2003 Volkswagen Jetta Seat Heater/Cooler Problems
- 69
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 69 stored complaint records:
- 0 indicate a crash
- 32 indicate injury
- 41 indicate fire
- 1 indicate a death
What owners report
- seat heater · 32 records
- caught fire · 15 records
- burned through · 14 records
- side seat · 13 records
- through seat · 13 records
- seat caught · 12 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 30–60k mi | 31 |
| 1–30k mi | 13 |
| 60–100k mi | 7 |
| 100–150k mi | 2 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Seat Heater/Cooler
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…
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10450962
Electrical System · Seat Heater/Cooler
I am the owner of a 2003 vw jetta. I was recently burned(11/2010) by the seat heater while driving and the car seat smelled like it was going to start on fire. My car had a recall not long after i bought it for the seat heaters. It is obviously a malfunction in the seat heater that vw has had numerous problems with based on the recall and the plethora of complaints on the internet. I can no longer use the heating…
ODI 10369355
Seat Heater/Cooler · Seats
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.…
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10247476
Seat Heater/Cooler · Seats
The heated seats im my 2003 vw jetta started to catch on fire. *tr
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10222735
Seat Heater/Cooler
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…
1 injury
ODI 10219168
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
1 injury
ODI 10218843
Seat Heater/Cooler
1. 2003 jetta wagon passenger heated seat got extremly hot and then quit working. *tr
ODI 10209232
Seat Heater/Cooler
Driver's electric seat heater element in 2003 jetta caught fire burning hole in leather seat and burning driver. *jb
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10184183
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10180969
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
ODI 10175610
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
2 injuries
ODI 10177767
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
ODI 10150655
Seat Heater/Cooler · Seats
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
Fire reported
ODI 10156887
Seat Heater/Cooler
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…
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10198982
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
ODI 10146161
Seat Heater/Cooler
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…
Fire reported
ODI 10145275
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
ODI 10146885
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
Fire reported
ODI 10142597
Seat Heater/Cooler
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…
Fire reported
ODI 10142471
Seat Heater/Cooler
I own a 2003 jetta tdi wagon and my front seat heater has burned through the seat. *nm
ODI 10140645
Seat Heater/Cooler
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…
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10116389
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
Fire reported
ODI 10117522
Seat Heater/Cooler
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
Fire reported
ODI 10116964
Seat Heater/Cooler
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.…
Fire reported · 1 injury
ODI 10116451
Seat Heater/Cooler
2003 vw jetta wagon heated seats malfunction. Driver received a strong shock from the seat followed by a strong burning odor.*ak
Fire reported
ODI 10113926