Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

anonymous02

Isn't there a starter solenoid also?

mliong

Yes, Solenoids are also used on starters.

I'd get the repairs for that Check engine light fixed prior to emissions testing - some states are now forgoing the traditional emissions tests and have moved to hooking into the onboard diagnostic systems to do their work for them.

Talk about rip offs, they charge you more for it in Arizona too!

mdaffron

a "solenoid SWITCH."

She specifically called it a solenoid "VALVE." And the solenoid on the starter either works or it doesn't. Since they didn't notice anything wrong other than the "check engine" light being on, I don't think it would be the starter.

And I seriously doubt it'd be the starter solenoid anyway. I don't even think the pricey Europeans would ask $400 for that. At least I hope not. But really, get a second opinion (and more information) from a private shop. I don't know about your town, but mine (Richmond, VA) has several really nice private VW shops around town.

Meade

vocus

Don't worry about your car being stolen. It would take a professional to do it, probably. When you set the theft alarm, it kills the fuel pump. When you open the driver's door is when the fuel pump "primes" itself (that hum you hear), so the car should be ok.

Sounds like your Jetta experience has been a bad one though. Sorry to hear that. I have had some problems with my car, but still like it alot.

mliong

I can certainly empathize with Sue. My wife's '97 Jetta has the same problem - windows.

To date, her car has had an average of two+ window failures a year. Regulator? Check. Motors? Check. They are just cheap parts that fail without warning, or much use - my wife never rolls down the windows, and they still fail!

The quality of the Jettas are so good, even my brother in-law is facing the same problems with his 2000 Jetta!

But, if you have the redesigned Jettas (A4?) then you need not worry! VW has supposedly got a temporary fix for you! They are currently retrofitting some cars in Arizona with a pin that locks the windows in an upwards position. Then, all you have to do is wait and get in a line (a long, long, long, long, LOOOOOONG line) to get the newer redesigned regulators that don't have the cheap plastic parts that melt and break!

I'm sorry to hear about your window problems, and I certainly do hope that VW is picking up the tab for them, because at two window repairs a year, you would have been easily out a cool grand!

mdaffron

Where do you live exactly? And what color is your car?

;-)

Meade

mtena

Nobody was hurt, but my 2001 Jetta 1.8T got rammed from behind while I was stopped in traffic last week.

I'm pleased to report that the bumper did it's job very well. The bumper needs replacement work, but the car was otherwise undamaged. The insurance company of the party at fault is picking up the tab, to the tune of $800 (including $400 in labor). The damage actually looks relatively minor, but body shops tend to be really expensive. Still, it could have been worse, without the good, effective bumper.

1994vw

Since I bought my 94 VW from an auction (big mistake), I had oil leak problems with this car. I had that taken care of. I paid $250 for that. My A/C was not working. When I took it to the repair shop, they had to replace the condensor. That was another $300. But the indicator still comes on telling me my oil pressure is low. The repairman said there is no oil leak. He told me I will have to take to to a VW dealer shop because the car will need to be run through a computer to be reset. He said that this is generally a problem with most VWs. I have just had my oil changed. This annoying beeping sound will start about ten minutes into driving. This has been a problem non-stop since I bought the car in May. Help!! Does anyone have any idea why this is happening??

rmdecena

i brought my 2001 jetta to the dealership for its 25,000 mi service. the service guy at the dealer called me to report that my rear brake pads were prematurely worn out.

since my warranty had just ended, the guy said he talked to VW corporate and they said that they would cover 60% of the expenses to replace the pads and that i would pay 40%. (they arrived at that percentage because i had worn out 40% of my front brake pads already.)

after searching through TSB reports, i found that there was a report that stated, "INSPECTING THE REAR BRAKE PADS DUE TO PREMATURE WORN."

now, i've been bringing my car to the same dealership since i've bought my car, every 5,000 miles, for service, as i was told. i figured they would have noticed the wearing of the rear brake pads a bit sooner, wouldn't they?

anyways, i ended up paying the 40% for the labor and parts to replace the worn pads. am i being ripped off? and if so, is there anything now that i can do to get my money back for something i felt that i didn't have to pay for?

vw2002

Just recently I find there is a leakage of the coolant. I refilled to the level in between MIN and MAX, but after about two weeks, the level drops below the MIN line. I am worried about that maybe a serious leakage problem in the coolant systme. Can anyone tell me what I could do before I have to have to take it to a dealship?

Another problem is that the rubber strip on both sides of the doors are peeled off, because the outdoor temperature was too hot over the weekend. Anyone knows where and what kind of glue will attach rubbers with metals?

Thanks in advance!

balticjetta18t

Does that Service Bulletin tell them to look at the rear pads at 25K only? Besides, I believe that the 25k mile service is basically just an oil change. I think that since brake pads and manual transmission clutches are wear and tear items just as is a pro-rated battery replacement. The rear brakes on any car will go many more miles than the fronts as the fronts provide appox. 70% of the braking force all the time. The bottom line is that you should of had appox. 80% life left on the rears IMO> To me it sounds like the material on the rear pads was deficient in lasting as they should. I would talk more with your dealer to get in contact with a regional service manager to make you happy.

moparbad

You are not getting fleeced. The pads on the rear brakes are soft compound to reduce brake noise and to annoy the heck out of you. If you have the alloy wheels you probably noticed how dirty the rear wheels would get due to the dusty and quick wearing rear pads. The pads are usually worn out between 20-30K miles. Replace the pads with Mintex or EBC Greenstuff pads or something similarly good and replace the rotors if needed and you will see less dust, better braking performance and longer wearing brakes. Since the brakes are a wear item I would say you are doing very well to have any of the cost covered. The amount of wear on the brakes should have been noted reported to you during the last service.

sphere2

Have the 2001 Jetta's been recalled for a faulty Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in the ABS module? I've read in two places now that they have, but this morning the dealership told me to my face that the cars had not been recalled. Furthermore, has VW done anything to fix the window problem? This morning on my way to work my window fell through the door again. It's the 3rd time in the last 6 months and I never use the windows. Thanks.

moparbad

There is a recall on the ABS system that affects possibly 55,000 vehicles manufactured from 10/2000 to 09/2001. The defect can possibly cause fire. The window regulator is now redesigned to use a metal part instead of plastic. There is a high demand for the new part and some dealers are putting a piece of wood inside of the door to keep the window up while waiting for the part and others are using the old part. It is reasonable to expect VW to pay for your repair and I would not accept the old style plastic repair part unless it is a temporary fix.

yhari

Hello,

Any help would be greatly appreciated with my wife's 1997 Jetta GL 5 spd. 69,000 miles. Check engine light comes off and on. Had it reset at autozone! Great service, code says it is running "too lean". Light stayed off for about a day after the reset and then came back on. Have not run through the whole tank of Fuel Injector Cleaner/High Octane mix. Any thoughts? I can get the exact code again if it helps? What about changing the air filter.

Thanks
Yog Hari
yhari@yahoo.com

moparbad

I suspect the air flow sensor or oxygen sensor may need replacement. Can you take the car to an independent shop that has a VAG COM scan tool? The air flow sensor is about $280.00 and the oxygen sensor is $86.00. Not inexpensive and a dealer would cost much more than the above numbers.

yhari

Thanks a bunch Moparbad. a few questions?

1. Does your estimate include parts and labor or just parts?
2. What is a VAG COM scan tool? I take it that it is more advanced than what they used to get the code at Autozone?

Best Wishes
Yog Hari
yhari@yahoo.com

visvie1

The door handles and emergency brake handle in my 2001 Jetta are peeling. Has anyone heard of this? I have 27,000 miles, so unfortunately, I am just out of my warranty period.

fish8

What exactly is peeling? The crome plating?

visvie1

No, it's actually the hard plastic. It seems to have a rubber-like coating over it, and that is where i am seeing holes develop.

moparbad

The cost quoted was parts only. The cost is for parts ordered over the internet and is much lower than what the dealer charges. A Vag Com scan tool I would suspect is more advanced than what Autozone uses, it requires a computer and is a worthwhile investment for those who do their own maintenance. Look up Vag Com and Ross Tech on the internet to learn more. I do not have the list of codes for a 97.

budwhite

Hope someone can give me advice on this... I'm having difficulty shifting from park into gear. 2001 VW jetta V6 Automatic. When I step on the brake pedal, the shift lock light will not go out. It takes swveral attempts at pressing the brake pedal to get the shift lock light to go off. Also, now my EPC light stays on steady. Any advice would be appreciated.

Bud

anonymous02

Sell the VW. Buy a Chevette, Citation, Escort, or any other car, all of which seem to have better reliability records than the new Jettas.

jim758

My 2001 Jetta 1.8T broke down yet again. This time I was told that all 4 coil packs went bad. The car is not even 2 years old yet. Should I question this? It cost $450.00 (not covered by my 100,000 powertrain or by 24k/2years -already expired).

Is this a common problem for the Jetta?

Think it's time for a Honda....

protege_fan

Is there no warranty coverage for this????

Btw...the Protege has better reliability than the Civic right now according to CR.

balticjetta18t

What's your current mileage noted when the packs died?

budwhite

I called up the dealership from which I bought the car; it turned out to be a "brake light switch" which the dealership replaced at no cost; the car is still under warranty. I'm puzzled that this problem would crop up with only 7550 miles on the odometer, and that I would have to leave my car at the dealership for the whole day. Anyone else have this type of experience with their car?

vocus

Actually, one of the hosts (Kirstie) had the same problem with her car. She was able to get the car running with assistance from VW over the phone though, and it was the same problem you had. I don't know if it's common or not, but I have only heard these 2 cases of it.

jim758

My car has 31K on it.

dubi1

Hi,
VW Jetta 2001, 1.8T, 20000 miles.
Today I got my first "Check Engine Light".
Manual says something wrong with "Catalytic converter" ??!!
How serious is this, should I contact the delaership immediately, is this covered by warranty ?
appreciate your comments, and thanks .

vocus

If you take the car to the dealer, they will run a test on the car and get a code out of the computer that set off the "check engine" light (CEL). It could be something as simple as you not tightening the gas cap enough (always make it click 5 times at every fill-up). However, since your car is still under warranty, all repairs will be free. Don't sweat it, take it to the dealer.

mbwynne

mbwynne

I have a 2001 Jetta also with almost 40000 miles. My driver door handle is peeling as well. What poor quality. I have also driven a loaner car and it is peeling too. 89

8u6hfd

The MAF sensor prices went down a few months ago, to about $55 to $100. A substancial drop. THis price drop applies for the 2.0L & 1.8T, not the VR6 or the TDI.

cle216

I can't say enough of how DISAPPOINTED I am in Volkswagen and my 00 Jetta. In three years, it's been to the shop 5 times for the following:
*AC out twice
*check engine light continually comes on (even after 2x in the shop)
*rear brakes went out
And now the car is currently getting looked at for transmission problems in shifting and accelerating. I have called customer service, who were of no help or sympathy really. It's too bad, because I do like driving the car....but what a junker. I'll never buy VW again.

anonymous02

My wife's has had tranny problems also.

It seemed to keep leaking fluid. They replaced a gasket several times. I can't find a way to check tranny fluid.

Anyone know how? 1996 GL, auto tranny, 4 cylinder 2.0 liter motor.

Thanks.

other problems:
stranded by dead fuel pump
poor exhaust design
eats brakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
rubber trim on doors falls off
driver side headlight needs to get "knocked" or "punched" to come on full brightness
gas tank leaks
alarm troubles intermittent

shawnmalone

Of course, it's usually complaints that owners post on these forums. I thought it would be interesting to tell you about my experience, which has been quite positive.

In the summer of 1999, I bought two 1999.5 (A4 platform) Jettas. GLS, 5-speed, 2-liter, four-cylinder engines.

Before the two-year warranty ran out, I noticed an intermittent problem with the door locks (they didn't work with the remote every time). I couldn't get them to fail while the car was at the dealer, but the service writer did document that I had reported the problem.

After the warranty had expired, the remote door lock quit working altogether. Although I had to pay for the repair up front, VW Customer Service did reiumburse me 100%.

On one of my Jettas, the window regulator on the right front power window broke twice, once in July 2001 and again this month. Both times, VW covered the cost and the dealer had it fixed the next day. This is on a three-year-old car with 50,000 miles on it. I did not purchase an extended warranty.

Oil consumption has been a quart every 6,000 to 9,000 miles.

No, the Jetta's not for everybody, and yes, I can see that some owners have had bad experiences with them. But I haven't found these cars to be lemons. They're fun to drive, the mileage is pretty good (28 to 29 mpg) and in my experience, the reliability and service problems haven't been any worse than the industry standard. Certainly, my cars are more dependable than my computers.

mliong

I hard from a dealer that VW is replacing the el-cheapo-rama plastic window regulators for all Jettas from 1998 and onwards for free - so make sure they put in the newer regulators when you get them repaired!

IMHO, outside of the @#*%!&^%! windows, the Jettas are great cars! My in-law begs to differ though, as he appears to be having the same problems Shawn is experiencing.

nchokie

My wife drives a 2001 Jetta 1.8t, and has been noticing an increase in the sensitivity of the pinch protection in the two front windows recently. At first it was only happening
every once in a while, but now it happens 95% of the time - no exaggeration. The dealership says that they can not do anything about it without trashing the whole system. I saw this problem briefly addressed by nwvw (#813), and his post seems to suggest otherwise. Could anyone share their own experiences or give me any more information on this topic so that I might be able to get my dealer to address the problem?

I was actually surprised that more people haven't experienced it. We have been annoyed by it since
we bought the car new back in April of 2001.

Thank you for your help.

00tahoels

I have a used '00 Jetta VR6, w/ 50K on it, and I have only had to replace the right-rear brake rotor/pad and the rear-left pad (all 100% covered). I love the thing still. Anyway, my question: is the A/C section of the front dash supposed to be the same blue and red backlight as the rest of the interior? It's kinda annoying going for morning drives and you can't tell what the heck is going on down there. I've had some problems, but nothing near enough to consider the car a "lemon." Though I should say that the "100% covered" thing was only through the Toyota dealership who sold me the car. Anyway, thanks for the help

vocus

Those lights on the climate panel should light up in red. Take it to the dealer and have it replaced. The same thing happen to my 2002 and my buddy's 99.5 (mine once, his 3 times).

nostart

My wife's Jetta keeps making this thumping noise from underneath the car. Under the driver side rear seat. It will make the noise when trying to start. Then once it will not start it will keep making that noise while it just sits in the street. The dealership said they have never heard of that before. Check engine light now on. Any ideas. Time to buy a Metro.

fhohio

I have notice this on the "coin-holder" unit behind the front seats, which is for back seat use. It appears that the dullish finish on the plastic trim may cover typical plastic that is shiny. So far, that is the only place I have noticed this. Our 5 year old boy tends to put his feet on this item, hence the wear. Our car is a 2001 Jetta with only about 12,000 miles on it so far.

I have seen this occur in some Volvos as well.

yellowjett

i had the new body style jetta, i had problems with my power locks and windows. shrinking head liner, back breaks and rotors, engine sensors, keyless entry, just to name a few things. but i will have no further problems cuz i sold the car about three weeks ago.

cranecrew

I have an 00, New Beetle with the same problem. I now have to 'play' with the electric window switch to get the window up all the way. I can only put the window up a short distance at a time. It seems to be binding. Dealer says window goes up and down completely - what's your problem.

nchokie

It seems that someone thought it would be a great idea to permanently activate a pinch protection feature on our Jetta. I'm not even really sure how far back in the model years that it actually goes. But the whole idea is to keep kids' hands or pet heads from getting pinched into a window that is being closed. If the window senses any resistance, the window will automatically roll back down to about midway in the window frame. The problem with our particular windows is the level of sensitivity where they are currently set. Our sensors feels the window roll up into the upper frame and that resistance alone triggers the pinch protection, sending the window back down again.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great idea if you have kids. But we have no need for it, and would like to be able to disable it.

vocus

Don't know if you can disable it or not, but I have never used the pinch protection. I have purposely put my hand on the window as it goes up (to try to "slow" it down or something), and my pinch protection never activated. I have a 2002 Jetta 1.8T. Maybe mine isn't as sensitive or it's turned off?

vocus

Since the engine light is now on, the dealer will be able to tell something from that. Have it towed in (if still under warranty), and checked out.

staryon

Maybe it's soon to know, but does anybody know if the 2003 model has corrected these electronics, rattle and windows falling problems?

Thanks

ruiz1

I just got a phone call from my VW dealer and was told that I need new rear brakes (calipers AND rotors) at a mere $400.00 on a 2001 Jetta with only 30,000 miles. Oh and itis NOT covered under warranty. Anyone know I can get VW to pay for this?!