Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS - SWITCH | ||||||||||||||||
| 07V063000 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC | from 04/01/2002 to 04/30/2005 | V (Vehicle) | 1002000 | 04/27/2007 | MFR | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC | 02/20/2007 | 02/21/2007 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. the recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population may be involved in either this recall or 06v-183, but not both. the remedy is the same for each recall. volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the vin number of the vehicle. owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Volkswagen recall no. n4.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration | |||||||||||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 08/02/2003 | 2300 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 05/02/2008 | 77000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving at any speed, the contact attempted to activate the turn signals, but they did not work. the hazard lights also stopped working when the turn signals failed. the contact did not notice any differences in the vehicle beforehand and the failures were intermittent. the vehicle has been diagnosed by the dealer several times; however, the failures continue to occur. the current mileage was 77,500 and failure mileage was 77,000. | |||
| 11/11/2006 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Radio not functioning, air conditioning unit works intermittently, airbag malfunction recognized, operation unit in steering wheel malfunctions, no communications with brake control unit, brake light switch causes drivers side brake light to malfunction. horn not functioning nearly caused 2 accidents within a month. i drove over an island to avoid one collision from the other non-attentive driver and ended up scraping the transmission pan. cost of replacement: $550. after thousands of dollars in repairs and diagnostics, vw dealerships still unable to fix any of the above! *tr | |||
| 04/27/2005 | 1 | 04/27/2005 | |
| Front headlights malfunctioned - replaced them but they couldn't make the alignment of the beam. the car runs to the right but the wheels are calibrated and the direction alignment is done. the car infiltrated water inside the car and trunk. sunroof malfunction - opens in all positions but don't close. the car as the front glass is from 2005 and all the others are from 2002, construction of the car 2003. diesel escaped from the pump. cd changer - 6 cds as malfunction the radio doesn't eject the cd's. the motor gag various times a constant rotation. the trunk was hard to open and close. there are other complaints.... the complaints begin 15 days from the purchase. *jb | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BACK UP LIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 01/23/2007 | 1 | ||
| Regarding recall 07v063000. i own a 2003 volkswagen passat that had the exact same problem with the brake light switch. the brake lights came on and stayed on all day. i had no idea there was a problem. i parked the car, and the brake lights stayed on all night and drained the battery. the dealership refused to honor the recall, staying vehicle was excluded from the recall due to the vin. i had to pay the repair costs out of pocket and volkswagen corporate refused to reimburse me. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | |||
| 07/30/2007 | 67085 | 1 | 05/01/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the brake lights would constantly shine on and off at random. the light would illuminate while driving and would dim when the brakes were applied. the contact discovered recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that his vehicle was not included in the recall. the contact stated that his vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in the recall. the failure speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 67,085. updated 02/01/08. *lj updated 02/01/08 *tr | |||
| 08/01/2006 | 47000 | 50 | 06/09/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while driving 65 mph or attempting to stop, the vehicle loses power and shuts off without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times and the speed sensor was replaced. however, the vehicle continues to shut off. the contact stated that the brake lights also malfunction and the electrical switch was replaced. the vehicle is currently at the dealer and they are unable to determine the cause of failure. the vehicle's warranty has been charged for each replacement. the current mileage was 57,006 and failure mileage was 47,000. | |||
| 07/10/2007 | 35000 | 1 | 08/18/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. after parking the vehicle, the contact noticed that the brake lights were illuminated. the lights failed to dim. the dealer stated that her vin was not included in nhtsa recall # 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). the current and failure mileages were 35,000. | |||
| 08/20/2006 | 40000 | 10 | 04/10/2003 |
| My 2003 volkswagen passat wagon glx had a brake light problem identical to that found on the new (feb 07) vw recall for several other models. however, the passat was not on the recall list. the brake lights would remain on at random times and without warning, over several months. nhtsa and vw should strongly consider recalling the passat along with the other vw models because the passat has the same safety concerns. i traded my car in but offer this info to help other vw owners. *jb | |||
| 01/06/2007 | 30000 | 5 | 06/10/2003 |
| My 2003 vw passat 4-door sedan has experienced multiple occurrences where the brake lights continue to remain on while driving and even after the engine is shut off. this happened again today and i noticed this time that the emergency engine light came on while driving earlier in the day - this is also another issue that also comes on/off for no reason. i've reported the warning light a couple of times as well to the vw service and they don't know why that happens either. the warning light will at least shut off when the car is turned off, unlike my brake lights. since today is saturday, leaving my brake lights on until the service department reopens on a monday is probably going to run my battery dead. with that concern in mind, i immediately called the vw roadside assistance hotline, 800-822-8987, to see if they had any repair instructions i can look into and the operator said she was unable to find any documentation. she advised that vw roadside can come tow my vehicle to a dealership (that won't reopen until monday) or they can come to jump-start my car (which can take up to 45-60 min. after dispatch). this seems a terribly long time to wait & a huge inconvenience esp. since it also took 30 min. just to reach the live operator in the first place. i love driving my passat; i bought it brand new direct from the dealership in 2003. car safety is very important to me which is why i'm adamant about following service guidelines and bring my car in for regular maintenance & oil changes. i only bring it into a vw dealership service, never a local garage mechanic. can nhtsa please look into both issues: 1. sporadic check engine light warning while driving 2. brake lights remaining on while driving and after the car is shut off. i am very concerned as both are major causes for safety concern, in addition to further expensive repairs which may be defects that the manufacturer should cover instead. thanks. *nm | |||
| 07/20/2005 | 30000 | 2 | 09/11/2003 |
| Brake lights have failed twice. *nm | |||
| 05/08/2004 | 11780 | 1 | 08/02/2002 |
| Failure of all brake lights. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 08/21/2007 | 72000 | 1 | 06/01/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine maintenance when the dealer noticed a failed exterior brake light switch. the dealer stated that the vin was not included in recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). the contact felt that the recall should be expanded to include his vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 72,000. updated 02-01-08 *bf the consumer stated this is the 3rd recall the vehicle was not included in due to the vin number. the consumer stated the fuel pump problem the company fixed because they could not dispute it. updated 02/01/08 *tr | |||
| 04/01/2007 | 81000 | 1 | 10/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that his vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). the manufacturer stated that his vehicle was excluded from the recall. the contact paid to have the brake light switch replaced and feels that his vehicle should be included in the recall. the current mileage was 90,000 and failure mileage was 81,000. updated 02/08/08. *lj | |||
| 07/30/2007 | 67085 | 1 | 05/01/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. the contact stated that the brake lights would constantly shine on and off at random. the light would illuminate while driving and would dim when the brakes were applied. the contact discovered recall number 07v063000 (exterior lighting:brake lights:switch). he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that his vehicle was not included in the recall. the contact stated that his vehicle is experiencing the same failure as noted in the recall. the failure speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 67,085. updated 02/01/08. *lj updated 02/01/08 *tr | |||
| 05/24/2006 | 34540 | 2 | |
| Twice, the rear brake lights remained on uncontrollably - intermittently at first, then permanently. this failure was trouble-shot and repaired by the dealer both times. in each case, the brake light switch had failed. from studying the switch part numbers, it appears the suffix has also twice changed to a later version - although i don't believe they were installed in that order in my car (see pn's below). i believe i have the latest version currently installed. this is an unacceptable failure mode, as it not only is a safety issue (driving around with brake lights continuously on, but if left on for prolonged period, the rear brake light bulb sockets get extremely hot and in my opinion have a good chance to melt the plastic socket/reflectors and possibly catch fire. more importantly, the abs and cruise control become inop, the throttle body alignment is disturbed causing the car to behave terribly on acceleration and many cel-type light illuminate on the instrument panel. failures occurred: 1st time: @ 34540mi, 4/7/2005. 2nd time: @ 49,746mi, 5/24/2006. orig s/w pn 3b094551a (from factory). 2nd s/w/1st replacement pn 3b0945511_ (assume basic pn), 3rd s/w/2nd replacement pn 3b0945511b). i have never had to change the brake light switch on my 1984 vw scirocco - i'm the original owner and had driven it over 174k miles! a failed brake light switch on this passat has much greater impact (lights, abs, throttle, cruise control) when it fails than it would on the scirocco (just lights), and it was the passat brake light s/w that failed twice - due to poor design/reliability. amazing and unacceptable. *tr | |||
| 07/16/2007 | 86000 | 1 | 09/20/2005 |
| Was told by volkswagen america that the passat 2003 did not fall under this recall. this vehicle has the exact same failure. any help would be appricated in getting this covered. esults : | all records displayed ake : volkswagen model : passat year : 2003 manufacturer : volkswagen of america, inc nhtsa campaign id number : 07v063000 mfr's report date : feb 15, 2007 component: exterior lighting:brake lights:switch potential number of units affected : 1002000 . *ak | |||
| 07/11/2007 | 1 | ||
| Break light switch stopped working unknowingly. *ak | |||
| 09/01/2006 | 8 | ||
| The brake light stays on even after i shut off the car, get out, and lock the door. there has been a jetta recall for this problem, but when i called the manufacturer to ask about the issue in regard to passats, i was asked for my vin, then told that there was no campaign (i.e. no recall) for my car at this time. further, i was told that they did not know of this being an issue for passats. yet i just ran a google search on the problem and saw bulletin board postings from other passat owners who have had this problem. if it's dangerous for jettas, it's also dangerous for passats. vw did this before with another safety recall--same kind of corporate irresponsibility, waiting until the nhtsa got involved. this is unconscionable! again, if the situation is dangerous for jetta owners, then it's dangerous for passat owners who are clearly having the same problem!! | |||
| 05/05/2007 | 76000 | 1 | |
| Brake lights will not go out even after car is off. *jb | |||
| 04/24/2007 | 67700 | 1 | 04/23/2007 |
| The brake light switch on my 2003 volswagen passat had failed sometime before i purchased the car. it was purchased on april 23, 2007. this failure caused the brake lights not to light when the brake was pressed and the cruise control not to function. the car was repaired at a cost of $129.00 using a replacement brake switch. *jb | |||
| 06/13/2005 | 1 | ||
| Car brake light switch failure. *tr | |||
| 04/22/2007 | 2 | ||
| 2003 vw passat glx 4 motion brake lights stuck on, drains battery when parked, unsafe to drive as no indication of braking to others. recall for this component on other models, not this one. clearly defective--many other owners affected. see multiple online sources including: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3196572 *tr | |||
| 04/14/2007 | 52000 | 1 | 10/14/2003 |
| Tl* - the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat with a current mileage of 52,000 miles. the brake lights were not functioning, after checking the fuse the contact found no failure. the vehicle was then taken to the dealer, livingston volkswagen, and the brake light switch was replaced. the contact had to pay for the repair, but was told by the manufacturer before going to the dealer, that it would be free. when the contact called the manufacturer back he was told that the vehicle was not under recall. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2003 | 7000 | 16 | 08/24/2002 |
| Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 2003 volkswagen passat with 7000 failure mileage the brake lights intermittently turned off. also, the driver's side front headlight turns off, the rear passenger side window, and the horn did not operate. the vehicle was taken to a dealer several times, but they still could not determine the cause of the problems. the current mileage was 105,944. *ak | |||
| 04/03/2007 | 45000 | 3 | 03/23/2003 |
| My vehicle, a 2003 vw passat is not currently included in your campaign 07v063000. it should have been. i have had the brake light switch replaced (and charged to have it replaced) twice over the last year and a half. i experienced all of the consequences identified in your summary description. most frequently the brake lights would stay on while driving, as well as would remain on once parked in my garage. how do i get the passat's included? *jb | |||
| 02/26/2007 | 2 | ||
| Brake lights will not go out. *jb | |||
| 11/25/2006 | 45285 | 1 | 06/13/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while stopped at a stop light, none of the brake lights on the vehicle illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, who was able to determine the cause of the problem. the manufacturer was also notified. there was a nhtsa recall # 04v096000, which pertains to the brake lights switch. the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the model of the vehicle. updated 12/18/2006 - the new brake light switch was installed on 11/28/2006. *nm | |||
| 09/26/2006 | 83150 | 3 | 02/01/2006 |
| My brake light switch went out and i didn't know i didn't have brakes until someone at a light told me. who knows how long i've drove around like that. and it seems very odd that so many other people have had this problem too. i own two vw's (2003 passat & 2004 golf), both have had this switch failure. the 2004 was replaced/fixed under warranty; the 2003 was not under warranty & costs were exorbitant. the service dept and service managers both admitted that this is a very common problem and oftentimes their mechanics will break the new switch while installing it. i broke two switches myself attempting a simple install. what was done to correct the failure was that the switch was replaced & yes i have both the original broken part, plus another newer revision of the switch that i personally broke, plus the now working switch installed in both vw's. *nm | |||
| 05/13/2004 | 7 | 08/02/2002 | |
| 2003 volkswagen passat consumer request for early termination of the lease.***no answer required***. *mr the consumer made the request due to the numerous mechanical problems such as a defective purge valve, right front head light, the vehicle overheated and started t o smoke due to a faulty water pump. the brake light would not shut off and the right head light went out for the second time. the brake light switch was replaced. the cruise control would not disengage. the vehicle would not start at times. *jb | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||
| 06/08/2008 | 50332 | 1 | 04/01/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen passat. while examining the vehicle, the contact noticed that the headlight lens were covered with a foggy material. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the headlights needed to be serviced. the current and failure mileages were 50,332. updated 10/16/08. *lj updated 10/20/08. *jb | |||
| 12/01/2003 | 7000 | 16 | 08/24/2002 |
| Tl*- the contact stated that while driving the 2003 volkswagen passat with 7000 failure mileage the brake lights intermittently turned off. also, the driver's side front headlight turns off, the rear passenger side window, and the horn did not operate. the vehicle was taken to a dealer several times, but they still could not determine the cause of the problems. the current mileage was 105,944. *ak | |||
| 04/27/2005 | 12 | 04/27/2005 | |
| Headlights fails proper function. they have been replaced. seat belts and sun roof do not work properly. engine replaced; steering wheels - car pulls to the right everytime an alignment was done and they calibrated the wheels. - problem continued - this problem caused the tires to be destroyed in a few kms - less 20 000; water infiltration - for now it is fixed; trunk was hard to open and close - problem fixed. front doors vibrated - the rubber of the doors are being exhibiting signs of damage; the front glass ( windscreen ) isn't from the same year of all the others. *jb | |||
| 04/27/2005 | 1 | 04/27/2005 | |
| Front headlights malfunctioned - replaced them but they couldn't make the alignment of the beam. the car runs to the right but the wheels are calibrated and the direction alignment is done. the car infiltrated water inside the car and trunk. sunroof malfunction - opens in all positions but don't close. the car as the front glass is from 2005 and all the others are from 2002, construction of the car 2003. diesel escaped from the pump. cd changer - 6 cds as malfunction the radio doesn't eject the cd's. the motor gag various times a constant rotation. the trunk was hard to open and close. there are other complaints.... the complaints begin 15 days from the purchase. *jb | |||
| 05/13/2004 | 7 | 08/02/2002 | |
| 2003 volkswagen passat consumer request for early termination of the lease.***no answer required***. *mr the consumer made the request due to the numerous mechanical problems such as a defective purge valve, right front head light, the vehicle overheated and started t o smoke due to a faulty water pump. the brake light would not shut off and the right head light went out for the second time. the brake light switch was replaced. the cruise control would not disengage. the vehicle would not start at times. *jb | |||
| 01/15/2005 | 2 | ||
| 2003 volkswagen passat sw developed problems rear brake pads and rotors.***no answer required***.*mr the consumer stated 8,493 miles later the brakes began to squeak. the consumer took the vehicle back to the dealership where it was discovered the rear brake pads and rotors were damaged again. the head light bulb was replaced.*jb | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 20000 | 4 | |
| Consumer disappointed in the quality and performance with braking system on 2003 passat. *bf the problem was with the front brake pads and rotors. there was also grinding in the rear brakes. the right headlight had gone out twice. *sc *jb | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 10/08/2003 | 50 | 1 | 09/21/2003 |
| Tail lights intermittently do not turn on when head lights switch is engaged. dealer replaced head light switch under warranty. *la | |||