Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

wonderwall

i frequent the vortex, but seldom post. is it me or are most of the people posting on the vortex a bunch of rednecks pimping out their cars? i want to discuss my jetta, but i am not interested in tinting the windows and putting coffee cans on the exhaust...

sthuggins

I too really love the way the car looks and drives. I just got a bad one. The way that the entire situation has been handled is the reason I did not take the new car. I was told it was my only choice. I was told they do not give cash refunds just replacement cars. According to the law it is my choice. When I stated this, they have since chose to play hard ball. I called yesterday to set up an appointment because my car is still running poorly. I was told that they could not schedule my car for repairs. They had to call the regional rep and he would have to call me back. Still no call and I don't expect one any time in the near future.

bluejetta

There are a bunch of VW tweakers there for sure, but I have also learned some pretty neat tips there too.

bluejetta

You lost all of your bargaining power when you hired an attorney -- as you found out. Now it's up to the lawyers to hash it out and I sure hope your car doesn't get much worse. Your dealer is being told by their attorney not to discuss the situation or work on your car at all, and they are not obligated to work on your car unless approved by the lawyers for both parties. And that's something ANY car dealer would do, not just VW.

I truly sympathize with you and I just hope I never have to post such news here on my Jetta experiences.

Just seems to me that the easy way out would have been to take the new car.

eduardojr10

my previous post should have been addressed to Jlondon... Murphy23 is having issues, just like everyone else... goodluck jlondon and let us know what you decide to do...

pat455

If you will go back and read my post to which you refer, you'll find that nowhere do I suggest jlondon or anyone else "not take this discussion into account".

I personally know very little about Jettas. My role here as a Community Leader is to help folks find resources that they need.

In that light, I was suggesting that there are other places in Town Hall in addition to this one to research the Jetta and the Beetle.

I did point out the fact that the entire reason this topic exists is for our members to discuss problems. I just want to be sure that folks realize that a topic focused on problems is not likely to attract contributions by owners who have none.

And no, bluejetta and I are certainly not the same person.

:-)

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

pat455

Sorry, eduardojr10, for misspelling your name.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

bluejetta

I'm afraid I'll have to agree with Pat and say that we are not the same person. I'll also have to agree with Pat that I (also) never said, "... not to take this discussions into account..." I will also say, for the record, that I have no idea who Pat is.

As I said in my very first post to this forum on Fri, Sep 22, 2000, I am very concerned about the problems reported by other Jetta owners. Who wouldn't be?

One thing I did suggest is that people should read other forums -- not just this complaint forum. I have read posts from many satisfied Jetta owners here and other forums so for someone to base their purchase on reading this negative, mostly one-sided thread is simply not right.

In addition to some of the severe problems that you and others have experienced, people should also read of the positive relationships other Jetta owners have with their cars and their dealers.

I have had a VERY positive relationship with my dealer and my 2001 Jetta...So far. That could all change in a week, month, year or whatever. I plan on posting here for some time on the history of my experiences with my Jetta and the responsiveness/non-responsiveness of my dealer.

But, like I also said in my first post, my car is still young...I could be screaming like you soon if my car goes lemon-ized. Or I could be like many, many other Jetta owners and not have the wicked problems that you and some others have had.

People should also take into account that not every Jetta owner on the planet posts here, so there are many, many satisifed Jetta owners out there that have not had problems such as yours and are perfectly happy with their cars.

My neighbor 6 houses down has a 2000 Jetta. No warranty repairs. My neighbor 3 houses down has a relative with a 2000 Passat. No warranty repairs. We have a few friends with 90's VW's with no significant problems other than normal maintenance items.

Obviously, VWoA has some serious issues to deal with, as reported in this forum. All I can say is that I hope I do not become one of those statistics. But, I will report honestly if I do.

Good luck!

P.S. I (also) am not a VW rep., nor was I a Honda rep. when I owned an Accord.

bgordon3

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bgordon3

According to the above, there were twice as many complaints registered with the Japanese made box.

bgordon3

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bgordon3

.. you think I've wasted all this space, time, and effort; I sure learned something.. VW is way more reliable (by federal reports) than Honda. Besides, when I drove the accord, I did'nt like the seats in the front, you slide forward, or in the back, you hit your head on the roof if you're over 5'8". I didn't like the steering, you wander, as I find with all Japanese autos. I ordered the Prius a couple of months ago. But now they've been recalled with back ordered steering assemblies. I doubt I'll get it by the promised mid-December date. I just drove my first Benz today (a used 93 190E) that I almost bought for under 10K. Whoa, I MEAN WHOA....; what a great car!! I mean this thing, even though it has 108k miles on it, and it's just their cheapest 4cyl 4 door sedan, this car can out-steer and out-maneuver and out-brake ANY VW or ANY Japanese car at any price! The brand new 2001 C-Class due out very soon is UNDER 30k!!!!!!!!; definitely has my attention.

bluejetta

Thanks for the research time on your part. Interesting reading. ;-)

tiffy724

Okay guys, I really need your help here! I am currently a college student looking for a reliable, safe car. And I was looking in for a disel Jetta GLX '00 or '01. And I was browsing around but I hear all these problems about it and I was wondering would anyone clear it up for me because I might end up getting this and I don't want to regret it! Thanks!

yeej67

I believe the GLX models are not available with a diesel engine. This might may your decision a bit easier.

loplo

How good is it? Is it anywhere near as good ad the audi quatro? A step down? I live in NE, and want safty... any suggestions?

pat455

... discussions about purchasing this vehicle and/or the various features of various models, you really will get better information in our Jetta topics in Sedans (or Sportscars or Wagons, depending on the model).

Just use the Topic Search feature on the left side of this page for Jetta and scroll through the list looking for those conferences, and a recent posting date.

This conference is for maintenance and repair issues of our community members existing vehicles.

Trust me! :-)

Good luck to everyone.

Pat
Community Leader/Mainteanance & Repair Conference

melech

I'm bringing my '99 'glx in for its (free) 20,000mile/2 year servicing. The VW Warranty book says that it includes a brake fluid change. The dealer -- Beaudry Motors, Tucson, AZ - - says it means an inspection of the fluid and a change ONLY if needed. The statement in the book seems pretty straightforward to me.

I'd be interested in your experiences about what's included in the free service.

Melech

jschlitz

In the long lists compiled above, bgordon3 is arguing that there are twice as many Accord complaints. Look at the lists carefully...MANY OF THEM ARE DUPLICATES!! They are the same complaint listed over and over again. Some are repeated 3 and 4 times in a row, some appear later again in the report. What's that all about?

Plus, even if there were twice as many Accord complaints (which, we see from this erred list there are NOT), I still make the case that since there are 3-times as many Accords sold, if the vehicles were of the "same" quality, then there should be 3-times as many Accord complaints (see posts 556 and 583).

So, don't be misled by these "official" lists.

Also, if Pat455 and bluejetta are in fact not the same person, why is the screen name (not nickname) the same?

pat455

What are you talking about, jschlitz? I work here. As I said earlier, I know very little about Jettas. What I do know about is the resources available in Town Hall.

And my job is to point people in directions that are helpful to them.

I don't even HAVE a screen name, since that is an aol term, and I do not have an aol account. If you look at my profile and bluejetta's profile, you will see nothing similar between the two of us.

I do agree with you on one thing - one cannot compare TSB lists from one vehicle to another without also comparing the number of units sold. And I have posted that opinion previously (I believe that was in this topic, but it could have been in another VW topic in this conference).

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

bluejetta

Agreed on the posted stats there, jschlitz. The facts and numbers are a bit skewed there. But, it just goes to show that ANY manufacturer produces a lemon from time to time. Whether it be a Honda, Lexus, VW, Audi, Kia, etc...

As for the "screen name" comment (I really don't know what you mean, but); my personal profile is quite accurate and will still show that I am not Pat, and Pat is not me. I use BlueJetta at only two places on the Net: Here and VWVortex.

gladichecked

if you check pat455 and bluejetta's personal profile you will see they are not the same person. In fact, Pat has owned a Honda and currently owns an Acura, so I doubt he is conspiring against Honda. Paranoia will destroy ya...lol.

jschlitz

I see now what I "thought" I saw. I wasn't familiar with the layout of the board. When Pat and bluejetta were replying to each other, they wrote each other's name in the subject line. It looked like to me they both had the same screen name. Anyways, don't know if this makes sense, my mistake. But, I never said anything about AOL?!?!?

Blue..I agree every automaker makes lemons, even Honda. It's a fact. The only point(s) I was trying to make was:

1) I own a Civic
2) I was considering the Jetta vs. the Accord (I want to "trade-up").
3) After reading all the posts here, in other forums, and looking at other data all over the internet I concluded:
a) there are FAR more numerous problems with Jettas when considering the ratio of vehicles out there
b) these problems are recurring and often never remedied by the dealers (Such as rough cold starts, window leaks, etc.) and the dealers often say "That's normal on a VOlkswagon". To me, that is unacceptable.
c) when people do have problems with their new Jettas, the company seems to take a "we can't help you" attitude (see the lawsuits and complaints above).
d) from my own experience, I had a minor mirrow vibration problem with my Civic, and the dealer fixed it immediately -- no waiting for parts, no taking it back 3 or 4 times for the same thing, it just got fixed.
e) the stories above of the guy in Dallas (I live in Dallas) with Rusty Wallace, and the other person who has had their new VW in the shop 50 days since Jan. 1 scare me.
f) Some Hondas (fewer, mind you) do have problems, as with any car, but the Honda problems are not the recurring, unexplainable, unfixable (and lawsuit generating) problems so clearly and repetitively stated here.

So, after all that said, I will be buying a new Accord EX V6 Coupe, and I'm 99% sure I'll have nothing more than regular maintenance for the next 4 years, as is the case with most Hondas.

pat455

... to discussing maintenance or repair issues for Jettas that our community members have already purchased.

As I posted somewhere up there within the last couple of days, vehicle selection and buying advice is best obtained in our Jetta topics in other conferences.

This conference exists to help our members after the purchase has been made.

Good luck with your Accord, jschlitz.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

mcrosbie

I traded in my '94 Nissan for a '98 Jetta. The car has been phenominal. I haven't a single problem. I am averaging over 20K miles per year. The car has seen the dealer for routine maintenance only. I also own a 2000 Accord, and it has been nothing but trouble. It has 7,000 miles and has been back to the dealer 5 times. I bought it over a new Jetta because of size. It is a decision I am regretting. I know a lot of people with new Jettas and have heard nothing but good things.

As for as concerns about the Mexico plant, the problems were fixed in mid-94. As with any new plant, there will be problems the first couple years(ask Daimler-Chrysler about Alabama). People looking for Golfs should be wary of this. For 2001 they are being built at the new Brazilian plant and they already have problems they are working on. They were all recalled before they hit dealerships. With VW's track record of late, the problem should be remedied shortly.

harpoon2

mcrosbie,
I have a 99 Golf GLS which is getting replaced by vw for a 2001 which is great. The only thing I wanted to point out is that my car was built in Germany and so is the 2001 Golf. I know this because my VW rep. said it would take three weeks to build and ship to me. Also is you check the info at edmunds on the golf it also states that the car is built in Germany. Just wanted to let you know.
Harpoon2

Cooper

Yes, "Replace the brake fluid" means to "replace the brake fluid". I've had VWs for years, and the brake fluid is changed every two years.

bgordon3

Hi gang,

I remember when in 1983 I brought my year old VW into the dealer (Val Strough in Albany, CA at the time) for an emission controls problem. Actually, I had to tow it in because it stalled on the freeway. They wanted to charge me $175 to get my car back. I asked if this wasn't covered under the warranty. They said no. I asked to get into my car to get the owners manual to look at the warranty. They said no. OK, I called the police, got my car, and had the dealer charged with illegally impounding my vehicle. When I got to the owners manual, it showed that the repair was covered under the 50,000 mile California Emissions Control Warranty. The dealer decided not to charge me, but I still sued because of illegally impounding my vehicle, being so rude and so as a matter of fact and so un-apologetic. They (VWOA) settled for $50,000. I really have no patience for that kind of crap.

Tell them to change the the fluid. When you pick up the car, well you should know what to do. Email me if this feels uncomfortable. I may not be on this forum for awhile. I'm going to an auction Saturday, hopefuly to buy a used 1998 Mercedes C230. It's the only car I feel safe in, now that I finally drove one. It will probably go for under $20k, a lease return with under 25,000 miles and about year left on the warranty. I'm still keeping my 86 GTI though.

See ya,

Bob

marentette

I purchased a 2000 Jetta VR6 back in April and
from about 5,000km(Oh yeah, I'm Canadian) to
present (15,000km) I've experienced a very strong sulphur odour(rotten eggs) entering the passenger compartment. I've brought the issue to the
dealer's attention a number of times and they
continue trying to convince me that it's the brand
or octane level of fuel that I'm burning.

I've noticed that my tailpipe has been building up
with black(carbon) soot which pushes me to believe
that the engine is not burning efficiently and I
am losing improperly burned fuel out of my
tailpipe. I've owned three vehicles before my Jetta and I've never had a problem with odour nor with black at the tailpipe.

Just yesterday I was putting up the passenger side window and when it reached 3/4 of the way closed, it halted and sounded like something broke down inside the door. I brought it to the dealer right away and they said that the cable around the regulator that moves the window up and down has either snapped or slipped off the pulley. Nonetheless they are supposed to be fixing it as we speak ... but a far as the rotten egg smell goes, I was hoping someone may have some input/advice on this pain in the @ss.

It's unfortunate that I've had these little problems with the car because it is a gorgeous car and comfortable ... provided the dealer throws in a pair of nose plugs with the purchase!

sthuggins

I just wanted to respond to your complaint about the rotten egg smell. I have the same problem. I was also told it was the type of gas I was putting in the car. After many trips to the dealership they finally said that it was a misfire from bad plug wires that was causing the smell. They said the car was only running on 4 or 5 cylinders and it was overloading with fuel. This is a problem they still haven't fixed. They admit that it's not the gas but they still haven't been able to pin point the cause of the misfire problem. Thus the rotten egg smell is still present. Still no call back from vw on when they will service my car!

marentette

Did you notice that the car seemed bogged down at all or not running/idling smoothly compared to when you bought it? If so then that could be what the problem was. I contacted another VW dealership today and inquired whether they have experienced this problem with any customers. They said that most of the time (9 out of 10) this rotten egg smell is due to a faulty catalytic converter ... which is what I initially thought was the source of the problem. So I contacted my dealer and informed him of this information and told them to replace it or I'll go elsewhere. He needed authorization to replace it but I'm pretty sure they are going to do it ... otherwise they'll have a very unsatisfied customer.

So if they change the plug wires and/or plugs and the problem still exists, it could be your cat converter.

Let me know what happens and if you hear anything further about this.

sthuggins

When I get the smell the car is running poorly. i.e. sputtering and not idiling smoothly. This is an intermitent problem and my service department is aware of that. It can go for a week w/ no problems and no smell then it can act up for a week. My car has been in about 10 times and 60 days in the last 9 months for this same problem. They have changed the plug wires a few times the plugs, injectors, computer, o2 sensor, the coil pack, and a seal that is part of the intake manifold. They thought there may be a leak. They have not changed the converter. Just to let you know mine started off like yours. I eventually started having the check engine light comming on when it was running bad. Now it is stalling out. Let me know if the converter fixes your problem. I have mentioned it to them a couple of times but they never changed it out.

dwpc

We bought a new Jetta GLS auto in '99. After 10,000 miles we have had absolutely no problems of any kind. That was after owning an '84 Rabbit Convert for fifteen trouble-free years. Go VW!

bluejetta

I have also read some fuel injector theories to that problem that seems to nag at the VR6.

Window regulator problem is covered by a tech bulletin at: http://tech.vw.com/ but not sure if there's one for that engine prob.

bgordon3

If you call the EPA air quality board, they will assist in smearing eggs on VWOA's faces. They are the ones who grants them the license to import the vehicle only IF they can keep their rotten eggs home.

bluejetta

From what I have been reading on other forums full of VW tuners, message #526 pretty much states the majority opinion on the 1.8T hesitation problem. Chip it. Not only will you get smoother response, but you'll release the beast that is currently sleeping under your hood.

slikster

i have also noticed that in my 2000 vw jetta VR6 it hesitates at start, especially in the morning when the car is not warmed up and it had a 1-2 sec hesitation before it JERKS off the road and ROARS! i haven't taken it to the dealer yet what have you guys done about this problem?

mattjettavr6

I have the same car (VR6). I notice the same hesitation in the mornings with mine(2000 model). My cure is to just let it warm up a bit longer. No problems after that. It is surely a result of the induction design and the cold start circuit. Another culprit could be the stall setting of the torque converter .
You never mentioned whether or not it was AT (auto trans). Mine is and the only thing I don't like is the way the AT will jerk if it can't decide which gear it should be in based on my speed range. This is due to the fact that it is electronically controlled and relies on inputs from the on board cpu. Not a transmission that I would call "perfected". Even the hydraulic valve body controlled unit (non-electronic) in my 91 Golf responds better.
Once on the Beltway here in Northern Virginia I tried to pull out to get around slower traffic in front of faster moving traffic and nothing happened for like second and a half! I had the car floored and zilch, zero, nada, nothing. An instant later the car explodes forward like a rocket. Needless to say I was P'd off. I almost got hit and it was my fault because I chose the option. I didn't want to have the burden of a manual trans in an area of heavy traffic. Let me give you pre-purchase browsers some advice. If you prefer driving manuals for the control and precision it delivers but are worried about the wear on the clutch (not to mention your left leg). And you live in a heavy traffic area like D.C. ....GET THE MANUAL ANYWAY. My one big buying mistake..... Other than that this car kicks butt and if you know how it likes to be driven it will reward you with comfort and security.
I just know that my next VW will be bigger and better and it will have a manual transmission.
12,450 miles and no breakdowns or other problems.
I must say in the cars defense.....I am an offensive driver. After riding motorcycles here for the last 12 years you have to be. Not overly aggressive or reckless but I like precision cars that perform well with precision inputs from the driver. The VR6 is this and I'm sure with a manual I would be a lot happier. VW's ad should have said "Drivers Wanted" and in fine print at the bottom "Only if you get one with a manual transmission......otherwise we'll take anybody".

bluejetta

I have a 2.0L with Auto and none of the above stated problems.

slick17

I noticed a rattling noise coming from (seems to be the tranny) when I hit 2000-2200 rpms... has anyone else experience this? It sounds like something is loose in the transmission (doesn't happen when I don't put the car into gear and rev it to 2k).. the rest of the rpm range does not make any noise... Should I bring this up at my next visit?

Cooper

Depending on the type of rattle it is, one likely candidate may be pebbles caught between the catalytic converter and the screen guard underneath the converter that can't work their way out.

That happened on my old VW, and I thought it was about a hundred different things before I finally figured it out. It sounded like the old trick of pebbles behind a hub cap. I have a friend that has a VW. too, and we'll soon be crawling underneath to "de-pebble" his converter.

rjnich

I own a 1999 A4 Jetta GLS (4 cylinder). It has 21k miles, relatively trouble free. I am currently waiting for a new odometer cluster as my current one shorts out, and I have noticed poor reception quality on the radio, which is being looked into at the dealer next week. I consider these items typical "luck of the draw" type problems, which my dealer will fix under warranty.

The car is fun to drive, and I have no real complaints.

My questions are:

What do people recommend for decent all weather tires for the new Jetta? I live in the NE, so snow is an issue, but I believe I should be able to do better than the stock tires.

I have heard that the car would run better on a synthetic oil, which I plan on continuing to change every 5k miles instead of the dealer 10k plan. Is "Castrol" a good choice? And am I being overly "anal" about the oil issue, ie should I just keep with the dealer maintenance program??

Any help is appreciated. If anyone has any questions for a two year owner, ask away...

labrat2

I have a 99 VR6 5 speed that I notice has a slight hesitation from a dead stop or even on hard acceleration from a slow speed. The dealer told me that there is no throttle cable and that the hesitation or lag is the time it takes for the computer to react to the accelerator position. The service guy said it was a problem with the VR6s. Is this the case? another slight annoyance is a ticking sound coming from the right front. It actually sounds like valves clicking, the service guy told me that the sound was the serpentine belt "flapping" and that they cant tighten it enough to eliminate the sound. Anyone experience similar sounds, All in all it is a great little car, my wife loves it but when I drive it I notice these small issues, I dont want to call them problems, at least not yet. This is our first VW, I have been a diehard nissan owner but hate the styling of the current line of autos. I put a lot of miles on my cars, I keep them till the wheels fall off, so I hope that VW is up to giving me at least 250K miles of relatively trouble free service

svonkulp

I currently have a 1985 5-speed diesel Jetta that I've had since last March. It's had a couple major problems but has always rebounded. First the brakes went out, and they went out again less than a year later, so the guys fixed them again for free. It was the rear cylinder both times, is this a common problem?

Then I had the front left wheel bearing go out, and got that fixed. That was by the same mechanic who sold me the car. Nice guy, and his teenage daughter used to drive it, so I wasn't too concerned about it having hidden problems. He said it was just an old-age thing, the car has almost 200K miles on it.

Most recently (last Friday), we were on our way to Chicago and my hubby, who'd only learned to drive a stick the weekend before, hit a flap of semi tire that was stretched across the lane, there was no way to avoid it. Turned out that the water separator got severely damaged and the place they towed it to put a bandaid on it (parts, $2, labor, $60) and told me the replacement part would cost ~$200.

We also just replaced the transmission in our Transport, and are waffling between replacing the Jetta and fixing it again. It doesn't have any lingering problems, and it'll probably run fine again if we replace the separator, I just don't know if it's worth sinking in the money (we bought for $1800 cash). I'm really looking at the 2000 GL TDI, but one of my friends last night told me that recent VW's are having major problems. Does anyone here have the model I mentioned, and can give feedback on it? TIA...

pat455

Try this link:

Volkswagen Jetta - Part 3

That topic is over in our Sedans conference, which is a much better place to ask about the 2000's, there should be lots of owners hanging out there.

Good luck.

Pat
Community Leader/Maintenance & Repair Conference

bj02176

The 1.8 turbo does indeed hesitant, it did so on my 99 Passat. At a stop it is pretty poor on getting you through or across an intersection at a pretty health speed, it's one of the reasons I traded it. It also skipped at highway speeds, and when cold and climbing hills it surged. A friend has a regular engine jetta, it seems fine.

bbrunojr

Hi all,
My 2001 Silver/black leather 1.8T is coming up on
2000 km. My question is after a long drive, 2
hours and with cruise on, I had no problem. Later
that same afternoon, I noticed that the Turbo
seemed to "skip." It would rev hi, then low, or
not kick in at all. It has now been three days
since and everything seems perfect again. Any
insight?

bub4

i had earlier posted #523 and #622 concerning 1-2 second hesitation when accelerating from near stops. appreciate responses from others with similar problem. is there a consensus about whether this is a problem with the auto transmission or the engine? chip-it sounds like fun but what if it's really the auto trans that is the problem. we need an unbiased tech to give all of us a clue.

bluejetta

I have a 2001 2.0 with auto-trans and experience ZERO hesitation from a dead-stop or near dead-stop launch.

I have read from VW tuners that the stock chip is the problem, whether you have a stick or automatic. I don't think there are many tuners that hang out here, but you might check out vwvortex.com for some very informed advice on this issue.

You do know that the 1.8t is the exact same engine in the Audi TT right? Same-o same-o, just chipped down.

rrao

If the car has been lying overnight or for a long period of time when switched on it makes a chugging throttle noise that seems to come from the exhaust. Is this normal in the winters cos its kinda cold ?? Is this happening to others ??

Please help !!!