Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair

Mr_Shiftright · February 2002

Now wait I lost you there. If the rep admitted it, why then did you have to sue exactly?

I know you might have explained this earlier so sorry if you have to repeat yourself.

yettibutt · February 2002

I guess the question is, what does VWOA consider excessive oil consumption to the point that you get something replaced? Does anyone know this? I am keeping track this oil change of my consumption, Im pretty sure I use about a quart every 2K miles.

downbylaw · February 2002

i have 15k miles on it and other than the rattles, it's fine. i had some serious creaking but a thorough lube job stopped all of it. now i just have a slight rattle in the instrument cluster area.

i won't say i "love" the car, because even though i'm really into automobiles, i don't "love" any of them. well, maybe a bimmer...

but this car is the best i've had, and i really like it. i washed it this weekend and when i caught a glimpse of it walkig back inside i got a little chill.

so not all jettas are bad, just the ones everyone hears about.

newcar31 · February 2002

That is the question. VWs use more oil on average than other cars. I worked at oil change places through high school and college. By far the most frequent "fluid check" customers were VW/Audi drivers in need of oil. 1 quart every 2000 miles may or may not be harmful, but the majority of brand new cars don't use that much and that's a fact. I never had to add a drop of oil to my Integra and I sold it with 130,000 miles.

8u6hfd · February 2002

1 quart every 1000 miles is considered to be normal! The M-spec engines are even worse. Yikes!

yupoldbull · February 2002

Yup. Here goes.

I knew that I had a problem at 3k with a dry dipstick. The dealership suggested that I contact VWOA and request help to trade in my new car and get me into a different new one. I was told at 10k that $2000 would have done it. VWOA ignored my request.

The dealership and VWOA told me that 1 quart every 1,500 miles was normal and that it would go away at 15,000 miles when the engine breaks in. Neither is true.

All I wanted was $2000 in help to get me into a different car. No help was offered, so I sued them under the lemon law and they paid:

my lawyer: almost $2000
me: $3750
their lawyer: ?

Under the PA lemon law....they had to pay my legal fee's win or loose!

Wanna laugh....go see www.lemonlaw.com

What color do you think the VW is on the webpage!

Part of the agreement was that if the car did burn oil, they had to fix it. I proved to them that it did burn oil....21 quarts / 42,000 miles....so they put new rings in also! Again, $2000 could have fixed this whole thing at 10k.

It took 18 months to sue....but I won, I think?

Good luck guys! I got mine....go get yours!

Yup YupOldBull

justin · February 2002

i have seen the same post several times. the fact is, 18 months is a long time. i don't know many people that can waste that time on a car. i would just add oil when it needs it, and keep track. if the car doesn't perform right, then it would get fixed by VW. or, i would trade it in. dealing with lawyers is never worth it, no matter how much money you win.

yupoldbull · February 2002

#1659 of 1660 re oil and yupoldbill by moparbad

Gosh...maybe you should scoll up to #1653 and then you would see, that I was just answering the question from mr. shiftright. Or don't you understand that either?

Yup

mseals · February 2002

hello, I am considering buying a 2002 GLS 1.8t. I have read a lot of post about problems with the Jettas, most of them seem to be for the 1999 thru 2001 models and they pretty much seem to be relegated to the 2.0L engines. Outside of that are the window regulator problems which I heard were fixed and creaking noises from the doors. I currently have a 2000 Civic Si, I love it but I would like 4 doors and my insurance is $724 every 6 months. I am not sure if a Jetta would be better on insurance, but I am checking. The big thing to me is reliability and fun to drive. My Civic has had no problems yet other than the crappy OEM tires. The Michelin XGT V4's in the 195/55/15 size are aweful. I wouldn't think they would be any better in any other size either. I upsized to a 205/50/15 Yokohama S306 and they are awesome in comparison. Quieter, I can actually stop and start in the rain and snow. Anyway back to the subject. I have always loved the way the new Jetta looked. And I really wanted a WE 2001 1.8t, but then I paused when I heard that VW was going to up the ante and put out 180 HP on the 1.8t. That is what I am talking about. Maybe I have gotten use to the Honda's lack of torque (I doubt it since I turned in my 98 Cherokee Sport to get it) but I don't feel it is inadequate. The only thing that bothers me sometimes is that at 70 mph, the engine is running @ 4100 rpm's, I am in dire need of a 6th gear. That is a little high for me, but the engine is smooth as butter. Power is no problem either with 160 Hp and weighing in about 450 lbs less than the Jetta. But I think the car is just asthetically beautiful. I am holding off until I pay of some of my debt this year, but I want the Jetta 1.8t really bad. Anyone know of any problems that are specific to that model. Oh, by the way, I love my Civic, and would keep it if I could afford two cars. Plus I would opt for the Accord EX V6 if they made it in a 5sp. Honda shifters are the smoothest I have ever driven. And everyone is amazed at how good my shifter is when I let them drive.

justin · February 2002

stick with the Hondas and Acuras. VW's would not be for you. You will be happier just paying the higher insurance and being in a Honda.

based on your post, you want reliability and a smooth shifter. and you think the Civic is beautiful.

again, keep it, or get a four door Civic or Accord. you can get the Accord EX in a 5 speed with a four cylinder. Not a bad four at all either.

jbkreegs · February 2002

Engine light was on, the purge valve for my 99 GLX needed to be changed. $170 with labor. Does this sound right? Has anyone else had this problem? Only 27,000 miles. The cost of the part was $90.

Second, MSEALS, what about a WRX wagon?, they are pretty close in price, 4 doors, and reliable so far.

nambraf · March 2002

I posted a message about 3 weeks ago about my monsoon on my 02 Jetta being more powerful, with more bass on the passenger's side. I have to adjust the balance midway between the left and center in order to hear music properly.
My service manager also heard it, and VW told him that they are getting complaints about it, but that Monsoon says that that is how they adjusted the amp. for the Jetta.
Apparently they screwed up, and VW says they're looking into a way they can solve the problem.
If anyone else has this problem, complain to VW on their web site, or at your dealer. The more complaints they get, the faster they'll find a solution

yettibutt · March 2002

I understand that VWs seem to use more oil than many other brands. What I want to know is, what is normal for a VW, not what is normal for other brands. At what point does VW say, "yep, thats to much".

yupoldbull · March 2002

#1665 of 1665 Newcar31 by yettibuttAt

At what point does VW say, "yep, thats to much"?

That's the problem....offically, and listed in the warranty info., it is 1 quart per 2000 miles.
That is the problem, in that, they write the spec's in their favor. Big deal....lots of lattitude!

My contention is that if you have one of the Jetta's with known bad rings,(like I had), they should replace them. Ever hear of a recall? Or of a silent MFG. recall? But they are in business like everyone else.....profit driven! They will bump and stall you, like they did with me! What a dance!

If you don't have a Jetta with bad rings....in my estimation, you don't have a beef, and shouldn't have severe oil consumption.

Yup YupOldBull

mseals · March 2002

Wow, do you mean to say that just because I like how my Civic looks and that fact that I like it at all, that I shouldn't get a Jetta. That was pretty much the basis of your arguement. That is extremely close minded and stupid if you ask me. I would have bought a Jetta back in 2000 but I was about to start my divorce and I didn't want to make the financial commitment to purchase a $20k car at that time. I wanted to keep my payments low because I wanted the extra funds around to pay for the debt that I was going to get stuck with. Did you know that 70% of men who file for divorce also file for bankruptcy with in two years. I didn't want to be in that statistic and thankfully because of cheap car payments and low gas costs when gas prices shot through the roof, I was able to make due. Now that I am near debt free, I want to upgrade, or atleast I thought it would be an upgrade. Are you saying I should just skip the Jetta (another financial saving step) and go right to getting a 325i. That is the car that I really want, but once again, I don't want to spend that kind of money right now. I want to save for a rainy day fund and I can do that and have a Jetta GLS 1.8t at this time. Or maybe you are right, I am not going to like the Jetta, and I should just keep my Civic Si and save even more money.

Mark

justin · March 2002

you are calling someone stupid? yeah, you are an adult. no wonder you can't afford the BMW.

anyway, all i was saying was if you dig your Civic as much as you indicate in your post, a Jetta is not going to be your cup of tea. HELLO, I own one, so I am not dissing the Jetta. I love mine. But, I find that most people that like their Hondas, are dissappointed with VW's. They get kind of freaked out if the VW needs some service. Not to mention, if you love the way the Civic looks, and it is reliable, and cheap, why take a chance on the VW? The Civic and Jetta are complete opposites. Just keep that in mind. And the Jetta is not even close to the BMW. That said, my recommendation would be to get the VW over the BMW anyway.

mseals · March 2002

Justin, I am sorry if you thought I was calling you stupid, I was not. It just seemed like a rash decision to say that I won't like the VW. I have had to take my Honda in twice in two years aside from the oil changes and I am already on a new set of rubber. But anyway, I think the Jetta would be a step up. Now if I had to take the car into the shop once a month and it took them two weeks each time to fix it yeah, that would be a problem. But I use to own a 99 Grand Cherokee, and that thing had more recalls than Clinton had affairs. I have always loved the look of the current Jetta. I have never had a VW, but I know people who have. I think people are still expecting them to run like the Beatles did back in the 60's and 70's by just adding oil. I don't think I would get a Jetta over a BMW if money was no object, but BMW's need about just as much service as a Jetta. I would love Edmunds to get a Jetta GLS 1.8t in their stable of long term vehicles though. To be honest, either I hear nothing but good things about Jetta's or I just hear horror stories. It has been hard for me to get a beat on what they are really like. My sister owned her Honda for 8 years and my other sister owned hers for 5 years. Each had to replace their timing belt, about $240 or so, but other than that, they went through oil and rubber. I am not saying that I want the perfect reliable vehicle, but I can't afford to take a car into the shop every couple of months either. The last time I took my Civic in, they were going to replace the rear window becuase the rubber strip around the outside came up a little bit. Well, they said they had to order it and that they would call me when it came in. It has been 6 months and I still haven't gotten that call. Now do you think that if I was hit from behind and need the window replace that they would have to keep my car for 6 months until the window came in. That is poor service. And since my car had a 3 yr/36,000 mile warranty, it is coming out of my pocket now. That was the big factor to me looking at the Jetta, they upped their warranty from 2yr/24,000 to 5 yr/50,000 I believe. I can deal with the trip to the dealer once in a while, as long as it is not coming out of my pocket. Justin, you have been quite honest with me so for so tell me this. If you were me, would you get the Jetta GLS 1.8t? and why?

Kirstie_H · March 2002

I made a similar-ish jump -- from a Mazda Protege that NEVER needed more than routine maintenance and ran on the smell of an oil rag, to a Jetta VR6. Yeah, I've had some very minor problems with it, but it is so much more fun to drive, and a more comfortable ride, that it was well worth the trade off for me.

kirstie_h
Roving Host
Edmunds.com

karab · March 2002

Justin,

I am also considering a new Jetta and was interested in your comments to Mark regarding Hondas v. VWs. I too have a Honda (1993 Accord LX w/ 192,000 miles) that I love. I am not one for upkeep, so other than an occasional, and I do mean occasional, oil change, I have done nothing in terms of maintenance. With almost 200K miles, it has had its share of repairs, but nothing you wouldn't expect with that kind of wear and tear. Although I am considering a new Accord, I am ready for a change and love the look of the new Jettas. With that said, I was curious about your comment that Honda owners would freak if the VW needs to go in the shop. What is your experience in terms of reliability with the Jetta? And why do you feel that Honda owners would not be happy with a VW? Any advice would be appreciated by you or others. Thanks.

alimo · March 2002

hello everyone
i was reading all the posting here about jetta for almost a year,i have read all the good things and all the bad things about jetta,talked to the people who are driving jetta and after all my research i bought a 2002 Jetta GLS 1.8 Trurbo with leather seats and i had 3 different models of honda before getting this jetta and i never had any problem with any of them.for those of you who are driving honda,i have a advice for you,STICK TO YOUR CARS,because jetta is not your cup of tea.one who always has driven honda or toyota can never be happy with jetta because he/she will be driving that car just the way he/she was driving honda, and thats a problem.
i am a pressman and i have worked with different printing machines,i had spend almost 8 years working on japanese printing machines until i got a job in a company which have only german printing machines,i was pulling my hair when i begin to work on my german machine, nothing was easy,every move seemed to me making no sense,my machine is state of the art fully computerized and my company spend almost twice the amount(which is in millions of dollars)to get it as compare to a same kind of a jananese press and one day i found a german pressman who helped me to understand my machine,First lesson was ,"forget whatever you know about japanese presses", take the manual and read it,if you learn something new, write it down and remember it, keep you eyes and ears open for any new noise and it needs more maintenance than any other japanese press,follow the manual thats your bible,there are few things which have different specfication than the japanese presses,remember it and yes...keep an eyes on the level of oil (which i never did on japanese presses),grease the machine properly and use the grease recommanded for the machine........and so on....after that my press started moving with me, my production is twice as compare to the other guys running the same machine in morning shift,when they can't print any job during their shift,i print that in my shift, the only difference between me and other guys is that i tried to understand my machine....and i love my machine,its my bread & butter....same way all those who know their jetta, they love that car because they know it and they have less problems than other ,i never checked my honda's oil but i have jetta for almost 2 months now and i am developing a habbit to check the oil every time i fill up my gas tank.
for those who say that bmw has less problem, they should check the reality,bmw has problems,bmw has lemons too but its the company's policy that they keep every thing under wrap nicely.
as far as the comparison of performance with honda accord & jetta,my opinion is that honda is seriously under power, it has lack of torque but than you get better mileage on gas while jetta has excellant balance of power but its expensive in gas consumption and it need premium gas too.but i like the handling and performance of my jetta and i can spend few extra dollars on gas.
as far as maintence i can compare,honda is not cheap when it comes to maintenance,i am in toronto canada and i have paid $450.00 for 24/48 month service for my accord 1998and also it needs to change the tramsmition oil and break oil change for every 2 years and it need service after every 4 months as compare to jetta which has longer service period of 6 month/8000kms.so i think jetta and honda accord has same price when it comes to maintence and one more thing,price for break service is expence for honda accord as it has only front disc only that price is almost same as break service for 4 disc breaks but on the other hand jetta needs more break service because of the powerful engine it has.
at the end i want to mention that i didn't want to insult anyone who is driving honda or is in love with his/her honda, i used to be in love with my honda too but again i used to go to kinder garden too.

debr1 · March 2002

I just read your post and would like to share my experience with you. I too came from a Honda- 1992, 5 speed which ran like a clock. I decided on the 2002 1.8T auto with tip because I needed an automatic and I wanted the gas mileage along with the fun of the car. Although I love to drive the car I have really bad rattles (started the day I drove out of the dealer), the Monsoon doesn't work properly, there is a problem with the seat belt on the passenger side and there is horrible wind noise on the drivers side even at very low speeds. Also, the paint finish is covered with tiny scratches and swirl marks. I will be having appt. with the VWOA rep in a couple of weeks but I am very discouraged and really miss the Honda. I'm trying to remain optomistic but it's not easy. Also, FYI, I live in NY and drive 40 miles one way to work and my insurance is $1840/yr with all the discounts. Good luck with your decision

grae_d · March 2002

I own a Jeep Cherokee and am tired of the low mileage. I need enough power to haul around moderately heavy items, but a mini-SUV is as big as I'll get. I'm considering a Jetta (I love the mileage of the 1.9 Turbodiesel, but am scared of the smell) or a Honda CR-V (whose mileage is only fair). The thought of buying a new car that rattles and is sub-par right off the lot terrifies me. Honda and VW drivers battle all the time--convince me which is going to be a more satisfying buy for someone who will use this largely as a commuter car, but occasionally for some rougher, dirtier fun like camping or SCUBA.

blackjetta18t1 · March 2002

A question, I've had some scratches on my winshield for sometime because I park outside and a few times when I turned on my wipers, I think there may have been acorns, or something hard on them, so they scratched my windshield. The other day, I hit my wipers, then after a bit, I noticed a prety noticable scratch(the other ones were long scratches but less noticable, not deep...) and it's small but on the deeper side, more visible and serious looking than the others. What are the chances this will spread and screw up the windshield? It hasn;t spread but it's only been a couple days. If I go on the highway, will it spread? how much does a new windshield cost? And probaly not, but it's not covered under warranty is it? Thanks for your help.

justin · March 2002

I would say to both of you, coming from Hondas, that there is always that chance that the Jetta might be more troublesome. But, that is a big maybe. I have owned two Hondas, one 97 Civic and one 2001 Civic. I bought the 97 Civic because of the excellent gas mileage and cheap price. But talk about rattles! I bought the 2001 Civic because I thought I would give Honda another chance, because they are supposed to be so great. Still didn't work out, for me.

Now, I have also had a 99 Gen IV Jetta GLS VR6, and now I have a 2002 Jetta GLS Turbo. Both were automatics, leather, sunroof. I have had the opposite luck with cars. My Hondas were troublesome, and my VW's have been the only cars I have owned that HAVE NOT given me any real problems. My 99 Jetta had a "silent" recall on the tires and something to do with the headliner. Other than that and a burned out tail light bulb replaced under warranty, the car was perfect for 20k miles of DC driving. I half expected my 2002 to be be worse, since everyone thinks that Jettas are so bad, and thought my maybe my luck would run out. But, the 2002 is great too. It developed some rattles about a month in - the dealer fixed them pronto. No other problems.

My advice is, if reliablity is your NUMBER ONE priority, skip the Jetta. Even if the Jetta is perfect, you will constantly be waiting for it to mess up. Meaning, if reliablity issues are the issues that you lose sleep over, and you already have doubts about the Jetta in that department, why put yourself through the mental anguish? On the other hand, if you are like me, and you buy the best car you can afford, at the time, that makes you feel good because of performance, safety, and style, then get the Jetta. The Jetta is a different car than any Honda. And I can't really tell you why.....it is weird. The way they are smooth, yet "punchy", the way the interior lights up at night is STILL intoxicating to me sometimes, and just the way the car moves down the road. Solid. The way the seats fit me perfect, even though they aren't power seats. And all 8 airbags, standard ABS, traction control, etc that comes standard. I just feel great driving VW's. Hopefully you will too.

xud · March 2002

The rattles in my car have been fixed after two
trips to a dealership. Bwlow is my story. I hope
the information can be useful to those of you
who are annoyed by rattles.

I brought my car (2002 Jetta 1.8T) to the dealership in
Hicksville, NY for the first 6 month
service and asked them also to fix my car's
rattles. They promised me to fix the rattles.
but when I picked up my car in the evening, I found the rattle
at the driver's door was still there.

The next day I complained to the service department,the receptionist told me to bring back the car the next Monday on 3/4 and said that they would give me a loaner on that day. So I brought back the car on 3/4 the morning. A
technician (Tom) rode with me,
and he immediately told me that he know where the
rattle was. He then applied silicon spray
to inside/outside the weather strip around
the door. Then we drove again and could not hear
any rattle anymore! The whole thing took only
about 15 minutes so I do not need to take a
loaner (a Cavalier, who wants to drive it???)
any more, And I happily drove back my car without
the torture of rattles!

BTW, previously I've tried to use WD-40 and
Gumme Phlege to rid out of the rattles, but they did not work in my case. It is Silicon Spray that worked!

xud · March 2002

Alimo, you mentioned in post 1672 that Honda
driver should "STICK TO YOUR CARS". It's at least
not true in my case. I bought a 2000 Honda Accord EX new, but wanted to sell it within a month. Why?
- Its seat was uncomfortable to me, it could not
be adjusted upright enough.
- It's too slow (Anyone can remind me
what VTEC stands for? (vanishing torque...?)
- It's too boring.
- The fuel economy was far worse than advertised
(often I got only 15 mpg in city driving).

I eventually sold the Accord within one year
of ownership, and bought a 2002 Jetta 1.8T manual. The Jetta is exactly the opposite
of the Honda that has the above mentioned
shortcomings. I love my Jetta. The car is problem-free so far (6 month old) except some rattles.
But now the rattles have been fixed under
warranty.

My 2 cents.

mseals · March 2002

Justin, Alimo, Karab,

I thank you all for you opinions and experiences. The truth is, I am a car guy, I have been since I was a little kid, I am now going to be 30 this month. I drove my first stick at 12 and haven't looked back. I love my Civic for what it is, an economical and actually pretty fast. The factory rating of 0-60 is 7.2 sec. while I still average 31 MPG. Yes, that comes with no torque, but oddly enough, the speedometer just rises without the feeling of being thrown in your seat. The biggest complaint I have had is the tires, they plain sucked. I replaced them with some Yokohama's and then I noticed that the brake rotors are starting to warp. This is very common with Civic's from what I hear. I am planning on replacing them with aftermarket rotors and pads in the spring. Oh yeah, and the car rattles in the winter until it warms up in the cabin. So yes, all cars have problems, and if you go to the Civic Problem forum you will hear tons of them. But, that is a poor view of a cars reliablity isn't it? I mean, aren't the problem forums to point out problems of cars and find resolutions. That means either someone should be posting a problem, or a solution to a problem. That is why I ask people how they like there car, not what problems have you had. This is my first Honda, and I have been happy with the purchase. It seems to have kept its resale value while not costing me an arm and a leg to maintain or drive for that matter. Insurance is about $60 more every six months than a jetta, I pay $724 every 6 months. The truth is I wanted a jetta back in 2000, but I didn't think I could afford it and it had just come out. I have always been leary of first year cars, even though I leased a 99 Grand Cherokee, boy was I lucky on that one. But hey, that is a perfect example. That truck was suppose to be horrible, problems up the wazzu, but I never had a single one. I did replace 2 tires and had a healthy break job to turn all 4 rotors and new pads which cost me about $260, but that was at around 60k miles, it was my ex-wifes fault. So were the two bald tires up front, apparently she has never heard of rotating tires. Anyway, the Grand Cherokee was flawless while I had it and that was suppose to be a 3 year lease, I ended up turning it early when I got divorced last year. I figured since the Jetta is in its 3rd or 4th year of production that most of the kinks should have been found and fixed. Like I said, little things don't bother me, especially if they are still under that 4yr/50,000 mile warranty. Oh, yeah, I also had to get a wheel bearing fixed on my Civic, it was under warranty, but I hear they are really weak on Honda's anyway. All in all, I am going to test drive a Jetta and see what I think. I want to get the GLS 1.8t 5sp, I have to have a stick, especially since I don't see much traffic. Oh yeah, and whoever said Honda's weren't cheap on repairs or maintainance is right. They want something like $240 for the 15k mile checkup and they don't do anything but an oil change. On the 30k mile maintainance, they want $480 and they are suppose to adjust the valves if they need it and top off fluids and change the oil. Big deal, I get my oil changed very regularly and my car runs like a top. The engine redline is 8000 and my normally driving is at about 3000 so I never stress the engine. Honda makes their cars to be wound up because the torque is always at the top due to VTEC. Believe me, my car is not torqueless, it has more than enough, it is just you have to be above 5000 rpm's to see it. And at that speed, you have to skip a gear or two because you are already at the speed limit. I have shifted from 3rd to 5th getting on the freeway because I was already doing 75 in 3rd getting on the freeway. I am getting older now and I want a car that is more mature, more grown up and I think that is the Jetta. My Civic is great, but it gives off a boy racer image more than I want it to. And that is a shame because it really is a great car, especially for the money. If I can get about $13,400 for my car it will be well worth buying it two years ago when I paid $17k. KBB and Edmunds say it is worth that on a private party sale so wish me luck. This spring I plan on driving a Jetta GLS 1.8t with 5 sp.

jantqui · March 2002

I was reading through the posts on this board and had to list my experiences with my 99 Jetta GLS. I, too, had a Honda Civic before the Jetta and never had any problems whatsoever with the Civic. The Jetta is superior in handling and comfort in my opinion, and when I first got it I thought it seemed to have a more "sturdy" feel to it. And they really ARE fun to drive.

However, when I did all of my calculating before buying the car to make sure I could afford it, I didn't consider numerous costly repairs: I have had 2 windows that simply fell while I was driving - $365 each to have repaired by the dealer. (By the way, I found out the cost of the part is only $85!!!) Anyway, the cheap cup holder broke about 2 months after I had the car, one rear seat belt got stuck (pulled tightly against the seat so that the leather is messed up now - I never even used that seat belt), the headliner recall, the fuel pump (or whatever they called it - basically I think it was the equivalent) $875, the alarm goes off on it's own if I don't start the car quickly enough, the driver side door lock doesn't lock unless you press unlock, lock, unlock, and then lock again, the cruise control won't work sometimes, the glove box hinge broke, and my most recent problem happened just a few days ago - the brake lights stopped working. yes, i checked the fuses (not that I could tell which one was for the brake lights - I had to check them all). I am not hard on my cars - I live in South Florida so it's all flat land and granted, I get stuck on I-95 a lot and it's stop-and-go (remarkably no clutch problems) but other than that there is really no added stress on the way I drive my car. This is a car that will cost you money - if you're okay with that go ahead and buy one - or an extended warranty. I took only the 2 year warranty that was offered then.

By the way - does anyone have any ideas on my brake lights? I hate to take it to the dealer again. I really just want to get rid of it - looking at the Toyota Matrix. Wish me luck.

mseals · March 2002

Sorry to hear about all your problems. I have heard of many of the window regulators breaking as well as a lot of the other problems that you have had. To me it doesn't seem out of the norm for a first year or second year model car. Obviously there should be less problsm the second year, but from what I have seen, 2002 is definitely the best of the four models years ran on the new jeta. Which engine did you have? I know the 1.8t wasn't offered at that time and that is the engine that I would be chosing. I currently have the 2000 Civic SI and acceleration, handling, breaking and overal performance are much better than all the other Civics in that year. I am excited to have teh posibility of getting the 17 inch wheels without it looking like my car was in the Fast and the Furious. Also, I like that idea of four doors. I have always like the new jetta, but to be honest, I am glad that I held out in 2000. I had just turned in a 98 Cherokee sport and had my share of problems, fortunately all covered by warranty. That leads me to my next question, how much of your problems was covered under warranty. It seems like you paid and awful lot of out of pocket money. Also, VW finally got there warranty right so it seems. That 2 yr/24,000 mile one was a joke. I think that is the cause of a lot of peoples grief. People wouldn't be so mad if they didn't have to pay for all the repairs. I know the new 4 yr/50,000 mile warranty is much longer than my 3 yr/36,000 mile one from Honda which is already up. I didn't expect to need it, but I did have a wheel bearing break and they fixed it under warranty for free even though I know it was my nephew who hit a pot hole with my car while I was out of town. Well, good luck with your car.

wonderwall · March 2002

does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent the stripping from coming off the doors on a 1997 jetta? mine is drooping a bit at the front of the driver door and i'd like to reattach it before it falls any further.

tmac00 · March 2002

We've had a Wolfsburg since new (May of 98). Never had a problem, 66,000 miles so far. Just got back from Florida in February (2,500 miles there and back plus approx. 300 miles there). Car runs like a top. Three weeks after we got back Check Engine light came on. Any suggestions?, checked gas cap, air filter. Thanks for any help or advice. If anyone were to ask I would buy another in a heartbeat. Went to Florida with my wife and two kids ages 2 1/2 and 1, plenty of room.

vocus · March 2002

My 2002 Jetta had this dash rattle problem from day one. Another dealer (not by selling one, they are jerks) found the problem last week (broken clips in the dash) and fixed the dash for me this week when the parts came in. The car is great now! I am totally in love.

leftfield1 · March 2002

Bought a brand new Jetta Wagon, GLS last Thursday. Experienced problems with the Windshield Wiper controls two days later. Took it back to dealer's service department. First they said they could not find a problem. Then they finally located the problem and said they had to order a part and would call us in a week.

Even though wiper controls are not the most imp't part of the car, I am VERY DISAPPOINTED that a car which has not been off the lot for even 1 week has an electrical problem which will take another week to fix.

Any suggestions on what to do? Are there VW regional reps to whom I can complain?

Thanks in advance.

wonderwall · March 2002

i've had the check engine light come on twice. once i had to take it in and it came back with a small vacuum leak that costed next to nothing to fix and the second time the light went off after i refueled. i have a 97 jetta which is similar to your 98 wolfsburg. i think the later thrid generation jettas were a lot more reliable than the fourth generation, i.e. 99 and foward. i know quite a few people with 97 and 98 jettas and golfs and they are without exception very satisfied and have had excellent reliability. i know one person with 2000 jetta and i've actually seen him kick the car, if that tells you anything...

kajonesx · March 2002

Just finished replacing the window regulator in my son's jetta. He was on a ski trip to Lake Tahoe when the driver side window dropped down into the door. $150.00 for the part at VW and a really pain in the [non-permissible content removed] job to replace. I understand now why VW charges $200.00 labor to do the job. The good news is that if you have the time, it doesn't require any special tools. If you have just a little mechanical ability you should have no trouble doing the job.

colmoe · April 2002

This is my first Jetta and it's a little over a 1 1/2 years old. The check engine and air bag lights are on. I have an appointment to get it fixed. Does anyone know what may have caused this and has this happened to anyone else?

tmac00 · April 2002

Thanks for the reply, wife gassed up the car light went out, go figure. The goalie on my hockey team is a mechanic, he will check the error codes to tell me what the fault was (when I get time !!). I'll keep you poste, thanks again.

rlui1 · April 2002

The check engine light ususally has something to do with the emissions system. It could be caused by something as simple as a loose gas cap or could be more serious. Please post what the dealer says. Don't know about the airbag light.

lilbigrig · April 2002

I'm normally on the dodge boards for my truck but the wife's jetta has been acting up lately (check engine light is on, auto gas door won't close). i know how to get engine trouble codes off my truck without using a scanning tool- just wondering if you can do the same with volkswagen. we have a 2000 GLS VR6, would appreciate any help...

thanks,
lilbigrig

mycal · April 2002

Just got a great deal on a 98 Jetta GL with low miles, excellent condition, etc...but have discovered that water leaks under the trunk matt into the spare tire well. It is heaviest after a rain storm, but will also leak when washed.

The rubber around the edges is perfect and I've been told by a friend that it could be from the weak seals around the rear lights.

Wondering if anyone has had any experience with this?

Thanks, Mycal

8u6hfd · April 2002

http://www.ross-tech.com/

Many people on www.vwvortex.com own one.

rileyyh · April 2002

Hi. I am considering getting either a Jetta 1.8T or a Subaru Impreza WRX. Could you guys tell me your opinions? Also, one owner of a Jetta 1.8T has told me that, "once you are going 70mph, if you step on the gas, you get nothing." Is there little acceleration when you are already at a high speed? Thanks.

riley

lilbigrig · April 2002

thanks 8u6hfd,

but what if i just want to check the code, not clear it or change anything. on my dodge all i have to do is cycle the ingnition key a few times and any tripped codes will show in the odometer display or cause the check engine light to flash in a type of morse code. how bout something like that?

blackjetta18t1 · April 2002

u sure he has the 1.8T? That's a common complaint of the 2.0 and I can attest it gets pretty lethargic at 70+ on the highway, but not always, it's weird, I've done 70ish on some roads(not proud of it) and have been able to fairly quickly accelerate to 85-90ish, but on the highway for whatever reason it is pretty bad, but the 1.8T is excellent. My cousin has a 2002 1.8T tiptronic and it is smooth and capable all the way up, after all it is electronically limited to 130 mph.

8u6hfd · April 2002

rileyyh: Jetta 1.8T versus WRX
I have a Golf TDI, and have driven my friend's WRX. I'll tell you my impressions:
WRX:
Pro: Fast car 'nuff said.
Cons:
Sloppy shifter (even though it's a solid linkage, sloppy because of the soft rubber bushings)
Lacks the refinement of a "Japanese" car.
Like the Jetta/Golf, it's got some glove box & interior rattles.
Wasteful cupholder in the dash design.
Horrible stereo, even with the upgraded system (speakers/amp/sub). But it does come with a 6-disc in-dash CD changer.
Engine is asleep until it hits 3000 rpm, when the turbo is spooled up.
V6 gas mileage
Transmission problems (most likely attributed to driving style)

Conclusion: You buy this car only for raw speed and handling. Compared to the Jetta, it lacks the creature comforts and refinement to live with everyday. This would be my "second", weekend driving car.

Jetta 1.8T
Pros:
Smooth and powerful VW corporate 1.8T motor.
Lots of creature comforts
Very refined
Good suspension (even without a rear independent suspension)
Nice cable shifter, smooth & precise (my WRX friend loves my shifter compared to his car)
German Engineered (VW decided for higher quality materials, such as the "Soft Touch" plastic, which feels nice to touch)
Excellent aftermarket (a chip will bring the car to the 200 bhp range for about $400)
Turbo lag? What turbo lag? Makes 174 lb-ft from 2000 through 5000 rpm (thanks to a smallish turbo)
Good stock stereo system
Some Synchro problems (attributed to driving style)

Cons:
A little too much body roll ruins the confidence of the suspension tuning.
Dash rattles
Not quite the Japanese dash ergonomics
Velour seats are a LINT magnet.
Obviously not nearly as fast, nor handles as well as the WRX.
Monsoon system (optional) is mis-wired (see www.vwvortex.com for details), severly limiting its performance.

Conclusion:
Trading raw power and handling in exchange for some refinement, which makes a nicer to live with daily driver.

lilbigrig
Before the days of OBDII (about 1994-1996), you can easily check the codes yourself with no special tools.

Because of the emissions requirements, we have OBDII, which requires a special scanner. It allows us to read and reset the OBDII computer.

rileyyh · April 2002

In comparing the two, while I like the WRX better, I'd buy the Jetta because of all the options and cheaper price for it. The one major thing holding me back from Jetta is the reliability issue. In consumer guide, it said the Jetta has regained Recommended status because the 2001 jetta improved in reliability, but it was still only considered average reliability while the Impreza has been above average reliable for more than 5 years in a row. No matter how nice the car might feel, I don't like the idea of buying a new car that I may have to bring to the dealer for an average of 1-3 warranty servicing a year. Many problems don't even seem to be free (like the window dropping). Also, when I rode both cars, I really didn't like the suspension of the Jetta. I don't care for a soft ride, I'd much rather have a firm ride with little body lean. I'm wondering how much of a difference the Sports suspension would be cause that's what I would get if I get a Jetta. thanks.

8u6hfd · April 2002

The sports suspension is basically Eibach springs with stock dampers.

The New Beetle has this suspension as standard equipment.

lilbigrig · April 2002

8u6hfd,

thanks for the reply, guess i'll have to bite the bullet and take her to a tech.

jbkreegs · April 2002

Rileyyh, it sounds like you already made your decision. I wish I was in you position. I bought a new 99 GLX VR6 in May of 99, and I wish I would have waited for the WRX. There are many things about my Jetta that I enjoy despite the problems, however after test driving several WRX's, reading reviews about them, and also comparing the WRX message posts vs. the Jetta problems posts on Edmunds.com, in my opinion the WRX is much more car for the price.
The WRX is a blast, 0-60mph around 5.6 seconds! Living in Wisconsin, there have been many a day when I wish I had the four wheel drive of a Subaru when needed, and also the fun-ablility of a turbo with that speed for that price.
After test driving a WRX, climbing back into my jetta, I noticed how sloppy the handling on the jetta was, comparatively. Read the article in one of the popular car magazines in which they test the WRX against an Audi S4 and a BMW. Both are around $15,000 more, but rank lower on many tests.
Get the WRX, and keep me posted on how much you love it. I will envy you. JB

vw2002 · April 2002

I have a problem with the check engine light on my 97 VW Jetta GLS. That light does not go away even after the engine has been started. I went to the VW dealer and he did the diagnosis, and said there was a secondly ... problem. But someone told me that it may be a problem with the oxygen sensor.

I wonder whether anyone has a similar problem before and any suggestion is highly appreciated. Thanks!

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