377 of the
13,865 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Jetta
are about the seats —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
I have severe painful burns on my gluteus from the seat heater. I had the heater on intermittently on a drive of about 75 miles. I put the heater on for about 10-15 minutes a few times but did not have it on the entire trip. After getting to my destination I started feeling painful burning sensation so looked at my bum in the mirror and was shocked to see an open wound about the size of a silver dollar with peeling skin and many other burns all around. It’s very painful.
NHTSA complaint #11722751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving with the front driver’s side seat heater activated, the seat became extremely hot. The contact started smelling a burning odor coming from the seat. The contact felt a hole in the seat, which burned the contact's middle finger. The contact immediately pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact’s back started burning due to the extreme heat of the seat back. Upon inspection, the contact discovered a hole in his jacket and approximately four holes that had formed in the front driver seat due to the seat heater failure. The contact was not treated for the burns to his back. The contact stated that two dealers were notified of the failure but neither provided immediate assistance. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 489,000.
NHTSA complaint #11617892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The drivers side seat does not heat up not to mention the leatherette material used is cheap and has torn making the heater to not work anymore possibly
NHTSA complaint #11571203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The driver’s side seat is not secured and has slight movements in some positions and wobbles in other positions, particularly when braking . The seat does not feel secure or safe when under any hard braking. I had the dealer inspect it a few months after purchase they acknowledged it and replaced the mounting brackets to the seats and within 20 minutes the seat was loose again and the rail has a stutter in it when sliding it about 2/3rds back.
NHTSA complaint #11539243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the passenger’s side seat failed to adjust. The contact stated that his wife was unable to utilize the passenger’s side seat and seat belt in a safe manner. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the vehicle was designed that way. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 1,900.
NHTSA complaint #11443124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT INDICATES THAT A PASSENGER IS NOT THERE WHEN THERE IS. IT WILL START BLINKING RANDOMLY, SOMETIMES REGISTERING THEM AND SOMETIMES NOT. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR WHILE STATIONARY.
NHTSA complaint #11403808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AS THE THIRD CAR IN A 4 CAR ACCIDENT, IT WAS THE ONLY ONE WHERE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ADDITIONALLY IT WAS THE MOST DAMAGED. THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT BROKE UPON REAR IMPACT PRIOR TO THE CAR BEING FORCED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS STOPPED AT THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #11365846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT CAME UNBUCKLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AFTER HITTING THE BREAKS TO STOP UNEXPECTEDLY. MY DAUGHTER WENT FLYING INTO THE BACK OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, NOW THE BUCKLE WILL NOT KEEP A LATCH.
NHTSA complaint #11355133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WITH THE SEAT HEATER ON. I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND THEN A BURNING SENSATION. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER, THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT COVER, EXPOSING THE WIRING AND FOAM. MY COAT AND CLOTHING WERE BURNED, AS WELL AS MY BACK. THERE IS ALSO EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING/BURNING IN ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS OF THE SEAT COVER, BUT IT ONLY BURNED THROUGH IN ONE LOCATION. I TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER AND DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DISCONTINUE USE OF THE SEAT HEATER. THIS OCCURRED ON 3/8/19 WITH LESS THAN 95K MILES ON THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #11354448 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BOTH FRONT BUCKET SEATS ' BACKRESTS ARE TILTED INWARDS. ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT THIS CAUSES UNBEKNOWNST TO THE DRIVER TO TILT HIS NECK SLIGHTLY OUTWARDS TO CORRECT THE INWARDS TILTING AND PRODUCES A LONG TERM NECK PAIN EFFECT OF WHICH HE IS UNAWARE OF ITS SOURCE . IF YOU PUT A STRING AROUND THE BACK REST AND SLIDE IT DOWN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND YOU CAN CLEARLY MEASURE THE DIFFERENCE IN DEPTH DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CORD ON BOTH VERTICAL ENDS OF THE BACKREST AS YOU SLIDE IT DOWN. I DID THE TEST RECENTLY IN FRONT OF A VW TECHNICIAN AND HE AGREED WITH ME THAT THE BACKREST WAS TILTED INWARDS. I FIRST REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA WHEN THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER FULL WARRANTY IN SEPTEMBER 2016 WHEN I JUST BOUGHT IT WITH 24,000 MILES. AT THAT TIME THEY SAID THEY DEPENDED ON THE DEALERS MECHANICS OPINION. BUT THE TECHS ONCE CONFRONTED PREFERED NOT TO ANALYZE EVIDENCE THAT WAS UNFAMILIAR AND POTENTIALLY COMPROMISING. I WENT BACK TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA RECENTLY WITH A FULL CONFIRMATION OF THE PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM THAT AFTER A HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES OF USING BACK REST CUSHIONS AND A STIFF NECK PAIN TO SHOW I WAS ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THERE WAS CLEAR REASON TO RECALL AND REPLACE AT LEAST THE DRIVER'S SEAT . FURTHERMORE DURING THE PANDEMIA I STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS AND THE NECK PAIN FADED MOSTLY AWAY . AT THIS MOMENT A SUPERVISOR FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA CALLED ME BACK AND SAID RUDELY THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD ONLY REPLACE THE SEAT IF THEY WERE MANDATED BY A RECALL. SO HERE I AM...PURSUING A SOLUTION TO A HIDDEN-HARD TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM THAT I BELIEVE NOT ONLY AFFECTS MY CAR GENERATION BUT OTHER MODELS OF VOLKSWAGEN MANUFACTURING.
NHTSA complaint #11342703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE HEATED SEAT PAD HAS BEGUN BURNING A HOLE INTO DRIVER SIDE SEAT. IF NOT CAREFUL, WILL BURN SKIN WHILE FABRIC IS STILL OVER THE PAD. THIS IS HAPPENING WHEN THE SEAT IS TURNED ON AND IS CAUSING A BURNING SMELL IN THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #11299276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH THE SEAT WARMER ACTIVATED. THE SEAT WAS VERY WARM AND I FELT SOMETHING POKING ME. I REACHED BEHIND ME TO SEE WHAT WAS POKING ME AND SOMETHING BURNED MY FINGER. I STOPPED AT THE GAS STATION AND SAW THAT A HOLE HAD BEEN BURNED IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. A HOLE HAD ALSO BEEN BURNED THROUGH MY WINDBREAKER AND HAD STARTED BURNING MY SHIRT.
NHTSA complaint #11292492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT HOME WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND STATIONARY, UPON REMOVAL OF THE REAR BENCH SEAT, I DISCOVERED SEVERE BURN MARKS UNDER THE SEAT. AS WELL AS SOME COINS THAT HAVE BEEN CEMENTED IN PLACE BY MELTED PLASTIC. THE BURNED AREA APPEARS TO BE RIGHT ABOVE THE EXHAUST.
NHTSA complaint #11282779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT FELT WARMER THAN USUAL WHILE THE SEAT WARMER WAS ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT PLACED A LUMBAR CUSHION ON THE SEAT AND FOUND THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS ON FIRE. THE SEAT BACK AND CUSHION WERE BURNED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HERITAGE VOLKSWAGEN PARKVILLE (9215 HARFORD RD, PARKVILLE, MD 21234, (877) 398-1963) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT COVER AND COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 190942827. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 197,000.
NHTSA complaint #11280831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BRAKES ARE MAKING A PULSATING SOUND FROM WHEN IT WAS AT 20000 MILES , HAVE BEEN ISSUES WITH THE CAR FROM DAY 3 OF OWNING IT . VOLKSWAGEN REFUSED TO TAKE THE CAR BACK SAYING THATS NOT A VALID COMPLAINT.. ENGINE MAKES A RUMBLING OR A GRINDING SOUND WHEN IT IS AT 35-40MPH ! CAR LOOSES TIRE PRESSURE EVERY WEEK. WHEN GOING THROUGHT EVEN A MINOR POTHOLE IT FEELS AS IF THE STRUTS WERE RAMMED ON THE ROAD !! INSUFFICIENT LIGHTING ! DRIVES ALMOST LIKE A BULL ! FEELS LIKE ITS JUST DRAGGING ITSELF .... AWFUL TO THE CORE ! SEAT FRAME HAS BEEN CHANGED ONCE BEFORE IN 3 MONTHS 2DAYS OF OWNING MY CAR AND IT HAS STARTED TO SHAKE AGAIN BUT WAS IGNORED BY THE DEALERSHIP! AND ALL THESE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN ON HIGHWAY AND CITY! CAR MAKES VIBRATING SOUNDS BUT IGNORED BY THW DEALERSHIP
NHTSA complaint #11232591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.