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What did you do to your Passat today?

1M views 12K replies 1K participants last post by  khnitz 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've seen this on many forums and it's always been a winner. Post up what you did to your car today. Add a picture or two that show what your did.


With that, I give you my addition, I polished my headlights.

Automotive parking light Car Vehicle Vehicle registration plate Grille
 
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#6,839 ·
I pulled the right front side-marker light from the bumper cover to replace the bulb and discovered that the lens assembly had a crack in it - oh well one additional little part to replace. The lens was not that difficult to remove after washing it down good with lots of water and soapy water spray from a spray bottle. The road grit really gets behind the lens and prevents it from pushing in and sliding well. I will make a quick trip to VW on Monday to pick up a replacement!
 
#6,840 ·
Recently did water pump, along with all belts including timing.

Today knocked out power steering pump, cleaned combi valve and black puck, and installed a used but working saip as mine went dead because of stuck combi valve. Tackling 710n install tomorrow.

In the next few weeks will tackle breather hose with intake manifold gasket change. And lastly, valve cover gasket change from minor oil leak.

After all this, I will do a vacuum delete and apply a stage 2 tune to gain 60 xtra hp in near future.
 
#6,842 ·
If you're gonna contest it, you can request that the officer make a court appearance so that you can (or a lawyer) question him. If he doesn't show (and often times they don't) the judge will generally toss it.

However, sometimes they do show, so be prepared for that.

There is also a chance that the judge will decided to proceed even if the officer is a no-show.

There are no absolutes, so be ready for it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
#6,843 ·
Installed a new battery. Old battery had been purchased in July 2008.

Installed a new K&N intake filter for the stock air box.

Gave her a much needed wash and wax. Going to look into picking up a clay bar and/or polishing compound to work on the finish.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
#6,845 ·
I would love it if he didn't show. I don't want to see him. And if he does show, he better feel like absolute s*** when he sees the medical records of my mom being in the hospital. She's not going home until maybe, just MAYBE Monday and if not Monday then o don't know. So being in the hospital almost a week isn't serious to a cop then he needs to be fired.
 
#6,848 ·
Installed 5.5 knee cubby in my 2000

I saved weight by removing all those brackets behind :p

Anyways did anyone else notice the fuse cover doesn't cover the new knee cubby ? It has about an 1/4 inch of space so I can see inside my dash from the outside lol. I'm not sure if it's a different part because I installed the knee panel properly and the holes line up. I wonder if the 5.5 and 5 are different fuse covers.
 
#6,850 ·
Flushed out the brown dirty coolant from the system, filled and bled.

Replaced a burnt headlight bulb on my NEW headlights. Total PITA!!!!!! I have to remove the light assembly to do this which means the front bumper cover has to come off :cry: I know- I know......On normal Passats you don't have to do this but with mine you do.
 
#6,851 ·
I need new headlights. Mine are all hazed up on the inside because I didn't seal the HID wiring so moisture got in. They look disgusting and I'm so mad at myself lol

Any way to clean the lens inside without actually taking them out? If I take them out then I'm just going to get new ones. I'm also scared to take my bumper off, I've never done it before and my step dad won't want to help me because he will say it's pointless for me to get new headlights and a waste of money.

I kinda want led day time running light ones, but I want it like the new Audis where it's not like dots, it's a single beam. And then add my HID kit to them and seal it properly. Is it hard to rewire the headlights to make the LED DRL? Would they turn off when I hit my
Blinker and then turn back on after or is that only on most newer cars?
 
#6,854 ·
Removing the bumper COVER isn't that hard. Removing the grill, side lights can be a pain because if you aren't careful clips will break!!! It's basically 2 different sized TORX bits and like 14 screws. Getting the hood latch re connected can be a pain if you don't have someone to help. Take your time!!! Know where the clips are and be gentle!!!

If you are doing this by yourself then put big thick blankets bown under the front end. This way if you drop the bumper COVER it won't get scuffed up on the driveway...

As for LED??? I say leave them for someone else. Yea their cool but you run the risk of having issues than if you just replaced the assemblies with what's supposed to be there.
 
#6,852 ·
I'm gonna agree with your stepdad on this. kinda pointless and to replace them when all you have to do is remove the headlights, then remove the clear plastic cover and clean the inside. As for the bumper it's super easy, I think it's just 14 screws and then the bumper slides right off. And as for the LED DRL's, I have friends who have used LED's in their headlights and absolutely hated them and went back to halogen.
 
#6,853 ·
I took off the driver's side door panel this morning and replaced the 4-position power side-mirror switch on my 03 GLX Wagon. In looking over some of the earlier posts on this topic, I noticed that some say that the switch can be pulled from the panel by prying it out (without removing the door panel). I did not want to try this as I thought it would damage the outer plastic surfaces. I didn't want pry marks on the trim piece.

In pulling the panel, I broke three of the small clips (no big deal as they were $2.00 each at VW). I did not use my clip tool as my brother has it! The panel is easily removed and the various plugs pop out without too much difficulty - though the connector for the courtesy light in the bottom of the door has a somewhat unusual clip arrangement (one that was a bit of a pain to remove.

I ended up removing the door release insert piece (one screw and six tab releases) to replace the actual mirror control switch - the switch itself is held in by 5 tabs I believe.

I know that this may have been the more involved way to replace the mirror control switch, but I just didn't want to damage the trim. All in all an easy job.

Just a note on the failed switch: The switch worked well in all positions, but the reverse function did not actuate ( the folding in and down on reverse - with the switch placed in the "R" Right Mirror position). Just wanted to let you all know of that unusual failure.

Thanks again to PassatWorld users and Youtube posters for the information on the door panel and the switch.
 
#6,858 ·
Oil & filter. This was different in that my youngest son did all the work with Dad telling him how. No children were abused in this event. I fell off a ladder March 28th and have 13 fractures that are healing up, 2 of them vertibraes in my back...so I am not allowed to do any bending over or wrenching for a while, hence the son.

Son learned to love how VW placed the oil filter on the 1.8T for easy, clean access.
 
#6,860 ·
That sounds terrible...glad you got him wrenching, though! Keep trying to get my daughter to come out and work on the car with me, but she always ends up on a bike or scooter >_<

Replaced right front axle last week after I heard it groaning, still waiting to muster the energy to get the left front done, but it isn't as bad (just one torn boot for 2+ years), so I'm not totally worried about it...yet...

Also found a shop to help me finish the exhaust up. $140 to put 2.25" piping from the middle muffler to the rear, new hangers for the pipes with correct bends, and I have some black chrome exhaust tips from a BMW X5 I'm going to throw on. The way the exhaust looks right now is the worst part of the car. My friend wanted some welding experience and we had some spare tubing we could use, so we chopped out the rear mufflers and he welded this pipe just coming straight out to the rear, no hangers attached. Sounds great, looks absolutely terrible. So I'm pretty excited to get it done soon. Proper pictures to follow shortly after that happens!
 
#6,859 ·
I removed front bumper cover and grille in order to replace a broken upper bumper cover support (had been damaged by the previous owner). The grille assembly also had some broken clips and flanges - so I found a good one at Pull A Part and have transferred over the nicer chrome bits and VW emblem from my grille. When I removed the bumper cover, I found that the left side bumper cover support piece also has some broken supports - this is the plastic piece that is attached to each side of the inner bumper surface. It attaches with the plastic tabs that are glued to the bumper face cover. I don't think this piece is available separately from the bumper, so I will try to glue the broken pieces together.
The first owner must have had a low speed impact with something on this left side. It damaged the grille, left light, upper bumper support - left side, and the inner bumper piece. The bumper cover face itself has two small areas of chipped paint and abrasion. Oh well, it could have been much worse - no other damage to the car.
 
#6,861 · (Edited)
Replaced upper control Arms and left sway bar link. Luckily I had a good oem link to throw on. The link bushing had separated from the housing.

I had sprayed the arm bushings with lithium grease to keep them quiet over the winter. Didn't realize how bad the pass side was. Torn bushings

Out with the old, in with the new. Pinch bolts pushed out with a finger.



Also put a coat of primer on my rusty lug bolts.


Checked my tie rods. Outers good and inners still tight enough to stay up under the weight of the outer.
 
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#6,869 ·
Valve cover gasket and cct gasket today. PCV system removed and will be replaced when I get some more parts. 2 hoses that I did not anticipate having trouble with. And a broken dipstick funnel, lol.

 
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