12 of the 816 complaints about the 2003 Volkswagen Passat are about the equipment — 1% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 22,205 miles.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
EQUIPMENT
CAR MISSING A GETTING BAD MILAGE ...SAME CAR DOES NOT RUN WELL AND CAUGHT FIRE BY TURBO 2003 PASSAT VW 1.8 LITER TURBO.
NHTSA complaint #10303623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
PURCHASE CAR IN FL, NOW LIVE IN IOWA DUE TO JOB TRANSFER. A/C UNIT CONTINUES TO NOT BLOW COLD AIR IN A DEPENDABLE METHOD. HAVE TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND RESTART TO SOMETIMES GET IT STARTED AGAIN. NOW TORQUE CONVERTER LIGHT CAME ON JUST AFTER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED 1 MONTH OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. GOT IN CONTACT WITH VW OF AMERICA. WOULD NOT ASIST, BUT INSTEAD SENT $2,000 GOOD FAITH VOUCHER TOWARDS TO PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO HELP ME WITH THE PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10263558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
THE HEATER CORE TUBING IN THE CAR DISINTEGRATED AT ABOUT 18,000 MILES. THIS RESULTED IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARING, COOLANT LEAKING INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE ENGINE DEPARTMENT,AND THE FUMES FROM THE COOLANT IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, SO I TOOK IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE PURGE VALVE (ABOUT AN HOURS WORK) AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TWO MORE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AND THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMED THE SAME SERVICE. THE COOLANT LEAK BECAME SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE (I BEGAN ADDING COOLANT EVERY 3-4 DAYS) AT AROUND 82,000 MILES AND THE FUMES FROM THE COOLANT IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT BECAME VERY STRONG. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE TUBING FROM THE HEATER CORE HAD COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED AND THE HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALTOGETHER. I HAVE SEASONAL ASTHMA ASSOCIATED WITH ALLERGIES AND INHALING THE FUMES FROM THE COOLANT HAS MADE THE CONDITION WORSE. I AM CURRENTLY HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1200.
NHTSA complaint #10238727 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
SUN ROOF DRAIN DISCONECTS AND WATER FILLS PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING COMPUTER MALFUNCTION , AIR BAGS TO MALFUNCTION AND FIRE HAZZARD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME 1ST TIME IN 2006
NHTSA complaint #10237802 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
THIS CAR WAS NEVER INSPECTED FOR RECALLS, OR SAFETY ISSUES. THE MOMENT THE CAR WAS HANDED TO US THE BATTERY DIED. THE DEALERSHIP QUICKLY CHANGE THE BATTERY. THE CAR WAS HESITATING ON ACCELERATION EVER SINCE. IT WAS ON JULY 27 2008 THAT FINALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR TO A GARAGE AND IT HAS COAST US 270 DOLLARS TO FIX IT SO FAR. WE HAVE NOT HAD THIS CAR FOR MORE THAN A MONTH. THERE ARE TWO RECALLS ON THIS CAR THAT WERE NEVER LOOK AT OR FIXED BY PRECISION TOYOTA OF TUCSON . ONE OF THESE RECALLS CAN CAUSE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10236151 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE RADIO WAS MALFUNCTIONING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE STEREO FAILED DUE TO UNKNOWN CAUSES, AND THE ENTIRE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED ITS WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
NHTSA complaint #10228649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
MY AIR CONDITION HAS BEEN ON THE FRITZ SO TO SPEAK FOR THE LAST YEAR, I THOUGHT IT WAS MY IMAGINATION. THIS PASSED WEEK WHEN I TURNED IT ON FULL BLAST ALL THAT WAS COMING OUT IS WARM AIR. I TOOK THE CAR INTO VW DEALERSHIP THEY REPAIRED TWO LEAKS THEY SAID, WHEN TRYING IT OUT A FEW DAYS LATER THE AIR WAS BLASTING WARM AIR ONCE AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK AND NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THE EVAPORATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED COSTING ME $1,700.00. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO A CAR THAT IS NOT EVEN 5 YEARS OLD YET. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED.
NHTSA complaint #10224646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
I'VE SPENT OVER $8000 TOWARDS VW DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTS AT FIXING THE HORN, RADIO, HOMELINK, CLIMATE CONTROL (A/C AND HEAT) REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, HEATED SEATS, DASHBOARD PANEL LIGHTS, AND DEFROSTER FLAP. VW REPLACED ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT MODULE, BUT ONLY FIXED THE HORN. VW STATED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE EVEN AFTER I PAID FOR THEM TO FIX THE ABOVE PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE STILL UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. I REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FROM VOLKSWAGEN FOR THE REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND RELATED EXPENSES. CURRENT VEHICLE MILEAGE: 127,000.
NHTSA complaint #10211082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
FRONT HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED - REPLACED THEM BUT THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE BEAM. THE CAR RUNS TO THE RIGHT BUT THE WHEELS ARE CALIBRATED AND THE DIRECTION ALIGNMENT IS DONE. THE CAR INFILTRATED WATER INSIDE THE CAR AND TRUNK. SUNROOF MALFUNCTION - OPENS IN ALL POSITIONS BUT DON'T CLOSE. THE CAR AS THE FRONT GLASS IS FROM 2005 AND ALL THE OTHERS ARE FROM 2002, CONSTRUCTION OF THE CAR 2003. DIESEL ESCAPED FROM THE PUMP. CD CHANGER - 6 CDS AS MALFUNCTION THE RADIO DOESN'T EJECT THE CD'S. THE MOTOR GAG VARIOUS TIMES A CONSTANT ROTATION. THE TRUNK WAS HARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE. THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS.... THE COMPLAINTS BEGIN 15 DAYS FROM THE PURCHASE.
NHTSA complaint #10182641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
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.
NHTSA complaint #10136431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
NEW '03 PASSAT PURCHASED IN DEC. '02. FEB. '03 I NOTICED DIFFICULTY WITH STEERING WHEN THE WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE EXTREME LEFT OR RIGHT. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP IN WHICH POWER STEERING FLUID WAS FOUND TO BE LOW AND REFILLED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN MAR '03, THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED BY VOLKSWAGEN UNDER WARRANTY. NOV. '04, I AGAIN NOTICED DIFFICULTY WITH THE STEERING IN EXTREME LEFT OR RIGHT WHEEL POSITIONS. DEC. '04, VW DETERMINES THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK AGAIN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS NO LARGER PROBLEM WITH THE CAR LEADING TO REPEATED FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING RACK. LIKEWISE, THEY INSIST THAT THERE IS NO INTRINSIC PROBLEM WITH VW POWER STEERING RACKS. HOWEVER, I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT TWO POWER STEERING RACKS FROM VW PLACED IN THE SAME CAR IN A TWO YEAR PERIOD JUST HAPPENED TO BE FAULTY.
NHTSA complaint #10104310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT
I RECENTLY LEASED A VW PASSATT STATION WAGON AND THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH IT EVEN BEFORE THE CAR HAD 300 MILES ON IT. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS SPENT SOME 10 DAYS AT THE REPAIR SHOP. DEFECTS HAVE INCLUDED A TRANSMISSION THAT WOULD DISENGAGE, HEATED SEATS THAT WOULD NOT TURN OFF, A/C AND SIDE MIRRORS THAT WOULD NOT WORK, A MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE CAR HAD TO BE ALIGNED, THE FRONT SPOILER FELL OFF, A SPEAKER HAD TO BE REPLACED, PART OF THE TRIM ON THE BACK WAS FALLING OFF, THE MEMORY SETTINGS ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT WERE NOT WORKING, AND THE SUN ROOF WAS RATTLING. THE SALES DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED TO ALL MY CALLS BY SAYING THAT I NEED TO TALK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR TO VW CORPORATE DIRECTLY. I HAVE DONE BOTH, WHEN I CALLED VW CORPORATE THEY RESPONDED THAT AS LONG AS THE CAR WAS DRIVEABLE THEY WOULD COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD NOT REPLACE THE CAR. THEY OFFERED ME A LUBE JOB AS A SETTLEMENT!
NHTSA complaint #10000612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.