NHTSA complaint: 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT APPEARS EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE BRAKE REPAIRS. DRIVER?S SIDE REAR UPPER BRAKE LIGHT REPLACED FOR 29TH TIME IN LESS THAN 2 YRS. MULTIPLE COOLANT LEAKS STILL PRESENT EVEN AFTER REPAIR AND WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT. RADIO/AMPLIFIER NOT FUNCTIONING EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT (RADIO WAS ONLY USED TWICE IN VEHICLE?S LIFETIME). DIAGNOSTICS SHOW AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. REGULATOR PIN ON REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW KEEPS BREAKING (3RD REPLACEMENT SINCE 2003). ENGINE COVER BELOW CAR KEEPS FALLING OFF DUE TO RUSTED BOLTS. HOMELINK SYSTEM KEEPS MALFUNCTIONING. FUSES KEEP BLOWING OUT. DASHBOARD PANEL LIGHTS OUT (ODOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, ETC.). CCM MODULE KEEPS BREAKING DOWN. CAR NEEDS TO BE JUMPSTARTED WHEN NOT IN USE FOR OVER 48 HRS. CLIMATE CONTROL (A/C AND HEATER) WORKS ONLY SPORADICALLY. ALL REPAIRS PERFORMED BY VW DEALERSHIP, YET SAME ISSUES KEEP REAPPEARING JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER REPAIRS. REPAIRS PERFORMED IN PAST 2 YEARS: ECU UNIT REPLACED, BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED 3 TIMES, A/C COMPRESSOR UNIT REPLACED, ABS MODULE REPLACED, ALTERNATOR REPLACED, BRAKES REPLACED 3 TIMES. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation