2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

MY 2003 JETTA DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT IS FAILING. THE PROBLEM STARTED IN JANUARY 2011. THE DRIVER SIDE HEATER COIL WAS RECALLED BACK IN 2007 AND HAD BEEN REPLACED THROUGH THE RECALL, HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT PART IS FAULTY AS WELL. THIS TIME, THE HEATER COIL HAS BURNED THE LEATHER SEAT AND BURNED A HOLE IN MY NORTH FACE DOWN COAT. LUCKILY THE COAT IS THICK SO I DID NOT GET BADLY BURNED. I HAD CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN DIRECTLY AFTER THIS ASSUMING THEY WOULD REPLACE THE HEATED SEAT COIL SINCE THE INITIAL REPLACEMENT FROM THE RECALL WAS BAD, THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL AND SAID THE CAR WAS PAST WARRANTY. WHICH IT WAS BY ABOUT 3 MONTHS. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE SITUATION OF A PRIOR RECALL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE PART WITH ANOTHER BAD PART, I EXPECTED MORE FROM THE COMPANY. I THEN WENT TO MY DEALER WHO CHARGED ME $120 "DIAGNOSTIC FEE" TO TELL ME THE HEAT SEATER IS FAULTY. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH VOLKSWAGEN. A SECOND CALL AND EMAIL TO VOLKSWAGEN LEAD NO WHERE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS ISSUE AND REPLACEMENT OF ONE BAD PART WITH ANOTHER BAD PART IS NOT RESPONSIBLE. I SEE THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS AND INVESTIGATIONS ACTIVE ON THIS SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR CAR. I WOULD LIKE A CREDIT FOR MY DIAGNOSTIC FEE WHICH ANYONE COULD SEE WAS A FAULTY SEAT BASED ON THE BURN, AND I EXPECT VOLKSWAGEN TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT SEAT COVER AND PAD AND BOLSTER HEATERS AS THE SEAT IS NOT USABLE AS IS AND IF IT IS USED CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TT

RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE, OIL PUMP WAS NOT PUMPING OIL AND CAMSHAFT CHAIN TENSIONER (TIMING BELT) RATTLING FROM LACK OF OIL. I WAS INFORMED I NEEDED TO REPLACE ENGINE DUE TO METAL PARTICLES AND CARBON IN THE OIL PAN.

I WAS DRIVING UP OLNEY ST. IN PROVIDENCE, RI WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WITHOUT NOTICE THE SIDE AIRBAG CURTAIN AND WAIST SIDE SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT AND IMPACT. *TR

2003 VW JETTA TDI SPONTANEOUS/UNINTENDED PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG (SEAT) AND SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG (WINDOW) DEPLOYMENT. WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY S880 HAYWARD,CA AT 65MPH ON MAR 01 2011. PASSENGER SIDE, SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, IMPACT WITH ROAD DEBRIS OR ROUGH PAVEMENT INVOLVED. IT WILL BE REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. SEEKING REPAIR EARS RINGING, SMOKE, ENGINE SHUT OFF COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD AIR OUT SMOKE AND ENGINE WAS ABLE TO START. STOPPED ONE MILE DOWN ROAD AND REPORT TO CHP ON SIDE OF ROAD AT A STREET. THIS HAPPENED AT 9:25PM ON MY WAY TO WORK. *TR

2003 VOLKS JETTA PASSENGER SIDE HEATED SEAT STOPPED WORKING, AND THE DRIVER SIDE ONLY HAS TWO POSTIONS...BURN YOUR BUTT OR OFF. COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION HAD I BEEN ON A HWY AT HWY SPEEDS. *LN

MY SEAT HEATER FAILED IN MY 2003 VW JETTA, BURNING A HOLE IN THE SEAT UNDER MY LEFT [XXX]. I WAS STARTLED WHEN SUDDENLY THERE A STRONG BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR, THEN A HOT SPOT IN THE SEAT OCCURRED WHICH CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO QUICKLY SHIFT MY SEATING POSTING AND I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY IN THE CITY AND ABLE TO PULL IN THE IN A PARKING SPOT QUICKLY AND THE SEAT OR MY CLOTHING DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. THE SEAT WAS SET TO 3 ON A SCALE OF 1-5. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 125K MILES ON IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *LN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITATING. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL OVER AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE VEHICLE HIT A BOULDER AND FLIPPED OVER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERAL BRUISES. A PASSENGER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED WRIST AND ANKLE, SEAT BELT RASH, AND BRUISING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

DRIVER STARTED FROM A STOPPED POSITION, RAN OVER CURB BETWEEN 5-10 MPH, SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR

HEATED SEATS MELTED A HOLE IN THE LEATHER AND BURNED MY BUTT. VERY VERY HOT. IT SMELTED LIKE BURNT RUBBER AND SMOKE INSIDE THE CAR. *TR