2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

VEHICLE STALLED AT VERY BUSY INTERSECTION AND WOULD NOT START. HAD TO BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF ROAD THROUGH TRAFFIC AND TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A TOTAL COST OF OVER $900.00 WITH COST OF RENTAL VEHICLE. *TR

I FINANCED A 03 PASSAT GLS 1.8T IN JAN OF 05 A YEAR LATER IT STOPPED RUNNING. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IT WAS OIL SLUDGE. THE ENGINE HAS A WARRANTY FOR SLUDGE FOR UNLIMITED MILEAGE FOR 8YRS. THE CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO THE SLUDGE. VW REFUSED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE STATING THAT I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH PROOF OF MAINTENANCE DONE TO THE VEHICLE. WHICH STATEMENT IS FALSE. THE VEHICLE HAD ALL MAINTENANCE DONE IN THE TIME THAT CORRESPONDED, I HAD PROOF OF THEM WHICH I SUBMITTED. THEREFORE I HAVE SPENT 4 MONTHS MAKING PAYMENTS TOWARDS A VEHICLE THAT CAN NOT BE USED. NOW I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE MYSELF SINCE VW REFUSED TO SOLVE THE SITUATION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. ON MAY 28, 2007, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUNROOF EXPLODED, SPLATTERING GLASS ALL OVER THE VEHICLE AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 57,805 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,749.

THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH ON THE ROAD AND THEN IT STARTED TO SHAKE AND LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED TO BLINK. THE INCIDENT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS OTHERS VEHICLES WERE TRYING TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THIS CAR. THE DEFECT WAS THE IGNITION COIL FOR CYLINDER NUMBER 2.*AK

THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON MY 2003 VOLSWAGEN PASSAT HAD FAILED SOMETIME BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR. IT WAS PURCHASED ON APRIL 23, 2007. THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO LIGHT WHEN THE BRAKE WAS PRESSED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL NOT TO FUNCTION. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $129.00 USING A REPLACEMENT BRAKE SWITCH. *JB

I HAD TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE A FUEL PUMP. WHEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME THERE WAS A HOLE BURNED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT. THE REP AT THE DEALER SAID THE SEAT WARMER IN THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HAD BURNED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE SEAT. HE HAD SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE. BUT MY SEAT WARMER WAS NOT ON AT THE TIME. I DON'T NEED TO USE IT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WEATHER. THE PROBLEM WILL NEED TO BE FIXED BUT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE MADE TO COVER THE COST. *JB

2003 VW PASSAT GLX 4 MOTION BRAKE LIGHTS STUCK ON, DRAINS BATTERY WHEN PARKED, UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS NO INDICATION OF BRAKING TO OTHERS. RECALL FOR THIS COMPONENT ON OTHER MODELS, NOT THIS ONE. CLEARLY DEFECTIVE--MANY OTHER OWNERS AFFECTED. SEE MULTIPLE ONLINE SOURCES INCLUDING: HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=3196572 *TR

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH A CURRENT MILEAGE OF 52,000 MILES. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING, AFTER CHECKING THE FUSE THE CONTACT FOUND NO FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, LIVINGSTON VOLKSWAGEN, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE GOING TO THE DEALER, THAT IT WOULD BE FREE. WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BACK HE WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. *AK

THE SEAT HEATER THAT COMES WITH THIS MODEL CAR, SHORTED OUT WHILE I DRIVING THE CAR. IT BURNT THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT, MY TROUSERS AND BURNT MY WALLET. AT NO TIME WAS THERE AN OPEN FLAME. IF IT WASN'T FOR MY WALLET, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNT. IF MY PANTS WERE FLAMABLE, I WOULD HAVE HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM. THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE, DRIVER SIDE , HEATED SEAT AT NO CHARGE.*AK

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH 7000 FAILURE MILEAGE THE BRAKE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY TURNED OFF. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT HEADLIGHT TURNS OFF, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, AND THE HORN DID NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY STILL COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,944. *AK