Driver's side seatbelt failed to lock into place. Had to buy a new seatbelt for safety reasons.

- Camp Hill, PA, USA

Air bag warning light came on in our 2002 VW Passat V6 with 70,040 miles. Our repair shop discovered that the seat belt assembly that receives the buckle was not registering the buckle being fastened. We replaced the part #B0858471kfcn to restore the airbag to operation. We were told that the air bag would not inflate while driving with this defective seat belt assembly. We have notified Volkswagen of the problem and asked them to cover the $356.35 repair cost.

- Napa, CA, USA

Shoulder belt in center rear position is fully retracted and locked, making it unusable. Unknown cause this time. This is the second time it happened to us. The first time, we folded down the rear seat for cargo and then were unable to pull it back up. The first time, the retractor was replaced under warranty. Estimate to replace it this time is $450. Additional reports of the problem were found in discussion groups on the internet.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Failure of air bag system caused by failure of the micro switch in driver's seat belt buckle. Fault occurred at 52,000 miles, at 104% of the original warranty. Manufacturer refused to acknowledge responsibility for failure by replacing part. Car had never been in an accident or any other traumatic event.

- Newark, DE, USA