2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE 2001 TDI WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY GLOW PLUG. UPON TRYING TO REMOVE THE GLOW PLUG, THE DEALERSHIP BROKE THE PART. NOW, THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THE GLOW PLUG IS TO TEAR APART THE ENGINE, AT A COST OF OVER $1,000. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO TAKE THE CAR BACK EITHER. CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ARE FINE WITH THE DEALERSHIP HOLDING MY CAR HOSTAGE. VW MUST HATE THE CUSTOMER.

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED THREE TIMES . THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED AT 23,000, 40,000 & 42,000 MILES. WHEN THE FAILURE HAPPENED THE EPC LIGHT TURNED ON AND SOMETIMES IT TURNED ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. *AK UPDATED 1/30/2007 - *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A RECALL LETTER CONCERNING THE BRAKE LIGHT. THERE IS NO DEALER IN THE CONTACT'S AREA, BUT THERE IS A REPAIR CENTER. THE CONTACT CURRENTLY HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY INCIDENTS WITH HIS VEHICLE; HOWEVER WANTS TO PREVENT THE INCIDDENT BEFORE IT OCCURS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING 5-25 MPH ON A GRAVEL DRIVEWAY, THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE HIT ANY BUMP OR POTHOLE ON 50-70 OCCASIONS. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD DISENGAGE ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT ALERTED. UPDATED 02/06/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. A NHTSA RECALL, #04V096000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE CONCERNING, THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS ALSO REPLACED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS IN ADDITION TO THE RECALL. A REVISED RECALL #06V183000 CONCERNING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN ISSUED.

DRIVER SIDE POWER DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTIONS. IT DOES NOT ALWAYS LOCK AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO WHEN DONE WITH REMOTE OR WHEN CAR REACHES SPEED FOR AUTO-LOCK FEATURE. MAY LOCK WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AS WELL-- LOCKING YOU IN VEHICLE AND/OR SETTING OFF ALARM. *JB

DRY ROT OF ALL 4 DOUGLAS TIRES. DURING STATE INSPECTION AT VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP/REPAIR IN NORTH GREENBUSH NY - FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO ALL 4 TIRES BEING DRY ROTTED.

I OWN A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WITH A 2.8 ............................................................................................................. LV6 ENGINE AND 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ON 03 AUG 2006 (MILEAGE: 84028) I HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE WHEN THE ECL INDICATOR CAME ON. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 19 MONTHS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SAME BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE FIRST TIME WAS 10 NOVEMBER 2004 (MILEAGE: 68184) IN WHICH THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED UNDER NHTSA RECALL #04V-09600 (20 FEBRUARY 2004). IN BOTH CASES THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED BY LITHIA VOLKSWAGEN OF THORNTON, COLORADO. THE FIRST SWITCH REPLACEMENT USED PART #1J0-945-511-D, WHICH WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE MOST RECENT REPLACEMENT USING PART #1J0-945-511-F. THIS IMPLIES A NEW BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS DESIGNED BY VOLKSWAGEN BECAUSE OF FLAWS WITH THE DESIGN USED TO RESPOND TO THE NHTSA RECALL. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE SECOND INCIDENT OF THIS BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY EITHER THE FEBRUARY 2004 RECALL THAT REPAIRED THE FIRST INSTANCE OR THE NEW RECALL 06V183000. SINCE THE BRAKE LIGHT IS A CRITICAL SAFETY FEATURE OF THE VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO FUNCTION LONGER THAN 19 MONTHS. ITS FAILURE PLACES MY FAMILY AND I AT RISK OF INJURY OR EVEN DEATH DUE TO A REAR END COLLISION BECAUSE OF VOLKSWAGENS INABILITY TO PROPERLY DESIGN A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THIS SAFETY SYSTEM SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO OPERATE THE LIFE OF THE AUTOMOBILE TO PROTECT ITS OCCUPANTS. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD MAKE A SERIOUS EFFORT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM PERMANENTLY OR DEMONSTRATE THEIR COMMITMENT TO CUSTOMER SAFETY BY REPLACING THE SWITCH AT MANUFACTURER EXPENSE. WHEN I DISCUSSED THIS WITH VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER SERVICE (1-800-822-8987, REF. #60279193) THEY CLAIMED THIS SERVICE WAS NOT COVERED BY EITHER RECALL AND SINCE THE PART HAD PERFORMED PAST THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR THE SWITCH AT MY OWN EXPENSE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN PRIOR TO HAVING A FEW DAYS OFF FOR THE 4TH, I NOTICED A SQUEAKY BELT NOISE WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL. I CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL AND IT WAS ABOUT HALF FULL. I ADDED FLUID AND THE NOISE WENT AWAY. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR THE DAY AFTER THE HOLIDAY. THE NEXT DAY ON THE 4TH SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. ADDING STEERING FLUID DID NOTHING SINCE IT SEEMED TO BE LEAKING OUT SOMEWHERE. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR HOME AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE STEERING PUMP AND WAS NOT TOO CONCERNED. AFTER EXAMINING THE CAR THE DEALER FOUND THAT IN FACT THE STEERING RACK HAD BURNED OUT. I WAS QUOTED $2000 TO REPLACE THE STEERING RACK, TIRE ROD ENDS, AND POWER STEERING PUMP. MY SECOND OPTION SUGGESTED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS TO BUY A NEW CAR. I DEMANDED TO SPEAK WITH THE SHOP MANAGER WHO FEIGNED CONCERN AND INTEREST IN HELPING ME RESOLVE THE ISSUE. HE PASSED IT TO THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE WHO REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE. NOT THE FIRST TIME VWOA WAS LESS THAN HELPFUL I HAD THE WORK DONE AT A LOCAL GARAGE WITH AFTER MARKET PARTS FOR LESS THAN HALF THE DEALER QUOTE. *JB

AS I WAS DRIVING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I STOPPED TO CHECK FOR DAMAGE, DID NOT SEE ANYTHING, AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. NOW I HAVE A CAR WITH THE HEADLINER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BLOWN APART. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THEY FOUND A DENT AND TOLD ME THAT WAS THE CAUSE AND I SHOULD REPORT IT TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO BE COVERED UNDER MY COLLISION. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER FOUND THE DENT IDENTIFIED BY THE DEALER SHOWED SIGNS OF AGE AND WAS NOT THE CAUSE. MAKING A JUDGMENT THE PRESENCE OF DIRT, ROAD GRIME AND SOME SURFACE RUST SUGGESTED IT WAS OLDER DAMAGE. IT WAS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY INCORRECTLY ADJUSTING THE LIFT WHEN WORK WAS DONE UNDER THE CAR. FINDING NO OTHER DAMAGE THAT WOULD CAUSE DEPLOYMENT THEY CLOSED THE CLAIM AND MY CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED. VW REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *JB