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Comments
I see that bpeebles is still in here giving advice which is nice. Maybe you might know why the jetta is manufactured in Mexico and the passat in Germany. I would consider a new passat, but the new TL looks appealing.
Thanks.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/7onyourside/wabc_7side_111103vwr- ims.html
Since then the car's been driving like those vw commercials--in tune with my environment and fun to drive.
On Veterans' Day I was on a VW lot in So. Cal. I always liked the passat glx, but for what vw is asking there are better and more reliable cars out there.
If you have any questions/concerns, please address them to me in email, karen@edmunds.com.
One thing.... it needs new tires. Any recommendations? I live in Minnesota, I want a good/cheap all season tire. It currently has firestone firehawk GTAs on the front, they seem to be a little jittery in the rain.
Rubber molding on doors (if you have them) they were notorious for coming off in those model years I still see a lot of Jetta's with no molding.
Exhaust/Muffler - Might want to have your mechanic take a look just to make sure the outer covering of the muffler is not rusting and that there are no leaks in the exhaust.
Clutch - You bought it used and unless you know the previous owner you don't know how they drove and hopefully they were not abusive on the clutch. A good mechanic will probably not tell you exactly how much life is left on the clutch but they can be pretty accurate.
These are just a few of the things I had problems with, there are a couple of sites (this may be one of them) that you can look at your specific year and model car and read what owners have to say about there own experience.
Anyway, I hope you have nothing but good luck with it!
Anyone have any experience or ideas on he following....
I drive a 2002 Jetta 1.8T.
Today one of my cd's stopped playing. I ejected it blew on it and popped it back in. At first I think I didn't have the disc in far enough because I could hear it trying to pull the disc in, but it couldn't. I pushed the disc a little further and it sucked it in (as it should).
After a few seconds there was an itermittent beeping sound, and the cd player displayed "error 3".
When I try to use the radio or any cd the stereo flips back to CD mode and gives the error, along with the beeping.
I am able to eject the cd, but no matter what I do I still get error 3.
Any ideas?
One way to VERIFY is to use a DVM (Digital Volt Meter) plugged into the 12V accessory outlet. The voltage under virtually ALL operating conditions should be around 13.8 Volts. (Anything less, and either the alternator or the regulator are faulty.) I would not hesatate to connect up my Fluke DVM and do some driving with all lights on to verify operation of the alternator. (I would not "GUESS" that it is the alternator because they are quite expensive.)
There are other possibilties that may cause the symptoms you describe besides the alternator.
There are several 'choices' when considering replacing an alternator. (New, remanufactured and rebuilt.) New ones are VERY expensive... trailing down to the cheeper rebuilt which may not last very long.
BEWARE: There is a reason why alternators from Autozone-type stores have lifetime free replacement.... they fail quite often and NEED to be replaced. I have first-hand experience with these things and my labor is more valuable to me than that. After replacing an $80 rebuilt alternator several times (sure it was free replacement)... I ended up spending $250 for a NEW one that never failed again. As I said... my labor is worth too much for me to REPEAT the job over and over.
There have been occourances of the VNT vanes getting clogged with soot. This is mostly caused by babying the engine. A TDI needs to be accellerated with heavy throttle to allow the VNT vanes to move their full distance and burn off the carbon from the turbocharger.
1). Thermal sensor gone out
2). front passenger window fell down and would not go back up (common problem I hear)
3). Low coolant indicator came on, car full of coolant
4). Radio knobs broken
5). knocking in the engine they can't explain. says some kinda pump may be causing it.
6). noise in the rear when going over speed bumps or dips that sound like a busted shock
7). radio just quit (unhooked battery and fixed it).
8). recall in ignition coil
9). had to have all 4 roters replaced at 37,000 miles
seems that I had missed something.
not a problem, but I HATE that black cloth interior.
I really like the car, but these minor things are started to nag me; and I'm curious about what's going to happen when the warranty expires. You pay this much for a car, you expect it to be reliable. My '99 Sonoma was more reliable and I had it longer. I'm not sure that I'll ever purchase another VW.
Thanks for your help.
As it turns out the problem has corrected itself.
(It's great when that happens isn't it?)
No CDs were working. The CDs were not burnt - the first one was brand new, though I had played it all the way through a couple of times the previous day.
I had turned the car off and on as well and the problem persisted.
The next day when I started the car everything worked flawlessly.
I was guessing that maybe the humidity from blowing on the disc caused some temporary problems.
In any case, it's all working now - hopefully it will stay that way.
Thanks again.
Some of those "minor" things that are nagging you now will start to feel like they are killing you when you start having to pay for them. Fun to drive but expensive to repair!
VW and audi have replaced faulty ignition coil packs from all models in the 2001-2003 years.
They informed me that no action has been taken as of yet on this model year, and that i'd have to pay all costs myself.
If this has been a problem area for their cars shouldn't they replace mine as well?
Is there anything i can do about this? $700 parts and labour is a lot of money for me to pay because of their poor craftsmanship.
what can be done? can i take them to court over this?
Sorry for my lousy writing skill.
The engine sometimes revs by it self (say up to 3500 while my foot is not on the gas pedal). Very scary. It normally happens when I start moving the car like from intersections, gas stations, etc. If I do not put my foot on brake pedal, the car would have accelerated up to 30 miles, while it is supposed run at 5 miles. One time while I was stopping at interesection, it satarted reving to 2000, then I put the geer in N, and it again reved over 3500. Oh, no, it was so scarly.
Is this someting common with this vehicle ? What causes this probmel ? Is this being fixed under power train warranty ? (It must!!)
If it is possible, I want to know these things before going to the dealer, since I am feeling that even if I bring the car to the dealer, they will not able to dulpicate the problem, and end up to pay $100 for nothing. I have had check engine light problem which still botheres me after more than 5 visits, and air bag light problem which was fixed after 10 visits.
I received in the mail notice that VW is extending the Emissions Control System warranty for mass air flow sensors. The notice says a malfunction can cause the MIL light to come on. Is that the same as the Check Engine light?
Cars in general are definitely getting more expensive to service, and VW is no exception. But I have to say, the company has paid to repair everything that's gone wrong. If you find a good dealer with a service department that you like, it's a plus. This latest problem (my Check Engine light has been on for three weeks) is among the least annoying. Compared to not being able to close the windows, for example, this hasn't bothered me (the car doesn't drive any differently).
I haven't test drove a GLI yet, but will tomorrow. The car will have to be pretty amazing to beat a Subaru Impreza WRX. Which is my first choice.
A TIP FOR ALL VW LATE MODEL OWNERS: When my brother-in-law bought his 03 Jetta Wolfsberg Edition the sales man explained the "Check Engine" light problem. I don't know if it's worth anything. But, he says that if the gas cap is not screwed on tight enough air enters the gas tank, then into the line to the engine. The air hits the engine and activates the light. Might work, give it a try.
The MIL is the Malfunction Indicator Light, same as Check Engine or Service Engine Soon light.
Cyberdyne:
The salesman should stick to selling cars. A loose gas cap can cause the MIL to light, but that explanation is way out in left field. Every time the engine is started and warmed up, the engine computer checks the fuel system for air leaks which could release raw hydrocarbons (unburned fuel) to the atmosphere by applying vacuum to the fuel system. If the system won't hold vacuum for a given length of time, it sets the light and stores a diagnostic trouble code.
Does anyone know if wheels for this current generation of Jetta will work with the upcoming Jetta (2004.5 release, I think)? I plan on replacing the Jetta with another, and if we can use the same snows, it makes it easier to deal with. Thanks for the help!
A loose gas cap will fail the "pressurize the gas tank" test and light up the CEL. This simple test is to ensure that there is a COMPLETE seal so no gasoline fumes can escape into the atmosphere.
This is both a safety feature and an emmissions control. Imagine an undergound parking lot where all of the vehicles are leaking gasoline fumes.... BOOM
i would have that looked at!
Last year I met a young 20+ y.o. kid whose '99 jetta gl has had the same MIL problem for over 3 years. It was our topic of discussion as I was experiencing the same problem with my '00 glx.
I was fortunate that vw of America monitored the diagnostics and guided my local vw tech in repairing my car. After about 9 work days, the vw tech found the problem to be a wiring loom that connects to the ECM, which, by the way, was needlessly replaced. It's been almost 6 months since the repair, and I'm happy to report that my jetta is performing the way I expected it to in the first place.
Everyday the thought about trading it in crosses my mind. As much as I like the style and quality of the jetta and passat, I can't recommend vw to anyone as their cars tend to have more than their share of inconvenient problems. In fact, my experience has made me cautious about the repair histories of all makes and models. If I were skilled in diagnosing and repairing cars like some people in this forum, I wouldn't mind a few "glitches" here and there.
I can't see myself forking over 20-30k for a vw. And I certainly wouldn't buy a used one.
I have a 2000 Jetta with a VR6 engine (GLX automatic). I bought it used last year and it has 70K miles on it.
The check engine light and the emissions workshop indicator light had been coming off and on for the last two months, so I took the car in to a local mechanic who replaced the serpintine (?) belt and the belt tensioner (total $400). After driving for about 10 miles I noticed the car had poor acceleration, especially at speed of around 40 mph. That is the engine would rev upto 4000 RPM but the car just would not speed up. Also the check engine light has come back on with the emission workshop message. When I took it back to the mechanic he thought that I had a problem with the transmission and that he could not fix it.
I then took the car to the dealer who ran a diagnostic and told me I needed a new temperature sensor and a new mass flow air filter. When I asked him whether this would solve the acceleration problem, he assured me it would.
Now after the dealer replaced the MAF and the temp sensor and charged me $700 for it, he calls me up to say that "we noticed that the oil pan in your car was changed and that the car is not revving past 5000 RPM. You may need a new engine" I was shocked! Why did he not tell me this before he replaced the MAF and why is he recommending a such a drastic measure as installing a new engine??? I checked with the previous owner who says the oil pan was indeed changed but almost two years ago. The dealer claims that changing the oil pan may have damaged the engine and hence the problems with my acceleration. Could this be plausible? The car has been running fine over the one year period I have owned it.
Has anyone encountered a similar problem (i.e. engine not revving past 5000 RPM and poor acceleration?) Since I am not the original owner of the vehicle, VW says this will not be covered under the 10/100K mile drivetrain warranty (never buy a VW; never ever buy a used VW!!!). I am not convinced that the engine needs to be replaced and wonder if there could be other problems. Any suggestions and thoughts?
Your response will be greatly appreciated
1) The serpentine belt has virtually nothing to do with any of the indicator lights you were seeing.
2) $400 for the serp belt and tensioner is a bit steep. Are you sure it was not the timing belt?
Since the low power was noted AFTER the first mechanic... we have to assume he altered somthing that led to the problem.
2a) If it WAS the timing belt that he changed... then it may not be installed properly. (thus the low power you mention) If the TB is just one tooth off, it can cause low power, no revving and possibly a damaged engine if the pistons hit the valves.
3) The dealership service was just "throwing parts at the problem" and charging you for it. Both the MAF and the temp sensor are a common failure items and are very easy to replace. (about 10 minutes to do both of them)
Before you start talkaing trash about VWs. Lets consider a few things.
1) Your VW has over 70K miles on it. Some other vehicles are ready for the scrapyard at that point. You should not be surprised that some maintenance is requred on a 70K mile vehicle.
2) Since you seem to be on 'talking terms' with the original owner... find out if all of the PMs (Preventive Maintenance) were kept up to date. I am assuming that you are aware that Europen vehicles NEED to have all PMs perfomed. (BMW, VW, AUDI, MB, Porsche...etc) They are high-performance, finely-tuned machines that need TLC.
On the other hand....
Asian vehicles are ENGINEERED to run a long time even without PMs. Many folks assume that Europen vechicles can tolerate missed PMs. This mistake will lead to problems down the road.
3) Find a COMPETENT mechanic that KNOWS European vehicles.
3a) If you are mechanically inclined and have a notebook computer, consider getting VAGCOM and diagnosing the problem yourself. (Or at least have the same information that the mechanics have.)
4) If your timing belt HAS NOT been changed on the approprate schedule... consider having it checked IMMEDIATLY.