Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - SEAT HEATER/COOLER | |||||
| 060910 | 06/01/2009 | 10031384 | Volkswagen: revised expiration dates for seat heater customer satisfaction campaigns. affected vehicles may have a seat heater element than can malfunction when the ignition switch is on and the seat heater switch is on. models vv00 and | 01/05/2010 | |
| VV-VV00 | 06/01/2009 | 10025926 | Customer satisfaction campaign circular: certain vehicles equipped with comfort seats: install driver's side seat heater repair kit. *pe updated 3/23/09. revision to customer satisfaction campaign. *pe updated 3/17/10. * | 09/16/2008 | |
| VZ-VZ00 | 06/01/2009 | 10025927 | Volkswagen: certain vehicles equipped with comfort seats; install new passenger side seat heater switch. this include jetta wagon. *pe updated 3/23/09. revision to customer satisfaction campaigns for seat heaters. *pe up | 09/16/2008 | |
| VV | 06/01/2007 | 10022576 | Customer satisfaction campaign circular. install driver's side heater repair kit. seat heater may malfunction when the ignition switch is on. this could cause the heater mat to temporarily overheat and become inoperative. *kb | 08/21/2007 | |
| 720702 | 05/23/2007 | 10021951 | Seat heater is inoperative. *kb | 06/27/2007 | |
| 0601 | 04/21/2006 | 10020719 | Heated seat bottom cover replacement. *kb | 01/03/2007 | |
| VZ | 10/10/2005 | VZ | 10018810 | Comfort seats may have a seat heater element that can malfunction when the ignition switch is on. customer satisfaction campaign vz. *tt | 01/18/2006 |
| M3 | 06/01/2007 | VZ | 10018809 | Customer satisfaction campaign circular - seat heater element can malfunction when the ignition switch is on and the seat heater switch is on. the seat heater mat may temporarily overheat and become inoperative. install new passenger side | 01/18/2006 |
| VV | 12/22/2005 | VV | 10014558 | Comfort seats may have a seat heater element that can malfunction when the ignition switch is on. customer satisfaction campaign vv. *tt | 05/04/2005 |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - SEAT HEATER/COOLER | ||||||
| PE03052 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC | 11/19/2003 | 03/30/2004 | DRIVER SEAT OVERHEATS/BURNS | ||
| The subject vehicles are equipped with optional electrically heated driver and front passenger seats.information received during pe03-052 disclosed a significant number of incidents of malfunctioning/overheating of the driver seat heater in the subject vehicles.additional incidents may occur during the final months of the winter season.this matter is also currently being investigated by transport canada.this pe has been upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea04-010)in order to fully investigate these occurrences and their safety implications. | ||||||
| EA04010 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC | 03/30/2004 | 10/21/2004 | DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT OVERHEATS | ||
| This investigation concerns the electric seat heater installed in some my 2002-2003 volkswagen (vw) jetta vehicles.consumers allege that the seat heater may overheat, resulting in burn damage to the seat cover and to the driver's clothing and/or skin.this ea addresses whether such failures may pose a risk to motor vehicle safety.odi concludes that the driver-side seat heater may fail or malfunction due to normal vehicle use, (i.e., driver ingress and egress from the vehicle).the investigation disclosed that such failures do not pose a significant risk of injury or fire.odi believes that further investigation would not likely identify a safety-related defect trend.therefore, this ea has been closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.the attached summary report provides further detail concerning this ea. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEATS | |||
| 03/01/2013 | 153000 | ||
| Both front seats, the bottom right side bolster burned. the heated front seats will over heat, the failure appears to be confined to the right bolster on the bottom section of the seat. the heating elements get hot enough to burn through the seat material. being the side of the seat i was able to shift my leg away and power off the heated seat. if left on the seats will start to smoke. i consider this a safety issue, i haven't tried , but it seems as though the seat could catch on fire if left on. the local dealer's service rep said just unplug it the option. | |||
| 11/03/2012 | 1 | ||
| After noticing for weeks that my heated seats would only work when turned to 5 (passenger seat doesn't work at all), my leg began burning while driving. i smelled something burning and looked down to see that there was a hole in my seat and there was smoke coming out of it. i immediately turned the seat off and haven't turned it on since. when i contacted vw, they told me that my vehicle was not included in the heated seat recall and that i would be responsible for the cost of diagnosing the problem as well as for the repairs. *tr | |||
| 11/03/2012 | |||
| After noticing for weeks that my heated seats would only work when turned to 5 (passenger seat doesn't work at all), my leg began burning while driving. i smelled something burning and looked down to see that there was a hole in my seat and there was smoke coming out of it. i immediately turned the seat off and haven't turned it on since. when i contacted vw, they told me that my vehicle was not included in the heated seat recall and that i would be responsible for the cost of diagnosing the problem as well as for the repairs. | |||
| 09/12/2008 | 95608 | ||
| Shortly after turning the drivers seat heater on, operator smelled something burning and felt her left leg burning. shut heater off and took to dealer, who acted surprised that we had a problem!! they charged us to look at the seat, claiming the power supply wire under the seat had been pulled apart shorting out the grid wiring. long story short, they claimed something must have been jammed up under the seat causing the problem. they offered to do the necessary repairs for $630. i thought their answer was creative, but after reading all the other complaints which are virtually identical(quarter sized hole in the seat cover), i'm calling bulls..t. i am disgusted with how vw has responded to all of us. | |||
| 01/14/2012 | 134000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. while driving 40 mph, the contact stated that she smelled something burning. after inspection, she noticed a hole in the seat from the seat warmer becoming excessively hot. the dealer advised the contact to notify the manufacturer of the failure. the manufacturer informed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the current and the failure mileages were 134,000. bw | |||
| 01/14/2012 | 110092 | ||
| My 2003 jetta seat caught on fire while driving home. i was using my seat heater at the time. i was burned on my leg. | |||
| 01/14/2012 | 134000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. while driving 40 mph, the contact stated that she smelled something burning. after inspection, she noticed a hole in the seat from the seat warmer becoming excessively hot. the dealer advised the contact to notify the manufacturer of the failure. the manufacturer informed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the current and the failure mileages were 134,000. bw | |||
| 01/14/2012 | 110092 | ||
| My 2003 jetta seat caught on fire while driving home. i was using my seat heater at the time. i was burned on my leg. | |||
| 12/15/2011 | 130000 | ||
| I currently own a 2003 volkswagen jetta. passenger seat heater gets extremely hot and very concerned due to burn risk to children as well as possible fire hazard. | |||
| 05/02/2011 | 60000 | ||
| My drivers side seat heater doesn't recognize the setting of 0-5. it's either on, or off. meaning, 0-4 the seat heater doesn't heat the seat. but when i turn it to 5 on the setting within 10 minutes the seat gets so hot it burns my legs through clothing. | |||
| 01/05/2011 | 55822 | ||
| My 2003 jetta driver side heated seat is failing. the problem started in january 2011. the driver side heater coil was recalled back in 2007 and had been replaced through the recall, however, the replacement part is faulty as well. this time, the heater coil has burned the leather seat and burned a hole in my north face down coat. luckily the coat is thick so i did not get badly burned. i had contacted volkswagen directly after this assuming they would replace the heated seat coil since the initial replacement from the recall was bad, they were not helpful and said the car was past warranty. which it was by about 3 months. however, given the situation of a prior recall and replacement of the part with another bad part, i expected more from the company. i then went to my dealer who charged me $120 diagnostic fee to tell me the heat seater is faulty. they told me to take it up with volkswagen. a second call and email to volkswagen lead no where. this is a dangerous issue and replacement of one bad part with another bad part is not responsible. i see there are other complaints and investigations active on this same make, model and year car. i would like a credit for my diagnostic fee which anyone could see was a faulty seat based on the burn, and i expect volkswagen to pay for a replacement seat cover and pad and bolster heaters as the seat is not usable as is and if it is used creates a very dangerous situation. | |||
| 01/02/2011 | |||
| 2003 volks jetta passenger side heated seat stopped working, and the driver side only has two postions...burn your butt or off. could have been a dangerous situation had i been on a hwy at hwy speeds. | |||
| 01/31/2011 | 125000 | ||
| My seat heater failed in my 2003 vw jetta, burning a hole in the seat under my left buttock. i was startled when suddenly there a strong burning smell in the car, then a hot spot in the seat occurred which caused me to have to quickly shift my seating posting and i immediately turned off the seat heater. luckily i was driving slowly in the city and able to pull in the in a parking spot quickly and the seat or my clothing did not catch on fire. the seat was set to 3 on a scale of 1-5. the car has about 125k miles on it. | |||
| 01/02/2011 | |||
| 2003 volks jetta passenger side heated seat stopped working, and the driver side only has two postions...burn your butt or off. could have been a dangerous situation had i been on a hwy at hwy speeds. | |||
| 01/31/2011 | 125000 | ||
| My seat heater failed in my 2003 vw jetta, burning a hole in the seat under my left buttock. i was startled when suddenly there a strong burning smell in the car, then a hot spot in the seat occurred which caused me to have to quickly shift my seating posting and i immediately turned off the seat heater. luckily i was driving slowly in the city and able to pull in the in a parking spot quickly and the seat or my clothing did not catch on fire. the seat was set to 3 on a scale of 1-5. the car has about 125k miles on it. | |||
| 01/02/2011 | |||
| 2003 volks jetta passenger side heated seat stopped working, and the driver side only has two postions...burn your butt or off. could have been a dangerous situation had i been on a hwy at hwy speeds. | |||
| 01/31/2011 | 125000 | ||
| My seat heater failed in my 2003 vw jetta, burning a hole in the seat under my left buttock. i was startled when suddenly there a strong burning smell in the car, then a hot spot in the seat occurred which caused me to have to quickly shift my seating posting and i immediately turned off the seat heater. luckily i was driving slowly in the city and able to pull in the in a parking spot quickly and the seat or my clothing did not catch on fire. the seat was set to 3 on a scale of 1-5. the car has about 125k miles on it. | |||
| 01/02/2011 | |||
| 2003 volks jetta passenger side heated seat stopped working, and the driver side only has two postions...burn your butt or off. could have been a dangerous situation had i been on a hwy at hwy speeds. | |||
| 01/31/2011 | 125000 | ||
| My seat heater failed in my 2003 vw jetta, burning a hole in the seat under my left buttock. i was startled when suddenly there a strong burning smell in the car, then a hot spot in the seat occurred which caused me to have to quickly shift my seating posting and i immediately turned off the seat heater. luckily i was driving slowly in the city and able to pull in the in a parking spot quickly and the seat or my clothing did not catch on fire. the seat was set to 3 on a scale of 1-5. the car has about 125k miles on it. | |||
| 01/02/2011 | |||
| 2003 volks jetta passenger side heated seat stopped working, and the driver side only has two postions...burn your butt or off. could have been a dangerous situation had i been on a hwy at hwy speeds. | |||
| 01/31/2011 | 125000 | ||
| My seat heater failed in my 2003 vw jetta, burning a hole in the seat under my left buttock. i was startled when suddenly there a strong burning smell in the car, then a hot spot in the seat occurred which caused me to have to quickly shift my seating posting and i immediately turned off the seat heater. luckily i was driving slowly in the city and able to pull in the in a parking spot quickly and the seat or my clothing did not catch on fire. the seat was set to 3 on a scale of 1-5. the car has about 125k miles on it. | |||
| 12/15/2010 | 56493 | ||
| Heated seats melted a hole in the leather and burned my butt. very very hot. it smelted like burnt rubber and smoke inside the car | |||
| 11/21/2010 | 176200 | ||
| 2003 volkswagen jetta passenger side heated seat became so hot, that the leather was burned, smoldered and began to catch fire. since i was sitting on the seat at the time, it also burned my pants and my skin as well. | |||
| 11/08/2010 | 0 | ||
| Driver side seat heater overheating, burnt multiple holes in seat as well as burnt leg. setting was placed on 2 of 5 when seat was burnt. | |||
| 10/13/2010 | 40000 | ||
| My car driver seat is burned with some smoke because of faulty seat heater | |||
| 10/06/2010 | 185000 | ||
| Overheated driver seat, which burned hole through driver's seat and left a 2 burn mark on sweater that was in contact with that area of the seat. this is a 2003 vw jetta tdi (turbo diesel). | |||
| 04/05/2009 | 75000 | ||
| 2003 jetta seat fails in rear end accident | |||
| 01/25/2010 | 88200 | 1 | |
| Recall for 2003 volkswagen jetta- seat heater defect causing seats to get too hot even causing fire in some instances. brought my jetta to riverside volkswagen in riverside, ca. inspection and repairs made in 2006. yesterday, 1/25/2010, driver side seat heater started to burn a hole in seat. did not burn all the way through as i turned the heater off before hand. felt something that resembled a bee sting before realizing that it was the seat heater that was malfunctioning. burning smell detected. called vw riverside, said that it would not be a covered fix based on recall info. complaint of failed initial repair. *tr | |||
| 05/03/2009 | 89000 | 1 | |
| I was in a rear end incident in which my 2003vw jetta was struck almost dead-on in the rear by a 2009 bmw sedan. both my wife, seated in the front passenger seat, and i, driving, were wearing three point seat belts. the airbags in our vehicle did not deploy. both the drivers seat and the front passenger's seat were reclined almost completely as a result of the impact, to the point that any rear seat passengers we might have had in the car would have been pinned by the reclined front seats. *tr updated 05/20/09 *bf updated ivoq 05/27/09.*jb | |||
| 01/25/2009 | 154000 | 1 | |
| The heated seat on the passenger side of our 2003 vw jetta tdi got very hot on my right leg, i reached down to feel the seat and it burnt my hand. we turned on the lights and the seat had a burned hole with smoke coming out of it. had i been wearing my coat it could have caught fire before i felt the intense heat. *tr | |||
| 11/02/2008 | 61000 | 1 | |
| I use my heated seats almost daily in the winter months. i used it this morning for about 20 minutes as i drove from home to the gym, then another 10 minutes as i drove from the gym to the store. when i got into my car after the store, it was still on the same setting (5), i had driven about 50 yards in the parking lot, when i felt a sharp pain in my left upper leg/butt. i moved slightly, then began to smell smoke. i felt around with my hand and felt the hot wire and the hole in my seat. it took me a moment to realize what it was, and then i immediately turned down the heated seat to off, thereby preventing further damage and pain. luckily there was limited damage to my clothing and i was not seriously injured, but had i been driving on the highway, or not been able to figure out what was causing the pain so quickly, there could have been more severe consequences including injury. *tr | |||
| 04/08/2008 | 85000 | 1 | |
| I turned on the driver's seat heater to 5 (highest setting) on my 2003 vw jetta tdi when leaving my house at 7 am. i used this regularly to warm the seat for a few minutes on cold mornings, then would turn it off (lower settings never produced noticeable heat). within one minute i felt a burning/electrical sensation in my upper left thigh. i was driving on a mountain road and the pain made me jump in my seat and nearly lose control of the car. i pulled over and turned off the seat heater (having heard of problems with the heater). the leather seat had a blister about the size of a cigarette burn but had not burned completely through. while i stopped the heater before it burned through the seat (and my pants), the real danger was in a possible accident from the burn/shock that caused me to momentarily lose control of the car. the seat heater is no longer safe to operate. my understanding from reading similar posts here and elsewhere is that the wiring is now broken in the seat (and many have had it break in the same spot). if i had not guessed the source of the problem quickly, or if someone were to unknowingly use the heat setter in the future, it could lead to a serious accident, personal injury, and car fire. similarly, this poses a serious risk for other drivers of these vehicles who may not be aware of the problem and react too late. i request that the nhtsa urge vw of america to issue a recall on this dangerous and pervasive problem (many reports here and elsewhere, such as tdiclub.com and vwvortex.com). vw has issued a recall on this problem in canada but not in the u.s. they also have a voluntary repair for passats of similar years, but not jettas or golfs. thank you. *tr | |||
| 03/28/2008 | 55000 | 1 | |
| The heated seats im my 2003 vw jetta started to catch on fire. *tr | |||
| 01/08/2006 | 59000 | 1 | |
| While driving driver smelled and could see smoke and realized drivers seat was on fire. driver managed to pull over and put out fire on seat. volkswagen of america did nothing - told owner they had nothing to say. dealer replaced seat. *jb | |||
| 06/04/2005 | 30150 | 2 | 09/30/2003 |
| I was driving my 2003 vw jetta under normal road conditions. i stopped at a red light in an intersection, continued when it turned green. i hit a small sized pothole at the other end of the intersection at speeds below 15mph, which caused the wrongful deployment of the side curtain and seat airbags as well as locking the seatbelt tensioner making it inoperable. i inspected the vehicle after the incident and found no damage whatsoever to all body panels and wheels/tires. the following morning i had a mechanic inspect the car for any suspension or steering problems and none were found. i took the vehicle to the dealer where i purchased it to have it fixed under warranty and the dealer and vw of america have denied warranty repairs and have not yet done anything to fix the problem. i did research on the internet for similar incidents with this make and model and have found that there have been 500 similar incidents of spontaneous airbag deployment in 2002-2004 vw jettas, golfs, gti and new beetles around the country. | |||
| SEATS - FRONT ASSEMBLY - SEAT HEATER/COOLER | |||
| 03/05/2012 | 112000 | 2 | |
| Back in 2007 recall for heated seats in volkswagen's. issued recall fixed both drivers and passengers seats as new ones were ordered and shipped in from overseas, due to both catching fire and burning holes in seats one seat being the drivers burnt a hole in my jeans and burned myself. as of 3/5/12 drivers side seat is getting so hot it has burnt the material on the seat again as it started smoking. quickly turned it off. problem thought was fixed as recall in 2007, not fixed apparently. | |||
| 11/02/2008 | 61000 | 1 | |
| I use my heated seats almost daily in the winter months. i used it this morning for about 20 minutes as i drove from home to the gym, then another 10 minutes as i drove from the gym to the store. when i got into my car after the store, it was still on the same setting (5), i had driven about 50 yards in the parking lot, when i felt a sharp pain in my left upper leg/butt. i moved slightly, then began to smell smoke. i felt around with my hand and felt the hot wire and the hole in my seat. it took me a moment to realize what it was, and then i immediately turned down the heated seat to off, thereby preventing further damage and pain. luckily there was limited damage to my clothing and i was not seriously injured, but had i been driving on the highway, or not been able to figure out what was causing the pain so quickly, there could have been more severe consequences including injury. *tr | |||
| 03/28/2008 | 55000 | 1 | |
| The heated seats im my 2003 vw jetta started to catch on fire. *tr | |||
| 02/26/2008 | 54500 | 2 | 08/28/2006 |
| Drivers side heat seater failed about 2 months ago. it got hotter than normal when on setting #3, i turned it off, and from that point on it didn't work. two days ago, i had the drivers side seat heater replaced at the kaiserslautern, germany vw dealership. while driving home from work, the seat became extremely hot while only on setting #2. it was so hot, that i smelled something burning, and could not sit down while driving because of the extreme pain to my buttocks. i reached down with my hand to confirm the heat and also burned my hand. note that i was only running the seat heater on level 2 of 5 for approximately 5 minutes. upon inspection of the seat, there is now a hardened plastic feeling area where the leather on the seat was the hottest. had i not immediately turned off the heater, it is very likely that the entire seat would have caught on flames. additionally, since this occurred while driving and i was unable to properly sit in the seat, an accident could most certainly have occurred on the spot. i immediately spoke with the dealership and they said they will replace the heater but not the seat. they say the damage to the seat is not extreme enough to replace the entire thing. however, i feel it is their obligation to replace it because the damage was caused by their installation of a factory item that has already failed once. *tr | |||
| 02/22/2008 | 1 | 03/08/2007 | |
| Had the driver's side heat seater on. felt a shocking sensation and smelled smoke. pulled over, turned off heat seater and exited car. there is a hole burned in the seat and it took over 5 minutes for it to stop smoking. *tr | |||
| 11/05/2007 | 66375 | 1 | 06/12/2007 |
| 1. 2003 jetta wagon passenger heated seat got extremly hot and then quit working. *tr | |||
| 12/27/2005 | 50000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that there was a recall on the heating switch for the seats in her daughter's vehicle. the failure was replaced with a new switch, but the switch failed a few months later. the switch burned through the leather seat and would not shut off. the failure occurred while driving 55 mph. the contact's daughter sustained blisters, a scar, and minor burns. a police report was filed. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 60,000 and failure mileage was 50,000. | |||
| 02/14/2007 | 71000 | 1 | 09/01/2005 |
| Driver's electric seat heater element in 2003 jetta caught fire burning hole in leather seat and burning driver. *jb | |||
| 01/29/2007 | 78499 | 1 | 02/26/2003 |
| Tl*- the contact stated that the 2003 volkswagen jetta station wagon, caught on fire. the contact stated that while driving 20-25 mph the driver's side seat caught on fire while the seat heater was operating. the seat sustained a hole the diameter of a pencil. the seat burned passenger buttocks, but didn't catch his clothing on fire. *ak | |||
| 10/06/2006 | 60000 | 1 | |
| Since i have had my jetta the seat warmers have been hot. i contacted the dealership who advised that is how they work. since then my seat warmer has burned a hole in the cloth seat and has burned me. it also creates sparks when turned on. *jb | |||
| 11/23/2006 | 49200 | 4 | 06/23/2003 |
| Driver turned on the seat heater on a cold evening after starting the car. the driver-side seat heater begins to overheat and smoke with three minutes. the driver almost hit a parked car while attempting to avoid being burned by the seat. the drivers no longer use the seat heater on the driver side, at a loss of $300. *nm | |||
| 01/08/2006 | 59000 | 1 | |
| While driving driver smelled and could see smoke and realized drivers seat was on fire. driver managed to pull over and put out fire on seat. volkswagen of america did nothing - told owner they had nothing to say. dealer replaced seat. *jb | |||
| 02/18/2006 | 35281 | 1 | 07/15/2003 |
| The heated seat on the driver side of my 2003 volkswagen jetta 4dr sedan burned a hole through the seat and through my wife's jacket. *nm | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 52000 | 1 | 04/30/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the seat warmer overheated and started smoking. although a small hole formed in the seat cushion there was not visible evidence of a fire other than smoke. *ak | |||
| 12/17/2005 | 63590 | 1 | 10/31/2002 |
| I have had this car since 10/31/02. i purchased it new. i bought it for my teenagers to drive as they begin since it is a safe car. last weekend, (12/17/05) i was personally driving the car, and the seat warmer on the driver's side got so hot that it actually burned a hole in the seat, and the car smelled terrible for several days after. i think that having to fear an electrical fire in my car is outrageous. *nm | |||
| 12/13/2005 | 36150 | 1 | 04/28/2005 |
| I own a 2003 vw jetta 1.8t with front heated seats. drivers side seat caught fire due to a short in the seats heater 2 days ago on 12/13/2005 after the heater was on for less than 2 minutes. burning a small hole trough the seat to the bottom area of my left side (buttock) i have come to find since this happened, my nhtsa has been investigating 2002, 2003 vw jettas for seat fires with this exact problem for over a year now. why, as the original register owner of this model was i not informed of this investigation and the possibility of a fire inside my car, while me, my wife and my 5 year girl are in it! the problem with the above is that it was not a possibility, it just was a matter of time and in my case, the time was december 13th at approximately 7pm at night. this car has been a problem since the first 3,000 miles, with water pumps and door latches, firmware updates, violent shaking of the vehicle in cold weather starts, electrical problems ranging from entirely immobilizing and stranding me to the car partially being immobilized the vw jetta to automatic transmission shifter issues which include the cars shifter being able to be moved when the key is not even in the ignition to a position in the shifter selector because a cable was never connected to prevent that, that should also be a nhtsa safety issue too on this car. but first i want you for the love of god contact the owners of these cars before real tragedy happens if that all ready has not happened. i have just talked volkswagen customer care advocate at vw america, they have not warned their customers of this, who will. again since this has happened i see many people on the internet have experienced the same thing. please notify the owners first, then contact me second. please! *nm | |||
| 11/14/2005 | 1 | 11/01/2003 | |
| The seat on my 2003 vw jetta caught fire today. as a result, there is a nickel-size burn in my seat and my pants. *jb | |||
| 11/11/2005 | 38000 | 1 | 10/31/2003 |
| At approximately 5:15 am this morning i started my car and turned on the driver's side heated seat. after waiting approximately 2 minutes for the rpms to drop below 1000, i placed the vehicle in drive and began heading for work. i immediately smelled something burning. i traveled less than an 1/8 of a mile to a stop sign. after stopping the vehicle and placing it in park, i opened the driver's side door, pulled the hood latch, and quickly stepped out of the vehicle. i left the car running and the driver's side door open while i opened the hood to inspect for the source of the burning smell. after approximately 2 minutes of inspection i determined that there was nothing burning in the engine compartment. i closed the hood and while standing at the front of the vehicle i noticed smoke coming from the driver's seat. i immediately ran to the driver's side door and discovered a small fire in the front seat. i turned the vehicle off, turned the driver's side heated seat off, and managed to extinguish the fire. this has been a very traumatic event. reflecting on the typical usage of the heated seats by myself, or worse yet my wife, the outcome could have been catastrophic. the seat was literally on fire in less than five minutes. i can not imagine what the outcome might have been if this had occurred during rush hour traffic. if i had not exited the vehicle to inspect the engine compartment, i would have suffered burns. after talking to customer service i was informed that there was a recall on the seats. i have had my vehicle serviced at the volkswagen dealer that i purchase the vehicle from since day one and they never did any recall work on the seats. i searched your sight for recall information on my vehicle and there was no data. i wanted you to be informed. i would hate to find out that someone was burned in there vehicle during normal operation. *jb | |||
| 10/17/2005 | 1 | 10/19/2002 | |
| I own a 2003 jetta tdi wagon and my front seat heater has burned through the seat. *nm | |||
| 01/23/2005 | 80500 | 1 | 04/04/2004 |
| On early morning start-up, the seat heater was turned on. within about 1 minute it began to smolder, melting the seat foam cushion and burning a hole in the upholstery fabric and my trousers. had i not quickly turned off the heater, it may have started a fire. i contacted vw of america. they took my information and repaired it at their expense through my local vw dealership. *jb | |||
| 04/04/2005 | 40000 | 1 | |
| While driving/parking driver's seat heater burned a hole in the seat when in use. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 03/24/2005 | 26850 | 1 | 03/03/2003 |
| On march 24,i turned my seat warmer to level 2,all of a sudden i felt a burning sensation. i kept driving thinking maybe i was bit by a bug or something. about a minute later,i saw and smelled alot of smoke. i had to pull over and when i looked down at my seat,it was dark and rainy so i turned on my dome light,there was a dime size hole in my seat. i had turned off the seat warmer when i realized what had happened. i got home and there was a burn on the back of my left leg. we contacted the dealership and they fixed our car in about 10 days. there had been an electrical short and they replalced the seat and fixed the electrical.*ak | |||
| 04/05/2005 | 46000 | 1 | 10/15/2002 |
| This morning, 4/5/05, i turned on my heated leather seats in my 2003 jetta gls and in a matter of about a minute, i felt something extremely hot on my leg. i immediately lifted myself up from the seat but it was too late. i looked down and there was a hole burnt into my leather seat, smoke coming from the seat and a burn in my pants...not to mention my skin. what i find disturbing is not that it happened but the fact that i took my car in last thursday and was not told about the problem even though a recall had already been issued. if vw had been proactive, i would not have had this injury and property damage.*ak | |||
| 03/25/2005 | 46000 | 1 | |
| While driving consumer had the heater seat on and it burned through consumer's coat and burned her pants. consumer did not sustain any injury. manufacturer was contacted, and the part for repair was on order.*ak | |||
| 11/10/2004 | |||
| 2003 volkswagen jetta gls velour heated seat malfunction. burned a hole in car seat, through my coat and scorched my pants. also burned finger. volkswagen is fixing the problem and has offered to reimburse for coat and pants. all is done at no charge. | |||
| 01/27/2005 | 1 | 03/20/2003 | |
| Noticed the seat wsa hotter than normal a few days before incident. i was on my way to work and i smelled burning, then noticed my leg was hurting, then noticed smoke. i pulled over and jumped out of the car. i patted out the fire/smoke with my hand. there was a burned hole through the leather in the side of my seat. there was also a small burn in my pants and on my upper leg. i immediatly called the dealer. they could take my car that day, they kept it for a day and a half and replaced the heater and cover. i was not pleased with the look of the seat, it is not tight and does not look like the passenger side. i took the car back and they said i needed to wait for the leather to get tighter. it has been two months and it is not any tighter. i am happy they fixed the seat but i would like it to look like it used to. | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving the seat caught on fire. consumer smelled a burnt odor. the seat became very hot; burning completely through the leather. also, burning through consumer's jeans. the seat burned consumer's legs and her backside. it wasn't until she got out of the vehicle she could see the smoke coming from under the seat. *ak | |||
| 03/10/2005 | 1 | 11/30/2002 | |
| 2003 vw jetta wagon heated seats malfunction. driver received a strong shock from the seat followed by a strong burning odor.*ak | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 18000 | 1 | 09/26/2003 |
| Seat heater in 2003 volkswagen jetta shorted out causing small hole to burn in leather seat and inflicting minor pinpointed burn to driver while vehicle was in operation. seat heat turned off returned vehicle to dealer for repair. to date the parts for repair are not available. condition is still active if switch is turned on.*ak | |||
| 02/28/2005 | 58000 | 1 | 08/10/2003 |
| Failure in the driver side heated seat element resulted in a smoking hole burnt through the seat leather. the incident resulted in a small burn to the passenger. | |||
| 11/04/2004 | 37490 | 1 | 02/11/2003 |
| In december of 04 the drivers seat caught on fire in my 2003 volkswagen jetta glx. i had the heated seat on when i noticed the seat was getting extremly hot and started smoking. i was on a busy four lane road and unable to pull over at the time. once i did pull over i jumped out of the car to survey the damage. i had managed to burn the tips of my fingers and my rear end. vw replaced the seat under warranty after i waited almost a month for the seat to come in. needless to say i was very irate at the dealership and was told by the service advisor that i was over reacting. i called vwoa and reported the problem but they too did not seem concerned. i did my own little research and was able to come up with a couple hundred other cases of seats catching on fire in volkswagens. this is a serious problem and volkwagen doesnt seem to care, someone can get seriously injured if not killed by this problem.*ak | |||
| 01/28/2005 | 1 | ||
| Seat heater on driver's side became very hot in one spot, started to smell and smoke and burned through the seat material, my jacket and to my leg (no burn to skin noted).*ak | |||
| 12/07/2004 | 34000 | 1 | 08/09/2003 |
| While driving the consumer's seat caught fire. the consumer contacted the dealer and took the vehicle in for repair. *jb *nm | |||
| 12/16/2003 | 1 | ||
| My jetta's seat heater has shorted out and burned through the cover. volkswagens reply is that there are no replacements seat covers anywhere in the country, and that they have no idea when they will get some. i have been in contact with them regularly since mid-december, and the hole with exposed electrical wiring has been there since then. the only response that vw gives, when told about smoke and sparks shooting through the hole burned in their seat, is to shut it off; the smoke should stop. they don't know when new seats covers will arrive, but claim that eventually there will be . the vehicle is leased and under warranty. *nm | |||
| 01/18/2005 | 26500 | 1 | 03/18/2003 |
| On monday morning i noticed that my seat warmer was burning the left side of my butt. i didn't notice anything at that time. on tuesday morning, my seat was smoking and it burned a whole in my leather. when i called the dealership, they told me they had seen a couple of these incidents. said i would need to bring my car in and leave it or wait 45+ minutes for them to take a look at it. i complained that i can't miss work, and i need a car that i can rely on to get me back and forth. i asked for a loaner for the day, to which they responded no. at this time, nothing has been done, and i am still driving with a defective seat warmer. *nm | |||
| 01/07/2005 | 36400 | 1 | 12/19/2002 |
| Drivers side seat heater malfunctioned wile set to level (2) two. results were burn hole to seat, smoke erupting form seat, burn to driver?s jeans, pain and discomfort to driver this was during normal vehicle operation on public streets. *jb | |||
| 11/20/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer noticed that driver's side seat heater became extremely hot, burning the plastic of the seat. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the seat needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 12/14/2004 | 28000 | 1 | 07/22/2003 |
| This car is equipped with electric seat heaters. after driving this vehicle for approximately 25 miles, the driver seat heater burnt through the seat, burning my butt. the seat quit burning after turning the heater off. i have spoke to two vw dealers and vw directly and it sounds like this is not an isolated incident by any means.*ak | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 36000 | 1 | 05/12/2004 |
| (1) driving on ih-35, seat started burning and smoke filled the car, seat heater had burned through the seat. *ak | |||
| 12/20/2004 | 1 | ||
| The consumer stated the seat warmer caused the seat to catch on fire when the vehicle was being warmed up. *jb | |||
| 12/17/2004 | 39900 | 1 | 12/17/2004 |
| The heater on driver seat overheated and burned a hole through driver's seat, and it also caught on fire. consumer was able to extinguish the fire with his hand. dealer and manufacturer were not notified. *ak | |||
| 12/17/2004 | 39000 | 1 | |
| While driving consumer turned on the seat heater and seat burned through completely; burning consumers buttocks and hand. contacted the dealer. *ak | |||
| 12/18/2004 | 16000 | 1 | 02/21/2003 |
| 2003 vw jetta front passenger heating element (heated seats) failure; fire burned through seat fabric. *jb | |||
| 12/16/2004 | 17000 | 1 | |
| Consumer was driving to work when suddenly the passenger felt heat coming from the driver's seat. the seat started to burn. conumer exited the vehicle, and it was towed.*ak | |||
| 12/07/2004 | 42100 | 1 | 12/03/2002 |
| While driving 10 mph heater in the driver seat caught on fire and burned through the driver's seat. consumer extinguished the fire with her hand. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who ordered a new seat.*ak | |||
| 11/24/2004 | 55000 | 9 | 10/31/2002 |
| A hole was burnt into my velour driver seat from the seat heater on my 2003 diesel jetta. i cannot use the seat heater as it continues to produce a burning smell when the heat is turned on. *ak | |||
| 11/30/2004 | 39000 | 1 | |
| While driving seat heater started to burn. consumer felt the heat through her coat. pulled over and exited the vehicle. the leather seat was melted. consumer contacted the manufacturer.*ak | |||
| 11/29/2004 | 19000 | 2 | 06/25/2003 |
| We purchased a brand new 2003 vw jetta in june of 2003. i have had no problems with the vehicle until yesterday, 11/28/04. we could smell something hot and burning. the drivers seat caught on fire from the heated seats, there is a hole in the seat and my boyfriend burnt his hand. within minutes of that happening, the passenger side door window just fell down. i've never seen anything like this before. somehow, the window is no longer in it's track. i have been doing some research online and finding many more instances with the windows falling and the seats catching on fire? what is the deal? this is very unsafe. i have my appointment tomorrow with our local vw dealer in erie pa to see what they will do to correct this. i want both seats looked at....i do not feel safe in my car any longer!!!*ak | |||
| 11/26/2004 | 31000 | 1 | |
| I currently own a 2003 volkwagen jetta and have been driving it for 2 years. i live in michigan and as a result use the seat warmers regularly during the cold winter months. i have never had a problem or any complaints until yesterday. i drove about 1 mile and had the seat warmer on 3, which isn't the highest setting, and my seat caught fire. i had to pull over to the side of the road, get out, and proceed to stomp out the small ember burning. i know have a dime to nickel size hole in my driver side seat.*ak | |||
| 11/14/2004 | 44500 | 1 | 03/17/2003 |
| Sunday evening i left my house to run out to the local convenient store when the driver seat of my 2003 vw jetta caught on fire. the heat settings run as high as five, my setting at the time was on two. i felt heat generating beneath my rear-end and when i lifted my leg to look below me, i saw and felt the flames beneath me. trying to put the fire out, which by the time i'd got pulled over to the side of road had burned through my jacket and pants, i'd burnt my hand in an attempt to squoosh the fire between the seat and the cushioning. not a pleasant experience. the seats are 'velour'. this is my third and last jetta. my previous jetta had the heated 'leather' seats package and i'd never had this experience. the dealer was kind enough to replace the heating components, cushioning and seat cover. (sarcastically speaking) however, i do not feel confident in my vehicle, much less volkswagen. very disappointed. *ak | |||
| 11/14/2004 | 1 | ||
| 2003 volkswagen jetta gls with cold weather package had seat heating element burn hole in seat. *jb | |||
| 10/10/2004 | 24000 | 1 | 11/22/2002 |
| I was driving my leased, 2003 volkswagen jetta, (equipped with cold weather package), on a very busy road in late afternoon on a cold autumn day just outside of boston. i turned my driver side seat warmer on the highest level, (5) and in about 5 minutes i felt a sharp pain on the backside of my left thigh and thought something had stung me at first. i repositioned myself in the seat, and could smell something burning. i looked down and saw dark brown smoke pouring from the seat and realized the seat was actually burning me. i immediately turned the seat warmer off, pulled over, (again in very busy traffic in watertown, ma), and got out of the car to find a dark brown, dime-sized burn mark in the seat!!! the heat actually went through the seat and burned a small brown mark into my blue jeans and subsequently, left a small welt on the backside of my thigh. i am scared to drive the car now because i am not sure if there are other electrical defects with this car that may put my life, and my passengers lives in danger. i have contacted the dealership i leased the car from and they seem very eager to replace the seat and to clear this matter up immediately. | |||
| 11/04/2004 | 55330 | 1 | 05/04/2004 |
| During first use in cold weather turned on heating seat on driver's side after about thirty seconds the car began to fill with smoke, i felt a sharp pain in my left rear butt cheek. opened the door & got out of the car .reached in and turned off the seat heater. noted a hole in the leather seat, found one in my trousers and a small burn mark on my butt. took the car to the local dealer, and they ordered the parts. am now waiting to see if it will be paid for by volkswagen. the car is 5000 miles over warranty. *ak | |||
| 10/25/2004 | 38000 | 1 | 11/11/2002 |
| Upon turning on the drivers side heated seat element to strength 2 out of 5 a strong burning odor was released and a section of the heating element proceeded to burn through the seat cover and sligtly burned my leg. i turned off the heating element to stop the problem and am bringing the vehicle in to the dealers service department to inspect it.*ak | |||
| 10/15/2004 | 37000 | 1 | 09/15/2003 |
| Heated seat warmer on drivers side front seat of my 2003 volkswagen jetta caught fire while i was driving, burning both the seat and my body. no repair as of yet.*ak | |||
| 10/03/2004 | 62500 | 1 | 10/03/2004 |
| The driver | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 53000 | 1 | 03/01/2003 |
| Heated seat (driver side) overheated to the point where it burned through the seat material, and burned the driver of the vehicle. small hole visible in material of seat where it burned through, and smoke could be smelled. this occured within 10 minutes of the seat being turned on.*ak | |||
| 09/19/2004 | 26970 | 1 | 10/01/2002 |
| 1- turned on the driver's side seat heater 2- felt hot spot, and saw smoke coming from left side of seat. a small hole was burned in leather, and padding inside seat was black. no fire, just smoke.*ak 3- turn off seat heater, put water on smoking hole in leather seat. | |||
| 1 | |||
| While driving with the seat heater engaged, the consumer smelled a burning odor along with rear end getting excessively hot. consumer pulled the vehicle over, and noticed the leather seat had burn holes. both the manufacturer and dealership were contacted.*ak | |||
| 03/26/2004 | 29400 | 1 | |
| Driver seat heater overheated and caused damage to seat. *jb | |||
| 11/20/2003 | 15000 | 2 | 03/15/2003 |
| I own a volkswagen 2003 jetta wagon. the drivers side seat warmer burned a hole through the seat cover. when brought in for service i asked them to check the passenger side for the defective part and they said there was no problem. one month later i started smelling the same synthetic burning smell, and noticed a discoloration on the seat where the hot section is. *ak | |||
| 02/17/2004 | 51300 | 1 | 09/20/2002 |
| Drivers heated seat burned a hole in the seat and burned the driver.*ak | |||
| 12/02/2003 | 25000 | 1 | 08/12/2002 |
| 2003 vw jetta 1.8t gls w/ leather has heated seats. seats malfunctioned and burnt a hole through the leather. if i had been driving i would have been scorched, luckily i was still in my driveway. see here for similar incidents. *ak http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1113071&page=1 | |||
| 12/08/2003 | 1 | 02/01/2003 | |
| We own a 2002 jetta tdi wagon and the driver seat heating device burned a hole in the seat and straight through my overcoat. this all happened within 1 mile of driving the vehicle. if i did not have a thick jacket on, i certainly would have been burned and if i did not catch it in time, a fire could have started. *ak | |||
| 10/30/2003 | 1 | ||
| On the evening of october 30, my 2003 volkswagen jetta vehicle driver seat and my coat caught on fire, beginning to melt my pants to my skin. once i realized the problem, i moved through traffic to find a safe place to park my car. i turned off the seat heater and engine heater, and waited some time to reenter the car. on friday morning, i showed a mechanic the problem and he said i must take the car into the dealerhsip immediately. after several calls to dick hannah volkswagen (dhvw) dealership and volkswagen usa, dhvw fixed the seat heater defect and provided a contact to volkswagen usa. dhvw provided mediocore customer service, lacked willingness to fully discuss the problem without repeated prompts, had no idea whether this defect has been found in other volkswagen vehicles and would not provide any compensation. ultimately, i am a very unhappy dick hannah volkswagen customer, with a car that makes afraid to drive with the seat heater feature, no compensation for my winter coat and pants, time from work and stress. *la | |||
| 10/05/2003 | 9000 | 1 | 09/01/2002 |
| Driver's side heated seat became extremely hot, burning the leather, and burning through the consumers pants, slightly burning consumer's leg. dealer and the manufacturer have been notified.*ak *ph *nlm | |||