Sorry that this is so late that it's unlikely to be of much use to you, but if, as I did today, somebody finds this question through a search, at least this might help them...
I had exactly the same symptoms a couple of years ago which I fixed this way. It happened again three days ago - driver's side window and sunroof dead as a dodo. The same fix worked again this time...
To fix it, both times, all I've had to do is remove the door liner, peel back the foam at the front of the door, above the speaker, then partially disconnect the plug to the window motor. It's a very odd plug - you slide the cover on the plug upwards and it pulls/pushes the plug away from the motor. You can see the slider grooves on the shield to figure out how it operates. You might need to fully disconnect it, although I've only ever had to part-remove it.
Then you just push it back together (slide it again) and hopefully - if you're as lucky as me
- your window and sunroof will work again.
Oh - and a note to the publishers of a very well known manual - as stated in the question to this - the (Haynes) manual for the Passat talks about the thermal cut out for the windows, then directs you to the wiring diagrams to locate it/them. The wiring diagrams don't show anything to do with the electric windows and/or sunroof!
Cheers!