Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

justin

Just bite the bullet, and take the car to the most reputable VW service center in your area. Let them fix the rattles. Do not fear - they are fixable.

longhorn77

Yeah, I already scheduled to bring her in tomorrow morning. I'll tell you, the difference between VW dealerships in different areas is night and day. The dealer I bought the car from was uninformed, misleading and rude. The one that I bring it to for service has been great so far.

blackjetta18t1

you need to get a lubricant of sorts, preferably BMW's Gummi PFlege rubber lubricant. You can pick it up at a BMW dealership for about $7.50. You lubricate the door seal that is the top of the door frame. It gets bad in cold weather so even when u do lube it up, the lub may freeze, but otherwise it works, its what VW does for the same problem.

target3

Is anyone having any issues with Tiptronic? I ask because I am in the market for a new car and am considering going with an automatic rather than a manual.

longhorn77

Thanks Blackjetta. I will try it out.

On another note: I'm kinda irritated that VW came out with a 201 hp vr6 right after I bought mine. And mine IS a 2002 GLX, but still has the 174 hp engine. Bad timing.

jmyers42

I just took delivery on a new 2002 VW Jeta 1.8 Turbo that has a heat vent problem. The heat bleeds thru the upper vents when the system is set on the normal floor setting which blows in my face!. Not comfortable. The dealer where I bought the car checked it out and told me that this is normal for the new Jetta's and that I should close my upper vents when I run the heat which is the first car I ever had to do this for in over 46 years of new vehicles purchases. Anyway, I closed the upper vents tonight on the way home on a cold evening and set the heat on the floor seting with the upper vents closed ( per dealer instructions )which then the heat was blowing out through the defroster into my face. Does anyone else who just bought a new 2002 Jetta have this problem and if so what is your info and/or remedy with VW? I am ready for the Lemon Law after being an owner of Nissan Maximas for the past several years! Never had such problems with a Maxima or other new cars before.

J.M. Florida

blackjetta18t1

i know with mine and other jetta,s if the heating and cooling system is off it still blows thorugh the vents and thats solved by hitting recirculate, but havent heard of your problem...

justin

no heating issues here on either of my jettas. also, the tiptronic is great - no problems.

cyberfire12

Don't ya just love it when you go into a dealer and the problem is a "normal" situation for that vehicle or the tried and true "could not duplicate" problem.

As far as my 99.5 new Jetta, (2.0, auto) its been pretty good with some gremlins but nothing to sour me. FWIW, my rear brakes went first also at around 38K but the fronts are still good at 45K. The only thing that annoys me, besides dealer service is the 2 sec delay in the auto trans in shifting from D to R or R to D (also 'normal!')

Right now I am thinking of trading for a Camry or Passat just because I want something a little larger. VW makes a good machine with a lot going for it but sometimes spotty reliability and VERY questionable dealer service is a drawback. Camry is generally reliable and comfortable as an old sweatshirt but to get the same equipment then the price goes UP.

aem1979

i just bought a 2002 jetta 1.8t. I was driving on the highway going about 65 mph and hit a small, possibly metal, object which made my side airbags go off. There seems to be no damage to my car and i didn't really feel a hard impact... has anyone else had their airbags go off for seemingly no reason?

rockstar2

Help! My brand new 2002 has a mysterious rattle that seems to be coming from behind the dashboard, in the middle and left hand (drivers side) of the vehicle. I'm taking it in into the dealership tomorrow to have looked at. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, what was the fix at the dealership? I want to have this fixed the first time if possible.

bsheri

There was an Associated Press article in the paper today saying VW is recalling about 324,000 Golf, Jetta and New Beetle cars to correct possibly faulty exhaust systems, according to the EPA. They are "voluntarilly recalling the 4-cylinder, 2-liter gasoline engine vehicles from the 1999, 2000 and 2001 model years. The EPA said the models' emissions were elevated because of malfunctioning oxygen sensors." VW has "agreed to reprogram the engine-control module with updated oxygen sensor control software and to inspect and replace, if needed, the defective sensors at no cost to vehicle owners."

My question is this... this past October (four months ago), the oxygen sensor in my 2000 Jetta malfunctioned and had to be replaced, at a hefty price of about $500 (parts&labor). It certainly sounds to me like VW has acknowledged that this was a defective part. Is there any way I can be reimbursed for the repair? If you have any advice on how I should go about this, who i should contact, etc, i would really appreciate it. Thank you!

justin

That delay from D to R and so forth is completely normal. EVERY automatic transmission that VW makes and installs does it. I promise I had a 99.5 Jetta and now a 2002. Also have driven quite a few 98 and newer Passats. All the same. Not sure why....but at least I know it is not broken.

Mr_Shiftright

aem---someone mentioned a while back hitting against the gas pump island at a service station with their rear wheel and the air bags going off.

yettibutt

My wife's 2000 Jetta is about to hit 40K. When at the dealer today for an oil change and a warranty issue, I asked what this would cost. He told me the service is 450 dollars. This seems pretty high, but I know dealers are always more $$. However, I don't know if I trust anyone else to do this especially since it keeps my warranty valid. Anyone here can tell me what exactly they do for this? I would like to do any of it that I can or should I try to take it somewhere else, not a dealer, than can perform the service.

Thanks

blackjetta18t1

I was wondering if anyone with a 1999-2001 Jetta has recevied any info about in form of a postcard or letter or anyhitng from VW regarding the recall?

dkmpsu

I have a brand new 2002 Jetta GLS 2.0 manual. I noticed a slight rubbing noise when making sharp turns at slow speed, usually when applying gas. Does anyone know if this is just the power steering, or should I get it checked out?

blackjetta18t1

I've got a 2001 Jetta GLS 2.0 auto and have heard similiar sounds and have had similiar questions...

mynewvw

I brought my 02 jetta v6 in for wheel balancing due to steering wheel shaking at 30+mph.

After I got the car back, I noticed that the wheel shaking had not gone away. But worse is that the car feels much softer in turns than it did (like a caddy, not a vw) before I brought in it for service. My question is: is their an adjustment of the shocks or some other part which they could have made which would cause the ride to be softer?

mynewvw

Does anyone know of a very good vw service center in the NYC/Northern NJ area?

vocus

A co-worker of mine has a 2001 GLX VR6 stick, and he said there is a noticeable hesitation between 1500-2000 rpm where his car almost stalls. He said the dealer told him this was normal and a problem with the VR6. Is this true? If so, I am even more glad I got the turbo now.

frogolio

It'll be time for the 40K tune up for my Jetta, 1.8T soon. My dealer also quoted $450. Nuts! The majority of the service consists of checking for possible leaks, belt condition, fluid levels and the condition of your breaks, tires, wiper blades, etc. All items checked and replaced are listed in your owners manual (service section). The items that will be replaced in your vehicle (depending on engine choice) are the spark plugs, the air filter and pollen filter, the fuel filter and you'll get an oil change. Total price for parts is about $100.00! I know. I took a keen interest in this very issue after my dealer told me what they wanted to charge me.
There are various service shops that specialize in Imports that you can check into. This would be a great improvement over the dealer. Ask around.
Doing it yourself would be the most economical, though. I get to do that this weekend. Wish me luck.

blackjetta18t1

I'm in Northern NJ and go to Jack Daniels VW in Fair Lawn, not to bad but they could be much better, the other one is in Englewood Cliffs, East Coast VW and that is kind abad, because they won't fix your car. I had a problem and I told them that Jack D. had fixed it but its back, but they said its not their problem, its a shop comeback for JD that VW will not pay their service department...bulll

justin

my automatic VR6 was great. must be that your co-worker is having clutch or manual transmission driving issues

mynewvw

Thanks for the reply. I have tried East Coast and though I haven't had a problem, I can't say I excited about going there.

nambraf

I just picked up my 2002GLS 1.8T 5 speed, and I noticed that my Monsoon CD system has more bass and is louder on the right side, whether I'm using a CD, radio, or cassette. I have to adjust the balance to the left. Has anyone else experienced this, or is there a problem? Also, there is a bad rattle on driver's side door or window. Apparently this is a common complaint. But is it easily fixable?
Thanks.

8u6hfd

is pretty good.

For the 40,000 mile service, the TDI models include a timing belt change. That would make up for the bulk of the $400. Check if they are charging you for a timing belt change

moparbad

TDI only requires timing belt change on automatic transmission at 40K, the manual requires change at 60K. For 2002 the belt is redesigned and the timing belt change is 80K for manual and automatic. The redesigned belt may be used on 1999-2001 ALH TDI engines and is good for 80,000 miles.

trainiac

96 Jetta 4 cyl 5-speed GL model 103,000 miles, no trouble until this last week when driving on the highway, smoke came pouring out of exhaust and severe pinging occurred. Towed in and diagnosed a defective oil pump. Replaced, and the car seemed to be okay until a day later the oil light would come on for 5 or 10 minutes and then shut off. Mechanic said there were a lot of plastic pieces that came out when it was torn down. Could it be a blockage in the lubrication system? A compression test indicated that the internal parts of the engine seem to be okay. Other than that, the car seems to run well. Any input? Thanks in advance.

Mr_Shiftright

train---this sounds like an incomplete diagnosis and perhaps a mis-diagnosis. If your oil pump in fact failed while at highway speeds you have internal damage I would guess. Severe pinging would have meant severe heat ??, and an oil pressure light means bearing wear, which a compression test cannot detect.

The mechanic should apply a mechanical oil pressure gauge and determine hot oil pressure. If this is low, and given that you have a new pump, I think you'd have to tear the engine down then.

You could also do a cylinder leakdown test prior to tear-down.

Also, I haven't heard of plastic oil pumps? Is that right?

frogolio

I performed the checks and replaced parts as recommended by the service manual last weekend. The only exception was the fuel filter.
I have the part. However, the fuel lines were pretty tight and I was afraid of breaking something. Two screw drivers aren't my idea of a gentle leverage device. Also, I wasn't quite sure how to bleed the pressure in the lines.
Any advice? Thanks.

trainiac

Thanks for the response! The original message was second hand information based on my girlfriend's experience. After talking with mechanic today, he claims he did not have to replace the oil pump, but dropped the pan and found several pieces of plastic in the oil. No clue as to why, but it sounds like someone either made a mistake and dropped something in the oil filler or possibly, SABATOGE!!! Excluding the latter, we'll try a local VW repair shop and see what they suggest. Thanks for the information,it makes a lot of sense.

Mr_Shiftright

Hmm...most peculiar. We'd be interested in hearing more later.

newvan2

Besides having problems with my Jetta from the day I took it home to next week when the lease ends, I am looking for other Jedi who have had these similar promblems. I have a 98 Jetta 4 door.
Side molding falling off.
Rear windows work intermittently.
Tires leak constantly.
Plastic door knobs break when it is cold.
Others???
Thank you

Mr_Shiftright

Side molding falling off---3M weatherstripping adhesive. Door will fall off before molding does.

Rear windows work intermittently--dirty switch contacts. Pull and clean with electronic cleaner spray (careful, it can damage paint or upholstery!).

Tires leak constantly--rim leaks. Common problem, Good tire shop can fix this or you have a bent rim.

Plastic door knobs break when it is cold--well, I don't have a fix for that one. Don't pull so hard.

newvan2

Thanks for the reply, BUT you are respectfully incorrect, and here is why
The windows do not work because the wiring harness in the rear doors is placed incorrectly therefore snipping the wires after the door jam breaks through the harness. My dealer had a great way to fix it. They spliced it together while under warranty and told me they could not recreate the problem, when it was out of warranty the problem was suddenly the harness needing to be replaced. The splicing was so obvious with electrical tape in there etc...
Side Molding falling off, sure that is an easy fix if the molding falls off in your garage. What if it falls off without noticing it is gone. Now having to replace it before the lease ends. OH and this has happened repeadetly with 3 of the four moldings.
Thank you but try again.

Mr_Shiftright

Ah, okay, I see. You don't want help, you just wanted to complain. Okay, have at it then! I won't try again.

ntreb1

My list of problems is almost identical for my 98 Jetta:

I have used the adhesive on my moulding to repair, luckily I repaired this before they fell off.

Rear Windows work intermittently - I will try the solution suggested by Mr_Shiftright (Thanks in advance). I have fixed the other back window that fell off the track due to a tiny broken "plastic" piece in the window guide. Judging by the quality of this piece, I suspect this could be a common problem.

No tire leakage yet.

Plastic door knobs break off - Yes, I have two broken door knobs and I remember breaking them by pulling them (not excessively) and was wondering what the heck is going on? Isn't that what these parts are made for?

Overall the powertrain seems to be fine with these cars its just the accessories and interior parts are pieces of junk.

donfischel

Although I have a question about my Passat, I believe it also applies to a Jetta. I have a 2002 Passat GLX V6 automatic. When starting from a dead stop there is often a hesitation of 3-4 seconds and then the vehicle lurches forward ( sometimes it moves very slowly, just like a carbureted vehicle with gas vaporlock). It also happens in reverse. I do not have my foot on the brake at the same time I'm accelerating. I have not been able to duplicate the problem at the dealership, so they tell me there is nothing they can do - and they tell'm the first person with this complaint. VW America Customer "No Service" is very unresponsive. However, from viewing other sites where people report the same problem I think this situation is quite common and that VW just doesn't want to admit to this flaw. I think it is a giant coverup. Making left turns in front of oncoming traffic can be very iffy and backing out of driveways and in parking lots is really scary and dangerous when the vehicle lurches back. Has anyone at this site exprienced this problem? Has anyone had a dealer admit to the problem? I've filed a complaint with the NHTSA but unless they get many complaints they will not investigate. I would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you.

target3

I am in the market for a Jetta, and test drove both the 1.8T and VR6 last night. The 1.8T was hands down better than the VR6 (manual). The turbo shifted great, just like my 88 Jetta. However, the VR6 was not smooth at all. Lots of hesitation on the low rpm end. I drove it first, and initially thought maybe I was shifting erractically - the subsequent turbo test drive indicated I was not. Just a hunch, but I bet the VR6 does much better with a manual - and is made for it. The opposite is true with the turbo (due to turbo lag). No lag with a manual.

justin

newvan:

what is your point? i am lost. you are saying these items are wrong with your car. so fix them. or give the car back. i must be missing something. what are you hoping to accomplish here. i would love to offer an opinion or advice - not sure what you are asking.

target:

in my opinion, having had two current gen Jettas, one VR6 and now a turbo, it is not the engine that causes the delay. it is the automatic transmission. just part of the car. any delay in a manual would have to be drivers error, or an actual engine malfunction, causing any number of red lights to flash on the dash board.

i have an automatic turbo now, and yes, stop and go traffic, switching lanes, etc, can be tricky. the car JUMPS. have to be careful.

Mr_Shiftright

If the dealer cannot "duplicate the problem", then how could you expect them to fix it? You should leave the car with them, and if the problem exists, it will occur sooner or later while the car is in their care.

boravr6

Yup. They all have hit the 2001 Jetta VR6 25K miles:

Hesitation in D-R. Lurching.
Knocking sound at exactly 40mph.
Grinding noise while turning from the steering
Shifting gears erratic.
Lotsa door scratches onthe silver paint.

teo

Hmmm that VW quality man!

blackjetta18t1

As far as the hesitation, since it's gotten cold here, in the mornings, sometimes when I put it in reverse, the car barelly goes and giving gas is very unresponsive, but I never thought tooo much of it. With scrates, I've got a plethora of them(black paint of course...) With steering grinding, I get it to, along with the knocking at lower speeds due to a bad rubber joint in the front stabiulzer bar. This was fixed before, came back the next day, dealer could never hear it, finally when it was louder I take it, and it stops doing it there! jeez...I saw something from the NHTSA about this exact type of problem being potentially very dangerous and because of it, the Golf had a recall....and VW tells me it's nothing to be concerned about....I really like the car, but I am not looking forward for another two years(what kinda stuff may happen when this much has happened in the first year...)

justin

Teo? I really do try to take you seriously, but you make it so hard. What are you doing in this board? Being the proud driver of a nice new deluxe Impala by world renouned automaker, Chevrolet, what type of advice can you give to people that are having maintenance and repair issues with their Jettas?

What can you contribute? Please tell me. I gotta know. SERIOUSLY. Can you answer that question for me? Not joking. You don't have to answer, and I know you probably won't/can't, but I figure it is worth a shot. So I will ask again:

What are you contributing, or ever hope to contribute, to a VW Jetta board, when you own a car that is the complete opposite of a Jetta? How are you helping?

vocus

Well your car had to be replaced, it had so many problems. At least no one has had a horror story like that.

Kirstie_H

justin, use the "auto-ignore" feature.

teo, please keep the wind-ups outta here. We're not starting an imports vs. domestics (futile) argument in this forum too.

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com

frustratedvw

Help! My 96 Jetta has been in the shop 5 times in the past 7 days!
A few days ago, they were fixing something (irrelevant), and I asked them to look at my cruise control, because it had been cutting out once in a while. They informed me that it was shot.
So two days later, I'm driving to work, doing about 65 mph, with the cruise set. All of the sudden, the engine seemed to stop (I'm not sure how else to explain this). It was as if I had slammed on the brakes. I was thrown forward (luckily I had my seatbelt on), the airbag light went on (but they didn't deploy). It only lasted for a second, and the car was still running. I pulled off the side of the road, placed the car in park, and then it stalled.
It started up again, and I got it home okay.
My question is: What in the WORLD could have caused this? Did they goof when they were checking the cruise control two days prior? Forget to plug it back in correctly?
It's been two days. It's in the same shop right now, and they just called me to tell me the same thing they told me on Monday. The cruise control is shot. They said this "could" cause an electrical problem. Oh, and, by the way, that will be $50 for having us look at it again.
This answer is NOT good enough!
Does anyone know???
Thank you!!!

teo

Hmmm.. Opposite views are not welcomed in TH..what a shame.

Carry on fellas...