2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DUE TO INTERIOR WATER LEAKS INTO THE FOOTWELL AREA FROM BLOCKED PLENUM DRAIN. AS STATED IN THE JUNE 18,2004 VW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN VEHICLE HAS 28,000MILES . IT IS A LEASE. FIRST ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BEGAN AT APPROX 20,000 MILES WHEN AIR BAG LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED ON. SERVICE DEPARTMENT KEPT CAR FOR 3 WEEKS AND REPAIRED. SECOND PROBLEM KEY LOCK SYSTEM FAILED. UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO RE-DO CODES AND REPLACE KEYS, ALSO CHANGED STEERING WHEEL. THIRD PROBLEM, DAMPNESS ON FLOOR OF DRIVERS SIDE, FRONT AND BACK., TRUNK OPENED WHILE DRIVING, INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAINED ON UNLESS TURNED OFF MANUALLY, DOOR LOCKS OPENED AND CLOSED RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING, ALARM SYSTEM WENT OFF RANDOMLY, SOUND SYSTEM WENT ON AND STAYED ON AFTER CAR WAS VACANT. CAR NEEDED TO BE JUMP STARTED IN ORDER TO USE. CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE DUE TO NORMAL WEATHER CONDITIONS CAUSING PROBLEMS. VW OF AMERICA REFUSED TO COOPERATE STATING THAT THEY DO NO COVER DEFECTIVE PARTS IF IT RAINED ON THE VEHICLE. AT THIS TIME, CAR HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP FOR 3 WEEKS WHILE PARTS ARE ORDERED TO REPAIR AT MY COST. SO FAR BILL IS RISING ABOVE $4,000. REQUEST TO TERMINATE LEASE WAS DENIED. 90 DAYS EARLY TERMINATION WAS OFFERED BY VW LEASING BUT PAYMENTS MUST CONTINUE TO BE MADE AFTER CAR IS RETURNED. *NM

THE 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT SUDDENLY WOULD NOT START. WITH ONLY 54000 MILES IT COMPLETELY FAILED TO START ON ACCOUNT OF A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. *NM

DESIGN DEFECT RESULTS IN FAILURE OF COMPUTER DUE TO WATER FLOODING. COMPUTER FAILURE RESULTS IN DISABLING OF VEHICLE AND EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. THIS CONDITION CAUSED BY PARKING THE CAR WHERE LEAVES OCCASIONALLY FALL ONTO IT. REASON: WINDSHIELD DRAINS INTO COMPARTMENT CONTAINING THE BATTERY, WHICH HAS A DRAIN HOLE LOCATED UNDER THE BATTERY, REQUIRING REMOVAL OF BATTERY TO PROPERLY CLEAN. DRAIN GETS CLOGGED DUE TO LEAVES, RESULTING IN BATTERY COMPARTMENT FILLING WITH WATER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WATER ENTERS PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FOOT WELL. I TOOK MY CAR TO VW DEALER WITH THIS CONDITION AND THEY TOLD ME THE COMPUTER COULD GET FLOODED/RUINED AND THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO "EXTERNAL INFLUENCE". THEY AGREED TO CLEAN THE DRAIN FREE OF CHARGE, BUT WERE UNABLE AND UNWILLING TO PROVIDE ME WITH A SERVICE ADVISORY THAT THE DRAIN MUST BE CLEARED TO PREVENT COMPUTER DAMAGE. I CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM OVER THE PHONE BUT REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY WRITTEN STATEMENT OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE A WRITTEN, PERMANENT REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM, OR TO MODIFY THE CAR SO THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN. *JB

HEATED SEAT IN CAR MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT. NO INJURY OCCURRED, BUT IF LEFT UNATTENDED THIS COULD BE A FIRE OR SAFETY HAZARD. *NM

MY SIDE WINDOW BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON MOSTLY RURAL STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 94, DRIVING EASTBOUND NEAR WAUKESHA, WI. I WAS IN THE LEFTMOST LANE WITH NO VEHICLES WITHIN 50 YARDS TO THE FRONT OR BACK OF MY CAR. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING STRUCK THE WINDOW AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY CRACKS IN THE GLASS BEFORE I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS ABOUT 30 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND WE HAD OUR HEATER ON FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES INSIDE THE CAR. I DRIVE A 2003 VW PASSAT. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES TO MYSELF OR MY PASSENGER RESULTED FROM THE WINDOW EXPLOSION. I DIDN'T REPORT ANYTHING TO THE POLICE OR SHERIFF BECAUSE I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE WINDOW WAS DELIBERATELY SMASHED BY A PERSON WITH A WEAPON OR THROWN OBJECT. THE WINDOW WAS REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I HAVE TWO PHOTOS OF THE WNDOW TAKEN BEFORE THE REMAINING SHATTERED GLASS WAS REMOVED. HOW COMMON IS THIS FOR SIDE WINDOWS? COULD IT BE A DEFECT IN THE GLASS? A SPONTANEOUS FAILURE OF THE GLASS? COULD A PROJECTILE THAT I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR STRIKE THE SIDE GLASS WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO SHATTER THE WINDOW? *NM

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE JUST DIED WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE GAS PUMP. I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO CRUISE THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURY CONSIDERING I HAD CARS IN FRONT OF ME, BEHIND ME, AND ON THE SIDE OF ME, ALL MOVING AT SPEEDS 50-60 MPH. IN OVER 27 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM OCCURRING WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON, OR FUNNY SOUNDS BY THE ENGINE. THE CAR HAS 47,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE I65 FROM BIRMINGHAM, AL TO HUNTSVILLE, AL MID MORNING ON THE 27 JANUARY 2006. NEARING THE END OF JOURNEY TO THE HUNTSVILLE TURNED OFF ON I65 AND VOLKSWAGEN (VW) PASSAT 2003 LOST COMPLETE POWER. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE CAR, AND WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WHILE TRYING TO CONTROL THE CAR TO A STOP AND GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. UPON CALLING ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST VW DEALERSHIP, LOCATED IN HUNTSVILLE, AL. DURING INITIAL INVESTIGATION LED THEM TO BELIEVE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AND REPLACED IT AT A COST OF $200. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION THEY SAID MY FUEL PUMP WAS DEAD AND NEEDED REPLACING, THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP AS NO PETROL COULD BE PUMPED INTO THE ENGINE. I DID NOT KNOW WHY I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE BATTERY AS I HAD POWER IN THE CAR. CURRENTLY, CAR WILL NOT BE FIXED UNTIL NEXT TUESDAY AT A COST OF $600 TO ME. I READ ONLINE AT PASSATWORLD.COM FORUM THAT THEIR HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OTHER VW OWNERS EXPERIENCING FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS. THEY EXPECT THIS PROBLEM TO BE DOCUMENTED A LOT MORE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS OUR 2003 YEAR VW PASSAT COME OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE SUSPECTED YEAR WITH THE FAULTY FUEL PUMP. I DO NOT SEE HOW THIS FUEL PUMP COULD FAIL UPON ANY DOING OF MY OWN AS I HAVE ALWAYS RUN THE CAR WITH A FULL TANK AND ON 93 OCTANE. VW NEED TO MAKE A RECALL ON THIS PART AS THERE IS AN UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF VW OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED, CAUSING A CAR TO LOSE POWER ON A HIGHWAY IMMEDIATELY IS LIFE THREATENING AND WILL CAUSE AN OLDER AGE DRIVER TO NOT KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE CAR AND CRASH. CAR IS VW PASSAT GLS 2003, 60,000 MILES ON IT, I BOUGHT IT NEW.*AK

MY WIFE AND I HAVE A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH 30,100 MILES. VOLKSWAGEN HAS 4 YR/50000 MILES MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY, AND AN 8 YEAR/UNLIMITED MILE OIL SLUDGE WARRANTY. WE BROKE DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER REQUIRED OIL CHANGES IN INTERVALS OF 5000 MILES. MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 4000 MILES INSTEAD. THE SERVICE WRITER FROM DON JACOBS CALLED AND STATED THAT OUR VOLKSWAGEN NEEDED A NEW MOTOR. HE WENT ON TO STATE THAT WE NEEDED TO PROVIDE ALL OF OUR OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS FROM THE TIME OF THE PURCHASE. WE WERE SHOCKED, THIS WAS A 2 YEAR OLD CAR. A LONG STORY SHORT WE WERE ABLE TO PRODUCE 5 RECEIPTS. ONCE IT WAS CHANGED IN FLORIDA WHILE ON VACATION (NO RECEIPT),AND ONCE WE RECEIVED A FREE OIL CHANGE AT WAL-MART DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE WAIT (NO RECEIPT). THAT WOULD MAKE A TOTAL OF 7 RECEIPTS (ALL OF THEM).DON JACOBS WOULD NOT BEGIN THE WORK ON OUR CAR UNTIL WE COULD PROVIDE ALL OF THESE RECEIPTS INCLUDING THE 2 THAT ARE NON EXISTENT.THE CAR IS STILL UNDER BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY PERIOD,SO AGAIN WE WERE SHOCKED.NEXT THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT THEY AND VW OF AMERICA HAVE DECIDED THAT OUR WARRANTY WOULD BE NULLIFIED DUE TO NEGLECT OF MAINTENANCE.THE FUNNY PART IS THAT THIS DIAGNOSIS WAS MADE WITHOUT EVER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD OF OUR VW.IT IS STILL IN THE SAME SPOT THE TOW TRUCK LEFT IT IN.BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO BELIEVE OR DISCREDIT OUR SIDE OF THIS STORY,OR MAYBE THINK THIS IS AN ISOLATED EVENT PLEASE VISIT THE FOLLOWING SITES:WWW.MYVWLEMON.COM AND ALSO HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/VWSLUDGE/PETITION.HTML.I HAVE QUICKLY FOUND THAT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO US IS LITTERALLY HAPPENING TO 100'S, AND PROBABLY 1,000'S OF PEOPLE IN THE US RIGHT NOW BY THEIR DEALERS AND ALSO VW OF AMERICA NOT TO MENTION THE OTHER MANUFACTURERS. THE SIMILARITIES IN EVERYONES STORIES ON THE WEB ARE FRIGHTENING. .*AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING UP HILL AT 25MPH THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PREVIOUSLY THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED BRAKING PROBLEMS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THERE WAS VIBRATION AND GRABBING IN FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY THE SERVICE DEALER FOUR TIMES. THE FRONT ROTORS, THE REAR ROTORS AND BOTH CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED BY THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE PARTS FOR TWENTY THOUSAND MILES AND HAS NOW RETURNED.

PASSAT 2003 GLX WITH 40437 MILES. WAS DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS THE CAR STARTED SHUDDERING FOR 1-2 SECONDS. THE ENGINE THEN INSTANTLY SHUTDOWN. I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR. HAD IT TOWED TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP. THE NEXT DAY IT WAS REPORTED AS FUEL PUMP FAILURE, AND REPAIRED IT UNDER WARRANTY.*AK