NHTSA complaint: 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
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
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation