I am wondering if anybody here encountered the same problem: I have a 2001 VW Passat with only 75K miles. The manual seat adjustment started working sluggishly, so I took to my mechanic. I was told that the mounting is very thin sheet metal and cracked. They welded it up and it is somewhat better, but not nearly as good as new. Can’t imagine that my problem is unique. Still a safety issue here - should VW have a recall?
Perhaps there already has been a recall.
You can check by going to the website of NHTSA, and entering your vehicle information:
And, if there hasn’t been a recall, the more owners who report the same defect, the greater the chance that NHTSA could force a recall on this issue. On that same site, you can report your problem, and I urge you to do so.
Incidentally, even if a recall is issued after you pay for repairs, you can obtain a refund if you submit your receipt to VW of America. Save your repair invoices!