2002 Volkswagen Passat Interior & seats Problems

I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON, WHEN I FELT THE SEAT GET EXTREMELY HOT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE SEAT HEATER TO ZERO AND JUST LIFTED MY LEFT LEG OFF THE SEAT A LITTLE BIT UNTIL IT COOLED DOWN. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT UNTIL I FIRST SAW A BURN MARK ON THE LEFT, BACK SIDE OF MY COAT AND THEN A LINE OF BURN MARKS AND HOLES ON MY PASSENGER SEAT. I INVESTIGATED A LITTLE FURTHER, AND IT APPEARS THE SEAT HEATER BEGAN TO ALSO OVERHEAT/MELT THE BACK PART OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE DRIVER'S SEAT ALONG THE SAME LINE THAT BURNED MY COAT AND LEG IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312389

Incident

Jan 13, 2010

Mileage

150,000 mi

2002 VW PASSAT DRIVERS SEAT WARMERS BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT AND BURNED MY LEG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10310461

Incident

Feb 13, 2010

Mileage

78,221 mi

I WAS FILLING UP MY WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID AND WAS TRYING TO PUT THE CAP BACK ON MY 2002 PASSAT WHEN THE HOOD STRUT FAILED AND THE HOOD CRASHED DOWN ON MY FOREARM, PINNING MY ARM BETWEEN THE HOOD AND CAR FRAME. I SCREAMED OUT BOTH IN PAIN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PULL MY ARM FREE AND HAD SOMEONE RUSH OVER TO ME WITHIN SECONDS. HOWEVER, THE HOOD LATCH HAD ENGAGED BUT WOULD NOT RELEASE SINCE THE HOOD WAS NOT CLOSED ALL THE WAY, MY ARM BLOCKING THIS FROM HAPPENING. THE FIRST GENTLEMAN TRIED TO ALLEVE THE PRESSURE ON MY ARM, WHICH HAD ALREADY STARTED GOING NUMB, WHILE HE CALLED OUT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO COME AND HELP AND BRING A HEAVY METAL BAR TO PRY ME OUT. THE SECOND GENTLEMAN CAME WITH A LARGE WRENCH AND WAS ABLE TO BEND THE FRAME ENOUGH FOR ME TO PULL MY ARM OUT. MAJOR INDENT OF MY FOREARM HAD ME MAKE AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT. XRAYS SHOWED NOTHING WAS BROKEN THOUGH 1 WEEK LATER I AM STILL SWOLLEN AND SORE. ABOUT $1900 BODY DAMAGE TO CAR, AS WELL AS AT LEAST $250 MEDICAL. MY MECHANIC NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE HOOD STRUT, SO THIS INCIDENT CAME AS A TOTAL SURPRISE TO HIM. HE HAS ORDERED A REPLACEMENT STRUT TO BE INSTALLED TOMMOROW. *CN

NHTSA ID

10307577

Incident

Feb 1, 2010

Mileage

89,500 mi

REAR TAIL LIGHT ON 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 4 MOTION REMAINED ON EVEN WHEN CAR WAS SHUT OFF OR LOCKED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED COMFORT CONTROL MODEL FOR $500.00. SINCE THE REPLACEMENT, INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON PERIODICALLY CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN AND THE PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH THE KEY FOB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10237432

Incident

Apr 20, 2007

Mileage

61,000 mi

MY 2002 VW PASSAT INITIALLY BLEW THE #5 FUSE WHICH CONTROLS THE A/C, STEERING WHEEL ITEMS (HORN, VOLUME CONTROL, ETC.) AND ITEMS ON THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED AND SUBSEQUENTLY I EXPERIENCED SMOKING IN THE AREA OF THE SUN VISOR. REMOVING THE VISOR, I NOTICED FRAYED WIRING AND BURNT WIRING INSULATION. IN ADDITION THERE WAS SPARKING INSIDE THE ROOF AREA. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY CUT THE FRAYED WIRE AND TAPED IT UP, WITH A MORE COMPLETE REPAIR TO COME IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. DRIVING THE CAR HOME LATER THAT DAY THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AGAIN WITH THE ADDITION OF CRACKLING SOUNDS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER THAT EVENING. THE DEALER IS NOW LOOKING AT THE WIRING AND HAS FOUND AT LEAST ONE WIRE LEADING FROM THE VISOR AREA ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FUSE BOX WHICH IS BARE BECAUSE IT'S INSULATION HAS BEEN BURNED OFF. THE FUSE THAT SHOULD HAVE BLOWN WAS MELTED INTO THE FUSE BOX. THE BURNED WIRE HAS ALSO BURNED OFF INSULATION ON OTHER WIRES WHICH WERE TOUCHING THE DAMAGED WIRE. THE DEALER IS TRYING TO TRACK DOWN ALL THE WIRES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED. CURRENT COST IS APPROXIMATELY $2400 WITH VOLKSWAGEN AGREEING TO PICK UP $900 OF THE COST. BASED ON INTERNET RESEARCH, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF FRAYED WIRING IN THE VISOR AREA OF THE 2002 PASSAT. I HAVE NUMEROUS POSTINGS BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BLOWN THE FUSE AND HAD THEIR VISORS REPLACED. OTHERS HAVE PULLED DOWN THE VISOR AND TAPED UP THE FRAYED WIRING IN THEIR VISOR. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING FLAW AND I BELIEVE THAT MY VISOR WIRING HAS BEEN FRAYING FOR SOME TIME PRIOR TO THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233579

Incident

Jun 25, 2008

Mileage

79,000 mi

EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE DRIVERS SEAT EMITTED A CLICKING SOUND AND A SLIGHT FEELING OF MOVEMENT IN THE SEAT WHEN THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD OR IS STOPPED. WE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES. THIS IS DOCUMENTED ON MY BILLS WITH MILEAGE READING 19K AND 35K MILES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE SOUND AND MOVEMENT. FINALLY, WHEN THE CAR HAD 40K MILES ON IT (AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD) THE ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED. A FACTORY REP WAS ON HAND THAT DAY AT THE DEALERSHIP AND IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS PLAY IN THE SEAT TRACK. I ASKED THAT THIS BE COVERED AND FIXED UNDER VW'S GOODWILL PROGRAM AND APPEALED THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE LIFE OF THE CAR (DURING THE WARRANTY). I WAS DENIED THIS CLAIM AS THE REP SAID THAT THE SEAT DID NOT POSE ANY SAFETY THREATS AND THIS RESULTED FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I FELT THAT THIS WAS NOT A FARE DETERMINATION OF THIS CASE SO I APPEALED TWICE TO VW (CASE # 60127133). THEY STATED TWICE THAT THEY HAD TO STAND BY THE DETERMINATION OF THE REP ON HAND THAT DAY AND WOULD NOT FIX THE ISSUE (COST = OVER $800). I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY CONSUMERS UNION TO CONTACT YOU AS THEY STATED THAT ANY PLAY IN THE SEAT TRACK IS IN FACT A SAFETY ISSUE... *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10157514

Incident

Sep 10, 2001

Mileage

260 mi

DRIVING NORTH IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE ON GALLATIN PK IN NASHVILLE, TN, ANOTHER DRIVER IN THE SOUTH BOUND TURNING LANE TURNED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING. MY VIEW WAS OBSCURED BY THE LINE OF TRAFFIC IN THE LEFT HAND NORTH LANES. THE CAR I WAS DRIVING (2002 VW PASSAT) HIT THE CAR THAT TURNED IN TO MY LANE IN A DIRECT, CLASSIC T-BONE HIT. I NEVER SAW THE CAR AND HIT THE CAR AT APPROX. 32 MPH WITHOUT BRAKING. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG ON MY CAR FAILED TO DEPLOY ALTHOUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID DEPLOY. I WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT THE CAR SEAT ALSO SLID FORWARD AND I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE BACK SEATS CAME UNLATCHED AND EVERYTHING FLEW FORWARD THROUGH THE CAR AT IMPACT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172800

Incident

Nov 4, 2006

Mileage

91,000 mi

BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES, DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS CAUSING TWO MAJOR BREAKDOWNS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE LAST TWO IGNITION COILS WERE RECALLED. THE CAR WILL NOT RUN IF IT IS WET FROM HEAVY RAIN AND HAS TO BE COMPLETELY DRIED BEFORE THE BREAKS WORK PROPERLY. OIL PUMP WAS REPLACED 14 MONTHS AGO, ANOTHER MAJOR BREAKDOWN ON HIGHWAY WITH CHILDREN. IT HAS BROKEN DOWN YET AGAIN...THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT NEEDS ANOTHER OIL PUMP BECAUSE OF SLUDGE, ABOUT $2000, NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT IS PAST THE 12 MONTH, 12,000MILE MARK. TWO OTHER PRIVATE MECHANICS TOLD ME, REPLACING THE OIL PUMP WOULD ONLY DISGUISE, TEMPORARILY THE REAL ISSUE....THE ENGINE IS JUNK. IT NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I AM MISSING SOME OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS. ALSO THE BLINKERS DON'T WORK, THE REAR DOOR WON'T OPEN, AUTO LOCKS WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND ARE OUT AGAIN. THIS WAS THE FIRST NEW CAR I EVER BOUGHT. I BOUGHT THE CAR AFTER A DIVORCE BECAUSE I WANTED A DEPENDABLE CAR TO COMMUTE TO WORK AND TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN SAFELY. THE CAR HAS 85,00 MI. *NM

NHTSA ID

10161909

Incident

Jun 14, 2006

Mileage

85,000 mi

NUMEROUS SPONTANEOUS ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITHIN 24 HOURS. A WEEK AGO TODAY) THE GAS GAUGE ON MY 2002 PASSAT W8 WENT DEAD, BOTH THE ANALOGUE GAUGE AND THE COMPUTER READOUT; THEN THE AC WENT DEAD, WINDOWS, HORN, DOOR LOCKS AND LOCK REMOTE AND LIGHTS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. THE RADIO STOP WORKING, THEN CAME BACK ON, BUT THE RECEPTION WAS VERY BAD, A LOT OF STATIC, AND THE RADIO DID NOT SHUT OFF WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. I HAD TO MANUALLY TURN IT OFF. WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER & ODOMETER WENT DEAD, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON BUT THE ENGINE DISPLAYED NO PROBLEMS. I GOT A CALL FROM THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR WILL NOT EVEN START NOW. THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, HE STATED THAT"IT STOPPED COMMUNICATING". $500.00 FOR THAT. IT'S A WEEK LATER TODAY. MY W8 IS STILL AT THE DEALER. IT TOOK THEM 6 DAYS TO GET THE COMFORT CONTROL MODULE. THEY INSTALLED IT AND THE CAR STILL WILL NOT START. MY BILL IS AT $630, AND THEY WANT ME TO AUTHORIZE MORE TIME SO THEY CAN START TEARING APART THE WIRING AND THE WIRING HARNESSES. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS ON MANY WEBSITES FROM OWNERS WITH THE IDENTICAL ISSUES. THE WIRING IS CORRODED GOING TO/FROM THE CCM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153568

Incident

Mar 16, 2006

Mileage

62,500 mi

FAILED OF BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT OUTER CV BOOTS.

NHTSA ID

10121245

Incident

Feb 6, 2005

Mileage

41,854 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

THERE WERE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FILTER AND CARPET ON THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE WAS REPLACED. THE MLP LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW VACUUM HOSE. THE RADIO DID NOT WORK, STANDING WATER WAS FOUND IN THE BACK RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE UNDER THE FRONT SEAT, THE POLLEN FILTER WAS CLOGGED AND THE AIR POLLEN FILTER WAS CRACKED DUE TO THE FACTORY, THE BACK DOOR LOCKS REFUSED TO OPEN AND COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUT, A BUMPING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE REVVED, THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED AT RAPID SPEED ALL WHILE THE BRAKES WERE PUMPED WITH NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE HIT A CURB DOING OVER 50 MPH ALL WHILE PUMPING THE BRAKES UNTIL IT FINALLY STOPPED 20-30 YARDS INTO A FIELD DAMAGING TIRES, RIMS AND THE BUMPER. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10105199

Incident

Mar 5, 2002

NUMBEROUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. AFTER BUMPING NOISE, ENGINE REVVED, CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED TO A RAPID SPEED. *BF THE MLP LIGHT CAM ON SEVERAL TIMES. THE RADIO DID NOT WORK. THE RADIO WAS REPAIRED AND BROKE AGAIN THEN WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE FOUND STANDING WATER IN THE CAR ON THE BACK RIGHT SIDE UNDER THE FRONT SEAT. THE AIR POLLEN FILTER WAS CRACKED . FILTER AND CARPET WAS REPLACED. THE BACK DOOR LOCKS REFUSED TO UNLOCK THEREFORE THE CONSUMER COULD NOT OPEN EITHER BACK DOOR FROM INSIDE OR OUT. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL OF THE DRIVER AND HIT A CURB AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. THE CONSUMER CONTINUED TO PUMP THE BRAKES FINALLY GETTING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE HAD 4 FLAT TIRES AS A RESULT OF HITTING THE CURB HEAD ON WITH RIMS BENT AS WELL. THE BUMPER CAME OFF. *TC

NHTSA ID

10103353

Incident

Mar 5, 2002

I PURCHASED MY 2002 VOLKS PASSAT GLS. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. MY RADIO QUIT, I HAD THE SPEAKERS REPLACED TWICE, I HAD THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR REPLACED, I HAD THE IGNITION COILS REPLACED 3 TIMES (RECALL), WV CAMPAIGN (RECALL), SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE (RECALL), THE RIGHT WHEEL TIRE HULL REINFORCED (RECALL). I HAVE TALKED WITH VOLKSWAGEN CORPORATE OFFICE AND HAVE AN ACTIVE COMPLAINT NUMBER. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS TERRIBLE BOTH AT THE CORPORATE AND DEALER LEVEL. THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN AUBURN, WA IS INEPT AND HAS PUT THE WRONG OIL IN THE MY CAR 2 TIMES. I WOULD LIKE VOLKWAGEN TO BUY-BACK MY CAR OR GIVE ME A LIFE-TIME WARRANTY ON THE CAR. ANY IDEAS? THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY INCIDENTS TO LIST JUST ONE. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10086984

Incident

Nov 28, 2001

AUTOMATIC LOCK AND POWER WINDOW ON REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR ARE INOPERATIVE. DEALER TOOK TWO ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT. ON THE FIRST, THEY APPLIED SOME ELECTROLYTIC GREASE IN THE HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE ENOUGH. THE NEXT TIME THEY REPLACED THE MOTOR AND LOCK UNIT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10043660

Incident

Sep 5, 2003

Mileage

13,000 mi