2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

2003 VW JETTA FRONT PASSENGER HEATING ELEMENT (HEATED SEATS) FAILURE; FIRE BURNED THROUGH SEAT FABRIC. *JB

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN SUDDENLY THE PASSENGER FELT HEAT COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE SEAT STARTED TO BURN. CONUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TOWED.*AK

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. WHEN THE CAR WAS IDLING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO FAIRFAX VOLKSWAGEN IN FAIRFAX, VA TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED OUT. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE IGNITION COILS, WHICH HAD BEEN OUT FOR OVER A YEAR. I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE RECALL -- EVEN AFTER I TOOK THE JETTA TO STOHLMAN VW FOR SERVICE ON MY AUDIO SPEAKERS IN THE FALL OF 2004. THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. FAIRFAX VW TOLD ME THAT CHECKING FOR RECALLS IS THEIR FIRST PRIORITY, AND THAT IS HOW THE RECALL WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH STOHLMAN, AND THE SERVICE, OR LACK THEREOF, I RECEIVED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH HEATER IN THE DRIVER SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SEAT. CONSUMER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH HER HAND. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO ORDERED A NEW SEAT.*AK

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HAD JUST CUT ON MY HEATED SEATS IN MY 2003 VOLKSWAGON JETTA AND NOTICED THAT MY SEAT WAS GETTING VERY HOT ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. I COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT AND COULD NOT SEE B/C IT WAS DARK. I STARTED FILLING AROUND IN MY SEAT AND FELT A WHOLE AND IT BURNED MY FINGER. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS. I STARTED SMELLING SMOKE AND SO I TURNED ON MY LIGHT IN MY CAR AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. MY SEAT STARTED SMOKING OUT OF THE WHOLE. I TRIED TO SEE CLOSER WHAT WAS GOING ON AND NOTICED SPARKS COMING OUT OF THE WHOLE. THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK OF AT THAT MOMENT WAS MY HEATED SEATS. I TURNED THEM OFF AND THE SPARKS WENT AWAY. I NOW HAVE A WHOLE IN MY SEAT THE SIZE OF A NICKEL. IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I AM TAKING IT IN ON MONDAY, HOWEVER AFTER READING MANY WEBSITES ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM IN 2002/2003 JETTA'S I AM NOT SO SURE THAT VOLKSWAGEN WILL STAND BEHIND THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THEY TRY AND BLAME IT ON THE DRIVER MESSING AROUND WITH THE GRID WHICH IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE. I AM WRITING IN ADVANCE AND CALLING AS WELL SO IT IS ON FILE THAT THIS HAPPENED. I FOUND THE COIL IN THE SEAT THAT WAS NOT PROTECTED BY ANYTHING AND LOOKS TO BE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE SPARKS IN MY SEAT. *JB

A HOLE WAS BURNT INTO MY VELOUR DRIVER SEAT FROM THE SEAT HEATER ON MY 2003 DIESEL JETTA. I CANNOT USE THE SEAT HEATER AS IT CONTINUES TO PRODUCE A BURNING SMELL WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON. *AK

WHILE DRIVING SEAT HEATER STARTED TO BURN. CONSUMER FELT THE HEAT THROUGH HER COAT. PULLED OVER AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE LEATHER SEAT WAS MELTED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

I HAVE A 2003 VW JETTA TDI. AT 29,000 MILES THE CLUTCH FAILED IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY IN A BLIZZARD. THE VW DEALER HAS NOT GIVEN ME ANY INFORMATION OTHER THAN THE CLUTCH FAILED DUE TO MY DRIVING AND THAT IT WILL COST $2000. I HAVE DRIVEN A JEEP WRANGLER OVER 100000 AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH. MY FAMILY AND I WERE IN DANGER IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE 70 FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IN ADDITION TO CALLING THE VW DEALER, I ALSO SPOKE WITH 2 CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WHO TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAD THE CAR IN 2 WEEKS AGO FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM AND THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME THAT MY CLUTCH WAS NOT FUNTIONING PROPERLY. VW SOLD ME THE CAR BASED ON QUALITY AND RELIABLITY IN BAD WEATHER. THEY CERTAINTLY CANNOT BACK WHAT THEY ARE MARKETING TO CONSUMERS. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE AS THIS. I WILL BE SEEKING LEGAL ACTION IF I AM NOT REMIBURSED FOR MY TROUBLES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. *AK VW SUGGESTED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE AIR BAGS UPON INSPECTION. *SC

WE PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2003 VW JETTA IN JUNE OF 2003. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL YESTERDAY, 11/28/04. WE COULD SMELL SOMETHING "HOT" AND BURNING. THE DRIVERS SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE HEATED SEATS, THERE IS A HOLE IN THE SEAT AND MY BOYFRIEND BURNT HIS HAND. WITHIN MINUTES OF THAT HAPPENING, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WINDOW JUST FELL DOWN. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. SOMEHOW, THE WINDOW IS NO LONGER IN IT'S TRACK. I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FINDING MANY MORE INSTANCES WITH THE WINDOWS FALLING AND THE SEATS CATCHING ON FIRE? WHAT IS THE DEAL? THIS IS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE MY APPOINTMENT TOMORROW WITH OUR LOCAL VW DEALER IN ERIE PA TO SEE WHAT THEY WILL DO TO CORRECT THIS. I WANT BOTH SEATS LOOKED AT....I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY CAR ANY LONGER!!!*AK