No driver door keyhole access #!@!
Activating windows with key fob is not available to my knowledge. The only way to lower windows is from inside the driver's door. Hopefully there will be workarounds, but may require a new door controller module.
I am stuck with a new 1.8TSI gasser since an Uber driver totaled my '14 TDI JSW. Very sad, but the Passat is not bad...however:
If you
pull the small trim cover over the keyhole on the NMS Passat, you can activate ALL WINDOWS DOWN or UP by the old insert key, turn and hold process. That has been available for years on lots of VW models.
So I am supposed to stand in the rain in my driveway, pry it off in a panic every time it starts to rain to lift the windows, or sit in the hot parking lot in the sun and pry it off to drop the windows when the car is 130 degrees F inside?! This is stupid. Eventually, the retaining tabs on the cover will wear out, and it won't stay on.
Losing the all windows up or down function with the remote is made worse by the dumb keyhole trim cover. How dumb is that? There is no way to quickly drop the windows, or raise them in a pinch without getting into the car and starting it (I have keyless starting). In fact, you can't even just turn the ignition on to operate the windows (keyless starting), so I actually have to START the engine to control the windows
Stupid.
You really have to wonder why a feature that is available is rendered inaccessible (trim covering the keyhole), or eliminated (no long coding fix for remote operation with keyfob).
I added the remote function using VCDS on my JSW. And that car had an accessible driver door keyhole, so I could ALSO use the key to operate the windows. BOTH gone in the NMS Passat...GASP!