2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

DASHBOARD SERVICE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, CAR BUCKED AND RAN ON REDUCED POWER ONLY. TOWED THE UNIT TO PATRICK MOTORS VW IN AUBURN MA. DX WAS IGNITION COILS AND PLUGS NEEDED. COST ME $365.00 TO REPAIR. I ARGUED THAT THE PAYMENT WAS ON THEM BASED ON THE FEB. 2003 VW SERVICE CAMPAIGN WHICH DICTATED THAT MY MODEL WAS INVOLVED IN DEFECTIVE COIL INSTALLATION AT THE FACTORY. I EVEN CALLED THE VW TOLL-FREE CUSTOMER CARE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR'S VIN FAILED TO MATCH THE DEFECTIVE GROUP. OBVIOUSLY I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE DEFECTIVE GROUP WHEN THE COIL COMPONENTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT 62000 MILES. I WOULD EXPECT SUCH A REPAIR AT 100,000 MILES. THIS UNIT IS A 1.8T 2003 VW PASSAT. *JB

MY VEHICLE, A 2003 VW PASSAT IS NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN YOUR CAMPAIGN 07V063000. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED (AND CHARGED TO HAVE IT REPLACED) TWICE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. I EXPERIENCED ALL OF THE CONSEQUENCES IDENTIFIED IN YOUR SUMMARY DESCRIPTION. MOST FREQUENTLY THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON WHILE DRIVING, AS WELL AS WOULD REMAIN ON ONCE PARKED IN MY GARAGE. HOW DO I GET THE PASSAT'S INCLUDED? *JB

AUTO: 2003 VW PASSAT. PROBLEM: LIFTGATE HINGES REQUIRED HIGH EFFORT TO OPEN OR CLOSE - LID FELT LIKE 100 LBS BREAKS AFTER CLOSING. *AK

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN FEB 2003. TWO IGNITION COILS REPLACED. I AWAIT THE BILL FOR THE REMAINING 2 COILS THAT WILL LIKELY GO BAD. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME THAT THIS HAD BEEN RECALLED ON THE 2001-2002 MODELS. I AM PERPLEXED BY THIS INFORMATION BEING I SEE NO RECALLS ON IGNITION COILS, BUT I DO SEE A HOST OF COMPLAINTS. *JB

VEHICLE BATTERY GOES DEAD IF CAR SITS FOR MORE THAN 3 DAYS WITHOUT BEING STARTED. ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACE 5 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS. DEALER CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT IS DRAINING THE BATTERY AND INSISTS THAT "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND THAT IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL (EXCEPT FOR A DEAD BATTERY) FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. "JUST START THE CAR EVERY 1-2 DAYS" IS THEIR REMEDY. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING SO LAME IN MY LIFE!! *JB

HEADLIGHTS FAILS PROPER FUNCTION. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED. SEAT BELTS AND SUN ROOF DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. ENGINE REPLACED; STEERING WHEELS - CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT EVERYTIME AN ALIGNMENT WAS DONE AND THEY CALIBRATED THE WHEELS. - PROBLEM CONTINUED - THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE TIRES TO BE DESTROYED IN A FEW KMS - LESS 20 000; WATER INFILTRATION - FOR NOW IT IS FIXED; TRUNK WAS HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE - PROBLEM FIXED. FRONT DOORS VIBRATED - THE RUBBER OF THE DOORS ARE BEING EXHIBITING SIGNS OF DAMAGE; THE FRONT GLASS ( WINDSCREEN ) ISN'T FROM THE SAME YEAR OF ALL THE OTHERS. *JB

I BROUGHT MY 2003 PASSAT GLX SEDAN INTO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE CAR WAS JERKY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. CAR HAS 41,214 MILES ON IT, 90% HIGHWAY. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH PADS. DEALER INFORMED THAT PASSAT ROTORS COULD NOT BE TURNED IN LIEU OF REPLACEMENT. FROM OTHER COMPLAINTS I VIEW, IT APPEARS THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE ROTORS. *JB

FUEL PUMP FAILED AT 75K MILES. MY VIN IS WITHIN THE RECALL RANGE FOR 06V017000 BUT I WAS REFUSED RECALL SERVICE AS VW CLAIMS MY VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED. I CONTACTED VW WHEN THE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED AND WAS INFORMED OF THIS FACT. THE VW DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT INFORMED ME AGAIN THAT THE REPLACEMENT WAS NOT COVERED. AS A FUEL PUMP SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 75K MILES, I FEEL THAT MY VEHICLE WAS MISIDENTIFIED AND SHOULD BE COVERED. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLX, FUEL PUMP FAILED ON 02/23/07. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH ON CLEAR DAY IN THE CENTER LANE THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY AND COULDN'T GE THE VEHICLE TO START BACK UP. HE AND OTHER WITNESS HELP PUSH VEHICLE UP THE HILL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HIM THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO HAVE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL FOR THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL WITH CAMPAIGN# 06V017000 FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CHECKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE VIN DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THE SERVICE MANAGER DID INFORM HIM THAT THEY WILL COVER THE COST OF THE PARTS, BUT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF LABOR $200.00, AND A DIAGNOSTIC COST OF ABOUT $150.00. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE FUEL PUMP THAT WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE.

MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON GLX HAD A BRAKE LIGHT PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO THAT FOUND ON THE NEW (FEB 07) VW RECALL FOR SEVERAL OTHER MODELS. HOWEVER, THE PASSAT WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD REMAIN ON AT RANDOM TIMES AND WITHOUT WARNING, OVER SEVERAL MONTHS. NHTSA AND VW SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER RECALLING THE PASSAT ALONG WITH THE OTHER VW MODELS BECAUSE THE PASSAT HAS THE SAME SAFETY CONCERNS. I TRADED MY CAR IN BUT OFFER THIS INFO TO HELP OTHER VW OWNERS. *JB