2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

IN DECEMBER OF 04 THE DRIVERS SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLX. I HAD THE HEATED SEAT ON WHEN I NOTICED THE SEAT WAS GETTING EXTREMLY HOT AND STARTED SMOKING. I WAS ON A BUSY FOUR LANE ROAD AND UNABLE TO PULL OVER AT THE TIME. ONCE I DID PULL OVER I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE. I HAD MANAGED TO BURN THE TIPS OF MY FINGERS AND MY "REAR END". VW REPLACED THE SEAT UNDER WARRANTY AFTER I WAITED ALMOST A MONTH FOR THE SEAT TO COME IN. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS VERY IRATE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT "I WAS OVER REACTING". I CALLED VWOA AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM BUT THEY TOO DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. I DID MY OWN LITTLE RESEARCH AND WAS ABLE TO COME UP WITH A COUPLE HUNDRED OTHER CASES OF SEATS CATCHING ON FIRE IN VOLKSWAGENS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND VOLKWAGEN DOESNT SEEM TO CARE, SOMEONE CAN GET SERIOUSLY INJURED IF NOT KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM.*AK

1. ACCIDENT WHERE THE CAR WAS STRUCK AT 90DEG BETWEEN DRIVER DOOR AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR BY PICK UP TRUCK 2. SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY 3. DEALER DID NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED, MANUFACTURER IGNORED THE ISSUE, STATING THAT THE AIR BAGS DO NOT DEPLOY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. *JB

SEAT HEATER ON DRIVER'S SIDE BECAME VERY HOT IN ONE SPOT, STARTED TO SMELL AND SMOKE AND BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT MATERIAL, MY JACKET AND TO MY LEG (NO BURN TO SKIN NOTED).*AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH FRONT RIGHT AND REAR RIGHT WINDOW'S FELL DOWN WITHOUT WARNING.DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPING.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WHEN THE WEATHER IS AROUND 5 DEGREES, THE FUEL GELS AND THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. THE CONSUMER HAS OUT IN DUEL ADDITIVES BUT THAT HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *TT *NM

MY JETTA'S SEAT HEATER HAS SHORTED OUT AND BURNED THROUGH THE COVER. VOLKSWAGENS REPLY IS THAT THERE ARE NO REPLACEMENTS SEAT COVERS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, AND THAT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY WILL GET SOME. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM REGULARLY SINCE MID-DECEMBER, AND THE HOLE WITH EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRING HAS BEEN THERE SINCE THEN. THE ONLY RESPONSE THAT VW GIVES, WHEN TOLD ABOUT SMOKE AND SPARKS SHOOTING THROUGH THE HOLE BURNED IN THEIR SEAT, IS TO SHUT IT OFF; THE SMOKE SHOULD STOP. THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN NEW SEATS COVERS WILL ARRIVE, BUT CLAIM THAT EVENTUALLY THERE WILL BE . THE VEHICLE IS LEASED AND UNDER WARRANTY. *NM

IN JUNE 2004, I WAS DRIVING DOWN JOPLIN RD NEAR QUANTICO, VA AND DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. WHILE ITS A WINDING ROAD, I DIDN'T FEEL ANY IMPACT. THE DEALER SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, SOMETHING HIT THE INSIDE OF THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TELLING THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. THEY SAID MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL HAVE TO COVER THE AIRBAG/SEAT REPLACEMENT (ABOUT $2500). THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AN AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN THIS VEHICLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. (NOTE: I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THIS COMPLAINT IN JULY 2004 BUT HAD INCLUDED BOTH INCIDENTS IN ONE COMPLAINT.)*JB

THE DRIVER WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN OUT OF THE PARKING LOT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY THE OWNER. *JB

ON MONDAY MORNING I NOTICED THAT MY SEAT WARMER WAS BURNING THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BUTT. I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING AT THAT TIME. ON TUESDAY MORNING, MY SEAT WAS SMOKING AND IT BURNED A WHOLE IN MY LEATHER. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD SEEN A COUPLE OF THESE INCIDENTS. SAID I WOULD NEED TO BRING MY CAR IN AND LEAVE IT OR WAIT 45+ MINUTES FOR THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I COMPLAINED THAT I CAN'T MISS WORK, AND I NEED A CAR THAT I CAN RELY ON TO GET ME BACK AND FORTH. I ASKED FOR A LOANER FOR THE DAY, TO WHICH THEY RESPONDED NO. AT THIS TIME, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, AND I AM STILL DRIVING WITH A DEFECTIVE SEAT WARMER. *NM

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED WILE SET TO LEVEL (2) TWO. RESULTS WERE BURN HOLE TO SEAT, SMOKE ERUPTING FORM SEAT, BURN TO DRIVER?S JEANS, PAIN AND DISCOMFORT TO DRIVER THIS WAS DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION ON PUBLIC STREETS. *JB