Volkswagen Jetta Complaints

10,351 consumer complaints on file.

#10255084January 14, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2000 JETTA VR6 HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING COIL ISSUES FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS WHENEVER THE WEATHER IS WET/RAINY AND HIGH HUMIDITY. IF THE CAR SITS IDLE FOR 6-8 HOURS WITH A COLD ENGINE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO START THE ENGINE WITHOUT CONSTANT SPUTTERING. THERE IS NO POWER IN ACCELERATION UNTIL THE ENGINE WARMS UP COMPLETELY. DURING THIS TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHES AND REMAINS ON UNTIL THE NEXT TIME I START UP THE ENGINE OR UNTIL THE WEATHER BECOMES LESS HUMID. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN DRIVING THRU A PUDDLE OF WATER CAUSING IT TO SPLASH THE COIL AREA. I REPLACED THE IGNITION WIRES TO THE TUNE OF $145 BUT THAT DID NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254902January 13, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. INTERMITTENTLY, AFTER THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V584000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH); HOWEVER, A TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, BUT NOT THE HAZARD LIGHTS. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254485January 10, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTING, STRUCTURE
POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL AND TRIM PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254365January 9, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHEN COMING UP TO A STOP. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CAR RESTARTS APPROX 1 TO 2 HOURS LATER WITH NO ISSUES, BUT FAILS AGAIN SEVERAL DAYS LATER. TAKEN VEHICLE TO MECHANIC NUMEROUS TIMES FOR PROBLEM WHICH COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254256January 8, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
2002 JETTA TDI WAGON; I HAVE HAD 6 GLOW PLUGS REPLACED THEN TOLD THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS FOR A BAD GLOW PLUG HARNESS. DEALER IN BUFFALO TOLD ME THAT THE OEM HARNESS WAS MADE FROM INFERIOR MATERIALS AND MANY FAIL, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED; NOW FACED WITH $150 PARTS AND LABOR TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE HARNESS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254296January 8, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
REAR BRAKES ARE WEARING PREMATURELY ON 2008 VW JETTA. ONLY LASTED 20, 000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10254151January 7, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
ON THE NIGHT OF 25 DEC 2008 MY VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BACK UP, THE IGNITION WAS CYCLED SEVERAL TIMES AND ASSISTANCE WAS REQUIRED TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE INTERSECTION TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE NEXT MORNING THE VEHICLE STARTED WITH NO ISSUES. IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL FILTER BE REPLACED AND THAT WAS DONE IMMEDIATELY ON THE MORNING ON 26 DEC 2008. THE SAME EVENING THE VEHICLE STALLED ONCE MORE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAIN ROAD. IT IS FORTUNATE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON A DECLINE AND TRAFFIC WAS MOVING RATHER SLOW WHICH ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COAST TO A SAFE TURN-OFF POINT. THREE HOURS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START ONCE MORE AND MADE IT TO A SAFE LOCATION WHERE THE FUEL PUMP (AKA IN TANK LIFT PUMP) COULD THEN BE REPLACED. A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS ORDERED AND REPLACED ON 29 DEC 2008 AND THE OLD PUMP WAS TESTED AND DEEMED TO HAVE FAILED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS OF FAILURE, NO ERROR CODES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE AND NO MEANS OF SAFELY BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE AFTER IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OPERATING WITH THE NEW FUEL PUMP WITHOUT INCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253946January 6, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT FAILURE OF THE IGNITION COILS ON A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA ( ) WITH THE 1.8 LITER TURBO ENGINE. VW HAS ALREADY RECALLED A NUMBER OF JETTAS OF THIS VINTAGE AND WITH THIS ENGINE FOR REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE REFUSED TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE COILS ON THIS CAR. ONE FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RUN POORLY. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL FOUR COILS AT A COST OF $384.48. THE CAR ONLY HAD 23,726 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THIS DEFECT CAN CAUSE IMMEDIATE ENGINE FAILURE. CLEARLY, THE VW DEALER BELIEVED THAT THE COILS ARE SUBJECT TO UNEXPECTED FAILURE AT LOW MILEAGE EVEN THOUGH VW OF AMERICA REFUSES TO RECALL THE PARTICULAR VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253851January 5, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER BY POLICE MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEARS WITH THIS VEHICLE DUE TO REAR LIGHTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AT ONE POINT, BOTH OF MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING -- THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAVE REPLACED THEM EACH TIME AND THEY SEEM TO GO OUT QUITE FREQUENTLY. I HAVE NOTICED TAIL LIGHTS BEING OUT ON CARS WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS MINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253873January 5, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
NOISE STARTED, A HIGH-PITCHED WHINING. TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND IT IS THE SAME DARNED THING IT WAS IN FEBRUARY, 2008! THE FUEL PUMP. HE TELLS ME HE CHANGES THEM OUT ON VW'S ALL THE TIME. THE PART IS A VW DEALER PART ONLY AND IT'S DEFECTIVE, JUST LIKE THE 2003 VW PASSAT PUMPS WERE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253810January 5, 2009
VISIBILITY
I HAVE A 2004 JETTA TDI, WHICH I PURCHASED USED IN 2006 WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT. AT 135,000 MILES, I WAS DRIVING IN FEBRUARY, 2008 IN SLUSHY CONDITIONS. I TRIED TO TURN ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPER-WASHER TO CLEAN OFF MY WINDSHIELD, BUT THE WIPERS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. I TOOK THE CAR TO A VW DEALER WHO REPAIRED THE WIPERS, SAYING THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE WIPERS THAT REQUIRED REMOVING "COWL" SO AS TO ACCESS CONNECTIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE TIGHTENED. AT 154,000 MILES, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN; IN BOTH CASES IT HAPPENED DURING COLD WEATHER, AND SPECIFICALLY AT A TIME WHEN IT WAS HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE WITHOUT A FUNCTIONAL WINDSHIELD WASHER-WIPER. IN BOTH CASES, I WAS ABLE TO STOP AT SERVICE STATIONS INTERMITTENTLY AND CLEAN MY WINDSHIELD OFF MANUALLY TO A SUFFICIENT DEGREE UNTIL I REACHED MY DESTINATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253809January 5, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI DIESEL, WHICH HAS THE PD TYPE ENGINE. THIS PD DESIGN HAS A WELL-KNOWN DEFECT; SPECIFICALLY, AN EXTRA LOAD IS PLACED ON THE CAMSHAFT BECAUSE IT DRIVES THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, AS OPPOSED TO PREVIOUS VW TDI MODELS IN WHICH AN EXTERNAL ROTARY PUMP DROVE THE FUEL INJECTORS. BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT, VW INSTITUTED A SPECIAL OIL REQUIREMENT FOR THIS CAR TO SATISFY THE ADDITIONAL LUBRICATION DEMANDS OF THIS DESIGN. INITIALLY THAT OIL SPECIFICATION WAS VW 505.01; MOST RECENTLY IT HAS BEEN CHANGED TO VW 507 OR CASTROL OE PROFESSIONAL 5W/30. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT IN JULY, 2006, AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD MY OIL CHANGES DONE AT VW DEALERSHIPS: ONE IN MERRILLVILLE, IN AND ONE IN BENSENVILLE, IL. ON ALL BUT ONE OCCASION, BOTH DEALERSHIPS DOCUMENTED THE USE OF VW 505.01 COMPLIANT OIL IN MY CAR. ON THE ONE OCCASION IN WHICH VW 505.01 OIL WAS NOT USED, THE DEALER IN BENSENVILLE, IL PUT A GENERIC OIL IN MY CAR THAT HAD NO IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS, OTHER THAN ITS DRAMATICALLY LOWER PRICE PER QUART. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS AT THE TIME, BECAUSE AT THIS FEBRUARY 23, 2008 SERVICE THE DEALER HAD ALSO POINTED OUT THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE ALL 4 BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED, SO I DID NOT HAVE A LOWER SERVICE COST TO ALERT ME; THIS SERVICE COST FAR MORE THAN USUAL AND I DID NOT REALIZE AT THE TIME THAT I COULD TELL EXACTLY WHAT OIL THEY WERE PUTTING IN MY CAR FROM THE PART NUMBER ON MY INVOICE; I THOUGHT THAT PART NUMBER CORRESPONDED TO THE OIL CHANGE SERVICE ITSELF. ON AUGUST 8, 2008, I HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE OF THE SORT THE VW SERVICE MANUAL WARNS ABOUT IF THE WRONG OIL IS USED, "...EVEN IF ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF INCORRECT OIL IS ADDED TO THE CORRECT OIL TO TOP OFF THE LEVEL." I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND ME WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, BUT I INCURRED ABOUT $8,000 OF REPAIR COSTS DUE TO DAMAGE TO MY CAMSHAFT, VALVE LIFTERS, TOTAL EGR-INTAKE SYSTEM AND TURBOCHARGER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253762January 4, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
EXTERIOR LIGHTING DEFECTS STILL ON WHEN ENGENEE IS OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253576January 2, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A USED CAR AND, WITHIN THE SAME WEEK, IT BEGAN TO STALL. THE DEALER COULD FIND NO FAILURES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN DEALER AND THEY GAVE HER A LIST OF ALL THE FAILURES. THE LIST INCLUDED THE TRANSMISSION, RATTLING IN THE ENGINE, AND THE BRAKE SENSORS. THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT TIRES ON THE VEHICLE AND EACH ARE THE INCORRECT SIZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR ALL THESE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253622January 2, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE AND A BURNING SMELL STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE CABIN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOW NOTICED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL DISPLAY AND THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE DISPLAY ARE NOT WORKING EVEN THOUGH ENGINE WAS A NORMAL OPERATING TEMP AND THE FUEL TANK WAS JUST FILLED UP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253425January 1, 2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS ISSUE DRAINING BATTERIES--2006 CAR--CURRENTLY ON 3RD BATTERY. WHEN BATTERY IS CLOSE TO FAILURE, VEHICLE HAS STRANGE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS TRUNK RELEASING AND BRAKES NOT WORKING. LAST INCIDENT WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN. WHEN THE BRAKE PETAL WAS PUSHED, NO RESPONSE. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CAR WAS IN FRONT OF ME AND I WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO TWO VW DEALERSHIPS AND TO REGIONAL REP. THEY DO NOT FEEL THERE IS A PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253191December 30, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
DIFFICULTY FILLING GAS TANK WHILE AT PUMP. THE AUTO SHUT-OFF KICKS IN AFTER PUTTING IN A FEW CENTS WORTH OF GAS MAKING FILL-UP FRUSTRATING AND TIME CONSUMING. TOOK TO VW DEALERSHIP. THEY SPENT A DAY INVESTIGATING AND COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM SO THEY KEPT IT OVERNIGHT AND CALLED VW TO WALK THEM THROUGH TROUBLESHOOTING. VW SAYS THE FUEL TANK IS NOT VENTING PROPERLY AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK ($1500 FOR THE PARTS). VW REFUSED TO PAY BECAUSE CAR WAS 1400 MILES BEYOND ITS WARRANTY. THEY CLAIM SITUATION IS NOT DANGEROUS, JUST ANNOYING, BUT I PLAN TO CONTACT THEIR RESIDENT AGENT ANYWAY - SUSPECT A MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN DEFECT . *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253312December 30, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
MY FUEL PUMP FAILED WITH NO WARNING, LEAVING MY WIFE STRANDED IN WINTER. THIS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER - THE CAR WAS RUNNING PERFECTLY, AND THEN STALLED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10253017December 29, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CAR WILL SUDDENLY STOP WORKING. VW CORPORATE WILL NOT ADDRESS AS THE CAR HAS HAND MANY ISSUES AND IS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY. SPENT $2K WITH VW DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. APPEARS TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING AND ALL ELECTRICAL STOPS BRING CAR TO A HALT. ISSUE BEGAN 9/07 AND DEALER HAS HAD CAR IN SHOP ABOUT 2 MONTHS IN TOTAL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10252883December 27, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
4TH CLUTCH REPAIR. DEALER BLAMES BAD DRIVING HABITS WHEN CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. MANY OTHERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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