# VW Passatt Gauges

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** gauges\
**Created:** [November 20, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298 "2008-11-20T01:41:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lionville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@lionville](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lionville)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298/1 "2008-11-20T01:41:31Z")

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2003 VW Passatt V-6. My Fuel Gauge, Engine Tempature Gauge and External Tempature display all suddenly stopped working. I checked the fuses, and they look okay. Any other ideas? This car drives me crazy.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298/2 "2008-11-20T02:17:53Z")

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There could be a problem with the grounding of the instrument panel or maybe the wires to the panel.

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**Author:** ![genex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/898d66/32.png) [@genex](https://community.cartalk.com/u/genex)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298/3 "2008-11-20T17:07:42Z")

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Check here for info

[www.passatworld.com/forums/](http://www.passatworld.com/forums/)

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298/4 "2008-11-20T18:27:19Z")

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On most cars the gas gauge and temp gauge work off of the same input. My memory is ery fuzzy on this but VW uses (don’t remember for sure on your particular model) a voltage regulator to control the voltage input to the gas and temp gauges.

This little widget (size of a small fingernail) was, or is, part of the instrument cluster. The slang words for it are “pitchfork” and “vibrator”.  
You might check with the local VW parts department and see if they show a listing for this item. If so, that could be the cause of your problems.

The purpose of this thing was to stabilize voltage and prevent needle fluctuation.

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**Author:** ![lionville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@lionville](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lionville)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298/5 "2008-11-22T18:08:25Z")

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thanks. I’ll check with the dealer

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**Author:** ![lionville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@lionville](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lionville)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/vw-passatt-gauges/22298/6 "2008-11-22T18:09:15Z")

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thanks. I’ll check it out
