2002 Volkswagen Passat Heating & air conditioning Problems

DRIVERSIDE HEATED SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. BURNT 2 SMALL HOLES THROUGH SEAT AND THE POCKET OF MY WIFE'S PANTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10219877

Incident

Feb 29, 2008

Mileage

53,215 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 VW PASSAT WITH THE SEAT HEATER ON WHEN I NOTICED THE UNDERSIDE OF MY THIGH WAS VERY WARM. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, GOT OUT AND LOOKED AT MY SEAT AND THERE WAS A BURN HOLE ON THE UPHOLSTERED SEAT. I HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVING WITH THE SEAT HEATER ON FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES - ON LEVEL 3 (OR 4 MAX). I HAVE NOT TURNED ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER SINCE AND HAVE NOT ALLOWED A PASSENGER TO TURN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HEATER. LUCKILY, I INCURRED NO INJURY AND MY CLOTHING WAS NOT BURNED, BUT I AM CONCERNED WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF SOMEONE HAD NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, HAD NOT BEEN WEARING THIN CLOTHING AT THE TIME, OR IF A CHILD HAD BEEN SITTING ON A MALFUNCTIONING SEAT. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER WHO SAID BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT HEATERS NEED TO BE REPLACED (THEY SAID THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ALSO ON ITS WAY TO BURNING- ALTHOUGH IT HAD NOT COME THROUGH THE CLOTH YET). I HAVE NOT YET REACHED ANY RESOLUTION WITH VOLKWAGEN, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10202080

Incident

Mar 3, 2007

DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT ELEMENT BURNED A WHOLE THROUGH FABRIC.. *NM

NHTSA ID

10179382

Incident

Jan 19, 2007

I GOT INTO MY CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT DAY - AROUND 11:00 AM. I STARTED THE CAR, ADJUSTED THE HEAT AND PUT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WARMER. AFTER ABOUT 15 SECONDS, I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, BUT WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT IT WAS. AT THE SAME TIME I FELT SOMETHING CUTTING IN TO MY LEG. I PUT MY HAND UNDER MY LEG TO SEE WHAT WAS POKING INTO ME BUT COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. THE SMELL WAS GETTING WORSE AND THE STABBING PAIN IN MY LEG WAS STILL THERE. AFTER ABOUT 60 SECONDS THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM MY SEAT AND I REALIZED THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM INSIDE MY CAR AND THE SEAT WARMER WAS BURNING. I PULLED OVER, SHUT THE CAR OFF AND JUMPED OUT OF MY CAR. I PRESSED MY HANDS TO THE SEAT IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE BURNING AND SMOKE. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND WHEN I WAS CONVINCED THE BURNING HAD STOPPED, JUMPED IN MY CAR AND HEADED BACK TO THE HOTEL I HAD BEEN AT. I REMOVED THE FUSE FOR THE SEAT WARMERS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10170977

Incident

Oct 15, 2006

Mileage

45,000 mi

AFTER TURNING ON THE HEATED SEAT OPTION OF MY CAR I STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE I FELT SOMETHING STING THE LEFT SIDE OF MY BUTTOCKS TOWARDS THE SIDE. WITH IN SECONDS I REALIZED THAT IT WAS MY SEAT BURNING MY BOTTOM. NOT ONLY MY BOTTOM, BUT A WHOLE RIGHT THROUGH THE SEAT AND MY JOGGING PANTS. I QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE HEAT TO MY SEAT. LOOKS LIKE A CIGARETTE BURN. MY HUSBAND AND I WERE AFRAID TO LEAVE THE CAR IN THE GARAGE IN CASE IT WAS STILL SMOLDERING AND POTENTIALLY START A FIRE. I CALLED OUR DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. PAST MILEAGE. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER WHICH I HAVE NOT DONE QUITE YET. I AM AFRAID TO TURN IT ON AGAIN OF COURSE! *JB

NHTSA ID

10170460

Incident

Oct 9, 2006

Mileage

92,030 mi

WE HAVE A VW PASSAT WAGON WITH CLOTH SEATS. SOMETIME THE SEAT HEATER IGNITED THE FOAM AND FABRIC OF THE CAR AND BURNED THREE HOLES IN THE SEAT. I'M AFRAID THAT THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE IN THE CAR. THE VW DEALER TRIED TO GET VW TO REPLACE THE SEAT BUT THEY WON'T. THEY HAVE A RECALL ON MANY 02 PASSAT'S NOW BUT WON'T REPAIR OR FIX MINE. I FEEL THIS IS A DANGER WOULD LIKE SOME HELP FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION. THANKS FOR ANY HELP CRAIG BEISKER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10152336

Incident

Feb 28, 2006

Mileage

58,450 mi

I TURNED ON MY DRIVER'S SEAT WARMER AFTER NOT HAVING USED IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. WITHIN 60 SECONDS, I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL AND TURNED THE WARMER OFF IMMEDIATELY. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A DEEP BURN ON THE SEAT, JUST TO THE LEFT OF WHERE I SIT, THAT IS LARGER THAN THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. I HAVE NOT YET BROUGHT THIS TO VOLKSWAGEN'S ATTENTION, BUT I INTEND TO DO SO SHORTLY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143627

Incident

Nov 23, 2005

Mileage

22,000 mi

DT: THERE WAS MOLD IN THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HAS BEEN THERE SINCE JANUARY 2003. THE DEALERSHIP CLEANED IT OUT TWICE. THE THIRD TIME THEY REPLACED THE EVAPORATOR. THE FOURTH TIME THERE WAS A SLIGHT ODOR. CONSUMER SAID THAT THE ODOR WAS THERE IN THE MORNING AND AFTER THE VEHICLE SET FOR AWHILE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HER TO TAKE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE CLEANED. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10131980

Incident

Jan 1, 2003

CALLER STATED: VEHICLE WITH HEATED SEATS. DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. CALLER WAS SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, AND FELT THAT THE SEAT WAS BECOMING OVERLY WARM, AND NOTICED CONSIDERABLE SMOKE COMING FROM THE SEAT ITSELF. SMALL FLAMES WERE NOTICED, AND THE HEAT MELTED A NICKEL-SIZED PORTION OF THE SEAT BEFORE HEAT WAS TURNED OFF MANUALLY. CALLER'S PANTS WERE BURNED. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER UNDER WARRANTY, AND DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED, AND THEN THE PROBLEM RECURRED IN ALMOST THE EXACT SAME SPOT ON THE SEAT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10119528

Incident

Jan 15, 2004

Mileage

30,000 mi

2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH PASSENGER SEAT, DOOR PANELS, GLOVE COMPARTMENT, RADIO EQUIPMENT, BUTTONS FOR THE MIRROR EQUIPMENT AND THE VEHICLE KEPT CUTTING OFF.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WENT FORWARD IT WOULD NOT STOP, THE HEATED SEATS BURNED THE CONSUMERS CHILDREN, HOWEVER HE DID NOT STATE HOW MANY CHILDREN. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE ALIGNED. THE DOOR PANELS AND ARM REST WERE PEELING. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ALWAYS GOING OUT. THE BRAKES SQUEAKED. THE BATTERY, GENERATOR AND GROUND WIRE WERE REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE STALLING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10119227

Incident

Apr 10, 2002

IN LATE JANUARY, THE HEATED SEAT ON MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT COVER. IT ALSO BURNED THROUGH MY PANTS AND GAVE ME A MINOR BURN. VOLKSWAGEN REPAIRED THE PROBLEM, BUT THE MECHANICS INFORMED ME THAT I WAS THE THIRD SUCH PROBLEM IN A 48 HOUR PERIOD. THE OTHER TWO CARS WERE JETTAS. ANOTHER MECHANIC SAID THAT THE HEATED SEATS RAN TOO HOT ON THE HIGHEST SETTING AND WEREN'T MEANT TO RUN ON SETTING 5 FOR TOO LONG. THE REPAIR DOCUMENTATION I RECEIVED FROM MY LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND OUT FROM VOLKSWAGEN WHAT STEPS THEY PLAN TO TAKE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND I AM CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY SUFFER A FAR MORE SERIOUS ISSUE IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO VOLKSWAGEN, BUT THEY APPEAR UNCONCERNED. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL HAVE MORE LUCK THAN I HAVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10068208

Incident

Jan 28, 2004

Mileage

22,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING AIR CONDITIONER/RADIO FAILED. CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10059828

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

THE DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT BURNED (VW PASSAT 2002). *NLM

NHTSA ID

10049097

Incident

Dec 1, 2003

Mileage

16,000 mi

ONLY 1 MONTH AFTER FIXING THE SAME PROBLEM, THE SYSTEM SHORTED OUT AGAIN, LEAVING THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM, THE CRUISE CONTROL, GARAGE DOOR OPENER, AND OTHER ITEMS INOPERATIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

765454

Incident

Aug 7, 2002

AFTER STARTING CAR, THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE. IT WAS A HOT SUMMER DAY. NO AIR CONDITIONING OR FAN. ALSO FOUND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT "SET". DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO DEALER WHO WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE 8 MONTH OLD CAR FOR 2 WEEKS.*AK

NHTSA ID

763356

Incident

Jun 19, 2002