[spepin]

At the end of November, I bought a new 2022 Limited in Racing Green. Four days after purchase, the driver side panel of the center console had dropped down from the clips. Brought it to the dealer to get that fixed, and after picking it up, I noticed a new problem with the radio. After the car sits for more than about 90 minutes, the radio will not turn on automatically when you start the car. If I stop to run into the store for a bit, everything is good, but shut it down for more than 90 minutes and I will have to push the power button on the radio to turn it on. Dealer confirmed this is an issue and communicated with the engineers at the mother ship before ordering a new head unit. Furthermore, the radio will randomly shut down sometimes while driving, or freeze up (while still playing audio), and eventually reboot, etc.

I picked up the car until the new head unit arrived, but then noticed yet another new problem. After the car sits overnight, the interior lights will come on when the door is opened as usual, but will abruptly turn off after 12 seconds without starting the engine. Doesn't matter which door either -- I can open the passenger door to put something inside and the lights turn off after 12 seconds. Go around to the driver door and again the lights will turn off after 12 seconds. Now, when I get to work and shut the car off and test this again, the lights come on and stay on for as long as the door is open. Also, when exiting the car for a short time, they will stay on.

Now, back to the radio problem. The new head unit arrived and the dealer installed it, only to call me up and say the new one is behaving the same way as the old one. They're keeping it to troubleshoot with the engineers. I'm really getting frustrated with so many problems with a brand new car, and I'm starting to regret buying it, but my 2014 TDI was so trouble free (aside from the common heater core issue) that I felt good about staying with Passat at the time.

This radio is used across several years, so I'm curious if anybody else has had a similar issue, and what was ultimately done to resolve it.

 

[Hirnbeiss]

It was probably the IC chips that they had to buy on the open market (ie Ali Baba) to keep the production line going.

 

[OldGnome]

the radio will randomly shut down sometimes while driving, or freeze up (while still playing audio), and eventually reboot

I see this with my 2020 Passat SEL. The dealer hasn't been able to find a cause; they can't reproduce the problem. I see it less than once/month. Maybe less often than that. I haven't tracked it.

I always use it with my iPhone.

 

[spepin]

Just got an update from the dealer. They have been advised to do a wiring overlay for the wiring harness. They're just waiting for the tech to check the wiring diagram and see if there's any wires they'll have to order. I do have a loaner from the dealer, but my daily commute is greater than the mileage allowance, so I'm paying about $9/day while my car is in the shop. All this and I haven't even made my first car payment yet. Not a happy camper at all right about now.

 

[spepin]

Finally got the car back yesterday. The tech did a wiring overlay to narrow down the issue to one of the wiring harnesses, and ultimately located a bad wire for the CAN bus of the radio head unit. There was supposed to be around 2.4-2.6V on the wire, but he measured only 1.2V, so VW had him replace the wire. Everything is now working again as it should be. It might be too early to tell, but I think that this might also have resolved the problem where the interior lights shut off after only 12 seconds. Fingers crossed!

 

[2wheelgnnr]

as far as your interior lights shutting off...Isnt that normal that if you get in the car and not start it they will eventually shut off.......not sure about time of 12 seconds but all cars if dont start it they lights will eventually shut off.......like when you leave the car say you dont want those lights staying on forever..they have to time out eventually?? again not sure about 12 seconds but I will try it with my 2020 Rline and my wifes 18 rline but I think the light shutting off after time is normal. ofcourse even when not starting the ignition.........I will check my time out timing... but m sure that it will and should eventually time out as when you leave the car at night when parked you wouldnt want it to stay on indefinately.......theres a time out....

GOOD luck with the rest. goodthat dealer staying on it till they found it for ya.

 

[spepin]

as far as your interior lights shutting off...Isnt that normal that if you get in the car and not start it they will eventually shut off.......not sure about time of 12 seconds but all cars if dont start it they lights will eventually shut off.......like when you leave the car say you dont want those lights staying on forever..they have to time out eventually?? again not sure about 12 seconds but I will try it with my 2020 Rline and my wifes 18 rline but I think the light shutting off after time is normal. ofcourse even when not starting the ignition.........I will check my time out timing... but m sure that it will and should eventually time out as when you leave the car at night when parked you wouldnt want it to stay on indefinately.......theres a time out....

GOOD luck with the rest. goodthat dealer staying on it till they found it for ya.

Yeah -- it was definitely not normal. Most of the time they would stay on until they timed out after like 10 minutes or so. When they would act up, they just shut off after literally 12-13 seconds. But, after the dealer found and repaired the CAN bus wiring for the radio, I haven't had the interior lights act up any more, so the two problems were more than likely related to the same CAN bus wiring issue. Hopefully these first problems were the last ones. I really like the brand, but was beginning to get discouraged by this cluster of issues.