1999 Volkswagen Passat Interior & seats Problems

WAS DRIVING MY 1999 VW PASSAT. WHILE IN MOTION THE DRIVER SEAT STEEL BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE SEAT IN PLACE SHEARED OFF. I WAS THEN FLIPPED 180 DEGREES BACK INTO THE REAR SEAT. LOST CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES SINCE IT FLIPPED ME. CONTACTED VW TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS SINCE THE PART IS NOT EXPOSED TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE STEEL SHOULD NOT SHEAR OFF LIKE THAT. VW STATED NO RECALL AND THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR REPAIR DUE THE AGE OF CAR AND NO WARRANTY. I HAD IT REPAIRED AT VW SERVICE CENTER ($860) SINCE NEEDED A CAR FOR TRANSPORTATION. I HAVE THE DEFECTED PART AND PICTURES. SENT UP COMPLAINT TO VW AMERICA AND THEY SAID THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT BUT NOT ABLE TO KEEP ME POSTED, LEAVING ME TO FEEL THAT THEY MIGHT NOT SEE THE URGENCY TO THIS TERRIBLE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED TO ME. IF MY TODDLER KIDS WERE IN THE CAR I COULD HAVE CRUSHED THEIR LEGS WHEN THE DRIVER CHAIR FLIPPED. MY HUSBAND AND I REALLY COULD HAVE DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10415199

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

Mileage

132,263 mi

1.) NORMAL USAGE 2.) FAILURE OF LATCH THAT SECURES THE REAR, FOLD DOWN PASSENGER SEAT IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES INCLUDE PERSONAL INJURY DUE TO OBJECT IN CARGO AREA IMPACTING THE SEAT DURING DECELERATION CAUSING SEAT LATCH TO FAIL AND THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE INTO SEATED PASSENGER. PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE IN WAGON MODELS WHERE LARGER CARGO ITEMS CAN BE STORED. 3.) WE HAD SEAT LATCH RELEASE MECHANISM REPLACED. (FAILED PART IS NOT AVAILABLE). *TR

NHTSA ID

10189900

Incident

Aug 20, 2003

Mileage

41,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT SLID BACKWARDS AND BECAME COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. FOR A MOMENT I COULD NOT REACH THE PEDALS OR THE STEERING WHEEL. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR AND STOP IT SAFELY. IT SEEMS THE ENTIRE SEAT IS SECURED TO THE CAR WITH TWO SCREWS WHICH HAD COME LOOSE. AFTER RE-ATTACHING THE SEAT, I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I BELIEVE THEY APPLIED SOME LOCK-TIGHT TO THE SCREWS, BUT THAT WAS IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162672

Incident

Jan 6, 2006

Mileage

95,300 mi

WHEN GETTING IN TO MY 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT THE SEAT BASE CAME LOOSE AND TIPPED ME AND THE SEAT BACK AGAINST THE BACK SEAT. THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS WARNING WITH THE SEAT SHIFTING WHILE DRIVING OR ANY CREAKING NOISES. LUCKILY I WASN'T DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I COULD HAVE EASILY CRASHED WITH THE SEVERE RECLINE OF THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP WHO LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM AND ASKED IF I'D EVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BREAKAGE. "NO" WAS MY RESPONSE. THEIR BILL FOR A REPLACEMENT WAS FOR OVER $800 SO I CALLED VWOA AND SPOKE WITH ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMER CARE PERSONNEL ABOUT THE HIGH PRICE AND IF THEY'D HELP WITH ANY OF THE COST EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEIR RESPONSE WAS "NO". THE CAR WAS REPAIRED OUT OF MY OWN POCKET AND A NEWER MODEL SEAT BASE WAS INSTALLED THAT WAS OF AN OBVIOUS REDESIGN. (I GUESS THEY THOUGHT THE OLD ONE WAS INFERIOR BUT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE TO LET ANYONE KNOW ABOUT.) *NM

NHTSA ID

10136970

Incident

Sep 12, 2005

Mileage

59,752 mi

THE 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR LOCK EQUIPMENT.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE PROBLEM FIRST EXHIBITED TO THE CONSUMER WHEN THE DOOR AJAR ALARM WOULD GO OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED. IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE CAR AND PREVENT THE ALARM FROM GOING OFF THE CONSUMER HAD TO REMOVE TWO FUSES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS FAULTY DOOR LOCKS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10126865

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

ABS WARNING LIGHT COMING ON. BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON. PRESSURE LIGHT COMING ON AND CHIMES OCCUR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10118519

Incident

Apr 16, 2005

Mileage

75,000 mi

DRIVER'S SEAT BOLT FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS. *AK THE BOLT SNAPPED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING CAUSING THE SEAT TO SLID BACK AND FORTH WITH ACCELERATION. ANY SUDDEN IMPACT WOULD'VE SENT HER INTO THE STEERING WHEEL OR THE CHILDREN'S BACKSEAT. THE BOLT IS METAL. VW REPAIRED IT AT NO COST AND PROVIDED NO PAPERWORK. *PH

NHTSA ID

10048224

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

Mileage

45,000 mi

I SENSED A ROCKING MOTION IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DETERMINED THE SEAT FRAME HAD BROKEN AT THE POINT OF A SPOT WELD. THEY REPLACED THE FRAME AT A TOTAL COST OF $480.79. THE REPAIR RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041472

Incident

Sep 2, 2003

POWER DOOR LOCKS (PASSENGER SIDE) - LOCKS OPERATED BUT DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10033270

Incident

Aug 14, 2003

CONSUMER MOVED THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO ITS FULLY FORWARD POSITION IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE A DROPPED ITEM. THE SEAT BECAME STUCK IN THAT POSITION AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. *AK THIS WAS AN UNSAFE POSITION FOR THE SEAT TO BE IN ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, AS IT ALLOWED THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY IF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10022660

Incident

May 24, 2003

Mileage

32,150 mi

I HAD SHUT OFF MY CAR AND WHEN I WENT TO TURN IT BACK ON I HAD NO LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, DOME LIGHT, HORN, CLIMAT CONTROL OR RADIO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT HAPPENS ON BEETLES AND GOLFS ALL THE TIME AND THAT IT WAS THE IGNISION SWITCH. THEY SHOWED ME THE SWITCH WHEN THEY PULLED IT OUT. IT HAD GOTTEN SO HOT IT MELTED RIGHT THROUGH THE WIRES. THERE IS NO SAFETY RECALL ON THIS BUT IF IT GETS HOT ENOUGH TO MELT METAL IT COULD START THE CAR ON FIRE.

NHTSA ID

10020648

Incident

Nov 27, 2001

Mileage

97,000 mi

VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNIING, IT FORCES ANTIFREEZE DOWN WIRING HARNESS, AND SHORTS OUT COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WILL START TO SHAKE AND STALL OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8018688

Incident

May 9, 2002

WHILE COMING OUT OF A RIGHT HAND TURN AND GOING ON AN UPHILL GRADE SEAT FAILED BY DROPPING TO FLOOR AND SLIDING ALL THE WAY BACK, CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

760668

Incident

Apr 9, 2002

SEAT HAS BEEN COMING APART FROM THE FLOOR. DEALER REPLACED THE FRAME OF THE SEAT, AND NOW THE SEATBACK IS NOT ADJUSTING PROPERLY. REGIONAL MANAGER WENT ON A TEST DRIVE WITH THE CONSUMER, AND SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM. BUT, WOULD FIX IT FOR HER. SEAT IS STILL LOOSE, AND HAS BEEN TAKING BACK MANNY OTHER TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

855786

ENGINE EXPERIENCES HESITATION, REPAIR ATTEMPT FAILED, CONTINUES TO HESITATE. MJS

NHTSA ID

545069

Incident

Feb 22, 1998