1997 Volkswagen Passat Interior & seats Problems

WHILE EN-ROUTE BETWEEN DEXTER, MICHIGAN AND GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, CABIN BEGAN TO SMELL OF SMOKE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH A HALON EXTINGUISHER PROMPTLY. EXAMINATION OF THE COMPONENTS POST-FIRE REVEALED A DEFECTIVE CENTER CONDUCTOR. CIRCUIT WAS FUSED AT 10 AMPS WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE BLOWN, POST FIRE. NO INJURIES, NO DAMAGE TO PERSONAL GOODS, DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO CIGARETTE LIGHTER ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS POORLY DESIGNED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146075

Incident

Dec 24, 2005

Mileage

215,000 mi

1997 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR LOCKS, AND SIDE DOOR HANDLE.*MR *NM

NHTSA ID

10134532

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW REGULATOR MECHANISM HAS REPEATED FAILURES DESPITE REPLACEMENT/REPAIR ON SIX OCCASIONS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, SINCE THE WINDOW MUST BE CLOSED BY GRASPING THE GLASS AND MANIPULATING IT WHICH CAN RESULT IN FINGERS BEING TRAPPED AND BROKEN. ALSO, ONCE THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED, THE WINDOW MAY DROP DOWN INTO THE DOOR UNEXPECTEDLY AT HIGH SPEED CAUSING DRIVER DISTRACTION, OR FAIL TO OPEN IN AN EMERGENCY PRECLUDING AN ESCAPE PATH. THIS IS COMPOUNDED BY FAULTY DOOR LATCH MECHANISM ACTUATORS WHICH PRECLUDE DOOR OPENING FROM OUTSIDE BY RESCUE PERSONNEL. THE FAILURE IS CAUSED BY A FAULTY ROLL PIN SLIPPING OUT OF THE DOOR LATCH TRIGGER MECHANISM CAUSING FAILURE OF AND BINDING OF THE LINKAGE WHICH CAUSES THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATING MECHANISM TO FAIL, TRAPPING PASSENGERS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. PLEASE NOTE THAT PER THE GE INFORMATION SERVICES, JAPAN ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114019

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

79,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT DOOR LOCKS AND LATCHES. THE DOOR LOCKS AND LATCHES FROZE IN COLD WEATHER. CONSUMER HAD TO TIE A BELT FROM THE DOOR TO DRIVER'S LEG TO KEEP THE DOOR FROM OPENING WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALER LUBRICATED THE LOCKS, AND IT HELPED FOR ONLY TWO WEEKS AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. MANUFACTURER WAS NO HELP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103731

Incident

Dec 13, 2004

Mileage

45,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 1997 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT VR6 AT CHECKERED FLAG BMW IN JUNE 2004, AND SINCE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS HORRIBLE. FIRST, THE AIR CONDITIONER( A/C) QUIT WORKING, THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE AC STARTED WORKING FOR A DAY, THEN BLEW A CHEMICAL CLOUD INTO THE VEHICLE, WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. MY EYES WERE BURNING (AS WELL AS MY FACE) FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. FINALLY, I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY, AND THERE'S A SLOW COOLANT LEAK. MAY I SUGGEST THAT WE REMOVE ALL VW'S FROM AMERICA'S STREETS? THEY ARE A TOTAL MENACE TO ANYONE WHO OWNS THEM! I WENT TO CHECKERED FLAG VW, TO HAVE IT SERVICED, AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE 89 DOLLARS A PROBLEM, JUST TO LOOK, THEN THEY SAID I COULD TRADE IT FOR A NEW ONE. WHY WOULD I WANT A NEW ONE? I DON'T NEED TO TRADE AN OLD PROBLEM FOR A NEW, MORE EXPENSIVE ONE, I JUST WANT A RELIABLE WORK VEHICLE, AND I WISH I HAD STUCK TO MY GUNS AND BOUGHT ANOTHER PRELUDE. THIS THING WILL SEE THE CRUSHER WHEN I'M DONE PAYING IT OFF! FOUR PROBLEMS IN NOT SO MANY MONTHS. ONLY ANOTHER VW OWNER WOULD KNOW THAT KIND OF FRUSTRATION!*AK

NHTSA ID

10093585

Incident

Jul 15, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

1997 VW PASSAT TDI: RR DOOR LOCK CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE. PROBLEM DEVELOPED OVER PERIOD OF TIME, SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE A PASSENGER WOULD BE UNABLE TO ESCAPE. LF DOOR AND RF DOOR DEVELOPING DIFFICULT OPENING. DOOR CAN BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE WITH DIFFICULTY. LF DOOR WILL OPEN ONLY BY POWER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10049671

Incident

Dec 9, 2003

Mileage

96,000 mi

3 DOOR LATCHES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, AND CURRENTLY ARE COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE. HAVE TO PULL WITH EXTREME FORCE IN ORDER TO OPEN DOORS. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID

8017243

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE PIVOT AND PLUNGER PIVOT POINT OF THE DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES.*JB

NHTSA ID

785480

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

DOOR LATCHS THAT FAILED WOULD NOT BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTUER DO TO THE MILAGE ON THE CAR. WHAT MY DOOR HANDLES HAVE TO DO WITH THE MILAGE I DON'T KNOW!!!. *AK

NHTSA ID

723084

Incident

Apr 1, 1998

DUE TO POORLY DESIGNED DOOR LATCHES ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE/PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND REAR DRIVER'S SIDE, DOORS DO NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. DEALER SAID VEHICLE NEEDED NEW DOORS IN ORDER TO FIX THE LATCH PROBLEM. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

857020

Incident

Jul 1, 1998

THE DOOR LOCKS AND LATCHES INTERMITTENTLY HAVE FAILED TO SECURE THE DOORS FROM OPENING,

NHTSA ID

715689

Incident

Nov 30, 1999

ALL 4 DOOR HANDLES WILL QUIT WORKING INTERMITTENLY , CONSUMER THEN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN DOOR OR UNLOCK DOOR. DEALER HAS REPLACED ALL 4 HANDLES, BUT DEFECT KEEPS OCCURRING. *AK

NHTSA ID

849599