Worst 2003 Volkswagen Passat Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Volkswagen Passat.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 85 | — | 1 | 57,284 mi | |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER | 81 | — | 44 | 46,268 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 63 | — | 9 | 68,701 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 53 | — | 9 | 75,483 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 38 | — | 2 | 55,417 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 38 | — | 1 | 91,269 mi | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 24 | — | 2 | 48,503 mi | |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 24 | — | — | 128,124 mi | |
| ENGINE | 23 | 1 | 7 | 136,581 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | 21 | — | — | 56,061 mi | |
| AIR BAGS | 15 | 3 | 1 | 61,974 mi | |
| STRUCTURE | 15 | — | — | 65,143 mi | |
| SEATS | 13 | 1 | 6 | 91,538 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 12 | — | — | 41,589 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 12 | — | — | 50,800 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 12 | — | — | 22,755 mi | |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 12 | — | — | 131,996 mi | |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 11 | — | 1 | 64,878 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN | 11 | — | — | 116,140 mi | |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 11 | 1 | — | 86,704 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 9 | — | 6 | 83,945 mi | |
| EQUIPMENT | 9 | — | 1 | 42,714 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 8 | 1 | 1 | 72,357 mi | |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) | 8 | — | — | 40,474 mi | |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 7 | 1 | 1 | 97,333 mi | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 7 | — | 2 | 52,000 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 7 | — | — | 37,266 mi | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 7 | — | — | 25,777 mi | |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 7 | — | — | 46,251 mi | |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 7 | 2 | — | 56,129 mi |
Recalls for 2003 Volkswagen Passat
1 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,564 vehicles.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2003 Volkswagen Passat sedan, Jetta, Jetta wagon, Golf, EuroVan, EuroVan Camper Van and EuroVan Chassis vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Other Volkswagen Passat Years
Wider context: See the full Volkswagen Passat reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2003 Volkswagen Passat
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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