2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

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

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