioner time!!! 
I would swap the coils as well, that's what I did. 

[blur911]

German engineering also seems to dictate that all electrical functions, no matter how basic or whether common sense says that a computer isn't required, go through the ECU.

It's not just German.  My F150 had a leaky windshield, Ford has a service  bulletin, but that's all, about the millions of F150, Excursions, Explorers, etc. that have a windshield that leaks on the GEM module and fuse panel.  When this happens just about everything electrical in the truck  starts working erratically.  Lights, heater blowers, 4wd, windows, wipers, everything.
I found parts at a wreckers, but it's apparently about $1000 to fix it otherwise, not including the resealed windshield.

[dr_spock]

My old Nissan had the ECU under the passenger seat.   When salted water got into my car, it stopped dead in its track.  By the time it was towed home the next day and I found the ECU, the chips fell out as the salted water ate away the leads in the ICs.   At least it was still under warranty.

[Spheric]

One of things that struck me about the Passat when I first got it was the sheer number of electronic sensors that exists (compared to my previous Toyota). The manual reads like an extract from Rocket Science Quarterly.

My only major gripe are a couple of design flaws.

1) The electronic parking brake (you press a button instead of yanking on a traditional handbrake). I feel sorry for manual transmission owners should that button ever fail. For that reason alone I have excluded looking at the Tiguan as a potential future acquisition.

2) The Passat has an electronic key fob instead of a traditional key. If you lose that you are screwed.

3) The gas pedal is one of those pedals which is fixed to the floor (instead of hanging down). I often wonder what would happen if water got in the gap where the pedal and floor meet and if it would wreck havoc on the wiring.

Still, I would still seriously look at another V-Dub in the future.