2003 VOLKSWAGEN Passat

ignition coils misfires (sometimes leading to burned spark plugs) – replaced both ignition coils and spark plugs. Did research and this website describes it perfectly with a possible recall coming up for my particular year/model of VW Passat: http://www.vwproblems.com/trends/ignition-coil/

I had a sludge oil problem with my vehicle as stated above. Fifteen months later I am having the same problem. A brake stop light comes on in big bold letters telling me to stop driving. Oil pressure light comes on and car has stopped on me once. The car has been in the shop for a couple of weeks and has not been driven. The car has approximately 132, 000 miles on it. I have maintained the services on my car with regular oil changes. I see know reason why I am having this same problem 15 months later and why I have to pay for it. Am trying to find out what recourse I have because I feel VW is responsible for the cost of repair. If I allow someone who works outside the dealership but is certified to work on volkswagon will that nullify and types of cases I would like to persue?

While driving warning lights and message came on telling us to pull over because of possible low oil pressure. We called a VW dealer who informed us that it was possible oil sludge problem and we should buy a quart of synthetic oil in case the oil level was low. I told them my car didn’t use synthetic and they said it was recommended it did. I told them that VW usually changed our oil every 3000 miles and always used the oil recommended in the owners use manual. The light went out and we continued home and researched the issue on the internet when we learned about a class action suit. We had the car towed to the VW dealer in Lexington Ky and they said our claim was denied because our last oil change was not synthetic. We contacted VW USA which said the same thing. Now we find out we can’t be in the class action suit because we didn’t file in time. We couldn’t file if we knew nothing about it.

The Car was over heating than it just explode with my kids in the car the dash board inside the car was full of water and the engine went out….

I was driving on the hwy around 65-70 and my car car started acting up, i slowed down and stopped on the side of the road, smoke started coming out of the engine bay so i opened the hood, flames where everywhere my arm’s hairs got burnt and i immediately called the fire department, my whole car got burnt and now im without a mode of transportation.

Oil pressure light came on oil sludge warranty expired damaged engine Volkswagen is saying I have to pay for repairs!

I take my VW W8 Passat to a shop that is not a dealership; however the technicians all worked at a nearby VW/Audi dealership that closed, so all have been properly trained. I complained about a fuel odor when the tank was full or almost so. The technician found fuel smell and residue coming from vent line on top of tank. He said it appears to fall under the requirements of the R5 campaign. I have a copy of Safety Recall Circular Code: 26E5/R%, revised July 2009, Subject: 1999-2005 Passat and Passat Wagon (5th Generation) equipped with gas engine, which addresses this subject. I purchased this vehicle from the original owner on April 28 of this year. She gave me ALL the service orders & receipts. This recall was listed as being done 07/22/2008 by Boardwalk VW in Dallas (the original selling dealer). While the paperwork says the recall was done (a) some of these items may have failed subsequently, or (b) may not have been properly addressed on the initial fix. After contacting VW customer service, they advised me to take the car to a VW dealer for a diagnostic check. The dealership dropped the tank far enough to see there was a leak, but they could not see where or why. Nevertheless, VW declined to take responsibility for fixing the problem because (a) on paper it had already been fixed, and (b) they detected a small superficial scrape in a flimsy metal shield beneath the tank and claim that the leak was due to an “accident” i.e. the car came in contact with something hard beneath. I do not recall any impact that I would classify as hard enough to warrant any concern. I called my USAA insurance on the theory that if it was an accident it would be fixed under my collision coverage. The adjustor looked and the same impact marks and said he did not believe this was enough to cause damage of any type. If I go back to the dealership to get the problem fixed, there will be a high bill and they will not take responsibility. If I take it to my independent shop, they will fix it more reasonably, but VW will deny whatever they say, in the event that what they find supports a defective part. USAA sounds like they want to write it off as wear and tear.

Engine sludge issue. Warning light went on. I stopped and had towed immediately. They acknowledge auto maker poor design/problem but will not pay for repairs.

Engine failure

When alternately accerlating and braking (rush hour traffic)the engine has a difficult time knowing what gear it is in, and will suddenly downshift into a lower gear. This jolt feels as if someone has suddenly rear-ended the car. It is quite an unnerving feeling. It seems the only way to avoid this is to brake more pronouced, so the engine can reset the gears. My VW dealer says this is a problem with all VWs.

Volkswagon refuses to warrant my 2003 Passat for the oil sludge problems that have taken place recently. They sent me documentation that this was a recurring problem with the make/model of my car, but now refuse to cover my vehicle because I cannot produce more than 3 receipts of oil change maintenance. I was not informed that these receipts had to be retained to warrant my car.

there is an erratic acceleration problem that causes a major hesitation. When I complained to the dealership (Vletel Volkswagen) they said they had 50 more on the lot just like it and that they were well aware of the problem but there is not a solution. They said that other dealers had many complaints and that Volkswagen has not so far been able to correct it and that the car drove according to VW specs. This is extremely dangerous when entering traffic, changing lanes or needing to respond to a situation let alone just keeping up with traffic. I drive many miles a day and have found myself in numerous precarious positions. A frien of mine had the same difficulty with a GM Envoy and all the dealer did was \"re-burn a chip\" and the problem was corrected. With all the complaints the dealers have had I find it hard to believe that Volkswagen has that little care about the safety of their consumers. There are many amenities I enjoy about the car but this basic need for positive acceleration is of utmost importance. Thank You.Gerald (Jerry) Smale

The car shook whenever the brakes were applied! It started around 10,000 – 15,000 miles. Finally had to replace the rotors and pads at 26,000. Brakes were ok for 5,000 miles or so and then started shaking again when brakes were applied. Car now has 51,000 miles on it and the brakes still shake the car when applied. This condition has been noticeable for approximately 75% of the time I have owned this car. Apparently the rotors are defective. VW says they are a wear item and won\’t help with the replacement expense.

The “Oil Pressure! Stop!” light came on as my husband was driving on the interstate. The car sounded fine, and we took it to VW South in Charlotte, NC. The service rep said that they see this all the time, that it was likely sludge, and they’d probably have to replace the intake tube and oil filter. A week and a half later, he called to say that the it required a complete overhaul – engine, turbo unit, oil pump, etc. My research indicates that this is a problem that has recurred in hundreds of other VW Passats with the same engine, and that Volkswagen is covering itself by backtracking under the “extended warranty” it offered in August of 2004. Since we don’t have all of the records of the car’s servicing, we don’t get covered under warranty. I feel it’s a design flaw.

sludge problem with my engine resulting in high dollar repair. Had all of my oil change receipts except three.Should have purchased a cheap American made Pinto.

Sludge in motor. I have taken excellent care of this car. I have lived in 3 states in the 3 years I have owned it and told they will not honor the warranty because I have a 17000 gap in my oil change receipts (I am essentially missing only 3 receipts). Ironically, I bought the car in August of 2004, before they acknowledged the problem. I never received any notice about the problem. Before this problem, my brakes lights have gone out. My stereo has gone out and my seat heater caught on fire as I was driving down the highway and caught my jacket on fire! They are making me pay for the entire sludge problem even though it has been acknowledged, and repeatedly complained about. It is highway robbery.

ROTORS WARP, CAUSING PADS TO WEAR DOWN PREMATURELY, CAUSING ROTOR TO WARP EVEN MORE. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT CORRECT UNDER WARRANTY

Please find below correspondences regarding my car.October 30, 2004Volkswagen of AmericaAttention: Kip Kriigel3800 Hamlin Rd.Auburn Hills, MI 48326Dear Mr. Kriigel:Per our conversation Friday, October 29, 2004 please find enclosed the information regarding my car. As I stated I am quite alarmed that Volkswagen is aware of its engine oil sludge problem but has chosen to compromise the integrity of the Volkswagen reputation and its product. I experienced engine failure on September 25, 2004 on a major draw bridge in Virginia. My family and I were quite fortunate that a severe accident or fatality did not occur.I took my car to Joe Pecheles Volkswagen on August 25, 2004 because the engine oil light was on. I was instructed to bring the car back the next day. I did so. I indicated that the engine oil light was on. Upon picking my car up I was told the light was off. Much to my dismay, I assumed everything had been corrected. Again if Volkswagen is aware of the engine oil sludge problem I would think this would have alerted the service department to take other appropriate actions. I was told by the service manager that once the oil was changed the light was off. If Volkswagen is experiencing engine oil sludge problems is that the position of Volkswagen? My husband was told by the service manager of Freema Motors that they were not aware of the engine oil sludge problem. After my traumatic experience, I aware of other Volkwagen /Audi customers who have experienced similar or related situations. My husband has spoken to Jeff Morris who has been quite condescending and arrogant. I have tired to resolve this problem with Volkswagen of America – Customer Relations. I have spoken with the FOM for the Joe Pecheles dealership who simply brushed me off and suggested that I check with my insurance company to see if they could help me or contact an attorney. His position is that I neglected my car. However, many Vollkswagen customers feel that this is not a customer neglect problem but a defective engine issue. I did not purchase a new 2003 Volkswagen to neglect it or to have it fail me at 30, 000 miles. Safety is of the upmost importance for me as a female driver. When my car completely stopped on the bridge there was no time to react. It simply stopped. I could not pull off of the bridge. There was no shoulder on the bridge. The car simply stopped! Other drivers had to quickly swerve to avoid hitting me. People screamed horrible expletives as if I chose to stop on the bridge. Fortunately a DOT worker showed up and towed me across the bridge. You cannot imagine the humiliation I have gone through as a Volkswagen Passat owner. I have spoken with Casey Imports, Newport News Virginia regarding the repairs, which would begin at $5,000.00. This is addition to my monthly car payment and the car rental expense of approximately $700.00. I am still without transportation at this time. My car is still at Casey Imports, Newport News, Virginia. I would simply like the car fixed or trade it for a 2005 Volkswagen Passat.Thank you for your assistance regarding this matter.Sincerely,Charetta WallsNovember 11, 2004Council of Better Business Bureaus4200 Wilson BoulevardArlington, VA 22203Dear Sirs:Please find enclosed information regarding engine failure with my 2003 Volkswagen Passat. I have spoken with Kip Kriigel and Greg Peters of Volkswagen of America regarding this matter. Volkswagen of America is very much aware of their engine oil sludge problem with the 1.8 liter engines in the 2003 Volkswagen Passat and other models with the 1.8 T engine. As of this date Volkswagen of America has verbally denied my warranty claim for engine repair. I have requested a written statement from Volkswagen which specifically states the reason for denial of the my claim.Please review my case and notify me regarding eligibility of arbitration or mediation. My vehicle information is as follows: Charetta Walls, 2401 Surrey Lane Greenville, NC 27858, VIN # – WVWPD63B63P202548, Dealer

Our Volkswagen Passat 03 died in traffic and had to be towed at 52000 miles. Replaced fuel pump/relay. Seats had infamous Hot Seat problem denied by dealer and mechanic for years until finally acknowledged in recall. Cruise control out at 53000 miles. Plastic engine undercarriage dropped off in traffic at about 60,000 miles. Numerous headlight replacements throughout life of car. Currently, 84,000 miles engine sludged and breathing last breath. We have summoned the local priest to perform an exorcism or perform last rites.

On Jan 26th, 2007 at around 6:30 pm, the 2003 VW Passat described in this complaint sputtered with smoke, stalled with steering/braking barely functional, and then caught fire in the engine compartment. The fire was put out by a local fire dept and the car is deemed totaled by my insurance.VW later sent out its engineers to examine the car and determined that it was due to a manufacturing defect of one of the ignition coils, verbally on the phone, but not in writing.VW recalled many cars with the same 1.8 TT engines up to 2002 model year for the same type of coil defect issues, but this car is not in the recall range.VW ignored so far my request to clarify whether the defect coils were used in fact in my car or not.An engine failure of this type, under any other circumstances than mine, such as highway exit or other high speed situations, can lead to loss of control due to engine/transmission lockup, loss of steering control, loss of brake boost, etc., which are likely to result in injury or worse.VW so far has shown to me little concern for such.It leads me to conclude one of the three following possibilities.1. The defect that was recalled for the earlier model years is in fact affects more cars than VW admits and the VW is not aware of this, or is not doing enough to find and correct the issue, or considers this an acceptable risk with little regards to their customers safety.2. The fix for the defect still has issues that continues to the later model years, and VW is not aware of this or considers as an acceptable risk.3. My car is truly a case of extremely unlucky failure.

Oil sludge. VW does everything possible to not pay. Check the net you\’ll see numerous complaints of people screwed by VW. The Passat is essentially a family car that I bought new. You know there is something wrong when the dealer is instructed to only use synthetic oil for oil changes. It\’s a Passat not a Porche. Clearly this problem would not occur without a serious design flaw (which apparently has been changed by VW in \’05s). Customer service guy at VW told me he personally gets 3 to 5 calls a day by people with the sludge problem (denied warranty repairs). VW said I needed to produce more oil change receipts. Have copies of some oil changes from the dealer. I do not have copies from other places where oil was changed.Dealer told me its $7k for the engine alone. I\’ve paid to the dealer $700+ in related repairs and diagnostics already. Car broke down in the summer. They replaced the oil pump then. They said the car was fine. Two months later is shot.

Oil sludge caused our engine to seize. We were told by the dealership that our new engine (roughly $7500) was not going to be covered by warranty because we could not provide all receipts for oil changes.

Oil Pressure light intermittantly coming on, phoned VW dealership and they said it\’s not a concern, but we could bring it in if we wanted to. VW dealer said we have a sludge build up and will have to have the manifold valve and erg valve replaced. We wanted to take the car to our regular mechanic to get a second opion. When we picked up our Passat from the VW dealership, they listed the oil pump screen as the problem, no mention of the 2 itmes listed above. We understand Passats are experiencing sludge problems due to engine design flaws and our regular mechanic said VW should pay for it. We don\’t have receipts from all our oil changes, but the vehicle is still under warranty and we think they should pay for the repairs, dealership is not being helpful

My car has developed an oil sludge problem causing my timing to be off. I took the car to Bill Jacobs Volkswagen in Naperville. They refuse to take responsibility for the problem and want me to pay for removing the sludge and resetting the timing. I have been taking my car there for oil changes and was never informed about a sludge problem. I took the car to another service center. They stated that volkswagen did not put on the appropriate oil filter.

Infamous oil sludge. Check consumer reports, center for auto safety, attorney general office, Federal Trade Commission, and etc. We have maintained our vehicle extremely well, even better than required, but we’re missing 2 oil change receipts. The dealership and VW has denied the warranty claim due to abuse and neglect, but no one has even looked at our car. It is still where the tow truck left it. Estimated $12,000 repair on a 2 year old vehicle w/ 30k miles, but no help from dealer or manufacturer. Not sure what to do next.

I went to turn on my 2002 Passatt Volksvagen on December 9, 2005 and a flasing “STOP” light came on. I called the dealership after I checked my manual and she told me not to turn my car on because it could do damage to my egine. So I had my car towed to the dealership and they told me that the problem is the oil pick up tube. They informed me that this is only covered under warranty if I could supply them with every single receipt of oil changes since I purchased the car. Unfortienetly I have misplaced two receipts so now they will not cover this and is costing me $950.00. I have always changed my oil on time. This seems to be their way have screwing over their so called valued customers. I was on a website (MyVWLemon.com) and found numerous of Passatt owners with the same exact problem and out come. Why are we responsible for a poorly designed engine? The heat of the 1.8L turbo is breaking the oil down creating sludge. They obviously know of this problem because they issued a warranty extension. However, VW of America will only cover the warranty if the owner can provide every single receipt, something they know that very few people can do especially if some people change their own oil. This is just one of the problems that I have been dealing with since I bought my Passatt brand new. Checking the website that I mentioned above also tells me this may not be the last of my problems. Merry Christmas to me.

I have had my VW at Schumacher service center 3 times out of the last 6 months. the 1st time the sensor light that sayed stop oil pressure. so I had it towed to the dealership and they sayed the fixed it this was is December. 2nd time was in Feb the power steering went out and as well as my back brakes they covered the power steering but I had to pay for the brakes. now for the 3 time my car is back in the shop. They said in order to touch the car they would need my receipts that I changed the oil so which I provided them (all of them) and they are still refusing to cover the problem under warranty. I am without a car for my wife to get to work was not offered a loaner or any other recouse. They said I would have to pay to get it fixed or go through my car insurance which I refuse to go. This is not their problem. I have researched this problem in vws of the same make and model as mine and it is a common problem and I do not feel that I should have to pay.

I have a problem with oil sludge. 3 times. Last year we broke down on the way to Baltimore and had to have it towed to the nearest dealer in Richmond Va. for repairs. They \"fixed\" it and we had the oil changed again 6 months later which brings us to now, we were about to get the next 6 month oil change done but too late: The oil lights are warning us again. The dealer would\’nt help up and just gave us VW\’s number which we called and they also blew us off. The dealer here in Raleigh told us we need a new engine! this car hs 50,000 miles on it and it\’s a lease! This is not right, VW should stand behind it\’s products we didn\’t even get the synthetic oil memo till well after we bought the car. But we have been putting only synthetic oil in since the first experience.

First in September of \’02 I had to have my Passat towed in to the dealership because the car was driving very rough and the check engine light was blinking. Upon ariving at the dealership I was informed that the engine coil was replaced and it was the reason for the problems. Again in December of \’02 the same thing happened to the car. It was towed again and this time the engine coil was also replaced. Last night January 26th I was out in the country visiting a friend and the same thing happened, my car is currently at the dealership having the engine coil replaced for the third time. I have filed a complaint with Voltswagen, but now at this point I am really concerned about my safty in the car. I do not want to drive my car anywhere out of the city for fear of it breaking down. I am even more aprehensive about ever using it to go on a vacation. I feel as a consumer I was taken advantage of and I would like to know what my rights are with the \"lemon law\".I have done research on the web about this issue and have found that many other people are having the same problem with the car. http://www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_30975.htmlhttp://www.carsurvey.org/review_35971.htmlhttp://www.carreview.com/PRD_299_1531crx.aspxThank you for your help in the public\’s rights as consumers.Jonathan Moore

Engine light came on in the VW with 1.8T engine. Brought the car to the dealer and they said the engine has sludge. They inquired as to how often the oil was changed and I responded by saying oil and filter changed regularly. They said that unless I could provide all the receipts of oil changes that the car’s warranty is null and void. From your website, i see other complaints about the same problem from other owners yet VW won’t help

Car engine failed due to engine oil sludge problem. Dealer gave cost for new engine after I paid for inspection of car. After I researched problem on internet, found letter supposed to have been sent by VW of America regarding such problems; dealer had denied any knowledge of same. Faxed copy of letter found on internet by VWoA to local VW dealer; was then told by service manager that if I had every oil change verification papers from time car put into service until that date, that VW would pay for service. At the time, I did not have the papers with me (they were filed away not with the car due to a prior court action involving child custody), and the dealer said he would charge $30/day fee unless I took car home. I had car towed home and found papers. I am missing two receipts and was told that I have to have every receipt or VW won\’t assist. I have had to rent a car, then lease a new car in order to drive while awaiting some recourse. I have been offered $2000 by an independent party for my car which should be worth far, far more.

Brand new Passat pulls to the right on most any road crowned or not. hands off steering wheel and not under acceleration. Dealer couldn

At 40k miles the low oil pressure indicator light came on, at dealership the technician “could not duplicate concern” however, without any further inspection or diagnostics done the technician suggested in the invoice to “check oil pump screen for bloggage.” No mention was made to me in regards to this being a known problem (oil sludge) for this engine type on the passat. At 42k miles the car stopped working while on the freeway. Once towed to the dealership, the tech tried to identify the problem. Again, in the invoice was noted that he removed the oil cap and noted “alot of burn’t oil on under-side of cap and on oil deflector tray.” Yet, that was not pursued as the technician notes on the following line that “checked further and found no fuel delivery.” The fuel pump was identified as the problem, it was replaced. Oil change was also done on the car w/ a new oil filter and car was returned. Dealership did not further inspect apparent sludge. At 50k miles low oil pressure indicator light again came on. Stated in invoice that “did not perform diagnostic.” Technician notes in invoice, based on a visual inspection through oil cap yet again, there appears to be oil sludge build up. Suggests new oil pump and an engine flush based on visual inspection, yet still no diagnotics were ran and no mention of oil sludge being a known problem with the 1.8l turbo engine in the 2003 passat. At 52k miles, the low oil pressure indicator light yet again came on, this time car was taken to independent german automotive shop. They ran diagnostics on oil pump, based on low pressure results, pump was replaced. 16k miles later, low oil pressure indicator light came on, oil pump identified as problem and replaced under part warranty at no cost. Another 16k miles later, this oil pump also failed. Garage removed valve cover revealing extensive amounts of burnt oil carbon deposits that as per their mechanics are only possible from a petroleum based oil. I seeked a second opinion on the engine and second garage confirmed that damage seen was only possible from the use of a petroleum based oil. The last day my car had a petroleum based oil in it was October 22nd 2004. 2 Months after Volkswagen had changed their engine oil specifications, which was in August of 2004. From October 22nd 2004 until today, only Synthetic based oil has been used in my car. However, When I received my car in November of 2002 and all oil changes performed on the car by the VW dealership until August of 2004 were done so with petroleum based oil. The cause of the problem was created from November 2002-August 2004, although I was not aware of it until 1/5/2007.

The VW dealer was supposed to test for oil sludge and let me know if the repair would be covered by the warranty, the recommended test procedure by VW costs an average of $125 in my area. Instead the dealer went ahead and removed the oil pan and they want to charge me $900 for that, and another $500 to replace the oil pump and put the engine back together. The say they found no oil sludge, but I should have had the chance to take the car back from them for $125 and have it independently tested or have another dealer look at it. Then I may have been able to prove my case, or at least trade the car in or sell it for parts.

Sunrise Volkswagen Dealership, of Lynbrook New York, refuses to put a replacement engine in my 2003 Volkswagen Passat under an eight year extended warranty issued under Volkswagen of America for an oil sludge problem they are having with their 1.8 Turbo engines from 1998-2004. They claim my invoices do not have invoice numbers, vehicle identification numbers, and etc. My service was done by a licensed repair and New York State Inspection Station in Nassau County. Volkswagen seems to have two standards, one for their dealers and another for everyone else. Some of their own dealers service invoices do not have everything they require. Volkswagen is looking to limit their responsibility to repair all these cars due to their engineering problems their having with this particular engine.

My car was in the shop to get the timing belt repaired and an oil leak fixed. Upon picking my car up from the VW dealership the Low Oil Pressure light came on and then a Stop Engine warning came light came on. I immediately took the car back to the dealer and was told there is an oil sludge problem with the 2003 Passats and was told I had to supply 12 oil change receipts to prove my maintenance of the car. I have been able locate 5 receipts. If I cannot come up with theother receipts VW will charge me $1,200 to DIAGNOSE the problem not including any other repair costs. I was told VW knows about this problem as the oil pan is too small on the Passat.

Lost oil pressure. Dealer states sludge problem, not covered by warranty. (60,007 miles at dealer) Synthetic oils have been used in this engine since the very first oil change.

Engine Sludge. Manufacturer required proof of every 5000 mile oil change since purchase in 2003. I was able to produce receipts of seven out of the 13 records demanded by manufacturer. Manufacturer denied claim and paid nothing. Car was serviced by VW dealership three, six, and ten months before engine failure (twice for oil change) and dealership did not mention any engine problem, let alone sludge buildup. Manufacturer said warranty requirements are in owner’s manual. Not only not true but owner’s manual is not provided by manufacturer until after purchase.

Apparently another case of engine oil sludge in VW’s 1.8t. Oil light came on with a warning to stop engine. The car is currently in the shop to see if the engine can be saved. I purchased the car used and therefore have no records of the previous owner’s maintenance. I changed the oil myself every 3,000 miles as opposed to VW’s recommended 5,000.

A COMMON PROBLEM IN VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES, OIL SLUDGE.

2003 volkswagen passat with an oil sludge problem. consumer states that there is an extended warranty due to this oil sludge problem. *kb the vehicle had a slight engine knock, before the oil was changed. the dealer stated the low oil pressure was probably caused by the pick up tube in the oil pan blocked by oil sludge. *jb

2003 volkswagen passat with coolant system and heated seat recall. consumer states that the coolant system was under warranty. the heated seats were repaired but now don't work at all. she also states that the gas has been burning out very fast. *kb the consumer stated she was smelling fumes inside the vehicle. *jb

2003 volkswagen passat with recall for faulty seal and heat shield. consumer had the problem repaired and then received the recalls. he would like reimbursement for these repairs. *kb the consumer stated there was a burning smell coming from the vehicle. the dealer discovered oil leaking from the valve cover and cleaned it. the sunroof tubes and drain plug were replaced. *jb

Consumer complaint against dealer and manufacturer refuse to repair the 2003 volkswagen passat under recall. *kb the dealer informed the consumer they couldn't perform the recall because there were no more fuel pumps available. *jb

Airbag fault - bad module - airbags will not deploy in accident - 2003 vw passat. *jb

Car had trouble starting, electrical problems, lurching while driving and ultimately transmission and air bag failure. *nm

I purchase a new 2003 volkswagen passat from burlington volkswagen 2 years ago and have taken it back to the dealership at least 7 times since then for a myriad of problems, from airbag lights coming on to check enginge light to the latest of the car shutting off in the middle of the road.

Recall 26e5 volkswagen not completed

While driving 2003 vw passat the engine stalled out (no fuel) causing near accident by passing vehicles. drifted to side of road. after 100 mile tow to vincent volkswagen dealer in rochester, they found no problem. car did run two days. the same stall-out occurred three days later. another tow to a dealer (schmitts garage) to attempt to repair. not sure what the problem is but strongly suspect fuel pump or control system for fuel or fuel line system. there have been previous recalls on some 2003 passat fuel system items including fuel pumps (potential to cause crash when fail) . was told my passat was not part of the other 2003 passat fuel pump/system recall. however, are more fuel pump units bad that vw doesn't realize which could cause major accidents, head on collisions during passing. filed this with vw customer care. two weeks prior brake lights did not work and was nearly rear ended. vw dealer replaced defective brake switch which initially wasn't on the recall list but was recently added. two near major accidents in two weeks due to equipment failures. *tr

My 2003 vw passat 4-door sedan has experienced multiple occurrences where the brake lights continue to remain on while driving and even after the engine is shut off. this happened again today and i noticed this time that the emergency engine light came on while driving earlier in the day - this is also another issue that also comes on/off for no reason. i've reported the warning light a couple of times as well to the vw service and they don't know why that happens either. the warning light will at least shut off when the car is turned off, unlike my brake lights. since today is saturday, leaving my brake lights on until the service department reopens on a monday is probably going to run my battery dead. with that concern in mind, i immediately called the vw roadside assistance hotline, 800-822-8987, to see if they had any repair instructions i can look into and the operator said she was unable to find any documentation. she advised that vw roadside can come tow my vehicle to a dealership (that won't reopen until monday) or they can come to jump-start my car (which can take up to 45-60 min. after dispatch). this seems a terribly long time to wait & a huge inconvenience esp. since it also took 30 min. just to reach the live operator in the first place. i love driving my passat; i bought it brand new direct from the dealership in 2003. car safety is very important to me which is why i'm adamant about following service guidelines and bring my car in for regular maintenance & oil changes. i only bring it into a vw dealership service, never a local garage mechanic. can nhtsa please look into both issues: 1. sporadic check engine light warning while driving 2. brake lights remaining on while driving and after the car is shut off. i am very concerned as both are major causes for safety concern, in addition to further expensive repairs which may be defects that the manufacturer should cover instead. thanks. *nm

1) motorists alert that rear brakle lights do not work. if the rear brake lights do not work, thhis can cause fatal accidents. the repair is to replace the brake light switch.

Ignition coils keep failing. just replaced in february again in may and will have to again here any day.

Fuel tank is leaking near driver side rear wheel. advised by dealer vw of north scottsdale that there is a fuel leak on top of the tank at the fuel tank ventilation valve and that the tank must be removed to ascertain source of the leak. dealer advises tank was replaced in 2010 under a recall campaign. it appears that this current leak is associated with recall #28417 and nhtsa pe8008 and 08v156000.

Teenage son lost control of the vehicle on the highway. vehicle was then involved in a front impact collision at highway speeds with the side of a flatbed truck. bumper, headlight assemblies pushed up into the engine compartment. drivers side curtain airbags deployed. neither driver side or passenger side front air bags deployed. vehicle was declared a total loss.

My son was driving (in motion) on hwy 17 in miller county mo with seat heater on saturday nov. 28, 2020. seat caught on fire. i had noticed when i had seat heater on previously it became so hot as to burn legs. this is a serious problem. it could have burned my car completely. very dangerous.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a fuel leak from the top of the tank. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the top of the fuel tank was old and a new tank was needed. the contact also noticed puddles of fuel were present approximately eight times since september. the leak worsened two weeks ago. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 139,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated the vehicle was previously included in a recall that called for the ignition coil to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. while driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition coil needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. due to the fact the vehicle was previously repaired per the recall, the manufacturer was not able to assist. the nhtsa campaign number was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 144,604.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated while the vehicle was at a stand still, the vehicle failed to start. the contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to independent mechanic to be diagnosed. the contact was informed that the timing chain actuator/solenoid needed to be replaced. the contact stated a local dealer was contacted about open recalls and stated that there was no recall on vehicle. the vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Fuel tank leaking when full on drivers side directly under rear passenger seat. which happens to be where my children sit. it leaks until it's a little over half full then stops.

This car only has 65000 original one owner miles and has experienced all & more of the current recalls with same model yr, vw local dealerships (2) refuse to acknowledge the problems (one even tried to double charge me for bosch abs part last year before the recall to fix) and numerous emails to vw have gone unanswered. most recent issues in last 1.5yrs have been fuel pump went out and i paid to replace (dealer scammed us by throwing out dead brand new aaa stamped and warranted battery, they sd we needed new one and old one already picked up from dealer to expose of, charged $200 for that as well. i paid for the abs light repair which i have paid and diagnosed numerous times for last 10yrs to fix and finally just paid the over $1000. to get it fixed for safety reasons. 9 months ago rear brake lights would come on randomly when parked and locked killing the battery. i would drive it to charge it up but since it is a car we don't drive often or far, it continued to do the same for a few weeks until it dawned on me that the seat warmer on those cars could leave an open current, turned that off, good for a few weeks, then found out same for the trunk light, unplugged and capped that and it is far better, but something still. after reading online vw passat forums and recalls i know 2 dealerships sd they performed the brake light sensor recall, but was it truly done and causing the issue...answer is no, vw dealers 2x after checking and billing vw for the repair falsified doing the recall. i know because i checked it and the part is original from 2002 stamped on it and i replaced it and have it along with most all other receipts from 2003 to today. feb 11, 2019 i opened a case and supposed formal investigation with vw corporate customer care (very nice people), lied like the rest of the company and never heard a word... +++18 vw and audis personally, since 1991...done!

I noticed a stain under my car while it was parked in the street. i figured out that vw had a recall on the fuel tank vent which required replacing the whole fuel tank. the tank runs about $922 and it takes up to 11 hours labor time. i started a chat with a vwoa rep to look into this issue. she said there are no current recalls or campaigns on my vehicle at this time. she also stated that my car's 26e5/r5 recall, it covers all 1999-2005 passat and passat wagon (5th gen) equipped with gas engines. install underbody heat shield(s): inspect/replace fuel line, fuel tank: update software, if necessary, had been performed on 03/12/09 but has no service record to tell me what was done. it may not have actually been replaced. she also said vwoa will not fix nor help me fix it. i feel that if a recall for as huge safety issue that this is, should not fail in the same manor as the original part did. that tells me they just replaced it with the same problem part in hopes that the car wouldn't be in use by the time it fails again. i am including a few pics for evidence. the example tank pic has been outlined where the fuel leak is on my car. thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

05/01/2019 car had a dead battery---charge over night still would not start---had the car towed to auto shop--upon arrival with key on approx. 15 min drive--smoke started billowing---disconnected battery---drivers side seat warmer completely melted--mechanic says unit pulling 30 amps--there was a previous recall--not sure if totally corrected--donot want to replace immediately--please advise

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle would not hold fuel and the tank had to constantly be refilled. also, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to ellis motorcars inc (2235 e south blvd, montgomery, al 36116, (334) 280-1021) where it was diagnosed that the coolant system and the timing chain needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. the failure mileage was 78,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while pulling out of the driveway, the contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. the low coolant warning indicator illuminated and an abnormal beeping sound was heard while driving various speeds. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and it was diagnosed that the coolant leak was due to an engine failure that was not repairable. the dealer was not contacted for diagnostic testing or repairs. the manufacturer was not informed of the failure. the failure mileage was 124,675. the vin was not available.

Car loses power and stalls out after coming to a stop. epc light illuminates and car must be put in park and started up again to move. today, it stalled as i pulled out to make a left turn and i was stuck in the middle of road with oncoming traffic coming at me.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that it took multiple attempts for the vehicle to become operable even when the starter was engaged. the vehicle also experienced an interior water leak and the driver side door latch would not properly latch. in addition, the vehicle experienced a complete loss of engine power and the check engine, brake, and various other warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as a software failure, and the ignition coil springs were defective and needed to be replaced. the ignition coil springs were replace however the failure recurred. the manufacturer and dealer were not contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle jerked and stalled. the vehicle inadvertently shifted in reverse and the brakes stopped working. the contact had to apply the parking brake. the contact mentioned that the gear shifter was stuck in park. also, the check engine, tire pressure, and epc indicators illuminated. the vehicle was taken to heritage volkswagen of south atlanta at (678) 263-3711 (4305 jonesboro rd, union city, ga 30291) where it was diagnosed that the ignition control module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that there were no recalls associated with the vin. the contact was advised to call nhtsa. the approximate failure mileage was 172,000.

While driving the car power cuts off and stops in traffic. have to restart. it is dangerous that the car just stops in traffic. the battery continues to drain even after totally recharging the battery. after a complete battery recharge and starting the car every day, the battery still drains again after about a week. this started happening in june 2016 and i have only driven the car about 30 total miles because afraid it is going to shut down while driving in traffic. recently, i received a recall for this problem for my 2016 volkswagen cc but i am not having the problem with the cc. i am having the described recall problem with my 2003 passat but did not receive a recall notification for it. i am the original owner and my passat needs this repair.

Problems with the abs control unit fails after few years. this could lead to an accident since the car cannot stop in the time & distance originally specified when car was purchased. also, the smog stations are not able to read the obd2 connector due to this issue, which forces you to buy a new module for almost $600.00. the most important in this issue is the safety in stopping and not having your brakes lock, which also causes the car to skid in sudden stops and cause an accident. there is a blinking warning light that comes on the dashboard that points to the dashboard.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 50 mph, the brakes engaged independently and the vehicle shook violently without warning. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 74,000.

The front floor gets very hot when the vehicle is in motion even when the aircondition is running

Less then >100k miles. plastic fuel line that runs along firewall was damaged due to screw with thread facing engine bay, which sits right in between both fuel lines. i spoke to vw which said the recall had been fixed on my car in 2012 (i am second owner), but the screw that creates the problem was never replaced or removed. a local vw stealership is quoting me 500+ for the repair on a car who's kbb is 2000 in perfect condition (far from it ;)

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle was leaking fuel from the fuel tank. the contact took the contact to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000. updated 05/11/16*lj *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact smelled fuel when the vehicle was started. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel line was fractured and leaked fuel onto a portion of the engine. the contact stated that the technician was unable to determine the cause of the fracture. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the recall "expired". the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 191,000.

My dash showed 2 lights a red break light and yellow abs it keeps beeping . it started randomly one morning when i turned my car on its been doing it for 6 months now

Abs light and brake light on volkswagen states faulty control module.

My daughter drove this vehicle into my garage and reported to me that she smelled a strong odor of gas. i looked and noticed gas dripping onto the floor. i got down and inspected the area where it was coming from and noted that it was flowing from the top (out of sight) of the tank. backed the car out onto the drive and placed a towel under the area. called the dealership and scheduled an appointment. betten imports (volkswagen dealership) of grand rapids mi, inspected it and i was informed it had a crack in the plastic tank the length of a dime. the dealership recommended the tank be replaced at a estimated cost of $2,700. due to the extensive cost i did not elect to have this done at this time. only seems to be an issue when tank is filled to max capacity.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that there was a fume odor emitted inside and around the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 180,000. the vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning while driving at various speeds. the failure was experienced numerous times. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who performed diagnostic testing. the engine oxygen sensor, coil spring, sparks plugs, and wires were replaced; however, the failure was not corrected. the contact stated that the tail lights also failed. the tail lights were not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v483000 (air bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was not aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available.

Driving, less than 45. intermittent stop engine low oil pressure light. no other indications. oil level is at specifications. suspect long known problem of sludge in the oil pickup tube.. vehicle has not been repaired

Driving at night, 65mph, interstate hwy. low beam headlights went out. high beams did work. replaced both headlight bulbs. did not fix. cost $95. replace headlight relay. did not fix. cost in excess of $200. recall for later year passat for same problem caused by "hood slam?"

My floorboards are soaked with coolant had noticed i had leak but had no idea that it was leaking into inside cabinet, heater core went out and every time i added fluid it would be gone wasnt sure where itwas going i could smell antifreeze smell for sometime but thought if it were overheating dash would give some warning!..again now that i know it was unhealthy to be breathing the toxic smell.my daughter still putting up with smell hard to get rid of it even after shampooing {sorry after shopvac sucked atleast 2gallons of coolant from my floor boards...this really makes me angry that i didnt know i was forced to breath in these toxic fumes for several months and continues,

We were just leaving our friends house it was approx. 6am in morning little cold out so i turned on the seat warmers which is always nice touch to warm you up on those cold mornings, anyhow about 4-5minutes after seat warmers were turned on passenger side where i was sitting got rather warm and then hot and then actually start smoking and flames came out there was fire right under my bottom. i freaked out jumped out of seat ..i was yelling fire fire fire you could smell plastic burning as it was smoking and burning.my boyfriend poured water on and smothered out the fire with his jacket i'm a bit leary of the car because i don't feel its safe. i had my boyfriend unplug harness under seat and now my air bag warning default light and bell stay on. i am shocked to see several other complaints regarding this issue and that vw people haven't addressed this. i feel this car is a death trap.very unhappy with this vehicle.

Every time i crank my car it smells like gas. i was driving down the road and smoke came out from under the hood when i stopped and lifted the hood it had a strong gas smell.

The ad blue heater failures are rampant is all passat models 2012 to 2015. the safety issue is that in the winter time when ad blue freezes the car goes into a non restart countdown. if the car stalls during this time the person may be stuck in sub zero weather without heat. the ad blue heater is only covered under the 3 year 36,000 mile warranty because they say it does not qualify as emissions control system. the car will shut down because if the ad blue freezes the emissions goes unexpectedly high so how can this not be part of the emissions system? the cost of repair is $1,000 plus.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the engine stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine exhibited sludge. the vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. the mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

I was driving the car to work 2 miles from my houses oil warning come on return to my house to get a second car park the car and left 5 minute later get a phone call my car is on fire thanks god i went back home call vw they said no recalls but national safety investigation i lost my car because don't have full cover insurance

Cylinders misfire causing acceleration hesitation. spark plugs and coil were replaced feb.2009, dec. 2013, aug. 2014, june 2015. the conditions are repetitive and identical.

Misfire on 2 cylinders due to faulty ignition coil packs

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing belt needed to be replaced. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14e007000 (engine and engine cooling). the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

I have had my 2003 vw passat a year now i have just noticed in the past week that it had a leak i thought it was from the window or sun roof i went to vacuum the car out on a nice day and seen that it still had very wet carpet and then noticed the carpet was a green color like it was coolant i then had my bf check it and it is. i run a daycare and use this car daily with my children we have been breathing in this coolant for weeks now and that probably explains my daughter saying she gets headaches when we drive the car. i have done some research and see it is a very common and recalled thing with the heater core and i had no idea i hope us breathing this in hasn't done any damage i have a one year old who has been in it this whole time as well.im very unpleased with this car. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while refueling the vehicle, it started to leak fuel from underneath the fuel tank. the vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 82,500. ...updated 06-12-15 *bf the consumer stated vw customer service was advocating to get a new fuel tank installed for him at no cost. updated 06/23/15*jb

Engine lights come on. car at times start shaking - not consistently though. took it to shop: found out ignition coils misfires. this has occurred 4 times in a 2 year time span. the most recent 2 being a month apart. the most recent incident burned almost all of the spark plugs. did research and this website describes my situation perfectly: http://www.vwproblems.com/trends/ignition-coil/. *tr

After a couple attempts to start the vehicle the engine turns over and runs for 2-3 seconds then dies. this happens multiple times before fully starting up and is able to be driven. while out of gear and car is running, pressing on the acceleration does nothing. car is able to be driven short distances but stalled at one point going approx. 5 mph. i was told my specific vin # is not covered under warranty for fuel pump/system malfunctions. if this is a known issue of 2003 passat's already why would some not be covered? *tr

The car ran out of gas so i went to the gas station to purchase gas to put into the car. i put the gas into the car. tried to start the car but would not start. i let it sit for a few minutes then i tried to start the car again. this time the car started but i heard a loud bang. flames started shooting out of the hood. before i knew it the whole front of the car was engulfed in flames. i called the fire department to extinguish the car. *tr

Nhtsa campaign id number: 08v156000 "fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture." nhtsa action number: pe08008 the car is oozing gasoline from top left (driver's) side of gas tank. there is a strong smell of gasoline inside and outside (outside due to a gas puddle). vw dealer (vw downtown los angeles) refuses to grant the repair, asking for $140 inspection fee. vwoa representative sites the recall performed in 2009. the recall ( pe08008 ) issued has 2 parts: 1) underbody heat shield installation. 2) "dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8t vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4motion/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge." i suspect the second part was not fulfilled, given the exact nature of mechanic failure described. *tr

Vehicle oil pressure light alerted driver of low oil pressure. driver brought vehicle to r&j auto on 1309-1365 barnum avenue in bridgeport, ct; driver purchased car from this business less than a year ago; driver was told that nothing was wrong with the car. a week later the same issue arose while on the highway. driver was not speeding due to getting off of the ramp. car began making a ticking noise. driver brought car back to r&j a week later the car was deemed unfit to drive due to sludge, the oil pump being damaged and the engine malfunctioning. dealer/mechanic informed me that the car was dangerous to drive and would not be worth fixing. i was forced to junk the car and leave the car with the business. i am afraid they will resell the car without completing the proper maintenance and repair to another innocent customer. this car is not fit to drive. *tr

Two ignition coils failed which caused lack of spark to the plugs in the engine. subsequent loss of engine power and unburned fuel entered the catalytic converter. a heat-related fire nearly ensued. had to repair coils and plugs. nearly caused failure of catalytic converter and oxygen sensors. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 35 mph, the heated seat was activated and within two minutes, the seat was unbearably hot and burned a hole through the contact’s pants. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 117,000.

As i was parking my car in the school parking lot, a strong odor of gasoline started to come through the vents. i open the hood an a line behind the engine bay was squirting out gasoline directly onto the hot surface of the engine. i check online and i see that there was aprevious recall the r5 recall but many owners were being told by volkswagen that it's no longer covered or that there vin wasn't covered even though the car was the same year on the recall. i called volkswagen aswell and they mentioned to me that there was a recall but no longer active or had been serviced already. it leaks when it's on or not. *tr

Recently had the vehicle maintenance done, brought the car home and found that when it cooled and all fluids settled overnight, the fuel pump was having trouble- resulting in car not starting. after one hour of turning the key over-and-over, then giving it gas, it eventually started. excited, i took the car out for a test drive, it stalled in the middle of a for way intersection. thankfully i live in a very small town, if that had happened on a highway there would be potential for an accident. considering i bought this car a couple years ago, i don't feel i'm at fault for not taking advantage of the dealerships recall and it's in my best interest to investigate further to see if i'm eligible for the free replacement by the dealer. i would appreciate someone getting back to me via e-mail or text message(cannot make or receive phone calls) top let me know as soon as possible. thank you, very much [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Car was constantly getting the passenger side (front and back) flooded w water during a rain storm. had to get new battery cleaned out sunroof drainage. it didn't matter. whenever it rained the battery would be dead because the control module which is there is all messed up sending mixed messages. finely just died in the middle of the road. not worth putting money into the car. i purchased this car less then a year ago and had this problem after the first rain and went down from their. im so disappointed hoping buying a used vw i was going to be satisfied but had nothing trouble from day one. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, it would stall. the failure was intermittent. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 06v017000 (fuel system, gasoline). the approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that there were gasoline fumes emitting from outside of the vehicle. the failure continued to occur over a period of one week. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the failure continued to occur. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 108,000.

While driving my car reported 1/4 tank than abruptly spurting and reported an empty tank, causing me to pull over on the highway due to no fuel in tank. this has happened multiple times. *js

On sept 20 2013 my wife showed me a spring that came from under the drivers seat . ironically the next day the airbag light came on and wont go off . about a month later a 2nd spring appeared in the floorboard .car will not pass inspection . vw really needs to address this . *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that a burning odor was coming from the engine. the contact also indicated that a fluid leak was coming from under the front of the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 140,000.

Since after the day one of the purchase my car started shaking, vibrating. i had to have coils replaced. the car started running for 2 weeks then when i was in the traffic it started shaking then stalled. i was able to pull over in the parking lot. i had wiring harness and coils replaced again this time. the car had startup issues and then mechanic replaced camshaft sensor. after 3 weeks same problem!!!! i was on the side of the road had to be towed. changed spark plugs and coils but after 2 months oh my goodness same problem now they think ecu is fried coils are bad maybe fuel pump no one is able to figure out and i cant spend any more thousands of dollars on a car im still financing. very disappointed! i don't feel safe at all on the road and im scared to cause an accident because of the stalls on the road. please help! feel very unsafe! *tr

Hot steam(coolant) came out of vents causing poor visibility and my daughter almost got into an accident due to the steam fogged the windshield. *tr

I took my car to volkswagen dealership to find out why my brake light was on and why my brakes would flutter at times when using them. i got estimate that my brake reservoir was bad and the sensor that it would be okay to drive till i got fixed in a week. i faxed my warranty papers to dealership to find out to see what was covered..on saturday 5 days later when i was driving 35 miles an hour tried to stop and brake pedal went to floor had nothing to stop me but the car in front of me. i was issued a ticket had my car towed and i. am having headaches and neck pain which i'm getting treated..i don't feel as if that car was safe to ne driving.. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was driving 60 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was coasted off road into a nearby parking lot, and was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for inspection or repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline). the approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

On friday, january 10, 2014 i was on my way home on braddock road. it was a rainy dark night and so the traffic was moving at less than the speed limit. as i came round the bend just past t.j. high school, i went over a deep pothole that caused damage to my car. my steering wheel began to rattle and shake and i knew my car was damaged. i managed to get home and my husband decided we needed to have the car checked. the mechanic at volks werks discovered that the left front rim was damaged and the wheel alignment was off. after all the works was done to get my car in working condition it cost us $997. the pothole was recently filled because it was a road hazard. i would like to know how va dot can help us with this large bill. i am willing to provide you with the necessary documentation or additional information if requested. thank you. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the gear shifter could independently shift from park to drive without the contact depressing the brake pedal. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection but the cause of the failure could not be determined. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 103,000. ..updated 12-26-13 *bf the consumer stated property damaged resulted, due to the brake failure. updated 12/30/13

Fuel pump failed while i was driving on the freeway. it was highly dangerous and my car had to be towed. i go to the dealer and find out that there was a fuel pump for certain 2003 vw passats but my vin number for my car did not fall under the category for the recall and therefore vw had refused to reimburse me for fixing the fuel pump. my dealer had told me that their were similar customer complaints for all vw 2003 but unfortunately my car didn't fall under the right vin. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 acura mdx. the contact stated the transmission on the vehicle shuttered while driving 40 mph. the contact stated the shuttered stopped when he took his foot off of the accelerator pedal, but it started to shutter again when it was engaged. the shuttering seemed to occur between third and forth gear. the vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. the failure and current mileage was 66,000. *tr

Abs module failure, abs light on brake light blinking and then asr light on, happens randomly, no specific reason, dry weather, humid, day or night. still comes on randomly, no speeding, problem goes away when car is turned off. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the engine pressure warning indicator illuminated continuously. the failure recurred twelve times within the same day. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. the technician stated that the engine would need to be replaced due to excessive oil sludge. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

On or about feb. 1, 2013, i started my manual-transmission 2003 volkswagen passat gls (v6) and shifted into reverse to back out of my driveway. as soon as i took my foot off the brake, the car lurched backward even though i was not depressing the accelerator pedal. i quickly shifted into neutral, engaged the parking brake and turned off the ignition. when i tried to restart the car, it would not start and did not start until about an hour later. my first thought was that the accelerator could have become lodged under the floormat, but that was not the case; nor was it the case in at least four other similar incidents. two of these incidents took place as i was driving at a low speed in a residential area. fortunately, there were no pedestrians or other cars around me and i had the presence of mind to recognize the issue, shift into neutral and park the car. however, i fear what could happen if this incident recurred when i was at an intersection, railroad crossing or crosswalk. despite repeated attempts, my mechanic has been unable to replicate the incident or identify the cause. *tr

I was driving on the highway around 47-50 mph all of a sudden i heard a strong hit,as if someone hit me from the rear... then my dashboard started flashing and all the transmission gears got locked up, i was able to stop the car and turn it off, funny thing is this happens during summer only when it's hot outside otherwise, i don't see it... this can be dangerous. *tr

When i turn my heated seat on the driver's side past level 1, there is one spot on the seat that gets painfully hot. i usually turn the heat off at that point. today i was so cold that i didn't want to turn the seat off, so i put my hand between the seat and my leg. when i took my hand out, it smelled like smoke. i called volkswagen, and they don't have any recall on these seats. i thought they might make a concession since it is a possible safety issue, but they wouldn't do anything for me. *tr

The turn signal would continue to make a clicking noise even after the signal had been shut off. this continued to happen for several minutes and then smoke began to rise from behind my steering wheel where the turn signal enters the wheel console. i began to pull over at the next safe area and before i could i noticed small flames coming from the same area where the turn signal enters the wheel console. when i turned off the car the smoke/fire slowly subsided. i ended up removing the turn signal fuse in order to drive to a repair shop. after some research this seems to be a common issue with no recalls issued yet. *tr

While driving the on the capitol beltway (495 inner loop) i started to smell a burning smell. moments later within about 30 seconds the engine burst into flames. i was able to stop the vehicle safely and exited the car. needless to say the vehicle is totaled. i would describe the incident as a spontaneous engine fire. there was no warning. thank you. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 20 mph, the contact noticed smoke coming from under the hood and pouring inside the vehicle. the contact found water and coolant leaking from the dashboard and onto the driver's side of the vehicle. the vehicle was also overheating. after exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed flames coming from under the hood. the contact was able to extinguish the fire however, the contact sustained burns to her legs due to the hot leaking coolant. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the engine blew and the instrument panel cluster was damaged. the contact was unaware of what caused the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 174,256.

Abs control module on my 2003 vw passat failed. this appears to be a common failure that disables the abs. *tr

Fuel tank ventilation valve is cracked and leaking on 2003 vw passat 4motion/awd (under nhtsa campaign # 08v156000). contacted multiple dealers and vw directly and dealership/vw will not replace fuel tank under recall. both stated this recall was completed in 2009 however work completed was only one part of the recall that included adding additional heat shields. vw customer care stated vehicle was out of warranty and they could not assist. customer objected stating this is a safety concern not a warranty issue. *tr *js

I was driving 45miles on the road when my 2003 vw passat 1.8t started to shake like crazy. then the engine started to feel like it was going out..smoke came from my hood. my car stopped and the driver behind me swerved out the way but clipped me on the right side of my vehicle. no damage to the car or my own. *tr

The abs light comes on on the instrument panel followed by the brake light and sometimes the anti-skid indicator. this is a common and expensive problem for volkswagens for many years: http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadid=2447&start=40&tstart=0 volkswagen should be held to account. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was traveling 30 mph when the abs warning light and brake light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 5,000 and the current mileage 56,000.

Fuel supply line began leaking at mounting point on firewall above catalytic converter. break/crack in line was significant and posed a high probability of fire, as any fuel leak, but substantially more so due to the location above the catalytic converter. *tr

Strong odor of fuel in car (2003 vw passat 4motion) after the tank is filled up. took car to repairman who diagnosed a crack in the fuel tank. took car to vw dealership for repair because we believe the repair should be covered under a recall on cracked fuel tanks (near the valves), but vw has stated that this car does not qualify for the recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the smell of fuel entered the vehicle. the contact noticed a fuel leak on the catalytic converter. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs under nhtsa campaign i.d. number 02v026000 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap). the dealer inspected the fuel lines and did not find any abrasions however 20,000 miles later, the fuel lines were leaking. the contact called the manufacturer regarding the recall and the manufacturer stated that they would not honor the recall because the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall campaign. the failure mileage was 68,000.

2003 volkswagen passat. consumer writes in regards to safety recall 26e5/r5 concerning underbody heat shield *tgw the consumer stated due to the recall, the fuel pump failed. the consumer was informed it would cost $ 1343.00 to replace. recall # 08v156000 *jb the consumer stated even if the dealer performed the recall, she would not feel comfortable in the vehicle. updated 09/13/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. the contact also stated that the vehicle emitted a noise in which it sounded like it was low on fuel. the vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was not under recall. the manufacturer also stated that they were not responsible for repairs. the failure and current mileages were 113,008.

Front control arms failure. very common in this suspension design. there has been a recall issued in europe for the same problem. likewise, the audi a4 shares the same chassis and same front end suspension. these control arms are seriously under designed. this is dangerous! having this fail while driving will result in death or serious injury. this is a design flaw, and is being overlooked. the bushings on my control arms (all 4 for each of my front wheels, eight in total) are seriously cracked and need replacement. this is not something that should be failing at 50k and 70k miles. volkswagen should be held responsible for replacing failed control arms. *tr

Fuel pouring out of the rear of the car. fire could happen. *tr

Coils failing randomly and causing the car to shake violently and lose power on highway. potential damage to be caused to other areas of the car because of this. ie oxygen sensor etc. *tr

At a stoplight car began to shake and sputter, i made it home with the car shaking the entire time. had to replace coils. have broken down twice and had to have car towed since then and replace coils. not too mention the other several times coils were replaced without the car actually breaking down. due to the coils constantly going bad caused the catalytic converter to go bad, which had to be replaced may 2011 along with the coils and o2 sensor. but two months later the engine light was on again, once again due to the coils. they were replaced, and engine light on again. they told me it would void the warranty on the converter due to the issue with the coil packs! the car now smells like it is burning when only driving for 20-30 mins. had to get a emissions waiver from the dot for 2 years due to the problem since it wouldn't pass inspection. there is obviously a problem with more than just the coil packs themselves. they have been replaced a dozen time, yet there is still a problem. it seems to me that the whole housing unit for the coils need to be replaced along with the wires, too prevent fire and other problems with the cars. *tr

Heater stopped working and blew cold air. brought car into vw dealer be serviced. heating system was flushed with cleaner. a couple of days after "repair," car was driven with the passenger seat heater on and a 1 1/4" hole burnt through seat exposing burnt heating element and burnt foam. heater stopped working a couple of weeks after above "repair." returned to dealer to redo repair and requested the seat heater and seat upholstery leather replaced. told that it would cost $1000.00 and that it would be the owner's responsibility. clearly the seat heaters on this car model are defective given all the complaints and prior recalls. vw replaced the driver's seat heater with a recall...which leads to the obvious question: "why weren't the passenger side seat recalled as well?" was this a calculation on the part of vw corporate....that the cost of replacing the driver seats through a recall was less that the liability due to burns/accidents/loss of life...but the cost of replacing the passenger seats through a recall was calculated to be more than the liability there? this does not smell good. class action suit seems appropriate. *kb

Owner drove the 2003 volkswagen passat (2.8 v6 engine) home and parked it. he came back out to the driveway approximately 2 hours later and found the vehicle smoking. small fire at right front floor pan/minor melting of dash plastics caused by heat from right side exhaust pipe/catalytic converter. heat shield melted, rubber body plug ignited and consumed, carpet just above body plug was charred. car just had right side catalytic converter and pipe replaced. *tr

Heated seat coils overheated and burnt seat on driver side. 1 year after recall was done by [xxx] vw brockton ma, they told me the heaters in the seat are no longer under warranty and told me to call vw usa with my problem, information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat with 77,650 miles with problems with the oilpump and engine problems that is unknown. the automobile will stall not start it hasn't been driven in over 6 months due to the rattling noise in the engine and i believe slugged is build up in the engine but since then i have replaced two oilpumps in the vehicle and the sensors. engine oil pressure failure and defective coils on each cylinder. *tr

Coils for cylinders 2-4 inexplicably failed as well as the plugs and need to be replaced in order to repair misfire code. engine purge valve also needs to be replaced.

2003 volkswagen passat has had recurring problems with ignition coils over the past two years (have already had two replaced at personal expense, as they were not under recall/warranty) most recent issue with such has occurred the past two weeks, beginning with the appearance of the check engine light along with periods of my vehicle running very rough (a "rumbling" type sensation, particularly when idling/while stopped) this soon escalated into a total loss of power while driving on the freeway the other day, which necessitated in me having to abruptly pull onto the shoulder, smoke came out from under the hood for a minute or two. took my passat to a local repair shop the next day, where they read the error code(s) for my check engine light---turns out there are 10 in all, 1 for each cylinder in my engine (i have a v6), 3 for each ignition coil, and 1 general engine code. this will be the third time i have dealt with this issue in a very short time frame. i will be calling the dealership first thing in the morning but i do not believe there is any recall/warranty out for this issue still. i am very upset and displeased with vw and their lack of reliability/credibility regarding this issue. it seems that it is quite widespread from what i have researched and read and i hope that something will be done about it soon, i cannot afford to keep paying for this and certainly cannot afford for the safety hazards of it to get any worse, im afraid an engine fire will be next!! *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated the timing belt could not be adjusted. the check engine light illuminated because of the timing chain failure which also caused damage to the ignition coil. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated the timing chain was designed to be a lifetime timing system and could not be adjusted. the contact was unable to register the vehicle because the check engine light was on. the contact spoke to the manufacturer who stated the only thing that can be done is to replace all four cam gear adjusters, control solenoid housing, adjuster bolts and timing chains, the valve cover gasket and seals, torque converter bolts, exhaust gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, injector seals, chain cover, chain tensioners, rear main seal and the throttle body gaskets. the failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

I own a 2003 vw passatt 1.8l turbo. i purchased this car brand new, and have used fully synthetic oil for the entire life of the vehicle. from reading several forums on the issue i am going to report, i do not have a gold plated record of all oil changes and maintenance. i have changed my oil every 3000-5000 miles. two months ago, i was driving my car when the stop engine oil pressure light came on. i immediately pulled over and had the car towed to my mechanic, who is a master mechanic. the cause of the problem was the oil intake tube in the oil pan....it was completely clogged up and no oil was getting through it. i paid for parts and labor for him to make the repairs and it cost me $2500 dollars. i would like to be reimbursed for my cost, and find out what vw has done to cover owners for these repairs? thank you very much. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that there was an overpowering odor of gasoline from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was advised that there was a fuel leak and that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. there were no recalls for the failure. the manufacturer was contacted who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 87,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle was parked and shut off when he noticed a strong odor of gasoline. the contact also noticed gasoline leaking from the fuel tank. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the fuel line inside of the fuel tank was leaking. the contact was also informed that the failure was not the same failure addressed in nhtsa campign id numbers: 02v026000 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap), 06v017000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump), 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump), and 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery). the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 120,000.

Engine failure. *tt

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated after he received a voluntary recall in regards to the emissions system and having the repairs done, he noticed that the check engine light illuminated for approximately 2 1/2 years. the vehicle was then inspected by a independent mechanic who advised him that the valve on the fuel tank had failed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance since there was a one year warranty on the voluntary recall. the failure mileage was approximately 114,000. updated 07/08/11 *bf updated 3/13/12 *cn

Rear view mirror was pulled off windshield by a 2 yr old, mirror separated at the ball-and-socket hinge with the base remaining glued to the windshield. no apparent damage to the mirror. pushing mirror back together shattered the windshield in the area of the mirror. it is possible that pulling the mirror apart had already damaged the windshield (not checked before trying to put the mirror back together). i would have expected the mirror to unglue from the windshield or break before the windshield broke. *tr

Metal fuel line in the rear of the engine compartment dripped gasoline onto the exhaust system below, despite a patch that a vw mechanic had installed earlier. first smelled gas in march and took it to a vw repair shop. patch with clamps was added. smelled gas again in may and discovered the fuel leak. vw customer service said the leak was not a recall issue. mechanic said it was the result of a cracked fuel line, which he said is a known issue with older passats.

My 2003 volkswagan passat wagon has roof/chassis drains that are backing up inside the vehicle causing the vehicle electronics to short out and fail. my rear door will not open. this is a safety issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was driving approximately 55 mph when the oil warning light illuminated. the contact moved off the roadway and shut the vehicle off. the vehicle was restarted and driven a short distance before the failure recurred. the vehicle was later taken to the dealer for the failure and she was advised to call back and schedule an appointment. she stated that the dealer advised her that there was a warranty repair dealing with the oil sludge. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 125,600.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat w8. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably causing difficulty in the steering. suddenly, the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the engine stalled while attempting to drive onto the emergency lane. within ten minutes, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive to an independent mechanic who informed him that the failure was related to the cam shaft and torque. the technician could not guarantee that the failure would not recur after the vehicle was repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 78,000. the vin was unavailable. updated 06/29/11*lj updated 1/13/2012 *ln *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 10 mph the steering wheel locked causing the driver to crash into a fence. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. the technicians were unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. approximate failure mileage was 95,000. updated 05/03/11*lj updated 06/20/11*jb

Power train lack of power when pressing the accelerator may have caused an accident, pulling out in traffic. this was due to water leak in pollen filter box (cracked) which affected the shift lock solenoid, affecting the transmission control module. 2003 volkswagen passat mileage of 121,000 miles. normally garaged and maintained according to schedule. after rain, found an inch of water in rear passenger floor. transmission non-functional, air bag warning light and other warning lights on. dealer said the pollen filter seal was no good and that water leaked in and destroyed the transmission control unit which is located in the floor behind the passenger seat. i have read many accounts on the internet from many angry owners of similar problems where leaks from this seal have caused catastrophic repairs. the service manager at the vw dealer told me that checking the pollen filter seal is not part of any regular maintenance and that in order to check it, you'd need to disassemble quite a few things in the engine compartment. when i asked him how an owner could possibly know if the seal needed replacement and he replied "you found out how". i am clearly not alone in having experienced a failure from a part that is not in any way maintainable (the pollen filter seal) and that has caused major damage to the car. i feel this is a consumer issue and that this is a design defect in the passat that vw should compensate owners for. there is no way for an owner to be able to avoid this situation -- it is not a matter of maintenance. it got to do with the passat leaking water and the location of an extremely expensive component in the rear passenger floor, the area where any water that leaks migrates to. if this failure had occurred during driving, i might. i have been told to replace transmission spent another 2000$ and its not even this the problem!!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 55 mph with the heated seat engaged, the contact felt a burning sensation coming through the seat. the vehicle was pulled over and the contact noticed there was a burned hole through the front driver seat as well as a burn to his pants. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed nor repaired. the failure and current mileage was 54,000.

Due to a design flaw with all passats 1998 and up they are prone to having major failure of tcm transmission control module as in cases of heavy rain water will leak into passenger floor area and fill the tcm with water hence locking transmission into park and no longer allowing vehicle to be shifted...

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that another vehicle crashed into the front end of her vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. she also mentioned that the seatbelts did not retract on impact. as a result, her head hit the steering wheel, causing a concussion. a police report was filed. the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were 86,000. updated 4/11/2011 *cn the consumer also stated the seat belts did not lock in to place. updated 04/22/11

At around 85,000 miles abs/traction control lights turned on and parking brake light started flashing. i took it to the dealership and was told that the abs module faulted and needed to be replaced. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat wagon with cloth heated seats. while using heated seat option, felt burning on right leg. found seat heater had melted right bolster of seat cushion. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the malfunction indicator warning light illuminated intermittently, causing the vehicle to shake excessively. the dealer made six attempts to diagnose the failure but to no avail. the manufacturer was notified who contacted the local dealer but offered no additional assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the current mileage was 91,252 and the failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

I purchased a 2003 passat 6 months ago. i have had nothing but trouble from it. it is just one thing after another. i have had to take it in to be fixed about six times. i can't even remember everything i have had to have fixed. i do remember the last thing though. it was the tail lights, the tail light would not go out even when i had no lights on and even when the car was turned off. my car is in the shop again right now. it has been there since monday december 27th. it is a four cylinder and has been running on three. i found out for the first time monday that my car has 5 recalls on it. i was never notified of none of them. after leaving it for all the recalls to be fixed, i had to rent a car for 30.00 to get home. now i have no way to pick up my car because i had to return the rental car the next day because i could not afford to pay 30.00 per day. i have nobody to take me to pick up my car, i guess i will have to take a taxi and that will probably cost me about 50.00. i am very upset with vw i paid my hard earned money for a reliable car and now i am stuck with nothing but a lemon, something needs to be done about this. i have no way to go anywhere, what am i supposed to do? *tr

I was driving my vw passat 1.8l turbo stationwagon at a speed of 40 miles per hour and the car suddenly stalled without any warning. my four month old baby was in the back in his carseat and had i been in a different setting we both could have been injured or killed. this was the first time it had occurred and once i took it to the mechanic the car started and drove fine and they could not duplicate the problem. they informed me that it was likely a parts recall issue: recall: 07v375000: fuel pump replacement. i contacted vw america, inc. and was informed that while in fact there was such a recall for 2003 passats, my vin number was not covered in the recall and thus there was nothing they could/would do to help me despite the fact that the problem appears to be the very one indicated in the recall notice. this is very frustrating and scary. *tr

Vw 2003 passat awd 2.8 l v6 gasoline engine...wife called me said car was miss firing badly and then smoke was reported coming from underneath car. she pulled over and saw flames coming from underneath the car. turned car off and fire luckily went out...i changed coil and problem was fixed for about three months. now car is miss firing again and running rough....i hate that i've fixed this same coil three times now and it is acting up again... *tr

The vw 1.8t engine has know sludge issues that lead to engine failure. when the engine fails the driver looses all power functions associated with the vehicle. this includes steering and brakes. this is exactly what happened to me and i was lucky enough to be in the left hand lane and was able to pull over and park. had this happened when i was on an interstate it could have been a completely different outcome. *tr

Heater core plugs thus resulting in inoperable heating of the interior of the car. also causing a leak thus spewing steam and fluid into the interior of the car. with the windscreen receiving the steam and impairing the vision of the driver which may lead to an accident. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that he noticed a fuel odor and when he inspected, he saw that the fuel tank was leaking. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the cotnact was informed that the plastic gas nozzle cracked and put pressure on the fuel tank. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for recall 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery) but the dealer would not replace the fuel tank because the fuel like was too long. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired. the current and failure mileages were 107,235.

Engine compartment fire nhtsa defect investigation #pe10027 1. at about 2:45 in cvs 2. waited about 10 minutes 3. i was paged by identification of my car 4. advised car on fire 5. a man in a deffenbaugh uniform was trying to extinguish the fire coming out from under the front of the car 6. the fire extinguisher was aggravating the flames 7. i advised him to stand back 8. i asked if the fire department had been called 9. a cvs employee did contact fire department two times 10. cvs pharmacy employee came out ¿ her car was parked two spaces to the passenger side of my car 11. the man from deffenbaugh moved her car 12. an older man approached man and said that he was the one who reported the fire 13. he was walking in front of my cat to enter the store and sparks where coming out from under the hood 14. the fire spread rapidly 15. what looked to be like card board substance was falling to the ground toward the front of the car 16. the product was engulfed in flame. car was deemed totaled. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was driving approximately 65 mph when the accelerator pedal became stuck in the depressed position. the vehicle was pulled over and shut off. upon restarting, the vehicle operated as normal. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they were unable to diagnose the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure recurred intermittently. in addition, when driving approximately 65 mph the oil pressure light began illuminating on the dashboard. the vehicle was pulled over and towed to an independent mechanic where it was repaired. the failure persisted so the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the head gasket would need to be replaced. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure mileage was 96,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

Catalytic converter heat caused fabric material behind silver reflective liner on passenger side to catch and hold a smolder and flame causing damage to the structural body panels and melting some plastic components. fire was extinguished by using a chemical fire extinguisher and remaining smoldering components had to be extinguished as exposed manually. caused grass to catch fire and left smoky residue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the abs warning light illuminated when the brakes were applied and the front of the vehicle vibrated violently. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the abs module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the vibrating continued. there was also a loud dinging noise followed by the warning light when the brakes were applied. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 87,452. updated 04/15/11*lj updated 12/19/2011 *ln

Ruptured fuel line - pressure side fuel line failed at point where it is secured to the fire wall in engine compartment. the gromet wore through, allowing the fuel line to rub against the fastener and the line subsequently ruptured allowing fuel to escape in a large volume. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while fueling the vehicle, the contact noticed a strong fuel odor and noticed fuel on the ground. she loosened the fuel cap to stop it from leaking but it continued to leak. the contact had previously been taken to an authorized dealer for repair for recall 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery) september 2008. the dealer replaced the fuel line and heat shield. the dealer refused to repair the vehicle again according to the recall. the contact called the manufacturer who took a report and advised her to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnosis. the current and failure mileages were approximately 84,000.

Vehicle is 2003 vw passat 4 motion. a fuel leak was detected in the tank area. automobile was brought to an independent repair shop where it was determined that there was a crack on the rollover valve. a recall was issued on this car for this problem (recall #(08v156000, nhtsa investigaiton #pe08008) and the necessary repairs were purportedly done by the authorized vw repair shop. *tr

Noticed a leaking gas tank on my 2003 volkswagen passat. this is the first time that this has occurred. however, there has been several recalls on this car that pertain to issues with the fuel line, gas tank cap, heat shield and gas tank. after noticing this leak, i immediately took the car into the volkswagen dealership for service because the amount of gas leaking from the rear end of the car was fairly substantial and enough to easily cause a serious fire. once at the dealer, they said that the issue was the gas cap/nozzle that is connected to the gas tank. this nozzle is very small and seems to be very brittle, easy to break off. my concern is that there are a number of these cars on the road that spontaneously seem to start leaking gasoline from their fuel tanks. as i was never involved in an accident, never went down a dirt road or even hit a speed bump all of which might (in a remote circumstance) cause the nozzle to break. *tr

2003 vw passat wagon 1.8 t sludge issue stop engine light came on at 88,683 miles indicating oil pressure is low and vehicle should not be driven. has not yet been repaired/replaced: oil sludge low bar pressure $1792. *tr

I just read that the nhtsa was investigating the failure of coils on 2002/2003 vw passats. i had a 2003 passat that had the number 2 cylinder coil fail at about 28,000 miles in 2007. the dealer replaced it, but i had to pay approximately $150. at about 29,000 the number 4 cylinder coil failed. i still had to pay about $100 with the dealer absorbing the cost of the part itself. the vw dealer told me that vw did not have a problem with their coils other than on a random basis, and that there were no manufacturing defects with the coils. they said that it was just coincidence that i had two coils fail. because of the failure of two coils at relatively low mileage i decided that the car was not reliable, and traded it in for a honda accord. now it appears that vw did have a problem for which i was penalized both by having to pay for the cost of the two repairs, but also because those problems caused a lack of confidence in the reliability of the vw resulting in my trading it in well before one would expect to have to trade in a car. my 2007 honda accord has over 45,000 miles, and there have been no problems of any kind. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passed. the contact stated that the headlight assembly plastic covers became foggy due to the sun light. while driving 25 mph at night the headlights looked as though they were off and it was difficult to see. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. the headlight assembly was not replaced and is concerned that there are no recalls related to the failure. the failure mileage was 70,000.

The check engine light on my vw passat 2003 with only 60 k miles came on while i was driving and as a result of that the thermostat and the oxygen sensor had to be replaced. the car mechanic was is an independent vw mechanic and he was of the opinion that at such mileage such malfunctions should not occur in this car. *tr

I purchased an 03 vw passat from a vw dealer as a certified pre-owned vehicle back in 2/07. within the first week of purchase i had brake problems. the next couple years were followed by valve cover leaks, engine leaks, auto window problems, battery problems, recall issues, water intrusion issues, ignition coil recall and the list goes on. after a water intrusion just days after the replacement of faulty ignition coils i contacted the manufacture notifying them of the problems. the manufacture had held their foot to the ground that my car is out of warranty (that i was told at time of sale i did not have) and so they are able to do nothing about any of the problems with this vehicle. however as it stands i have nearly $3000 in repairs needed to this vehicle. not to mention the water leak/damage from what i understand may actually mean my vehicle is considered a total loss at this point. i have expressed to the manufacture that i am concerned for the safety of myself but my small children as well ever time we are in this vehicle. among the several things that are potential to occur while i am driving i also worry about the potential for mold exposure from the water damage. due to cost i am unable to get any of this corrected and can not afford to go thru my insurance only to be told that it is a manufacture issue and so i am stuck. i feel that at this point i am driving around in a safety hazard and don't know what to do. every time i receive a replay from anyone i just end up back at the same place....contact the bbb, etc. i am getting no where and don't know what to do therefore am looking into any and all resources so any information would be useful. thank you for your time. *tr

On april 20, 2010 my 2003 volkswagen passats check engine light came on at around 4:45 pm. i immediately called the place who does all my repair work, and was told i could drop off the car that night, and they would check it out the following morning. i arrived at the location around 5:10, parked the car and went to place my key in the night drop box. when i walked back to the car i saw smoke coming out from under the hood. i raised the hood and saw flames coming from what looked like under the back of the engine compartment. then i noticed that there were flames coming out from under the dashboard inside the car. i called 911 and ran to a nearby gas station to get a fire extinguisher. when i got back to the car there were flames visible inside the car. i used the entire fire extinguisher and it did not even phase the fire. within 1 minute the entire car was engulfed in flames. the fire dept. arrived within 6 minutes and the car was gone. *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) 2003, vw, passat: a.)tie rod and b.)brake vacuum vin: [xxx] 2006 vw recalls 06v472000 & 05v540000 are suspiciously the same problem as my 2003 passat. last trip to service dept revealed both problems. there has been no accident or injury to date. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated the vehicle started to make noises while driving 40mph. he stated that the oil function light also came on. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic and they stated that they have seen this before and should take the vehicle to the manufacturer. the contact took the vehicle to the manufacturer and they refused to repair the vehicle because he didn't have all his records for the oil changes. the failure and current mileages was 96,000.

I purchased a certified used vehicle from volkswagen in 2/07'. within the first month i began having problems with this vehicle. the laundry list, starting with the brakes, includes a leak in the trunk, entire brake replacement within the first year, several recalls, battery replacement, cracked valve cover, problems with engine coolant temp sensor, faulty ignition coils causing serious safety hazards as a result of the vehicle 'shaking' while on & potential to stall at any given time, a recent massive water leak inside interior of vehicle causing interior water damage as well as a build up of mildew and possibly mold as well as now causing the windows to fog up constantly due to moisture under floor mats, problems with left blinker, trouble starting, several current engine leaks to the extent of a few thousand dollars, automatic window problems, worn cv boots currently making a clicking noise; this being the major things that have occurred to date. in good faith, after a very scary ride this last january, i contacted vw of america in an attempt to notify them of the situation and was informed that they were not going to accept any responsibility for their product because i was out of a warranty that i was originally told (during time of sale) i did not have anyway. in addition, however, it was stated to me later by their representative that none of the items would have been covered anyway. i am a single mom in no financial position to hire an attorney or even pay for the cost this vehicle has incurred and while this is my only means of transportation i have no other option then to continue driving it. with that said however i strongly feel that given the current condition of this vehicle and the potential of anyone of these items to fail this vehicle is a safety hazard and given that i purchased this vehicle only 3 years ago this is an excessive amount of problems for it to have. i strongly feel at this time that vw sold me a lemon. *tr

Volkswagen passat 2003 engine was ruined and had to be replaced with 26,000 miles on it. i was told by my purchase dealer that they would not cover the cost of replacement and my insurance company replied the same. my incident occurred during a rainy day in middlebury, in. the engine stopped working when i was on a bridge and in a 2" puddle. both vw and my insurance company said they do not cover anything related to water damage. an engine should not be ruined in a 2" puddle. i wrote to "click and clack" eventually about the damage. they told me other vs passat owners had their engines damaged and needing to be replaced but it was by other events. the loss of the engine happened in the passat because the air intake was the lowest part of the engine and was affected by anything near the intake. this happened in 2004 in my car and my replacement was over $11,000 and had to be paid personally by me. i did not know that i could complain to the government at that time. i would still like to file the complaint and ask for investigation into the number of cars involved with the loss of the engine. mine is the vs passat glx, 4 motion. *tr

I purchased a 2003 volkswagen passat from flow motors of greensboro, nc. the vehicle was certified by volkswagen with a two year 24,000 warrant. the engine blew when is was 260 miles over or outside the warranty. the cause of the engine blowing was due to oil pressure and the lack of oil pressure in the engine. my wife and three year old were driving back from washington, d.c. to greensboro and broke down in lynchburg, v.a. the service manager at terry's volkswagen in lynchburg towed the vehicle in to their shop and looked at the engine. they reported that a cam bolt snapped in the engine which caused the oil pressure to cease and in return caused the engine to blow. they told me that a cam bolt should never snap and this was a product failure. flow motors retrieved the vehicle and denied any responsibility for the product failure and recommended i put a new engine in the vehicle at the cost of 6,500. i replaced the engine and a couple of months later had to replace a cooling flange at 300.00 and after that a vacuum hose at 300.00. before replacing the vacuum hose there was a leak in my back floorboard and had the vehicle in at flow motors on two occasion but they could not locate the leak but still charged me 50.00 to look for the leak. i've had to cut the carpet out of the back floorboard because of mold. volkswagen broke my hood support bar and also refused to cover the expenses to pay for that. when the vehicle's engine blew my wife called me immediately to tell me the engine light was on. i told her to pull over immediately and she did. when she came to a stop the engine cut off and would not start back up. the engine had just over 91,000 and can't accept having to replace the engine when all the maintenance was kept up. terry volkswagen says the cam bolt snapped and stated that should never happen on a vehicle with only 91,000. i have complained to volkswagen, the bbb, and currently am speaking with an attorney. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat fire*cw the consumer stated while driving a light blinked on the dashboard. according to the owner's manual, it was a light for the catalytic converter. when the consumer arrived to the dealer, the light went out, and they could not find a problem. the light returned shortly thereafter and stayed on. the dealer repaired the light. the ball joints failed, but they were not covered under warranty. soon, the light illuminated on the dashboard again, that was supposed to have been fixed by the dealer earlier in the year. the consumer continued driving, when suddenly another motorist informed her the vehicle was on fire. the fire department stated the fire was caused by the catalytic converter. the consumer's insurance agent contacted her and advised her volkswagen was covering all the cost related to the incident, because the fire was a result of a recall that had not been taken care of by the authorized dealer from where the vehicle was purchased. *jb

2003 vw passat spontaneously combusted in the garage of our home. there are no events of concern leading up to the fire. the car had been parked in the garage since 5:00 pm on january 9, 2010 and the fire was discovered at about 3:00 am on january 10, 2010. a noise from the car alerted us and upon looking in the garage there were flames coming from the engine under the car. the fire totaled the car and caused over $100,000. damages to the structure of our home. the cost to replace and repair contents is not yet known. *tr

Car missing a getting bad milage ...same car does not run well and caught fire by turbo 2003 passat vw 1.8 liter turbo. *tr

Recalled vw coil failure. *tr

Driving at 65mph and oil pressure light comes on -takes us 15 minutes to find a safe spot to pull over- get car to dealer -'sludge " in the engine- regularly serviced car for 7 years. *tr

Had my ignition coils in my vw 2003 passat go out. went to auto repair had repairs done at 340.00. 2 months later got letter of recall for exact problem, letter said to send in receipts for reimbursement. sent forms, followed up with call and got check this week...for 78.00. called # on form and they said they refund what the us average cost would be and in this case that was it. i went back to the dealer to ask them and they said they would have done the repairs for 320.00 and that i was being ripped off. after talking with the recall agency and being put on hold 4 times they said that was it and all i would receive. *tr

My 2003 vw passat 1.8t has the well documented sludge issue that thousands of vw/audi owners are experiencing. initially i had to have the car towed b/c a gasket was leaking oil into the spark plugs, and my engine coil pack was bad. i paid $700 to repair and replace the parts. 80 miles after leaving the mechanic shop, the oil light and stop engine lights came on. towed the car again; no oil pressure. collected all of my maintenance records and took them to vw to get approval of the warranty issue before letting them "confirm" engine sludge ($500 diagnosis fee for dropping the oil pan). if the issue is engine sludge, the engine is a lost cause because the low oil pressure starved the engine head for oil. the vw dealership is waiting for my money before they'll diagnose the engine sludge- which you can see in the engine head with your eyes. vwoa has issued an extended warranty, unlimited mileage, 8 years from sale date, to owners with all of their oil change/maintenance receipts. yet, despite the "effort" by vw, they deny all the claims i've researched- saying everyone was irresponsible with their maintenance- no one took care of their engine. loopholes left and right to blame the consumer, while we sit powerless to get our cars back on the road. yet, this issue leaves me with no car. all of us "sludge" owners are left with cars dead on the side of the road, all with the same problem and vw turning their heads the other way. *tr

My 2003 passat has 104,000 miles and is currently being fixed due to oil sludge in my engine. 2 years ago my mechanic warned me of this issue; however, a faithful volkswagen owner i decided to keep my car and faithfully change my oil every 3,000 miles while the owner's manual say every 5,000 miles. friday, january 15, 2010 i found myself stranded off the highway, on a trip, due to oil sludge. i am firm believer in taking care of your car and feel as though this is a volkswagen issue. it seems as though there are several issues with this and volkswagen and would like for an action to be considered. *tr

Tl*the contact owns 2003 volkswagen passat. the buttons used to adjust the heated seats have malfunctioned and feel as if they are shocking the driver when they are engaged. the leather around the coils has melted a hole in the drivers seat. although, the contact has not turned the heated seats on the coil continued to smoke and become heated while driving. the failure mileage was 79000 and the current mileage was 79200.

Went to start my car and the malfunction indicator lamp light was on and my car was shaking uncontrollably. i called the dealership they had told me to have my car towed in. as i did, the problem was the ignition coils, they did mention that there was a recall on the 4 cylinders and they have had several people come in with this problem after the artic blast came through last week. the reason why i'm writing is because i think its kind of weird after this recall came out so many people have had this problem recently and just wondering why this particular part is not covered under a recall for a v6. to me it doesn't make any sense why not, my problem is occurring exactly when all these other cars are being recalled for the same thing. *tr

While driving or idling, an engine warning light appears telling the driver to stop immediately due to no oil pressure. this can happen at any time. the problem is due to a known issue by vw of oil sludge buildup. the consequence is the engine will seize up and need to be replaced along with but not always including the turbocharger. vw has extended the warranty to 8 years unlimited miles for those engines, but unreasonably requires production of all oil change receipts for the entire history of the car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph on normal road conditions when the "oil pressure" warning light indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and suddenly, the engine stalled. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the failure was contributed to oil sludge. the vehicle is in the process of being repaired for the malfunction. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 80,000.

Vw issued a voluntary safety recall for replacement of the underbody heat shield on my 2003 passat wagon. (open campaign: 26e5/r5). i took the car to the local dealer to address the recall but was told my car could not be serviced without potential damage to the flexible joints behind the catalytic converter. both joints were said to have small fractures in the metal and braided steel. i was told that the heat shield replacement required the exhaust line to be dropped via the flexible joints and that they could be broken in the process. if damage to the joints occurred, the charge for the parts (excluding labor) would be $1500 and that the full bill for parts/labor would be my responsibility. because of the excessive cost, i was not able to have the heat shields replaced. i am concerned about the potential safety hazard for continued use of the vehicle without addressing the recall. i would like volkswagen to be responsible for the full cost of replacing the heat shield up to and including the replacement of the flexible joints, should that be necessary. *tr

Heater core has failed (plugged up) at just over 90,000 miles. over $1200 to replace; may burst hot fluid through vents into passenger compartment if not replaced soon. currently the smell in the car when running is very strong of radiator fluid. *tr

The driver's side seat heater in my 2003 vw passat is a potential fire hazard. i noticed what looked like a cigarette burn on the left seat bolster (i do not smoke). the following day, i smelled something burning in the cabin. when i got out of the car, there was a second burn hole about a half inch from the first hole. i have stopped using the heater, but it is a potential fire hazard. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 55 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to a side road. a technician from the dealer stated that the engine needed to be replaced because of an oil/sludge problem. no repairs were made. a representative from the manufacturer stated that they would not provide her with any assistance. the current mileage was 84,167. the failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

2003 vw passat heater core had to be replaced and vw america refused to do it at no cost. *tr

My 2003 vw passat was having problems with coils and valve covers. my car caught on fire! luckily the fire went out about 10 minutes after i stopped the car! i can't believe this happened! is there anything i can do? are there any recalls out there?! *tr

Car had sludge in 2007 dealer cleaned engine and said it was fixed. in feb 2009 the sludge came back again and the dealer fixed the sludge again. on october 2009 the car oil light came on again this time they said it was not sludge but the cam shaft adjusters which they said was not covered under warranty. my research shows that cam shaft adjusters are damaged and break up due to low oil pressure which is a direct relation to sludge in your engine which i had twice. dealer now claims i did not maintain my car and this is why they are not covering it under warranty. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. there was a strong odor of fuel outside of the vehicle while it was parked. the contact also observed an excessive amount of fuel on the ground. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection and the technician stated that the failure was contributed to the fuel tank ventilation valve. nhtsa campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery) is related to the failure; however, the vin was excluded from the recall. the estimated repair cost was $2,000. the vehicle has not been repaired. there was concern of the significant safety hazard. the failure and current mileages were 149,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 40 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and a technician replaced the ignition coil at an expense of $403.00. the failure resurfaced one year after the vehicle was repaired. an authorized technician concluded that the ignition coil failed and caused the wiring harness, and the engines computer to burn. the vehicle was repaired at an expense of $887.97. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 83,000 and the current mileage was 92,000. updated 10/21/09. *lj updated 12/07/09. *lj the consumer stated in addition to the other problem, the failed stalled on the highway and the the lights on the dashboard illuminated. updated 12/08/09

Our 2003 passat wagon (4 cyl 1.8 engine) had a fire in the engine last week. after driving about 20 minutes and parking, my husband noticed the check engine light and then smoke coming out from under the hood. he opened the hood and saw a fire in the engine. he was in a parking space and drove it a block to a service station, where the mechanic put out the fire with water. the fire had started in the ignition coils (which had been replaced in 4/2003, before the recall) and would have required the replacement/rebuilding of the engine harness. our insurance company declared the car a total loss. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated while driving with the cruise control function at 72 mph and attempting to decrease speed, the cruise control would not disengage. she applied pressure to the brakes and the vehicle accelerated. the contact was forced to drive into a median; however, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle which caused the driver to crash into two metal poles causing the air bags to deploy. the contact sustained minor injuries of powder burn from the air bag. a police report was filed. the vehicle was inspected by an insurance adjuster who determined that the vehicle was destroyed; however, the failure is still under investigation. the contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 54,800.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving at an unknown speed with the heated seat feature activated, the contact noticed that the heater burned through the seat and through his clothing. his leg was burned. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the heated seat motor needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 102,500.

Sunroof drains/or other source allows water to leak into car saturating the interior carpet under left drivers seat and floorboard area. convenience module was replaced once under warranty in 2006, but water leak has returned. this is a garaged vehicle and this water leak occurs if car is parked outside at work (no trees of leaf debris) with roof closed. dealer was aware of problem when the car was repaired originally in 2007 and said the drain hose was collapsing on itself. *tr

Pollen filter and/ or sunroof drains become blocked and water leaks behind battery and into cabin of car. the water then pools under and behind the drivers seat where the convenience module is stored. i am concerned because it caused my car to be unable to start because it is affecting the electrical components of the car. in addition, the pooling under the drivers seat is troubling since it is a hub for interior electrical equipment. the convenience module in my car now has to be replaced. *tr

Fuel pump failure on 2003 vw passat. driving on interstate and lost power and was lucky to be able to coast to the side of the road. vw has a recall on this part but they claim my vehicle (nhtsa 06v01700 and 07v375000) is not in the vin range covered. i feel my fuel pump should have been covered in the recall as it is a defective unit and not safe. *tr

1. frontal collision impacting with side of pick up truck making ill-timed left turn in front of me 2. driver's side airbag did not deploy. passenger side (where no one or nothing was seated) did deploy. *tr 3. my vehicle was declared a total loss

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 65 mph, the driver's side door suddenly flew open. the contact injured his leg while attempting to close the door. the dealer stated that the door latch was defective. the current and failure mileages were 146,000.

I have a 2003 vw passat that has leaked water from the sunroof drain tubes and pollen filter. the water pooled into the floor pans under the carpet all over the car and threatens all of the electronic components stored on the floor of the vehicle. vw dealer wants over $1000 to fix this issue even though there is nothing stated anywhere in the owner manual regarding drain tube maintenance or pollen filter leaks. these drains are neither easily accessible or visible (especially the rear drain channels). these problems are clearly engineering flaws and there are tons of documented cases all over the internet of the same problem occurring. vw does not acknowledge this problem and the dealership is charging huge amounts of money for parts and labor to clean up all of the water damage and fried electronics. this really needs to be looked into and considered for action. in addition to water damage, mold and mildew pose significant health risks. *tr

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat and for a little while now it has been saying this: stop,oil pressure,stop motor,service manual. this is now happened 3 times. the first time it happened i took it to the dealer(which is not where i purchased my car) and they changed the oil filter which cost me $160. my car worked for about 2 months and it happened again,and the dealer then said it was the oil pump and wanted $965 to fix it. i,however took somewhere else got the problem fixed for $720. it has just recently happened again. i went to change the oil and transmission fluid was accidentally drained. the dealer fixed the problem and now says there is something wrong with the transmission,the car is drivable but now for long. this the second time something has gone wrong with the transmission. *tr

Purchase car in fl, now live in iowa due to job transfer. a/c unit continues to not blow cold air in a dependable method. have to shut off vehicle and restart to sometimes get it started again. now torque converter light came on just after powertrain warranty expired 1 month outside of warranty. got in contact with vw of america. would not asist, but instead sent $2,000 good faith voucher towards to purchase of a new vehicle to make an attempt to help me with the problems. please help. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 45 mph on normal road conditions, the driver's heated seat control module was activated. a high voltage of heat penetrated through the bottom of the seat and smoke suddenly appeared. the driver deactivated the heated seat control module. he burned his finger on the seat. the authorized dealer was notified of the malfunction. the manufacturer's customer satisfaction campaign m2 was referenced. the free remedy consisted of installing a repair kit for the heated seat. the remedy was performed on the vehicle in 2005; however, it was insufficient and did not prevent future failure. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 76,900 and current mileage was 77,000.

Vehicle was hit from the rear by another vehicle. drivers seat slid all the way forward in its tracks and the seat back collapsed all the way flat. seat integrity should be maintained in this type of incident. *tr

While opening my trunk lid, the passenger side hinge broke. the lid, dropped, down and i caught it, with out harm. but it could have easily hurt my hand or head. i called the dealer to order a replacement part, he indicated it was very popular. *tr

Apparent engine oil sludge problem. the oil light came on with a warning to stop the engine. the car is currently in the shop awaiting evaluation of the extent damage. i purchased the car used and have no record of the previous owners maintenance. i maintain my own vehicle therefore do not have receipts to prove each oil change according to the schedule. vw recommends changes every 5,000 miles; i changed it every 3,000. *tr

9/2002 purchased 2003 volkswagen passat 1.8 turbo. 2005- 48,000 engine failed due to sludge. towed to commonwealth motors santa ana, ca after 2 mos installed new oil pump, we each paid half even though it is a known design flaw with oil pump. 2007 same thing happened( but i was away and car towed to local garage) mechanic stated that no warranty would cover problem. estimated 95. final $2,569 to replace oil pump and turbo picked up car in march 2008, in dec 2008 engine failed again towed to mesa west who suggested dealer should be called. dealer accepted responsibility on phone since they had done original repair, 4 months later car needs new engine is still at dealer. oil pump cannot process properly. vw aware of chronic problem but won't stand by product unless all receipts from oil changes are available. car need $6000.00 of work and dealer doing nothing to assist regardless of promises made. *tr

Dealer refuses to fix recall unless i accept responsibility for any damage to aftermarket parts occurring while replacing heat shield on exhaust system. there is a potential for fire if original heat shield is not replaced. recall r5, criteria 1. *tr

I have had my 2003 vw passat for 7 months now and have already had it in the shop 3 times. right after i bought it used from a vw dealership the turbo went out. i had to pay for that. i then drove the car about 150 miles for a tournament and when almost there a light came on saying to stop and turn off the engine. took it to vw dealership and it was covered by vw. it had something to do with sludge from oil. got it back and 3 days later a light came on. it was the mil light. i took it in to the vw dealership. still waiting to hear what the problem is this time. i have now had my oil changed 3 times in 5 thousand miles due to repairs. it has been one thing after another with this car so far. *tr

Abs control module for a 2003 vw passat. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that a new pair of rare brakes failed on her vehicle after 14,952 miles. she usually gets over 36,000 miles on a pair of brakes. she stated that the brake pads failed and damaged the rotors. the contact feels that the pads are defective and should have lasted longer than 14,000 miles. she also feels that the dealer should cover the cost of the new pads. the current and failure mileages were 95,100. updated 04/21/09. *lj the serpentine belt was cracked, the power steering fluid was low, the vc boot and hood strut was replaced.. updated 04/21/09.*jb

While driving my 2003 vw passat down the highway at 35 miles per hour, the engine simply ceased operating. fortunately, i was able to get out of traffic and glide into a shopping center parking lot. the vehicle would not restart and had to be towed, and the fuel pump replaced. the passat had only 51,764 miles when this breakdown occurred. while searching through the internet, i have seen numerous complaints of this same make model and year vehicle with a fuel pump failure. vw has only recalled certain vin numbers for this fuel pump. my passat does not fall within the recall vins and vw refuses to acknowledge a global problem with these fuel pumps. *tr

Car went in for brake job at 39,000 miles. mechanic found that both front cv joints were cracked and front axles and cv boots would need replacement. this was close to a $1,000.00 repair job on a car with under 40,000 miles. apparently this is a not uncommon problem with 5th generation passat vehicles. i feel volkswagen should do a recall on this problem. *tr

Following routine maintenance of my vehicle, (tune-up, including replacement of spark plugs and ignition harnesses) my repair shop mechanic reported that the airbag warning light came on and stayed on. he said he was unable to turn it off. i then took the vehicle to a factory-authorized vw dealer and was told the problem was caused by low voltage to the airbag unit, that the battery tested low at 12.04 volts and they could not reset the code without replacing the battery. i approved new battery purchase, but dealer was unable to make warning light go out, despite recoding the controller . dealer claimed further testing revealed airbag unit controller had failed and would require replacement at parts cost of $798.00. i declined to pay that amount. in reply to my question, service rep said he was unable to confirm that airbag(s) would deploy in case of an accident. since they i have driven vehicle for about one month, and each time i start vehicle a warning sounds, the "airbag failure" notice comes up on the dashboard and the airbag warning signal stays on constantly. i telephoned vw customer service to complain and was told there was no recall on this problem and that since vehicle was nearly 6 years old and out of warranty i would need to assume cost of repair/unit replacement. i said i thought this was a safety failure with vehicle becoming out of compliance with federal safety requirements through no fault or malpractice of the owner (myself) and that vw should assume cost of repairs. customer service rep said they would look into it and reply. so far no response. vehicle continues to display airbag warning light. *tr

I own a 2003 vw passat. recently. i took my car for repair as my brakes were not responding on turns. the vw dealer investigated the issue and i was told that the "abs control module" is not communicating for some reason. they suggested i replace the abs control module for around $2,216 i called vw and asked them to look into the issue and see if they can cover the expenses of the repair since this is not a normal tear and wear issue. they responded by saying that since the car is not within the warranty period, they cannot cover the expenses of this repair. i feel that is a safety issue that vw of america needs to cover the repair for. in fact i think they should have been more pro-active and investigate the abs control module in my care after they replace it to see if there is a major issue that can result in a recall. i understand that my car is not within warranty; but given the fact that this is a safety issue, i think vw should cover it and pay the repair cost. *tr

Brake failure light appears even after multiple brake repairs. driver?s side rear upper brake light replaced for 29th time in less than 2 yrs. multiple coolant leaks still present even after repair and water pump replacement. radio/amplifier not functioning even after replacement (radio was only used twice in vehicle?s lifetime). diagnostics show airbag malfunction. regulator pin on rear passenger side window keeps breaking (3rd replacement since 2003). engine cover below car keeps falling off due to rusted bolts. homelink system keeps malfunctioning. fuses keep blowing out. dashboard panel lights out (odometer, fuel gauge, etc.). ccm module keeps breaking down. car needs to be jumpstarted when not in use for over 48 hrs. climate control (a/c and heater) works only sporadically. all repairs performed by vw dealership, yet same issues keep reappearing just a few weeks after repairs. repairs performed in past 2 years: ecu unit replaced, brake light switch replaced 3 times, a/c compressor unit replaced, abs module replaced, alternator replaced, brakes replaced 3 times. *tr

Turned on driver side heater to level 3. felt a burning on the left side of the seat and smelled a burning odor aprox 30 seconds after starting car. stopped car and found a small hole burned through the seat on the left rear side. m2 recall had already been checked at the dealer. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the fuel pump failed in his vehicle. the vehicle stuttered while driving 60 mph, stalled, and then completely lost power. the vehicle restarted for a few seconds, but then lost power again when he attempted to accelerate. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop and the contact was informed of nhtsa campaign id number 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump). two different dealers stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. the manufacturer agreed with the dealers. the current mileage was 76,455 and failure mileage was approximately 76,440.

Front windshield defrost/defogger not operating/blowing on windshield. if windshield began to fog or frost, there may not be enough airflow to clear the windshield, resulting in reduced driver visibility and a possible crash without prior warning. manufacturer refusing to fix under safety warranty. *tr

Vw passat 2003, purchased01/09/03, 4 motion sedan, for $32,766.50. on 10/7/2004, i went through a 2" or less, rain puddle. because of the air intake on the passat location being very low, the engine was damaged due to the water intake in the air intake portion of the vehicle. the engine had to be replaced and cost $11,077.53. the car mileage was 29,143. vw refused to pay, saying it was not their fault. my insurance company refused to pay because they said it was a default in the vehicle. as a result, i had to pay the $11,077.53 to keep a vehicle that i had purchased new in 2003. it was 1/3 the cost of the new vehicle with only 29,143 mileage. the amount of rain can be determined on the day it happened, in middlebury, in. i did contact cartalk, after no result from vw, and they stated that they had been contacted by other people experiencing the same problem. it obviously was not enough to post a recall, but it is still something i should be reimbursed, even though it happened in 2004. i do still own the car, because of my investment, which would have been over $44,000, because i cannot afford another vehicle compared to this one. *tr

I have an air bag failure which will prohibit me from passing the state safety inspection. the air bag repair is over $1000. is there a waiver or a process to dispute this? are there resources to help consumers in these type of cases? *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle suddenly shut off. the vehicle was towed to an auto repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed. he called the local dealer to inquire about relevant recalls and was informed that there were none. through research, the contact found nhtsa campaign id number 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump), but was informed that his vin was not included in the recall. the manufacturer stated that they could not offer any assistance; therefore, the contact would have to pay for the repairs. the vin was unknown. the current mileage was approximately 46,100 and failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

Every time it rains, i have an accumulation of water under both the front and rear passenger side carpets. the car smells of mold and mildew. this is a recurring problem with many years of vw's and the dealers know about it. my research indicates design problems with pollen filter. major problem is that the transmission control module is located in the same vicinity as the puddled water. i have had transmission problems for a while although have not had to replace tcm yet. check the web for how many people complain about this problem. i understand there is a recall for the 2002 model year. 2003 is no different. first noticed problem after warranty ran out. *tr

I was pulling out of my apartments when my car lost all horse power and pretty much sputtered then died; i was left exposed to traffic on a busy road. then, i was towed to the vw dealership where i was told that my ignition coils failed and that in turn ruined my oxygen sensor and catalytic converter. all these had to be replaced by vw at my cost. the mechanic told me when i was being towed there he already knew what it was because they go out all the time. doing further research it seems many people have the same problem. *tr

2003 volkwagen passat wagon w8 (4motion/all-wheel drive) fuel tank leak at/or near rollover valve at fuel tank. fuel tank has no apparent damage or abrasions and fuel tank heat shield is original undamaged condition, vehicle has no damage or crash history. vehicle is equipped with w-8 4.0 l w/ automatic transmission and has 62,215 miles. after refill of fuel ,strong odor of gasoline and/or vapor. inspection found fuel tank leaking from rollover valve and from fuel pump cover in top of tank. immediate action was taken and vehicle was delivered to dealer for remedy. *tr

I own a 2003 volkswagen passat with a 1.8t engine. the car has 70,000 miles and i just found out it has engine sludge. i bought the car used around may 2004 with around 34,000 miles and never received any information from the dealer i bought the car from (not vw dealer) about sludge problems and never received any information from vw of america about altered oil change schedule and using fully synthetic motor oil. being unaware of the problems these engines were having i followed the owners manual recommended oil changes of 5,000. i was not aware of saving receipts of changes and performed several myself. my display showed a stop engine low oil press message so i immediately took it to my independent mechanic who performed some tests and told me i had engine sludge. as of now i have no recourse with vw of america as far as fixing an engine they know is flawed. *tr

Analog gas gauge and digital feeds from gas tank inaccurate most of time - sometimes half a tank off. took multiple times and 5 weeks for dealership to repair (gave up once - then took to another dealership). gauge also seems to have sticking points. sometimes moves while being watched. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for a recall repair. the technician discovered that the cv boot on the front driver and passenger wheels were cracked. the technician strongly advised that the failures be repaired to avoid further damages within the suspension system. the estimated repair cost was $700. the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 32,000.

Got into my 2003 vw passat and smelled fuel. got out checked for leaks and none were visible. took the vehicle to repair shop for further checking. when repair shop started vehicle, fuel sprayed on catalytic converter and surrounding components. a leak in the fuel line was determined. the area of the fuel line adjacent to the fire wall had rubbed a hole. fuel line assembly had to be replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the headlight lens were covered with a foggy material. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the headlights needed to be serviced. the current and failure mileages were 50,332. updated 10/16/08. *lj updated 10/20/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. on two separate occasions, once while driving 50 mph, the contact made a sudden stop and the engine shut off. on the second occasion, while driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled. on both occasions the vehicle immediately restarted. the dealer informed the contact that the failure would have to repeat itself in order for them to diagnose the vehicle. she was advised not to restart the vehicle and have it towed to the dealer. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 80,000.

The heater core tubing in the car disintegrated at about 18,000 miles. this resulted in the check engine light appearing, coolant leaking into other parts of the engine department,and the fumes from the coolant in the passenger compartment. at this time the vehicle was under warranty, so i took it to the volkswagen dealership. they replaced the purge valve (about an hours work) and returned the car to me. i took the car back two more times for the same problem before the warranty ran out and the dealership performed the same service. the coolant leak became significantly worse (i began adding coolant every 3-4 days) at around 82,000 miles and the fumes from the coolant in the passenger compartment became very strong. i took the car to another repair shop and the mechanic discovered that the tubing from the heater core had completely disintegrated and the heater core needed to be replaced altogether. i have seasonal asthma associated with allergies and inhaling the fumes from the coolant has made the condition worse. i am currently having the vehicle repaired at a cost of approximately $1200. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle would no longer accelerate. the vehicle had to be towed to a mechanic and it was discovered that the fuel pump failed. the fuel pump was replaced. approximately one year later, the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 06v017000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump); however, the manufacturer stated that her vin was not included in the recall. the current mileage was 120,000 and failure mileage was 61,980.

I was driving about 55 on the highway when i saw smoke coming out of my vents i stop and open the hood and notice my car had caught on fire from the left bottom side. *tr

I have had the 2003 passat glx for less than 2 weeks, i have only put 307 miles on it. today while on the interstate, the car quit pulling. it was not getting any gas. then it died completely and would not start. it turns over but won't start. was on the side of the interstate for nearly an hour waiting for a tow truck. was told that it is the fuel pump. *tr

I have owned 3 vws and have always made sure to stay up to date on scheduled maintenance. recent knocking noise in engine lead us to take the car in for a repair at which time we were informed that we had a major sludge problem and it would cost me $6900 to replace the engine. *tr

The car seat heater (driver's side) burned through the fabric, leaving 1 inch hole in the seat. there was no injury. this happened with normal use of the heater. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat with an oil sludge problem. consumer states that there is an extended warranty due to this oil sludge problem. *kb the vehicle had a slight engine knock, before the oil was changed. the dealer stated the low oil pressure was probably caused by the pick up tube in the oil pan blocked by oil sludge. *jb

This car was never inspected for recalls, or safety issues. the moment the car was handed to us the battery died. the dealership quickly change the battery. the car was hesitating on acceleration ever since. it was on july 27 2008 that finally the check engine light came on. took the car to a garage and it has coast us 270 dollars to fix it so far. we have not had this car for more than a month. there are two recalls on this car that were never look at or fixed by precision toyota of tucson . one of these recalls can cause fire. *tr

1. driving car transmission shifted erratically when pulling out of house. also hit another car as transmission shifted without doing anything. 2. always when rains. 3. sunroof drain/air plenum area dealer said was blocked and water went down b pillar. shorted out transmission computer in passenger foot well. water passed over junction connections in b pillar also shorted out airbag sensor and other electrical. vw now issues service action 66c8/p9 to cover this which was not listed as maintenance. dealer said he was not doing this. very poor design. if drains for sun roof and plenum clog then water goes inside and shorts critical electronics. transmission computer in passenger footwheel which filled with water costs $2000 and could of been my life. in general this car has had many recalls and is unsafe. i have had it for 5 years and only 38k miles and every recall has surface as problem in this car from seat heaters staying on, brake lights shorting, head leaking, front suspension assembly vibrating loose almost causing accident. *tr

Sun roof drain disconects and water fills passenger compartment causing computer malfunction , air bags to malfunction and fire hazzard. this is the second time 1st time in 2006

Car stalled several times and eventually would not start. had it towed to nearest auto repair shop, cost $45. after diagnostic testing they stated there was nothing wrong with it and it started right up, costing another $110 for this information. a few days later car stalled and would not start. towed once again to vw dealership, cost $155. they discovered it was the fuel pump and replaced it free of charge and also check all other recalls. we received the recall letter the day after the no start. i am asking to be reimbursed for both tows and the diagnostic testing as all cost incurred were due to this recall. *tr

My oil pressure light came on. i was driving on a mountain, and there was no where to pull over, so i had to keep driving. the engine locked up and the car lost power. i was able to steer it off onto a shoulder. i have also been burned my the heated seat when the wiring overheats, and it has both shocked and burned my skin. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle began to smoke and drive sluggish. she continued to drive to her destination and then exited the vehicle. approximately 20 minutes later, the vehicle began to smoke heavily underneath the hood and in the passenger compartment. the vehicle caught fire from the instrument panel and was completely engulfed within minutes. there were no injuries. a nearby vehicle sustained damage to its passenger side. nhtsa campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery) was referenced. the current and failure mileages were 64,000.

Water leaked in to the passenger compartment of the vw passat. the transmission electronic controls are located under the floor mat of the passenger side of the auto. the water shorted out the electronics for the transmission disabling the vehicle. a vw dealer repaired the passat by replacing the electronics at a cost of $2250.00 to us. they also modified the air intake to prevent future damage. this was the second time we had the auto in for cabin water. the service rep. told me there is a problem with the cabin air intake and this was replaced under a recall on the 2000, 2001 and 2002 years of the passat. he tried vw for warranty but they declined. *tr

In 4/08 and 5/08 had malfunction light indicator come on, then had separate repairs at bayside volkswagen. same light came on 7/6/08. its seems every month or so, its an issue with the car and having different repairs. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat with recall for faulty seal and heat shield. consumer had the problem repaired and then received the recalls. he would like reimbursement for these repairs. *kb the consumer stated there was a burning smell coming from the vehicle. the dealer discovered oil leaking from the valve cover and cleaned it. the sunroof tubes and drain plug were replaced. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 35 mph, the contact smelled smoke and felt a tingling feeling on her back. she exited the vehicle and noticed small holes and smoke coming from the driver's seat. the manufacturer advised her to take the vehicle to the dealer for repair. the contact sent the receipt for her damaged fur coat and blue jeans to the manufacturer, but she has not received any reimbursement. the failure mileage was 61,949.

On approx. june 20, 2008 i received a recall notice from vw that there was a safety issue with heat shields and fuel system of my 2003 passat ( recall notice- 26e5/r5 and 66c8/p9. i made an immediate appointment with my dealership (donaldson"s vw in sayville, ny and got an appointment for june 27. because i was very concerned with the recall and the fact that the notice advised of a possibility of fire existed, i took my vehicle right down there. i was then advised by the service representative that they could not perform the necessary repairs because they were back ordered on the parts. i was also alarmed when i was told that they had no idea when they could do the repair or when the parts would come in. i am writing this in the event that my vw passat should malfunction because of a defect that could be expeditiously repaired by the dealer. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while the consumers husband was driving 40 mph, the contact smelled gasoline. he approached a stop sign and heard a pop sound. the contact looked out her window and noticed flames coming from the wheel well on the front passenger side of the vehicle. she and her husband exited the vehicle and called the fire and police departments. a police report was filed. the insurance company was notified and began researching available recalls. the contact found a recall related to the failure, but the nhtsa campaign number was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 71,000. updated 07/15/08 *bf updated

Driving on i-87 upstate ny around albany in the fast lane about 80 miles an hour the car completely lost power. we pulled over quickly to the grassy area between the highways. we heard a sound but it might have been from the road when we pulled off or a backfire? the car was completely dead. we called 911 and a sheriff arrived soon and told us how difficult it would be to get back on the highway with traffic going 90-95 miles an hour. we had to get into the fast lane. we drove a little on the grassy area to see if the car would work. with great difficult and tremendous fear we managed to get onto the highway. we were then able to drive to nyc without problems in the slower lanes. no lights or sounds came on to warn us of the loss of power. this happened about 6 weeks ago as we were approaching the williamsburg bridge in manhattan but going at a much slower speed. we pulled over and had to restart the car. we have had the recalls from vw but not a recent one that may have come out in may. it seems like it could be a fuel tank issue. i will be taking it back to vw in brooklyn in two weeks to have them look at it. they have told me that since i did come in and get all the recalls that it could not be that. i am afraid of this car and only have about 27,000 miles after 5 years. it is a 2003 passat turbo wagon. it was a hot day on june 8th and when we turned on the car the temp out side light said 101 degrees. *tr

My 2003 volkswagen passat is holding 6inches or more of water on the passenger side in the floor board and has shorted out the computer underneath, in servicing the car the technician advised he found 3 other volkswagen passats of the same year to have the same defect. i have also been advised that a serious crash could have resulted because the computer underneath regulates the transmission. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat with coolant system and heated seat recall. consumer states that the coolant system was under warranty. the heated seats were repaired but now don't work at all. she also states that the gas has been burning out very fast. *kb the consumer stated she was smelling fumes inside the vehicle. *jb

I own a 2003 passat 4-motion. i purchased it from the dealer in july of 2005 when it had 42,000 miles on it. almost immediately i noticed two things about the car: first, it sometimes hesitates when trying to accelerate and then when it does finally take off, it "leaps" forward. second, when shifting down sometimes, it does not do so normally but will actually jerk the car badly and make a "clunky" sound, like the transmission is failing. this seems to happen when you don't come to a complete stop and then try and accelerate again, like stop and go traffic. i have had the car back to the dealer many times and have been told that this is just a "characteristic" of the car and that there is nothing they can do about it. overall i am very disappointed in the car. *tr

When filling up the car with gasoline there is a severe fuel odor. took car to dealer and they said the "fuel tank ventilation valve" was leaking. this also happened two years ago and they replaced the fuel tank under warranty. the dealer refused to fix the problem unless i paid for it. i have noticed that they are issuing a recall for this exact problem but when i called volkswagen they said my vin number is not included. very disappointed in the car overall and would not recommend one to anyone. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact noticed that the radio was malfunctioning. he took the vehicle to the dealer and a technician stated that the stereo failed due to unknown causes, and the entire system needed to be replaced. the contact has not had the vehicle repaired because it exceeded its warranty. the manufacturer did not provide any assistance. the failure mileage was 95,000 and current mileage was 109,000.

Radio not functioning, air conditioning unit works intermittently, airbag malfunction recognized, operation unit in steering wheel malfunctions, no communications with brake control unit, brake light switch causes drivers side brake light to malfunction. horn not functioning nearly caused 2 accidents within a month. i drove over an island to avoid one collision from the other non-attentive driver and ended up scraping the transmission pan. cost of replacement: $550. after thousands of dollars in repairs and diagnostics, vw dealerships still unable to fix any of the above! *tr

I drove about ten miles up the canyon parked the car. then got a call about 15 min later telling me my car was on fire and the fire department had put it out. i am still waiting to find out what is going to happen with the car from the dealer and insurance. it looked like the fire started in the dash. *tr

Continental tires (all four) are separating along the tread and they claim the tires are not defective. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat wagon. while attempting to accelerate from 5 mph, the vehicle would not move forward and began to vibrate. the contact pulled over and noticed a burning odor coming from the brakes. when he touched the wheels, they were extremely hot. the vehicle had stability control, traction control, and abs. all four brakes were applied when he attempted to accelerate. the contact attempted to restart the vehicle. the abs light illuminated along with another light (he did not remember which light). after he allowed the vehicle to cool down and attempted to start the engine, all of the lights illuminated on the instrument panel. he continued to drive, but the failure recurred. he took the vehicle to a volkswagen dealer in indiana and was instructed on where to find the fuse to deactivate the abs, traction control, and stability control. the service manager stated that they had seen audis experience the same failure with the same engine and features. the failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Check engine light was on, noticed smell of gasoline. after filling car up, gasoline began leaking from right rear of car from the gas tank. left car at dealer for service, when car was left, gasoline was still leaking. *tr

My air condition has been on the fritz so to speak for the last year, i thought it was my imagination. this passed week when i turned it on full blast all that was coming out is warm air. i took the car into vw dealership they repaired two leaks they said, when trying it out a few days later the air was blasting warm air once again. i took it back and now they are telling me the evaporator needs to be replaced costing me $1,700.00. how could this happen to a car that is not even 5 years old yet. i am very disappointed. *tr

2003 volkswagen gls passat with several problems. consumer states that they have had problems with the fuel pump, cam shaft sensor and more. *kb the vehicle stalled on 2 occasions due to a faulty fuel pump. the consumer soon discovered there was a recall on the fuel pump, however the consumers vehicle identification number was not included in the recall. the front cv boot and timing belt were replaced. the vehicle also had a transmission leak. the drivers heated seat malfunctioned. *jb

I own a volkswagen passat, 2003, 1.8 liter turbo. for the past two years we have been experiencing a hesitation on take off. sometimes when backing out of the garage the car hesitates really bad. the is my wife'f car and i am afraid the someday it may stall out at a very busy intersection, causing a crash. i have contacted a volkswagen dearler and he advised that my vin number does not fall under the vin numbers of the recall, volkswagon already has in place. i would like to report that we have already had out oil pressure pump replaced and i was wondering if there has been other coplaints of the oil pressure pump failing. *tr

Fuel pump failure while driving on the freeway the car quite running. 1.8 liter turbo in o3 vw passat. dealer calls and tells us our vin number is not part of the recall. to call vw of north america and they should cover it. i talk to a women tell her the same thing as above and she ask me to hold while she submits the claim. she comes back on the line after 45 seconds or so and says that they won't cover it. the vin number is not part of the recall. i ask to speak to a supervisor. i am told there is no one else i can speak to and this is the finally decision of vw of north america. this is not the first failure for this car. temperature sensor replaced, brake module replaced twice, the heater core replace, the trip tronic shift replaced, instrument panel replaced, the engine flushed for sludge. cv boots replaced. they're cracked again after 3 months. *tr

Every 5,000-7,000 miles an ignition coil fails on my car. this results in my car instantly starting to shutter and i have to pull over immediately. last time this happened, driving only a mile resulted in a severe vehicle fire putting myself and other in danger. *tr this time, i was able to pull over before serious incident occurred. *tr

I finished putting in a small amount of gas and while taking off had an engine problem. my check engine light started to blink, my car started to chug and i had a severe loss of power. i took my car to my local vw service center, and upon investigation they smelled a burning under my hood and found the ignition coil melted or something of the sorts. they replaced the ignition coil and the car works fine, for now until the coil melts again. *tr

After replacing the fuel pump (under recall) on my 2003 vw passat in october, 2007, i began to notice a periodic gas leak from around the gas tank. in december, 2007, i had a local mechanic investigate and he could find nothing wrong. my tank leaked again last week. *tr

1. no event lead up to the failure 2. fuel leak; strong gas fumes within car. leak & fumes more prominent with warmer weather. 3. vw dealership found gas leaking from (3) locations including nipple & plastic seams where clips are attached. gas tank was replaced. *tr

Oil sludge causes oil pump to fail damaging the engine. *tr

Defect with the driver side heating coil in the seat - today during a 5 minute drive i began to smell something burning on the interior of my car and felt a burning sensation on my leg. i immediately stopped the car and turned it off to investigate. upon existing the vehicle i saw burning embers on the seat and a 1/4" hole. i was forced to smother out the fire. i have since turned off the heaters and refuse to use them until the problem is rectified. *tr

I purchased a 2003 passat and have been in for two coils, engine light, back hatch lock broken, fuel pump but the most important one thus far was when i told them my oil pressure light came on two days prior and they told me it will cost 4000.00 to fix it because the engine is full of sludge. i would produce receipts for services that i actually do regularly every 3-4 thos. miles or three months. however they informed me from vw of america that 99% of the people have to pay for it because their receipts don't meet the requirement of the mileage of the services. they state that it must be done prior to 5 thos. miles but the book states every 7 thos. miles for services to be done. when i bought the car they didn't tell me that i should use the expensive filters/and synthetic oils when servicing the car. is everyone ¿!@#$% out of luck on them covering this. and once done what prevents it from doing it again? i am getting rid of this asap and never buying another vw ever! i will spread the word about buying a vw to everyone i know. *tr

The seat heater in my 2003 passat gls burnt my leg on the lowest setting. it also melting a hole in the cloth interior and discolored other spots. at this point it has not been replaced so the seat is available to look at. *tr

Driving home from work one afternoon, i noticed my engine seemed to be shaking slightly. i pulled over and even in park, i could feel the momentum of something in the engine causing my car to shake. by the time i got home, my engine light had turned on. i brought it to a vw dealer and upon inspection they found that my ignition coils needed replacing. upon searching online, i found several press releases about issues with the vw ignition coils, and pending defect investigations relating to the coils and fires resulting. i am thankful that i did not find myself in this situation but i am sure that if i had not been paying attention this problem could have had a far worse outcome. i am now deeply concerned about my safety in this vehicle. *tr

My 2003 vw passat has shown cases of transmission problems following a recent rain storm. the rear passenger footwell collected water and the car would not shift normally. the car would not upshift and slammed into gear from park. i'm now unable to get the car out of neutral and can't remove the key. *tr

I have a 2003 passat v6 in which there is a leak through the pollen filter because of faulty design. every time it rains or snows in the northeast water gets through the faulty seal and is accumulating in the passenger rear and front seat. the water accumulation has caused the tcm to work improperly and may malfunction. with out the use of a tcm that works properly the car may shutdown or malfunction and cause an accident. this a problem vw knows about and has in fact issued a recall on the 2002 model. this is an issue on all b5 passat models. please help issue a recall to correct this matter. thanks steve *tr

Engine oil pressure failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle vibrated excessively and smoke began emanating from the passenger side. the engine light remained illuminated on the instrument control panel. she pulled over to inspect the vehicle and noticed flames coming from the catalytic converter. the dealer stated that the electrical system, emission coiler, and oxygen sensors failed. all of the repairs were made. the contact filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer. the powertrain was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 52,000.

Car makes jump when slowing down looks like trouble with the transmission. after four times i took the car for check up in northeast wv outlet in philadelphia,pa problem is still there. they replaced the battery, ignition coils reset computer and so and so but looks like they can't solve that problem. my wife drives this car ,and this scares her, she gets nervous and can cause an accident. *tr

At approximately 9:35 pm, november 29, 2007, i entered my 2003 vw passat and started the engine. the air temperature showed 39 degreesf so i switched on the control for the heated seat on the driver's side to high. approximately 10 minutes after starting the car it smelled like something was burning. i am a non-smoker. it became apparent that the smell was from inside the car and i began to evaluate possible sources for a fire since the smell seemed too close to be coming from the engine compartment. i began to feel around the seat since i knew the seat warmer was on and suddenly realized that an area under my left thigh was hot. further investigation, with my hand, revealed that my coat felt burned or melted and the seat was extremely hot to the touch. i immediately turned off the seat heater. the area seemed to cool off slightly so i continued home - about a 10 minute drive. after arriving home i checked the seat and my coat. the seat was still warm to the touch 25 minutes after the switch had been turned off. there is a hole in the leather seat approximately 0.5 inches in diameter, with flecks of black soot around the edges, about 4.75 inches from the back of the seat and 2.5 inches in from the left side of the seat. my coat has an area approximately 0.5 inches in diameter that is either melted or the seat is melted onto my coat. the incident will be reported to the local volkswagen dealer on 30 november 2007. *tr

I've spent over $8000 towards vw dealership attempts at fixing the horn, radio, homelink, climate control (a/c and heat) rear passenger side window, heated seats, dashboard panel lights, and defroster flap. vw replaced abs and brake light module, but only fixed the horn. vw stated they are not responsible even after i paid for them to fix the above problems and they are still unable to determine the cause of the problems. i request reimbursement from volkswagen for the repair attempts and related expenses. current vehicle mileage: 127,000. *tr

We were driving up to the base of the palm springs tram on a cool day at a relatively slow rate of speed and parked at the valley station. the temperature gauge was apparently operating normally during the entire drive. a few minutes after parking, we noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the car, and upon opening the hood discovered the fire. since tram security was there with a fire extinguisher, the fire was extinguished relatively quickly. the insulation was burned and the car was not able to be driven any further. it was towed to indio, ca. *tr

Front end noise was diagnosed by vw service as missing and loose rack and pinion steering bolts, rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive with 20,000 miles on the odometer and normal use. this is a huge safety hazard, i could have been injured or killed. i have an extended warranty but this is not covered. such a flaw in steering integrity should generate a recall - before someone is killed. *tr

I have a 2003 vw passat. i've had two leaks into the front right floorboard in the past six months from either a sunroof drain line or a air conditioner. the leaks have produced so much water that it has gone to right back floorboard. the plastic on the interior is worn off. the ashtray fell apart. they can't seem to get the alignment right so i keep going through tires and the tires i do have sound uneven when i rotate them, making me think there's a problem. hove replaced the headlights three times in 1 and 1/2 years. there's a defect investigation into fires in the engine and a recall on oil sludge. this car is an accident waiting to happen and it's very poorly engineered. one thing after another. vw has on a bunch of recalls already on this model, to many for me to feel safe with. i'm abandoning the car today, trading it in for something else. will never buy a vw again. no car should have this many issues. and the issues continue to roll in. now the airbag light just came on...another thing to have to worry about!!! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the vehicle leaked fluid while it was parked. the check engine warning indicator light illuminated. the dealer replaced the fuel seal twice. another repair shop stated that the breather tube needed to be replaced, but they did not make the repair. the failure mileage was 105,000 and current mileage was 116,000.

A third ignition coil failure in 18 months, the last one allowing raw gasoline into the catalytic converter, where it caught fire, destroying the turbo and causing a large amount of black smoke. i lost power while drive, was unable to accelerate in a safe manner and eventually suffered smoke inhalation. all coils need to be replaced. *tr

1.8l turbo engine with 51,000 miles, still under power train warranty. oil press/stop engine light illuminated momentarily. first time was the summer 07. i called the dealership and they advised changing the oil, which i had done 2k miles and 2 months previous, but did again. that worked, no other advise by dealer. no occurrence again until nov 07. dealership inspection revealed sludge and coking. vw of america will not pay for any type of repair without receipts proving maintenance in accordance with the owners manual. i did all my own oil changes on schedule but did not keep receipts for oil/filter. the $130+ diagnostic charge was not covered by the warranty either. additionally, dealer said the warranty was void because i had an other than vw oil filter on. repair estimate is $3,000 to rebuild engine. *tr

My 2003 vw passat wagon flooded during a rainstorm because the pollen filter seal failed. furthermore, because the comfort control module computer is mounted on the floor, that was damaged and the bill is significant. *tr my dealer's service department rep (boston vw) told me that he recommends cleaning leaves off the car 2 to 3 times per day in order to prevent this problem. that seems like an unreasonable maintenance requirement to prevent an issue that i've never seen previously with other cars.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle vibrated and shut off without warning. in addition, the accelerator pedal extended to the floorboard when it was depressed. as of november 26, 2007, the dealer had not inspected or repaired the vehicle. there is a recall for the fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump (nhtsa campaign id number 07v375000). the current and failure mileages were 81,716.

2003 vw passat with a sudden downshift in the transmission. customer states the problem occurred through a leak in the sunroof. dealer also stated he would have to pay for the repairs, because it wouldn't be covered under warranty. *kb the dealer stated that a clogged sunroof drain had caused water to overflow down the passenger front windshield. a pillar causing corrosion in the transmission control module harness which was located at the passenger side footwell. the dealer stated the leak was considered an outside influence and that's why it wasn't covered under warranty. the consumer approved the repairs, however as he was pulling out of the dealers lot, the same problem happened. the consumer called the consumer and informed him, this time the problem was a faulty transmission control module and that the repair was covered under warranty. the consumer believed the problem may have been with the tcm the entire time.*jb

2003 vw passat with fuel pump replacement. consumer would like reimbursement for the cost of the rental vehicle, while his vehicle was having the fuel pump replaced. *kb in the beginning, volkswagen told the consumer his vehicle was not included in the recall and the fuel pump was not defective. after the fuel pump failed and the consumer paid for the repairs, volkswagen extended the recall which included the consumers vehicle identification number. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that she did not receive recall notice m-7 for over a year and a half. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 30,000.

After rainstorm, our 2003 passat wagon began developing a musty odor with no apparent water inside the vehicle. for a couple of days, the alarm also would go off for no reason. eventually, the odor subsided and we thought nothing of it until the next major rainstorm a few months later. after this event, water apparently leaked into the front passenger side of the car through a sunroof drain and caused the electrical system in the car to go haywire. my wife had to drive the car 20 minutes with our 4-month old baby while the alarm system went off, lights flashing on and off, and all of the electrical system generally going haywire. the locks ceased to work, the windows could not be put up, and the trunk couldn't be opened. the dealer told us that the leak was caused by clogging in the sunroof drain, which they said is very common. while my wife was at the dealer, 3 other people came in with the same problem. as a result of the water, the comfort and control module is being replaced. it is unclear yet whether we will also need to replace the carpeting for odor issues. the total cost so far is about $1,000. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 40 mph smoke came through the vent inside the vehicle. there was also smoke present in the engine compartment on the passenger side. the fire department extinguished the fire. the failure has not been diagnosed. the vehicle was towed. the current and failure mileages were 115,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that she has received too many recall notices on her vehicle. she has received a total of three notices within the last month. the recall numbers were unavailable. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 59,000. updated10/26/07.*jb

My car experienced a fuel pump failure as described in a recall notice found on the nhtsa web site. the vin number of my vehicle was in the range of recalled vehicles. when i contacted the manufacturer (vw) they informed me that my car was not affected by the recall. well, the car sure was affected by the defect! *tr

I have a vw passat 1.8 liter turbo engine that has sludge in it causing my oil pressure to be low which threw my timing off. luckily stopped driving the car before it lock up. *tr

Engine ignition coils fail, causing a hesitation in engine, which is dangerous and may lead to an accident in traffic. the coils do not fail all at once, and vw will only replace if they fail. one of the coils failed and the car caught on fire due to coil dropping onto the catalytic converter. vw refuses to replace any further ignition coils. *jb

On the morning of january 26, 2006 i drove my 2003 vw passat at short distance (approx) 3 miles. as i arrived at my destination and pulled into a parking place the car died on me. there did not appear to be anything that precipitated the failure. i did not understand what happened but i soon began to smell smoke. i got out of the car, opened the hood and saw that there was a fire in the engine compartment. from the front of the car, facing the engine compartment, the fire was located toward the upper left-hand corner of the compartment near the front passenger side. the fire was fairly far along before the fire department arrived. ultimately, the car was totaled by my insurance company. a police report was filed with the local police, a claim was filed with my insurance company and a complaint was filed with volkswagen customer service. there were no injuries or damage to any other property. the car was less than three years old with about 27,500 miles. the insurance investigation cleared me of personal responsibility but did not determine a cause for the fire. i eventually settled with my insurance company and turned the car over to them. i have heard nothing further until a friend gave me an ap article from 10/4/07 that reported nhtsa investigations of engine fires in passats. *tr

After filling up my 2003 volkswagen passat 4-motion, v6 with fuel, i noticed a strong fuel odor. after inspecting under the car, i found a fuel leak on the gas tank. i took it to our local repair shop that specializes in volkswagens since i am 140 miles from the nearest dealer to be checked out. they discovered that one of the 90 degree connectors for the vapor line on top of the tank had cracked. the whole tank has to be replaced as you can't just replace the connector. the tank is plastic and the connector has a steel sleeve in it to make it more rigid. on inspection of the old tank, it was discovered that three (3) sleeves on the 3 vent connectors had worked there way out of the connectors so they just sit there and flex until they fail. this type of bad design cvould have resulted in an explosion and serious injury to myself or my family. on contacting vw consumer line they were concerned but not enough to admit a problem or help pay for the replacement as my mileage was too high. mileage should not have anything to do with those vent connectors failing. i know this is not a unique occurrence since another vw passat came in two days later to the same repair shop with exactly the same problem. *tr

2003 volkswagon passet caught fire went from engine compartment, the instrument-panel area and on the underside of the cars near the catalytic converter and along the passenger side of vehicle. *jb

On august 25, 2007, i was driving my 2003 volkswagen passat glx with wife and daughter on the middle lane on hwy 101. the car was stalled suddenly and no sign of anything wrong. i felt no power on the pedal. i turned on the emergency light and slowly pulled it over to the right lane. the hwy traffic was passing with life threatening noise. i stopped the car at the right lane and block the traffic. finally a police car passed by and called for help. several police cars came and blocked the whole traffic on hwy101 and one of them pushed my off the next exit. the car was towed to a volkswagen shop and found the fuel pump was gone. i called the volkswagen usa and was told there was a recall for fuel pump but my vin was not in the range. this was a life threading event i would remember it was by volkswagen. i was a royal customer for volkswagen and after this event i could not believe i would be one. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while parked in the garage, the contact smelled a strong gaseous odor coming from the vehicle. she examined the vehicle and adjusted the fuel cap. the smell still lingered. the contact removed the vehicle from the garage and parked it on the street. the vehicle was then towed to the dealer and they stated that the fuel tank valve failed and the fuel tank needed to be replaced. no repairs have been made. the current mileage was 96,703 and failure mileage was 96,670. *updated 12/27/07 *lj the consumer stated the vehicle was paid in full by the manufacturer on october 8, 2007. updated 12/12/07 *tr

Normal operation of automobile, drivers side seat heater placed on setting level 2. fire began within the drivers side seat and burnt a quarter size hole through the fabric of the seat. *tr

While backing up out of the driveway the car lurched into reverse and then would not shift out of 1st gear causing drastically slow speeds while driving the car. any speed above 15 mph would redline the tac and the engine. the vw dealership determined it was a bad computer control module that needed to be replaced. *tr

The fuel tank ruptured causing fuel to split from the top of the tank and onto the ground. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 10 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the stalling continued and the vehicle shut off without warning. the vehicle was towed to the repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed and was not distributing the fuel. the fuel pump was replaced in 2005 under warranty. the current and failure mileages were 101,300. updated 01-15-08. *kb updated*jb

I have an '03 vw passat . about 4 months ago i noticed it had started hesitating when trying to back uphill. i took it to the dealership and they put transmission fluid in it. it was ok for a short period of time and it started again. i took it back. they scanned it and said there were no leaks but they put in more transmission fluid. that lasted 1 1/2 weeks. they are now ordering a whole new transmission because the slipping did it when the service people drove it. they had not test driven it the previous times until after they put in fluid. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine maintenance when the dealer noticed a failed exterior brake light switch. the dealer stated that the vin was not included in recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). the contact felt that the recall should be expanded to include his vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 72,000. updated 02-01-08 *bf the consumer stated this is the 3rd recall the vehicle was not included in due to the vin number. the consumer stated the fuel pump problem the company fixed because they could not dispute it. updated 02/01/08 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat wagon. the vehicle caught fire under the hood while it was parked. the fire destroyed the vehicle. there were no warning indicator lights present prior to the fire. there is a fire report available; however, the fire department was unable determine the cause of the fire. the contact has photos and a video tape. the manufacturer had an investigator inspect the vehicle to determine the cause of fire. the failure and current mileages were 57,000.

Vehicle would not start on aug. 26. starter cranked but engine failed to turn over and start. dealer diagnosed as fuel pump failure. vehicle has approximately 88,000 miles. we were informed manufacturer vw has recalled fuel pumps for this make and model year (2003) but not this particular vin. we also understand vw originally limited recall to an even smaller batch of vins. we believe the fuel pump defect is more extensive than vw is willing to acknowledge. the repair is currently not under warranty and will cost our family approximately $655 to repair, plus towing and car rental costs. we are lucky the failure occurred during a cold start and not on the road, where we could have been stranded in a desert, a storm, or the middle of an intersection with oncoming traffic. this is a major safety concern. after dealer claimed to have fixed problem on aug. 29,2007, we took the vehicle home and it again failed to start, or even crank. dealer has towed it back and is reviewing. *tr updated 01-15-08. *kb the consumer stated the second failure was diagnosed as a failed battery. updated *jb

Battery going dead without time or reason; doors would lock automatically with no one around; trunk would unlock and would not shut without key intervention; light on driver's door lock would flash incessantly with no one near. car went over four years with no incident and suddenly started acting "strange." no changes or work done on electrical system since new when the battery had to be replaced twice. dealer has been very cooperative but unsuccessful in finding source, keeping car as long as three weeks (with a "loaner") and not charging except for a small first time inspection. six returns to dealership with some relief; only the battery goes dead with irregularity. we have a 2000 passat that sits nearby and has never experienced the problem. number of failures is one, but all related . . six trips to dealership and relief on all but the battery going dead. we are 80 and fear that we will be caught out and have serious problems. all dates are approx. *jb

As i drove home from work, the vehicle's temperature gauge suddenly shot into the red and warnings flashed on the dash to stop the car immediately. i pulled over at the first highway exit and parked at a volkswagen repair shop. the mechanics diagnosed the problem as a broken water pump impellar, essentially a small fan-like device that keeps coolant moving through the engine. the mechanics explained that this model vw used a plastic impellar instead of the metal ones commonly used in most cars. apparently, vw has recognized that this plastic part is failure prone, and now makes aluminum replacement impellars. but the mechanics said i wasn't entitled to any recall or warranty. the repair cost me $879, plus the costs of renting a replacement car. updated 12-12-07. *kb updated *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 60 mph the vehicle began to make noise and then stalled. the vehicle did not restart and was towed to a mechanic. the mechanic advised that the engine needed to be repaired. the purchase date was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 62,000.

2003 passat faulty fuel pump. car experienced total loss of power that could potentially lead to an accident. despite vw issuing a recall to remedy this problem on certain 2003 passats, they refused to pay for this repair (replacement of fuel pump - parts and labor). *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passas. while driving 65 mph the check engine light illuminated then the engine failed. the dealer repaired the vehicle and stated that it was drivable. approximately an hour later the check engine light began to illuminate intermittently. the dealer stated that there could be a faulty engine sensor. the next day, the check engine light illuminated and remained on and the engine eventually failed. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 55,000 and the current mileage was 58,000.

My 2003 passat with 46,000 miles and regular 5,000 miles service visits recently had two major problems. the alternator went bad and was producing nearly twice the voltage. there were no service bulletins or recalls on this item and was fixed at a significant cost to me. next was the fuel tank. i first experienced an odor which turned out to be a leak in the gas tank. i am working with an excellent volkswagen service business which is not a dealership. vw america will only take the word of a licensed dealer. the defective tank is currently being replaced at a very significant cost to me. there are no service bulletins or recalls on my vin. i understand that a local dealership has had to replace a few of these. this is a very nice car developing a bad reputation. i have safety concerns with this car and wonder what will happen next. *jb

Oil sludge build up. stop engine light came on. immediately took car to dealership and learned that it was an oil pressure issue to sludge. volkswagen had issued an extended warranty. however, they requireed complete records which most people did not keep. there were numerous complaints with regard to this issue. wondering why a recall has not been imposed given the expense to consumer's for something that was obviously a manufacturer's defect. consumer protection should be first priority.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 60 mph, the vehicle came to a complete stop. the dealer stated that the fuel pump malfunctioned and they will not repair the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 74,000.

I own a 2003 vw passat v6 awd that currently has ~37000 miles on the odometer. this car uses an excessive amount of oil ever since i bought it new in 2003. the last estimate of oil consumption (july 25, 2007), was ~0.75 quart per 600 miles, which is what the dealer and vw have said is within the factory specification of 1 quart per 1000 miles. however, neither the dealer nor vw will provide me with written evidence or bulletins describing these specifications. in my opinion, this is excessive oil consumption, which reflects an underlying defect in the design/function of vw engines. apparently, i am not the only one with this complaint as several of the bulletin boards and internet discussion groups have similar postings. this oil consumption problem may also be related to the accumulation of "engine sludge," which apparently led vw to extend the warranty on certain models. i do not know whether this type of problem falls within the purview of the nhsta, but i am filing this as a complaint and requesting further investigation. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that his vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). the manufacturer stated that his vehicle was excluded from the recall. the contact paid to have the brake light switch replaced and feels that his vehicle should be included in the recall. the current mileage was 90,000 and failure mileage was 81,000. updated 02/08/08. *lj

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the brake lights would constantly shine on and off at random. the light would illuminate while driving and would dim when the brakes were applied. the contact discovered recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that his vehicle was not included in the recall. the contact stated that his vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in the recall. the failure speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 67,085. updated 02/01/08. *lj updated 02/01/08 *tr

Twice, the rear brake lights remained on uncontrollably - intermittently at first, then permanently. this failure was trouble-shot and repaired by the dealer both times. in each case, the brake light switch had failed. from studying the switch part numbers, it appears the suffix has also twice changed to a later version - although i don't believe they were installed in that order in my car (see pn's below). i believe i have the latest version currently installed. this is an unacceptable failure mode, as it not only is a safety issue (driving around with brake lights continuously on, but if left on for prolonged period, the rear brake light bulb sockets get extremely hot and in my opinion have a good chance to melt the plastic socket/reflectors and possibly catch fire. more importantly, the abs and cruise control become inop, the throttle body alignment is disturbed causing the car to behave terribly on acceleration and many cel-type light illuminate on the instrument panel. failures occurred: 1st time: @ 34540mi, 4/7/2005. 2nd time: @ 49,746mi, 5/24/2006. orig s/w pn 3b094551a (from factory). 2nd s/w/1st replacement pn 3b0945511_ (assume basic pn), 3rd s/w/2nd replacement pn 3b0945511b). i have never had to change the brake light switch on my 1984 vw scirocco - i'm the original owner and had driven it over 174k miles! a failed brake light switch on this passat has much greater impact (lights, abs, throttle, cruise control) when it fails than it would on the scirocco (just lights), and it was the passat brake light s/w that failed twice - due to poor design/reliability. amazing and unacceptable. *tr

Driver was on daily commute to work, stopped at an intersection. a loud bang was heard by the driver and when the driver exited the car to see what had happened, a bystander immediately yelled toward the driver to warn them that the car was on fire. driver was able to make it out of car safely, with minor injuries incurred as a result of trying to put out the fire. the fire itself was limited to the engine compartment, however as a result the entire engine and engine compartment were destroyed and the car was considered a total loss by insurance. since the defective component(s) and surrounding area involved in the defect were completely destroyed, there was no parts to repair or replace. *jb

A water leak in either the sunroof drainage tubes or pollen filter caused 2" of water to fill the passenger front/rear of my 2003 vw passat. there is currently a terrible smell of mold/milder in the vehicle. upon researching this problem on the internet, it was found that numerous vw owners have the same problem. *jb

I was driving east on atlantic avenue in delray beach, fl., i made a left turn onto n.e. 4th avenue and within a few yards the car stalled in the middle of the street. fortunately i was not too far from the fountain square parking lot so i pushed the car into the parking lot to prevent an accident.

Was told by volkswagen america that the passat 2003 did not fall under this recall. this vehicle has the exact same failure. any help would be appricated in getting this covered. esults : | all records displayed ake : volkswagen model : passat year : 2003 manufacturer : volkswagen of america, inc nhtsa campaign id number : 07v063000 mfr's report date : feb 15, 2007 component: exterior lighting:brake lights:switch potential number of units affected : 1002000 . *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. on march 05, 2005 at 32,000 miles, the engine failed and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the dealer found a faulty engine speed sensor and fuel pump. the parts were repaired under warranty. in february of 2007, while driving 55 mph, the engine failed again without warning. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they discovered a faulty fuel pump. the fuel pump was replaced at 90,000 miles, but the vehicle was no longer under warranty. currently, the engine light is still illuminated. the contact was informed that recall number 06v017000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump) does not apply to the vin. the current mileage was 100,000 and failure mileage was 90,000.

While driving 2003 vw passat the engine stalled out (no fuel) causing near accident by passing vehicles. drifted to side of road. after 100 mile tow to vincent volkswagen dealer in rochester, they found no problem. car did run two days. the same stall-out occurred three days later. another tow to a dealer (schmitts garage) to attempt to repair. not sure what the problem is but strongly suspect fuel pump or control system for fuel or fuel line system. there have been previous recalls on some 2003 passat fuel system items including fuel pumps (potential to cause crash when fail) . was told my passat was not part of the other 2003 passat fuel pump/system recall. however, are more fuel pump units bad that vw doesn't realize which could cause major accidents, head on collisions during passing. filed this with vw customer care. two weeks prior brake lights did not work and was nearly rear ended. vw dealer replaced defective brake switch which initially wasn't on the recall list but was recently added. two near major accidents in two weeks due to equipment failures. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 65 mph or attempting to stop, the vehicle loses power and shuts off without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times and the speed sensor was replaced. however, the vehicle continues to shut off. the contact stated that the brake lights also malfunction and the electrical switch was replaced. the vehicle is currently at the dealer and they are unable to determine the cause of failure. the vehicle's warranty has been charged for each replacement. the current mileage was 57,006 and failure mileage was 47,000.

I have a 2003 vw passat and am original owner. i've had three leaks into the front right floorboard in the past six months from either a sunroof drain line or a air conditioner, depending on the repair person you talk to. the leaks have occasionally produced so much water that it has gone to right back floorboard. my trunk hinges are broken. my hood lids are broken. the plastic on the interior is worn off. the ashtray in back fell apart. they can't seem to get the alignment right so i keep going through tires and the tires i do have sound uneven when i rotate them, making me think there's a problem. now my brake lights are out. it's not a fuse but apparently a switch. but my car isn't covered by a recall that vw has on a bunch of other models. there's a defect investigation into fires in the engine and a recall on sludge. this car is an accident waiting to happen and it's very poorly engineered. one thing after another and vw national is no help. i'm abandoning the car today, trading it in for something else. will never buy a vw again. no car should have this many issues at 4 years old. and the issues started at 3 years old. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 30 mph, the contact smelled a gaseous odor. the windows were rolled up and the air conditioner was activated. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that there was a leak in the fuel line under the hood. the failure was caused by a cracked fuel line hose. the current and failure mileages were 67,000.

While pulling the dipstick out of the engine in order to check the oil, the pull ring/handle broke off. i contacted my dealer for a replacement as the car is still under a bumper to bumper warranty. the dealer informed me that because i pulled the dipstick out of the engine rather than a dealer service department, the warrant is not applicable. in effect, the dealer told me that they must do all of the oil level checks, otherwise i do not have a warranty on the components affected. i appealed to customer service and they confirmed the dealer's decision. the consequence of the failure is that the oil level, necessary to ensure safe operation of the car, can not be checked.

Break light switch stopped working unknowingly. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. after parking the vehicle, the contact noticed that the brake lights were illuminated. the lights failed to dim. the dealer stated that her vin was not included in nhtsa recall # 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). the current and failure mileages were 35,000.

Regarding recall 07v063000. i own a 2003 volkswagen passat that had the exact same problem with the brake light switch. the brake lights came on and stayed on all day. i had no idea there was a problem. i parked the car, and the brake lights stayed on all night and drained the battery. the dealership refused to honor the recall, staying vehicle was excluded from the recall due to the vin. i had to pay the repair costs out of pocket and volkswagen corporate refused to reimburse me. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact has had the vehicle repaired, however, several failures continue to recur. the failures include the instrument panel lights, cruise control, heated seats, the regulator pin in the passenger side rear window, the glove compartment, and the head lights. the failures were noticed while driving 40 mph. the current mileage is 109,000 and failure mileage was 80,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that his brake lights remain illuminated while driving and fail to dim. the current mileage is 66,346 failure mileage was 65,500.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 5 mph, the vehicle lost power and completely shut off. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined the cause of failure was the fuel pump. the contact conducted research on his vehicle and found that there were recalls on the fuel pump for the 2003 volkswagen passat. he notified the manufacturer who stated that the recalls applied to vehicle's made between september 2002 through march 2003. the contact's vehicle was made in april, therefore excluding it from the recall. he believes that his vehicle is included in the recall. the current mileage is 52,000 and failure mileage was 52,00 updated 02-01-08. *kb

The brake light stays on even after i shut off the car, get out, and lock the door. there has been a jetta recall for this problem, but when i called the manufacturer to ask about the issue in regard to passats, i was asked for my vin, then told that there was "no campaign" (i.e. no recall) for my car at this time. further, i was told that they did not know of this being an issue for passats. yet i just ran a google search on the problem and saw bulletin board postings from other passat owners who have had this problem. if it's dangerous for jettas, it's also dangerous for passats. vw did this before with another safety recall--same kind of corporate irresponsibility, waiting until the nhtsa got involved. this is unconscionable! again, if the situation is dangerous for jetta owners, then it's dangerous for passat owners who are clearly having the same problem!!

I financed a 03 passat gls 1.8t in jan of 05 a year later it stopped running. when i took it to the dealer it was oil sludge. the engine has a warranty for sludge for unlimited mileage for 8yrs. the car needed a new engine due to the sludge. vw refused to replace the engine stating that i did not have enough proof of maintenance done to the vehicle. which statement is false. the vehicle had all maintenance done in the time that corresponded, i had proof of them which i submitted. therefore i have spent 4 months making payments towards a vehicle that can not be used. now i had no choice but to replace the engine myself since vw refused to solve the situation. *tr

Vehicle stalled at very busy intersection and would not start. had to be pushed to the side of road through traffic and towed to dealership. fuel pump was found to have failed and needed to be replaced at a total cost of over $900.00 with cost of rental vehicle. *tr

While driving 60 mph on highway, car stalled and would not restart. dealership replaced fuel pump to remedy failure. old part is available. *tr

The vehicle was traveling at 60 mph on the road and then it started to shake and lost power. the vehicle check engine light came on and started to blink. the incident nearly caused an accident as others vehicles were trying to avoid collision with this car. the defect was the ignition coil for cylinder number 2.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. on may 28, 2007, the contact stated that the sunroof exploded, splattering glass all over the vehicle and into the passenger compartment. the failure occurred while driving 55 mph. the engine size was unknown. the current mileage is 57,805 and failure mileage was 57,749.

I had taken my car to the dealer to replace a fuel pump. when the car was returned to me there was a hole burned into the driver side seat. the rep at the dealer said the seat warmer in the driver side seat had burned completely through the seat. he had seen it happen before. but my seat warmer was not on at the time. i don't need to use it in southern california weather. the problem will need to be fixed but the manufacturer should be made to cover the cost. *jb

Brake lights will not go out even after car is off. *jb

Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 2003 volkswagen passat with 7000 failure mileage the brake lights intermittently turned off. also, the driver's side front headlight turns off, the rear passenger side window, and the horn did not operate. the vehicle was taken to a dealer several times, but they still could not determine the cause of the problems. the current mileage was 105,944. *ak

The seat heater that comes with this model car, shorted out while i driving the car. it burnt through the leather seat, my trousers and burnt my wallet. at no time was there an open flame. if it wasn't for my wallet, i probably would have been burnt. if my pants were flamable, i would have had a major problem. the volkswagen dealer will replace the defective, driver side , heated seat at no charge.*ak

The brake light switch on my 2003 volswagen passat had failed sometime before i purchased the car. it was purchased on april 23, 2007. this failure caused the brake lights not to light when the brake was pressed and the cruise control not to function. the car was repaired at a cost of $129.00 using a replacement brake switch. *jb

Tl* - the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat with a current mileage of 52,000 miles. the brake lights were not functioning, after checking the fuse the contact found no failure. the vehicle was then taken to the dealer, livingston volkswagen, and the brake light switch was replaced. the contact had to pay for the repair, but was told by the manufacturer before going to the dealer, that it would be free. when the contact called the manufacturer back he was told that the vehicle was not under recall. *ak

Car brake light switch failure. *tr

2003 vw passat glx 4 motion brake lights stuck on, drains battery when parked, unsafe to drive as no indication of braking to others. recall for this component on other models, not this one. clearly defective--many other owners affected. see multiple online sources including: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3196572 *tr

Auto: 2003 vw passat. problem: liftgate hinges required high effort to open or close - lid felt like 100 lbs breaks after closing. *ak

Dashboard service light began flashing, car bucked and ran on reduced power only. towed the unit to patrick motors vw in auburn ma. dx was ignition coils and plugs needed. cost me $365.00 to repair. i argued that the payment was on them based on the feb. 2003 vw service campaign which dictated that my model was involved in defective coil installation at the factory. i even called the vw toll-free customer care and was told that my car's vin failed to match the defective group. obviously i cannot understand why it would be excluded from the defective group when the coil components have to be replaced at 62000 miles. i would expect such a repair at 100,000 miles. this unit is a 1.8t 2003 vw passat. *jb

My vehicle, a 2003 vw passat is not currently included in your campaign 07v063000. it should have been. i have had the brake light switch replaced (and charged to have it replaced) twice over the last year and a half. i experienced all of the consequences identified in your summary description. most frequently the brake lights would stay on while driving, as well as would remain on once parked in my garage. how do i get the passat's included? *jb

Tl*- the contact stated that his 2003 volkswagen passat glx, fuel pump failed on 02/23/07. he stated that while driving vehicle at a speed of 45 mph on clear day in the center lane the vehicle lost power. he stated that the vehicle stopped in the middle of the expressway and couldn't ge the vehicle to start back up. he and other witness help push vehicle up the hill to the side of the road. the contact had the vehicle towed to the volkswagen dealership. the contact stated that the dealership informed him that the fuel pump had failed and needed to have fuel pump replaced. the contact found a recall for the same year, make and model with campaign# 06v017000 for the fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump. the contact stated that he checked with the dealership and they informed him that the vin did not fall under the recall. the contact stated the service manager did inform him that they will cover the cost of the parts, but he would be responsible for the cost of labor $200.00, and a diagnostic cost of about $150.00. the contact stated that he had informed the dealership that he would like to keep the fuel pump that will be removed from the vehicle.

Headlights fails proper function. they have been replaced. seat belts and sun roof do not work properly. engine replaced; steering wheels - car pulls to the right everytime an alignment was done and they calibrated the wheels. - problem continued - this problem caused the tires to be destroyed in a few kms - less 20 000; water infiltration - for now it is fixed; trunk was hard to open and close - problem fixed. front doors vibrated - the rubber of the doors are being exhibiting signs of damage; the front glass ( windscreen ) isn't from the same year of all the others. *jb

My 2003 volkswagen passat wagon glx had a brake light problem identical to that found on the new (feb 07) vw recall for several other models. however, the passat was not on the recall list. the brake lights would remain on at random times and without warning, over several months. nhtsa and vw should strongly consider recalling the passat along with the other vw models because the passat has the same safety concerns. i traded my car in but offer this info to help other vw owners. *jb

Front headlights malfunctioned - replaced them but they couldn't make the alignment of the beam. the car runs to the right but the wheels are calibrated and the direction alignment is done. the car infiltrated water inside the car and trunk. sunroof malfunction - opens in all positions but don't close. the car as the front glass is from 2005 and all the others are from 2002, construction of the car 2003. diesel escaped from the pump. cd changer - 6 cds as malfunction the radio doesn't eject the cd's. the motor gag various times a constant rotation. the trunk was hard to open and close. there are other complaints.... the complaints begin 15 days from the purchase. *jb

This car was purchased new in feb 2003. two ignition coils replaced. i await the bill for the remaining 2 coils that will likely go bad. the dealership advised me that this had been recalled on the 2001-2002 models. i am perplexed by this information being i see no recalls on ignition coils, but i do see a host of complaints. *jb

Vehicle battery goes dead if car sits for more than 3 days without being started. alternator wiring harness has been replaced once. battery has been replace 5 times in 6 months. dealer can not find anything that is draining the battery and insists that "nothing is wrong with the car and that it is perfectly normal (except for a dead battery) for this to happen. "just start the car every 1-2 days" is their remedy. i have never heard of anything so lame in my life!! *jb

Brake lights will not go out. *jb

Fuel pump failed at 75k miles. my vin is within the recall range for 06v017000 but i was refused recall service as vw claims my vehicle is not affected. i contacted vw when the recall was announced and was informed of this fact. the vw dealer replaced the fuel pump but informed me again that the replacement was not covered. as a fuel pump should last much longer than 75k miles, i feel that my vehicle was misidentified and should be covered. *jb

I brought my 2003 passat glx sedan into dealership because car was jerky when the brakes were applied. car has 41,214 miles on it, 90% highway. dealer informed me that the rear brake rotors were warped and had to be replaced along with pads. dealer informed that passat rotors could not be turned in lieu of replacement. from other complaints i view, it appears this is a defect in the rotors. *jb

On the 22 january i picked my car up from the vw dealership where i had it repaired. i had told the dealer to replace the timing belt, water pump, belts, spark plugs, brakes and rotors and the 95,000 maintenance on the car. this cost me well over a thousand dollars, i supplied brakes and rotors and spark plugs. the car ran okay but i began to smell oil burning and whenever i unlocked my car to get in it would lock automatic and then when i started it the alarm would go off. i called the dealership about the oil smell and they had me bring it back in to look at. at that time they said there was a small leak and they would clean it and tighten the bolts, this was on friday january 26th. on monday january 29th i was traveling and when i pulled on to the 4 lane highway and accelerated the engine light began to flash on and off, so i pulled to the side of the road and the car died. after a few minutes i was able to restart it but it ran very rough. the state highway patrol called a tow truck and it was towed to the volkswagen dealer. the next day they informed me that an ignition module had gone out and that it would cost me 30 some dollars a piece to replace them and they recommended replacing them all. when i ask them about the recall they told me that volkswagen was into the k's on these and my was before that. i had ask them about this when i received the recall letter from vwofa, and was told that they would check it. i'm not sure whether they did or not. *nm

Driver's side seat heater burned hole through seat cover. burn through could have resulted in personal burn, however, i stopped prior to any injury. dealer is considering replacement of all damaged parts. *nm

Tl*- while the contact was driving the vehicle with the seat warmer on, in a 2003 volkswagon passat, it burned a hole on the front driver seat. the contact had a slight burn on her coat and had to shut the vehicle off completely and kept the seat warmer on zero in order for the seat not to continue to burn. the contact currently has vehicle at dealership. the current and failure mileage were both 60543 miles.

Last summer the fuel pump failed on the highway on my 2003 volkswagen passat vin #[xxx]. the car was towed to vw and the fuel pump was replaced. during a search on the internet for recalls i noticed that there was a recall for the fuel pump on the car. when i looked deeper into the recall i found that my car is barely out of the vin # recall range. i have also found that this is a large problem with other people being barely out of recall range. i think that the vin # recall range is obviously short of what it should be since so many people are having this issue.. this is not normal wear and tear. vwoa was not willing to help in this matter and i thought i should report it...*nm updated 07/11/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

My 2003 vw passat gl sedan sputtered, stalled and subsequently caught fire in the engine compartment around 6:30 pm, jan 26th, 2007, in holmdel nj, police report # 07-1914 holmdel police dept. the car has been maintained well by a local vw dealer since purchase and there has been no modifications made, nor any signs of trouble prior to the incident. the fire was very extensive and put out by holmdel nj fire dept and the car is totaled. the symptom just prior to stalling is consistent with ignition coil failure which was recalled by vw until 2002 model year, i.e., engine warning lights, sputtering, smokes under hood and though exhaust and final stall. the engine stall nearly caused collision due to the loss of steering boost and the fire was rapid and large. thus, i fear a less fortunate combination of circumstance may lead to injury or worse to other passengers of cars with vw/audi 1.8t engines such as passat, zeta, a4, golf, etc.. *nm

At 40k miles the low oil pressure indicator light came on, at dealership the technician "could not duplicate concern." at 42k miles the car stopped working while on the freeway. once towed to the dealership, the tech tried to identify the problem. again, in the invoice was noted that he removed the oil cap and noted "a lot of burned oil on under-side of cap and on oil deflector tray." yet, that was not pursued as the technician notes on the following line that "checked further and found no fuel delivery." oil change was also done on the car w/ a new oil filter and car was returned. at 50k miles low oil pressure indicator light again came on. stated in invoice that "did not perform diagnostic." technician notes in invoice, based on a visual inspection through oil cap yet, there appears to be oil sludge build up. no diagnostics were ran and no mention of oil sludge being a known problem with the 1.8l turbo engine in the 2003 passat. at 52k miles, the low oil pressure indicator light yet again came on, this time car was taken to independent shop. they ran diagnostics on oil pump, based on low pressure results, pump was replaced. 16k miles later, low oil pressure indicator light came on, oil pump identified as problem and replaced under part warranty at no cost. another 16k miles later, this oil pump also failed. garage removed valve cover revealing extensive amounts of burnt oil carbon deposits that as per their mechanics are only possible from a petroleum based oil. i seeked a second opinion on the engine and second garage confirmed that damage seen was only possible from the use of a petroleum based oil. volkswagen changed their engine oil specifications in august of 2004. when i received my car in november of 2002 and all oil changes performed on the car by the vw dealership until august of 2004 were done so with petroleum based oil. the cause of the problem was created from november 2002-august 2004, although i was not aware of it until 1/5/2007. *nm

A problem with the malfunction of the coils on the 03 engines of vw gl turbo. the problem causes the engine to misfire, making accelerations difficult and continuation of the operation of the vehicle dangerous. i was unable to continue driving, had to have it towed and then was charged an excessive amount at the dealership to replace the coils, even though this problem has been prevalent in these engines. *nm

While pulling out of my garage this morning, i smelled something burning. i exited my vehicle and noticed my front heated seat burned through the fabric and caught fire (small flame). i had to put it out with my hand. afterwards, i noticed the seat sparking. i called the dealership and they said to bring it in for review by the service manager. it was on the 2nd setting and also burned on my jacket. *jb

Tl* - the contact stated that a 2003 volkswagen passat stalled while driving at approximately 30 mph. there were no warning indicators. the vehicle would not restart and was towed to a repair shop. the repair shop diagnosed the vehicle as having a bad fuel pump and replaced the part. the repair shop advised the contact there was a recent recall on fuel pump. the contact called the dealer and was told this vehicle was not a part of the recall due to the vin. *ak updated 2/22/2007- *nm

Owner was driving volkswagen when it started to hesitate and the engine caught on fire. fire burned most severely in center rear and right side of the compartment.

Owner was driving when someone on the side of the road pointed and indicated there was something coming out of her vehicle that looked like fog. smoke was then noticed and her husband got out of the vehicle, looked underneath, and saw fire. he began throwing snow on the vehicle. fd extinguished fire. subsequent examination revealed the exhaust system overheated and ignited the fire due to an engine management problem - spark plugs showed overly rich fuel/air mixture.

Vehicle started feeling sluggish, repair facility changed spark plugs, an ignition coil, and a hall sensor. facility admitted they could not repair vehicle so it was driven to a dealer for diagnosis. while being driven to the dealer, the vehicle started smoking. continued driving, arrived at dealer, and there was a fire under hood. exhaust system overheated, burning materials on the right front floorboard. *nm

Owner was driving the volkswagen and smelled a weird odor, so he pulled over to the side of the road. he opened the hood and looked toward the back of the engine and observed smoke and smelled something burning. he stated he observed fire from the bottom part of a wire harness. a subsequent examination revealed the spark plugs showed a slightly rich fuel/air mixture in the cylinders, resulting in possible overheated exhaust components. cause of fire undetermined. *nm

My 2003 vw passat 4-door sedan has experienced multiple occurrences where the brake lights continue to remain on while driving and even after the engine is shut off. this happened again today and i noticed this time that the emergency engine light came on while driving earlier in the day - this is also another issue that also comes on/off for no reason. i've reported the warning light a couple of times as well to the vw service and they don't know why that happens either. the warning light will at least shut off when the car is turned off, unlike my brake lights. since today is saturday, leaving my brake lights on until the service department reopens on a monday is probably going to run my battery dead. with that concern in mind, i immediately called the vw roadside assistance hotline, 800-822-8987, to see if they had any repair instructions i can look into and the operator said she was unable to find any documentation. she advised that vw roadside can come tow my vehicle to a dealership (that won't reopen until monday) or they can come to jump-start my car (which can take up to 45-60 min. after dispatch). this seems a terribly long time to wait & a huge inconvenience esp. since it also took 30 min. just to reach the live operator in the first place. i love driving my passat; i bought it brand new direct from the dealership in 2003. car safety is very important to me which is why i'm adamant about following service guidelines and bring my car in for regular maintenance & oil changes. i only bring it into a vw dealership service, never a local garage mechanic. can nhtsa please look into both issues: 1. sporadic check engine light warning while driving 2. brake lights remaining on while driving and after the car is shut off. i am very concerned as both are major causes for safety concern, in addition to further expensive repairs which may be defects that the manufacturer should cover instead. thanks. *nm

2003 volkswagen passat 1.8l fuel pump died without warning during rush hour in a very busy part of town. it caused a huge traffic jam, and i had the car towed to my house by aaa. i had my mechanic check it out and her verified that the fuel pump had died. the car has only 55k miles on it, which is very premature for a fuel pump failure. this is a recall item on 2003 passats built up until 3/03. my car was built on 4/03 and volkswagen refuses to cover the repair, nor fix it under warranty because my car is over the warranty mileage. *jb

Car quits suddenly while driving; won't re-start. was towed to dealer; replaced fuel pump. *jb

Relative to nhtsa recall 06v017000, my 2003 volkswagen 1.8t passat, which i purchased as a certified used vehicle with 25k miles, experienced what later was determined to be a fuel-pump failure at approximately 29k miles. this incident occurred in october 2004, while i was traveling at highway speed on a rural interstate following a weekend trip to a neighboring state. i had been using the cruise control to travel at the 65 mph speed limit, and had accelerated to pass a semi-tractor-trailer. having passed the truck, the cruise control did not kick back in as usual when i took my foot off the accelerator but, rather, the car lost power suddenly and completely. i was able to navigate to the side shoulder without property damage or injury, where i arranged for towing to the nearest town with a vw dealer (the tow-truck driver sent to retrieve me nearly was side-swiped/killed by a passing semi while loading my vehicle onto his flatbed, however). it being a sunday, my trip was disrupted and i was forced to stay overnight in the dealer locale until the problem could be addressed the following day. because a new fuel pump was not in stock and could not be delivered for another 2 days, i returned home in a rental car and arranged to have my car transported to my local dealership once the repair was completed, which turned out to be some 9 days later. expenses of the disruption were reimbursed completely by vw of america. i became aware of the subsequent recall only recently via an internet website on vw passat mechanical problems. i have not been contacted by vw about the recall, but i presume that it was because my defective fuel pump had been replaced before the recall action was initiated. *jb

Was using the heated drivers seat as i was driving down the highway in cold weather. the seat began to overheat, caught on fire, burned a hole in my pants, and burned through the padding and seat fabric in my 2003 vw passat. i quickly turned off the seat and pulled off the highway as soon as possible, and put out the smoldering seat. the seat, padding, heating elements, and my pants are completely ruined. *jb

2003 volkswagen passat v6 (heated seats)- heating element burned hole in leather seats while driving vehicle! had to pull over to side of road as the seat became very hot and started to scorch my pants. despite a number of recalls (and complaints filed by others- many listed on the nhtsa site) for both passats and jettas, volkswagen of north america refuses to pick up the cost of the $1100. repair (or any of the cost for that matter) because they insist my vin is outside of the range of vehicles affected and my vehicle is out of warranty. there is clearly a safety problem here and vw knows it. they say a different heating element was used in my car so it isn't part of the recall. who cares which element was used? it still resulted in the same problem- a burned seat. *jb

Drivers side seat heater shorted out and burned a hole in seat cover. seat was dry and tempeture set at low. *nm

Owner drove vehicle to work and noticed it started smoking. drove back home and went inside to call and have vehicle towed. he did not go back out to the vehicle until later in the evening, when he found the windows gray from smoke and the inside of the vehicle was partially melted because it caught fire. catalytic converter light came on several days prior to the fire. fire damage limited to floor below center front of dash, above catalytic converter and exhaust system.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65 mph on the highway, an oil pressure warning light illuminated. the contact pulled over to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined the oil pump needed to be replaced, and failed due to maintenance negligence. the manufacturer was alerted.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 35 mph, a burning smell was noticed and the driver seat was hot. the contact noticed two holes were burned in the seat. the dealer was notified.

I am investigating and gathering incident information about the flooding problems that volkswagens, especially the passat, exhibit from model years 1998 to the present. there is a chance of a class action suit for which this information is being gathered. if interested, please respond to [email protected] for more information. *nm

I was driving my passat with 1.8 t engine and the engine failed. volkswagen "advocates" were completely unhelpful this occurred in summer of 2005. volkswagen aware of problem and left consumer to pay for 9000 dollar repair. in the last year my car has been in at least eight times for check engine light. company aware of problem and unwilling to help. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while stopped at a stop light, none of the brake lights on the vehicle illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who was able to determine the cause of the problem. the manufacturer was also notified. there was a nhtsa recall # 04v096000, which pertains to the brake lights switch. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the model of the vehicle. updated 12/18/2006 - the new brake light switch was installed on 11/28/2006. *nm

Airbag fault - bad module - airbags will not deploy in accident - 2003 vw passat. *jb

My driver seat started on fire while driving. i was lucky to have had a can of soda on hand to pour on it because the flames were coming from deep inside the interior of the foam padding inside the seat. i was not injured, but based on the size of the flames, could have easily lost my entire car if i had not been on a slow road (able to stop quickly) and douse it with something wet. i noticed that the seat warmer was on so immediately shut it off. several days later i turned the warmer back on to see what would happen - within 60 seconds smoke and sparks were visible from the hole caused by the original fire. there were real flames and my car was full of smoke. had i not been able to put them out quickly and had my children strapped into their car seats at the time this complaint would probably be a death notice. *jb

While driving on the interstate to work, front underbody cover became detached. i was able to pull off the road to see what happened and i was within 5 miles of a repair shop. *nm

1) our 2003 volkswagen passat 1.8t is leaking water into the passenger side of the cab. 2) this appears to be a common problem in the passat as well as other volkswagens and has the potential to cause electrical malfunctions. 3) repair will require modification of drain systems around the vehicle to prevent intrusion of water into sensitive spaces. *nm

2003 vw passat w8 overheated after being serviced for temp sensor. engine seemed to blow head gasket. car had to be towed back to dealer where service was performed. vehicle still there and damage maybe worse. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph on the highway, white steam erupted from the air conditioning vents without warning. the contact inspected under the hood, and determined the coolant was low. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for further inspection, who determined the heater core needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was alerted.

The heated drivers leather seat element burned through the leather and burned a hole in my pants. i felt the burn and got out of the car, and turned off the seat heater. i was parked in my driveway waiting for the windows to defrost. the car is a 2003 vw passat 1.8t. i called a vw dealer, and they said to bring it in for inspection. *nm

2003 vw passat heated seat burnt through the leather. i had burnt sensations while driving and smelled burning..very scary and dangerous. good thing i was quick thinking and turned off the heated seat immediately. *nm

While my husband was driving our 2003 awd passat wagon with myself and two children in the car, the driver seat caught on fire. at the time it caught fire, the heated seat was on setting 3 for no more than 5 minutes. luckily, my husband was able to pull off the road, exit the vehicle, and turn off the heated seat before he was burned and/or a large fire erupted. *nm

I had just began leaving a supermarket parking lot when i felt a burning sensation on my left upper thigh. i reached down to determine why and then smelled something burning. looking down, i saw a burn hole in the driver seat, left side, toward the back of the seat. it looked like a cigarette burn. i immediately turned the seat heater off, which was on 3, pulled over and extinguished the smoldering with my hand. the dealers initial response was that my car was out of warranty but they would see if it could still be covered at no charge. i'm waiting on a response. this seems to be a relatively common failure based on the complaints that have been filed and is definitely a safety issue. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the front driver seat's heater element burned through the seat and caught the contacts clothes on fire. the contact sustained burns to the legs. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer. updated 12/01/06. *jb

2003 vw passat driver leather seat caught on fire while operating car. it burned through the seat & scorched/damaged my coat. fortunately, i was only driving a few blocks & had pulled into a parking lot. i contacted vw consumer relations & was shocked at the response. it seemed routine to the manager. they "may give me the replacement value of my coat if it needs to be replaced". i was told that a car would be given to me to drive at no charge while mine is being repaired. i explained that i do not feel safe to drive my car with an electrical malfunction under me and i was told that a tow would be provided at no charge. i will hold vw responsible the repair/replacement of the front seats & warmer electrical system, the costs of a rental or loaner car while mine is in repair, the cost to replace any damaged clothing, & any other costs associated with the incident yet to be determined. it is very upsetting to me to think that i was sitting on a fire while operating my car. what if my coat caught on fire??? i drive a very busy interstate to & from work. it was fortunate that i was on my lunch break driving a very short distance & not driving home. *jb

Driver's side car seat started smoldering then flames appeared. turned off car seat heater and extinguished with water. *jb

Fuel pump faliiure on 2003 vw passat car stalled on i-95 in the middle of highway traffic family was stranded on i-95 at 1:00am

Dt*: the contact stated after 15 minutes with the driver side seat heater on, the seat began to smoke and then smoldered. the vehicle was driven home and was turned off. the driver sustained minor injuries. the vehicle had not been seen by a mechanic.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 5 mph, the vehicle made a clanging noise while pulling into a garage. when the brake was depressed, the pedal went all the way to the floor, and did not engage completely. there was no indication of a problem prior to the incident. a private repair shop was consulted, and determined the rear brakes needed to be replaced. the brake pads were replaced, the tires were rotated, and the oil was changed. during the subsequent test drive, the vehicle stalled completely while traveling 25 mph. a service dealer was consulted by the private repair shop, and determined that the fuel pump had failed. the fuel pump was replaced. there was a nhtsa recall # 06v017000 which pertained to the fuel pump. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.

My passat had two previous instances of water leakage in the floor of the back seat, where the computer is housed. this resulted in a short-circuit in the cars computer in the fall of 2005, causing the car to slow in traffic and ultimately stop when i reached dealership. maroone volkswagen of delray beach addressed these two instances under warranty by focusing on the pollen filter and pollen filter caging. on the third occasion, i again took it to maroone volkswagen on september 6, 2006 since this seemed to be another recurrence of the same problem. dealer would not fix under warranty. service advisor said cowl had a hairline fracture, which was allowing water under my hood and into the car. however, cowl was intact on previous visits for same problem. contacted vw of america who accepted dealers diagnosis. this is especially troubling given there is a wealth of information online posted by passat owners experiencing the same leakage problem that i describe above, and it is not due to cowl. please refer to autobahn.com. *jb

I turned on the driver's heated seats when i felt them hotter than usual, seconds later i smelled something burning and then i saw smoke coming up from the left side by my seat. i jumped out of the car and found flames visible coming from inside the seat. i put the fire out. i called the dealership and they are supposed to fix it. *nm

My 2003 passat has approx. 34,000 miles. the brake rotors had to be replaced twice -- once at somewhat over 12k miles ago, and the other very recently. the most recent time, we were told not to drive the car any further (by the dealer) because it was unsafe to drive. the first time, vw paid for the repair, this time they would not. i believe there is a safety problem, one which i am afraid will happen again. please note...i do not have the exact date in the field below. *nm

On october 2nd, i was driving on interstate 85 in durham, north carolina when i heard a faint pop and then felt my car transfer weight from the left to the right. as i looked in my review i saw a tire without a rim rolling behind me. i merged to the left shoulder and stopped under an underpass. upon further investigation i discovered my left rear tire tread belt had blown away from both the inner and outer side walls. the tread belt was still completely intact, making it look as if it were a donut. the inner and outer side walls had remained intact to the rim. some minor damage to the wheel well of the vehicle had occurred. seeing as these tires were purchased in december of 2005, and had less than 40,000 and they're rated for 80,000 miles, i believe these tires are defective and dangerous. the tire brand is goodyear triple tread assurance. currently the car's rear tire has been replaced with a full size spare tire and will be brought back to the tire dealer tomorrow to deal with this issue. *jb

My brake light switch went out and i didn't know i didn't have brakes until someone at a light told me. who knows how long i've drove around like that. and it seems very odd that so many other people have had this problem too. i own two vw's (2003 passat & 2004 golf), both have had this switch failure. the 2004 was replaced/fixed under warranty; the 2003 was not under warranty & costs were exorbitant. the service dept and service managers both admitted that this is a very common problem and oftentimes their mechanics will break the new switch while installing it. i broke two switches myself attempting a simple install. what was done to correct the failure was that the switch was replaced & yes i have both the original broken part, plus another newer revision of the switch that i personally broke, plus the now working switch installed in both vw's. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 55 mph the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was maneuvered off the road, restarted, and was driven to the dealer where the ignition coil was replaced.

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle had a recall (06v017000) for the fuel pump. the vehicle was on the waiting list to get the fuel pump replaced with the dealer for five months. the service dealer expressed the part was not available. the manufacturer expressed the fuel was unable to be obtained.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 65 mph, the malfunction light illuminated, then the engine power failed, requiring the vehicle to coast to a stop. the vehicle was towed to a service dealer, where the malfunction was identified as 2 faulty ignition coils. the manufacturer was notified. updated 11/21/2006 - the ignition coils have failed three times in four years. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle hesitated intermittently when the accelerator pedal was depressed . the dealership and manufacturer determined this was how the vehicle was manufactured.

Dt*: the contact stated there was a recall notice received in march 2006. there were no problems with the vehicle before the recall notices was received; however the contact inquired six times as to when the part would be in and the dealership could not offer an estimate. the nhtsa recall was # 06v017000 regarding the fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump. the parts needed to repair the vehicle were not available at the local dealership. the manufacturer confirmed the parts were not available.

Consumer complaint against dealer and manufacturer refuse to repair the 2003 volkswagen passat under recall. *kb the dealer informed the consumer they couldn't perform the recall because there were no more fuel pumps available. *jb

I bought my 2003 vw passat wagon brand new. in a span of 3 years i have had to replace my rear rotors and brakes 4 times and have yet to replace the front rotors and brakes and the car is at 77,510. i had the left rear rotor replaced jan. 21, 2004, the right rotor april 1, 2004, both left and right rotor nov. 23, 2004, and then both again july 11, 2005. i was very concerned about this from the beginning and stressed the recurring issue with vw corporate since my warranty was running out and the problem was still persisting. when it happened again at my regular check up in june of 2005, after only 7 months and 11,427 miles from the last time i changed the brakes and rotors, i raised some red flags and suggested that i lemon law the car, vw researched and found that "there was excessive heat on my rear brakes and that my booster rod was bent and not releasing rear brake pressure completely". on july 11, 2005 vw replaced the brake booster, master cylinder, rotors, and brakes. which brings us to the present, i took my car to get my regular service and find out that i have to change my front and rear brakes and rotors. the front i can understand given that it is now at 77,510, but the rear brakes and rotors again after 18,500 miles? i have always felt there is something very wrong with this car and after research on the web and finding others are having similar problems, i know there is something very wrong with this car and when it comes to the brake system there is definitely cause for concern. though it has only been at inconvenience at this time, i would like it resolved asap. with the exception of the brake pads, vw have not charged me for the rotors and though they have said there is not a problem with the rear rotors and brakes and they have been paying for the changes even though it is after my warranty so that leads me to believe that there are many complaints like mine and there has to be a problem. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated, recall # 06v017000; fuel pump (vw #m7) was received in the 2nd week of march 2006. when the service dealer was contacted for an appointment, the contact was informed the fuel pump was back ordered and the contact would be notified when the part was available. in may 2006 the part was still on back order. when the manufacturer was notified, the contact was referred back to dealer.

Nhtsa recall 06v017000 for a vw passat. i have been waiting nearly 3 months since my appointment for the "part to arrive." i have called a written vw about the fuel pump, all i get is - "it's on order." *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 65 mph, the vehicle would not accelerate. the vehicle was coasted to the side of the road and then towed to an independent repair shop. the repair shop determined the fuel pump needed to be replaced. there was a nhtsa recall, # 06v017000, regarding the fuel pump. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. 08/29/06 vehicle was in left lane of 4 lane interstate when failure occurred. driver had to move across all the lanes to safety. *tt

At 44,400 miles and just 4,000 miles after fuel pump replaced the new fuel pump failed on my 2003 passat wagon. both incidents occurred while driving the car on high traffic suburban washington dc streets. there was no warning and car came to an abrupt stop without time for me to signal the cars behind me. this is in addition to having to replace both front and rear rotors at about 20,00 miles as well as control arms. this seems to be an inordinate amount of service in only 3 years and 44,000 miles! *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle would not start due to a defective fuel pump. the vehicle was towed to the service dealer who determined the fuel pump was the cause of the problem. the fuel pump was replaced due to recall # m7 (nhtsa # 06v017000). the pump was replaced three times by the service dealer who determined the first two to be defective and the third pump failure due to ethanol mixture in the fuel. the manufacturer suggested several gas stations to be used that had been tested for ethanol content.

Abs control module on my 2003 vw passat failed. this appears to be a common failure that disables the abs. *jb

Over four months ago, i received volkswagen's safety recall m7 (applicable to 2003 vw passat's) regarding a defective fuel pump that may cause a car to "stall without warning and . . . present a potential risk of crash." i immediately called a dealer to get the part replaced. nothing has happened since. after months on a waiting list i am now leaving the washington dc area, and am told that there is a similar wait list (backed up for over 4 months) where i'm moving to. volkswagen's delay and refusal to cure the fuel pump defect is simply unacceptable. i strongly urge the nhtsa to investigate. *jb

1. heavy rain storms 2. water entered the car via either the pollen filter or backed up from the battery well. this water caused the transmission control module (tcm) to fail. 3. i paid for the pollen filter to be replaced, the tcm to be replaced, the cowl drain holes to be cleared, and the water to be removed. *jb

Water issue - leaking due to design flaws - leaking sunroof. *nm

Started car and asrs light came on and remained on. soon the mil lit up, followed by the air bag system light flickering and a clicking sound coming from the car. dealership could not check car the next morning b/c fully booked so had alternate mechanic check it out. mechanic realized it was not the battery running low (battery charge checked). the next morning alternator checked (alternator replace and tested and same problem continued). the mechanic finds a puddle of water on the floor of the passenger side that same morning which was not there day before. he states car had been parked at slight incline overnight with front of car higher than trunk. mechanic recommended towing car to dealership. currently at dealership to try and figure out problem. *nm

On june 6th 2006 my 2003 vw passat car caught fire. my certified vw mechanic stated the cars after run water pump over heated, melting wiring and the fire resulted. my insurance company appears to be dening the claim. *nm

Water leak - passat 2003. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40 mph the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was maneuvered off the road and later towed to the dealer who determined the fuel pump needed to be replaced. there is a nhtsa recall, # 06v017000, regarding the fuel pump. the vin was not included in the recall.

2003 passat broke down because of a broken fuel pump. consumer would like to be reimbursed. *kb the dealer refused to cover the failed part because the vehicle had over 50000 miles. the vehicle was taken to a local garage for repair. *nm

2003 vw passat 4-door with 1.8t motor. i find it hard to believe that a fuel pump failure which causes a vehicle to die without warning on a california freeway to not be a defect. there is a recall for this part, but it just so happens my vehicle identification number does not match up. just because the vin # does not match up, does not mean there still is not a defect. i would like to know how i could research this further, so that i don't get stranded on the freeway again. *jb

I was driving along when my 2003 vw passat lost power and stopped. i had it towed to a vw dealership in town. they said the fuel pump needed replacing. i found that there is a recall on this make and model for this problem, however, vw refuses to cover the cost. *nm

On this date i was driving at 65 miles per hour on the interstate. as a car pulled on to the driving lane in front of me from the entrance ramp, i accelerated and pulled left into the passing lane. suddenly i had no power, and managed to coast about 3/4 of a mile, through traffic, to the right hand shoulder where i could get off the road. it was a very dangerous few minutes which fortunately did not result in any collision. the car was towed to the local volkswagen dealer where the fuel pump was found to have failed. it was replaced at a cost of $589.80. the mileage at the time of the incident was 63, 661 miles. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated rain water leaked into the vehicle. there were concerns expressed of cables under the dash becoming wet, therefore creating an electrical hazard. the rain water usually accumulated in the doors, and when the doors was opened the water traveled to the dash board.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving on a normal road condition at 45 mph the vehicle decelerated until it completely stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealership where the fuel pump was replaced. there was a recall for the fuel pump but the vin was not included. the consumer replaced the fuel pump at his expense. updated 09/12/06. *jb

Timing belt broke at only 66,000 miles and 3 years of vehicle use. manufacturer recommends replacement at approx. 100,000 miles. failure to advise purchasers of premature catastrophic timing belt failure is inexcusable. it poses a grave risk of harm to drivers. our timing belt blew on a busy street in miami. we were very fortunate that we were not injured. there have been class action lawsuits involving the exact same engine-- used in audi cars-- that were settled by providing a warranty extension for these failures. a similar warranty extension should be offered to vw owners whose vehicles have the same engine (1.8l turbo, 4-cylinder). a class action against vw should not be necessary (though it may be forthcoming)-- they should accept their responsibility for this design defect and thereby potentially save lives. what if your son or daughter were hurt in a timing belt-related crash? shame on vw.*jb

My 2003 volkswagen passat has a seat warmer. one morning, it began to burn on my leg; i noticed the leather in one corner was melting. one of the wires for the seat heater was malfunctioning and pressing against the seat. i notified my local dealer and vw of america. they were unwilling to fix the problem because the car was no longer under warranty, even though it was only three years old. it seems to me that this is not only a defect, but also a safety hazard. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated a recall letter was received in march 2006; the vehicle is not having any problems as indicated in the recall. the dealer has been contacted at least once a week since receiving the letter. there is a nhtsa recall, # 06v017000 on the vehicle regarding the fuel pump. the parts needed to repair the vehicle are not available at the local dealership. the manufacturer confirmed the parts are not available.

Vw passat 2003 62,000 miles with oil pressure "stop driving" light at 70 mph. car stopped and towed to dealer. told by dealer that this was an engine sludge issue which was a very common problem with this car. still awaiting engine analysis. was told engine could have potentially seized if i did not stop driving. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated there have not been any problems with the vehicle however, a nhtsa recall, #06v017000 on the vehicle regarding the fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump was received in april 2006. the parts needed to repair the vehicle are not available at the local dealership. the manufacturer confirmed the parts are not available. the parts finally arrived and the vehicle was repaired. updated 07/03/06. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while the accelerator pedal is depressed, it feels as though there is something falling off of the vehicle. the dealership is unable to determine the problem.

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat and about a month ago my engine light came on. i took it to montesi volkswagen dealer in hamden, connecticut. they charged me $85 to determine the cause. and then they told me that there is nothing wrong with the engine, but the software which controls this light must be updated and that costs about $235. i told them that it is not my fault that the existing software on the car is not functioning properly, and you must install the software free of charge. but they didn't accept it. i think this not right, and they are responsible if the original software that they installed is not working properly. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated rain water pools into the rear of the vehicle when it rains steadily through the sunroof while it is closed. the floor of the vehicle underneath the driver seat becomes wet and there is a possibility of shock from wiring under the seat. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer who suggested checking the drain tube periodically to ensure it was not clogged. at the time the vehicle was seen by the dealer, the tube appeared to be open freely. the manufacturer was alerted of the problem. the problem still persists every time it rains.

This is a 2003 passat v6. i have 115,000 miles on the car and the car has been maintained by a certified vw technician since i have owned the vehicle. this is my second passat, the first was a 2001.5 "new passat". i had no problems with that car and little to know problems with my current 2003. however, after turning the car off, it always sounded as though a fan motor would continuously run for well over 15 minutes after the car was turned off. this has been happening for approx. 6 months. on the date of incident, i had driven home from work, pulled into my driveway, and went into the house. thankfully, the lawn was long, so i immediately went out to cut the lawn after changing my clothes. just in that time, maybe 5-10 minutes the most, i came out and noticed there was smoke coming from under the hood. i popped the hood and looked into the engine bay to see flames on the lower bottom of the engine. it was on the left side if you were looking into the engine bay and toward the front. it smelled of burning plastic and metal. there was actually flames, which i pulled out myself with a fire extinguisher and a lawn hose. i did get a police report of the incident and continued to search online for other issues of the same sort. this seems to be a common problem, and in some events, they even mention the ongoing fan sound. i feel this is extremely important to be looked into. i was lucky, thanks to a long lawn, but i could have lost my car, and my home, because the car was parked in front of the house by less then two feet. any consideration taken in this matter is greatly appreciated. it is unclear as to how this is going to be resolved, whether with my insurance company, or whether or not this is going to be a huge financial loss, because there is still a lien on the automobile. thanks, theodore hardgrove. *nm

I recently had my 40k mile service done and was preparing to go on vacation. the car made it there without incident however the second day into out vacation the asr light came on and then the prnd432 all stayed lit. it had been beautiful weather for several days however there was easily two inches of water on the passenger side. the vehicles check engine light came on and it stopped automatically shifting. the vehicle is at the shop waiting repair. *nm

Recalled fuel pump is not available. dealer says pump is on national back order. *jb

Use of driver's side seat heater created burning sensation in the region of my left hip and scent of singed/burning material arose from the seat. the seat heater was immediately turned off, however a burning smell persisted for 3-5 minutes. i have use this feature in the same vehicle without incident for 2.5 years prior to this occurrence. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated stoppage of fuel supply to the engine could cause it to stall. there is a nhtsa recall, #06v017000 on the vehicle regarding the fuel system gasoline delivery fuel pump. the parts needed to repair the vehicle are not available at the local dealership. the manufacturer confirmed the parts are not available. the contact indicated that on april 14, 2006 the dealer was supposed to replace the fuel pump per volkswagen safety recall m7, but the work was canceled due to no replacement parts. the contact continued to inquire from the local dealer when the replacement part would be available, but did not receive a definitive answer. the contact contacted a dealer 60 miles away and made an appointment to have the work done there. it took several trips by contact until the replacement work was completed. the contact was unhappy by volkswagen uncaring attitude and lack of assistance and service by volkswagen dealers. *ak

Fuel pump failed with no warning and acceleration capability was instantly lost. this occurred in the middle lane of an extremely busy freeway with large trucks on either side. through sheer luck, i was able to steer the vehicle to the shoulder with no power without being hit by the fast-moving traffic. this could easily have resulted in serious injury or death. *nm

We own a 2003 volkswagen passat. twice the fuel pump has gone out in the middle of hwy. 29 in napa. the first time the fuel pump went out the car was still under warranty. the second time it went out, yesterday, the car was no longer under warranty and we were charged $441 to have it fixed. volkswagen denies that our model has any problem with the fuel pump even though other passat models are under recall for this same problem. the second fuel pump was put in last january, about 16 months ago. now another fuel pump was put in yesterday, april 27, 2006. both times the fuel pump has gone out without warning on highway 29 in napa. *jb

After receiving a letter, dated march 2006, stating a recall was needed for my 2003 volkswagen passat, an appointment was made to get the issue taken care of. i have a friend with the same car and learned of the importance of the recall after her car cut off on her while she was driving. this could be a very dangerous situation. i was called roughly a day before my appointment to let me know that the part was on back order and they would need to move my appointment back 2 weeks. i called the dealership back with concern for my safety and asked if there was a rental car available until the part came in. they informed me that they would not be able to give me a rental car but i could call volkswagen and speak with them about it. i guess they didn't feel my safety was an issue, therefore they did not give me a rental, but they did offer to call around and see if i could be seen sooner. that didn't work out because everyone was on back order for the same part. i kept my appointment for today at 8am, took off work, drove clear across town, checked in with them, they took my key, and i headed to the customer waiting area. i was called back down to the desk 5 minutes later for them to tell me that they still didn't have the part and would have to call me when it came in. i could not believe that no one called to inform me of this instead of having me drive all the way to the dealership! i find it hard to believe that volkswagen is not more concerned regarding the safety of their customers to plan ahead. makes me never want to buy a volkswagen again! *jb

2003 passat carbon built up on the injectors of the fuel system. *ts ***nar*** after several attempted repairs, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle was running rough. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 65mph, the check engine light illuminated and the engine hesitated. the vehicle was towed to the dealership. upon inspection, the dealer determined there was sludge build up in the oil pump. the oil pump, pipes, resonator, oil and surrounding components were replaced.

Car had trouble starting, electrical problems, lurching while driving and ultimately transmission and air bag failure. *nm

Fuel pump failed in my 2003 volkswagen passat called volkswagen about the recall and they told me there is no recall yet and will not be covered the all occurred on 3/27/03. *jb

I purchased a new 2003 volkswagen passat from smith volkswagen of wilmington, de. from the beginning the car would intermittently experience total engine shutdown at mid-rpm while under full acceleration. this made any kind of merging into traffic maneuver a hazardous undertaking. the car was returned to the dealer several times for repair but with no success. this caused us for the entire time we owned the vehicle to completely modify the way we drove - never knowing when the engine would die out. now after struggling with this for 3 years i receive recall notice "safety recall m7", one month after we traded in the volkswagen on another car. this notice describes our problem but underplays the havoc the problem can actually cause when it occurs to your car. these vehicles are a danger to their drivers and to all the cars around them on the road. they should be removed from the highway until they are fixed now that volkswagen has finally admitted something is wrong 3 years later. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the engine on the vehicle failed. the dealership determined the engine needed to be replaced due to an oil sludge problem. two months later the check engine light continued to illuminate. the dealership determined the engine needed to broken down to see if the problem was related to the oil sludge problem. the engine failed in august 2005 with one year/12000 mile warranty. a month after replacement the check engine light came on. the dealership failed to correctly diagnose the problem and the engine was checked in march 2006. it was determined that the engine needed to be broken down in order to determine the problem and since the mileage exceeded the warranty it would not be covered. the contact contact the dealer, who indicated the same thing and referred the contact back to the dealer. the contact was tossed back and forth with no one taking responsibility or action. after searching on the internet the contact discovered that this was a common problem with volkswagen passat vehicles, and that volkswagen was ranked among the worse car companies for resolving customer complaints. therefore, the contact sought nhtsa assistance. *ak

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 20mph, the seat warmer started smoking although, no flames were visible. the vehicle was pulled to the side of the road and the ignition was turned off. the contact noticed a hole in the seat from where the smoke was coming from. the vehicle was towed to the dealership where proper repairs were made.

Purchased vehicle on 8/4/03 8/8/05 - engine oil light came on, vehicle diagnosed w/ "engine oil sludge" by dealership, warranty item. 8/11/05- spoke w/ dealership to confirm sludge issue and presented oil change receipts,(vehicle purchased w/ 19637 miles) , dealer declined to honor the warranty and recommended a engine flush & oil change 8/12/05 - retrieved vehicle and had engine flushed & oil changed 8/13/05 - vehicle cut off & remains inoperable 8/21/05 - vehicle was towed to receive diagnoses 8/26/05 - vehicle diagnosed w/ no oil pressure or compression. cause - (bad oil pump) timing belt jumped r&r valve cover and locked up cam #1 cylinder. no sludge was found in engine, valve cover, oil pan or engine block. engine was free of sludge and would not have caused the engine to fail (documented by auto repairman) 8/26/05 - towed vehicle to another (engine repair specialist) repair shop. 9/22/05 - diagnoses result "no" engine oil sludge found. (engine was totally disassembled and examined in every detail) sludge would be expected if poor maintenance was the issue. a simple oil flush would not have removed engine oil sludge (documented by service center) 9/23/05 - contacted vw customer care to report my findings. no resolution obtained to date. i was told to obtain another engine analysis. 9/26/05 - contacted vw again to inform them that another analysis is impossible because the engine is disassembled. 10/7/05 - towed the vehicle back to my home. vehicle presently garaged and inoperable. * since then, i've read many accounts of this "same" issue happening to vw passat owners. vw has admitted to engine problems with their 4 cylinder turbo engines but has not issued a recall. this is a serious product stewardship issue and vw should be made to repair and reimburse consumers for these costly repairs. i've spent thousands of dollars in my attempt to uncover the "real" problem which is a faulty engine and/or oil pump. *nm

2003 vw passat, built 11/2002, fuel pump failed 12/2004, at 52695k miles. now there is a fuel pump recall for 2003 vw passat built between 09/01/2002-03/31/2003 with a range of vin numbers, that mine appears to fall in, and i am being told my car shows no pending recalls associated with my vin. *nm

This is a 2003 vw passat with 27,000 miles. it is kept outside in northern california. there have been rains here recently, expected this time of year. the rear footwell was found to have water in it recently. neither the sunroof nor windows had been left open. although the vehicle has been maintained by vw dealers according to schedule, the bottom of the sunroof drain tube was clogged, backing water up. the resulting damage included carpet, dampened transmission control unit, wiring harness and a safety relay amounting to over $3,000 to repair. the dealer is replacing the damaged parts and unclogging the drain tube. there is no guarantee that this will fix the problem permanently. the transmission control module had an internal short

Due to a sunroof drain clog, our 2003 passat wagon passenger floorboard quickly filled with water in what i would describe as major flooding. as an immediate and direct result with no opportunity to react and respond our car began to have trouble starting. after getting it started and being unaware of the situation we were dealing with, an attempt was made to drive it to the dealer to see what was wrong. during that ride the electrical system went haywire, the car began to lurch and ultimately shut down on the side of the highway. i was forced to call vw for a tow and was responded to promptly. the dealer's service dept examined the car and found that the transmission control module and the air bag control module were both submerged as they both rest underneath the carpet in the floorboard. both items were deemed to be nonfunctioning and had to be replaced. along with the labor to clean carpets and replace these parts the total bill was around 2300 dollars. here is my complaint: this was not covered under warranty according to the dealer, however; there is no literature in the owners manual or buyers guide that suggests the importance of keeping these drains unclogged. i mean if major flooding in the floorboard of a vehicle, a place where the vital computer modules are kept, is going to create catastrophic damage then it should be notated and/or made clear to the buyer at the time of purchase. i consider this to be a design flaw and worthy of warranting a recall. if you need verification of many more instances of the same problem with the same types of vehicles (vw passats, etc.) creating the same types of consequences all you need to do is visit the forum at theautobahn.com and i am sure you will be just as disturbed and frustrated as i was even if you don't own one of these vehicles. thank you for your time. a very angry consumer. *nm

The 2003 volkswagen passat suddenly would not start. with only 54000 miles it completely failed to start on account of a sudden and complete failure of the fuel pump. *nm

My side window blew out while driving 65 mph on mostly rural stretch of highway 94, driving eastbound near waukesha, wi. i was in the leftmost lane with no vehicles within 50 yards to the front or back of my car. i don't believe anything struck the window and i didn't see any cracks in the glass before i got on the highway. it was about 30 degrees outside and we had our heater on for about 30 minutes inside the car. i drive a 2003 vw passat. no accident or injuries to myself or my passenger resulted from the window explosion. i didn't report anything to the police or sheriff because i have no reason to believe the window was deliberately smashed by a person with a weapon or thrown object. the window was replaced at my own expense. i have two photos of the wndow taken before the remaining shattered glass was removed. how common is this for side windows? could it be a defect in the glass? a spontaneous failure of the glass? could a projectile that i didn't see or hear strike the side glass with enough force to shatter the window? *nm

Design defect results in failure of computer due to water flooding. computer failure results in disabling of vehicle and expensive repairs. this condition caused by parking the car where leaves occasionally fall onto it. reason: windshield drains into compartment containing the battery, which has a drain hole located under the battery, requiring removal of battery to properly clean. drain gets clogged due to leaves, resulting in battery compartment filling with water. when this happens, water enters passenger compartment foot well. i took my car to vw dealer with this condition and they told me the computer could get flooded/ruined and this would not be covered under warranty due to "external influence". they agreed to clean the drain free of charge, but were unable and unwilling to provide me with a service advisory that the drain must be cleared to prevent computer damage. i contacted vw of america and they acknowledge the problem over the phone but refused to provide any written statement of the existence of the problem and refused to provide a written, permanent remedy for this problem, or to modify the car so this would not happen. *jb

Failure of electrical system due to interior water leaks into the footwell area from blocked plenum drain. as stated in the june 18,2004 vw technical service bulletin vehicle has 28,000miles . it is a lease. first electrical problems began at approx 20,000 miles when air bag light and check engine light came on and remained on. service department kept car for 3 weeks and repaired. second problem key lock system failed. unable to start the vehicle needed to re-do codes and replace keys, also changed steering wheel. third problem, dampness on floor of drivers side, front and back., trunk opened while driving, interior lights remained on unless turned off manually, door locks opened and closed randomly while driving, alarm system went off randomly, sound system went on and stayed on after car was vacant. car needed to be jump started in order to use. car towed to dealership and was denied warranty coverage due to normal weather conditions causing problems. vw of america refused to cooperate stating that they do no cover defective parts if it rained on the vehicle. at this time, car has been at dealership for 3 weeks while parts are ordered to repair at my cost. so far bill is rising above $4,000. request to terminate lease was denied. 90 days early termination was offered by vw leasing but payments must continue to be made after car is returned. *nm

Heated seat in car malfunctioned and burned a hole in the seat. no injury occurred, but if left unattended this could be a fire or safety hazard. *nm

Engine stopped running while driving. there were no warning indicators. after coasting down a hill approaching an intersection, i eased into the accelerator to cross intersection, only to experience a total loss of engine power. vw dealer diagnosed engine loss due to failure of fuel pump. dealer replaced fuel pump and saved old pump at my request. old pump is available for inspection. i consider engine loss to be a safety issue because most cars these days have steering and brakes that are powered by the engine. luckily, i was able to keep control of the car and bring it to a safe stop. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling up hill at 25mph the vehicle sputtered and stalled. the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was determined the fuel pump needed to be replaced. previously the contact experienced braking problems while traveling at high speeds. there was vibration and grabbing in front end of the vehicle when braking. the vehicle was seen by the service dealer four times. the front rotors, the rear rotors and both control arms were replaced. the problem was corrected by the replacement of these parts for twenty thousand miles and has now returned.

I was driving on interstate i65 from birmingham, al to huntsville, al mid morning on the 27 january 2006. nearing the end of journey to the huntsville turned off on i65 and volkswagen (vw) passat 2003 lost complete power. i had no idea what had happened to the car, and was frantically trying to find what was wrong while trying to control the car to a stop and get off the highway. upon calling road side assistance i had the car towed to the nearest vw dealership, located in huntsville, al. during initial investigation led them to believe the battery was dead and replaced it at a cost of $200. upon further investigation they said my fuel pump was dead and needed replacing, this is what caused the car to stop as no petrol could be pumped into the engine. i did not know why i have to pay for the battery as i had power in the car. currently, car will not be fixed until next tuesday at a cost of $600 to me. i read online at passatworld.com forum that their have been numerous other vw owners experiencing fuel pump problems. they expect this problem to be documented a lot more in the near future as our 2003 year vw passat come out of warranty and the suspected year with the faulty fuel pump. i do not see how this fuel pump could fail upon any doing of my own as i have always run the car with a full tank and on 93 octane. vw need to make a recall on this part as there is an unusually high number of vw owners experiencing this problem. this part needs to be recalled, causing a car to lose power on a highway immediately is life threatening and will cause an older age driver to not know what is happening to the car and crash. car is vw passat gls 2003, 60,000 miles on it, i bought it new.*ak

Bought a 2003 vw passat 1.8t in may 2005. since then, i have taken the car to the dealership for repair 4 times now. the car will all of the sudden start running very rough and the check engine light came on. the first time, they replaced a "defective" spark plug. within a few days of getting it back, it happened again. they decided to replace all the spark plugs that time. it happened a third time and they did not tell me what they had done to the car, but kept the car for a week. it is currently in the shop again (now for a week again) because it began to run rough, developed a slow oil leak, and does not always start on the first attempt. i have not yet heard from the dealership what is causing the problems. i asked them to check everything on the car. i have also lodged a complaint with vw of america. *jb

Passat 2003 glx with 40437 miles. was driving on local roads the car started shuddering for 1-2 seconds. the engine then instantly shutdown. i could not restart the car. had it towed to nearest dealership. the next day it was reported as fuel pump failure, and repaired it under warranty.*ak

I was driving the car on the highway at approximately 50 mph when the engine just died without any warning, the engine just stopped being responsive to the gas pump. i was lucky to be able to cruise the car over to the side of the road without an accident and/or injury considering i had cars in front of me, behind me, and on the side of me, all moving at speeds 50-60 mph. in over 27 years of driving i have never had such a serious problem occurring without any type of warning lights coming on, or funny sounds by the engine. the car has 47,000 miles on it and has been serviced regularly. *ak

My volkswagen passat stopped dead in the middle of a major highway and had to be pushed off to the side of the road. i almost got hit by oncoming traffic trying to get the car off the highway. three rivers volkswagen dealership is saying the timing belt went well before the scheduled replacement,thus destroying the engine+.the car has 83k miles and not recommend to be changed until 105k. there are many instances reported on the web of the happening. my car was in for a service check at 78k and other problem items were brought to my attention; however, a timing belt problem was not. volkswagen is blaming the dealers service department and the service deparment is blaming volkswagen. so far no resolution. there are many instances of vw and audi having timing belt issues on the interenet. *jb

Leak into the passenger compartment with heavy rain resolution pending passenger air bag can be affected. *jb

My wife and i have a 2003 volkswagen passat with 30,100 miles. volkswagen has 4 yr/50000 miles mile bumper to bumper warranty, and an 8 year/unlimited mile oil sludge warranty. we broke down on the interstate, and had to be towed to the dealer. the manufacturer required oil changes in intervals of 5000 miles. my wife and i have had the oil changed every 4000 miles instead. the service writer from don jacobs called and stated that our volkswagen needed a new motor. he went on to state that we needed to provide all of our oil change receipts from the time of the purchase. we were shocked, this was a 2 year old car. a long story short we were able to produce 5 receipts. once it was changed in florida while on vacation (no receipt),and once we received a free oil change at wal-mart due to an excessive wait (no receipt). that would make a total of 7 receipts (all of them).don jacobs would not begin the work on our car until we could provide all of these receipts including the 2 that are non existent.the car is still under bumper to bumper warranty period,so again we were shocked.next the dealer informed us that they and vw of america have decided that our warranty would be nullified due to neglect of maintenance.the funny part is that this diagnosis was made without ever looking under the hood of our vw.it is still in the same spot the tow truck left it in.before you decide to believe or discredit our side of this story,or maybe think this is an isolated event please visit the following sites:www.myvwlemon.com and also http://www.petitiononline.com/vwsludge/petition.html.i have quickly found that what has happened to us is litterally happening to 100's, and probably 1,000's of people in the us right now by their dealers and also vw of america not to mention the other manufacturers. the similarities in everyones stories on the web are frightening. .*ak

Fuel pump failed at 44385 miles. *jb

Dt: the contact stated while driving the vehicle the stop engine now- low oil pressure light illuminated. she pulled the vehicle off the road for inspection. she checked the dip stick for an oil reading. the reading indicated the vehicle contained no oil in the engine. she added oil to the engine before driving the vehicle to the dealership. the dealer diagnosed the vehicle as having sludge build up in the engine. the engine will have to be replaced in order to fix the problem. no however, repairs have been made . *ak

Driving a 2003 vw passat glx wagon on a road under construction and the passenger side curtain airbags deployed for no apparent reason. luckily, this shocking incident didn't cause us to get in an accident, but it did fill the car with smoke and we had to pull over immediately and get our 2 year old daughter out of her car seat. i brought the car to a vw dealership (king volkswagen, gaithersburg, md) and they charged me $100 to look at it and then told me that the car sustained damage to the undercarriage. they told me that the car probably hit a curb at 35 mph and came to a sudden stop. i was a passenger in the car at the time and i know that the car was not slowed down at all, and we didn't even notice hitting anything. because this road was under construction we may have brushed a man hole cover that was sticking up into the road, but not hard enough to slow the car down or to cause any serious damage. i looked at the impact point in the undercarriage and it is just a small dent to a metal cup. i took the car to my mechanic and he was shocked that this small dent would have caused the airbags to blow. the car does not require any repairs except for the replacement of the airbags. i complained to vw corporate and they had me bring the car back to the dealer to take pictures and readings from the airbag sensor. they sent that information to vw corporate and corporate called me back and said that this was considered to be an accident that was my fault. *nm

2003 vw passat suddenly began making engine noise and oil pressure warning came on. vw determined problem was sludge, and they cleaned the engine leaving a bill of $1900 plus that they are refusing to cover with manufacturers warranty unless i can produce oil chg receipts. i have done 2 of them myself and only have bank statements with credit card charges. the others, i have receipts for. they are still refusing to cover. this is a major widespread problem and their recommendations to change from regular oil to synthetic oil came in 2004, a year after i was following their previous instructions, etc. for a known issue, they should not be allowed to hold consumers hostage on a situation like this. i do my own oil chgs to save money. my 10k oil chg at vw was $110. i can do it for less then half of that amount. *nm

The heated seats in my 2003 vw passat had a malfunction and burned through the cushioning and pants that i was wearing. looks like a large cigarette hole on the left side of my front driver seat. *nm

Engine stopped while in motion without warning causing power steering to fail. diagnosed as fuel pump failure. also, in 2004 oil pump failed due to sludge. repair not covered due to inability to produce service records. *nm

2003 volkswagen passat. sunroof imploded while driving at a high rate of speed. no foreign object was found in cabin of vehicle. suspect defect. *nm

Without warning, my 2003 passat stalled in the middle of a very busy intersection and would not start again. thankfully the police were quick to arrive and helped direct traffic so that i could be pushed off the road. the car was towed and the vw dealer diagnosed the problem as a prematurely failed fuel pump. they replaced the fuel pump free of charge, but they are denying that there is a problem or defect across the board. i have read many reports of other vw passat owners having similar problems. this could be a dangerous failure depending on when the pump stops working (there are no warning signs), and i think vw should address this. *jb

Instant fuel pump failure. late saturday night with 9 week old child in the car. car simply stops running on the highway. does not restart. did manage to get baby into warm vehicle and home. car had to be towed. *jb

I recently was notified of volkswagen's customer satisfaction campaign m2 concerning seat heaters for 2002-2003 vw passats. i have had less than an adequate response from both the dealer and the vw customer care center. you can download a copy of the original letter from vw from my ftp server using the following link: you can download a copy of my response to vw using the following link: if you cannot access either file, please contact me so that i can determine an alternate method to send the information to nhtsa -- this form limited size to 2,000 characters. *jb

Early fuel pump failure. 22,000 miles (volkswagen). the vehicle suddenly stopped blocking the roadway. the engine could not be restarted due to failure of the fuel pump. the fuel tank was full. the dealer commented that it has been common for 2003 passat to have fuel pump failure. *ak updated 12/01/05. *jb

While driving with heated seats on, noticed burning in my left thigh. smelled smoke, burned my index finger in smoldering hole in seat. turned off heater and noted just light smoke. vw says it was a recall item, but i never received notice (original owner). they will replace it. *jb

While driving consumer 2003 passat battery light came on and vehicle died. *ts the dealer did a pressure test and determined that the fuel pump had failed. *nm

Fuel pump failed while traveling on merritt parkway in wilton, ct. the pump failed without warning. while traveling on the parkway, the engine sputtered and died, and i managed to have enough forward momentum to pull over to the side. no warnings at all. the fuel tank was about 1/4 full. the engine could not be restarted. i diagnosed and replaced the part by the next day. i disassembled the old pump and discovered that the brushes in the motor had worn excessively- the vehicle has only 58200 miles. i an keeping the old part in my custody. the new fuel pump part no. is 8e0906087d. researching this issue on internet discussion forums on vw enthusiast web sites reveals that the failures appear on a higher-than-normal rate on '03 model year vw passats. discussions here: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188629 http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1982739&postid=22264430#22264430 as you can imagine, having the fuel pump fail at highway speeds can have catastrophic results. *jb

Car stopped running while traveling on a busy highway doing 65 mph. car just started slowing down, luckily i was in the right hand lane and able to pull over onto the shoulder. dangerous problem. towed to vw dealership and fuel pump was replaced. car had 53000 miles on it. *jb

On the morning of nov. 18, 2005, i was driving my 2003 volkswagen passat though my neighborhood. it was a cold morning, so i had the driver-side seat warmer activated at level 4 (highest setting is 5). after several minutes, i noticed the smell of something burning. at first i discounted it as merely the smell of the car's heater or something external. but i soon felt excessive heat on my buttocks and stopped the car, leaving it running. when i got out and looked at the seat, there was a smoldering hole about one-quarter of an inch in diameter on the back-left surface of the leather seat. the seat warmer unit had burned a hole though the seat surface and, were it not for my wool pants, could have burned my skin. i immediately took the vehicle to the service department of my local dealer, gossett volkswagen. the service assistant told me this problem was not uncommon and that it the heating element and seat would be replaced at no charge. however, because some of the necessary parts had to be ordered, i will take the vehicle back to the dealer at a later date. the service assistant instructed me not to use the seat warmer feature in the interim. while i am concerned about the obvious equipment failure, i am more concerned that such an event could ignite the seat cover, the driver's clothing or other combustible items, possibly causing an accident and/or bodily harm. *nm

Problem with 2003 passat glx fuel pumps. there are an enormous amount of fuel pumps that fail on the passat model. vw has had a recall for the fuel pump, but only on the golf, new bettle and jetta, not the passats. vw has an admitted problem, but is not willing to cover all models affected. *nm

I drive a 2003 vw passat and while driving a two lane road the seat heater inside the leather seats ignited burning through the seat, burning a hole in my pants and burning my behind causing me to swerve off the road and exit the vehicle to avoid other injury as the seat burned. this has been apparently reported hundreds of times yet vw refuses a recall. vw agreed to replace the seat and pants but refused any other compensation for injuries sustained. *jb

Dt: 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated the vehicle was slipping out of park and it would a not go into park. the shifter broke off while the contact was trying to put the vehicle in park. this started on october 4, 2005. the dealership was willing to fix it, but, a volkswagen representative at the dealership said it would not be covered under warranty. the contact then called volkswagen, and they were going going to conduct an investigation into the matter. *ak

While driving, i turned on the driver's seat warmer to position 5, within 1 minute, i smelled something burning, smoke was rising from my seat, i felt a hot burning sensation under my left upper thigh and realized the seat warmer was on fire. i stopped the car, turned off the seat warmer. the seat warmer burned through my leather seat and left damage about the size of a quarter. contacted local vw dealer (martens volkswagen, bethesda, md) was asked to bring car in immediately, electrical system checked, seat warmer disconnected, driver's seat will be replaced. *jb

After turning on driver's side seat heater to 5, within 2 minutes noticed burning smell, felt hot burning sensation on left buttock and smelled and saw smoke. one centimeter burn hole in seat. terrible burning smell in car. turned off seat heaters immediately, seat smoked for 10 more minutes. *nm

Dt: the contact stated the driver's seat burned the contact's leg while using the seat heater. also, she pulled the muscles in her back and hip when she jumped out of the vehicle. the vehicle is at the dealership being repaired. she is concerned that the same type of seat is being used to replace the current seat. *ak

I have 2003 volkswagen passat glx v6. with 35310 miles on the dash & driving on a local road in nj going 4o miles a hour my car just loss power & cut off. i was able to turn my wheel hard & pulled off on the side of the road safely. my fuel pump failed & was replaced under warranty. however, if i was on the highway, i am not sure what would have happened. this is a serious defect & would hate this happen to others. *nm

Dt: 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated the vehicle stalled at highway speeds. there was no warning lights that came on before this occurred. the vehicle was pulled over, and it started up immediately. the vehicle was taken to the dealership, and they had it for 77 days. the vehicle was returned to the contact twice. the dealership replaced a coil pack, spark plugs, and four brake light bulbs. the dealership told the contact the vehicle was ready, he picked it up and drove 3 miles and the vehicle stalled. he immediately took the vehicle back to the dealership. they contacted technical support, who told the dealership to check for the electrical grounds. the dealership then took the vehicle on a test drive and it stalled again. the factory service engineers said to put every electrical wire on the car through an ohm test. all of the wires checked out, and no out of tolerance ratings were found. they told the dealership to check the ignition key adaptation, and the security system for proper function. no problems were found. they found nothing definitive at that point. the technician told the dealership to replace the engine wire harness that was replaced august 8, 2005. the vehicle was then picked up on august 10, 2005. the contact went on vacation, and 175 miles later the vehicle stalled again on the interstate. the vehicle was taken back to the dealership; they found 20 fault codes in the engine computer. they replaced the vacuum pump on august 25, 2005. they road tested it and it stalled. the contact was trying to get volkswagen to take the vehicle back. the vehicle is still at the dealership, and they are still working on it. the dealership is now going to replace cylinder heads. *ak it was finally determined that the fuel pump relay was the problem and the reason why the dealer could not determine the problem the first seven times was because they were relying on the computer to display codes. updated 01/11/06.*jb

Bought new a vw passat, glx,v6 in may 2003. it has 18500 miles on it. i have had three sets of rear rotors replaced because they have warped. the last set were replaced in march 2005, and i am experiencing the same problem today, and have an appointment at the dealer to have them replaced again. the rotors warp badley, the car, especially at highway speeds shudders when the brakes are applied and does not stop adequately. *nm

Vibration from steering wheel when braking and uneven stopping. dealer found warped front rotors. i found this problem rather unusual as we drive the car to and from the station daily and we only have 29,000 miles. dealer had to replace pads and both front brake rotors. vw refused to cover under warranty. i feel the car is not safe due to these constant brake problems. i have had other brake problems with this car, the dealer has replace the rear brake pads and then rear pads and rotors under warranty. *jb

I was involved in a automobile crash when another vehicle pulled out in front of me. i was the only person in my car at the time of the crash. i was traveling the posted speed limit and the other driver received a citation and was at fault. i was driving a 2003 vw passat. the car had extensive front end damage mostly to the drivers side. the car was considered a total insurance loss by the other drives insurance company. the passenger side air bag deployed but the drivers side airbag did not. since the damage to the front end of the car was extensive both air bags should have deployed. i received minor injuries because of the crash, but if i had been traveling at a higher rate of speed my injuries may have been much worse. *nm

2003 volkswagen passat consumer request for early termination of the lease.***no answer required***. *mr the consumer made the request due to the numerous mechanical problems such as a defective purge valve, right front head light, the vehicle overheated and started t o smoke due to a faulty water pump. the brake light would not shut off and the right head light went out for the second time. the brake light switch was replaced. the cruise control would not disengage. the vehicle would not start at times. *jb

A/c doesn't always come one went the engine is started. it blows but not cool air. i can pull back off the highway, shut the engine off and restart and it works fine. i have had it into the dealership repeatedly. the have seen the problem but can't seem to resolve it.*jb

Have owned car about 10 months. bought with warranty intact from a dealer. was driving, going along at 50 mph when car began dramatically slowing down. i had no control over engine speed, and was forced to shift down to avoid stalling. car eventually died and when i tried to restart it, it would attempt to turn over but would then quit suddenly again after just a few seconds. i ended up being towed, and didn't have car for week plus. turned out to be an fuel pump. under warranty, this was free, but had we been just a few thousand miles more we would have had to pay 500 dollars for this repair. i believe it is totally unacceptable for a fuel pump to go at 48,000 miles, and i can see that on this web site alone this is clearly an issue! this same thing happened immediately after we bought the car too but that time it restarted after a few minutes. i feel very, very fortunate that i was not in traffic at either time!*jb

On a cool night about a week ago, i turned on the heating element in my 2003 volkswagen passat gls 1.8t (driver's side seat). after about 30 seconds i felt a sharp burning sensation in my left thigh, and smelled a burning smell. i stopped the car, shut off the seat heater, and when i got out of the car i noticed a small burned hole in the left side of the driver's seat base. the heating element burned through, damaging the seat (and burning my thigh). this is a dangerous problem that needs to be addressed by vw before someone gets seriously hurt! i am making arrangements to have the problem fixed (including a full seat replacement to fix the damaged !). *jb

Have had nothing but problems with this lemon. * 500 miles cruise control fails, has to be replaced. * 16,000 miles ignition coil fails, replaced coil and mass air flow sensor. * 28,000 miles fan in dash diagnosed as faulty and needing to be replaced. parts ordered, never installed. * 40,000 miles oil pump and oil hoses are replaced due to oil pressure failures. car broke down on road. * 44,159 miles oil pressure switch replaced due to oil pressure failures. * 46,000 miles fuel pump failure, replaced under warranty. car broke down on road. volkswagen has a problem with these cars and "oil sludge". vw refuses to fix my car under warranty. last word was "we reserve the right to refuse any warrany claim, regardless of documentation of oil changes." i've talked to several dealerships and it's a #1 problem with these cars comming in for ruined engines and oil sludge. vw is refusing to pay for fixing the problems in most cases. i've got all documentation, original paperwork when purchased, etc. *jb

2003 volkswagen passat sw developed problems rear brake pads and rotors.***no answer required***.*mr the consumer stated 8,493 miles later the brakes began to squeak. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealership where it was discovered the rear brake pads and rotors were damaged again. the head light bulb was replaced.*jb

Drivers seat caught on fire within 30 seconds of starting vehicle, left cigarette size burn hole in seat, drivers pants, and left burn mark on drivers buttocks. *nm

Dt: the consumer stated that on the 2003 volkswagen passat the engine light came on. the consumer took the car to the dealer, and dealer wanted the receipts from the oil changes. the dealer said that there was sludge in the engine. the dealer said that was the consumers problem, and it was the consumer that could not produce the receipts, the consumer had to pay for it. the owner did not fixed the problem. the dealer said that the warranty would be void if they did not have the receipts showing that the oil was changed every 5,000 miles. *ak *nm

Car stopped running while traveling on a busy highway doing 70 mph. towed to vw dealership and fuel pump was replaced. car had 59000 miles on it. *jb

While my husband was driving his 2003 vw passat the engine without warning stalled. he was able to restart it, but 3 miles down the road it died again. he was traveling during rush hour on a busy freeway. we suspect it is a faulty fuel pump. we have read of several others having this problem and i believe this is a huge safety issue as more cars of this year gain more mileage. the car has about 58,000 miles on it. *jb

Brake lights have failed twice. *nm

Vw passat mainly 2003 experience fuel pump failure without any warning . the car becomes unmanageable, shuts down and stops. this could be potentially dangerous in the higher density traffic resulting in property damages and injuries.

1) motorists alert that rear brakle lights do not work. if the rear brake lights do not work, thhis can cause fatal accidents. the repair is to replace the brake light switch.

I purchase a new 2003 volkswagen passat from burlington volkswagen 2 years ago and have taken it back to the dealership at least 7 times since then for a myriad of problems, from airbag lights coming on to check enginge light to the latest of the car shutting off in the middle of the road.

Dt: consumer owned volkswagen passat 2003. the driver's seat would automatically go forward while consumer was driving. consumer was unable to reach seat controls, but later she found that they would not work anyway. the seat motors were replaced twice. the last time was less than six months ago. on july 29, 2005 consumer's vehicle was involved in an accident. the seat pushed consumer into the steering wheel and she was not able to move. then vehicle struck something on the side of vehicle and came to a stop. consumer was able to manually move seat backwards. consumer stated that manufacturer knew about problem. consumer sustained neck injuries, and she was unable to walk with cane because of neck injury. suffered pain in head and shoulders.*ak

No warning before fuel pump failure at 37,000 miles. my wife was stranded and had to get a tow. the part was replaced under warranty and the towing cost is supposed to be reimbursed by vw. i have no complaint against the dealer but a fuel pump failure at 37,000 miles is unacceptable. *jb

I was driving down the highway when all of a sudden my 2003 volkswagen passat engine turned off. the fuel pump had stopped functioning, so the engine was no longer receiving fuel. my car is only 2 years and 3 months old with 60,000 miles. i have talked to numerous other 2003 passat owners who have experienced a similar fuel pump failure. this is a $700 service job. from talking to other 2003 passat owners, this seems like it is a frequent problem that vw should offer to fix. this problem is very dangerous since the car just stops working while you are driving, there is no warning it is going to happen or nothing you can do to prevent it. *jb

The rear window glass fell inside the door while traveling at 80 mph, causing my family to get extremely alarmed. i tried to put it back up via the power window switch on the door but it was incorporative. when i took it to volkswagen, they said a pin holding the window up broke. this is unacceptable as i had an infant next to the window at the time of the incident. because of the infant's location, my wife's purse strap hit him in the face causing mirror injury. *nm

Passat station wagon engine stopped and failed to restart.***no answer required***. *mr the problem was diagnosed as a failed fuel pump. *jb *sc

I was driving my 2003 vw passat down the highway in dallas morning rush hour. i turned my heated seat on and i was forced off the road by an extreme heat on my backside/leg. i did not know if the seat was on fire or what. the seat had melted leather and left a superficial burn on my rear end. the seat will spark and smoke if the heater is turned on. i want out of this lease!!! the car is not safe and upon research this is happening a lot.

Concerns regarding engine failure on the passat station wagon.***no answer required*** *mr the vehicle was in motion when the engine stopped and did not restart. the problem was due to fuel pump failure. the consumer would like to be informed of the number of these failures that have occurred while under warranty. *sc *jb

Noticed rust coming through the upper and lower moldings surrounding front door windows...unit still under warranty, less than 2 yrs off lot, bought brand new...a 2003 vw passat

While cruising on a california highway at 65 mph, the vehicle just died; no lights come on, no drivaility problem or noise before the incident. the vehicle could not be restarted. the fuel tank was about half-full. the dealer work order indicated that the fuel pump was replaced.*ak

I turned on my seat heater one morning, i smelled smoke and the leather seat was smoking. the seat heater malfuntioned and almost burnt me as well. i pulled over and it burnt a hole completely through my leather seat!!!

I have a 2003 volkswagon passot 1.8 turbo and i have had it at the volkswagon dealership 3 times in the past 6 months and it is still there.the light in the car saying stop oil pressure low kept coming on so we had it towed to the dealership now for the second time.and they were the last ones to change the oil. they are refusing to fix the car under warranty. they say i need a new engine because of oil sludge on the engine.i have provided them with all the reciepts stating the car was properly maintained. and they are still refusing to cover it under warranty. they told me there is no other recourse. i don't feel i should have to put out the expense for something that seems to be a problem with this make and model. please help.

1. vehicle began to sputter, emissions light began to flash, then loss of engine power. 2. failure of ignition coils (3) 3. 3 coils being replaced at vw dealership

Seat heater overheated, burning seat cover and driver's leg.*ak

At 35005 miles i was told by vw that i needed rear brakes pads and rotors so i had them installed at 35005 miles. last week with the car at 52275 mile i was again told by vw that my rear brake pads and rotors need to be replaced. i find that 17270 miles is very quick wear for brakes. vw brake pads and rotors should not have to be replaced every 18,000 miles and if they due then there is a design problem.

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat. in the two years i have owned this car i have had it towed to the dealership 5-6 times due to transmission problems. when putting the car in park it kept moving forward. i had to put on the emergency brake to stop the car. luckily, i was in a parking lot, and was going very slow. again, i had a problem with my car not too long after. my car display read stop engine, and the car was overheating. vehicle was towed to the dealership and water pump had to be replaced. another problem involved the brake lights staying on, draining the battery, twice had to have a vehicle towed to the dealership. yesterday, oil light came on, and the display again read stop engine. i had the car towed again. dealership said that unless i have a complete record of my oil change receipts they will not cover it. i have read literally hundreds of complaints with the same problem. what is going on!!! i am fighting with the dealership, and volkswagen corporation to have this problem resolved under warranty. this should be a recall item! help!!!*ak

On april 14, 2005 i was going to work when a warning light came on that said stop. i called commonwealth motors and was told by larry riggins to check the oil level to see if needed to add oil, so i did. that did not resolve problem. i called back the dealer, who gave me the tow number for volkswagen, and said that he would set up an appointment that day. after waiting for two hours we were towed in only to find that they would not even look at car till next day. next day, larry called and said that they needed to pull engine and look at oil pan which could add up to a lot of money. when questioned due to the car's warranty, larry informed me that only if i had all of the maintenance records, including oil changes, volkswagen would not honor the 5 year power train warranty, under 50,000 miles. car has been there for 3 days with no resolution. after researching i found a site called vwlemon.com and discovered that known to volkswagen ,but unbeknownst to me, volkswagen passats with 1.8 turbo engine had a design flaw that caused engine to become clogged with sludge which could completely seize the engine. i was fortunately not on the freeway when this occurred so that i could safely pull over. certainly it was a safety issue and a manufactured design flaw that volkswagen of america will not pay for. *ak

Vehicle is experiencing problem with excessive wear of front brake rotors and pads. both the rotors and the pads had to be replaced on two separate occasions. the first time at 9,000 miles, and now at 17,000 miles. the problems was causing the vehicle to vibrate and make a roaring noise when braking. consumer anticipates the problem may recur again.*ak

A hole was burt into the driver's seat when the seat heater was left on. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Front driver's seat heating devise malfunctioned. the heater burned a hole through the seat, and through my shirt. after 8 weeks, the seat was replaced and a "fix" was done to the passengers side seat. the new seat does not heat well.*ak

Windshield craked repeatedly for no apparent reason. original windshield cracked on the lower left next to passenger side pillar, next windshield cracked almost identically on the driver's side. no evidence of damage caused by stone, etc.*ak

Design defect in brake rotors. *ak

While driving in town with the driver's seat heater on 5, my wife felt a burning sensation on her thigh and burned her finger when she reached down to feel what was happening. she pulled over and found a 2cm hole burned through the leather. when i took the vehicle to herb easley motors (our local vw dealer), the service manager insisted that the burn was from an external source (no one in our family smokes...). he refused to fix the problem (vehicle has 22,000 miles and is under full warrant)y, and he claimed his vw regional representative had told him they would not cover repair of the vehicle. when i contacted vw consumer care, they arranged for me to work with cable volkswagen in oklahoma city. cable told me they have fixed "dozens" of these seats, and they knew exactly where the problem was without my telling them (they also said they have only seen the problem in the driver's seat, which is contrary to what others here are saying...). i had to drive 150 miles for cable vw to inspect and order parts, and we are now awaiting backordered parts for the repair (they've warned me it could take months for the parts because of the volume of repairs being made). vw insists there is nothing they can do to compensate me for having to go to another state to have the problem fixed or the two months of infuriating runaround from herb easley, their authorized service location.*ak

Driving my 2003 vw passat i had the seat warmer on. i simultaneously smelled burning and felt burning in my butt. i turned off the seat warmer immediately. i was on the highway with my wife and 7 year old son. we were near an exit and exited the highway. i pulled to the side of the exit ramp and discovered that the heating element had burned through the seat. the hole was a bit smaller than a dime. the smell was pungent but cleared out when we opened the window.*ak

1. complained to dealership more than once that vehicle stalled, ran rough. dealer could not find problem, unresolved. 2. engine stopped, died, quit running while vehicle in motion. the only reason i was able to safely pull to the side of the road is the vehicle has a manual transmission, i disengaged the drivetrain, and was able to pull off the road without power. 3. vehicle towed to dealership, determined fuel pump failed. replaced fuel pump, do not have old part. *jb

My wife and i had made 2 short drives within the span of about 1/2 hour with the passenger seat heater set at various intervals from 5 (high) to 3 (medium) and then we stopped to eat (~45 minutes). on the trip home, within 2 minutes with the seat heater set to 5, my wife felt a burning sensation on her leg and we smelled some kind of odd odor. she shut the seat heater off and moved off the hot spot. upon further inspection, the cloth seat had been burned through. my wife also had a burn on her leg. the dealership told me that vw has changed manufacturers and will replace the defective seat as the car is under warranty. i asked about the driver's side but because there is not an official recall, they cannot replace it. i'm sure a driver's seat going amok could cause a crash. consequently, even though this was an extra charge item on the car, we'll be afraid to use the seat warmer for fear it too will overheat and burn us. note: not sure if "was there a fire" should be yes. there was no flame but there sure was a burn.*ak

While driving with the seat heater turned on, noticed that the seat became very hot, and it starting feeling like it was burning my legs. smelled smoke, and realized the seat was burning; the seat heater had burned a hole through the fabric of the seat under my legs and was filling the car with smoke. i managed to turn the seat heater off, which stopped the seat from further burning. i called the dealership where i had purchased the vehicle and set up an appointment to have the seat replaced.

While driving 30 mph driver's heated seat burned through the seat and consumer's pants. no injury was reported, and the dealer was notified.*ak

2003 vw passat 1.8t wagon has failed due to sludge. i do not have all of the service records for the car and warranty coverage is denied to the tune of $10,217.00. i've done some research on this problem, and feel that the defect is with the engine, not with my treatment of the vehicle. the car was running fine with no noise when the "oil pressure! stop!" light came on, and ran fine when i drove it to the dealership, only now they tell me the engine is 'locked up' and wil have to be replaced along with the oil pump, the turbo unit, etc etc. since the car was on the interstate when the light popped on, and presumably could have 'locked up' at 70 mph, this is, indeed, a safety issue.*ak

I have a 2003 vw passat sw. about a year after i bought it i noticed when it started to get cold in the winter the right front suspension would make noises as if something was grinding or broke in the suspension. i brought the car to victory vw in harrisburg, pa in the late fall/early winter of 03'. they ended up changing the control arms that time i believe. well, this year when it started getting cold the noises came back. i have had the car in the same dealership twice to have the problem checked out. both times the car has been in the shop the air temp has been too warm for the noises to be reproduced. i've looked around the internet on various vw blogs and found that there are others also having problems with their right front suspension as i am. i also found that some are having problems with front suspension in general. my dilemma is that this car is getting ready to go out of warranty in about a thousand miles and i don't feel it's my responsibility to fix this problem when it has been fixed by vw in the past and will probably need to be fixed again in the future. any help you can give on this issue is appreciated.

Consumer disappointed in the quality and performance with braking system on 2003 passat. *bf the problem was with the front brake pads and rotors. there was also grinding in the rear brakes. the right headlight had gone out twice. *sc *jb

While driving 25-30 mph the heater in the driver seat over heated and burned a hole through the seat and the consumers wool coat. the dealer and the manufacturer were both notified. *jb seat cover and element had to be replaced. *tt

This vehicle had been to the dealer on numerous occasions for replacement of the windshield. driver informed the mechanic that this problem was still not resolved at this time. the windshield cracked repeatedly, and was replaced. but, the problem recurred. *ak

The oil light came on. consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, who wanted $11,000.00 to replace an engine for oil sludge.*ak consumer stated that vw has clearly admitted to the sludge problem. article attach from volkswagen to work with dealers to improve guidelines for sludge repairs. *bf *nm

I own a 2003 passat gls with about 40,000 miles on it. a few days ago, the oil pressure light came on advising that i stop driving the car. as i was just pulling into parking lot of my work, i parked the car and had it towed. the first thing the mechanic from vw told me was my warranty would not be honored without proof of all my service records from vw. i do have the oil changed regularly but not always at 4,999 miles. i have moved and have had the oil changed at different places and have had trouble getting all my records. after several conversations in which i was t old mulitple things about what caused the light to come on, i received a call saying that my engine was scorched and needed to be replaced at the cost of $11,000. i could not produce all oil changes done to the car in the almost two years i woned it and vw would not honor my warranty even though i paid for extended coverage. the mechanic at vw said it is rare that anyone can produce all records and this is a common problem due to lack of precise maintenance. i have not had an new engine put in the car as the car isn't even worth the cost of the engine. i am looking into the possibility of rebulit engine. *ak

Seat caught fire due to heating element inside seat. my wife was in the car when i left to go to an atm and she swatted out the flame coming from the drivers side seat. the seat heater was left on position 3 of 5 for less than 5 minutes when the incident occurred. *jb

2003 volkswagen passat 1.8l turbo 30000 miles, "oil pressure" indicator lighted, immediately stopped vehicle. after towing to dealership, was informed that the engine was "full of sludge" and that warranty would not cover unless i had proof of *every single oilchange* with vw synthetic oil. oil changes have been regular in the vehicle, however i lack proof of every single one. again, odometer only 30000 miles. research leads me to believe this is a common problem with vw/audi 1.8l engines between 1998 and 2004.*ak

While driving the car we noticed a faint burning smell after a short ride. the next morning i went to clean snow off of the car and noticed a burn hole about 1/2" in diameter in the seat. i turned the car on and began cleaning the snow off the car and called my fiancÉ to see what happened. with in 2 minutes there was smoke in the car, sparks and small flames coming out of the hole in the seat. when turning off the heated seats the melting and smoking subsided leaving a hole (about 1" diameter) through the driver's seat. (later found a hole hole in the clothing that was worn the night before) vehicle had less than 20k miles, so the malfunction is covered in full by the warrantee. after calling the dealership the mentioned that this is a common problem and they have had a lot of calls regarding the same thing. they told us we would have to wait aprox 1 month before they would take the car. as a remedy the mentioned that they would replace the seat cover.*ak

Vw passat - brake rotors warp, causing dangerous braking situation. this is a common problem known by vw, and complained of by thousands of passat owners (many, many sites and complaints on the internet, and mechanics). vw refuses to fix this problem. *jb

I was stopped at a light with several cars in front of me. when the light changed and the car ahead of me moved and was about 15 feet in front i took my foot of the brake and the car accelerated forward with out me touching the gas pedal. i was startled and i slammed on the brakes. the car did not slow down at all and only the rear end of the car in front of me stopped my car. i looked down at my foot to make sure i had hit the brakes and not the accelerator. my foot was squarely in the middle of the brake pedal. normally when the brakes are hit hard the front end of the car dips and the sudden stopping of the car jerks the driver forward. none of this happened until my car hit the car in front of me. *jb

Seat heater in 2003 vw passat was turned on. approx. 3 minutes later the heater burned my jeans, and my skin. i looked down to see what was happening and saw smoke coming out of my seat. i turned the seat heater off and extinguished the smoldering seat. went to vw dealership and they had to order the part b/c there are none available in the us right now. *jb

Drivers heated seat caught on fire. *ak

Driving with my driver side seat heater on - smell a burning - feel the seat - quick burn to my hand - seat heater burnt hole through leather seat - immediately shut-down heater. *ak

Driver seat fire. remember firestone, luckily i was not on the highway because it may have caused me to crash into another car and kill someone else or someone in my family as the electric shock from the seat was unbearable - let alone my left pant leg burn through to my skin. it blows me away that vw has not recalled all vehicles with same heating elements. should this occur to an elderly person things may not turn out so successfully. please publish immediately! thank you. david m. gilblair sr. *jb

While driving the vehicle i noticed a burning smell and felt a stinging sensation in the rear of my left thigh. i touched the seat and found it had become very hot c in one spot and immediately turned off the seat heater which had been set on "5". upon arriving home i found the heater had burned a hole through the leather seat. car is under warranty and dealer said new seat cover and padding will be ordered for replacement. *jb

Driver's side heated seat burned through seat cushioning, through leather covering, through pants pocket, and through wallet contained in the pocket. hole in the seat 2-3 inches deep and 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter. hole in pants was 1/2 inch in diameter, leaving burn mark. the seat heating mechanism had been turned on high. smoldered, but no open fire. *jb

Seat warmer on my 2003 vw passat burned through the leather seat (drivers side), burned through my pants and left a mark on my skin. *jb

Consumer smelled an odor in the vehicle. consumer asked her spouse to check it out. consumer turned seat heater on and the seat started to burn. the seat slightly scorched the consumer.*ak the passengers coat was burned by the seat. *tc

Heated velour seats caught fire and burned small hole in seat. *nm

Engine sludge in 2003 vw passat. engine is shot. vw customer service agent told me he personally gets 3 to 5 calls a day on this issue. vw won't pay unless you produce every service receipt. vw dealers via vw directive now only use synthetic oil for oil changes on the 1.8 liter passat engine. its a passat not a ferrari. this is clearly an indication of a design flaw. *nm

I am currently having an issue with a 2003 vw passat. after 27,000 miles, the engine and possible the turbo has gone, and the dealer is saying that the repairs will cost 9,000 dollars. volks wagen has had an oil sludge problem with this year of passats that typically results in this problem, even after suggested maintenance. volkswagen issued a notice to their customers of this problem about 3 months ago, and also recommended that their drivers change the oil to a synthetic oil. i have been changing my oil at the recommended 5,000 mile increments, although using a non-synthetic brand of oil. i am now having a very hard time coming up with my oil change receipts. i can prove that i changed the oil 3 times although i need to prove i changed it 5 times for the warranty to kick in. even after changing the oil at the required increments my engine is gone due to a known problem that vw is not taking responsibility for. i am extremely frustrated and angry at the service that i am currently receiving and would like to take action on this matter ? as i am currently sitting with a 9,000 bill for a problem that vw has admitted to, although will not take responsibility for.*ak

Heated seats overheated and burned a hole (about 1/4" diameter) through the driver's seat. vehicle had 23k miles, so the malfunction was covered in full by the warrantee. the dealer replaced the heating coils and seat cover. old part is not available.

I have owned my passat for 17 months, i have replaced tires twice, and have had a total of three flat tires, two of which were the r rear. i read other complaints in regards to the r rear tire. notified my dealer, they wouldn't do anything, stated that i would have to contact the tire company. well, two different brand tires, and still the same problems. *jb

The heater in the driver seat over heated and burned through the seat and the consumer's pants while the vehicle was at a stop position. the dealer was notified. *nm *sc *jb

New '03 passat purchased in dec. '02. feb. '03 i noticed difficulty with steering when the wheel was turned to the extreme left or right. after several trips to the dealership in which power steering fluid was found to be low and refilled, it was determined that the power steering rack needed to be replaced. in mar '03, the power steering rack was replaced by volkswagen under warranty. nov. '04, i again noticed difficulty with the steering in extreme left or right wheel positions. dec. '04, vw determines that the power steering rack again needs to be replaced. they claim that there is no larger problem with the car leading to repeated failure of the power steering rack. likewise, they insist that there is no intrinsic problem with vw power steering racks. however, i find it difficult to believe that two power steering racks from vw placed in the same car in a two year period just happened to be faulty. *jb

The vehicle 1.8l engine sized while driving 60 mph. vehicle was tow to the dealer. dealer informed the consumer that the cause of the problem was engine sludge build up. *nm

While driving 40 mph consumer noticed that the passenger's heated seat burned. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and pulled over. consumer extinguished the fire by turning off the heated seat. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that passenger's seat needed to be replaced. *ak

Consumer stated vehicle had a sludge build up which was causing the vehicle to stall. consumer contacted the manufacturer, and said that the manufacturer was aware of the problem. however, blamed consumer for this defect. *ak

Seat heater was on high when i felt my bottom heating up and when i lifted my bottom off of the seat the car filled with smoke. i drove straight to the dealership (luckily under warranty) and sure enouch there was a burn in my leather seats. they are ordering me a new seat heater!! didn't seem to mind the fact that i was burned.*ak

Seat heater burned through the fabric, burning the driver on the leg. consumer had to pull over to pour water on it since smoke and sparks were on it. consumer will contact dealer for repairs.*ak

The vehicle's engine oil pressure warning light illuminated occasionally. *nm *sc

After rainy days my 2003 passat wagon (4 motion) has 1 -2 inches of water on floor of the front passenger side. this has now been to the dealer twice (i just took it back today) - the first time they told us that it was a drain problem from the sun roof that was clogged. the carpet smells and i am afraid that the electric seats will soon short out.*ak

2003 vw passat; heated seat burned through cushion and started smoldering. dealer replaced seat. said there was a short in the heating element.*ak

8/01/03 - car inspected and told had proper j ignition coils installed 8/18/03 - car again inspected and told had proper j ignition coils installed 11/18/03 - coil ignition recall was performed on the car for a 3rd time. after all three attempts of checking the ignition coils they yet failed again. this is the 12 coil i have had replaced on a volkswagen in 2 years. *jb

While driving driver's seat warmer burned through the seat and started to burn the consumer's clothing.*ak

1.) driver's seat heater was activiated. 2.) driver's seat heater burned through seat leather and scorched driver's pants 3.) dealer contacted, appointment set for warranty evaluation. dealer stated "we've had a few of these occur.*ak

I am a school teacher and was on my way to work on tuesday october 19, 2004 at approximately 7:30 a.m. i was smelling a strong smoke odor as i started driving and as i continued to drive i looked over to my passenger seat and there was smoke smoldering through the seat. as i noticed this happening to the car, i turned off the passenger heated seat (and thankfully no one was in it). no one was injured! within minutes my car stalled on a major expressway and i was stranded. nothing has been done yet with my vehicle. i have been without a vehicle for almost two entire weeks. it's very unfair that a vehicle under two years has failed in this way. this situation was very unsafe. nothing has been done to provide complete coverage of my car. i'm waiting to hear from volkswagen. *ak

While starting the vehicle it caught on fire under the hood. local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. dealer was not notified. *ak

Problems with engine shut down on 2003 volkswagen passat. *mr there was a problem with the odometer reading. the ecp light would constantly come on, the engine would go out intermittently, and there was rough idling. *sc *jb

I wanted to note that on october 1st, my heated seat on my 2003 volkswagenw passat malfunctioned. it actually burned through the seat, filled my car with smoke, and left me with a small burn on my thigh. luckily, i am fine. but, this should never have happened, and i was lucky i wasn't driving down the highway at a high rate of speed. feel free to contact me if you need further information.*ak

Rear brake pads and disks worn out after 19000 miles. the front brakes are within spec. dealer states it's normal for passat, i don't think it's true. the front brakes are usually the first to engage, if needs a harder braking - then the rear brakes become active! did the vw re-invent the wheel??? obviously there is a design flaw or manufacturing defect. i've had japanese and american cars before - usually you have to service the rear brakes around 50k miles! as for the dealer - the service manager in this case - he conveyed some kind of nonsense just to get rid of me. *nm

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat with heated leather seats. i turned the seat heaters on this morning when i was going to work and they started to burn my back side. they burnt throuigh the leather. they did turn off but if they didn't i would have had a car fire. i called hobart's volkswagen in warrington, pa and they said there was no recall on these seats. they are taking the car in this afternoon and will repair it. this is a very dangerous problem if it is widespread! sincerely, mike and marta grothman newtown, pa. *ak

2003 volkswagen passat station wagon, vin no. [xxx]; hile driving in greensboro nc near the intersection of elm, mcgee and gorrell streets i misjudged a curve and scraped the right side wheels against a curb. both tires sustained sidewall damage. there was no contact with the body or undercarraige of the car. the two right side wheels sustained minor cosmetic damage only and the impact was insufficient to affect the alignment of the automobile. the automobile continued forward through the curve and there was no loss of control from the impact. however, upon contact with the curb the right side curtain and side impact airbags fired unnecessarily. but for the firing of the airbags this would have been a minor event with only tire damage to be repaired. fortunately, the passenger seat was unoccupied or the occupant could have been injured. i have photographs of the tires and wheels. i believe the autmobile contains a significant defect causing the side airbag system to deploy when not needed for occupant protection (ie - in the absence of any contact with the structure of the car), and in circumstances part of ordinary driving - the impact with the curb was less than that experienced with some potholes. thus far, vw has refused to take any responsibility for correction of this defect.*ak the automobile has not yet been repaied, and presumably, event data is still stored in the control module. updated 07/24/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

In follow up to reading an article about "oil sludge" problems in vw's. i have recently had my engine replaced on a 2003 vw 1.8 liter turbocharged passat. the engine seized due to oil sludge problems. the engine was replaced approximately 2 months ago. the vehicle had 36,000 miles and was properly maintained. *ak

While driving at low speeds, the vehicle stalled. the dealership informed the consumer that the problem pertained to the engine cylinder. *ak the vehicle stalled at the stop sign 3-4 times. the ignition coil was replaced but the vehicle stalled the next day. the vehicle was towed and the ec module/fuel pump relay was replaced. *sc *jb

We purchased a new volkswagen passat station wagon from livonia volkswagen autoplex (now thayer automotive livonia, inc.) in july, 2003. at 18,500 miles, the car developed a rattle in the under carriage and the brakes were squeaky. we took it to the dealer and their service department stated that the car has aftermarket brakes that fit differently from vw brakes, hence the rattle. however, these are the brakes that were on the car when they sold it to us. we have contacted vw of america customer service on three occasions regarding this issue. they contacted the dealership and were told by the service dept. that the brake pads appeared "too new" to have 18,500 miles on them (implying that we have had the brakes replaced). based on this, vw of america states they will not authorize vw brakes to be put on the car. we have not had the brakes on this car replaced or serviced in any way, and have never had the car serviced anywhere but this dealership. incidentally, the day after the 10,000 mile service, the windshield fluid reservoir was empty, and the day after the brake inspection a hubcap flew off. this may speak to the skill and integrity of this service department. we filed a complaint with the michigan department of state bureau of regulatory services who state that this matter was not in their jurisdiction because the dealership is no longer licensed by the state, and suggested we contact you. we bought this car in good faith, assuming, of course, that it was made of all vw parts. apparently it is not. currently, our new car has squeaky brakes, an increasingly loud rattle in the undercarriage, and a missing hubcap. vw of america will not help us. the sales manager and owner of the dealership do not return our calls. we would like vw brakes on our vw car, assurance that everything else on the car is, in fact, a vw product, and a hubcap replaced. a family who buys a new car about once every twelve years would appreciate help. *jb