2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

AFTER REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP (UNDER RECALL) ON MY 2003 VW PASSAT IN OCTOBER, 2007, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A PERIODIC GAS LEAK FROM AROUND THE GAS TANK. IN DECEMBER, 2007, I HAD A LOCAL MECHANIC INVESTIGATE AND HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. MY TANK LEAKED AGAIN LAST WEEK. *TR

THE SEAT HEATER IN MY 2003 PASSAT GLS BURNT MY LEG ON THE LOWEST SETTING. IT ALSO MELTING A HOLE IN THE CLOTH INTERIOR AND DISCOLORED OTHER SPOTS. AT THIS POINT IT HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED SO THE SEAT IS AVAILABLE TO LOOK AT. *TR

DEFECT WITH THE DRIVER SIDE HEATING COIL IN THE SEAT - TODAY DURING A 5 MINUTE DRIVE I BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING ON THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR AND FELT A BURNING SENSATION ON MY LEG. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF TO INVESTIGATE. UPON EXISTING THE VEHICLE I SAW BURNING EMBERS ON THE SEAT AND A 1/4" HOLE. I WAS FORCED TO SMOTHER OUT THE FIRE. I HAVE SINCE TURNED OFF THE HEATERS AND REFUSE TO USE THEM UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS RECTIFIED. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2003 PASSAT AND HAVE BEEN IN FOR TWO COILS, ENGINE LIGHT, BACK HATCH LOCK BROKEN, FUEL PUMP BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE THUS FAR WAS WHEN I TOLD THEM MY OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON TWO DAYS PRIOR AND THEY TOLD ME IT WILL COST 4000.00 TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE ENGINE IS FULL OF SLUDGE. I WOULD PRODUCE RECEIPTS FOR SERVICES THAT I ACTUALLY DO REGULARLY EVERY 3-4 THOS. MILES OR THREE MONTHS. HOWEVER THEY INFORMED ME FROM VW OF AMERICA THAT 99% OF THE PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE THEIR RECEIPTS DON'T MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF THE MILEAGE OF THE SERVICES. THEY STATE THAT IT MUST BE DONE PRIOR TO 5 THOS. MILES BUT THE BOOK STATES EVERY 7 THOS. MILES FOR SERVICES TO BE DONE. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THEY DIDN'T TELL ME THAT I SHOULD USE THE EXPENSIVE FILTERS/AND SYNTHETIC OILS WHEN SERVICING THE CAR. IS EVERYONE '!@#$% OUT OF LUCK ON THEM COVERING THIS. AND ONCE DONE WHAT PREVENTS IT FROM DOING IT AGAIN? I AM GETTING RID OF THIS ASAP AND NEVER BUYING ANOTHER VW EVER! I WILL SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT BUYING A VW TO EVERYONE I KNOW. *TR

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ONE AFTERNOON, I NOTICED MY ENGINE SEEMED TO BE SHAKING SLIGHTLY. I PULLED OVER AND EVEN IN PARK, I COULD FEEL THE MOMENTUM OF SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE CAUSING MY CAR TO SHAKE. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME, MY ENGINE LIGHT HAD TURNED ON. I BROUGHT IT TO A VW DEALER AND UPON INSPECTION THEY FOUND THAT MY IGNITION COILS NEEDED REPLACING. UPON SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND SEVERAL PRESS RELEASES ABOUT ISSUES WITH THE VW IGNITION COILS, AND PENDING DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS RELATING TO THE COILS AND FIRES RESULTING. I AM THANKFUL THAT I DID NOT FIND MYSELF IN THIS SITUATION BUT I AM SURE THAT IF I HAD NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE HAD A FAR WORSE OUTCOME. I AM NOW DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR

MY 2003 VW PASSAT HAS SHOWN CASES OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOLLOWING A RECENT RAIN STORM. THE REAR PASSENGER FOOTWELL COLLECTED WATER AND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT NORMALLY. THE CAR WOULD NOT UPSHIFT AND SLAMMED INTO GEAR FROM PARK. I'M NOW UNABLE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF NEUTRAL AND CAN'T REMOVE THE KEY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY AND SMOKE BEGAN EMANATING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SHE PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EMISSION COILER, AND OXYGEN SENSORS FAILED. ALL OF THE REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CONTACT FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,000.

I HAVE A 2003 PASSAT V6 IN WHICH THERE IS A LEAK THROUGH THE POLLEN FILTER BECAUSE OF FAULTY DESIGN. EVERY TIME IT RAINS OR SNOWS IN THE NORTHEAST WATER GETS THROUGH THE FAULTY SEAL AND IS ACCUMULATING IN THE PASSENGER REAR AND FRONT SEAT. THE WATER ACCUMULATION HAS CAUSED THE TCM TO WORK IMPROPERLY AND MAY MALFUNCTION. WITH OUT THE USE OF A TCM THAT WORKS PROPERLY THE CAR MAY SHUTDOWN OR MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS A PROBLEM VW KNOWS ABOUT AND HAS IN FACT ISSUED A RECALL ON THE 2002 MODEL. THIS IS AN ISSUE ON ALL B5 PASSAT MODELS. PLEASE HELP ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS MATTER. THANKS STEVE *TR

CAR MAKES JUMP WHEN SLOWING DOWN LOOKS LIKE TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER FOUR TIMES I TOOK THE CAR FOR CHECK UP IN NORTHEAST WV OUTLET IN PHILADELPHIA,PA PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY, IGNITION COILS RESET COMPUTER AND SO AND SO BUT LOOKS LIKE THEY CAN'T SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR ,AND THIS SCARES HER, SHE GETS NERVOUS AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I'VE SPENT OVER $8000 TOWARDS VW DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTS AT FIXING THE HORN, RADIO, HOMELINK, CLIMATE CONTROL (A/C AND HEAT) REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, HEATED SEATS, DASHBOARD PANEL LIGHTS, AND DEFROSTER FLAP. VW REPLACED ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT MODULE, BUT ONLY FIXED THE HORN. VW STATED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE EVEN AFTER I PAID FOR THEM TO FIX THE ABOVE PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE STILL UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. I REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FROM VOLKSWAGEN FOR THE REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND RELATED EXPENSES. CURRENT VEHICLE MILEAGE: 127,000. *TR