'97 Passat ??s

My son's Passat has the check engine light on, Can anyone tell me, specifically, which OBD scan tools will work with his car? Also his upper heater hose has burst, its the one with the "T" check-valve. No one around here can get one (O'Riley, Auto Zone, Advance, Car Quest) is there an online source, or am I going to have to buy from a dealer?
And finally, what's up with having to pull the door handles 4-5 times to get the doors to open?
Thanks

You can use any [generic] OBDII scanner but will only get generic code info. To get VW specific info you can use VAG-COM from Ross-Tech.com. Other than that you will need the official VAG scan tool like your stealership has, it's only a few thousand dollars (read GET THE VAG-COM). Germanautoparts.com is a great source for OEM parts, OEM quality at reasonable prices, they should have your hose. Door handles, windows, plastic pieces - welcome to VW! That ancillary stuff will drive you nuts while the engine/tranny/chassis will last forever. Try lifting UP on the handle while simultaneously pulling outward. You may eventually have to replace the handle or maybe (if you're lucky) just disassemble, lube, reposition and reassemble. Hope it all works out for you.