We bought two new '91 Geo Trackers. One had not a problem beyond routine maint. The other was the late Friday afternoon car (the guys in Canada had already stopped making cars and were cracking open Molsons when the supervisor came along and said "Hey, make one more before you go home, eh"). It shows that reliability can vary within a model.
Looking for something new, reliable and with good mileage, I settled on a '02 Jetta GLS TDI and my wife selected the '03 Civic Hybrid. He's a combined 25K assessment.
The mileage in both is great. With 'premium' diesel, the vdub gets 700 miles on a tank of fuel. I have greater confidence in the history of the TDI and diesel than the newer Hybrid technology, but time will tell. The Jetta had one service issue (a new EGR sensor the week it was delivered). The standard features on the Jetta are better (my wife wants a remote trunk lock, etc.). The jetta seems to be made of more durable parts (open and close the doors, trunk, etc. in both cars-the civic seems to be tinny).
The civic was broadsided by a snow plow 2 weeks after delivery. It took 8 weeks to be repaired (apparently the model was so new, there were no doors available in the US. It was picked up with a seriously scratched window because that not sent over with the door. While not the fault of Honda, it is a point to consider.
So far, either seems like a good choice. We both love our cars and are satisfied customers of VW and Honda.
$300 for a scheduled maintenance is a little much. Does all the stuff that they schedule actually need to be done now or do they just schedule it to make money?
I just had them change the oil. It seems to me like I should be able to drive the car for more than 20,000 miles without dumping 300 into it.
Most, if not all the items on the 20k interval checklist can be "do it yourself" (DIY). Approximate labor rates are between 60-80 dollars , so I am guessing the 20k interval is being charged for right around 3-4hrs of labor. Parts (probably sold at retail) can be gotten on many web sites. ( oil, oil filter, fuel filter, and be app 63 dollars)
A for example is, I have just completed the 5k oil and filter change, and fuel filter drain interval. The shops normally charge 65-75 dollars. I got 4.5 qts of Delvac 1, (synthetic is required as you probably know) and a name brand oil filter. Parts were app 29 dollars. I also bought an evacuation unit for app 45. and in effect "broke" even on the first oil change. The evacuation unit basically takes an 1.25 hr oil change and cuts it to app 10 min. The main action bypassed is the jacking and putting the car on jackstands. The fuel filter drain is a tad messy, but after you get the hang of it, it goes pretty fast and easy.
Hey all! Maybe someone can figure out what's making the noise on my Jetta. I just bought it a month ago and for the first few weeks it didn't make any noises whatsoever. Even all the squeaks and rattles that many Jetta owners talk about were not present in mine. Nice and smooth and quiet. Today the ride is still smooth but there is a rattling coming from the underbody or the under the hood. It happens most notably when accelerating from a dead stop but just for a few seconds. It also occurs only at low speeds or at least I can't hear it when I'm going fast. My Jetta is only the 2.0L model with the automatic transmission. I've noticed that when I put the car in park the rattling sound occurs, I guess whenever I change gears. I called a local VW dealer and described the problem to him and he seems to think that the oil pan is hitting something and some more insulation is needed for that to stop. Unfortunately I can't take it in until next Thursday because they have a backlog for service. I also got a 2nd opinion from another VW dealer who told me to bring it by and he would take a quick look at it. He thinks it could be a transmission problem so I made an appointment to get it in at that dealer on Wednesday. Has anyone experienced anything like this or have any guesses about what it could be. I bought the car used but it's still very disconcerting to possibly have a transmission problem with only 25K on the car and I've only had it for a month. Any guesses? Thanks all.
I had a similiar rattle coming from the underbody of my car. It ended up being a heat shield or oil pan cover that came loose. I had to bring it to the dealer twice (first time was dealer error) to get it fixed. But, it is now fixed.
I have a 2002 Jetta and have had to take it in 5 or 6 times for various problems. Most of these have been small interior problems, but nonetheless, a big inconvenience. The problems I had: fuel cap button came off, peeling paint on center armrest, peeling paint on interior door handle, peeling paint on ashtray cover, radio buttons falling off and a faulty hinge on the center armrest. I also had the widespread problem of the driver side window falling into the door due to a faulty bracket. Not being able to roll up the window while its snowing is not what I expect in a brand new car. While these problems were minor (except for the window) and covered under warranty this is not what I expected from a VW. The engine was manufactured in Germany (no problems there!) and the car was assembled in Mexico. So buyer beware of final assembly point. It could affect the quality of the fit and finish. Overall, performance, handling, ride, and value are exceptional. More focus on the details VW!!!
I agree on some of your points and disagree on some. Assembly points: You state that your engine has had zero problems and it is manufactured in Germany. Are you familiar with the problems the 1.8t engine experiences with the coil packs? How about the older 2.0 engines that use excessive oil. My 2.0 does not use any excess oil, but I hear about other peoples bad experiences with the 2.0. The coil pack problem extends throughout the VW family: Audi and VW.
Fit and finish: I agree and disagree. VW interiors are known for there upscale appointments and superb fit and finish. BUT, I as well have experienced some of the VW gremlins; i.e. RATTLES. On the other hand, my dad has a new 2003 Nissan 350Z and I think my interior looks better. Lots of plastic in the Z. It sounds like you may of gotten a bad apple from VW.
Any issues with Ignitors and oil consumption are not assembly problems.
VW has published a 'full replacement policy' for the ignitor coilpacks. All ignitors will be replaced (wether they fail or not) Since VW does not manufacture the ignitors, they have little control over lead-time to procure replacement parts. I am sure VW is losing a lot of $$ and getting their reputation dinged over this part they do not even manufacture. As you say, this affects virtually every VW and AUDI spark-ignition engine.
As for the oil-consuption... No one has explained if the engines are BURNING or LEAKING the oil. Besides, this is not necassarrly a PROBLEM unless one allows the level to drop to the point where oil-pressure light comes on. (VERY BAD FOR ENGINE) Virtually EVERY owners manual I have ever read says to check the oil level regularly. Anyone that does not follow that is asking for trouble. The SATURN engines are known to burn oil too.
An "ENGINE PROBLEM" would be considerd somthing like the camshaft wearing, connecting rods breaking or warping heads. True "engine problems" are very rare indeed. (even with Ford ;-)
Well, I won't mention the early electrical problems I had with my 2000 jetta glx since the meager 2 year warranty covered them. Since last November, however, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) on my vehicle has come on and off about 15 times. I've already taken it in three times for diagnoses and repair. Tomorrow will be the second time I take it in for unscheduled maintenance within two weeks!!! All because of the &*!@$n MIL-EMISSIONS WORKSHOP buzzes and lights up!!! Get this: My car has only 14,000 miles. At least 200 of those miles come from driving to and from the vw service department. Wouldn't that be the ultimate vw commercial?
Needless-to-say, this first-time vw owner has written vw off for good. I'd rather make a pocket-rocket out of a base Honda Civic than drive another day in a vw.
For those technocats out there this is what vw tech did the last two times I took my car in for unscheduled service:
1. April 16, 03: Remove and install temperature sending unit, set readiness code, & road test.
2. June 12, 03: Remove and install mass air flow sensor, set readiness code, & road test.
3. June 23, 03: I'll be taking it to vw again for unscheduled service due to MIL.
Today I drove around in my boring but reliable base 1990 Toyota Camry. It was nice to enjoy a drive for a change without worrying about the check engine light lighting up as it so often does in the vw jetta. As soon as I can, I'm dumping my vw for an IS, G35, or that new 2004 TL (anyone know any details about it?). Well, maybe not an IS since it's due for a redesign soon. F@#!, the base Civic looks good to me right now. Will keep you VW aficionados posted.
Car ran fine up until about 3 weeks ago. It stall during a very heavy rain. It would restart and only stall again after a short distance. Had the car looked at by my mechanic, but it was dry and ran ok. Several days later, another rain and it stalled again, this it wouldn't start. Towed it to my mechanic and he finally got it to stall while it was still wet. Did complete tune-up, wires, plugs, cap, rotor, fuel and air filters, the works. Car ran fine for about 5 days until next rain. Stalled again and wouldn't start, after two days of drying out it started and I got it back to my mechanic. At this point he's at a lose. Has anyone had similar problems with wetness and stalling.
(yabo44) I understand the mechanics frustration. If he cannot observe the malfunction first-hand, all he can do is 'shotgun' the problem by making an educated guess and replace things.
(I would have guessed the spark-plug wires myself because I have seen this cause damp running problems on many vehicles.)
HOWEVER If your mechanic cannot get out hand-pump-sprayer with water in it... he is not trying very hard to duplicate the problem. Once a no-start condition is duplicated by spritzing water on things under the hood.... the source of the problem should be trivial to isolate.
It is a sad situation but many of todays so-called "mechanics" have very little troubleshooting skills. If their fancy-dancy computeized equipment does not locate a problem, they are dumbfounded and have not a clue about what to do.
I have exactly the same problem, though I already have 170K on my '96 GL. Underwent a tuneup, still happens. A friend mentioned it could be the alternator. I'm a bit lost under the hood, so any insight would be appreciated.
(rlc96jetta) It is virtually impossible for an alternator to cause the engine to stall.
All the alternator does is CHARGE THE BATTERY. It is actually possible for the engine to run for over an hour without any alternator at all. Once the battery is dead, then the engine will quit. (Most likely due to the electric fuel pump not supplying enough pressure to the injectors.)
The #1 cause of stalling in rainy weather is a weak ignition system. Usually in this order of liklyhood: 1) Ignition wires 2) Distributor cap 3) Rotor 4) Ignitor (Ignition coil)
It is also possible for a thin layer of dirt in the wrong place to serve as a electrical path that will ground out the high tension (voltage) secondary feed when moisture is present.
As I said in a past append, A simple spray bottle with water in it can be used to 'spritz' various things under the hood while the engine is idling. When you 'spritz' somting and the engine starts to stumble, you have located the source of the problem.
This is a very basic troubleshooting skill that any mechanic should know how to apply. (please click on my name above and read my bio)
Also make sure that no 2 ignition wires run parallel to each other for more than a couple of inches. (while touching each other) This is a source of misfiring due to electrical induction or 'cross-talk'.
My Jetta has only 24,500 miles on it and I need to have rear brakes replaced. Has anyone needed to replace brakes so soon? I've driven other cars before this vehicle (CRV, Jetta) and never had a need to replace brakes at this low mileage.
(emma12) You do not say what year your Jetta is. I have heard that there was a short time that the rear brake pads were too soft and wore quickly.
I seem to recall someone saying that some dealerships were replacing these early-wearing pads. Have you spoke to your dealership about this?
In any case, I have been replacing brakes for over 20 years and they are not very expensive. Usually $60 to $90 to do an axle. (I do my own labor because I do not trust ANYONE else to do the maticulus job that I do.)
Thanks for the info. I tried the water spray on the engine at night and it worked. There was arcing at the end of the coil wire at the engine housing at what looks like a HV block (not a coil)and if fact the car stalled when I hit that spot. I've found another repair shop that's for VW's and Audi service. In fact he told me the same thing you did about spraying the engine at night. Have you any knowledge of these "Blocks" and there cost. Don't want to be ripped off by a "specialist", if you know what I mean. Thanks again for your help, you were Right On.
I have an '03 Jetta GL. It has 9K miles. About a week ago, I took a trip of about 500 miles (roundtrip). Next AM, after car sat overnight, get in the car, start it, put it in reverse and start backing out of my driveway. I hear a screeching noise that almost sounds like brakes, but not quite (my foot was NOT on the brakes-it was coasting out). Noise goes away. Put it in drive. First gear shift (it's automatic) was so hard, it just about put me into the rear seat of the car; second wasn't much easier. Rest of the day, it shifts fine. Ever since, the noise and the banging into 2nd and 3rd gears happens just about every morning. Both issues only seem to happen when car is cold (at least 3 hours sitting or overnight). I have an appt with VW dearlership on Tuesday (7/1). Anyone else have similar issues? What was the resolution? Thanks in advance for your reply
I am glad that you were able to follow my instructions and locate the problem yourself. Isolating the problem is often the hardest part of fixing a problem.
I am not sure what you are referring to as a "HV block". Usually my first attempt at solving a problem such as this is to remove and thoroughly clean all the parts in question. A tub of hot soapy water and an old toothbursh may be all you need to fix this problem
As I said before, the accumulation of dirt/grime in the wrong place may become a conductor when it is wet. This will "short out" the high voltage befoer it gets to the sparkplugs.
It is a lot cheaper to CLEAN existing parts instead of replace them.
Hey there, jetta Drivers! Is there anyone out there having problems with the check engine light always coming on, even after you have the car serviced? Mine comes on with the message "Emissions Workshop!"
I've met several new beetle and jetta owners in the past few months who have had similar complaints. "How do you like your jetta/new beetle?" we'd ask each other. We would say something about liking our vws if we could just keep them out of the shop.
One day a kid parked his '99 jetta next to mine, checked out my silver jetta glx, and asked me that very question. I grumbled something about the check engine light coming on all the time in recent months and that I had it serviced at least four times. The kid started up his engine and said, "Is this what you're talking about?" referring to the check engine light. He's been having that problem since the first year he bought the car. He told me he took it in so many times until his 2 year warranty expired and just gave up on trying to get it fixed right. Poor kid is still making payments on the vw LEMON.
Now I'd like to sell my car. Would you want to buy my car's problems as I've described? I don't think so. I would feel rotten for the unsuspecting buyer. It just wouldn't be right. That's why it's not right for vw of America to ignore the problems many of us are having with their new vehicles.
If you are a vw Driver who is experiencing similar problems with the check engine light always coming on, let vw of America know about it. Maybe enough complaints will help us get our cars fixed right and driving our vws like in their commercials, in VW BLISS.
Good Luck!
P.S. Don't let the vw rep intimidate you with technical talk nor try to make you feel that you are to blame for your vw's problems. Mine has so few miles that....
I have many issues with VW. I think they should change their slogan from “Drivers Wanted” to Drivers Wanted that do not mind a poorly built car that costs a lot to repair. The following are the repairs I have experienced with my 2000 Jetta GLS TDI to date:
1. Bumper pulled off twice by pulling over curb stop $400.00 to fix first time, I fixed myself the second time. My fault I know but car is cheaply made. 2. New Air Compressor $1150.00 labor and parts 3. New Clutch disc, pressure plate, throw out bearing $915.00 labor and parts. 4. Glow plugs $120.00 parts, $50.00 labor 5. My driver and passenger window fell down 3 times each for a total of 6 times because of the Window motor unit gear is made from plastic. All of this caused me great distress each time due to rain and arranging rides back and forth from dealership. 6. My check engine light will not go off! I have been to 3 mechanics shops and have paid to have numerous sensors replaced and hundreds of dollars later at each shop, still no fix after 18 months. THE LIGHT STAYS ON! 7. New front brakes 35,000 miles and back brakes by 50,000 miles and I downshift a lot using the trannie to slow me down. 8. Just replaced timing gear belt, serpentine belt at 68000 miles. 9. for the last 10,000 miles the car will lose power and will not go over 75 mph on the freeway and takes a whopping 45 seconds to get to 30 mph. So far no one can figure out why. 10. Today 7-2-03 is my b/day and guess where my Jetta is. You guessed correctly IN THE SHOP!
I would love to sell this piece of junk but who will buy a car that has a check engine light on. No one I know. I will NEVER buy another VW again. CHEAP BUILD QUALITY.
You do not say how many miles are on our TDI but all of my VWs have gone well over 130,000 miles and were running when I sold them.
As for your item #9... there are 2 possible answers 1) Plugged intake 2) Failed MAF
The Light being on is also easily diagnosed and corrected.
Unfortunately, you are a victim of a sadly uncaring dealership. If your dealership had corrected these problems with a smile, caring, knowledge, and professionalism, You may not have these negative feelings.
ALL vehicles have their glitches. (not just VW) In the end, it is the way the dealership approaches these glitches that makes or breaks the ownership experience.
Do not worry about selling your TDI. There are a LOT of folks out there that want TDIs they have a fierce following. You just need to market it to the right people 8-)
bpeebles, I've read some of your soothing responses to vw complaints and am wondering if you work for vw.
Like hugsone (msg "2773) my car's been having problems with the malfunction indicator lamp always being on. I'm aware of the OBD II, but vw techs here have not been able to fix the problem despite guidance from VW of America. Two weeks have elapsed, and my jetta lemon is still in the shop. Meanwhile, I've been driving around in my other car, a '90 Toyota Camry that just keeps on going and going.
It's unfortunate that many vw drivers are having so many problems with their cars. I've been lucky to have a sympathetic service writer and hardworking vw techs working on my car, but I'd rather not see them so often.
bpeebles, VWs have more than glitches. In my opinion the new jetta and new beetle lines are seriously flawed . Lucky you on getting over 100k miles on your VWs. I only got 11k miles out of mine when the MIL started lighting up.
No, I do not work for VW. I do not want to buy your vehicle either. I just bought a brand new Jetta TDI and am enjoying the >50MPG.
My only response to you is to repeat that VW has some serious shortcomings when it comes to "service after the sale". Anyone that is unfortunate enough to have a problem under warantee AND an incompetent VW service department has my sympathy.
I will also repeat that this is not any fault of the VEHICLE... it is the service that the vehicle receives that is the problem.
EXAMPLE:
My Honda had several issues under warantee... the service department was SUPERB and their goal was to ensure that I (the customer) would never return with these problems. They would have replaced the engine if it sounded strange! The bottom line was customer satisfaction.
VW service departments (on the other hand) seem more concerned about spending as little as possible to correct warantee claims... THIS SPELLS DISASTER TO THE CUSTOMER THAT IS A GUINEA PIG FOR EVERY COST SAVING MEASURE THEY TRY.
Hello, everyone! I am considering buying GLX VR6 4 door sedan (2003). Those of you who have purchased the same car, what is your overall experience? I am particularly interested with any mechanical problems that you might have had. Thank you very much for replying to my post.
Hello bpeebles, My Jetta has 70,607 miles. You are correct most cars has their glitches. VW's seem to be excessive. I love the design, drive, handling of the Jetta except it is a little too small. I am really disappointed with all the issues I have with it because I intended on keeping it and trying to hit 400,000 to 500,000 miles. Unfortunately, it is not cost effective to pay my note of $394.00 per month and insurance of $71.00 per month and the extra hundreds to thousands of dollars per month to keep it running. This is not an exaggeration of the costs on my part.
As far as the check engine light being easily diagnosed I have had three sensors replaced. All fall under the code P0380 I believe that is what all three mechanic shops came up with.
What is the MAF?
As far as the dealership is concerned they play a big part in it. I refuse to use Clear Lake Volkswagen. They tried to overcharge me and when I had a mechanic shop quote me a whopping $500.00 less for the same repair they dropped their price to match. To me that is price gouging especially with all the issues I was already having. I have a very bad taste for VW and will not recommend anyone buying one. I will have an extremely hard time selling my car to some unsuspecting soul who will inherit that money pit.
I bought a used 1970 VW Bug when it was one year old and sold it in later 1977, with app 250,000 miles on it, The sum total of unscheduled maintenance was a clutch, (as it was going on its last legs and probably needed a third clutch, and yearly to bi yearly replacement of the exhaust system (regular leaded gass))and heater hose replacement. I once took a tank of bad gas in Tennessee and had to have the tank removed and system flushed(waylaid in Nashville, TN overnight) (not the fault of the car) I sold it for a 1978 Rabbit
The 1978 Rabbit was sold in 1982 at just 90,000 miles. The only unscheduled maintenance was the A/C toasting in Key West, Florida during AUGUST when it was 98/98 (temperature/humidity)in the shade. It was covered under warranty.
I DID NOT want to get another VW. BUT just recently after 21 years, I got a 2003 VW Jetta TDI. Quite frankly, I was very apprehensive after the initial research and reading this web site and two others. After 6.5k miles in two months, and NO issues, I get the feeling this car is going to go the distance 400,000-500,000 miles, or live at least to fulfill on the 12 year rust free guarantee! The TDI option before I bought it, seemed worth the game of "old maid". The quality overall seems better, except for the shocks and probably the brakes, so I have bought already a replacement set of Bilstein struts/shocks and REAR pads and have a line on rear replacement rotors if need be. Incidently, I do like the longer 10,000 mile oil and filter change cycle!
I wish you all the luck with your "new" TDI. I hope you do reach the 400,000 to 500,000 mile mark. What you have mentioned are older VW's which probably had different build qualities in that era. You are driving a new VW with new engineering and a drive to build cars cheaper while maximizing profits with the auto makers. there is nothing wrong with this except they are using parts that are probably inferior along with poor R&D and this is why we the consumers are having so many problems. Who knows???? I can try to second guess why I had all the problems I have experienced, and why all the others are having these issues. The bottom line is my car is in a constant state of being repaired. Think about this. The window motor unit has a plastic gear and it should of had a metal gear. VW was scrambling trying to find another mfg to make a metal gear and they were unsuccessful so they made a clip to help support the inferior plastic gear. does this sound like good engineering and R&D work to you. Not to me. If they did this on one gear in the window motor unit what else did they screw up on? Every time my car breaks down that thought goes through my head. Hey, I may just have a lemon, but I doubt that. My gut feeling and experience is VW has cheap build quality. good luck.
The connector to the MAF is known to become 'flakey' and often just unplugginh/replugging can improve the situation.
Simply UNPLUGGING the MAF and driving like that may bring back some of the missing the power. If this is the case, then the MAF is most likely bad.
(Unplugging the MAF forces the EngineControlComputer into 'limp mode' which is often better than the bad signals coming from a bad MAF)
The rules here at Edmunds deny me from pointing you to any websites that can provide additional information for "intake cleaning" and MAF replacement. There is a LOT of information available on the web for TDIs if you do some searching.
I can say that VW dealerships will charge WAAYYYY too much for intake cleaning or a MAF sensor.
Anyone that can replace an air filter can replace the MAF sensor. The job consists of an electrical connector and 2 hoseclamps. The MAF on the TDI is about 8 inches from the air-filter housing in the intake tube.
Lets not forget that the TDI is a thoroughly modern diesel engine that is both turbocharged and intercooled. It also has a "cooled ExhaustGasRecirculation system" This emmission-control tends to make the intake manifold plug up over time. (Unless you do the preventive adjustment that eliminates this pesky issue)
I did the EGR recalibraion to my 2003 TDI after the first 1,000 miles!
The TDI may "drive" like a common gasoline engine, but it has much more technology in it. Thusly, it follows that some understanding and routine mainainence should be expected
You have over 70 THOUSAND miles on your TDI... this is a lot of miles. I still remember when all of the american-branded cars were JUNK after 50 thousand miles. Your TDI just needs some TLC and you will easilly get another 70K miles from it.
If you want RELIABLE (Booring)... get a Honda or Toyota. VW has always been a DRIVERS vehicle. This means that the DRIVER is expected to learn a little about their vehicle and do some routine maintenance.
The German engineering in the VWs is impeccable and any engineer can attest to that. Unfortunitly, here in North America, we have neither the fuel nor the engine-oil that is available in Europe. By the year 2005, the USA is supposed to have the VeryLowSulpher Diesel fuel. Then, we can get the NEXT generation of TDI engine that is even MORE efficent.
(hugsone) FYI... I did a simple search for P0380 code and found all kinds of step-by-step instructions and color photos about how to troubleshoot this issue.
Another, less common P0380 issue may be a bad wiring harness on the glowplugs. There are even instructions how to isolate this problem too.
It seems to me that all the information you need is on the web at this link
Hugsone, looks like your car has been having the same kinds of problems as my car. I just got my jetta back after 9 days in the vw service bay. Problem: malfunction indicator lamp (mil), which is to you and me the check engine light.
VW of America got involved in the repair of my 2000 jetta glx 5 spd manual that had, believe it or not, less than 12,000 miles when all this started happening back in November.
When the parts arrived from L.A., the vw tech replaced the electronic control module (ecm), water deflector, injector #5, and wiring loom from the injectors to the ecm. This vw did in addition to what they repaired 3 times before in the past 8 months, such as the mass air flow sensor and temperature sending unit. After an extensive road test, over 120 miles, vw gave it 2 thumbs up. It was nice to see my shining black jetta glx babe again. I drove off like in those vw commercials, but ever so conscious of the malfunction indicator lamp.
Anyone out there who is having such problems with the check engine light, don't give up in getting it fixed right. I strongly recommend that you let VW of America Customer Care know the problems you are experiencing. I was lucky that VW of America picked up the entire tab. For that I am grateful.
During this depressed economy, vw et al. do not want to lose customers. No major company does.
For now I must refrain from recommending the new volkswagens.
bpeebles, thanks for your response. Your technical knowledge of and positive experiences with the new VWs have helped me remain calm about my vw troubles. Yes, the VWs are fun to drive, when they're not in the shop, however. In recent years many car manufacturers have copied, to a lesser degree, the seductive german styling and the safety and comfort features.
As you have mentioned, the Hondas and especially the Toyotas can be boring, but they are nearly trouble free. For the unfortunate owner of a new vw w/ constant "glitches", tricking one of those boring cars just a little may be an alternative to throwing down thousands of dollars for vw repair costs, not to mention the frustration and anger one experiences.
Back in 2000 I didn't know or give much thought about tricking cars. I just saw the few Passats and Jettas on the road and had to test drive one. After one drive with the vr6 engine, I had to get one. That year Consumer Reports had recommended the jetta. That was enough to convince me. (I should have checked the repair history of the jettas for the preceding 5 years up to 2000. Maybe I did, but I probably thought the new 2000 jetta glx wouldn't have those "glitches".
26 grand is a lot of $$$ to put down for the '03 jetta glx. I have a '00 glx and love it when it's not in the shop. There are quite a few nice cars around that price range that are just as good if not better. Check around.
I recommend the following:
1. Check Consumer Reports repair history for the cars you are interested in. That will give an indication of the kinds of problems certain cars tend to have.
2. Check consumer reviews such as this message board. Most people are honest.
3. The new VWs have 4 year warranties. I'd pay the extra $ for an extended warranty if I were to buy instead of lease.
4. Ask yourself how much time and money you are willing to put into your new car if you have on-going trouble with it: Time and money lost from work while you take your car in for unscheduled service adds up to a lot of frustration and anger, especially if your dealer's customer service is poor.
5. Don't count on your friends to fix your car because few have the technical knowledge, skills, and proper tools and parts to repair these computerized vehicles like the VWs.
6. Don't let your emotions for the new car you desire keep you from making the best decision.
7. Look at the repair history in Consumer Reports again for the cars you desire. The data for the 4 cylinder are very accurate to the kinds of problems I experienced with my jetta glx vr6 sedan.
Finally, 26 grand is a lot of money to pay if you have to take your new car in for repair all the time, even if the repairs are covered by a warranty.
Since May of 2002 my check engine light has been on also. No one at the 3 different dealerships seem to know what the problem is. Numerous stuff has been changed to no avail. I just gave up on it. Transmission and rear brakes failed at 21k miles - both changed at dealers expense and under warranty. I hear that is happeneing to alot of jetta's and there is a hidden bulletin. So don't pay for these repairs. Challenge them with the dealership. If anyone in Miami knows where I can get the check engine light fixed once and for all I would appreciate it.
flaca, I've been writing extensively about the check engine light. It's been a pain in the a#@. Here in California new vws with the check engine light on will automatically fail our smog inspections.
Call vw of America about your car's problem. They need to know that this is an on-going problem that vw drivers are experiencing and that we want something done about it the first time.
Quiet 3 year warranty? I was wondering why vw was not charging me for all the work they've been doing to resolve the check engine light problem my car was having. My meager 2 year warranty expired last Spring.
Too bad we missed out on the 4 year warranty. I would have paid for an extended warranty, too, which I recommend to any prospective car buyer interested in the newer model vws w/ their quirky computers.
The other day when I picked up my car I told the sales manager that I wouldn't buy another vw even if he offered me one at invoice price, not until I see at least 5 consecutive years of above-average reliability on their vehicles. For that vw purists may criticize me. Let them. It's a free country. I'll take my biz wherever I get the best product/service for my hard-earned money. I gave vw a chance, had some bad luck on my jetta, got superb vw service (surprise!), and now I reserve the right to be cautious about the new vw line-up. I imagine a lot of vw drivers who stumble upon this site share my sentiments.
I was really thinking of a volkswagon jetta 2003 1.8t or the MB c230 seden. This board has really scare the crap out of me on the Jetta. I have not read so many bad things about one brand or item.
This is really sad I am convince not to get the Jetta.
I wish all you volkswagon owners the best of luck.
(noredtoday) Gee, it is sad that you look at a forum DEDICATED to Jetta problems then decide that the Jetta has a lot of problems.
Think about it a bit..... VW sells MILLIONS of vehicles and there are about 7 people here that have complained about various things. Most of these things are simple 'nit-picky' problems that could be resolved by any competent mechanic. But alas... they keep taking their cars to boneheads that are not competent enough to resolve the problem with professionalism and good customer-relations.
As I have said before... All vehicles have 'glitches', IT IS A POOR DEALERSHIP THAT MAKES THE VWs SEEM BAD.
I have been reading all of the posts about VWs at MANY different websites. I have seen nothing that would "scare" me. I have put my money where my mouth is and just purchased a 2003 Jetta TDI. It is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. It has the LEAST number of initial problems(NONE!) than any other vehicle I have purchased (including Honda)
BOTTOM LINE: Locate a good dealership and you will have a long-happy relationship with any VW you select.
Have you read the appends about the person on a road trip 100s of miles from home and had to stop at a VW dealership in Texas because of windshild-wiper problems? They bought him breakfast, gave him $50 worth of 'VW gear' AND corrected 2 other problems that they noticed while they were under the hood. That is the kind of dealership that leaves one totally satisfied with the 'dealership experience'. (and their VW 8-)
To anyone (but the die-hard VW fans) considering a Mexican-built Jetta, DON'T DO IT. Unless you like riding around with the back window down in the rain, stalling at inopportune times, or not having a working speedometer and tach.
My girl's 95 GLS is crap and has had each of these problems and more. "Don't judge a book by its cover" certainly applies here. Yes, they're nice looking, but that doesn't get you to work and back.
The VW mechanics are morons and the company has been quite un-helpful. I have FORBID her from buying another VW; Mexican, German, or where ever the hell else they try to make these things.
BTW, bpeebles, you seem to have a great interest in people purchasing VWs - stock not doing so well these days?
Your points about people maintaining their cars and finding a good mechanic are great advice. However, there are alot more than the "7 people" you cited that have problems with VWs - the CARS, not just the dealers; though they may not post on Edmunds (maybe if they checked here first, they never would have bought one). If someone has a poor opinon of these cars, and expresses it here, it shouldn't pain you as much as it seems to.
Speaking of the problems we're having, maybe someone can help with this one: My girlfriend's 95 Jetta GLS with a 2 liter gas engine has a speedo and tach that only work intermittently.
They won't work, then out of the blue, we'll start the car and they'll both work fine. When they're not working, the speedo needle jiggles around near the "0" and the tach needle is dead still. All of the fuses are OK (I removed and checked each of them), and the clock and odometer work fine. Everything else electrical also works properly.
Is there something else I can check or replace? I'm stumped.
No, I do not have any intrest in people purchasing VWs. I do, however, have a problem with folks blaming the CAR when it is the dealerships that cannot fix it right the first time.
If you bought a Honda or Toyota and had to return it to the shop numerous times for the very same problem, would you think that Honda or Toyota was a 'piece of junk'? In reading most of the above postings, many people would think just that.
I, on the other hand, see a vehicle for what it is, a complex MACHINE. There is no such thing as a perfect machine and I understand that too. I have no problem with having to deal with some 'glitches' as long as they are diagnosed and fixed properly the first time.
Buy what you wish and take your chances. The 'glitches' happen to every vehicle.
FYI - My dealer is actually replacing my engine! I have a '00 Jetta GLS with 17,500 miles and have been through 3 oil consumption tests. I am burning 1 qt of oil every 1000 miles. The dealership sent my results to VW and the VW rep told them to order me a new engine.
Has anyone else got VW to give them a new engine? If so, what can I expect?
FYI - My dealer is actually replacing my engine! I have a '00 Jetta GLS with 17,500 miles and have been through 3 oil consumption tests. I am burning 1 qt of oil every 1000 miles. The dealership sent my results to VW and the VW rep told them to order me a new engine.
Has anyone else got VW to give them a new engine? If so, what can I expect?
If the real truth be told, a good dealer of ANY vehicle manufacture is far and few in between! I personally have always made it a policy to shop warranty and service facilites BEFORE getting ANY car. I think it goes without saying that a good dealer service facility does not necessarily mean that sales is great and vice versa. A bad time to find out that you have been to a poor warranty or maintenance facility is after an unsatisfactory repair to your vehicle is made, or worse yet damage in addition is caused!
FYI - My dealer is actually replacing my engine! I have a '00 Jetta GLS with 17,500 miles and have been through 3 oil consumption tests. I am burning 1 qt of oil every 1000 miles. The dealership sent my results to VW and the VW rep told them to order me a new engine.
Has anyone else got VW to give them a new engine? If so, what can I expect?
This is the first I have heard that the infamous 'oil consumption' is caused by poorly broken-in engine. The "Engine-Cylinder De-glaze & Ring Replacement" is the key here. I am now starting to see a trend.... It is the folks that drive gingerly that get the oil-consuming engines.
An engine designed to last a LOONNG time often has hardend rings and cylinder-inserts. It is more difficult to seat the rings when these super-hard materials are used in the engine. Research and studies show that the compression of the engine will GO UP after 20-30 thousand miles due to proper ring-seating.
I suspect that some folks are babying the engine when they should be breaking it in and seating the rings BEFORE the cylinders glaze.
Judging by your VERY low milage (17K in 3 years) I would bet that your cylinders glazed before the rings seated. This would be an oil-burning engine.
As your link says, this is not HARMFUL to the engine.... it just consumes oil.
There is a reason that breaking in an engine is the most important part of its life. One can create an oil-burner by babying during the crucial break-in period.
Another fyi - just talked to the dealer and finally found out why they are replacing my engine. Since I only have 17K mi on it and VW "guarantees" their cars to 100K, the most cost effective why to solve the oil consumption problem is to replace the engine. If I had 50K mi on it they would have only replaced the rings.
So what do I do to break in the new engine? Please forgive my ignorance...
Comments
Looking for something new, reliable and with good mileage, I settled on a '02 Jetta GLS TDI and my wife selected the '03 Civic Hybrid. He's a combined 25K assessment.
The mileage in both is great. With 'premium' diesel, the vdub gets 700 miles on a tank of fuel. I have greater confidence in the history of the TDI and diesel than the newer Hybrid technology, but time will tell. The Jetta had one service issue (a new EGR sensor the week it was delivered). The standard features on the Jetta are better (my wife wants a remote trunk lock, etc.). The jetta seems to be made of more durable parts (open and close the doors, trunk, etc. in both cars-the civic seems to be tinny).
The civic was broadsided by a snow plow 2 weeks after delivery. It took 8 weeks to be repaired (apparently the model was so new, there were no doors available in the US. It was picked up with a seriously scratched window because that not sent over with the door. While not the fault of Honda, it is a point to consider.
So far, either seems like a good choice. We both love our cars and are satisfied customers of VW and Honda.
I just had them change the oil. It seems to me like I should be able to drive the car for more than 20,000 miles without dumping 300 into it.
Thoughts? Experiences?
Thanks
A for example is, I have just completed the 5k oil and filter change, and fuel filter drain interval. The shops normally charge 65-75 dollars. I got 4.5 qts of Delvac 1, (synthetic is required as you probably know) and a name brand oil filter. Parts were app 29 dollars. I also bought an evacuation unit for app 45. and in effect "broke" even on the first oil change. The evacuation unit basically takes an 1.25 hr oil change and cuts it to app 10 min. The main action bypassed is the jacking and putting the car on jackstands. The fuel filter drain is a tad messy, but after you get the hang of it, it goes pretty fast and easy.
BTW: I have a 2002 Jetta 2.0.
to quickly outline
5000 miles: Oil change, drain fuel filter (water)
10,000 miles: OIl change, drain fuel filter, tire rotation, and check fluids.
20,000 miles: Oil change, change fuel filter, change cabin air filter, rotate tires, etc.
30,000 miles: Oil change, drain fuel filter, basically similar to 10,000 miles....
80,000 miles is your timing belt change....
Draining fuel filter of water....almost not necessary unless to drive with extremely crappy diesel.
Aside from timing belt, everything is DIY. Fuel filters cost in the neighborhood of $50.
Fit and finish: I agree and disagree. VW interiors are known for there upscale appointments and superb fit and finish. BUT, I as well have experienced some of the VW gremlins; i.e. RATTLES. On the other hand, my dad has a new 2003 Nissan 350Z and I think my interior looks better. Lots of plastic in the Z. It sounds like you may of gotten a bad apple from VW.
I hope it gets better for you.
VW has published a 'full replacement policy' for the ignitor coilpacks. All ignitors will be replaced (wether they fail or not) Since VW does not manufacture the ignitors, they have little control over lead-time to procure replacement parts. I am sure VW is losing a lot of $$ and getting their reputation dinged over this part they do not even manufacture. As you say, this affects virtually every VW and AUDI spark-ignition engine.
As for the oil-consuption... No one has explained if the engines are BURNING or LEAKING the oil. Besides, this is not necassarrly a PROBLEM unless one allows the level to drop to the point where oil-pressure light comes on. (VERY BAD FOR ENGINE) Virtually EVERY owners manual I have ever read says to check the oil level regularly. Anyone that does not follow that is asking for trouble. The SATURN engines are known to burn oil too.
An "ENGINE PROBLEM" would be considerd somthing like the camshaft wearing, connecting rods breaking or warping heads. True "engine problems" are very rare indeed. (even with Ford ;-)
Needless-to-say, this first-time vw owner has written vw off for good. I'd rather make a pocket-rocket out of a base Honda Civic than drive another day in a vw.
1. April 16, 03: Remove and install temperature sending unit, set readiness code, & road test.
2. June 12, 03: Remove and install mass air flow sensor, set readiness code, & road test.
3. June 23, 03: I'll be taking it to vw again for unscheduled service due to MIL.
Today I drove around in my boring but reliable base 1990 Toyota Camry. It was nice to enjoy a drive for a change without worrying about the check engine light lighting up as it so often does in the vw jetta. As soon as I can, I'm dumping my vw for an IS, G35, or that new 2004 TL (anyone know any details about it?). Well, maybe not an IS since it's due for a redesign soon. F@#!, the base Civic looks good to me right now. Will keep you VW aficionados posted.
(I would have guessed the spark-plug wires myself because I have seen this cause damp running problems on many vehicles.)
HOWEVER If your mechanic cannot get out hand-pump-sprayer with water in it... he is not trying very hard to duplicate the problem.
Once a no-start condition is duplicated by spritzing water on things under the hood.... the source of the problem should be trivial to isolate.
It is a sad situation but many of todays so-called "mechanics" have very little troubleshooting skills. If their fancy-dancy computeized equipment does not locate a problem, they are dumbfounded and have not a clue about what to do.
All the alternator does is CHARGE THE BATTERY. It is actually possible for the engine to run for over an hour without any alternator at all. Once the battery is dead, then the engine will quit. (Most likely due to the electric fuel pump not supplying enough pressure to the injectors.)
Usually in this order of liklyhood:
1) Ignition wires
2) Distributor cap
3) Rotor
4) Ignitor (Ignition coil)
It is also possible for a thin layer of dirt in the wrong place to serve as a electrical path that will ground out the high tension (voltage) secondary feed when moisture is present.
As I said in a past append, A simple spray bottle with water in it can be used to 'spritz' various things under the hood while the engine is idling. When you 'spritz' somting and the engine starts to stumble, you have located the source of the problem.
This is a very basic troubleshooting skill that any mechanic should know how to apply. (please click on my name above and read my bio)
Also make sure that no 2 ignition wires run parallel to each other for more than a couple of inches. (while touching each other) This is a source of misfiring due to electrical induction or 'cross-talk'.
Has anyone needed to replace brakes so soon?
I've driven other cars before this vehicle (CRV, Jetta) and never had a need to replace brakes at this low mileage.
I seem to recall someone saying that some dealerships were replacing these early-wearing pads. Have you spoke to your dealership about this?
In any case, I have been replacing brakes for over 20 years and they are not very expensive. Usually $60 to $90 to do an axle. (I do my own labor because I do not trust ANYONE else to do the maticulus job that I do.)
I am not sure what you are referring to as a "HV block". Usually my first attempt at solving a problem such as this is to remove and thoroughly clean all the parts in question. A tub of hot soapy water and an old toothbursh may be all you need to fix this problem
As I said before, the accumulation of dirt/grime in the wrong place may become a conductor when it is wet. This will "short out" the high voltage befoer it gets to the sparkplugs.
It is a lot cheaper to CLEAN existing parts instead of replace them.
I've met several new beetle and jetta owners in the past few months who have had similar complaints. "How do you like your jetta/new beetle?" we'd ask each other. We would say something about liking our vws if we could just keep them out of the shop.
One day a kid parked his '99 jetta next to mine, checked out my silver jetta glx, and asked me that very question. I grumbled something about the check engine light coming on all the time in recent months and that I had it serviced at least four times. The kid started up his engine and said, "Is this what you're talking about?" referring to the check engine light. He's been having that problem since the first year he bought the car. He told me he took it in so many times until his 2 year warranty expired and just gave up on trying to get it fixed right. Poor kid is still making payments on the vw LEMON.
Now I'd like to sell my car. Would you want to buy my car's problems as I've described? I don't think so. I would feel rotten for the unsuspecting buyer. It just wouldn't be right. That's why it's not right for vw of America to ignore the problems many of us are having with their new vehicles.
If you are a vw Driver who is experiencing similar problems with the check engine light always coming on, let vw of America know about it. Maybe enough complaints will help us get our cars fixed right and driving our vws like in their commercials, in VW BLISS.
Good Luck!
P.S. Don't let the vw rep intimidate you with technical talk nor try to make you feel that you are to blame for your vw's problems. Mine has so few miles that....
The following are the repairs I have experienced with my 2000 Jetta GLS TDI to date:
1. Bumper pulled off twice by pulling over curb stop $400.00 to fix first time, I fixed myself the second time. My fault I know but car is cheaply made.
2. New Air Compressor $1150.00 labor and parts
3. New Clutch disc, pressure plate, throw out bearing $915.00 labor and parts.
4. Glow plugs $120.00 parts, $50.00 labor
5. My driver and passenger window fell down 3 times each for a total of 6 times because of the Window motor unit gear is made from plastic. All of this caused me great distress each time due to rain and arranging rides back and forth from dealership.
6. My check engine light will not go off! I have been to 3 mechanics shops and have paid to have numerous sensors replaced and hundreds of dollars later at each shop, still no fix after 18 months. THE LIGHT STAYS ON!
7. New front brakes 35,000 miles and back brakes by 50,000 miles and I downshift a lot using the trannie to slow me down.
8. Just replaced timing gear belt, serpentine belt at 68000 miles.
9. for the last 10,000 miles the car will lose power and will not go over 75 mph on the freeway and takes a whopping 45 seconds to get to 30 mph. So far no one can figure out why.
10. Today 7-2-03 is my b/day and guess where my Jetta is. You guessed correctly IN THE SHOP!
I would love to sell this piece of junk but who will buy a car that has a check engine light on. No one I know.
I will NEVER buy another VW again. CHEAP BUILD QUALITY.
You do not say how many miles are on our TDI but all of my VWs have gone well over 130,000 miles and were running when I sold them.
As for your item #9... there are 2 possible answers
1) Plugged intake
2) Failed MAF
The Light being on is also easily diagnosed and corrected.
Unfortunately, you are a victim of a sadly uncaring dealership. If your dealership had corrected these problems with a smile, caring, knowledge, and professionalism, You may not have these negative feelings.
ALL vehicles have their glitches. (not just VW) In the end, it is the way the dealership approaches these glitches that makes or breaks the ownership experience.
Do not worry about selling your TDI. There are a LOT of folks out there that want TDIs they have a fierce following. You just need to market it to the right people 8-)
I've read some of your soothing responses to vw complaints and am wondering if you work for vw.
Like hugsone (msg "2773) my car's been having problems with the malfunction indicator lamp always being on. I'm aware of the OBD II, but vw techs here have not been able to fix the problem despite guidance from VW of America. Two weeks have elapsed, and my jetta lemon is still in the shop. Meanwhile, I've been driving around in my other car, a '90 Toyota Camry that just keeps on going and going.
It's unfortunate that many vw drivers are having so many problems with their cars. I've been lucky to have a sympathetic service writer and hardworking vw techs working on my car, but I'd rather not see them so often.
bpeebles, VWs have more than glitches. In my opinion the new jetta and new beetle lines are seriously flawed . Lucky you on getting over 100k miles on your VWs. I only got 11k miles out of mine when the MIL started lighting up.
Would you like to buy my jetta glx?
My only response to you is to repeat that VW has some serious shortcomings when it comes to "service after the sale". Anyone that is unfortunate enough to have a problem under warantee AND an incompetent VW service department has my sympathy.
I will also repeat that this is not any fault of the VEHICLE... it is the service that the vehicle receives that is the problem.
EXAMPLE:
My Honda had several issues under warantee... the service department was SUPERB and their goal was to ensure that I (the customer) would never return with these problems. They would have replaced the engine if it sounded strange! The bottom line was customer satisfaction.
VW service departments (on the other hand) seem more concerned about spending as little as possible to correct warantee claims... THIS SPELLS DISASTER TO THE CUSTOMER THAT IS A GUINEA PIG FOR EVERY COST SAVING MEASURE THEY TRY.
I am considering buying GLX VR6 4 door sedan (2003). Those of you who have purchased the same car, what is your overall experience?
I am particularly interested with any mechanical problems that you might have had. Thank you very much for replying to my post.
My Jetta has 70,607 miles. You are correct most cars has their glitches. VW's seem to be excessive. I love the design, drive, handling of the Jetta except it is a little too small.
I am really disappointed with all the issues I have with it because I intended on keeping it and trying to hit 400,000 to 500,000 miles. Unfortunately, it is not cost effective to pay my note of $394.00 per month and insurance of $71.00 per month and the extra hundreds to thousands of dollars per month to keep it running. This is not an exaggeration of the costs on my part.
As far as the check engine light being easily diagnosed I have had three sensors replaced. All fall under the code P0380 I believe that is what all three mechanic shops came up with.
What is the MAF?
As far as the dealership is concerned they play a big part in it. I refuse to use Clear Lake Volkswagen. They tried to overcharge me and when I had a mechanic shop quote me a whopping $500.00 less for the same repair they dropped their price to match. To me that is price gouging especially with all the issues I was already having. I have a very bad taste for VW and will not recommend anyone buying one. I will have an extremely hard time selling my car to some unsuspecting soul who will inherit that money pit.
Do you work for VW?
The 1978 Rabbit was sold in 1982 at just 90,000 miles. The only unscheduled maintenance was the A/C toasting in Key West, Florida during AUGUST when it was 98/98 (temperature/humidity)in the shade. It was covered under warranty.
I DID NOT want to get another VW. BUT just recently after 21 years, I got a 2003 VW Jetta TDI. Quite frankly, I was very apprehensive after the initial research and reading this web site and two others. After 6.5k miles in two months, and NO issues, I get the feeling this car is going to go the distance 400,000-500,000 miles, or live at least to fulfill on the 12 year rust free guarantee!
Think about this. The window motor unit has a plastic gear and it should of had a metal gear. VW was scrambling trying to find another mfg to make a metal gear and they were unsuccessful so they made a clip to help support the inferior plastic gear. does this sound like good engineering and R&D work to you. Not to me.
If they did this on one gear in the window motor unit what else did they screw up on? Every time my car breaks down that thought goes through my head.
Hey, I may just have a lemon, but I doubt that. My gut feeling and experience is VW has cheap build quality.
good luck.
I chose the TDI for the power plant's 10,000 hr life cycle and 45/49 fuel numbers vs 32/38 for the Civic.
MAF= MassAirFlow sensor
The connector to the MAF is known to become 'flakey' and often just unplugginh/replugging can improve the situation.
Simply UNPLUGGING the MAF and driving like that may bring back some of the missing the power. If this is the case, then the MAF is most likely bad.
(Unplugging the MAF forces the EngineControlComputer into 'limp mode' which is often better than the bad signals coming from a bad MAF)
The rules here at Edmunds deny me from pointing you to any websites that can provide additional information for "intake cleaning" and MAF replacement. There is a LOT of information available on the web for TDIs if you do some searching.
I can say that VW dealerships will charge WAAYYYY too much for intake cleaning or a MAF sensor.
Anyone that can replace an air filter can replace the MAF sensor. The job consists of an electrical connector and 2 hoseclamps. The MAF on the TDI is about 8 inches from the air-filter housing in the intake tube.
I did the EGR recalibraion to my 2003 TDI after the first 1,000 miles!
The TDI may "drive" like a common gasoline engine, but it has much more technology in it. Thusly, it follows that some understanding and routine mainainence should be expected
You have over 70 THOUSAND miles on your TDI... this is a lot of miles. I still remember when all of the american-branded cars were JUNK after 50 thousand miles. Your TDI just needs some TLC and you will easilly get another 70K miles from it.
If you want RELIABLE (Booring)... get a Honda or Toyota. VW has always been a DRIVERS vehicle. This means that the DRIVER is expected to learn a little about their vehicle and do some routine maintenance.
The German engineering in the VWs is impeccable and any engineer can attest to that. Unfortunitly, here in North America, we have neither the fuel nor the engine-oil that is available in Europe. By the year 2005, the USA is supposed to have the VeryLowSulpher Diesel fuel.
Then, we can get the NEXT generation of TDI engine that is even MORE efficent.
Another, less common P0380 issue may be a bad wiring harness on the glowplugs. There are even instructions how to isolate this problem too.
It seems to me that all the information you need is on the web at this link
VW of America got involved in the repair of my 2000 jetta glx 5 spd manual that had, believe it or not, less than 12,000 miles when all this started happening back in November.
When the parts arrived from L.A., the vw tech replaced the electronic control module (ecm), water deflector, injector #5, and wiring loom from the injectors to the ecm. This vw did in addition to what they repaired 3 times before in the past 8 months, such as the mass air flow sensor and temperature sending unit. After an extensive road test, over 120 miles, vw gave it 2 thumbs up. It was nice to see my shining black jetta glx babe again. I drove off like in those vw commercials, but ever so conscious of the malfunction indicator lamp.
Anyone out there who is having such problems with the check engine light, don't give up in getting it fixed right. I strongly recommend that you let VW of America Customer Care know the problems you are experiencing. I was lucky that VW of America picked up the entire tab. For that I am grateful.
During this depressed economy, vw et al. do not want to lose customers. No major company does.
For now I must refrain from recommending the new volkswagens.
As you have mentioned, the Hondas and especially the Toyotas can be boring, but they are nearly trouble free. For the unfortunate owner of a new vw w/ constant "glitches", tricking one of those boring cars just a little may be an alternative to throwing down thousands of dollars for vw repair costs, not to mention the frustration and anger one experiences.
Back in 2000 I didn't know or give much thought about tricking cars. I just saw the few Passats and Jettas on the road and had to test drive one. After one drive with the vr6 engine, I had to get one. That year Consumer Reports had recommended the jetta. That was enough to convince me. (I should have checked the repair history of the jettas for the preceding 5 years up to 2000. Maybe I did, but I probably thought the new 2000 jetta glx wouldn't have those "glitches".
I recommend the following:
1. Check Consumer Reports repair history for the cars you are interested in. That will give an indication of the kinds of problems certain cars tend to have.
2. Check consumer reviews such as this message board. Most people are honest.
3. The new VWs have 4 year warranties. I'd pay the extra $ for an extended warranty if I were to buy instead of lease.
4. Ask yourself how much time and money you are willing to put into your new car if you have on-going trouble with it: Time and money lost from work while you take your car in for unscheduled service adds up to a lot of frustration and anger, especially if your dealer's customer service is poor.
5. Don't count on your friends to fix your car because few have the technical knowledge, skills, and proper tools and parts to repair these computerized vehicles like the VWs.
6. Don't let your emotions for the new car you desire keep you from making the best decision.
7. Look at the repair history in Consumer Reports again for the cars you desire. The data for the 4 cylinder are very accurate to the kinds of problems I experienced with my jetta glx vr6 sedan.
Finally, 26 grand is a lot of money to pay if you have to take your new car in for repair all the time, even if the repairs are covered by a warranty.
Good luck to you.
Call vw of America about your car's problem. They need to know that this is an on-going problem that vw drivers are experiencing and that we want something done about it the first time.
Quiet 3 year warranty? I was wondering why vw was not charging me for all the work they've been doing to resolve the check engine light problem my car was having. My meager 2 year warranty expired last Spring.
Too bad we missed out on the 4 year warranty. I would have paid for an extended warranty, too, which I recommend to any prospective car buyer interested in the newer model vws w/ their quirky computers.
The other day when I picked up my car I told the sales manager that I wouldn't buy another vw even if he offered me one at invoice price, not until I see at least 5 consecutive years of above-average reliability on their vehicles. For that vw purists may criticize me. Let them. It's a free country. I'll take my biz wherever I get the best product/service for my hard-earned money. I gave vw a chance, had some bad luck on my jetta, got superb vw service (surprise!), and now I reserve the right to be cautious about the new vw line-up. I imagine a lot of vw drivers who stumble upon this site share my sentiments.
I was really thinking of a volkswagon jetta 2003 1.8t or the MB c230 seden. This board has really scare the crap out of me on the Jetta. I have not read so many bad things about one brand or item.
This is really sad I am convince not to get the Jetta.
I wish all you volkswagon owners the best of luck.
Think about it a bit..... VW sells MILLIONS of vehicles and there are about 7 people here that have complained about various things. Most of these things are simple 'nit-picky' problems that could be resolved by any competent mechanic. But alas... they keep taking their cars to boneheads that are not competent enough to resolve the problem with professionalism and good customer-relations.
As I have said before... All vehicles have 'glitches', IT IS A POOR DEALERSHIP THAT MAKES THE VWs SEEM BAD.
I have been reading all of the posts about VWs at MANY different websites. I have seen nothing that would "scare" me. I have put my money where my mouth is and just purchased a 2003 Jetta TDI. It is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned. It has the LEAST number of initial problems(NONE!) than any other vehicle I have purchased (including Honda)
BOTTOM LINE: Locate a good dealership and you will have a long-happy relationship with any VW you select.
Have you read the appends about the person on a road trip 100s of miles from home and had to stop at a VW dealership in Texas because of windshild-wiper problems? They bought him breakfast, gave him $50 worth of 'VW gear' AND corrected 2 other problems that they noticed while they were under the hood.
That is the kind of dealership that leaves one totally satisfied with the 'dealership experience'. (and their VW 8-)
My girl's 95 GLS is crap and has had each of these problems and more. "Don't judge a book by its cover" certainly applies here. Yes, they're nice looking, but that doesn't get you to work and back.
The VW mechanics are morons and the company has been quite un-helpful. I have FORBID her from buying another VW; Mexican, German, or where ever the hell else they try to make these things.
BTW, bpeebles, you seem to have a great interest in people purchasing VWs - stock not doing so well these days?
Your points about people maintaining their cars and finding a good mechanic are great advice. However, there are alot more than the "7 people" you cited that have problems with VWs - the CARS, not just the dealers; though they may not post on Edmunds (maybe if they checked here first, they never would have bought one). If someone has a poor opinon of these cars, and expresses it here, it shouldn't pain you as much as it seems to.
They won't work, then out of the blue, we'll start the car and they'll both work fine. When they're not working, the speedo needle jiggles around near the "0" and the tach needle is dead still. All of the fuses are OK (I removed and checked each of them), and the clock and odometer work fine. Everything else electrical also works properly.
Is there something else I can check or replace? I'm stumped.
If you bought a Honda or Toyota and had to return it to the shop numerous times for the very same problem, would you think that Honda or Toyota was a 'piece of junk'? In reading most of the above postings, many people would think just that.
I, on the other hand, see a vehicle for what it is, a complex MACHINE. There is no such thing as a perfect machine and I understand that too. I have no problem with having to deal with some 'glitches' as long as they are diagnosed and fixed properly the first time.
Buy what you wish and take your chances. The 'glitches' happen to every vehicle.
The choice of dealerships is YOURS.
Has anyone else got VW to give them a new engine? If so, what can I expect?
Also, I found this site for anyone with a similar problem who lives in NJ. I searched for VW + oil consumption on Google. http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/Volkswagenoilconsumption.htm
Has anyone else got VW to give them a new engine? If so, what can I expect?
Also, I found this site for anyone with a similar problem who lives in NJ. I searched for VW + oil consumption on Google. http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/Volkswagenoilconsumption.htm
Has anyone else got VW to give them a new engine? If so, what can I expect?
Also, I found this site for anyone with a similar problem who lives in NJ. I searched for VW + oil consumption on Google. http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/Volkswagenoilconsumption.htm
An engine designed to last a LOONNG time often has hardend rings and cylinder-inserts. It is more difficult to seat the rings when these super-hard materials are used in the engine. Research and studies show that the compression of the engine will GO UP after 20-30 thousand miles due to proper ring-seating.
I suspect that some folks are babying the engine when they should be breaking it in and seating the rings BEFORE the cylinders glaze.
Judging by your VERY low milage (17K in 3 years) I would bet that your cylinders glazed before the rings seated. This would be an oil-burning engine.
As your link says, this is not HARMFUL to the engine.... it just consumes oil.
There is a reason that breaking in an engine is the most important part of its life. One can create an oil-burner by babying during the crucial break-in period.
So what do I do to break in the new engine? Please forgive my ignorance...