Technical Bulletin
Model(s)

Year

Eng. Code

Trans. Code

VIN Range From

VIN Range To

Passat Wagon

2007-2010

All

All

All

All

Condition
55 14 08 December 16, 2014 2038997
Corrosion on Rear Lid around the License Plate Light Area
Corrosion on the rear lid around the license plate light (Figure 1, red outline).

Figure 1 – Corrosion on and around the license plate light (Screw fastened light)
Edge corrosion on the rear lid in the contact area of the license plate light (Figure 2, red outline).

Figure 2 – Corrosion on opening for license plate light (Clipped-on light)

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
Note:
To determine if this procedure is covered under Warranty, always refer to the Warranty Policies and
Procedures Manual.
Documentation required per Warranty Policies and Procedures Manual.
For vehicles outside of the Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perforation this Technical Bulletin is for
information only.

Technical Background
Water ingress through the seal of the license plate light.
Tip:
In some cases the seal for the rear wiper shaft can leak (Figure 3, red arrows) and water can get into the
rear lid.

Figure 3 – Seal for the rear wiper shaft leaks

Production Solution
Corrections in the production process after discovering deviations.

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
Service
Procedure:
1a. Replace the rear lid.
Or
1b. Repair the rear lid. Only perform this operation if the total repair cost is 80% or less of the total replacement
cost.
Steps 2 and 3 should be performed regardless of repair or replacement.
2a. Replace screw fastened license plate light (Figure 1)
Or
2b. Replace clipped-on license plate light (Figure 2)
3. Replace seal for rear wiper shaft.

1a. Replace the rear lid:
If the license plate light area in the rear lid exhibits through-corrosion (perforation), DO NOT repair, install
a new rear lid.
• Remove all necessary parts / trim pieces of the original rear lid. See Repair Group 70 and Repair Group 55 in
Elsa.
• Remove the rear window from the original rear lid. See Repair Group 64 in Elsa.
• Paint the new rear lid according to Volkswagen guidelines.
• Remove the original rear lid. See Repair Group 55 in Elsa.
• Install the new rear lid. See Repair Group 55 in Elsa.
• Install the window in the new rear lid. See Repair Group 64 in Elsa.
• Proceed to step 2a or 2b according to vehicle equipment.

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
1b. Repair the rear lid:
Before the repair, check the license plate light / handle assembly area in the rear lid. If the license plate
light / handle assembly area exhibits through-corrosion (perforation), DO NOT repair, install a new rear lid.
• Remove all necessary parts / trim parts from the rear lid. See Repair Group 70 and Repair Group 55 in Elsa.
• Remove the rear lid. See Repair Group 55 in Elsa.
Tip:
The rear window does not have to be removed from the rear lid for this procedure.
• Take off all trim pieces as well as the license plate light / handle assembly (Figure 4, number 1) necessary to
remove the corrosion from the rear lid. See Repair Group 70 and Repair Group 55 in Elsa.

Figure 4: License plate light / handle assembly
• Remove the corrosion with a pneumatic brush grinder. Make sure that the edges of the rear lid do not get
damaged.
Note:
If through-corrosion (perforation) is not present, rear lid replacement will only be accepted if it qualifies
per the Reimbursement Policy section of the Warranty Policies and Procedure Manual. This section
provides important guidelines when considering component repair vs. replacement options (the “80%
rule”).
• Apply a VOC compliant epoxy primer as an anti-corrosion treatment and primer (locally sourced).
• Re-paint the rear lid according to the Volkswagen guidelines.
• Install the rear lid. See Repair Group 55 in Elsa.
• Proceed to step 2a or 2b.

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
2a. Replace screw fastened license plate light:
Replace the license plate light / release handle assembly and seal off the contact area with butyl sealing
cord.
Tip:
The license plate light / release handle assembly (Figure 5, number 1) must always be completely
replaced.

Figure 5: License plate light / release handle assembly

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
• Install the new license plate light / release handle assembly (Figure 6, number 2). See Repair Group 55 in Elsa.
• Center the handle to ensure a symmetrical fit.

Figure 6: Screw fastened license plate light

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
• Before installing the license plate light glass, seal off the contact surface with butyl sealing cord (part number
AKL 450 005 05, Figure 7).

Figure 7: License plate light sealed off with butyl sealing cord
Note:
DO NOT over torque the mounting bolts of the license plate lights. Excessive torque may cause the glass
to break.
• Install the new license plate lights. See Repair Group 94 in Elsa.
• Remove any excess butyl sealing cord.
• Proceed to step 3.

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
2b. Replace clipped-on license plate light:
Replace the license plate light / release handle assembly and seal off the contact area with butyl sealing
cord.
• Install the new release handle (Figure 8, number 1), handle cover (Figure 8, number 3), and assembly cover
(Figure 8, number 6). See Repair Group 55 in Elsa.

Figure 8: Clipped-on license plate light
• Before installing the license plate lights, seal off the contact surface of the license plate light with butyl sealing
cord (part number AKL 450 005 05, Figure 9, green mark).

Figure 9: License plate light sealed off with butyl sealing cord
• Remove any excess butyl sealing cord.
• Install the new license plate lights. See Repair Group 94 in Elsa.
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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
• Center the license plate lights in the openings.
• Remove any excess butyl sealing cord.
• Proceed to step 3.

3. Replace seal for rear wiper shaft
• Replace the rear wiper shaft seal (Figure 10, red arrows) with part number 6Q6 955 758 A. See Repair Group
92 in Elsa.

Figure 10: Seal for rear wiper shaft
• Install all remaining parts / trim pieces previously removed. See Repair Groups 92, 70 and 55 in Elsa.
• Adjust the rear lid fit according to the repair manual. See Repair Group 55 in Elsa.

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
Warranty
Note:
• Dealers may complete the repair as described without prior authorization (through a WISE Warranty Repair
Acceptance request).
• Documentation required: Clear pictures, completed estimate and body shop invoice must be saved and kept on
file at the Dealership for audit purposes.
• Labor time units (TU), Material units (MU), and Material unit rate are correct at the time of publication. The time
units and/or material units may differ if the repair catalogue is updated. The information in the repair catalogue
applies, except for the open time items (labor operations ending in 99) which are calculated at actual time
multiplied by the body shop labor rate. The material allowance (Paint material price per unit) is subject to
change. Refer to WISE > Resource Center > Forms > Paint/Corrosion for the most current forms.
• This section is applicable for vehicles within the terms of Volkswagen’s Limited Warranty Against Corrosion
Perforation. For vehicles outside the terms of the Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perforation this section is
for information only.
• This bulletin may be provided to outside shops to ensure the proper repair is completed.

Note:
Claim Processing Options
Option 1: Utilize the attached form examples and interactive forms on WISE to assist with calculating the
reimbursement amounts. This will expedite the claim review process and reduce the time to pay the claim.
Note that miscalculations are subject to claim adjustment.
For the complete set of pre-populated Paint/Corrosion Claim Form templates associated with this Technical
Bulletin, refer to WISE > Resource Center > Forms > Paint/Corrosion.
Option 2: Email repair estimates to paintcamp@vw.com. The Paint and Corrosion Team will calculate the
warranty allowance and complete the required form(s) on behalf of the dealer.

To determine if this procedure is covered under Warranty, always refer to the Warranty Policies and
1)
Procedures Manual
Model(s)

Year(s)

Eng. Code(s)

Trans. Code(s)

VIN Range From

VIN Range To

Passat Wagon

2007-2010

All

All

All

All

SAGA Coding
Claim Type:

1)

160

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
HST

Damage Location
(Depends on Service
No.)

--

030

Damage
Service Number:
Code
5559

0003

Parts Manufacturer

Passat Wagon (3C5)

030

2)

Repair
Please use the following part number in “Outside Materials”

4)

LACKMATF: Paint and Materials

MU @ $12 per unit

Epoxy Primer (Locally Sourced)

Claim Dollar Amount (MAX: $40)

Please use the following Labor Operation in “Outside Labor”

4)

Select the appropriate Labor Operation below:
- L0010000: External Painting-straight color
Claim Dollar Amount
- L0020000: External Painting-metallic/2-layer
- L0030000: External Painting-pearl color
Use this for all body repair in this bulletin:
Claim Dollar Amount
- A0041000: Body Shop repair no paint
Replace
Please use the following part number in “Outside Materials”
LACKMATF: Paint and Materials

4)

MU @ $12 per unit

Please use the following Labor Operation in “Outside Labor”

4)

Select the appropriate Labor Operation below:
- L0010000: External Painting-straight color
Claim Dollar Amount
- L0020000: External Painting-metallic/2-layer
- L0030000: External Painting-pearl color
Use this for all body repair in this bulletin:
Claim Dollar Amount
- A0041000: Body Shop repair no paint
Causal Part:

L00#0000
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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other
intellectual property rights of Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Bulletin
Diagnostic Time

4)

GFF Time expenditure

01500000 = 00 TU max.

NO

Road Test

01210002 = 00 TU

NO

01210004 = 00 TU
Technical Diagnosis

01320000 = 00 TU

NO

Claim Comment: Input “As per Technical Bulletin 2038997” in comment section of Warranty Claim.
1)

For Vehicles outside the Limited Warranty Against Corrosion Perforation this bulletin is information only

2)

Corrosion claim vendor code will be the damage location.

3)

Labor Time Units (TUs) are subject to change with ELSA updates.

4)

Documentation required per Warranty Policies and Procedures Manual.

5)

See attachment “srt_reference_table.pdf” for labor time reference.

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© 2014 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.