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Electrical System
12/01/2008
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. THE GLOW PLUG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE WIRING CIRCUIT IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE TECHNICIAN ORDERED THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 118,000. UPDATED 1/6/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE WIRING BUNDLES THAT PASS FROM THE BODY INTO THE REAR HATCH FOR THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT, WINDSHIELD WIPER AND ELECTRICAL LOCKS. THE WIRES BEND WHENEVER THE HATCH IS OPENED OR CLOSED. THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE HATCH, CAUSED THE WIRING TO CRACK AND EVENTUALLY LED TO A SHORT OF A FUSE. UPDATED 01/14/09.*JB
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Seats
11/10/2008
1) I TURNED ON MY HEATED SEATS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE LAST SPRING. 2) ONCE THE SEAT WAS ON FOR LESS THAN 30 SECONDS I FELT A SHARP PAIN IN MY BUTTOCKS AND FELT THE SEAT. THE SEAT WAS VERY HOT AND I TURNED OFF THE HEATED SEAT. THE HEATED SEAT GOT SO HOT IT MELTED A PIECE IN THE SEAT. THE CAR SMELLED LIKE THERE WAS A FIRE IN IT, LIKE WIRES BURNING. I PULLED OVER TO MAKE SURE THE CAR WASN'T ON FIRE. 3) THE HEATED SEAT HAD BEEN RECALLED BY VW AND WAS FIXED IN 2005. THIS WAS THE "FIXED" PART THAT BURNT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND THE RECALL WAS FIXED BEFORE. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE SHOP THEY SAID THAT THE SEAT LITERALLY FLAMED UP AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS IT WASN'T SAFE. THEY STATED THAT I STILL NEEDED TO PAY 25% OF THE LABOR AND PARTS BECAUSE THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED AND THE "FIXED" PART WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. VW PAID FOR 65% AND THE DEALERSHIP PAID 10%. *TR
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Fuel System, Other
12/21/2007
MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF TDI WAS TAKEN TO APLLEWAY VOLKSWAGEN IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON FOR A 40K SERVICE AND A CHECK FOR LOSS OF POWER. THE LOSS OF POWER WAS TRACED TO A PLUGGED INTAKE SYSTEM, CAUSED BY THE EGR VALVE SENDING EXHAUST BACK THOUGH THE INTAKE. THE CAR'S WARRANTY WAS STILL VALID AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. *TR
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Electrical System
02/12/2007
VEHICLES CAR ALARM CONTINUES TO GO OFF ONCE THE ALARM HAS BEEN SET. TRIED TO DEACTIVATE THE HORN, ALARM SYSTEM, AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE UNLOCKED, BUT IT CONTINUES TO GO OFF FOR NO REASON. *JB
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Exterior Lighting
09/28/2006
RECENTLY I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM REGARDING THE BRAKE LIGHTS SAYING ON AFTER I TURNED OFF MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF AND THEY CONTINUED TO STAY ON. I FIRST EXPERIENCED THE RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT GOING OUT, THEN THE LEFT FRONT LIGHT WENT OUT AND I HAD TO DRIVE HOME WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON. WE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS BUT THE RIGHT FRONT STILL WOULD NOT WORK. I THEN HAD THE PROBLEM OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FOR FEAR OF DRAINING THE BATTERY OR HAVING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED. I CONTINUE TO HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE CAR HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED. *JB
