Volkswagen Passat-4motion-wagon 2003

• Recall 139334 [USA]: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
  Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain 2003 volkswagen passat sedan, jetta, jetta wagon, golf, eurovan, eurovan camper van and eurovan chassis vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
  volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began may 2, 2019. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69x3.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 102157 [USA]: A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
  The gates corporation (gates) is recalling certain aftermarket tru-flow water pumps, part number tfw 41127, sold at certain napa auto parts and/or installed by automotive service technicians after november 1, 2013 (and manufactured august 2013 through october 2013) that have a black-colored pulley/sprocket or do not have 'us9377' stamped on the water pump housing. These service replacement parts were sold for use in model year 1999-2005 audi a4, 2000-2006 audi tt, 1998-2005 volkswagen beetle, 1999-2006 golf, 1999-2008 and 2011-2013 volkswagen jetta, and 2000-2005 volkswagen passat. In the affected water pumps, the pulley or sprocket that turns the timing belt may develop microfractures causing the timing belt to fail.
  gates will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began during may 2014. Owners may contact the gates corporation at 1-303-744-1911.
  owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 74825 [USA]: a heat shield that may contact the exhaust system can result in a vehicle fire. in addition, a fuel leak from a fuel line or fuel tank ventilation valve, in the presence of an ignition source, can lead to a vehicle fire.
  Volkswagen is recalling 412,000 my 1999-2005 passat (5th generation) vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and produced after june 14, 1999. These vehicles may have an underbody heat shield that can become damaged. In addition, affected vehicles with automatic or manual transmissions may have a fuel line (1.8t engines only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture.
  dealers will install additional underbody heat shields on vehicles with automatic transmissions to cover the possibly damaged areas and flash all 1.8t engines with a precautionary software update. Dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8t vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4motion/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge. The recall began on june 13, 2008. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
  vwoa recall no. 26e5/r5.Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 89208 [USA]: If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
  On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
  dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on september 28, 20007. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834. This recall is a supplement to a previous campaign (please see 06v017).
  vw recall no. M7 and audi recall no. Jl.Customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 31819 [USA]: The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
  On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
  dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. Vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population may be involved in either this recall or 06v-183, but not both. The remedy is the same for each recall. Volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the vin number of the vehicle. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.
  volkswagen recall no. N4.Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 51685 [USA]: If fuel flow to the engine is interrupted, the vehicle could stall without warning and thus present a potential risk of crash.
  On certain vehicles produced from september 2002 - march 2003, equipped with 1.8l turbo, 2.8l v6, or 3.0l engines, a change in the electrical motor components in the fuel pump can lead to an inoperative fuel pump and, ultimately, stoppage of fuel supply to the engine causing it to stall.
  dealers will install new fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on april 10, 2006. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-222-8987 or audi at 1-800-822-2834.
  vw recall no. M7 and audi recall no. Jl.Customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 2083 [USA]: Fuel leakage can occur increasing the risk of a fire.
  On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.
  dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the event of tire disintegration. Owner notification began june 13, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
  also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 2018316 [Canada]: Airbag
  On certain vehicles, the driver frontal airbag could explode if the vehicle is involved in a collision that warrants an airbag deployment. If this occurs, sharp metal fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants, which would increase the risk of injury. Correction: dealers will replace the driver frontal airbag inflator.

• Recall 2008119 [Canada]: Fuel supply
  On certain passat and passat four motion vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, an underbody heat shield may become damaged. If this occurs, the heat shield may contact the exhaust system, which can result in a vehicle fire. In addition, the affected vehicles may have a fuel line (1.8t engine only) or fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion / all-wheel drive vehicles only) that may leak due to fracture. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a vehicle fire. Correction: dealers will affect repairs.

• Recall 2006015 [Canada]: Fuel supply
  On certain audi a6, a4 quattro, and volkswagen passat vehicles, premature fuel pump wear can lead to pump failure. A failed fuel pump may cause stoppage of fuel supply to the engine, creating an engine stall condition. Should the engine stall while the vehicle is in use, a possible vehicle crash could occur. Correction: dealers will replace the fuel pump.

• Recall 2006122 [Canada]: Lights and instruments
  On certain golf, gti, jetta, jetta wagon, new beetle, new beetle convertible, passat and passat wagon, the brake lamp switch may malfunction. If this happens, the brake lamps could become inoperative; or could come on and stay on, even though the vehicle is parked. Correction: dealers will replace the brake lamp switch with a newly revised version. This action includes vehicles previously affected by transport canada recall 03-184 and 04-075. The switch installed during this prior repair may not function properly. Note: parts available december 2006.

To ensure accuracy and for your safety, it is recommended to do a free VIN recall check here or here [USA] - UK - Canada.

Bulletins are notices put out by manufacturers in conjunction with the NHTSA to notify the public of manufacturing issues or changes.

• Engine compartment fire investigation as of 20110126

  There is no summary currently available
  

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• Fuel tank leak investigation as of 20080131

  Volkswagen (vw) is recalling certain vw passat 4motion and audi a6 quattro and allroad quattro all-wheel drive passenger cars.Vw vehicles subject to recall were manufactured from november 22, 2000 through may 31, 2005 and audi vehicles subject to recall were manufactured from june 2, 2001 to june 1, 2005.The nhtsa recall number for the vw vehicles is 08v-156 (vw also is correcting defects related to heat shield and fuel line hazards for these vehicles and for 1999-2000 passats in this recall action.)the nhtsa recall number for the audi vehicles is 08v-157.Since 2006, odi has received 17 complaints of fuel leaking from the subject vehicles fuel tanks.The 400 complaints shown above may include duplicate reports to odi and the manufacturer. While the consequence (fuel leaks from the top of the tank) is similar for both the passat and audi subject vehicles, differences in design and construction require a different remedy for each vehicle.On the passats, the ventilation line could have been installed improperly with tension and with an incorrectly positioned cable tie.The tension could cause cracked or broken nipples on the fuel tank rollover valve.On the audi vehicles, a material change (effective june 2, 2001) with different aging characteristics used for the rollover valve and the use of an inflexible aluminum ventilation line could cause cracking of the nipple on the rollover valve.Vw is recalling all vehicles subject to these defects.It will inspect passats to ensure that the vent line is tension free and correct the installation if tension is found.If a crack or fuel leak is found, vw will replace the fuel tank.Audi will repair all subject vehicles by reinforcing the fuel tank rollover valve with an epoxy adhesive.This investigation is closed.
  

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• Passenger engine compartment fires investigation as of 20070928

  There is no summary currently available
  

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• Passenger/engine compartment fires investigation as of 20070510

  There is no summary currently available
  

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• Engine stalling investigation as of 20050811

  By letter received on june 24, 2005, mr. Ronald m. Strickland of raleigh, nc, submitted a petition requesting that the agency investigate the performance of the ignition coil plugs on model year (my) 2000-2003 volkswagen jetta, golf and passat sedans.The petitioner alleges that he had experienced multiple stalling events as a result of one or more ignition coil plugs malfunctioning on his 2002 vw jetta sedan.As a result of the engine stalling, the petitioner experienced a loss of power steering and increased braking efforts when he pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road to control the vehicle.After a few minutes parked on the shoulder he was able to restart the vehicle although the engine operated at reduced power.Vw issued a customer satisfaction campaign (csc) on january 31, 2003 to instruct their dealerships to inspect the vehicles for any malfunctioning ignition coil packs and to replace them at no cost to the consumer.Consumers were notified to bring their vehicles to their dealerships via owner letters mailed out on june 6, 2003.While vw initially instructed the dealerships to only replace the malfunctioning ignition coil packs, a revised csc was issued to dealerships in december 2003 and january 2004, instructing dealerships to replace all ignition coil packs regardless of their performance.A reminder to the dealerships was sent by vw on april of 2004.Although the concerns of the petitioner could theoretically create a safety problem, the risk is very small, due to the engine still running on either 3, 5, or 7 cylinders.There are no reported crashes or injuries due to the alleged defect.Once drivers are aware of the problem (loss of power due to one of the ignition coil packs malfunctioning), drivers are able to take precautionary and compensatory measures and still maintain control of their vehicles.In addition, four fires were reported to odi.These were ignition coil burnouts with no additional damage to the vehicle and were localized on top of the engine. During the last 24 months the number of stall and drivability complaints reported to odi has greatly diminished from a peak of 195 in january of 2003 to only 3 in august of 2005.This coincides with the csc released by vw.A safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.
  

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Common OBD Error codes specific to this vehicle.

• P0102 [1] Mass or Volume Air Flow "A" Circuit Low Input
• P1128 [1] Throttle Position Sensor In Range But Higher Than Expected
• P1296 [1] Injector High Side Short To GND Or VBATT - Bank 1
• P1250 [3] Alternator Load Input Failed Low
• P0234 [1] Engine Turbocharger/Supercharger Overboost Condition
• P0299 [1] Turbocharger/Supercharger "A" Underboost Condition
• P1297 [3] Injector High Side Short To GND Or VBATT - Bank 2
• P1557 [1] P1557
• P1603 [1] Throttle Control Unit Detected Loss of Return Spring

I purchased a used 2003 vw passat from a private dealer drove the car five months and the timing belt came off while i was driving. I almost got into an accident but avoided it. This particular vehicle and ones like it was recalled in 3/7/2014 for engine and engine cooling engine problems that causes the timing belt to come off while driving. Recall: 14e007000 because of the timing belt failure. I contacted a vw dealership and they said the recall didn't apply to my car. I find that insulting consider ing what i just experienced.

Recall 26e5 volkswagen not completed

Recall 26e5 volkswagen not completed

My son was driving (in motion) on hwy 17 in miller county mo with seat heater on saturday nov. 28, 2020. Seat caught on fire. I had noticed when i had seat heater on previously it became so hot as to burn legs. This is a serious problem. It could have burned my car completely. Very dangerous.

My son was driving (in motion) on hwy 17 in miller county mo with seat heater on saturday nov. 28, 2020. Seat caught on fire. I had noticed when i had seat heater on previously it became so hot as to burn legs. This is a serious problem. It could have burned my car completely. Very dangerous.

Fuel tank leaking when full on drivers side directly under rear passenger seat. Which happens to be where my children sit. It leaks until it's a little over half full then stops.

Fuel tank leaking when full on drivers side directly under rear passenger seat. Which happens to be where my children sit. It leaks until it's a little over half full then stops.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a stand still, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the timing chain actuator/solenoid needed to be replaced. The contact stated a local dealer was contacted about open recalls and stated that there was no recall on vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a stand still, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the timing chain actuator/solenoid needed to be replaced. The contact stated a local dealer was contacted about open recalls and stated that there was no recall on vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

I noticed a stain under my car while it was parked in the street. I figured out that vw had a recall on the fuel tank vent which required replacing the whole fuel tank. The tank runs about $922 and it takes up to 11 hours labor time. I started a chat with a vwoa rep to look into this issue. She said there are no current recalls or campaigns on my vehicle at this time. She also stated that my car's 26e5/r5 recall, it covers all 1999-2005 passat and passat wagon (5th gen) equipped with gas engines. Install underbody heat shield(s): inspect/replace fuel line, fuel tank: update software, if necessary, had been performed on 03/12/09 but has no service record to tell me what was done. It may not have actually been replaced. She also said vwoa will not fix nor help me fix it. I feel that if a recall for as huge safety issue that this is, should not fail in the same manor as the original part did. That tells me they just replaced it with the same problem part in hopes that the car wouldn't be in use by the time it fails again. I am including a few pics for evidence. The example tank pic has been outlined where the fuel leak is on my car. Thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

05/01/2019 car had a dead battery---charge over night still would not start---had the car towed to auto shop--upon arrival with key on approx. 15 min drive--smoke started billowing---disconnected battery---drivers side seat warmer completely melted--mechanic says unit pulling 30 amps--there was a previous recall--not sure if totally corrected--donot want to replace immediately--please advise

This car only has 65000 original one owner miles and has experienced all & more of the current recalls with same model yr, vw local dealerships (2) refuse to acknowledge the problems (one even tried to double charge me for bosch abs part last year before the recall to fix) and numerous emails to vw have gone unanswered. Most recent issues in last 1.5yrs have been fuel pump went out and i paid to replace (dealer scammed us by throwing out dead brand new aaa stamped and warranted battery, they sd we needed new one and old one already picked up from dealer to expose of, charged $200 for that as well. I paid for the abs light repair which i have paid and diagnosed numerous times for last 10yrs to fix and finally just paid the over $1000. To get it fixed for safety reasons. 9 months ago rear brake lights would come on randomly when parked and locked killing the battery. I would drive it to charge it up but since it is a car we don't drive often or far, it continued to do the same for a few weeks until it dawned on me that the seat warmer on those cars could leave an open current, turned that off, good for a few weeks, then found out same for the trunk light, unplugged and capped that and it is far better, but something still. After reading online vw passat forums and recalls i know 2 dealerships sd they performed the brake light sensor recall, but was it truly done and causing the issue...Answer is no, vw dealers 2x after checking and billing vw for the repair falsified doing the recall. I know because i checked it and the part is original from 2002 stamped on it and i replaced it and have it along with most all other receipts from 2003 to today. Feb 11, 2019 i opened a case and supposed formal investigation with vw corporate customer care (very nice people), lied like the rest of the company and never heard a word... +++18 vw and audis personally, since 1991...Done!

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle would not hold fuel and the tank had to constantly be refilled. Also, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to ellis motorcars inc (2235 e south blvd, montgomery, al 36116, (334) 280-1021) where it was diagnosed that the coolant system and the timing chain needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 78,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While pulling out of the driveway, the contact stated that coolant was leaking from the vehicle. The low coolant warning indicator illuminated and an abnormal beeping sound was heard while driving various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and it was diagnosed that the coolant leak was due to an engine failure that was not repairable. The dealer was not contacted for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,675. The vin was not available.

Car loses power and stalls out after coming to a stop. Epc light illuminates and car must be put in park and started up again to move. Today, it stalled as i pulled out to make a left turn and i was stuck in the middle of road with oncoming traffic coming at me.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 45 mph, the vehicle jerked and stalled. The vehicle inadvertently shifted in reverse and the brakes stopped working. The contact had to apply the parking brake. The contact mentioned that the gear shifter was stuck in park. Also, the check engine, tire pressure, and epc indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to heritage volkswagen of south atlanta at (678) 263-3711 (4305 jonesboro rd, union city, ga 30291) where it was diagnosed that the ignition control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that there were no recalls associated with the vin. The contact was advised to call nhtsa. The approximate failure mileage was 172,000.

While driving the car power cuts off and stops in traffic. Have to restart. It is dangerous that the car just stops in traffic. The battery continues to drain even after totally recharging the battery. After a complete battery recharge and starting the car every day, the battery still drains again after about a week. This started happening in june 2016 and i have only driven the car about 30 total miles because afraid it is going to shut down while driving in traffic. Recently, i received a recall for this problem for my 2016 volkswagen cc but i am not having the problem with the cc. I am having the described recall problem with my 2003 passat but did not receive a recall notification for it. I am the original owner and my passat needs this repair.

Ignition coils keep failing. Just replaced in february again in may and will have to again here any day.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a fuel leak from the top of the tank. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the top of the fuel tank was old and a new tank was needed. The contact also noticed puddles of fuel were present approximately eight times since september. The leak worsened two weeks ago. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated the vehicle was previously included in a recall that called for the ignition coil to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the check engine warning indicator illuminated. While driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Due to the fact the vehicle was previously repaired per the recall, the manufacturer was not able to assist. The nhtsa campaign number was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 144,604.

Fuel tank is leaking near driver side rear wheel. Advised by dealer vw of north scottsdale that there is a fuel leak on top of the tank at the fuel tank ventilation valve and that the tank must be removed to ascertain source of the leak. Dealer advises tank was replaced in 2010 under a recall campaign. It appears that this current leak is associated with recall #28417 and nhtsa pe8008 and 08v156000.

Teenage son lost control of the vehicle on the highway. Vehicle was then involved in a front impact collision at highway speeds with the side of a flatbed truck. Bumper, headlight assemblies pushed up into the engine compartment. Drivers side curtain airbags deployed. Neither driver side or passenger side front air bags deployed. Vehicle was declared a total loss.

Less then >100k miles. Plastic fuel line that runs along firewall was damaged due to screw with thread facing engine bay, which sits right in between both fuel lines. I spoke to vw which said the recall had been fixed on my car in 2012 (i am second owner), but the screw that creates the problem was never replaced or removed. A local vw stealership is quoting me 500+ for the repair on a car who's kbb is 2000 in perfect condition (far from it ;)

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact smelled fuel when the vehicle was started. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel line was fractured and leaked fuel onto a portion of the engine. The contact stated that the technician was unable to determine the cause of the fracture. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the recall "expired". The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 191,000.

My daughter drove this vehicle into my garage and reported to me that she smelled a strong odor of gas. I looked and noticed gas dripping onto the floor. I got down and inspected the area where it was coming from and noted that it was flowing from the top (out of sight) of the tank. Backed the car out onto the drive and placed a towel under the area. Called the dealership and scheduled an appointment. Betten imports (volkswagen dealership) of grand rapids mi, inspected it and i was informed it had a crack in the plastic tank the length of a dime. The dealership recommended the tank be replaced at a estimated cost of $2,700. Due to the extensive cost i did not elect to have this done at this time. Only seems to be an issue when tank is filled to max capacity.

Driving at night, 65mph, interstate hwy. Low beam headlights went out. High beams did work. Replaced both headlight bulbs. Did not fix. Cost $95. Replace headlight relay. Did not fix. Cost in excess of $200. Recall for later year passat for same problem caused by "hood slam?"

Abs light and brake light on volkswagen states faulty control module.

Every time i crank my car it smells like gas. I was driving down the road and smoke came out from under the hood when i stopped and lifted the hood it had a strong gas smell.

The ad blue heater failures are rampant is all passat models 2012 to 2015. The safety issue is that in the winter time when ad blue freezes the car goes into a non restart countdown. If the car stalls during this time the person may be stuck in sub zero weather without heat. The ad blue heater is only covered under the 3 year 36,000 mile warranty because they say it does not qualify as emissions control system. The car will shut down because if the ad blue freezes the emissions goes unexpectedly high so how can this not be part of the emissions system? The cost of repair is $1,000 plus.

My dash showed 2 lights a red break light and yellow abs it keeps beeping . It started randomly one morning when i turned my car on its been doing it for 6 months now

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that there was a fume odor emitted inside and around the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000. The vin was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v483000 (air bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

I was driving the car to work 2 miles from my houses oil warning come on return to my house to get a second car park the car and left 5 minute later get a phone call my car is on fire thanks god i went back home call vw they said no recalls but national safety investigation i lost my car because don't have full cover insurance

My floorboards are soaked with coolant had noticed i had leak but had no idea that it was leaking into inside cabinet, heater core went out and every time i added fluid it would be gone wasnt sure where itwas going i could smell antifreeze smell for sometime but thought if it were overheating dash would give some warning!..Again now that i know it was unhealthy to be breathing the toxic smell.My daughter still putting up with smell hard to get rid of it even after shampooing {sorry after shopvac sucked atleast 2gallons of coolant from my floor boards...This really makes me angry that i didnt know i was forced to breath in these toxic fumes for several months and continues,

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning while driving at various speeds. The failure was experienced numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who performed diagnostic testing. The engine oxygen sensor, coil spring, sparks plugs, and wires were replaced; however, the failure was not corrected. The contact stated that the tail lights also failed. The tail lights were not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 50 mph, the brakes engaged independently and the vehicle shook violently without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.

Misfire on 2 cylinders due to faulty ignition coil packs

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While refueling the vehicle, it started to leak fuel from underneath the fuel tank. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 82,500. ...Updated 06-12-15 *bf the consumer stated vw customer service was advocating to get a new fuel tank installed for him at no cost. Updated 06/23/15*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing belt needed to be replaced. The vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14e007000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Problems with the abs control unit fails after few years. This could lead to an accident since the car cannot stop in the time & distance originally specified when car was purchased. Also, the smog stations are not able to read the obd2 connector due to this issue, which forces you to buy a new module for almost $600.00. The most important in this issue is the safety in stopping and not having your brakes lock, which also causes the car to skid in sudden stops and cause an accident. There is a blinking warning light that comes on the dashboard that points to the dashboard.

I have had my 2003 vw passat a year now i have just noticed in the past week that it had a leak i thought it was from the window or sun roof i went to vacuum the car out on a nice day and seen that it still had very wet carpet and then noticed the carpet was a green color like it was coolant i then had my bf check it and it is. I run a daycare and use this car daily with my children we have been breathing in this coolant for weeks now and that probably explains my daughter saying she gets headaches when we drive the car. I have done some research and see it is a very common and recalled thing with the heater core and i had no idea i hope us breathing this in hasn't done any damage i have a one year old who has been in it this whole time as well.Im very unpleased with this car. *tr

After a couple attempts to start the vehicle the engine turns over and runs for 2-3 seconds then dies. This happens multiple times before fully starting up and is able to be driven. While out of gear and car is running, pressing on the acceleration does nothing. Car is able to be driven short distances but stalled at one point going approx. 5 mph. I was told my specific vin # is not covered under warranty for fuel pump/system malfunctions. If this is a known issue of 2003 passat's already why would some not be covered? *tr

The car ran out of gas so i went to the gas station to purchase gas to put into the car. I put the gas into the car. Tried to start the car but would not start. I let it sit for a few minutes then i tried to start the car again. This time the car started but i heard a loud bang. Flames started shooting out of the hood. Before i knew it the whole front of the car was engulfed in flames. I called the fire department to extinguish the car. *tr

Nhtsa campaign id number: 08v156000 "fuel tank ventilation valve (4motion/all wheel drive only) that can leak due to fracture." nhtsa action number: pe08008 the car is oozing gasoline from top left (driver's) side of gas tank. There is a strong smell of gasoline inside and outside (outside due to a gas puddle). Vw dealer (vw downtown los angeles) refuses to grant the repair, asking for $140 inspection fee. Vwoa representative sites the recall performed in 2009. The recall ( pe08008 ) issued has 2 parts: 1) underbody heat shield installation. 2) "dealers will also inspect and adjust the fuel line routing on 1.8t vehicles and the fuel tank ventilation valve on 4motion/all wheel drive vehicles, and replace components if necessary free of charge." i suspect the second part was not fulfilled, given the exact nature of mechanic failure described. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking fuel from the fuel tank. The contact took the contact to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. Updated 05/11/16*lj *cn

Vehicle oil pressure light alerted driver of low oil pressure. Driver brought vehicle to r&j auto on 1309-1365 barnum avenue in bridgeport, ct; driver purchased car from this business less than a year ago; driver was told that nothing was wrong with the car. A week later the same issue arose while on the highway. Driver was not speeding due to getting off of the ramp. Car began making a ticking noise. Driver brought car back to r&j a week later the car was deemed unfit to drive due to sludge, the oil pump being damaged and the engine malfunctioning. Dealer/mechanic informed me that the car was dangerous to drive and would not be worth fixing. I was forced to junk the car and leave the car with the business. I am afraid they will resell the car without completing the proper maintenance and repair to another innocent customer. This car is not fit to drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 35 mph, the heated seat was activated and within two minutes, the seat was unbearably hot and burned a hole through the contact's pants. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.

Two ignition coils failed which caused lack of spark to the plugs in the engine. Subsequent loss of engine power and unburned fuel entered the catalytic converter. A heat-related fire nearly ensued. Had to repair coils and plugs. Nearly caused failure of catalytic converter and oxygen sensors. *tr

As i was parking my car in the school parking lot, a strong odor of gasoline started to come through the vents. I open the hood an a line behind the engine bay was squirting out gasoline directly onto the hot surface of the engine. I check online and i see that there was aprevious recall the r5 recall but many owners were being told by volkswagen that it's no longer covered or that there vin wasn't covered even though the car was the same year on the recall. I called volkswagen aswell and they mentioned to me that there was a recall but no longer active or had been serviced already. It leaks when it's on or not. *tr

Recently had the vehicle maintenance done, brought the car home and found that when it cooled and all fluids settled overnight, the fuel pump was having trouble- resulting in car not starting. After one hour of turning the key over-and-over, then giving it gas, it eventually started. Excited, i took the car out for a test drive, it stalled in the middle of a for way intersection. Thankfully i live in a very small town, if that had happened on a highway there would be potential for an accident. Considering i bought this car a couple years ago, i don't feel i'm at fault for not taking advantage of the dealerships recall and it's in my best interest to investigate further to see if i'm eligible for the free replacement by the dealer. I would appreciate someone getting back to me via e-mail or text message(cannot make or receive phone calls) top let me know as soon as possible. Thank you, very much [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

We were just leaving our friends house it was approx. 6am in morning little cold out so i turned on the seat warmers which is always nice touch to warm you up on those cold mornings, anyhow about 4-5minutes after seat warmers were turned on passenger side where i was sitting got rather warm and then hot and then actually start smoking and flames came out there was fire right under my bottom. I freaked out jumped out of seat ..I was yelling fire fire fire you could smell plastic burning as it was smoking and burning.My boyfriend poured water on and smothered out the fire with his jacket i'm a bit leary of the car because i don't feel its safe. I had my boyfriend unplug harness under seat and now my air bag warning default light and bell stay on. I am shocked to see several other complaints regarding this issue and that vw people haven't addressed this. I feel this car is a death trap.Very unhappy with this vehicle.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, it would stall. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 06v017000 (fuel system, gasoline). The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that there were gasoline fumes emitting from outside of the vehicle. The failure continued to occur over a period of one week. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.

Car was constantly getting the passenger side (front and back) flooded w water during a rain storm. Had to get new battery cleaned out sunroof drainage. It didn't matter. Whenever it rained the battery would be dead because the control module which is there is all messed up sending mixed messages. Finely just died in the middle of the road. Not worth putting money into the car. I purchased this car less then a year ago and had this problem after the first rain and went down from their. Im so disappointed hoping buying a used vw i was going to be satisfied but had nothing trouble from day one. *tr

Since after the day one of the purchase my car started shaking, vibrating. I had to have coils replaced. The car started running for 2 weeks then when i was in the traffic it started shaking then stalled. I was able to pull over in the parking lot. I had wiring harness and coils replaced again this time. The car had startup issues and then mechanic replaced camshaft sensor. After 3 weeks same problem!!!! I was on the side of the road had to be towed. Changed spark plugs and coils but after 2 months oh my goodness same problem now they think ecu is fried coils are bad maybe fuel pump no one is able to figure out and i cant spend any more thousands of dollars on a car im still financing. Very disappointed! I don't feel safe at all on the road and im scared to cause an accident because of the stalls on the road. Please help! Feel very unsafe! *tr

I took my car to volkswagen dealership to find out why my brake light was on and why my brakes would flutter at times when using them. I got estimate that my brake reservoir was bad and the sensor that it would be okay to drive till i got fixed in a week. I faxed my warranty papers to dealership to find out to see what was covered..On saturday 5 days later when i was driving 35 miles an hour tried to stop and brake pedal went to floor had nothing to stop me but the car in front of me. I was issued a ticket had my car towed and i. Am having headaches and neck pain which i'm getting treated..I don't feel as if that car was safe to ne driving.. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact was driving 60 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was coasted off road into a nearby parking lot, and was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for inspection or repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline). The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

On friday, january 10, 2014 i was on my way home on braddock road. It was a rainy dark night and so the traffic was moving at less than the speed limit. As i came round the bend just past t.J. High school, i went over a deep pothole that caused damage to my car. My steering wheel began to rattle and shake and i knew my car was damaged. I managed to get home and my husband decided we needed to have the car checked. The mechanic at volks werks discovered that the left front rim was damaged and the wheel alignment was off. After all the works was done to get my car in working condition it cost us $997. The pothole was recently filled because it was a road hazard. I would like to know how va dot can help us with this large bill. I am willing to provide you with the necessary documentation or additional information if requested. Thank you. *tr

While driving my car reported 1/4 tank than abruptly spurting and reported an empty tank, causing me to pull over on the highway due to no fuel in tank. This has happened multiple times. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the gear shifter could independently shift from park to drive without the contact depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000. ..Updated 12-26-13 *bf the consumer stated property damaged resulted, due to the brake failure. Updated 12/30/13

Fuel pump failed while i was driving on the freeway. It was highly dangerous and my car had to be towed. I go to the dealer and find out that there was a fuel pump for certain 2003 vw passats but my vin number for my car did not fall under the category for the recall and therefore vw had refused to reimburse me for fixing the fuel pump. My dealer had told me that their were similar customer complaints for all vw 2003 but unfortunately my car didn't fall under the right vin. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that a burning odor was coming from the engine. The contact also indicated that a fluid leak was coming from under the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 140,000.

On sept 20 2013 my wife showed me a spring that came from under the drivers seat . Ironically the next day the airbag light came on and wont go off . About a month later a 2nd spring appeared in the floorboard .Car will not pass inspection . Vw really needs to address this . *tr

The front floor gets very hot when the vehicle is in motion even when the aircondition is running

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 acura mdx. The contact stated the transmission on the vehicle shuttered while driving 40 mph. The contact stated the shuttered stopped when he took his foot off of the accelerator pedal, but it started to shutter again when it was engaged. The shuttering seemed to occur between third and forth gear. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer. The failure and current mileage was 66,000. *tr

Abs module failure, abs light on brake light blinking and then asr light on, happens randomly, no specific reason, dry weather, humid, day or night. Still comes on randomly, no speeding, problem goes away when car is turned off. *tr

Hot steam(coolant) came out of vents causing poor visibility and my daughter almost got into an accident due to the steam fogged the windshield. *tr

Engine lights come on. Car at times start shaking - not consistently though. Took it to shop: found out ignition coils misfires. This has occurred 4 times in a 2 year time span. The most recent 2 being a month apart. The most recent incident burned almost all of the spark plugs. Did research and this website describes my situation perfectly: http://www.Vwproblems.Com/trends/ignition-coil/. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the engine pressure warning indicator illuminated continuously. The failure recurred twelve times within the same day. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The technician stated that the engine would need to be replaced due to excessive oil sludge. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that it took multiple attempts for the vehicle to become operable even when the starter was engaged. The vehicle also experienced an interior water leak and the driver side door latch would not properly latch. In addition, the vehicle experienced a complete loss of engine power and the check engine, brake, and various other warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as a software failure, and the ignition coil springs were defective and needed to be replaced. The ignition coil springs were replace however the failure recurred. The manufacturer and dealer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine exhibited sludge. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The mechanic recommended that the engine be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

I was driving on the highway around 47-50 mph all of a sudden i heard a strong hit,as if someone hit me from the rear... Then my dashboard started flashing and all the transmission gears got locked up, i was able to stop the car and turn it off, funny thing is this happens during summer only when it's hot outside otherwise, i don't see it... This can be dangerous. *tr

On or about feb. 1, 2013, i started my manual-transmission 2003 volkswagen passat gls (v6) and shifted into reverse to back out of my driveway. As soon as i took my foot off the brake, the car lurched backward even though i was not depressing the accelerator pedal. I quickly shifted into neutral, engaged the parking brake and turned off the ignition. When i tried to restart the car, it would not start and did not start until about an hour later. My first thought was that the accelerator could have become lodged under the floormat, but that was not the case; nor was it the case in at least four other similar incidents. Two of these incidents took place as i was driving at a low speed in a residential area. Fortunately, there were no pedestrians or other cars around me and i had the presence of mind to recognize the issue, shift into neutral and park the car. However, i fear what could happen if this incident recurred when i was at an intersection, railroad crossing or crosswalk. Despite repeated attempts, my mechanic has been unable to replicate the incident or identify the cause. *tr

While driving the on the capitol beltway (495 inner loop) i started to smell a burning smell. Moments later within about 30 seconds the engine burst into flames. I was able to stop the vehicle safely and exited the car. Needless to say the vehicle is totaled. I would describe the incident as a spontaneous engine fire. There was no warning. Thank you. *tr

When i turn my heated seat on the driver's side past level 1, there is one spot on the seat that gets painfully hot. I usually turn the heat off at that point. Today i was so cold that i didn't want to turn the seat off, so i put my hand between the seat and my leg. When i took my hand out, it smelled like smoke. I called volkswagen, and they don't have any recall on these seats. I thought they might make a concession since it is a possible safety issue, but they wouldn't do anything for me. *tr

The turn signal would continue to make a clicking noise even after the signal had been shut off. This continued to happen for several minutes and then smoke began to rise from behind my steering wheel where the turn signal enters the wheel console. I began to pull over at the next safe area and before i could i noticed small flames coming from the same area where the turn signal enters the wheel console. When i turned off the car the smoke/fire slowly subsided. I ended up removing the turn signal fuse in order to drive to a repair shop. After some research this seems to be a common issue with no recalls issued yet. *tr

Fuel tank ventilation valve is cracked and leaking on 2003 vw passat 4motion/awd (under nhtsa campaign # 08v156000). Contacted multiple dealers and vw directly and dealership/vw will not replace fuel tank under recall. Both stated this recall was completed in 2009 however work completed was only one part of the recall that included adding additional heat shields. Vw customer care stated vehicle was out of warranty and they could not assist. Customer objected stating this is a safety concern not a warranty issue. *tr *js

The abs light comes on on the instrument panel followed by the brake light and sometimes the anti-skid indicator. This is a common and expensive problem for volkswagens for many years: http://tech.Bentleypublishers.Com/thread.Jspa?Threadid=2447&start=40&tstart=0 volkswagen should be held to account. *tr

I was driving 45miles on the road when my 2003 vw passat 1.8t started to shake like crazy. Then the engine started to feel like it was going out..Smoke came from my hood. My car stopped and the driver behind me swerved out the way but clipped me on the right side of my vehicle. No damage to the car or my own. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the smell of fuel entered the vehicle. The contact noticed a fuel leak on the catalytic converter. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs under nhtsa campaign i.D. Number 02v026000 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap). The dealer inspected the fuel lines and did not find any abrasions however 20,000 miles later, the fuel lines were leaking. The contact called the manufacturer regarding the recall and the manufacturer stated that they would not honor the recall because the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall campaign. The failure mileage was 68,000.

Fuel supply line began leaking at mounting point on firewall above catalytic converter. Break/crack in line was significant and posed a high probability of fire, as any fuel leak, but substantially more so due to the location above the catalytic converter. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat. Consumer writes in regards to safety recall 26e5/r5 concerning underbody heat shield *tgw the consumer stated due to the recall, the fuel pump failed. The consumer was informed it would cost $ 1343.00 to replace. Recall # 08v156000 *jb the consumer stated even if the dealer performed the recall, she would not feel comfortable in the vehicle. Updated 09/13/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The contact also stated that the vehicle emitted a noise in which it sounded like it was low on fuel. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer also stated that they were not responsible for repairs. The failure and current mileages were 113,008.

Strong odor of fuel in car (2003 vw passat 4motion) after the tank is filled up. Took car to repairman who diagnosed a crack in the fuel tank. Took car to vw dealership for repair because we believe the repair should be covered under a recall on cracked fuel tanks (near the valves), but vw has stated that this car does not qualify for the recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 20 mph, the contact noticed smoke coming from under the hood and pouring inside the vehicle. The contact found water and coolant leaking from the dashboard and onto the driver's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was also overheating. After exiting the vehicle, the contact noticed flames coming from under the hood. The contact was able to extinguish the fire however, the contact sustained burns to her legs due to the hot leaking coolant. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the engine blew and the instrument panel cluster was damaged. The contact was unaware of what caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 174,256.

Fuel pouring out of the rear of the car. Fire could happen. *tr

Coils failing randomly and causing the car to shake violently and lose power on highway. Potential damage to be caused to other areas of the car because of this. Ie oxygen sensor etc. *tr

Abs control module on my 2003 vw passat failed. This appears to be a common failure that disables the abs. *tr

Heater stopped working and blew cold air. Brought car into vw dealer be serviced. Heating system was flushed with cleaner. A couple of days after "repair," car was driven with the passenger seat heater on and a 1 1/4" hole burnt through seat exposing burnt heating element and burnt foam. Heater stopped working a couple of weeks after above "repair." returned to dealer to redo repair and requested the seat heater and seat upholstery leather replaced. Told that it would cost $1000.00 and that it would be the owner's responsibility. Clearly the seat heaters on this car model are defective given all the complaints and prior recalls. Vw replaced the driver's seat heater with a recall...Which leads to the obvious question: "why weren't the passenger side seat recalled as well?" was this a calculation on the part of vw corporate....That the cost of replacing the driver seats through a recall was less that the liability due to burns/accidents/loss of life...But the cost of replacing the passenger seats through a recall was calculated to be more than the liability there? This does not smell good. Class action suit seems appropriate. *kb

Owner drove the 2003 volkswagen passat (2.8 v6 engine) home and parked it. He came back out to the driveway approximately 2 hours later and found the vehicle smoking. Small fire at right front floor pan/minor melting of dash plastics caused by heat from right side exhaust pipe/catalytic converter. Heat shield melted, rubber body plug ignited and consumed, carpet just above body plug was charred. Car just had right side catalytic converter and pipe replaced. *tr

Heated seat coils overheated and burnt seat on driver side. 1 year after recall was done by [xxx] vw brockton ma, they told me the heaters in the seat are no longer under warranty and told me to call vw usa with my problem, information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6). *tr

2003 volkswagen passat has had recurring problems with ignition coils over the past two years (have already had two replaced at personal expense, as they were not under recall/warranty) most recent issue with such has occurred the past two weeks, beginning with the appearance of the check engine light along with periods of my vehicle running very rough (a "rumbling" type sensation, particularly when idling/while stopped) this soon escalated into a total loss of power while driving on the freeway the other day, which necessitated in me having to abruptly pull onto the shoulder, smoke came out from under the hood for a minute or two. Took my passat to a local repair shop the next day, where they read the error code(s) for my check engine light---turns out there are 10 in all, 1 for each cylinder in my engine (i have a v6), 3 for each ignition coil, and 1 general engine code. This will be the third time i have dealt with this issue in a very short time frame. I will be calling the dealership first thing in the morning but i do not believe there is any recall/warranty out for this issue still. I am very upset and displeased with vw and their lack of reliability/credibility regarding this issue. It seems that it is quite widespread from what i have researched and read and i hope that something will be done about it soon, i cannot afford to keep paying for this and certainly cannot afford for the safety hazards of it to get any worse, im afraid an engine fire will be next!! *kb

Coils for cylinders 2-4 inexplicably failed as well as the plugs and need to be replaced in order to repair misfire code. Engine purge valve also needs to be replaced.

Engine failure. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that there was an overpowering odor of gasoline from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the contact was advised that there was a fuel leak and that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. There were no recalls for the failure. The manufacturer was contacted who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 87,000.

I own a 2003 vw passatt 1.8l turbo. I purchased this car brand new, and have used fully synthetic oil for the entire life of the vehicle. From reading several forums on the issue i am going to report, i do not have a gold plated record of all oil changes and maintenance. I have changed my oil every 3000-5000 miles. Two months ago, i was driving my car when the stop engine oil pressure light came on. I immediately pulled over and had the car towed to my mechanic, who is a master mechanic. The cause of the problem was the oil intake tube in the oil pan....It was completely clogged up and no oil was getting through it. I paid for parts and labor for him to make the repairs and it cost me $2500 dollars. I would like to be reimbursed for my cost, and find out what vw has done to cover owners for these repairs? Thank you very much. *tr

Rear view mirror was pulled off windshield by a 2 yr old, mirror separated at the ball-and-socket hinge with the base remaining glued to the windshield. No apparent damage to the mirror. Pushing mirror back together shattered the windshield in the area of the mirror. It is possible that pulling the mirror apart had already damaged the windshield (not checked before trying to put the mirror back together). I would have expected the mirror to unglue from the windshield or break before the windshield broke. *tr

Metal fuel line in the rear of the engine compartment dripped gasoline onto the exhaust system below, despite a patch that a vw mechanic had installed earlier. First smelled gas in march and took it to a vw repair shop. Patch with clamps was added. Smelled gas again in may and discovered the fuel leak. Vw customer service said the leak was not a recall issue. Mechanic said it was the result of a cracked fuel line, which he said is a known issue with older passats.

Front control arms failure. Very common in this suspension design. There has been a recall issued in europe for the same problem. Likewise, the audi a4 shares the same chassis and same front end suspension. These control arms are seriously under designed. This is dangerous! Having this fail while driving will result in death or serious injury. This is a design flaw, and is being overlooked. The bushings on my control arms (all 4 for each of my front wheels, eight in total) are seriously cracked and need replacement. This is not something that should be failing at 50k and 70k miles. Volkswagen should be held responsible for replacing failed control arms. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and shut off when he noticed a strong odor of gasoline. The contact also noticed gasoline leaking from the fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the fuel line inside of the fuel tank was leaking. The contact was also informed that the failure was not the same failure addressed in nhtsa campign id numbers: 02v026000 (fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap), 06v017000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump), 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump), and 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 120,000.

My 2003 volkswagan passat wagon has roof/chassis drains that are backing up inside the vehicle causing the vehicle electronics to short out and fail. My rear door will not open. This is a safety issue. *tr

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat with 77,650 miles with problems with the oilpump and engine problems that is unknown. The automobile will stall not start it hasn't been driven in over 6 months due to the rattling noise in the engine and i believe slugged is build up in the engine but since then i have replaced two oilpumps in the vehicle and the sensors. Engine oil pressure failure and defective coils on each cylinder. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact was driving approximately 55 mph when the oil warning light illuminated. The contact moved off the roadway and shut the vehicle off. The vehicle was restarted and driven a short distance before the failure recurred. The vehicle was later taken to the dealer for the failure and she was advised to call back and schedule an appointment. She stated that the dealer advised her that there was a warranty repair dealing with the oil sludge. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 125,600.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 55 mph with the heated seat engaged, the contact felt a burning sensation coming through the seat. The vehicle was pulled over and the contact noticed there was a burned hole through the front driver seat as well as a burn to his pants. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed nor repaired. The failure and current mileage was 54,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 10 mph the steering wheel locked causing the driver to crash into a fence. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The technicians were unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Approximate failure mileage was 95,000. Updated 05/03/11*lj updated 06/20/11*jb

Due to a design flaw with all passats 1998 and up they are prone to having major failure of tcm transmission control module as in cases of heavy rain water will leak into passenger floor area and fill the tcm with water hence locking transmission into park and no longer allowing vehicle to be shifted...

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat w8. The contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the vehicle began to shake uncontrollably causing difficulty in the steering. Suddenly, the check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. The engine stalled while attempting to drive onto the emergency lane. Within ten minutes, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive to an independent mechanic who informed him that the failure was related to the cam shaft and torque. The technician could not guarantee that the failure would not recur after the vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. The vin was unavailable. Updated 06/29/11*lj updated 1/13/2012 *ln *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into the front end of her vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. She also mentioned that the seatbelts did not retract on impact. As a result, her head hit the steering wheel, causing a concussion. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure and current mileages were 86,000. Updated 4/11/2011 *cn the consumer also stated the seat belts did not lock in to place. Updated 04/22/11

Power train lack of power when pressing the accelerator may have caused an accident, pulling out in traffic. This was due to water leak in pollen filter box (cracked) which affected the shift lock solenoid, affecting the transmission control module. 2003 volkswagen passat mileage of 121,000 miles. Normally garaged and maintained according to schedule. After rain, found an inch of water in rear passenger floor. Transmission non-functional, air bag warning light and other warning lights on. Dealer said the pollen filter seal was no good and that water leaked in and destroyed the transmission control unit which is located in the floor behind the passenger seat. I have read many accounts on the internet from many angry owners of similar problems where leaks from this seal have caused catastrophic repairs. The service manager at the vw dealer told me that checking the pollen filter seal is not part of any regular maintenance and that in order to check it, you'd need to disassemble quite a few things in the engine compartment. When i asked him how an owner could possibly know if the seal needed replacement and he replied "you found out how". I am clearly not alone in having experienced a failure from a part that is not in any way maintainable (the pollen filter seal) and that has caused major damage to the car. I feel this is a consumer issue and that this is a design defect in the passat that vw should compensate owners for. There is no way for an owner to be able to avoid this situation -- it is not a matter of maintenance. It got to do with the passat leaking water and the location of an extremely expensive component in the rear passenger floor, the area where any water that leaks migrates to. If this failure had occurred during driving, i might. I have been told to replace transmission spent another 2000$ and its not even this the problem!!!! *tr

2003 volkswagen passat wagon with cloth heated seats. While using heated seat option, felt burning on right leg. Found seat heater had melted right bolster of seat cushion. *tr

I was driving my vw passat 1.8l turbo stationwagon at a speed of 40 miles per hour and the car suddenly stalled without any warning. My four month old baby was in the back in his carseat and had i been in a different setting we both could have been injured or killed. This was the first time it had occurred and once i took it to the mechanic the car started and drove fine and they could not duplicate the problem. They informed me that it was likely a parts recall issue: recall: 07v375000: fuel pump replacement. I contacted vw america, inc. And was informed that while in fact there was such a recall for 2003 passats, my vin number was not covered in the recall and thus there was nothing they could/would do to help me despite the fact that the problem appears to be the very one indicated in the recall notice. This is very frustrating and scary. *tr

I purchased a 2003 passat 6 months ago. I have had nothing but trouble from it. It is just one thing after another. I have had to take it in to be fixed about six times. I can't even remember everything i have had to have fixed. I do remember the last thing though. It was the tail lights, the tail light would not go out even when i had no lights on and even when the car was turned off. My car is in the shop again right now. It has been there since monday december 27th. It is a four cylinder and has been running on three. I found out for the first time monday that my car has 5 recalls on it. I was never notified of none of them. After leaving it for all the recalls to be fixed, i had to rent a car for 30.00 to get home. Now i have no way to pick up my car because i had to return the rental car the next day because i could not afford to pay 30.00 per day. I have nobody to take me to pick up my car, i guess i will have to take a taxi and that will probably cost me about 50.00. I am very upset with vw i paid my hard earned money for a reliable car and now i am stuck with nothing but a lemon, something needs to be done about this. I have no way to go anywhere, what am i supposed to do? *tr

Heater core plugs thus resulting in inoperable heating of the interior of the car. Also causing a leak thus spewing steam and fluid into the interior of the car. With the windscreen receiving the steam and impairing the vision of the driver which may lead to an accident. *tr

The vw 1.8t engine has know sludge issues that lead to engine failure. When the engine fails the driver looses all power functions associated with the vehicle. This includes steering and brakes. This is exactly what happened to me and i was lucky enough to be in the left hand lane and was able to pull over and park. Had this happened when i was on an interstate it could have been a completely different outcome. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated the timing belt could not be adjusted. The check engine light illuminated because of the timing chain failure which also caused damage to the ignition coil. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated the timing chain was designed to be a lifetime timing system and could not be adjusted. The contact was unable to register the vehicle because the check engine light was on. The contact spoke to the manufacturer who stated the only thing that can be done is to replace all four cam gear adjusters, control solenoid housing, adjuster bolts and timing chains, the valve cover gasket and seals, torque converter bolts, exhaust gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, injector seals, chain cover, chain tensioners, rear main seal and the throttle body gaskets. The failure mileage was 98,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that he noticed a fuel odor and when he inspected, he saw that the fuel tank was leaking. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the cotnact was informed that the plastic gas nozzle cracked and put pressure on the fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for recall 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery) but the dealer would not replace the fuel tank because the fuel like was too long. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were 107,235.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the malfunction indicator warning light illuminated intermittently, causing the vehicle to shake excessively. The dealer made six attempts to diagnose the failure but to no avail. The manufacturer was notified who contacted the local dealer but offered no additional assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The current mileage was 91,252 and the failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

Engine compartment fire nhtsa defect investigation #pe10027 1.At about 2:45 in cvs 2.Waited about 10 minutes 3.I was paged by identification of my car 4.Advised car on fire 5.A man in a deffenbaugh uniform was trying to extinguish the fire coming out from under the front of the car 6.The fire extinguisher was aggravating the flames 7.I advised him to stand back 8.I asked if the fire department had been called 9.A cvs employee did contact fire department two times 10.Cvs pharmacy employee came out ' her car was parked two spaces to the passenger side of my car 11.The man from deffenbaugh moved her car 12.An older man approached man and said that he was the one who reported the fire 13.He was walking in front of my cat to enter the store and sparks where coming out from under the hood 14.The fire spread rapidly 15.What looked to be like card board substance was falling to the ground toward the front of the car 16.The product was engulfed in flame. Car was deemed totaled. *tr

Catalytic converter heat caused fabric material behind silver reflective liner on passenger side to catch and hold a smolder and flame causing damage to the structural body panels and melting some plastic components. Fire was extinguished by using a chemical fire extinguisher and remaining smoldering components had to be extinguished as exposed manually. Caused grass to catch fire and left smoky residue. *tr

Vw 2003 passat awd 2.8 l v6 gasoline engine...Wife called me said car was miss firing badly and then smoke was reported coming from underneath car. She pulled over and saw flames coming from underneath the car. Turned car off and fire luckily went out...I changed coil and problem was fixed for about three months. Now car is miss firing again and running rough....I hate that i've fixed this same coil three times now and it is acting up again... *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While fueling the vehicle, the contact noticed a strong fuel odor and noticed fuel on the ground. She loosened the fuel cap to stop it from leaking but it continued to leak. The contact had previously been taken to an authorized dealer for repair for recall 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery) september 2008. The dealer replaced the fuel line and heat shield. The dealer refused to repair the vehicle again according to the recall. The contact called the manufacturer who took a report and advised her to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnosis. The current and failure mileages were approximately 84,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the abs warning light illuminated when the brakes were applied and the front of the vehicle vibrated violently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the abs module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the vibrating continued. There was also a loud dinging noise followed by the warning light when the brakes were applied. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 87,452. Updated 04/15/11*lj updated 12/19/2011 *ln

Vehicle is 2003 vw passat 4 motion. A fuel leak was detected in the tank area. Automobile was brought to an independent repair shop where it was determined that there was a crack on the rollover valve. A recall was issued on this car for this problem (recall #(08v156000, nhtsa investigaiton #pe08008) and the necessary repairs were purportedly done by the authorized vw repair shop. *tr

Noticed a leaking gas tank on my 2003 volkswagen passat. This is the first time that this has occurred. However, there has been several recalls on this car that pertain to issues with the fuel line, gas tank cap, heat shield and gas tank. After noticing this leak, i immediately took the car into the volkswagen dealership for service because the amount of gas leaking from the rear end of the car was fairly substantial and enough to easily cause a serious fire. Once at the dealer, they said that the issue was the gas cap/nozzle that is connected to the gas tank. This nozzle is very small and seems to be very brittle, easy to break off. My concern is that there are a number of these cars on the road that spontaneously seem to start leaking gasoline from their fuel tanks. As i was never involved in an accident, never went down a dirt road or even hit a speed bump all of which might (in a remote circumstance) cause the nozzle to break. *tr

2003 vw passat wagon 1.8 t sludge issue stop engine light came on at 88,683 miles indicating oil pressure is low and vehicle should not be driven. Has not yet been repaired/replaced: oil sludge low bar pressure $1792. *tr

Ruptured fuel line - pressure side fuel line failed at point where it is secured to the fire wall in engine compartment. The gromet wore through, allowing the fuel line to rub against the fastener and the line subsequently ruptured allowing fuel to escape in a large volume. *tr

On april 20, 2010 my 2003 volkswagen passats check engine light came on at around 4:45 pm. I immediately called the place who does all my repair work, and was told i could drop off the car that night, and they would check it out the following morning. I arrived at the location around 5:10, parked the car and went to place my key in the night drop box. When i walked back to the car i saw smoke coming out from under the hood. I raised the hood and saw flames coming from what looked like under the back of the engine compartment. Then i noticed that there were flames coming out from under the dashboard inside the car. I called 911 and ran to a nearby gas station to get a fire extinguisher. When i got back to the car there were flames visible inside the car. I used the entire fire extinguisher and it did not even phase the fire. Within 1 minute the entire car was engulfed in flames. The fire dept. Arrived within 6 minutes and the car was gone. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact was driving approximately 65 mph when the accelerator pedal became stuck in the depressed position. The vehicle was pulled over and shut off. Upon restarting, the vehicle operated as normal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they were unable to diagnose the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred intermittently. In addition, when driving approximately 65 mph the oil pressure light began illuminating on the dashboard. The vehicle was pulled over and towed to an independent mechanic where it was repaired. The failure persisted so the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the head gasket would need to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The failure mileage was 96,000 and the current mileage was 105,000.

The check engine light on my vw passat 2003 with only 60 k miles came on while i was driving and as a result of that the thermostat and the oxygen sensor had to be replaced. The car mechanic was is an independent vw mechanic and he was of the opinion that at such mileage such malfunctions should not occur in this car. *tr

Driving at 65mph and oil pressure light comes on -takes us 15 minutes to find a safe spot to pull over- get car to dealer -'sludge " in the engine- regularly serviced car for 7 years. *tr

My 2003 passat has 104,000 miles and is currently being fixed due to oil sludge in my engine. 2 years ago my mechanic warned me of this issue; however, a faithful volkswagen owner i decided to keep my car and faithfully change my oil every 3,000 miles while the owner's manual say every 5,000 miles. Friday, january 15, 2010 i found myself stranded off the highway, on a trip, due to oil sludge. I am firm believer in taking care of your car and feel as though this is a volkswagen issue. It seems as though there are several issues with this and volkswagen and would like for an action to be considered. *tr

Had my ignition coils in my vw 2003 passat go out. Went to auto repair had repairs done at 340.00. 2 months later got letter of recall for exact problem, letter said to send in receipts for reimbursement. Sent forms, followed up with call and got check this week...For 78.00. Called # on form and they said they refund what the us average cost would be and in this case that was it. I went back to the dealer to ask them and they said they would have done the repairs for 320.00 and that i was being ripped off. After talking with the recall agency and being put on hold 4 times they said that was it and all i would receive. *tr

I purchased an 03 vw passat from a vw dealer as a certified pre-owned vehicle back in 2/07. Within the first week of purchase i had brake problems. The next couple years were followed by valve cover leaks, engine leaks, auto window problems, battery problems, recall issues, water intrusion issues, ignition coil recall and the list goes on. After a water intrusion just days after the replacement of faulty ignition coils i contacted the manufacture notifying them of the problems. The manufacture had held their foot to the ground that my car is out of warranty (that i was told at time of sale i did not have) and so they are able to do nothing about any of the problems with this vehicle. However as it stands i have nearly $3000 in repairs needed to this vehicle. Not to mention the water leak/damage from what i understand may actually mean my vehicle is considered a total loss at this point. I have expressed to the manufacture that i am concerned for the safety of myself but my small children as well ever time we are in this vehicle. Among the several things that are potential to occur while i am driving i also worry about the potential for mold exposure from the water damage. Due to cost i am unable to get any of this corrected and can not afford to go thru my insurance only to be told that it is a manufacture issue and so i am stuck. I feel that at this point i am driving around in a safety hazard and don't know what to do. Every time i receive a replay from anyone i just end up back at the same place....Contact the bbb, etc. I am getting no where and don't know what to do therefore am looking into any and all resources so any information would be useful. Thank you for your time. *tr

Went to start my car and the malfunction indicator lamp light was on and my car was shaking uncontrollably. I called the dealership they had told me to have my car towed in. As i did, the problem was the ignition coils, they did mention that there was a recall on the 4 cylinders and they have had several people come in with this problem after the artic blast came through last week. The reason why i'm writing is because i think its kind of weird after this recall came out so many people have had this problem recently and just wondering why this particular part is not covered under a recall for a v6. To me it doesn't make any sense why not, my problem is occurring exactly when all these other cars are being recalled for the same thing. *tr

2003 vw passat spontaneously combusted in the garage of our home. There are no events of concern leading up to the fire. The car had been parked in the garage since 5:00 pm on january 9, 2010 and the fire was discovered at about 3:00 am on january 10, 2010. A noise from the car alerted us and upon looking in the garage there were flames coming from the engine under the car. The fire totaled the car and caused over $100,000. Damages to the structure of our home. The cost to replace and repair contents is not yet known. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated the vehicle started to make noises while driving 40mph. He stated that the oil function light also came on. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic and they stated that they have seen this before and should take the vehicle to the manufacturer. The contact took the vehicle to the manufacturer and they refused to repair the vehicle because he didn't have all his records for the oil changes. The failure and current mileages was 96,000.

Tl*the contact owns 2003 volkswagen passat. The buttons used to adjust the heated seats have malfunctioned and feel as if they are shocking the driver when they are engaged. The leather around the coils has melted a hole in the drivers seat. Although, the contact has not turned the heated seats on the coil continued to smoke and become heated while driving. The failure mileage was 79000 and the current mileage was 79200.

My 2003 vw passat 1.8t has the well documented sludge issue that thousands of vw/audi owners are experiencing. Initially i had to have the car towed b/c a gasket was leaking oil into the spark plugs, and my engine coil pack was bad. I paid $700 to repair and replace the parts. 80 miles after leaving the mechanic shop, the oil light and stop engine lights came on. Towed the car again; no oil pressure. Collected all of my maintenance records and took them to vw to get approval of the warranty issue before letting them "confirm" engine sludge ($500 diagnosis fee for dropping the oil pan). If the issue is engine sludge, the engine is a lost cause because the low oil pressure starved the engine head for oil. The vw dealership is waiting for my money before they'll diagnose the engine sludge- which you can see in the engine head with your eyes. Vwoa has issued an extended warranty, unlimited mileage, 8 years from sale date, to owners with all of their oil change/maintenance receipts. Yet, despite the "effort" by vw, they deny all the claims i've researched- saying everyone was irresponsible with their maintenance- no one took care of their engine. Loopholes left and right to blame the consumer, while we sit powerless to get our cars back on the road. Yet, this issue leaves me with no car. All of us "sludge" owners are left with cars dead on the side of the road, all with the same problem and vw turning their heads the other way. *tr

While driving or idling, an engine warning light appears telling the driver to stop immediately due to no oil pressure. This can happen at any time. The problem is due to a known issue by vw of oil sludge buildup. The consequence is the engine will seize up and need to be replaced along with but not always including the turbocharger. Vw has extended the warranty to 8 years unlimited miles for those engines, but unreasonably requires production of all oil change receipts for the entire history of the car. *tr

The driver's side seat heater in my 2003 vw passat is a potential fire hazard. I noticed what looked like a cigarette burn on the left seat bolster (i do not smoke). The following day, i smelled something burning in the cabin. When i got out of the car, there was a second burn hole about a half inch from the first hole. I have stopped using the heater, but it is a potential fire hazard. *tr

My 2003 vw passat was having problems with coils and valve covers. My car caught on fire! Luckily the fire went out about 10 minutes after i stopped the car! I can't believe this happened! Is there anything i can do? Are there any recalls out there?! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 55 mph the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to a side road. A technician from the dealer stated that the engine needed to be replaced because of an oil/sludge problem. No repairs were made. A representative from the manufacturer stated that they would not provide her with any assistance. The current mileage was 84,167. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

Vw issued a voluntary safety recall for replacement of the underbody heat shield on my 2003 passat wagon. (open campaign: 26e5/r5). I took the car to the local dealer to address the recall but was told my car could not be serviced without potential damage to the flexible joints behind the catalytic converter. Both joints were said to have small fractures in the metal and braided steel. I was told that the heat shield replacement required the exhaust line to be dropped via the flexible joints and that they could be broken in the process. If damage to the joints occurred, the charge for the parts (excluding labor) would be $1500 and that the full bill for parts/labor would be my responsibility. Because of the excessive cost, i was not able to have the heat shields replaced. I am concerned about the potential safety hazard for continued use of the vehicle without addressing the recall. I would like volkswagen to be responsible for the full cost of replacing the heat shield up to and including the replacement of the flexible joints, should that be necessary. *tr

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(b)(6) 2003, vw, passat: a.)tie rod and b.)brake vacuum vin: [xxx] 2006 vw recalls 06v472000 & 05v540000 are suspiciously the same problem as my 2003 passat. Last trip to service dept revealed both problems. There has been no accident or injury to date. *tr

Car had sludge in 2007 dealer cleaned engine and said it was fixed. In feb 2009 the sludge came back again and the dealer fixed the sludge again. On october 2009 the car oil light came on again this time they said it was not sludge but the cam shaft adjusters which they said was not covered under warranty. My research shows that cam shaft adjusters are damaged and break up due to low oil pressure which is a direct relation to sludge in your engine which i had twice. Dealer now claims i did not maintain my car and this is why they are not covering it under warranty. *tr

Heater core has failed (plugged up) at just over 90,000 miles. Over $1200 to replace; may burst hot fluid through vents into passenger compartment if not replaced soon. Currently the smell in the car when running is very strong of radiator fluid. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. There was a strong odor of fuel outside of the vehicle while it was parked. The contact also observed an excessive amount of fuel on the ground. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection and the technician stated that the failure was contributed to the fuel tank ventilation valve. Nhtsa campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery) is related to the failure; however, the vin was excluded from the recall. The estimated repair cost was $2,000. The vehicle has not been repaired. There was concern of the significant safety hazard. The failure and current mileages were 149,000.

Our 2003 passat wagon (4 cyl 1.8 engine) had a fire in the engine last week. After driving about 20 minutes and parking, my husband noticed the check engine light and then smoke coming out from under the hood. He opened the hood and saw a fire in the engine. He was in a parking space and drove it a block to a service station, where the mechanic put out the fire with water. The fire had started in the ignition coils (which had been replaced in 4/2003, before the recall) and would have required the replacement/rebuilding of the engine harness. Our insurance company declared the car a total loss. *tr

2003 vw passat heater core had to be replaced and vw america refused to do it at no cost. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated while driving with the cruise control function at 72 mph and attempting to decrease speed, the cruise control would not disengage. She applied pressure to the brakes and the vehicle accelerated. The contact was forced to drive into a median; however, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle which caused the driver to crash into two metal poles causing the air bags to deploy. The contact sustained minor injuries of powder burn from the air bag. A police report was filed. The vehicle was inspected by an insurance adjuster who determined that the vehicle was destroyed; however, the failure is still under investigation. The contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The vin was unavailable. The failure mileage was 54,800.

Recalled vw coil failure. *tr

Fuel pump failure on 2003 vw passat. Driving on interstate and lost power and was lucky to be able to coast to the side of the road. Vw has a recall on this part but they claim my vehicle (nhtsa 06v01700 and 07v375000) is not in the vin range covered. I feel my fuel pump should have been covered in the recall as it is a defective unit and not safe. *tr

I purchased a 2003 volkswagen passat from flow motors of greensboro, nc. The vehicle was certified by volkswagen with a two year 24,000 warrant. The engine blew when is was 260 miles over or outside the warranty. The cause of the engine blowing was due to oil pressure and the lack of oil pressure in the engine. My wife and three year old were driving back from washington, d.C. To greensboro and broke down in lynchburg, v.A. The service manager at terry's volkswagen in lynchburg towed the vehicle in to their shop and looked at the engine. They reported that a cam bolt snapped in the engine which caused the oil pressure to cease and in return caused the engine to blow. They told me that a cam bolt should never snap and this was a product failure. Flow motors retrieved the vehicle and denied any responsibility for the product failure and recommended i put a new engine in the vehicle at the cost of 6,500. I replaced the engine and a couple of months later had to replace a cooling flange at 300.00 and after that a vacuum hose at 300.00. Before replacing the vacuum hose there was a leak in my back floorboard and had the vehicle in at flow motors on two occasion but they could not locate the leak but still charged me 50.00 to look for the leak. I've had to cut the carpet out of the back floorboard because of mold. Volkswagen broke my hood support bar and also refused to cover the expenses to pay for that. When the vehicle's engine blew my wife called me immediately to tell me the engine light was on. I told her to pull over immediately and she did. When she came to a stop the engine cut off and would not start back up. The engine had just over 91,000 and can't accept having to replace the engine when all the maintenance was kept up. Terry volkswagen says the cam bolt snapped and stated that should never happen on a vehicle with only 91,000. I have complained to volkswagen, the bbb, and currently am speaking with an attorney. *tr

Pollen filter and/ or sunroof drains become blocked and water leaks behind battery and into cabin of car. The water then pools under and behind the drivers seat where the convenience module is stored. I am concerned because it caused my car to be unable to start because it is affecting the electrical components of the car. In addition, the pooling under the drivers seat is troubling since it is a hub for interior electrical equipment. The convenience module in my car now has to be replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 65 mph, the driver's side door suddenly flew open. The contact injured his leg while attempting to close the door. The dealer stated that the door latch was defective. The current and failure mileages were 146,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving at an unknown speed with the heated seat feature activated, the contact noticed that the heater burned through the seat and through his clothing. His leg was burned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the heated seat motor needed to be replaced. The current and failure mileages were 102,500.

I have a 2003 vw passat that has leaked water from the sunroof drain tubes and pollen filter. The water pooled into the floor pans under the carpet all over the car and threatens all of the electronic components stored on the floor of the vehicle. Vw dealer wants over $1000 to fix this issue even though there is nothing stated anywhere in the owner manual regarding drain tube maintenance or pollen filter leaks. These drains are neither easily accessible or visible (especially the rear drain channels). These problems are clearly engineering flaws and there are tons of documented cases all over the internet of the same problem occurring. Vw does not acknowledge this problem and the dealership is charging huge amounts of money for parts and labor to clean up all of the water damage and fried electronics. This really needs to be looked into and considered for action. In addition to water damage, mold and mildew pose significant health risks. *tr

At around 85,000 miles abs/traction control lights turned on and parking brake light started flashing. I took it to the dealership and was told that the abs module faulted and needed to be replaced. *tr

1. Frontal collision impacting with side of pick up truck making ill-timed left turn in front of me 2. Driver's side airbag did not deploy. Passenger side (where no one or nothing was seated) did deploy. *tr 3. My vehicle was declared a total loss

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 45 mph on normal road conditions, the driver's heated seat control module was activated. A high voltage of heat penetrated through the bottom of the seat and smoke suddenly appeared. The driver deactivated the heated seat control module. He burned his finger on the seat. The authorized dealer was notified of the malfunction. The manufacturer's customer satisfaction campaign m2 was referenced. The free remedy consisted of installing a repair kit for the heated seat. The remedy was performed on the vehicle in 2005; however, it was insufficient and did not prevent future failure. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 76,900 and current mileage was 77,000.

While opening my trunk lid, the passenger side hinge broke. The lid, dropped, down and i caught it, with out harm. But it could have easily hurt my hand or head. I called the dealer to order a replacement part, he indicated it was very popular. *tr

Vehicle was hit from the rear by another vehicle. Drivers seat slid all the way forward in its tracks and the seat back collapsed all the way flat. Seat integrity should be maintained in this type of incident. *tr

Apparent engine oil sludge problem. The oil light came on with a warning to stop the engine. The car is currently in the shop awaiting evaluation of the extent damage. I purchased the car used and have no record of the previous owners maintenance. I maintain my own vehicle therefore do not have receipts to prove each oil change according to the schedule. Vw recommends changes every 5,000 miles; i changed it every 3,000. *tr

I have had my 2003 vw passat for 7 months now and have already had it in the shop 3 times. Right after i bought it used from a vw dealership the turbo went out. I had to pay for that. I then drove the car about 150 miles for a tournament and when almost there a light came on saying to stop and turn off the engine. Took it to vw dealership and it was covered by vw. It had something to do with sludge from oil. Got it back and 3 days later a light came on. It was the mil light. I took it in to the vw dealership. Still waiting to hear what the problem is this time. I have now had my oil changed 3 times in 5 thousand miles due to repairs. It has been one thing after another with this car so far. *tr

Dealer refuses to fix recall unless i accept responsibility for any damage to aftermarket parts occurring while replacing heat shield on exhaust system. There is a potential for fire if original heat shield is not replaced. Recall r5, criteria 1. *tr

I have had my 2003 vw passat for 7 months now and have already had it in the shop 3 times. Right after i bought it used from a vw dealership the turbo went out. I had to pay for that. I then drove the car about 150 miles for a tournament and when almost there a light came on saying to stop and turn off the engine. Took it to vw dealership and it was covered by vw. It had something to do with sludge from oil. Got it back and 3 days later a light came on. It was the mil light. I took it in to the vw dealership. Still waiting to hear what the problem is this time. I have now had my oil changed 3 times in 5 thousand miles due to repairs. It has been one thing after another with this car so far. *tr

Abs control module for a 2003 vw passat. *tr

Cylinders misfire causing acceleration hesitation. Spark plugs and coil were replaced feb.2009, dec. 2013, aug. 2014, june 2015. The conditions are repetitive and identical.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that a new pair of rare brakes failed on her vehicle after 14,952 miles. She usually gets over 36,000 miles on a pair of brakes. She stated that the brake pads failed and damaged the rotors. The contact feels that the pads are defective and should have lasted longer than 14,000 miles. She also feels that the dealer should cover the cost of the new pads. The current and failure mileages were 95,100. Updated 04/21/09. *lj the serpentine belt was cracked, the power steering fluid was low, the vc boot and hood strut was replaced.. Updated 04/21/09.*jb

Turned on driver side heater to level 3. Felt a burning on the left side of the seat and smelled a burning odor aprox 30 seconds after starting car. Stopped car and found a small hole burned through the seat on the left rear side. M2 recall had already been checked at the dealer. *tr

I own a 2003 vw passat. Recently. I took my car for repair as my brakes were not responding on turns. The vw dealer investigated the issue and i was told that the "abs control module" is not communicating for some reason. They suggested i replace the abs control module for around $2,216 i called vw and asked them to look into the issue and see if they can cover the expenses of the repair since this is not a normal tear and wear issue. They responded by saying that since the car is not within the warranty period, they cannot cover the expenses of this repair. I feel that is a safety issue that vw of america needs to cover the repair for. In fact i think they should have been more pro-active and investigate the abs control module in my care after they replace it to see if there is a major issue that can result in a recall. I understand that my car is not within warranty; but given the fact that this is a safety issue, i think vw should cover it and pay the repair cost. *tr

Front windshield defrost/defogger not operating/blowing on windshield. If windshield began to fog or frost, there may not be enough airflow to clear the windshield, resulting in reduced driver visibility and a possible crash without prior warning. Manufacturer refusing to fix under safety warranty. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the fuel pump failed in his vehicle. The vehicle stuttered while driving 60 mph, stalled, and then completely lost power. The vehicle restarted for a few seconds, but then lost power again when he attempted to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop and the contact was informed of nhtsa campaign id number 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump). Two different dealers stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer agreed with the dealers. The current mileage was 76,455 and failure mileage was approximately 76,440.

9/2002 purchased 2003 volkswagen passat 1.8 turbo. 2005- 48,000 engine failed due to sludge. Towed to commonwealth motors santa ana, ca after 2 mos installed new oil pump, we each paid half even though it is a known design flaw with oil pump. 2007 same thing happened( but i was away and car towed to local garage) mechanic stated that no warranty would cover problem. Estimated 95. Final $2,569 to replace oil pump and turbo picked up car in march 2008, in dec 2008 engine failed again towed to mesa west who suggested dealer should be called. Dealer accepted responsibility on phone since they had done original repair, 4 months later car needs new engine is still at dealer. Oil pump cannot process properly. Vw aware of chronic problem but won't stand by product unless all receipts from oil changes are available. Car need $6000.00 of work and dealer doing nothing to assist regardless of promises made. *tr

I have an air bag failure which will prohibit me from passing the state safety inspection. The air bag repair is over $1000. Is there a waiver or a process to dispute this? Are there resources to help consumers in these type of cases? *tr

Every time it rains, i have an accumulation of water under both the front and rear passenger side carpets. The car smells of mold and mildew. This is a recurring problem with many years of vw's and the dealers know about it. My research indicates design problems with pollen filter. Major problem is that the transmission control module is located in the same vicinity as the puddled water. I have had transmission problems for a while although have not had to replace tcm yet. Check the web for how many people complain about this problem. I understand there is a recall for the 2002 model year. 2003 is no different. First noticed problem after warranty ran out. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The vehicle was towed to an auto repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed. He called the local dealer to inquire about relevant recalls and was informed that there were none. Through research, the contact found nhtsa campaign id number 07v375000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump), but was informed that his vin was not included in the recall. The manufacturer stated that they could not offer any assistance; therefore, the contact would have to pay for the repairs. The vin was unknown. The current mileage was approximately 46,100 and failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

2003 volkwagen passat wagon w8 (4motion/all-wheel drive) fuel tank leak at/or near rollover valve at fuel tank. Fuel tank has no apparent damage or abrasions and fuel tank heat shield is original undamaged condition, vehicle has no damage or crash history. Vehicle is equipped with w-8 4.0 l w/ automatic transmission and has 62,215 miles. After refill of fuel ,strong odor of gasoline and/or vapor. Inspection found fuel tank leaking from rollover valve and from fuel pump cover in top of tank. Immediate action was taken and vehicle was delivered to dealer for remedy. *tr

I have a 2003 volkswagen passat and for a little while now it has been saying this: stop,oil pressure,stop motor,service manual. This is now happened 3 times. The first time it happened i took it to the dealer(which is not where i purchased my car) and they changed the oil filter which cost me $160. My car worked for about 2 months and it happened again,and the dealer then said it was the oil pump and wanted $965 to fix it. I,however took somewhere else got the problem fixed for $720. It has just recently happened again. I went to change the oil and transmission fluid was accidentally drained. The dealer fixed the problem and now says there is something wrong with the transmission,the car is drivable but now for long. This the second time something has gone wrong with the transmission. *tr

I own a 2003 volkswagen passat with a 1.8t engine. The car has 70,000 miles and i just found out it has engine sludge. I bought the car used around may 2004 with around 34,000 miles and never received any information from the dealer i bought the car from (not vw dealer) about sludge problems and never received any information from vw of america about altered oil change schedule and using fully synthetic motor oil. Being unaware of the problems these engines were having i followed the owners manual recommended oil changes of 5,000. I was not aware of saving receipts of changes and performed several myself. My display showed a stop engine low oil press message so i immediately took it to my independent mechanic who performed some tests and told me i had engine sludge. As of now i have no recourse with vw of america as far as fixing an engine they know is flawed. *tr

2003 volkswagen passat fire*cw the consumer stated while driving a light blinked on the dashboard. According to the owner's manual, it was a light for the catalytic converter. When the consumer arrived to the dealer, the light went out, and they could not find a problem. The light returned shortly thereafter and stayed on. The dealer repaired the light. The ball joints failed, but they were not covered under warranty. Soon, the light illuminated on the dashboard again, that was supposed to have been fixed by the dealer earlier in the year. The consumer continued driving, when suddenly another motorist informed her the vehicle was on fire. The fire department stated the fire was caused by the catalytic converter. The consumer's insurance agent contacted her and advised her volkswagen was covering all the cost related to the incident, because the fire was a result of a recall that had not been taken care of by the authorized dealer from where the vehicle was purchased. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for a recall repair. The technician discovered that the cv boot on the front driver and passenger wheels were cracked. The technician strongly advised that the failures be repaired to avoid further damages within the suspension system. The estimated repair cost was $700. The vehicle has not been repaired. The vin was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 32,000.

Analog gas gauge and digital feeds from gas tank inaccurate most of time - sometimes half a tank off. Took multiple times and 5 weeks for dealership to repair (gave up once - then took to another dealership). Gauge also seems to have sticking points. Sometimes moves while being watched. *tr

Got into my 2003 vw passat and smelled fuel. Got out checked for leaks and none were visible. Took the vehicle to repair shop for further checking. When repair shop started vehicle, fuel sprayed on catalytic converter and surrounding components. A leak in the fuel line was determined. The area of the fuel line adjacent to the fire wall had rubbed a hole. Fuel line assembly had to be replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. On two separate occasions, once while driving 50 mph, the contact made a sudden stop and the engine shut off. On the second occasion, while driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled. On both occasions the vehicle immediately restarted. The dealer informed the contact that the failure would have to repeat itself in order for them to diagnose the vehicle. She was advised not to restart the vehicle and have it towed to the dealer. The vin was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 80,000.

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

I have had the 2003 passat glx for less than 2 weeks, i have only put 307 miles on it. Today while on the interstate, the car quit pulling. It was not getting any gas. Then it died completely and would not start. It turns over but won't start. Was on the side of the interstate for nearly an hour waiting for a tow truck. Was told that it is the fuel pump. *tr

I was driving about 55 on the highway when i saw smoke coming out of my vents i stop and open the hood and notice my car had caught on fire from the left bottom side. *tr

The car seat heater (driver's side) burned through the fabric, leaving 1 inch hole in the seat. There was no injury. This happened with normal use of the heater. *tr

I have owned 3 vws and have always made sure to stay up to date on scheduled maintenance. Recent knocking noise in engine lead us to take the car in for a repair at which time we were informed that we had a major sludge problem and it would cost me $6900 to replace the engine. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passed. The contact stated that the headlight assembly plastic covers became foggy due to the sun light. While driving 25 mph at night the headlights looked as though they were off and it was difficult to see. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that the headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The headlight assembly was not replaced and is concerned that there are no recalls related to the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the vehicle began to smoke and drive sluggish. She continued to drive to her destination and then exited the vehicle. Approximately 20 minutes later, the vehicle began to smoke heavily underneath the hood and in the passenger compartment. The vehicle caught fire from the instrument panel and was completely engulfed within minutes. There were no injuries. A nearby vehicle sustained damage to its passenger side. Nhtsa campaign id number 08v156000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery) was referenced. The current and failure mileages were 64,000.

In 4/08 and 5/08 had malfunction light indicator come on, then had separate repairs at bayside volkswagen. Same light came on 7/6/08. Its seems every month or so, its an issue with the car and having different repairs. *tr

Car stalled several times and eventually would not start. Had it towed to nearest auto repair shop, cost $45. After diagnostic testing they stated there was nothing wrong with it and it started right up, costing another $110 for this information. A few days later car stalled and would not start. Towed once again to vw dealership, cost $155. They discovered it was the fuel pump and replaced it free of charge and also check all other recalls. We received the recall letter the day after the no start. I am asking to be reimbursed for both tows and the diagnostic testing as all cost incurred were due to this recall. *tr

My oil pressure light came on. I was driving on a mountain, and there was no where to pull over, so i had to keep driving. The engine locked up and the car lost power. I was able to steer it off onto a shoulder. I have also been burned my the heated seat when the wiring overheats, and it has both shocked and burned my skin. *tr

On approx. June 20, 2008 i received a recall notice from vw that there was a safety issue with heat shields and fuel system of my 2003 passat ( recall notice- 26e5/r5 and 66c8/p9. I made an immediate appointment with my dealership (donaldson"s vw in sayville, ny and got an appointment for june 27. Because i was very concerned with the recall and the fact that the notice advised of a possibility of fire existed, i took my vehicle right down there. I was then advised by the service representative that they could not perform the necessary repairs because they were back ordered on the parts. I was also alarmed when i was told that they had no idea when they could do the repair or when the parts would come in. I am writing this in the event that my vw passat should malfunction because of a defect that could be expeditiously repaired by the dealer. *tr

My 2003 volkswagen passat is holding 6inches or more of water on the passenger side in the floor board and has shorted out the computer underneath, in servicing the car the technician advised he found 3 other volkswagen passats of the same year to have the same defect. I have also been advised that a serious crash could have resulted because the computer underneath regulates the transmission. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 40 mph the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and a technician replaced the ignition coil at an expense of $403.00. The failure resurfaced one year after the vehicle was repaired. An authorized technician concluded that the ignition coil failed and caused the wiring harness, and the engines computer to burn. The vehicle was repaired at an expense of $887.97. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 83,000 and the current mileage was 92,000. Updated 10/21/09. *lj updated 12/07/09. *lj the consumer stated in addition to the other problem, the failed stalled on the highway and the the lights on the dashboard illuminated. Updated 12/08/09

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the headlight lens were covered with a foggy material. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the headlights needed to be serviced. The current and failure mileages were 50,332. Updated 10/16/08. *lj updated 10/20/08. *jb

Driving on i-87 upstate ny around albany in the fast lane about 80 miles an hour the car completely lost power. We pulled over quickly to the grassy area between the highways. We heard a sound but it might have been from the road when we pulled off or a backfire? The car was completely dead. We called 911 and a sheriff arrived soon and told us how difficult it would be to get back on the highway with traffic going 90-95 miles an hour. We had to get into the fast lane. We drove a little on the grassy area to see if the car would work. With great difficult and tremendous fear we managed to get onto the highway. We were then able to drive to nyc without problems in the slower lanes. No lights or sounds came on to warn us of the loss of power. This happened about 6 weeks ago as we were approaching the williamsburg bridge in manhattan but going at a much slower speed. We pulled over and had to restart the car. We have had the recalls from vw but not a recent one that may have come out in may. It seems like it could be a fuel tank issue. I will be taking it back to vw in brooklyn in two weeks to have them look at it. They have told me that since i did come in and get all the recalls that it could not be that. I am afraid of this car and only have about 27,000 miles after 5 years. It is a 2003 passat turbo wagon. It was a hot day on june 8th and when we turned on the car the temp out side light said 101 degrees. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While the consumers husband was driving 40 mph, the contact smelled gasoline. He approached a stop sign and heard a pop sound. The contact looked out her window and noticed flames coming from the wheel well on the front passenger side of the vehicle. She and her husband exited the vehicle and called the fire and police departments. A police report was filed. The insurance company was notified and began researching available recalls. The contact found a recall related to the failure, but the nhtsa campaign number was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 71,000. Updated 07/15/08 *bf updated

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated after he received a voluntary recall in regards to the emissions system and having the repairs done, he noticed that the check engine light illuminated for approximately 2 1/2 years. The vehicle was then inspected by a independent mechanic who advised him that the valve on the fuel tank had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance since there was a one year warranty on the voluntary recall. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000. Updated 07/08/11 *bf updated 3/13/12 *cn

I drove about ten miles up the canyon parked the car. Then got a call about 15 min later telling me my car was on fire and the fire department had put it out. I am still waiting to find out what is going to happen with the car from the dealer and insurance. It looked like the fire started in the dash. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving at any speed, the contact attempted to activate the turn signals, but they did not work. The hazard lights also stopped working when the turn signals failed. The contact did not notice any differences in the vehicle beforehand and the failures were intermittent. The vehicle has been diagnosed by the dealer several times; however, the failures continue to occur. The current mileage was 77,500 and failure mileage was 77,000.

Check engine light was on, noticed smell of gasoline. After filling car up, gasoline began leaking from right rear of car from the gas tank. Left car at dealer for service, when car was left, gasoline was still leaking. *tr

Every 5,000-7,000 miles an ignition coil fails on my car. This results in my car instantly starting to shutter and i have to pull over immediately. Last time this happened, driving only a mile resulted in a severe vehicle fire putting myself and other in danger. *tr this time, i was able to pull over before serious incident occurred. *tr

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. *tr

I was pulling out of my apartments when my car lost all horse power and pretty much sputtered then died; i was left exposed to traffic on a busy road. Then, i was towed to the vw dealership where i was told that my ignition coils failed and that in turn ruined my oxygen sensor and catalytic converter. All these had to be replaced by vw at my cost. The mechanic told me when i was being towed there he already knew what it was because they go out all the time. Doing further research it seems many people have the same problem. *tr

1. Driving car transmission shifted erratically when pulling out of house. Also hit another car as transmission shifted without doing anything. 2. Always when rains. 3. Sunroof drain/air plenum area dealer said was blocked and water went down b pillar. Shorted out transmission computer in passenger foot well. Water passed over junction connections in b pillar also shorted out airbag sensor and other electrical. Vw now issues service action 66c8/p9 to cover this which was not listed as maintenance. Dealer said he was not doing this. Very poor design. If drains for sun roof and plenum clog then water goes inside and shorts critical electronics. Transmission computer in passenger footwheel which filled with water costs $2000 and could of been my life. In general this car has had many recalls and is unsafe. I have had it for 5 years and only 38k miles and every recall has surface as problem in this car from seat heaters staying on, brake lights shorting, head leaking, front suspension assembly vibrating loose almost causing accident. *tr

Fuel pump failure while driving on the freeway the car quite running. 1.8 liter turbo in o3 vw passat. Dealer calls and tells us our vin number is not part of the recall. To call vw of north america and they should cover it. I talk to a women tell her the same thing as above and she ask me to hold while she submits the claim. She comes back on the line after 45 seconds or so and says that they won't cover it. The vin number is not part of the recall. I ask to speak to a supervisor. I am told there is no one else i can speak to and this is the finally decision of vw of north america. This is not the first failure for this car. Temperature sensor replaced, brake module replaced twice, the heater core replace, the trip tronic shift replaced, instrument panel replaced, the engine flushed for sludge. Cv boots replaced. They're cracked again after 3 months. *tr

When filling up the car with gasoline there is a severe fuel odor. Took car to dealer and they said the "fuel tank ventilation valve" was leaking. This also happened two years ago and they replaced the fuel tank under warranty. The dealer refused to fix the problem unless i paid for it. I have noticed that they are issuing a recall for this exact problem but when i called volkswagen they said my vin number is not included. Very disappointed in the car overall and would not recommend one to anyone. *tr

I finished putting in a small amount of gas and while taking off had an engine problem. My check engine light started to blink, my car started to chug and i had a severe loss of power. I took my car to my local vw service center, and upon investigation they smelled a burning under my hood and found the ignition coil melted or something of the sorts. They replaced the ignition coil and the car works fine, for now until the coil melts again. *tr

I purchased a used 2003 vw passat 1.8t wagon in 2006. It worked perfectly until the warranty ran out at 75,000 miles and a number of issues occurred that i found out are know issues with this vehicle and issue. First the engine coils started failing and needed to be replaced. I ended up replacing four of them and then vw issued a recall but only covered a fraction of what it cost to replace. Then the stop turn engine oil pressure light started coming on and i found out that the 1.8t engine has a known design flaw that leaves this engine susceptible to creating oil sludge even with routine maintenance. Vw issued a warranty extension for this engine and issue because they know it is a design flaw but will not fix the issue unless you show them a complete record of all oil changes. I maintained this car routinely but do not have all records millions of owners of this vehicle are now stuck with a dilemma of spending a lot of money to fix something that vw knew about and should have fixed. Vw needs to be held accountable and made to repair this issue for vehicle owners regardless of a complete maintenance record, because it is clear that this is an issue even with complete maintenance. *tr

1. No event lead up to the failure 2. Fuel leak; strong gas fumes within car. Leak & fumes more prominent with warmer weather. 3. Vw dealership found gas leaking from (3) locations including nipple & plastic seams where clips are attached. Gas tank was replaced. *tr

The seat heater in my 2003 passat gls burnt my leg on the lowest setting. It also melting a hole in the cloth interior and discolored other spots. At this point it has not been replaced so the seat is available to look at. *tr

After replacing the fuel pump (under recall) on my 2003 vw passat in october, 2007, i began to notice a periodic gas leak from around the gas tank. In december, 2007, i had a local mechanic investigate and he could find nothing wrong. My tank leaked again last week. *tr

Defect with the driver side heating coil in the seat - today during a 5 minute drive i began to smell something burning on the interior of my car and felt a burning sensation on my leg. I immediately stopped the car and turned it off to investigate. Upon existing the vehicle i saw burning embers on the seat and a 1/4" hole. I was forced to smother out the fire. I have since turned off the heaters and refuse to use them until the problem is rectified. *tr

I purchased a 2003 passat and have been in for two coils, engine light, back hatch lock broken, fuel pump but the most important one thus far was when i told them my oil pressure light came on two days prior and they told me it will cost 4000.00 to fix it because the engine is full of sludge. I would produce receipts for services that i actually do regularly every 3-4 thos. Miles or three months. However they informed me from vw of america that 99% of the people have to pay for it because their receipts don't meet the requirement of the mileage of the services. They state that it must be done prior to 5 thos. Miles but the book states every 7 thos. Miles for services to be done. When i bought the car they didn't tell me that i should use the expensive filters/and synthetic oils when servicing the car. Is everyone '!@#$% out of luck on them covering this. And once done what prevents it from doing it again? I am getting rid of this asap and never buying another vw ever! I will spread the word about buying a vw to everyone i know. *tr

Water leaked in to the passenger compartment of the vw passat. The transmission electronic controls are located under the floor mat of the passenger side of the auto. The water shorted out the electronics for the transmission disabling the vehicle. A vw dealer repaired the passat by replacing the electronics at a cost of $2250.00 to us. They also modified the air intake to prevent future damage. This was the second time we had the auto in for cabin water. The service rep. Told me there is a problem with the cabin air intake and this was replaced under a recall on the 2000, 2001 and 2002 years of the passat. He tried vw for warranty but they declined. *tr

Oil sludge causes oil pump to fail damaging the engine. *tr

Driving home from work one afternoon, i noticed my engine seemed to be shaking slightly. I pulled over and even in park, i could feel the momentum of something in the engine causing my car to shake. By the time i got home, my engine light had turned on. I brought it to a vw dealer and upon inspection they found that my ignition coils needed replacing. Upon searching online, i found several press releases about issues with the vw ignition coils, and pending defect investigations relating to the coils and fires resulting. I am thankful that i did not find myself in this situation but i am sure that if i had not been paying attention this problem could have had a far worse outcome. I am now deeply concerned about my safety in this vehicle. *tr

Car went in for brake job at 39,000 miles. Mechanic found that both front cv joints were cracked and front axles and cv boots would need replacement. This was close to a $1,000.00 repair job on a car with under 40,000 miles. Apparently this is a not uncommon problem with 5th generation passat vehicles. I feel volkswagen should do a recall on this problem. *tr

My 2003 vw passat has shown cases of transmission problems following a recent rain storm. The rear passenger footwell collected water and the car would not shift normally. The car would not upshift and slammed into gear from park. I'm now unable to get the car out of neutral and can't remove the key. *tr

Engine oil pressure failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle vibrated excessively and smoke began emanating from the passenger side. The engine light remained illuminated on the instrument control panel. She pulled over to inspect the vehicle and noticed flames coming from the catalytic converter. The dealer stated that the electrical system, emission coiler, and oxygen sensors failed. All of the repairs were made. The contact filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer. The powertrain was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 52,000.

I have a 2003 passat v6 in which there is a leak through the pollen filter because of faulty design. Every time it rains or snows in the northeast water gets through the faulty seal and is accumulating in the passenger rear and front seat. The water accumulation has caused the tcm to work improperly and may malfunction. With out the use of a tcm that works properly the car may shutdown or malfunction and cause an accident. This a problem vw knows about and has in fact issued a recall on the 2002 model. This is an issue on all b5 passat models. Please help issue a recall to correct this matter. Thanks steve *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost power. The vehicle was driven to the contact's home and then towed to the dealer. The dealer discovered that the ignition coil failed and will make the repair at the cost of $250. The contact previously traded in his volkswagen jetta due to the identical coil failure. The vin was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 55,000.

Following routine maintenance of my vehicle, (tune-up, including replacement of spark plugs and ignition harnesses) my repair shop mechanic reported that the airbag warning light came on and stayed on. He said he was unable to turn it off. I then took the vehicle to a factory-authorized vw dealer and was told the problem was caused by low voltage to the airbag unit, that the battery tested low at 12.04 volts and they could not reset the code without replacing the battery. I approved new battery purchase, but dealer was unable to make warning light go out, despite recoding the controller . Dealer claimed further testing revealed airbag unit controller had failed and would require replacement at parts cost of $798.00. I declined to pay that amount. In reply to my question, service rep said he was unable to confirm that airbag(s) would deploy in case of an accident. Since they i have driven vehicle for about one month, and each time i start vehicle a warning sounds, the "airbag failure" notice comes up on the dashboard and the airbag warning signal stays on constantly. I telephoned vw customer service to complain and was told there was no recall on this problem and that since vehicle was nearly 6 years old and out of warranty i would need to assume cost of repair/unit replacement. I said i thought this was a safety failure with vehicle becoming out of compliance with federal safety requirements through no fault or malpractice of the owner (myself) and that vw should assume cost of repairs. Customer service rep said they would look into it and reply. So far no response. Vehicle continues to display airbag warning light. *tr

Car makes jump when slowing down looks like trouble with the transmission. After four times i took the car for check up in northeast wv outlet in philadelphia,pa problem is still there. They replaced the battery, ignition coils reset computer and so and so but looks like they can't solve that problem. My wife drives this car ,and this scares her, she gets nervous and can cause an accident. *tr

At approximately 9:35 pm, november 29, 2007, i entered my 2003 vw passat and started the engine. The air temperature showed 39 degreesf so i switched on the control for the heated seat on the driver's side to high. Approximately 10 minutes after starting the car it smelled like something was burning. I am a non-smoker. It became apparent that the smell was from inside the car and i began to evaluate possible sources for a fire since the smell seemed too close to be coming from the engine compartment. I began to feel around the seat since i knew the seat warmer was on and suddenly realized that an area under my left thigh was hot. Further investigation, with my hand, revealed that my coat felt burned or melted and the seat was extremely hot to the touch. I immediately turned off the seat heater. The area seemed to cool off slightly so i continued home - about a 10 minute drive. After arriving home i checked the seat and my coat. The seat was still warm to the touch 25 minutes after the switch had been turned off. There is a hole in the leather seat approximately 0.5 inches in diameter, with flecks of black soot around the edges, about 4.75 inches from the back of the seat and 2.5 inches in from the left side of the seat. My coat has an area approximately 0.5 inches in diameter that is either melted or the seat is melted onto my coat. The incident will be reported to the local volkswagen dealer on 30 november 2007. *tr

I have a 2003 vw passat. I've had two leaks into the front right floorboard in the past six months from either a sunroof drain line or a air conditioner. The leaks have produced so much water that it has gone to right back floorboard. The plastic on the interior is worn off. The ashtray fell apart. They can't seem to get the alignment right so i keep going through tires and the tires i do have sound uneven when i rotate them, making me think there's a problem. Hove replaced the headlights three times in 1 and 1/2 years. There's a defect investigation into fires in the engine and a recall on oil sludge. This car is an accident waiting to happen and it's very poorly engineered. One thing after another. Vw has on a bunch of recalls already on this model, to many for me to feel safe with. I'm abandoning the car today, trading it in for something else. Will never buy a vw again. No car should have this many issues. And the issues continue to roll in. Now the airbag light just came on...Another thing to have to worry about!!! *tr

We were driving up to the base of the palm springs tram on a cool day at a relatively slow rate of speed and parked at the valley station. The temperature gauge was apparently operating normally during the entire drive. A few minutes after parking, we noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the car, and upon opening the hood discovered the fire. Since tram security was there with a fire extinguisher, the fire was extinguished relatively quickly. The insulation was burned and the car was not able to be driven any further. It was towed to indio, ca. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle vibrated and shut off without warning. In addition, the accelerator pedal extended to the floorboard when it was depressed. As of november 26, 2007, the dealer had not inspected or repaired the vehicle. There is a recall for the fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump (nhtsa campaign id number 07v375000). The current and failure mileages were 81,716.

A third ignition coil failure in 18 months, the last one allowing raw gasoline into the catalytic converter, where it caught fire, destroying the turbo and causing a large amount of black smoke. I lost power while drive, was unable to accelerate in a safe manner and eventually suffered smoke inhalation. All coils need to be replaced. *tr

My 2003 vw passat wagon flooded during a rainstorm because the pollen filter seal failed. Furthermore, because the comfort control module computer is mounted on the floor, that was damaged and the bill is significant. *tr my dealer's service department rep (boston vw) told me that he recommends cleaning leaves off the car 2 to 3 times per day in order to prevent this problem. That seems like an unreasonable maintenance requirement to prevent an issue that i've never seen previously with other cars.

Front end noise was diagnosed by vw service as missing and loose rack and pinion steering bolts, rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive with 20,000 miles on the odometer and normal use. This is a huge safety hazard, i could have been injured or killed. I have an extended warranty but this is not covered. Such a flaw in steering integrity should generate a recall - before someone is killed. *tr

1.8l turbo engine with 51,000 miles, still under power train warranty. Oil press/stop engine light illuminated momentarily. First time was the summer 07. I called the dealership and they advised changing the oil, which i had done 2k miles and 2 months previous, but did again. That worked, no other advise by dealer. No occurrence again until nov 07. Dealership inspection revealed sludge and coking. Vw of america will not pay for any type of repair without receipts proving maintenance in accordance with the owners manual. I did all my own oil changes on schedule but did not keep receipts for oil/filter. The $130+ diagnostic charge was not covered by the warranty either. Additionally, dealer said the warranty was void because i had an other than vw oil filter on. Repair estimate is $3,000 to rebuild engine. *tr

After rainstorm, our 2003 passat wagon began developing a musty odor with no apparent water inside the vehicle. For a couple of days, the alarm also would go off for no reason. Eventually, the odor subsided and we thought nothing of it until the next major rainstorm a few months later. After this event, water apparently leaked into the front passenger side of the car through a sunroof drain and caused the electrical system in the car to go haywire. My wife had to drive the car 20 minutes with our 4-month old baby while the alarm system went off, lights flashing on and off, and all of the electrical system generally going haywire. The locks ceased to work, the windows could not be put up, and the trunk couldn't be opened. The dealer told us that the leak was caused by clogging in the sunroof drain, which they said is very common. While my wife was at the dealer, 3 other people came in with the same problem. As a result of the water, the comfort and control module is being replaced. It is unclear yet whether we will also need to replace the carpeting for odor issues. The total cost so far is about $1,000. *tr

I have a vw passat 1.8 liter turbo engine that has sludge in it causing my oil pressure to be low which threw my timing off. Luckily stopped driving the car before it lock up. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 40 mph smoke came through the vent inside the vehicle. There was also smoke present in the engine compartment on the passenger side. The fire department extinguished the fire. The failure has not been diagnosed. The vehicle was towed. The current and failure mileages were 115,000.

Engine ignition coils fail, causing a hesitation in engine, which is dangerous and may lead to an accident in traffic. The coils do not fail all at once, and vw will only replace if they fail. One of the coils failed and the car caught on fire due to coil dropping onto the catalytic converter. Vw refuses to replace any further ignition coils. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that she has received too many recall notices on her vehicle. She has received a total of three notices within the last month. The recall numbers were unavailable. There had been no failure to date. The current mileage was 59,000. Updated10/26/07.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 10 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but the stalling continued and the vehicle shut off without warning. The vehicle was towed to the repair shop and the mechanic stated that the fuel pump failed and was not distributing the fuel. The fuel pump was replaced in 2005 under warranty. The current and failure mileages were 101,300. Updated 01-15-08. *kb updated*jb

Normal operation of automobile, drivers side seat heater placed on setting level 2. Fire began within the drivers side seat and burnt a quarter size hole through the fabric of the seat. *tr

My car experienced a fuel pump failure as described in a recall notice found on the nhtsa web site. The vin number of my vehicle was in the range of recalled vehicles. When i contacted the manufacturer (vw) they informed me that my car was not affected by the recall. Well, the car sure was affected by the defect! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While parked in the garage, the contact smelled a strong gaseous odor coming from the vehicle. She examined the vehicle and adjusted the fuel cap. The smell still lingered. The contact removed the vehicle from the garage and parked it on the street. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer and they stated that the fuel tank valve failed and the fuel tank needed to be replaced. No repairs have been made. The current mileage was 96,703 and failure mileage was 96,670. *updated 12/27/07 *lj the consumer stated the vehicle was paid in full by the manufacturer on october 8, 2007. Updated 12/12/07 *tr

2003 volkswagon passet caught fire went from engine compartment, the instrument-panel area and on the underside of the cars near the catalytic converter and along the passenger side of vehicle. *jb

After filling up my 2003 volkswagen passat 4-motion, v6 with fuel, i noticed a strong fuel odor. After inspecting under the car, i found a fuel leak on the gas tank. I took it to our local repair shop that specializes in volkswagens since i am 140 miles from the nearest dealer to be checked out. They discovered that one of the 90 degree connectors for the vapor line on top of the tank had cracked. The whole tank has to be replaced as you can't just replace the connector. The tank is plastic and the connector has a steel sleeve in it to make it more rigid. On inspection of the old tank, it was discovered that three (3) sleeves on the 3 vent connectors had worked there way out of the connectors so they just sit there and flex until they fail. This type of bad design cvould have resulted in an explosion and serious injury to myself or my family. On contacting vw consumer line they were concerned but not enough to admit a problem or help pay for the replacement as my mileage was too high. Mileage should not have anything to do with those vent connectors failing. I know this is not a unique occurrence since another vw passat came in two days later to the same repair shop with exactly the same problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that she did not receive recall notice m-7 for over a year and a half. There had been no failure to date. The current mileage was 30,000.

Vehicle would not start on aug. 26. Starter cranked but engine failed to turn over and start. Dealer diagnosed as fuel pump failure. Vehicle has approximately 88,000 miles. We were informed manufacturer vw has recalled fuel pumps for this make and model year (2003) but not this particular vin. We also understand vw originally limited recall to an even smaller batch of vins. We believe the fuel pump defect is more extensive than vw is willing to acknowledge. The repair is currently not under warranty and will cost our family approximately $655 to repair, plus towing and car rental costs. We are lucky the failure occurred during a cold start and not on the road, where we could have been stranded in a desert, a storm, or the middle of an intersection with oncoming traffic. This is a major safety concern. After dealer claimed to have fixed problem on aug. 29,2007, we took the vehicle home and it again failed to start, or even crank. Dealer has towed it back and is reviewing. *tr updated 01-15-08. *kb the consumer stated the second failure was diagnosed as a failed battery. Updated *jb

On august 25, 2007, i was driving my 2003 volkswagen passat glx with wife and daughter on the middle lane on hwy 101. The car was stalled suddenly and no sign of anything wrong. I felt no power on the pedal. I turned on the emergency light and slowly pulled it over to the right lane. The hwy traffic was passing with life threatening noise. I stopped the car at the right lane and block the traffic. Finally a police car passed by and called for help. Several police cars came and blocked the whole traffic on hwy101 and one of them pushed my off the next exit. The car was towed to a volkswagen shop and found the fuel pump was gone. I called the volkswagen usa and was told there was a recall for fuel pump but my vin was not in the range. This was a life threading event i would remember it was by volkswagen. I was a royal customer for volkswagen and after this event i could not believe i would be one. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 60 mph the vehicle began to make noise and then stalled. The vehicle did not restart and was towed to a mechanic. The mechanic advised that the engine needed to be repaired. The purchase date was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 62,000.

The fuel tank ruptured causing fuel to split from the top of the tank and onto the ground. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine maintenance when the dealer noticed a failed exterior brake light switch. The dealer stated that the vin was not included in recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). The contact felt that the recall should be expanded to include his vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 72,000. Updated 02-01-08 *bf the consumer stated this is the 3rd recall the vehicle was not included in due to the vin number. The consumer stated the fuel pump problem the company fixed because they could not dispute it. Updated 02/01/08 *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat wagon. The vehicle caught fire under the hood while it was parked. The fire destroyed the vehicle. There were no warning indicator lights present prior to the fire. There is a fire report available; however, the fire department was unable determine the cause of the fire. The contact has photos and a video tape. The manufacturer had an investigator inspect the vehicle to determine the cause of fire. The failure and current mileages were 57,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle came to a complete stop. The dealer stated that the fuel pump malfunctioned and they will not repair the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 74,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. The contact stated that the brake lights would constantly shine on and off at random. The light would illuminate while driving and would dim when the brakes were applied. The contact discovered recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). He took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that his vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact stated that his vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in the recall. The failure speed was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 67,085. Updated 02/01/08. *lj updated 02/01/08 *tr

While driving 2003 vw passat the engine stalled out (no fuel) causing near accident by passing vehicles. Drifted to side of road. After 100 mile tow to vincent volkswagen dealer in rochester, they found no problem. Car did run two days. The same stall-out occurred three days later. Another tow to a dealer (schmitts garage) to attempt to repair. Not sure what the problem is but strongly suspect fuel pump or control system for fuel or fuel line system. There have been previous recalls on some 2003 passat fuel system items including fuel pumps (potential to cause crash when fail) . Was told my passat was not part of the other 2003 passat fuel pump/system recall. However, are more fuel pump units bad that vw doesn't realize which could cause major accidents, head on collisions during passing. Filed this with vw customer care. Two weeks prior brake lights did not work and was nearly rear ended. Vw dealer replaced defective brake switch which initially wasn't on the recall list but was recently added. Two near major accidents in two weeks due to equipment failures. *tr

While driving my 2003 vw passat down the highway at 35 miles per hour, the engine simply ceased operating. Fortunately, i was able to get out of traffic and glide into a shopping center parking lot. The vehicle would not restart and had to be towed, and the fuel pump replaced. The passat had only 51,764 miles when this breakdown occurred. While searching through the internet, i have seen numerous complaints of this same make model and year vehicle with a fuel pump failure. Vw has only recalled certain vin numbers for this fuel pump. My passat does not fall within the recall vins and vw refuses to acknowledge a global problem with these fuel pumps. *tr

I own a 2003 vw passat v6 awd that currently has ~37000 miles on the odometer. This car uses an excessive amount of oil ever since i bought it new in 2003. The last estimate of oil consumption (july 25, 2007), was ~0.75 quart per 600 miles, which is what the dealer and vw have said is within the factory specification of 1 quart per 1000 miles. However, neither the dealer nor vw will provide me with written evidence or bulletins describing these specifications. In my opinion, this is excessive oil consumption, which reflects an underlying defect in the design/function of vw engines. Apparently, i am not the only one with this complaint as several of the bulletin boards and internet discussion groups have similar postings. This oil consumption problem may also be related to the accumulation of "engine sludge," which apparently led vw to extend the warranty on certain models. I do not know whether this type of problem falls within the purview of the nhsta, but i am filing this as a complaint and requesting further investigation. *tr

I was driving east on atlantic avenue in delray beach, fl., i made a left turn onto n.E. 4th avenue and within a few yards the car stalled in the middle of the street. Fortunately i was not too far from the fountain square parking lot so i pushed the car into the parking lot to prevent an accident.

My 2003 passat with 46,000 miles and regular 5,000 miles service visits recently had two major problems. The alternator went bad and was producing nearly twice the voltage. There were no service bulletins or recalls on this item and was fixed at a significant cost to me. Next was the fuel tank. I first experienced an odor which turned out to be a leak in the gas tank. I am working with an excellent volkswagen service business which is not a dealership. Vw america will only take the word of a licensed dealer. The defective tank is currently being replaced at a very significant cost to me. There are no service bulletins or recalls on my vin. I understand that a local dealership has had to replace a few of these. This is a very nice car developing a bad reputation. I have safety concerns with this car and wonder what will happen next. *jb

2003 passat faulty fuel pump. Car experienced total loss of power that could potentially lead to an accident. Despite vw issuing a recall to remedy this problem on certain 2003 passats, they refused to pay for this repair (replacement of fuel pump - parts and labor). *tr

Was told by volkswagen america that the passat 2003 did not fall under this recall. This vehicle has the exact same failure. Any help would be appricated in getting this covered. Esults : | all records displayed ake : volkswagen model : passat year : 2003 manufacturer : volkswagen of america, inc nhtsa campaign id number : 07v063000 mfr's report date : feb 15, 2007 component: exterior lighting:brake lights:switch potential number of units affected : 1002000 . *ak

A water leak in either the sunroof drainage tubes or pollen filter caused 2" of water to fill the passenger front/rear of my 2003 vw passat. There is currently a terrible smell of mold/milder in the vehicle. Upon researching this problem on the internet, it was found that numerous vw owners have the same problem. *jb

Oil sludge build up. Stop engine light came on. Immediately took car to dealership and learned that it was an oil pressure issue to sludge. Volkswagen had issued an extended warranty. However, they requireed complete records which most people did not keep. There were numerous complaints with regard to this issue. Wondering why a recall has not been imposed given the expense to consumer's for something that was obviously a manufacturer's defect. Consumer protection should be first priority.*ak

Break light switch stopped working unknowingly. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. After parking the vehicle, the contact noticed that the brake lights were illuminated. The lights failed to dim. The dealer stated that her vin was not included in nhtsa recall # 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). The current and failure mileages were 35,000.

Driver was on daily commute to work, stopped at an intersection. A loud bang was heard by the driver and when the driver exited the car to see what had happened, a bystander immediately yelled toward the driver to warn them that the car was on fire. Driver was able to make it out of car safely, with minor injuries incurred as a result of trying to put out the fire. The fire itself was limited to the engine compartment, however as a result the entire engine and engine compartment were destroyed and the car was considered a total loss by insurance. Since the defective component(s) and surrounding area involved in the defect were completely destroyed, there was no parts to repair or replace. *jb

I have a 2003 vw passat and am original owner. I've had three leaks into the front right floorboard in the past six months from either a sunroof drain line or a air conditioner, depending on the repair person you talk to. The leaks have occasionally produced so much water that it has gone to right back floorboard. My trunk hinges are broken. My hood lids are broken. The plastic on the interior is worn off. The ashtray in back fell apart. They can't seem to get the alignment right so i keep going through tires and the tires i do have sound uneven when i rotate them, making me think there's a problem. Now my brake lights are out. It's not a fuse but apparently a switch. But my car isn't covered by a recall that vw has on a bunch of other models. There's a defect investigation into fires in the engine and a recall on sludge. This car is an accident waiting to happen and it's very poorly engineered. One thing after another and vw national is no help. I'm abandoning the car today, trading it in for something else. Will never buy a vw again. No car should have this many issues at 4 years old. And the issues started at 3 years old. *tr