2003 Volkswagen Passat Wipers & Visibility Problems

REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS PULLED OFF WINDSHIELD BY A 2 YR OLD, MIRROR SEPARATED AT THE BALL-AND-SOCKET HINGE WITH THE BASE REMAINING GLUED TO THE WINDSHIELD. NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE MIRROR. PUSHING MIRROR BACK TOGETHER SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD IN THE AREA OF THE MIRROR. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT PULLING THE MIRROR APART HAD ALREADY DAMAGED THE WINDSHIELD (NOT CHECKED BEFORE TRYING TO PUT THE MIRROR BACK TOGETHER). I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE MIRROR TO UNGLUE FROM THE WINDSHIELD OR BREAK BEFORE THE WINDSHIELD BROKE. *TR

FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROST/DEFOGGER NOT OPERATING/BLOWING ON WINDSHIELD. IF WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG OR FROST, THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH AIRFLOW TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD, RESULTING IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. MANUFACTURER REFUSING TO FIX UNDER SAFETY WARRANTY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. ON MAY 28, 2007, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUNROOF EXPLODED, SPLATTERING GLASS ALL OVER THE VEHICLE AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 57,805 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,749.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, WHITE STEAM ERUPTED FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD, AND DETERMINED THE COOLANT WAS LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, WHO DETERMINED THE HEATER CORE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

WATER ISSUE - LEAKING DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS - LEAKING SUNROOF. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED RAIN WATER POOLS INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINS STEADILY THROUGH THE SUNROOF WHILE IT IS CLOSED. THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER SEAT BECOMES WET AND THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF SHOCK FROM WIRING UNDER THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO SUGGESTED CHECKING THE DRAIN TUBE PERIODICALLY TO ENSURE IT WAS NOT CLOGGED. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY THE DEALER, THE TUBE APPEARED TO BE OPEN FREELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS EVERY TIME IT RAINS.

MY SIDE WINDOW BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON MOSTLY RURAL STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 94, DRIVING EASTBOUND NEAR WAUKESHA, WI. I WAS IN THE LEFTMOST LANE WITH NO VEHICLES WITHIN 50 YARDS TO THE FRONT OR BACK OF MY CAR. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING STRUCK THE WINDOW AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY CRACKS IN THE GLASS BEFORE I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS ABOUT 30 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND WE HAD OUR HEATER ON FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES INSIDE THE CAR. I DRIVE A 2003 VW PASSAT. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES TO MYSELF OR MY PASSENGER RESULTED FROM THE WINDOW EXPLOSION. I DIDN'T REPORT ANYTHING TO THE POLICE OR SHERIFF BECAUSE I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE WINDOW WAS DELIBERATELY SMASHED BY A PERSON WITH A WEAPON OR THROWN OBJECT. THE WINDOW WAS REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I HAVE TWO PHOTOS OF THE WNDOW TAKEN BEFORE THE REMAINING SHATTERED GLASS WAS REMOVED. HOW COMMON IS THIS FOR SIDE WINDOWS? COULD IT BE A DEFECT IN THE GLASS? A SPONTANEOUS FAILURE OF THE GLASS? COULD A PROJECTILE THAT I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR STRIKE THE SIDE GLASS WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO SHATTER THE WINDOW? *NM

2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. SUNROOF IMPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. NO FOREIGN OBJECT WAS FOUND IN CABIN OF VEHICLE. SUSPECT DEFECT. *NM

THE REAR WINDOW GLASS FELL INSIDE THE DOOR WHILE TRAVELING AT 80 MPH, CAUSING MY FAMILY TO GET EXTREMELY ALARMED. I TRIED TO PUT IT BACK UP VIA THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH ON THE DOOR BUT IT WAS INCORPORATIVE. WHEN I TOOK IT TO VOLKSWAGEN, THEY SAID A PIN HOLDING THE WINDOW UP BROKE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS I HAD AN INFANT NEXT TO THE WINDOW AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. BECAUSE OF THE INFANT'S LOCATION, MY WIFE'S PURSE STRAP HIT HIM IN THE FACE CAUSING MIRROR INJURY. *NM

WINDSHIELD CRAKED REPEATEDLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON THE LOWER LEFT NEXT TO PASSENGER SIDE PILLAR, NEXT WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALMOST IDENTICALLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY STONE, ETC.*AK

THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD. DRIVER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS STILL NOT RESOLVED AT THIS TIME. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED REPEATEDLY, AND WAS REPLACED. BUT, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

I OWN A 2003 PASSAT (PURCHASED IN 8/2002) . IN THE BEGINNING OF MARCH 2004, A PEBBLE FLEW UP FROM THE ROAD AND PUT A CRACK IN MY WINDSHIELD. ON APRIL 6, 2004, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF THE GLASS IN THE WINDSHIELD. I WOULD THINK THAT IT SHOULD WITHSTAND AN AIRBORNE PEBBLE. MY PASSAT HAS ONLY HAS 15000 MILES TO DATE. IF THE CAR WAS ON THE ROAD MORE OFTEN, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO MORE CRACKS? IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE QUALITY OF THE GLASS? *AK

I OWN A 2003 VW PASSAT, THE NEW STYLE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USLESS IN SNOWY AND/OR ICY CONDITIONS. THE SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATEON THE WIPPING BLADE WITH NO WHERE TO DISCHARGE IT. THIS OCCOURS ON EVERY SWIPE NOT AFTER LONG TERM USE. I COMPLAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND VW AND WAS TOLD NOTHING CAN BE DONE BUT WAS TOLD THAT OTHER OWNERS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WIPERS. DURING SNOW CONDITIONS I HAVE TO DRIVE AT 20-25 MPH AND TURN THE WIPERS OFF. I NOTICED ON THE 2004 MODELS A SMALL CHANGE IN THE DESIGN OF THE WIPERS, THERE MUST BE A REASON WHY A CHANGE WAS IMPLEMENTED ON A ONE YEAR DESIGN, BUT VW WILL NOT ADMIT OR CHANGE MY WIPER. I AM NOT A MECHANICAL ENGINEER BUT COULD SEE THE PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN ONLY ONE HOUR AFTER CONSTANTLY STOPPING TO CLEAR THE ICE/SNOW OF THE WIPER BLADE. HOPE THAT SOMEBODY WILL LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM. *AK