2003 Volkswagen Passat Driver assistance Problems

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR POWER CUTS OFF AND STOPS IN TRAFFIC. HAVE TO RESTART. IT IS DANGEROUS THAT THE CAR JUST STOPS IN TRAFFIC. THE BATTERY CONTINUES TO DRAIN EVEN AFTER TOTALLY RECHARGING THE BATTERY. AFTER A COMPLETE BATTERY RECHARGE AND STARTING THE CAR EVERY DAY, THE BATTERY STILL DRAINS AGAIN AFTER ABOUT A WEEK. THIS STARTED HAPPENING IN JUNE 2016 AND I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 30 TOTAL MILES BECAUSE AFRAID IT IS GOING TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. RECENTLY, I RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR MY 2016 VOLKSWAGEN CC BUT I AM NOT HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH THE CC. I AM HAVING THE DESCRIBED RECALL PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 PASSAT BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR IT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND MY PASSAT NEEDS THIS REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

11039631

Incident

Jun 20, 2017

Mileage

93,000 mi

AFTER A COUPLE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE TURNS OVER AND RUNS FOR 2-3 SECONDS THEN DIES. THIS HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE FULLY STARTING UP AND IS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. WHILE OUT OF GEAR AND CAR IS RUNNING, PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATION DOES NOTHING. CAR IS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCES BUT STALLED AT ONE POINT GOING APPROX. 5 MPH. I WAS TOLD MY SPECIFIC VIN # IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR FUEL PUMP/SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS. IF THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE OF 2003 PASSAT'S ALREADY WHY WOULD SOME NOT BE COVERED? *TR

NHTSA ID

10694666

Incident

Mar 16, 2015

Mileage

116,000 mi

CAR WAS CONSTANTLY GETTING THE PASSENGER SIDE (FRONT AND BACK) FLOODED W WATER DURING A RAIN STORM. HAD TO GET NEW BATTERY CLEANED OUT SUNROOF DRAINAGE. IT DIDN'T MATTER. WHENEVER IT RAINED THE BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD BECAUSE THE CONTROL MODULE WHICH IS THERE IS ALL MESSED UP SENDING MIXED MESSAGES. FINELY JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. NOT WORTH PUTTING MONEY INTO THE CAR. I PURCHASED THIS CAR LESS THEN A YEAR AGO AND HAD THIS PROBLEM AFTER THE FIRST RAIN AND WENT DOWN FROM THEIR. IM SO DISAPPOINTED HOPING BUYING A USED VW I WAS GOING TO BE SATISFIED BUT HAD NOTHING TROUBLE FROM DAY ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10611205

Incident

Apr 15, 2014

Mileage

140,000 mi

ABS MODULE FAILURE, ABS LIGHT ON BRAKE LIGHT BLINKING AND THEN ASR LIGHT ON, HAPPENS RANDOMLY, NO SPECIFIC REASON, DRY WEATHER, HUMID, DAY OR NIGHT. STILL COMES ON RANDOMLY, NO SPEEDING, PROBLEM GOES AWAY WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513216

Incident

May 20, 2013

Mileage

91,000 mi

ON OR ABOUT FEB. 1, 2013, I STARTED MY MANUAL-TRANSMISSION 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GLS (V6) AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARD EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT START AND DID NOT START UNTIL ABOUT AN HOUR LATER. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT THE ACCELERATOR COULD HAVE BECOME LODGED UNDER THE FLOORMAT, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE; NOR WAS IT THE CASE IN AT LEAST FOUR OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS. TWO OF THESE INCIDENTS TOOK PLACE AS I WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO PEDESTRIANS OR OTHER CARS AROUND ME AND I HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE, SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND PARK THE CAR. HOWEVER, I FEAR WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THIS INCIDENT RECURRED WHEN I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, RAILROAD CROSSING OR CROSSWALK. DESPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS, MY MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE INCIDENT OR IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507005

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

112,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING 45MILES ON THE ROAD WHEN MY 2003 VW PASSAT 1.8T STARTED TO SHAKE LIKE CRAZY. THEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO FEEL LIKE IT WAS GOING OUT..SMOKE CAME FROM MY HOOD. MY CAR STOPPED AND THE DRIVER BEHIND ME SWERVED OUT THE WAY BUT CLIPPED ME ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR MY OWN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10473061

Incident

Jul 23, 2012

AT AROUND 85,000 MILES ABS/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS TURNED ON AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS MODULE FAULTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10376471

Incident

Apr 15, 2009

Mileage

85,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK IN THE DEPRESSED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED SO THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

NHTSA ID

10362636

Incident

Apr 1, 2010

Mileage

96,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION AT 72 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO DECREASE SPEED, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. SHE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO DRIVE INTO A MEDIAN; HOWEVER, THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO TWO METAL POLES CAUSING THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES OF POWDER BURN FROM THE AIR BAG. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,800.

NHTSA ID

10281306

Incident

Aug 16, 2009

Mileage

54,800 mi

I OWN A 2003 VW PASSAT. RECENTLY. I TOOK MY CAR FOR REPAIR AS MY BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONDING ON TURNS. THE VW DEALER INVESTIGATED THE ISSUE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE "ABS CONTROL MODULE" IS NOT COMMUNICATING FOR SOME REASON. THEY SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE FOR AROUND $2,216 I CALLED VW AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE AND SEE IF THEY CAN COVER THE EXPENSES OF THE REPAIR SINCE THIS IS NOT A NORMAL TEAR AND WEAR ISSUE. THEY RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT SINCE THE CAR IS NOT WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD, THEY CANNOT COVER THE EXPENSES OF THIS REPAIR. I FEEL THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT VW OF AMERICA NEEDS TO COVER THE REPAIR FOR. IN FACT I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PRO-ACTIVE AND INVESTIGATE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE IN MY CARE AFTER THEY REPLACE IT TO SEE IF THERE IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT CAN RESULT IN A RECALL. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY CAR IS NOT WITHIN WARRANTY; BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I THINK VW SHOULD COVER IT AND PAY THE REPAIR COST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255877

Incident

Jan 18, 2009

Mileage

113,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD AND BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE BRAKES. WHEN HE TOUCHED THE WHEELS, THEY WERE EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE HAD STABILITY CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ABS. ALL FOUR BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH ANOTHER LIGHT (HE DID NOT REMEMBER WHICH LIGHT). AFTER HE ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN INDIANA AND WAS INSTRUCTED ON WHERE TO FIND THE FUSE TO DEACTIVATE THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND STABILITY CONTROL. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THEY HAD SEEN AUDIS EXPERIENCE THE SAME FAILURE WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND FEATURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.

NHTSA ID

10226071

Incident

May 17, 2007

Mileage

62,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED . THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THIS WAS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED.

NHTSA ID

10168239

Incident

Sep 14, 2006

Mileage

47,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, IT FEELS AS THOUGH THERE IS SOMETHING FALLING OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10158194

Incident

May 24, 2006

Mileage

56,400 mi

2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CONSUMER REQUEST FOR EARLY TERMINATION OF THE LEASE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER MADE THE REQUEST DUE TO THE NUMEROUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS A DEFECTIVE PURGE VALVE, RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHT, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STARTED T O SMOKE DUE TO A FAULTY WATER PUMP. THE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND THE RIGHT HEAD LIGHT WENT OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10135617

Incident

May 13, 2004

HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS LEMON. * 500 MILES CRUISE CONTROL FAILS, HAS TO BE REPLACED. * 16,000 MILES IGNITION COIL FAILS, REPLACED COIL AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. * 28,000 MILES FAN IN DASH DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY AND NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. PARTS ORDERED, NEVER INSTALLED. * 40,000 MILES OIL PUMP AND OIL HOSES ARE REPLACED DUE TO OIL PRESSURE FAILURES. CAR BROKE DOWN ON ROAD. * 44,159 MILES OIL PRESSURE SWITCH REPLACED DUE TO OIL PRESSURE FAILURES. * 46,000 MILES FUEL PUMP FAILURE, REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. CAR BROKE DOWN ON ROAD. VOLKSWAGEN HAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND "OIL SLUDGE". VW REFUSES TO FIX MY CAR UNDER WARRANTY. LAST WORD WAS "WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY WARRANY CLAIM, REGARDLESS OF DOCUMENTATION OF OIL CHANGES." I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS AND IT'S A #1 PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS COMMING IN FOR RUINED ENGINES AND OIL SLUDGE. VW IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR FIXING THE PROBLEMS IN MOST CASES. I'VE GOT ALL DOCUMENTATION, ORIGINAL PAPERWORK WHEN PURCHASED, ETC. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134278

Incident

Jun 1, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT WITH SEVERAL CARS IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED AND THE CAR AHEAD OF ME MOVED AND WAS ABOUT 15 FEET IN FRONT I TOOK MY FOOT OF THE BRAKE AND THE CAR ACCELERATED FORWARD WITH OUT ME TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS STARTLED AND I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AT ALL AND ONLY THE REAR END OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED MY CAR. I LOOKED DOWN AT MY FOOT TO MAKE SURE I HAD HIT THE BRAKES AND NOT THE ACCELERATOR. MY FOOT WAS SQUARELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. NORMALLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE HIT HARD THE FRONT END OF THE CAR DIPS AND THE SUDDEN STOPPING OF THE CAR JERKS THE DRIVER FORWARD. NONE OF THIS HAPPENED UNTIL MY CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. *JB

NHTSA ID

10109986

Incident

Jan 31, 2005

Mileage

10,700 mi

ON A SUPER HIGHWAY(315), COLUMBUS, OHIO,AT RUSH HOUR IN THE MORNING, THE ENGINE RPM SUDDENLY JUMPS FROM ABOUT 3000 TO THE RED LINE AT 7500. THE CAR QUICKLY ACCELERATES TO ALMOST 100 MILES AN HOUR. I TRY TO PRESS THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I CAN, AND MANEUVER THE CAR TO AVOID COLLISION WITH SLOWER VEHICLES. IT TAKES ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES TO SLOW THE CAR TO A RELATIVELY SAFE SPEED. IN THE MEANTIME THE ENGINE IS REVVING AT 7500 RPM ALL THE TIME. I STOP THE CAR SAFELY AND WOTHOUT COLLISION. THE CLUTCH APPEARS TO BE COMPLETELY UN-OPERATIONAL. THE CAR IS TOWED TO TO THE DEALER(MAG IN DUBLIN, OHIO). THE DEALER DIGNOSES DRIVER ERROR FOR CLUTH DAMAGE, AND NO FAULT WITH THE CAR. THEY ARE ADAMANT THAT I SIGN A LETTER ACCEPTING ALL THE BLAME. I REFUSE. THEY CHARGE ME $ 456.00 BEFORE RELEASING THE DISABLED CAR BACK TO ME. VW OF AMERICA CONFIRMS THE TWO FALSE DIGNOSES OF THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER IN WOLFSBURG IS NOT HELPFUL OR INTERESTED. I HAVE DRIVEN 7 MANUAL VW'S FOR 42 YEARS! I HAVE KEPT MANY OF THOSE CARS FOR 15 -20 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCHES OR ENGINES BEFORE. THE CAR IS A MANUAL PASSAT, 2003 WITH 2400 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10061935

Incident

Jan 28, 2004

Mileage

2,400 mi

MANUAL FIVE SPEED 2003 PASSAT TURBO'S ENGINE SUDDENLY REVS UP TO 7500 RPM, AND THE CAR JUMPS FORWARD ABOUT 13 FEET AFTER STARTING FROM A STOP AT A LIGHT FORTUNATELY, I HAD ENOUGH DISTANCE FROM THE CAR IN FRONT NOT TO HAVE A COLLISION. *AK IT TOOK ABOUT 20 -30 SECONDS OF HARD BRAKING TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN. THE RPM DROPPED TO NORMAL AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID

10061928

Incident

Nov 15, 2003

Mileage

1,000 mi

WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THE DRIVER WAS PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL. CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER ON SIX OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10044160

Incident

Jun 12, 2002

MY VOLKSWAGON PASSAT HAS MANY TIMES LUNGED FORWARD WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. I HAVE FORTUNATELY NOT BEEN CLOSE TO ANOTHER CAR WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A REAR-END CRASH. *AK

NHTSA ID

10028624

Incident

Jul 18, 2003

WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS FOR THE PASSING GEAR, THE GAS PEDAL REMAINED STUCK TO THE FLOOR. THIS HAPPENED ON TWO DIFFERENT DAYS. THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP WAS TO PUT THE CAR IN NATURAL,AND TURN OFF THE KEY. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ICE STUCK TO THE GAS PEDAL CABLE?????????? I ALMOST GOT KILLED WITH THE CAR GOING 100 MPH BEFORE I COULD GET IT UNDER CONTROL. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010729

Incident

Mar 8, 2003

Mileage

6,630 mi