2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE IGNITION COIL FAILED AND WILL MAKE THE REPAIR AT THE COST OF $250. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY TRADED IN HIS VOLKSWAGEN JETTA DUE TO THE IDENTICAL COIL FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 55,000.

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.