Owner-reported complaints naming the heating or air-conditioning system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Volkswagen Passat submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 86 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 86, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE HEATED SEAT WAS ACTIVATED AND WITHIN TWO MINUTES, THE SEAT WAS UNBEARABLY HOT AND BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE CONTACT'S PANTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
HEATER STOPPED WORKING AND BLEW COLD AIR. BROUGHT CAR INTO VW DEALER BE SERVICED. HEATING SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED WITH CLEANER. A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER "REPAIR," CAR WAS DRIVEN WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT HEATER ON AND A 1 1/4" HOLE BURNT THROUGH SEAT EXPOSING BURNT HEATING ELEMENT AND BURNT FOAM. HEATER STOPPED WORKING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER ABOVE "REPAIR." RETURNED TO DEALER TO REDO REPAIR AND REQUESTED THE SEAT HEATER AND SEAT UPHOLSTERY LEATHER REPLACED. TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST $1000.00 AND THAT IT WOULD BE THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY. CLEARLY THE SEAT HEATERS ON THIS CAR MODEL ARE DEFECTIVE GIVEN ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND PRIOR RECALLS. VW REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER WITH A RECALL...WHICH LEADS TO THE OBVIOUS QUESTION: "WHY WEREN'T THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT RECALLED AS WELL?" WAS THIS A CALCULATION ON THE PART OF VW CORPORATE....THAT THE COST OF REPLACING THE DRIVER SEATS THROUGH A RECALL WAS LESS THAT THE LIABILITY DUE TO BURNS/ACCIDENTS/LOSS OF LIFE...BUT THE COST OF REPLACING THE PASSENGER SEATS THROUGH A RECALL WAS CALCULATED TO BE MORE THAN THE LIABILITY THERE? THIS DOES NOT SMELL GOOD. CLASS ACTION SUIT SEEMS APPROPRIATE. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WITH THE HEATED SEAT ENGAGED, THE CONTACT FELT A BURNING SENSATION COMING THROUGH THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THERE WAS A BURNED HOLE THROUGH THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT AS WELL AS A BURN TO HIS PANTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE BUTTONS USED TO ADJUST THE HEATED SEATS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AND FEEL AS IF THEY ARE SHOCKING THE DRIVER WHEN THEY ARE ENGAGED. THE LEATHER AROUND THE COILS HAS MELTED A HOLE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. ALTHOUGH, THE CONTACT HAS NOT TURNED THE HEATED SEATS ON THE COIL CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND BECOME HEATED WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79200.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED WITH THE HEATED SEAT FEATURE ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEATER BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT AND THROUGH HIS CLOTHING. HIS LEG WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE HEATED SEAT MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 102,500.
PURCHASE CAR IN FL, NOW LIVE IN IOWA DUE TO JOB TRANSFER. A/C UNIT CONTINUES TO NOT BLOW COLD AIR IN A DEPENDABLE METHOD. HAVE TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND RESTART TO SOMETIMES GET IT STARTED AGAIN. NOW TORQUE CONVERTER LIGHT CAME ON JUST AFTER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED 1 MONTH OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. GOT IN CONTACT WITH VW OF AMERICA. WOULD NOT ASIST, BUT INSTEAD SENT $2,000 GOOD FAITH VOUCHER TOWARDS TO PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO HELP ME WITH THE PROBLEMS. PLEASE HELP. *TR
2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WITH COOLANT SYSTEM AND HEATED SEAT RECALL. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE HEATED SEATS WERE REPAIRED BUT NOW DON'T WORK AT ALL. SHE ALSO STATES THAT THE GAS HAS BEEN BURNING OUT VERY FAST. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS SMELLING FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *JB
2003 VOLKSWAGEN GLS PASSAT WITH SEVERAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP, CAM SHAFT SENSOR AND MORE. *KB THE VEHICLE STALLED ON 2 OCCASIONS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THE CONSUMER SOON DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FRONT CV BOOT AND TIMING BELT WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD A TRANSMISSION LEAK. THE DRIVERS HEATED SEAT MALFUNCTIONED. *JB
MY AIR CONDITION HAS BEEN ON THE FRITZ SO TO SPEAK FOR THE LAST YEAR, I THOUGHT IT WAS MY IMAGINATION. THIS PASSED WEEK WHEN I TURNED IT ON FULL BLAST ALL THAT WAS COMING OUT IS WARM AIR. I TOOK THE CAR INTO VW DEALERSHIP THEY REPAIRED TWO LEAKS THEY SAID, WHEN TRYING IT OUT A FEW DAYS LATER THE AIR WAS BLASTING WARM AIR ONCE AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK AND NOW THEY ARE TELLING ME THE EVAPORATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED COSTING ME $1,700.00. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO A CAR THAT IS NOT EVEN 5 YEARS OLD YET. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. *TR
THE SEAT HEATER IN MY 2003 PASSAT GLS BURNT MY LEG ON THE LOWEST SETTING. IT ALSO MELTING A HOLE IN THE CLOTH INTERIOR AND DISCOLORED OTHER SPOTS. AT THIS POINT IT HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED SO THE SEAT IS AVAILABLE TO LOOK AT. *TR
DEFECT WITH THE DRIVER SIDE HEATING COIL IN THE SEAT - TODAY DURING A 5 MINUTE DRIVE I BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING ON THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR AND FELT A BURNING SENSATION ON MY LEG. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF TO INVESTIGATE. UPON EXISTING THE VEHICLE I SAW BURNING EMBERS ON THE SEAT AND A 1/4" HOLE. I WAS FORCED TO SMOTHER OUT THE FIRE. I HAVE SINCE TURNED OFF THE HEATERS AND REFUSE TO USE THEM UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS RECTIFIED. *TR
I'VE SPENT OVER $8000 TOWARDS VW DEALERSHIP ATTEMPTS AT FIXING THE HORN, RADIO, HOMELINK, CLIMATE CONTROL (A/C AND HEAT) REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, HEATED SEATS, DASHBOARD PANEL LIGHTS, AND DEFROSTER FLAP. VW REPLACED ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT MODULE, BUT ONLY FIXED THE HORN. VW STATED THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE EVEN AFTER I PAID FOR THEM TO FIX THE ABOVE PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE STILL UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS. I REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FROM VOLKSWAGEN FOR THE REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND RELATED EXPENSES. CURRENT VEHICLE MILEAGE: 127,000. *TR
AT APPROXIMATELY 9:35 PM, NOVEMBER 29, 2007, I ENTERED MY 2003 VW PASSAT AND STARTED THE ENGINE. THE AIR TEMPERATURE SHOWED 39 DEGREESF SO I SWITCHED ON THE CONTROL FOR THE HEATED SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE TO HIGH. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AFTER STARTING THE CAR IT SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING. I AM A NON-SMOKER. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE SMELL WAS FROM INSIDE THE CAR AND I BEGAN TO EVALUATE POSSIBLE SOURCES FOR A FIRE SINCE THE SMELL SEEMED TOO CLOSE TO BE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BEGAN TO FEEL AROUND THE SEAT SINCE I KNEW THE SEAT WARMER WAS ON AND SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT AN AREA UNDER MY LEFT THIGH WAS HOT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION, WITH MY HAND, REVEALED THAT MY COAT FELT BURNED OR MELTED AND THE SEAT WAS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER. THE AREA SEEMED TO COOL OFF SLIGHTLY SO I CONTINUED HOME - ABOUT A 10 MINUTE DRIVE. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I CHECKED THE SEAT AND MY COAT. THE SEAT WAS STILL WARM TO THE TOUCH 25 MINUTES AFTER THE SWITCH HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. THERE IS A HOLE IN THE LEATHER SEAT APPROXIMATELY 0.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER, WITH FLECKS OF BLACK SOOT AROUND THE EDGES, ABOUT 4.75 INCHES FROM THE BACK OF THE SEAT AND 2.5 INCHES IN FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT. MY COAT HAS AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 0.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER THAT IS EITHER MELTED OR THE SEAT IS MELTED ONTO MY COAT. THE INCIDENT WILL BE REPORTED TO THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER ON 30 NOVEMBER 2007. *TR
NORMAL OPERATION OF AUTOMOBILE, DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER PLACED ON SETTING LEVEL 2. FIRE BEGAN WITHIN THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT AND BURNT A QUARTER SIZE HOLE THROUGH THE FABRIC OF THE SEAT. *TR
I HAD TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE A FUEL PUMP. WHEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME THERE WAS A HOLE BURNED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT. THE REP AT THE DEALER SAID THE SEAT WARMER IN THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HAD BURNED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE SEAT. HE HAD SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE. BUT MY SEAT WARMER WAS NOT ON AT THE TIME. I DON'T NEED TO USE IT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WEATHER. THE PROBLEM WILL NEED TO BE FIXED BUT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE MADE TO COVER THE COST. *JB
THE SEAT HEATER THAT COMES WITH THIS MODEL CAR, SHORTED OUT WHILE I DRIVING THE CAR. IT BURNT THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT, MY TROUSERS AND BURNT MY WALLET. AT NO TIME WAS THERE AN OPEN FLAME. IF IT WASN'T FOR MY WALLET, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNT. IF MY PANTS WERE FLAMABLE, I WOULD HAVE HAD A MAJOR PROBLEM. THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WILL REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE, DRIVER SIDE , HEATED SEAT AT NO CHARGE.*AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER BURNED HOLE THROUGH SEAT COVER. BURN THROUGH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN PERSONAL BURN, HOWEVER, I STOPPED PRIOR TO ANY INJURY. DEALER IS CONSIDERING REPLACEMENT OF ALL DAMAGED PARTS. *NM
TL*- WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE SEAT WARMER ON, IN A 2003 VOLKSWAGON PASSAT, IT BURNED A HOLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT. THE CONTACT HAD A SLIGHT BURN ON HER COAT AND HAD TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF COMPLETELY AND KEPT THE SEAT WARMER ON ZERO IN ORDER FOR THE SEAT NOT TO CONTINUE TO BURN. THE CONTACT CURRENTLY HAS VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 60543 MILES.
WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE THIS MORNING, I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. I EXITED MY VEHICLE AND NOTICED MY FRONT HEATED SEAT BURNED THROUGH THE FABRIC AND CAUGHT FIRE (SMALL FLAME). I HAD TO PUT IT OUT WITH MY HAND. AFTERWARDS, I NOTICED THE SEAT SPARKING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN FOR REVIEW BY THE SERVICE MANAGER. IT WAS ON THE 2ND SETTING AND ALSO BURNED ON MY JACKET. *JB
2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT V6 (HEATED SEATS)- HEATING ELEMENT BURNED HOLE IN LEATHER SEATS WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE! HAD TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AS THE SEAT BECAME VERY HOT AND STARTED TO SCORCH MY PANTS. DESPITE A NUMBER OF RECALLS (AND COMPLAINTS FILED BY OTHERS- MANY LISTED ON THE NHTSA SITE) FOR BOTH PASSATS AND JETTAS, VOLKSWAGEN OF NORTH AMERICA REFUSES TO PICK UP THE COST OF THE $1100. REPAIR (OR ANY OF THE COST FOR THAT MATTER) BECAUSE THEY INSIST MY VIN IS OUTSIDE OF THE RANGE OF VEHICLES AFFECTED AND MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THERE IS CLEARLY A SAFETY PROBLEM HERE AND VW KNOWS IT. THEY SAY A DIFFERENT HEATING ELEMENT WAS USED IN MY CAR SO IT ISN'T PART OF THE RECALL. WHO CARES WHICH ELEMENT WAS USED? IT STILL RESULTED IN THE SAME PROBLEM- A BURNED SEAT. *JB
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER SHORTED OUT AND BURNED A HOLE IN SEAT COVER. SEAT WAS DRY AND TEMPETURE SET AT LOW. *NM
WAS USING THE HEATED DRIVERS SEAT AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN COLD WEATHER. THE SEAT BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNED A HOLE IN MY PANTS, AND BURNED THROUGH THE PADDING AND SEAT FABRIC IN MY 2003 VW PASSAT. I QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE SEAT AND PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND PUT OUT THE SMOLDERING SEAT. THE SEAT, PADDING, HEATING ELEMENTS, AND MY PANTS ARE COMPLETELY RUINED. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, A BURNING SMELL WAS NOTICED AND THE DRIVER SEAT WAS HOT. THE CONTACT NOTICED TWO HOLES WERE BURNED IN THE SEAT. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.
MY DRIVER SEAT STARTED ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE HAD A CAN OF SODA ON HAND TO POUR ON IT BECAUSE THE FLAMES WERE COMING FROM DEEP INSIDE THE INTERIOR OF THE FOAM PADDING INSIDE THE SEAT. I WAS NOT INJURED, BUT BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE FLAMES, COULD HAVE EASILY LOST MY ENTIRE CAR IF I HAD NOT BEEN ON A SLOW ROAD (ABLE TO STOP QUICKLY) AND DOUSE IT WITH SOMETHING WET. I NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WARMER WAS ON SO IMMEDIATELY SHUT IT OFF. SEVERAL DAYS LATER I TURNED THE WARMER BACK ON TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN - WITHIN 60 SECONDS SMOKE AND SPARKS WERE VISIBLE FROM THE HOLE CAUSED BY THE ORIGINAL FIRE. THERE WERE REAL FLAMES AND MY CAR WAS FULL OF SMOKE. HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO PUT THEM OUT QUICKLY AND HAD MY CHILDREN STRAPPED INTO THEIR CAR SEATS AT THE TIME THIS COMPLAINT WOULD PROBABLY BE A DEATH NOTICE. *JB
DRIVER'S SIDE CAR SEAT STARTED SMOLDERING THEN FLAMES APPEARED. TURNED OFF CAR SEAT HEATER AND EXTINGUISHED WITH WATER. *JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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