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Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    Your car is still very new. Wait another couple of thousand miles and see if your MPG improves.

    What kind of driving do you do? City/Highway? When you fill up your car after going 257 miles, how many gallons does it take to fill up the tank?
  • sonata04sonata04 Member Posts: 2
    I don't know about the new ones, but if you are having electrical problems now, then I think it may be a good idea to get out while you can.

    my 01 1.8t has had electrical issues since the day I bought it. In fact the north american vw plant has gotten various final warnings to fix their electrical issues or be shut down. My vehicle is currently in the shop, and has been for the past 2 wks, with more than $2000 in electrical problems, all of them recurring issues (been replaced once or twice before). It has had electrical problems since it was 40 days old. GET OUT while you can. Some vws run great, but it has been my experience (and many others) that the ones that have electrical issues will have them for the rest of their lives.
  • sonata04sonata04 Member Posts: 2
    I have the same car, and had the exact same problem for more than a year and a half. After 2000 in false repairs, I let it go until it finally died on me. The problem was this, there were two different sensors out: the crank shaft sensor, which detects the position of the wheels while the vehicle is driving was shorted. Also, the air flow meter had a faulty sensor which caused the vehicle to alternately have to rich and too lean an oxygen supply to the fuel system. Eventually this led to needing a new fuel pump relay, and six months later a new fuel pump.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Computer connector is under the steering wheel above your left ankle when you are sitting in the drivers seat. I have used my VagCom on so many VWs that I can plug into the connector in the dark without even looking.
  • tmvp24tmvp24 Member Posts: 2
    That is the first place he looked. Doesn't seem to be there. Should he look harder or would the 98 Jetta GL have it located someplace else? Thanks again.
  • ziplockziplock Member Posts: 5
    Back to Jetta brake problems. Does anyone else out there have spongy brakes on the Jetta with a slow fade to about an inch from the floor. When I'm at a three minute light I have to pump the brakes up. Had a VW tech drive and brake the car and he says this is normal and that it is a frequent complaint of Jetta owners. (It is on its forth maser cylinder.) Anyone else. Seems odd that you would have to loose control of the car in order to regain control. Thanks bpeebles. I don't think I'm crazy and I'm running out of options. He also told me that the booster cylinder has to be "matched" with the master cylinder. Anyone ever heard of that?
  • waiwai Member Posts: 325
    My neighbour's daugther has a 05 Jetta 2.0 L auto with about 15,000 miles, he complaint that the brake is not grabbing that good, the dealership change the master cyclinder under warranty. So far my 04 GLI (with a bigger front disc rotor than yours) has no problem after 23,300 miles.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Find a new mechanic. This sounds like nonsense and is his wawy of saying "I don't know".

    If your pedal is sinking you have something wrong in the brake hydraulics. It's supposed to be a closed system under high pressure, so pressure is being lost somewhere. It's the mechanics job to find out where. I really doubt that thousands upon thousands of Jetta owners are pumping their brakes at stoplights as we speak. A clever mechanic could have isolated the master cylinder and tested it by now.
  • shanvw05shanvw05 Member Posts: 1
    I just took my 05 Jetta in because it has been shutting off right away in the morning.. by the way, my car has 14,000 miles on it ..when i get it started the second time, it "chuggs" the first mile or so, when I am in first gear pulling into traffic, it doesn't want to go..it does this about 3 to 4 times a week..I took it to VW dealership since it is under warranty..they couldn't duplicate the problem and no codes came up..I took it back down a week later and left it there for a week until they noticed it did the same thing in the a.m. when starting..here is what they found:
    system was not holding fuel pressure so i got a new fuel pump. the air temp sensor shorted because the mass air flow sensor failed.got a new one of those.. coolant temp sensor shorted, so i needed a new one of those...My question is this..I have seen so many messages saying how vw is unhelpful and i have experienced it myself..when i got my car back, the very next day my car shut off again after starting it and now the epc light is on...they told me to bring it down..i did, and then i had to get a rental car.as i was at the rental car place, vw called me and said nevermind...we cannot fix it anymore, there is nothing else wrong with it...she said i could bring it back in one week, because that is when the head manager person will be there..she gave me some cockamamy reason about the cost of fuel on the east coast and since it was only happening in the morning, then oh well...(i had to put my flashers on to avoid being hit because i coudnt drive in first gear..it only chugged)..what am i supposed to do now? i can see this is a commom problem, to give people the run around..i am not going to put up with it..the car has 14,000 miles on it and should not have needed new anything!!it is highly inconvenient and annoying and new cars shouldn't do this..what do i tell them? what is really the problem? why don't they want to fix anything?? any help is greatly appreciated! :confuse:
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    The OBD connection is located inside the small rectangular access panel right above the cigarette lighter. Just pop out that panel and you will see the connection (I have a 1997 Jetta)...

    HTH :shades:
  • 600kgolfgt600kgolfgt Member Posts: 690
    The OBD connection is located inside the small rectangular access panel right above the cigarette lighter (the far right-hand panel on the same row as the A/C switch, window defogger, etc.). Just pop out that panel and you will see the connection (I have a 1997 Jetta)...

    HTH :shades:
  • inkblot42inkblot42 Member Posts: 2
    The history: I bought a 2001 Jetta a year ago and now the Speedo/Odo has quit working. I brought it into Lithia and they told me I would need a new cluster. They said that would run me about $1200 (including labor, etc.). I could in no way afford that (All inclusive warranty doesn't cover the instrument cluster - First Extended Sevice Corp.). I figured I would try to find one on my own and replace it. There are a few on Ebay.

    Now the problems:

    1. I failed smog because the speedo doesnt work. So now I need to fix it right away in order to register the vehicle.
    2. The smog report says the speed sensor is shot.
    3. The Dealer (Lithia) says its the cluster.
    4. They also say I cant just use another cluster. It wont come on. They say that I will need a new ECM or find a cluster that matches my ECM. They also say that the Odometer will be permanently screwed up.

    Is it really that complicated to fix? There is no way I can come up with 1200 bucks by the end of the month when my registration expires. Lithia is pretty much the only game in town for VW's so I am afraid that they may have me over a barrel. I did not buy the Jetta from Lithia but the used dealer I bought it from only fixes what is covered on the warranty.

    Any information on what my options are would be greatly appreciated.

    Thank-you, EJM
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Lets just say we all hope your problem is the "speed sensor".

    The cluster is electronically "keyed" to the engine computer and your keyfobs (it is the cluster that "reads" the keyfob when you start engine.) Replacing the cluster may be a HUGE deal... or you may get lucky.

    Perhaps it is time to find somone with a VAGCOM and do some diagnostics.

    BTW: Why the heck do people purchase extended warantees if they dont cover the common failure problems? I have NEVER purchsed an extended warantee and instead put the $$ in the bank incase my car breaks. If it does not break... I get to KEEP the $$ towards the purchase of my next car....After doing this for about 20 years.... I will soon be able to pay CASH for my next vehicle if I want.
  • inkblot42inkblot42 Member Posts: 2
    This was the first time I bought from a dealer. I understand things like the battery not being covered but never would have imagined this. I have never even heard of a cluster needing to be completely relaced and why it isnt a stand alone unit completely mystifies me. On the plus side, in the first year, the warranty did cover the water pump, thermostat and starter which have all been replaced. Although that does make me question whether I will ever own another VW. I bought it at 48K and am now at 51K miles so I'm not tearing the thing up.

    What do you mean by getting lucky? Do I have a chance in that or is it pretty slim odds (like finding another vehicle with the exact same programming.)? I ask only because I'm that desperate. I can't afford to be off the road and can probably get a 1 month fix-it permit but eventually will have to cough up the money if I can't find an alternate solution. I called the service center at Lithia and they suggested I sell it or trade it in. For a broken Speedo?!
  • dome625dome625 Member Posts: 5
    Well I've had a similar problem. I own a 2001 Jetta, and about a year ago I started having problems with the brakes, ever so often when I go to brake I either hear a sound like a spring popping or a faint grinding noise. I have to pump the brakes pretty hard in order for it to clear. I've taken it in to a mechanic and they coulnd't find anything wrong. And while getting other repairs done at a VW dealership I asked them to look at it and again was told they couldn't find anything. All I know is if I'm going about 5 MPH and trying to brake that's when it happens.
  • dome625dome625 Member Posts: 5
    Can anyone help me out with this. I have a 2001 Jetta that has started having problems with turn signals, when I go to turn them on, they work for a while and then start click irratically and sometimes they even just stop working. Then after a few seconds they start working. I've called a VW dealership and was told that I may have a faulty relay. Does anyone know where I can find the relay box?
  • pannellpannell Member Posts: 3
    Just got my son this Jetta, only 50k miles, nice car. He put a cold air intake on it, ran great for about a week then started it the other day and the idle is just racing up and down, it runs good at 2000 to 3000rpm but as soon as you let the peddle go back to idle just has this loping from 700rpm to 1200rpm then it will shut off. We checked the intake line and is tight, no leaks. Any suggestions. :confuse:
  • conessconess Member Posts: 15
    Possibly a bad O2 sensor? My little brothers car did that and he had to have the sensor replaced (his car was a Mazda 626 though).
  • philliraphillira Member Posts: 2
    The battery in my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta, 4 cylinder, 2.0L, died this week. I purchased a compatible battery from a local auto shop and replaced it. The car starts up fine and runs the same as it did before the battery died. However, a few other problems popped up. The radio now doesn’t work at all. The 2001 Jetta has a safeguard feature that requires the radio to be “unlocked” after the battery is replaced – but nothing shows up on the screen at all. I checked fuses (that I believe are) associated with the radio, but can’t find one that is blown. I took many fuses out and put them back in, with no avail.

    Also, the clock and the digital trip odometer do not stay set. For instance, I set the clock and when I turn off the car and then turn it on again, it returns to 12:00 and the trip meter is back to 0.0. If I turn the car off for just a few seconds and restart, the numbers stay. But if I wait more than 30 seconds and restart, all is lost.

    I thought that this could be an alternator problem. But I followed an alternator test (taking the negative electrode off the battery for more than a minute and the engine continued to run), and it worked fine.

    Ever heard of anything like this? Any suggestions for me to fix it myself? I’m at a loss…

    Thanks for any help you can provide!
  • jaimeejaimee Member Posts: 1
    Hello! I just leased a 2006 Jetta 2.5. I'm averaging about 70% city and 30% highway miles and have only been able to get about 15.5mpg. Does that seem a bit low to anyone else? I've filled up about 6 or 7 times since the car left the lot. Any insight would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
  • jessyjessy Member Posts: 4
    I posted a similar message the other day and no one has helped!
    I leased an 06 jetta, package 2, about the same time frame. I am getting around 257 miles a tank and its incrediblu frustrating!
  • waiwai Member Posts: 325
    I guess your engine is 2.5L, the mpg is really depends on your driving style. If you always drive aggressively, you mpg will hurt. For your reference, my 2.8L Jetta with 23,500 miles driving usually very aggressive (80 % Highway (75-95 mph) will give me only 19.8 mpg
  • bora1bora1 Member Posts: 42
    I received a similar runaround with the dealer when i was having problems with my 2002 VW Jetta. They could never duplicate the problem until after my factory warranty ran out. Once they fix the vehicle, put it up for sale immediately or consult a lemon law lawyer and somehow coerce VW to buy it back. You will regret keeping the car.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Does the CAI that your son added have an "oiled guaze" airfilter? If so, then the oil from the filter can be sucked into and on to the MAF (MassAirFlow) sensor causing it to self-destruct.

    One way to check for baf MAF is to disconnect the electrical connector from it and the go for a drive. If any improvement is noted, suspect bad MAF.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    There are several fuseboxes... did you check them all? It sounds as if the fuse that maintains "standby power" to the radio, clock and other items may be opened up.

    Also, it is not a good idea to remove battery connector while engine is running. With todays cars with onboard computers, it could cause SERIOUS damage.
  • philliraphillira Member Posts: 2
    I checked the fuse box by the driver side door. I can't find a fuse directly related to the radio and trip odometer, etc.

    Are there fuses in other locations besides that by the driver side door?
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    (Jessy) Your question was answered indirectly by several people. Your engine is still new.... The MPG will climb as the engine "loosens up" over about 20,000 miles. Also- as mentiond before... careful engine break-in is ESSENTUAL if you want it to attain maxiumum efficency.

    Also, as mentioned several times - your DRIVING STYLE may be the biggest contributor to best MPG. Basically - An efficent driver does not have to use the brakes very often. All stops are known WELL in advance and the throttle should be released. Following-distances should be sufficent that the brakes are not neede if the person in front of you is an inefficent driver. (uses the brakes often)

    A good way to think of it is this.... the BRAKE pedal is a fuel waster. It is only there to remove unwanted forward motion. Thus... if the unwanted forward motion is not there (better throttle control), the MPGs will go up.
  • susan_pnssusan_pns Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 Jetta GLS Sedan and never received an owners manual to trouble shoot the symbol. Is there a place I can find out online or can anyone help? The illuminated symbol is yellow and is located inside my speedometer circle to the right of 20mph. It may possibly be an engine although I am not sure as I would expect a "Check Engine" type of light to appear. The symbol is somewhat square with something that looks like a cap on the top and right side and a blade at best guess on the left side. Maybe engine? Fan or belts? Any help would be most appreciated until I can call the dealer in the morning. Also need to know if I can at least get to and from work this weekend. Ugh....Thanks in advance!! GLad I found this site!!!!!
  • ronblakeronblake Member Posts: 1
    Hi Jaimee,
    I just bought an '07 Jetta on the 19th and I've tested my MPG twice and it's exactly 26mpg both times. I do about 80% highway, 20% city though.
  • jessyjessy Member Posts: 4
    Ok, mine is getting about 16 mpg. I feel very angry I was not told about the crappy mileage. I am mostly a city driver but I cant start finding out of the way highways just to save the $40.00 a week!
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    What did you drive before and what mileage did you get?

    For cars of about this weight (3000 pounds+), with similar engines (eg. 4 cyl Accord, Camry, Fusion, etc.), CR typically measures about the mileage you are getting in their "city" test. Their city test is much tougher than the Government's. Perhaps your driving is just similar to that used in CR's test.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    To determine what is causing the CEL (Check Engine Light) you car needs to connected to a device that can "read" the codes out of the onboard computer.

    Here is the official OBDII (OnBoard Diagnostics- version 2) list of codes; http://www.obdii.com/codes.html

    Some of the auto-parts places will "read" the codes from your car for no charge.

    HOWEVER: The light you describe does not sound like the CEL... you may be able to determine what it is from reading the owners manual.
  • jettamnjettamn Member Posts: 4
    I have had the same problem with my 2004 Jetta as well! The problem has existed since I purchased it--brand new. I've brought the car in numerous times, they've also never been able to "duplicate" the problem, yet, they've thrown parts at it. It is very frustrating and I feel like the dealership thinks that I am just making this up. I'd be interested in comparing notes with you and maybe getting up the gumption to get something done about our situations! Thanks!
  • jettamnjettamn Member Posts: 4
    I may have jumped the gun in responding to your posted issue. The "chugging" caught my eye, as that would be how I would describe how my car acts in the morning. Typically, I drive it down a one mile road, stop, turn right, accelerate, and as I'm accelerating the car chugs--clunks--drops--whatever you want to call it. It feels like the engine is going to fall out. Not normal! I haven't had issues with it not starting. I've been told that I need to use a higher grade of gas, that certain valves weren't tightened, this that and the other things have been replaced. Nothing that they have done has altered my daily "chug."
  • pannellpannell Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the info, it is an oil-less air filter. I will try the test on disconnecting the MAF. We did spray some carb cleaner thru the MAF last night and it helped some, Someone told me when we added the cold air intake that the computer needs adjusting since it is a turbo.
  • conessconess Member Posts: 15
    I have an 06 Jetta (~ 1.5 months old) and have the "chugging" noise on cold start up too. Well, my chugging noise sounds like it is coming from the gas tank (after a couple of miles it goes away). Does your noise sound like gulping or sound like gas when filling up?

    I am planning on leaving my car over night at the dealer and suggest you try to do the same. The dealer I bought the car from provides free loaners :)
  • snowdancesnowdance Member Posts: 18
    We have an 06 Jetta 2.5 and get 26 in town and 29 to 34 on the highway at 70+ and we live in the high country so are climbing mts. all the time..

    The mileage really depends on how hard you are on the throttle.. With you mileage that low I would think you are just a bit hard on yours.. Would bet its your foot thats the problem.. Grin..

    However like others said the mileage does pick up as you get more miles on the car.. Ours is getting better but our 2002 Jetta 2.0 wagon is up to 30 to 35 mpg on the highway and started out low too.. We have about 40,000 on it now..

    Snowdance
  • snowdancesnowdance Member Posts: 18
    That cold start noise that sounds like all the baffles in the exhaust are loose is a common thing on those engines.. If its super bad VW has an update for the computer that they can download.. There is a service update on it.. However it makes little difference.. It last about 30 to 40 sec. and gets longer as the weather gets colder..

    I think its one of the things you will have to learn to live with on these cars.. However to make you fell better about it.. I would drop by the dealer in the early morning and ask one of the salesmen to start up a couple of the new ones to hear how much like yours the sound is.. Odds are its much the same..

    Snowdance
  • seane79seane79 Member Posts: 2
    check this out, My friend "gave" me his Volkwagen Jetta III GL as a gift. The only problem was that the transmission was bad in it. I thought Ok i'll just go to the junkyard and buy one, get it thrown in for a couple of hundred bucks and drive the sucker. It only had 110k on it, ran good for about a month, then go figure the transmission started acting funny. Now you can manually shift this "automatic" transmission into 1st second and third. The transmission doesn't have this whole "automatic" thing down anymore. When you put it in drive it stays in 3rd. I'm lost, anyone think maybe another transmission, or is it possibly some module of sorts....please help.
  • jwboycejwboyce Member Posts: 11
    I've got a 2006 Jetta GLI with nav and XM, with three XM related problems:

    1. XM is constantly "Updating Channel Listings" (>50% of time) so you have no idea what is playing nor can you change channels.
    2. Car sometimes forgets that it has XM, cant find XM, requiring restart of car to "remember" it.
    3. Field where title and artist are displayed is only ~3 inches wide, while screen is twice that width, but all the extra space is just wasted. So instead of getting Artist, Song Title, and Album Title information, all I get is part of the artist, and part of the song title.

    Anyone know of any other occurences of issues 1 or 2, or any solutions to #3?

    as usual, any helpful comments or hilariously sarcastic replies are appreciated.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    If you sprayed "carb cleaner" thru the MAF.... you may have affected the MAF in a negative way. As I said before, the MAF wants clean air and only clean air to pass over its delicate surface. Any foriegn substance (such as oil from ait-filter or carb cleaner) can really mess up the MAF.

    Here are some links to help you better understand the MAF, how it works and how to diagnose problems.

    MAF info

    MAF cleaner
  • alccalcc Member Posts: 1
    My daughter bought an '03 GLI VR6. The engine idles smoothly, but as you apply throttle the engine wobbles/shakes quite noticeably as it passes thru around 1000 rpm, then smooths out again. Dealer svc characteristically says no condition!?! Any ideas what this may be due to? Thanks in advance.
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Suspect COP since they were known to be troublesome on VR6 engines. (COP = CoilOnPlug ignition coil)
  • seane79seane79 Member Posts: 2
    My transmission is in limp mode. It won't ever go out of limp mode (stays in 3rd gear). I turn it off...turn it on. nothing.. Needless to say it just sits around now. The only weird this I see is that the indicator for the gears says that it is in all gears after about 30 seconds. The only thing I noticed out of the ordinary was that the engine coolant was extremely low. I've heard that this can cause limp mode, but no extreme change in the temperature ever occurred. I was wondering if I unplug the battery for 30 minutes, would it reset the computer? Possibly takeing it out of limp mode even if for just a couple of minutes. I would like to know if it's electrical or mechanical.
  • susiebsusieb Member Posts: 1
    I own 2 2002 Jetta TDI wagons. On both cars the front fenders are rusting badly at the wheel well. The dealer (and VW Customer Service) tell me this is not warranty work, yet the body shop insists that it is "perforation" which is covered by the warranty. I am getting angry and wonder if anyone else has this problem and if they were able to get VW to honor their warranty? thanks
  • bowmanj2006bowmanj2006 Member Posts: 1
    I have been experiencing the same problem the "chugging" and the dealership couldn't care less. I have an '03 1.8T. I have taken my car into my dealership about 5 times for the same problem and they have not been able to fix it. They basically tell me there is "no problem." Actually I just had my car towed this morning to the dealership for the same problem. On top of that my car died over the weekend. I just replaced the battery a month ago and my alternater is just fine but I have no power in the car.

    I am betting the computer in the car needs to be replaced or reprogrammed. My plan is to sell my car as soon as I get it back from the shop. My advice for you is the same! I will never ever buy another VW again. Because since I have had my car, after buying it brand new in 2003 my car has been in the shop almost 30 times and that is not an exageration. Good luck!
  • vwnorthvwnorth Member Posts: 2
    I am having the same problem....what was the solution? Thanks.
  • moracitymoracity Member Posts: 8
    That sounds like an O2 sensor to me. I had exact same symptoms on a Grand Am and my current A4. The problem is that sometimes no codes are thrown and sometimes there are several things that have similar symptoms. Sometimes the failure of one thing can lead to the failure of something else.

    The biggest headache with newer cars is that EVERYTHING is electronic and/or computerized. The alternator on my A4 went out while driving to work the other day and everything shut down one by one. In the end, the engine was still running, but the car would not even move because the throttle is electronic. 10 or 15 years ago if your alternator went out, you could keep driving...even maybe a day or two before you realized there was a problem. Even then, you probably think it was the battery or a solenoid. Not anymore. Batteries are not powerful enough to power modern cars without the alternator.
  • scotteeescotteee Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2000 Jetta 1.8t. The first time it wouldn't start on me was a couple weeks ago. After a couple hours it started right up like nothing happened. I had never seen that light on the dash and found out that it was the immobilizer. I then found out that a new key is $165 but now I'm not so sure that will solve the problem.

    Since that first time it has happened a couple other times but only lasted a few minutes before I could start it again.

    I got this car as a theft recovery (only have 1 key). When it was stolen they took the air bags. Over the past year I have noticed 2 intermittent problems that indicate a short somewhere in the dash/steering column. First:, once in a blue moon I'll turn the lights on and all the dash/panel lights will be out except for the lowest setting on the gauges. Then it will go back to normal a couple days later. Second: (this happened for several months then went away) Whenever I got out of the car after driving, when I touched metal I got shocked, strong enough that it really hurt sometimes. Like a static shock from carpet but much stronger.

    I've talked to a couple service guys at VW and they're thinking it is the instrument cluster, where it supposedly all ties together, and estimating $700 to fix it. (ouch!) So I guess what I'd really like to know is if this sounds right. Someone else suggested the ignition "barrel" on the column where the sensor is. If it is the cluster what does it involve to replace it? I'm pretty good mechanically but never done much with inside electrical. I'm quite broke at the moment so any help is greatly appreciated.
  • tdigirltdigirl Member Posts: 1
    I just bought a new 2006 Jetta TDI, and had only driven it for 3 weeks/550 miles, when it failed. All the dash warning lights came on and were beeping. It was towed back to the dealship, where it was diagnosed with a bad instrument cluster. It has now been in the shop for over two weeks. They have tried to install two new instrument clusters, but to no avail. Has anyone had a similar experience? Advice?
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