Problems · by component
2004 Volkswagen Passat seats problems
34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Volkswagen Passat cite seats, 12% of all 283 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
34
12% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
13
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
Reported by owners
What owners say about the seats
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“A COIL FOR HEATED SEATS HAS MELTED A HOLE IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. THIS CAUSED PAIN AND CONFUSION WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE SEAT NOW HAS AN UGLY MELTED HOLE IN IT.”
“WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, THE DRIVER SEAT SUDDENLY OVERHEATED (THE SEAT WARMER WAS TURNED ON). IT STARTED WITH A BURNING SMELL. EXCESSIVE HEAT BURNED MY LEG A BIT (SOME SKIN REDNESS), BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT IS HAPPENING AND TURNED THE SEAT WARMER OFF. THE SEAT LEATHER NOW APPEARS STIFF AND WRINKLED (NOT SOFT AND SMOOTH LIKE THE REST OF THE LEATHER) IN THE AREA WHERE I FELT THE HEAT.”
“MY CAR 2004 VW PASSAT ALMOST GETT ON FIRE FRONT PASSANDER SEAT HAVE START TO BURN BUT WAS OK AFTER I SHUTT OFF THE CAR AFTER THAT NOW I CAN DRIVE BUT THE SEAT ITS DEMAGED”
“MY CAR WAS PART OF A RECALL BECAUSE THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER WAS OVERHEATING AND MELTING THROUGH THE SEAT. I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE RECALL AND THIS ISSUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. BUT YESTERDAY I HAD THAT EXACT ISSUE - WITHIN 4 TO 5 MINUTES OF TURNING ON MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER IT BURNED/MELTED THROUGH THE SEAT AND BURNED ME.”
“THE SEAT WARMER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE STARTED A FIRE THAT BURNT THROUGH THE SEAT AND ONTO MY LEG. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE HIGHWAY AND TURN OFF THE CAR FOR IT TO STOP BURNING. *TR”
“WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT FIRE CAUSING A HOLE TO BE BURNT THROUGH THE LEATHER SEATS CAUSED SCORCHING TO PANTS AND A MINOR BURN TO THE BUTTOCKS. A MODERATE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE BURNING SEAT AND FILLED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT WARMER, PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER, AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE SEAT CONTINUED TO SMOKE PROFUSELY; I SMOTHERED THE FIRE AND CONTACTED MY LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP ADVISED ME TO CONTACT VW OF AMERICA; THE ENTIRE PROCESS HAS BEEN A COMPLETE HASSLE AND I AM NOW WITHOUT A VEHICLE WHILE VW OF AMERICA "INVESTIGATES" THE ISSUE. MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND I WERE IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME; THEY BECAME EXTREMELY UPSET AND SCARED. FORTUNATELY, THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED PRIOR TO MY GETTING ON THE FREEWAY (I COMMUTE 45 MINUTES EACH WAY FOR SCHOOL). HAD MY SEAT CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD BE ALIVE TO WRITE THIS COMPLAINT. WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE THE SURPRISE AND PANIC I FELT WHEN THE SEAT BEGAN TO BURN ME; TO CALL THIS A SAFETY HAZARD WOULD BE A GROSS UNDERSTATEMENT. THIS MALFUNCTION/DEFECT IS…”
Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.