2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT Complaints

I HAVE 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLX V6. WITH 35310 MILES ON THE DASH & DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD IN NJ GOING 4O MILES A HOUR MY CAR JUST LOSS POWER & CUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY WHEEL HARD & PULLED OFF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. MY FUEL PUMP FAILED & WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, I AM NOT SURE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT & WOULD HATE THIS HAPPEN TO OTHERS. *NM

A/C DOESN'T ALWAYS COME ONE WENT THE ENGINE IS STARTED. IT BLOWS BUT NOT COOL AIR. I CAN PULL BACK OFF THE HIGHWAY, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTART AND IT WORKS FINE. I HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP REPEATEDLY. THE HAVE SEEN THE PROBLEM BUT CAN'T SEEM TO RESOLVE IT.*JB

HAVE OWNED CAR ABOUT 10 MONTHS. BOUGHT WITH WARRANTY INTACT FROM A DEALER. WAS DRIVING, GOING ALONG AT 50 MPH WHEN CAR BEGAN DRAMATICALLY SLOWING DOWN. I HAD NO CONTROL OVER ENGINE SPEED, AND WAS FORCED TO SHIFT DOWN TO AVOID STALLING. CAR EVENTUALLY DIED AND WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART IT, IT WOULD ATTEMPT TO TURN OVER BUT WOULD THEN QUIT SUDDENLY AGAIN AFTER JUST A FEW SECONDS. I ENDED UP BEING TOWED, AND DIDN'T HAVE CAR FOR WEEK PLUS. TURNED OUT TO BE AN FUEL PUMP. UNDER WARRANTY, THIS WAS FREE, BUT HAD WE BEEN JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES MORE WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY 500 DOLLARS FOR THIS REPAIR. I BELIEVE IT IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A FUEL PUMP TO GO AT 48,000 MILES, AND I CAN SEE THAT ON THIS WEB SITE ALONE THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE! THIS SAME THING HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR TOO BUT THAT TIME IT RESTARTED AFTER A FEW MINUTES. I FEEL VERY, VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC AT EITHER TIME!*JB

2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT SW DEVELOPED PROBLEMS REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED 8,493 MILES LATER THE BRAKES BEGAN TO SQUEAK. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE DAMAGED AGAIN. THE HEAD LIGHT BULB WAS REPLACED.*JB

2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CONSUMER REQUEST FOR EARLY TERMINATION OF THE LEASE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER MADE THE REQUEST DUE TO THE NUMEROUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS A DEFECTIVE PURGE VALVE, RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHT, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STARTED T O SMOKE DUE TO A FAULTY WATER PUMP. THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND THE RIGHT HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT TIMES. *JB

ON A COOL NIGHT ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I TURNED ON THE HEATING ELEMENT IN MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS 1.8T (DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT). AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS I FELT A SHARP BURNING SENSATION IN MY LEFT THIGH, AND SMELLED A BURNING SMELL. I STOPPED THE CAR, SHUT OFF THE SEAT HEATER, AND WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR I NOTICED A SMALL BURNED HOLE IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BASE. THE HEATING ELEMENT BURNED THROUGH, DAMAGING THE SEAT (AND BURNING MY THIGH). THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY VW BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT! I AM MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED (INCLUDING A FULL SEAT REPLACEMENT TO FIX THE DAMAGED !). *JB

HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS LEMON. * 500 MILES CRUISE CONTROL FAILS, HAS TO BE REPLACED. * 16,000 MILES IGNITION COIL FAILS, REPLACED COIL AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. * 28,000 MILES FAN IN DASH DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY AND NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. PARTS ORDERED, NEVER INSTALLED. * 40,000 MILES OIL PUMP AND OIL HOSES ARE REPLACED DUE TO OIL PRESSURE FAILURES. CAR BROKE DOWN ON ROAD. * 44,159 MILES OIL PRESSURE SWITCH REPLACED DUE TO OIL PRESSURE FAILURES. * 46,000 MILES FUEL PUMP FAILURE, REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. CAR BROKE DOWN ON ROAD. VOLKSWAGEN HAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND "OIL SLUDGE". VW REFUSES TO FIX MY CAR UNDER WARRANTY. LAST WORD WAS "WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY WARRANY CLAIM, REGARDLESS OF DOCUMENTATION OF OIL CHANGES." I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND IT'S A #1 PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS COMMING IN FOR RUINED ENGINES AND OIL SLUDGE. VW IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR FIXING THE PROBLEMS IN MOST CASES. I'VE GOT ALL DOCUMENTATION, ORIGINAL PAPERWORK WHEN PURCHASED, ETC. *JB

CAR STOPPED RUNNING WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY DOING 70 MPH. TOWED TO VW DEALERSHIP AND FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. CAR HAD 59000 MILES ON IT. *JB

WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HIS 2003 VW PASSAT THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING STALLED. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT, BUT 3 MILES DOWN THE ROAD IT DIED AGAIN. HE WAS TRAVELING DURING RUSH HOUR ON A BUSY FREEWAY. WE SUSPECT IT IS A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. WE HAVE READ OF SEVERAL OTHERS HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS MORE CARS OF THIS YEAR GAIN MORE MILEAGE. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 58,000 MILES ON IT. *JB

DRIVERS SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHIN 30 SECONDS OF STARTING VEHICLE, LEFT CIGARETTE SIZE BURN HOLE IN SEAT, DRIVERS PANTS, AND LEFT BURN MARK ON DRIVERS BUTTOCKS. *NM