2001 Volkswagen Passat Interior & seats Problems

I HAVE HAD MY 2001 VW PASSAT FOR 7 YEARS NOW AND HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE ISSUES INCLUDING WARPED ROTORS (FRONT AND BACK), CRACKED CHASSE, ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND VARIOUS OTHER PROBLEMS. BEFORE HAVING THIS CAR, I HAD A TOYOTA FOR 8 YEARS AND IN THE 8 YEARS I HAD THE TOYOTA, I ONLY HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THIS CAR IS DISAPPOINTING AND EVERYONE I TALK TO WHO HAS A SIMILAR MODEL/YEAR SAYS THE SAME THING. I THINK THE 2001 VW PASSAT IS A LEMON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223581

Incident

Apr 7, 2008

Mileage

6,000 mi

2001 PASSAT WAGON GLX WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED. PASSENGER'S SEAT FULLY RECLINED UPON IMPACT, COMING TO REST ON AN INFANT CAR SEAT THAT WAS PROPERLY INSTALLED IN THE BACK SEAT. PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR NECK AND BACK INJURIES. INFANT WAS UNHARMED. SINCE INCIDENT THE PASSENGER'S SEAT HAS SPONTANEOUSLY FULLY RECLINED ON THREE OTHER OCCASIONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10148595

Incident

Mar 20, 2002

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT POST OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE. THIS CAUSED HIM TO FALL INTO THE BACK SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10143467

Incident

Nov 19, 2005

TRUNK LID LOCK BROKE ABOUT 5 DAYS BEFORE THE 8TH AND IT SLOWLY DRAINED THE BATTERY. WITHOUT MY KNOWING THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN I DID NOT ATTEND THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. THE CHARGES FROM VW TO FIX ARE: TRUNK-$ 120.85 BATTERY- $318.18. *NM

NHTSA ID

10106280

Incident

Jan 8, 2005

Mileage

79,800 mi

VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING ON 45 MPH ROAD. STARTER AND ENGINE TURN, BUT WOULD NOT RUN. ADVISED DEALER THAT THIS HAPPENED 1 YEAR AGO AND ENGINE FUSE AND HORN FUSE HAD TO BE REPLACED. NO CODES WERE IN THE COMPUTER. DEALER REPLACED FUSE S232 AND CAR STARTED. DURING ROAD TEST, CAR DIED AGAIN. FUSE S232 BLEW AGAIN AND DEALER FOUND ECM AND HARNESS MELTED AND WAS SMOKING. DEALER REPLACED ECM, HARNESS AND FUSE AND CAR RAN. WHEN CUSTOMER RECEIVED THE CAR, THE CRUISE CONTROL AND DASH LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. DEALER REPROGRAMMED CRUISE AND FIXED WIRING OF DASH LIGHTS UNDER WARRANTY AFTER MUCH ARGUMENT. DEALER DID NOT KNOW CAUSE OF MISHAP. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THE CAR HAS DIED WHILE TRAVELLING ON BUSY ROADS. I WAS NEARLY REAR-ENDED TWICE AS I PULLED THE CAR OFF THE HIGHWAY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10079102

Incident

Jul 21, 2003

Mileage

45,658 mi

THE TRUNK LATCH BROKE WHEN CLOSING THE TRUNK NORMALLY AND WOULD NOT LATCH. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE AND THE DEALER SAID THE INSIDE COMPONENTS WERE SHATTERED. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE DEDUCTIBLE BECAUSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERED THE ITEM. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER PASSAT OWNERS. IS THIS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT?*AK

NHTSA ID

10079096

Incident

Jan 26, 2004

Mileage

57,982 mi

I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A DEALER AND KNOW FROM CARFAX REPORT THE CAR WAS RECENTLY OFF LEASE. I PUT 15 MILES ON IT AND INTERNALLY INSIDE THE DASH BLACK SMOKE RADIATED FROM THE VENTS AND SPARKS FELL UNDER THE CAR. WITHIN SECONDS FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. THE FIRE COMPANY ARRIVED IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES BUT BY THEN THE CAR WAS AN INFERNO. *AK

NHTSA ID

10065724

Incident

Feb 17, 2004

Mileage

87,000 mi

UPPER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH SIDES ARE WORN OUT. TIE RODS ARE WORN OUT ON BOTH SIDES. CATALYTIC CONVERTERS NEEDED REPLACED. I PAID FOR THE TIE RODS, WARRANTY COVERED CONVERTERS, AND I HAVE NOT HAD THE UPPER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. OIL LEAKS ON ENGINE. INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT ACTIVATE WHEN DRIVERS DOOR IS OPENED.

NHTSA ID

10058454

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

59,100 mi

POLLEN FILTER SEAL FAILURE. THIS PROBLEM IS DOCUMENTED IN MANY INTERNATIONAL PASSAT OWNER GROUPS. THE SEAL AROUND THE POLLEN FILTER FAILS. THE CAR'S INTERIOR BECOMES FLOODED IN RAIN. ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT GET WET FAIL OVER TIME AT ACCELERATED AND UNPREDICTABLE RATE. SAFETY CONCERN: IT IS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE AUXILLIARY COMPONENTS (DEFROSTER, RADIO, ETC WHEN INTERIOR LIGHTS FAIL) EMERGENCY FLASHER AND ASR BREAKERS ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO MOISTURE-RELATED ACCELERATED DECLINE AS A RESULT OF POLLEN FILTER LEAKAGE. OUR VW DEALER AND VWOA STATED THAT POLLEN FILTER SEAL FAILURE AND ASSOCIATED FLOODING DAMAGE AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE WERE PART OF "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR". VW SERVICE ADVISORS IN THE WASHINGTON DC AREA HAVE SAID THEY SEE "SEVERAL OF THESE EACH WEEK" IN RAINY SEASONS. THE FILTER DESIGNED TO REDUCE ALLERGENS IN THE AIR HAS THE PERVERSE CONSEQUENCE OF ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF MOLD INSIDE THE CAR BECAUSE IT SEAL FAILS, CREATES (IN OUR CASE 2" OF STANDING WATER) MOISTURE IN THE CAR THAT PROMOTES UNPLEASANT, UNHEALTHY, EXPENSIVE-TO-REMIDIATE MOLD GROWTH IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10058114

Incident

Jul 20, 2003

Mileage

38,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 PASSAT WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT STARTED MOVING AND MOVED TO THE BACKMOST POSITION. I WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE GAS OR BRAKE PEDAL WITH THE SEAT IN THAT POSITION. I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I WAS ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I COULD NOT READJUST THE SEAT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE SEEN THE SEAT MOVE, BUT DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED AS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT MOVING IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *LA

NHTSA ID

10049529

Incident

Dec 6, 2003

TRUNK DOES NOT LATCH "BOOTLID OPEN." MESSAGE ON DASH AND WARNING BEEP AFTER HITTING BUMPS IN ROAD. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043030

Incident

Oct 9, 2003

THE DOOR LOCK IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OPENS UP WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING. ALSO IT POPS UP WHEN YOU SHUT THE CAR AND TRY TO LOCK THE DOORS USING YOUR REMOTE KEY OR WITH THE BUTTONS INSIDE THE CAR. SO POTENTIALLY ANYONE CAN OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. TO AVOID THIS, YOU HAVE TO PRESS IT DOWN MANUALLY BEFORE LEAVING THE CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030354

Incident

Mar 17, 2003

I HAVE VW PASSAT, 2001. IT HAS AROUND 30 000 MILES ON IT. THE CLUTCH HAS GONE DOWN ON THIS CAR AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PARTS AND LABOR FOR THIS REPAIR ARE MORE THAN $2200. THIS CAR HAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ALSO. THE WARRANTY IS GONE AFTER 24000K OR 2 YEARS. I HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS CAR, BUT THEY DON'T COVER ANYTHING FROM THE LONG LIST OF REPAIR. I CALLED TO VW CUSTOMER CARE AND ASK TO REIMBURSE ME FOR CLUTCH REPAIR, SINCE IT MUST BE AFTER 10 YEARS/100 000 MILES POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THEY REFUSED TO PARTICIPATE. I COMPLAIN ABOUT VW QUALITY ( I HAVE FRIENDS HAVING TROUBLE WITH VW AS WELL). I BELIEVE THAT MANUFACTURE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF BAD PRODUCT AND COVER THE REPAIR COST. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND I EXPECT TO HAVE A QUALITY ITEM, NOT THE JUNK FOR MORE THAN $25K. I ALSO COMPLETELY DISSATISFIED WITH VW SERVICE!!!!

NHTSA ID

10003183

Incident

Jan 22, 2003

Mileage

30,000 mi

MY 2001 VW PASSAT GLS WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY A LARGE 89 CHEVY VAN. THE SEAT THAT I WAS SITTING IN RECLINED ALMOST ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BACK SEAT SO THAT I WAS LOOKING UP AT THE ROOF. MY SEAT BELT CUT MY HEAD AND WRIST OF MY LEFT ARM AS I FELL BACK. I KNOW IT WAS THE SEAT BELT BECAUSE THERE WAS SKIN ON THE SHOULDER PORTION OF IT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I LOOKED AT THE TOTALLED CAR AND NOTICED THAT THE SEAT HAD SHIFTED. THE FRONT THIGH SUPPORT PORTION CAME UP, AND THE BACK SUPPORT WENT DOWN. UPON CLOSE INSPECTION, I THINK THAT THE SEAT BRACKETS YIELDED IN THE COLLISION CHANGING THE OVERALL ORIENTATION OF THE SEAT. I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED, AS FAR AS I KNOW I JUST HAD A CASE OF WHIPLASH. HOWEVER, I AM STAYING IN TOUCH WITH MY DOCTOR SHOULD ANY ADDITIONAL BACK OR NECK PROBLEMS COME OUT OF THIS. HOWEVER, I COULD HAVE BEEN EJECTED FROM THE SEAT OR THROW INTO THE BACK, NOT TO MENTION THE SERIOUS INJURIES THE SEAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED TO A PERSON SITTING IN BACK OF ME. I CALLED VW AND THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE CLAIMS THAT THE SEAT IS DESIGNED TO GIVE IN A SEVERE REAR IMPACT. I ASKED FOR A STATEMENT IN WRITING, AND THEY AGREED TO THIS BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE IT. (IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE COMING) I HAVE THE DATE AND TIME OF THAT PHONE CONVERSATION. I ALSO HAVE PICTURES OF THE CAR, THE SEAT,AND THE BRACKETS. VW DOES NOT ADVERTISE ANY SPECIAL SEAT FEATURES LIKE VOLVO'S WHIPS PROTECTION, SO I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS SEAT DESIGN. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH SHOWED THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR EVENTS IN A REAR IMPACT. CLUBB5.COM, AND AUDIWORLD.COM BOTH HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS IN THE FORUMS. IF THIS IS A POOR SEAT DESIGN, I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD ALL BE FIXED.

NHTSA ID

10000255

Incident

Dec 3, 2002

Mileage

46,000 mi