Consumer Complaint Detail

VOLKSWAGEN / PASSAT / 1997

Recalls
0 Injured
Investigations
0 Death
Complaints
No Fire
Components - Details
NHTSA Complaint Number: 003277664 Incident Date: Aug, 14 2003
Consumer's City: OGUNQUIT Consumer's State: ME
Vehicle Transmission Type: AUTO Manufacturers Name: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Model Name: PASSAT Model Year: 1997
Vehicle Involved in a Crash: No Component's Description: Visibility:power window devices and controls
Vehicle Involved in a Fire: No Persons Injured: 0
Vehicle's VIN#: WVWEE83A6VB Date added to File: May, 25 2021
Date Complaint Received: Jan, 14 2004 Complaint Type: CAG
Incident Reported To Police: No Purchase Date: -
Was Original Owner: No Anti-lock Brakes: No
Number of Cylinders: 0 Date of Manufacturer: -
Was Vehicle Towed: - Description of the Complaints: Heater core failed spontaneously, causing massive amounts of sweet smelling white/grey smoke and hot mist to fill the passenger compartment, causing a total visual obstruction to the driver and choking/coughing of a 5 year old passenger. the driver, my daughter, manager to pull safely off the busy road (us rt 1), but she and her child were very shaken by the event. the failure of the heater core could have caused a fatality! i have reported the incident to vw of america. i expected to hear back today from the vw dealership, but did not. i requested that they pay in entirety for the repair. the service manager was resistant, as there has been no recall on this model vw, although there have been on many others. the car has been a lemon, very expensive to maintain. it was a model built either in brazil or mexico. after the warranty expired with the dealer, we took the vehicle to a certified vw mechanic who was meticulous about maintaining the vehicle mechanically--we have detailed computerized documentation. nevertheless, there has been an ongoing problem with the doors and locks, either the doors not staying securely latched during driving, problems with the power windows, and now the doors may be locked from the outside only--not when one is driving and wishes security. i did not report this to vw. i will be delighted if they come through for me on the heater core. one thing at a time.