Total Complaints
4 filings
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON · model year
2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003VOLKSWAGENPASSAT WAGON carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 PASSAT WAGON is fuel/propulsion system with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and seats (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2003 PASSAT WAGON, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20170707FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHEN IN MOTION CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING
Mileage: 121,353
20160217FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY FRONT DRIVER SEAT WARMER WAS TURNED ON LOW. I COULD FEEL THE SEAT GETTING WARMER AND CHECKED TO BE SURE THE SETTING WAS NOT ON HIGH WHICH IT WASN'T. I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS BEING SENSITIVE AND STUCK MY MITTEN UNDER MY THIGH. I THEN NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL AND SUDDENLY THINGS GOT VERY HOT AND STARTED TO BURN MY LEG AS I WAS DRIVING. I LOOKED DOWN AND ACTUALLY STARTED TO SEE SMOKE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO JUST PULL OVER BUT QUICKLY TURNED THE SEAT OFF. I PULLED OUT MY MITTEN AND FLEECE WAS ACTUALLY MELTED. I WAS A BLOCK OR TWO FROM WORK AND TRIED TO KEEP FROM SITTING COMPLETELY DOWN AS IT BURNED. I ARRIVED AND JUMPED OUT TO SEE A BLACKENED AREA AND HOLE IN MY SEAT!! THE CAR WAS SMELLING AND I AM STILL IN SHOCK OVER THIS. I HAVE LOOKED AND CAN'T FIND A RECALL ON THE SEAT. THIS IS VERY DISTURBING AND DANGEROUS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CAR IS.
Mileage: 165,459
20160217FireSEATS
MY FRONT DRIVER SEAT WARMER WAS TURNED ON LOW. I COULD FEEL THE SEAT GETTING WARMER AND CHECKED TO BE SURE THE SETTING WAS NOT ON HIGH WHICH IT WASN'T. I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS BEING SENSITIVE AND STUCK MY MITTEN UNDER MY THIGH. I THEN NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL AND SUDDENLY THINGS GOT VERY HOT AND STARTED TO BURN MY LEG AS I WAS DRIVING. I LOOKED DOWN AND ACTUALLY STARTED TO SEE SMOKE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO JUST PULL OVER BUT QUICKLY TURNED THE SEAT OFF. I PULLED OUT MY MITTEN AND FLEECE WAS ACTUALLY MELTED. I WAS A BLOCK OR TWO FROM WORK AND TRIED TO KEEP FROM SITTING COMPLETELY DOWN AS IT BURNED. I ARRIVED AND JUMPED OUT TO SEE A BLACKENED AREA AND HOLE IN MY SEAT!! THE CAR WAS SMELLING AND I AM STILL IN SHOCK OVER THIS. I HAVE LOOKED AND CAN'T FIND A RECALL ON THE SEAT. THIS IS VERY DISTURBING AND DANGEROUS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CAR IS.
Mileage: 165,459
20130503FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED A LEAK FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE LEAK WAS NOTICED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V026000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
Mileage: 115,000
Compare 2003VOLKSWAGENPASSAT WAGON to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA24004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
RQ24010Recall QueryClosed
Inadvertent Door Opening
RQ23007Recall QueryClosed
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
PE23017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
EQ22001EQClosed
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON have?▼
The 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and SEATS.
Is the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.