2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CAME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SEEMINGLY SHUT PROPERLY WHEN AT A STOP. ASIDE FROM THE LOUD ROAD NOISE, THE "DOOR'S AJAR" DING WOULD STARTLE ME, PARTICULARLY WHEN AT HIGH SPEED ON THE (RELATIVELY SMOOTH) HIGHWAYS. I HAVE TO SLAM THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO GET THE DINGING TO STOP. WHENEVER THE DOOR RATTLED LOOSE ON THE HIGHWAY (WHICH WAS UNPREDICTABLE), I WAS WORRIED THAT IT WAS GOING TO FLY OPEN. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO ATTEMPT TO CLOSE IT. I PAID $550 TO HAVE THE DOOR LOCK REPLACED (IT WAS THE HARDWARE, NOT THE ELECTRONIC LOCKS, WHICH FUNCTIONED NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE ORDEAL). NOW, ONLY 2 YEARS LATER, I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER SAYS THAT NEITHER THEIR REPAIRS NOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WARMER CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVER AND DRIVERS COAT WAS BURNED. *TR

VEHICLE IS A 2002 TDI JETTA GLS 4 DOOR SEDAN MANUAL TRANSMISSION. AT ABOUT 29,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH AND OBD 2 CODE OF (P0128 COOLANT THERMOSTAT-COOLANT TEMPERATURE BELOW THERMOSTAT REGULATING TEMPERATURE). TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER WHICH REPLACED THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND COOLANT FLUID. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHICH RECURRED. I THEN DID RESEARCH AND FOUND VW TECH BULLETIN 4-04 WHICH ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM AND IS INTENDED TO GUIDE TECHNICIAN TROUBLESHOOTING. I FEEL THIS IS EITHER A PARTS DESIGN DEFECT, ENGINEERING FLAW, OR VEHICLE WIRING ASSEMBLY DEFECT. IT IS NOT A NORMAL MAINTENANCE OR WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE. DEALER IS ATTEMPTING SECOND ROUND OF TROUBLESHOOTING FOR THIS PROBLEM. REQUEST NHTSA ASSESS OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND PURSUE A RECALL FOR THIS VW KNOWN PROBLEM/DEFECT AS VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BUT THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN TO OCCUR FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 VW JETTA GL 2.0. IT ONLY HAS 83,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTING UP ON IT ALREADY. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE ONLY SUGGESTION THEY COULD GIVE ME IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION($3K - $6K) I HAVE READ THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2002 MODEL YEARS PERTAINING TO THE TRANSMISSION. MINE WON'T SHIFT FROM PARK INTO REVERSE, I HAVE TO GO FROM PARK TO DRIVE, LET IT SHIFT, THEN FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE, AND THAT SOMETIMES TAKES THREE OR FOUR TRIES. WHILE DRIVING IF I AM AT A STOP LIGHT, WHEN I BEGIN TO ACCELERATE, THERE IS A PAUSE BETWEEN WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND THE GIANT LUNGE FORWARD THE CAR MAKES AS IT SHIFTS INTO GEAR. IT ALSO SHIFTS VERY HARD BETWEEN ALL GEARS WHILE DRIVING. *JB

I WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MPH THROUGH A PARKING LOT, PULLING INTO A SPOT WHEN MY SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I SAW THAT THERE IS AN EXISTING COMPLAINT (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE04081) OUTLINING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. WHEN I GOT OUT OF MY CAR TO INSPECT I FOUND THAT I HAD HIT NOTHING. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. THE REPAIR IS PENDING WITH MY LOCAL VW DEALER. I AM NOT YET SURE WHO WILL FINANCIALLY BE RESPONSIBLE. *TR

I PURCHASED MY DAUGHTER A BRAND NEW 2002 VW JETTA, AND MOST RECENTLY SHE HAS HAD SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH HER VEHICLE. THIS WAS HER1ST VEHICLE AND I TAUGHT HER THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR MAINT OF HER VEHICLE. BUT AS I STATED ABOVE IT APPEARS THAT HER EFFORTS HAVE BEEN FOR NOT. IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE VW DEALERSHIP 3 XS, AND IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER, ALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THE VEHCILE HARD JERKING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHCILE TURNING OFF AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT AND WHEN SHE IS TOPPED IN A TURNING LANE - WHICH IS OF COURSE THE MOST DANGEROUS CONCERN OF MINE ESPECIALLY IF IT DIES OUT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE 1ST TWO VISITS THE DEALER STATED THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM. THIS VISIT (THE 3RD) TO DEALER MY DAUGHTER DROVE THE SERVICE MGR IN THE VEHICLE & HE WITNESSED THE PROBLEM. WE RECIEVED A CALL SAYING THEY NEEDED TO LOOK AT A DIAGNOSTIC OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH OF COURSE WOULD BE AT A COST OF $330 REGARDLESS OF WHAT WAS FOUND! ( A VW RIP OFF ) & AS I SUSPECTED THE DIAGONISTIC CAME BACK REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3800 (WARRANTY EXP OCT 06), SHE HAS 60K+ MILES . I AM IN SHOCK I HAVE OWNED OVER10 BRAND NEW AUTOS IN MY LIFETIME, & HAVE NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION REPLACED ALL EXCEEDING 85K MILES. I BEGAN EDUCATING MYSELF WHICH LED ME TO YOUR WEB SITE TO REVIEW EITHER RECALLS OR OTHER COMPAINTS & TO MY SURPRISE I FOUND A LARGE NUMBER OF THE SAME COMPLAINT . BUT IT APPEARS THAT IF THERE HAS BEEN NO INJURIES YET OR DEATHS THE NUMBER DOES NOT MAKE A DIFF. I AM REGISTERING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE MY NEXT ACTION WILL BE TO AN ATTORNEY, THE IDEA THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MY CHILD IS INJURED OR POSSIBLY KILLED BEFORE THE NHTSA WILL CONSIDER THIS AS A PROBLEM IS AMAZING TO ME. *TR

BRAKE BOOSTER IS FAILING AFTER USE IN TRAFFIC. THE BRAKE PEDAL SLOWLY SINKS AND WHEN LIGHTLY TAPPED, IT SLAMS TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, A LOUD SUCTION CAN BE HEARD INSIDE THE CAR, AND THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED FULLY. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS AFTER BRAKES ARE USED SOME TIME, SAY IN A TRAFFIC JAM. THERE IS A SITE, TDICLUB.COM, WHICH HAS FORUMS WHERE MANY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THEIR 2002 MODEL YEAR VW JETTA. THE DANGER IS THAT THE BRAKES COME ON FULLY, WHICH STARTLES NOT ONLY THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER(S), BUT THE VEHICLES THAT ARE FOLLOWING. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM (BRAKE BOOSTER FAILURE) BUT CAN BE REPLICATED IF THE BRAKES ARE USED HEAVILY. WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTS TO HAPPEN, IT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE BRAKES ARE NOT USED FOR QUITE SOME TIME. ONCE THIS STARTED HAPPENING TODAY, VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES CAUSED THE SYMPTOMS ABOVE. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT SEVEN TIMES THIS DAY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY FOR A FEW YEARS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, I HEARD A VERY LARGE "CRACK" SOUND AND FELT MY SEAT SHUDDER. THE SOUND AND IMPACT MADE ME THINK THAT SOMETHING HAD STRUCK THE CAR UNDER MY SEAT. HOWEVER, WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I DISCOVERED THAT A SPRING ATTACHED TO MY SEAT HAD DISLODGE. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE THE SPRING CONNECTED HAD BROKEN OFF - APPARENTLY METAL FATIGUE. THIS STRUCK ME ODD BECAUSE WHILE CLEANING MY CAR EARLIER IN THE SUMMER, I HAD NOTICED THAT A SPRING WAS LOOSE UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT AND ALSO FOUND THE NUB OF WHERE IT ATTACHED. I HAVE KEPT BOTH PIECES AND THE SPRINGS. I THINK THERE IS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT WITH THE PART. I AM NOT A VERY HEAVY PERSON - 180 LBS - SO I DOUBT I PUT THAT MUCH STRESS ON THE SEAT. I THINK THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND THAT IS WHY I AM REPORTING IT. WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILED I SWERVED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AS THE SOUND WAS INCREDIBLY UNNERVING. I ALSO NOW WONDER ABOUT THE SEATS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY IF IT WERE INVOLVED IN A COLLISION.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. HE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MILEAGE EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY. THE MIL LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED SINCE MAY OF 2007 DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED TWICE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BOTH TIMES THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 118,500. UPDATED 12/12/07

THERE IS A LEAK IN THE FRAME OF MY VEHICLE, YET EVERY TIME I BRING IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP IN HONOLULU, THEY FAIL TO LOCATE THIS LEAK. WHEN IT RAINS, THE FRONT RIGHT FLOOR OF MY JETTA FILLS WITH WATER THAT SEEPS DOWN INTO THE FRAME FROM THE ROOF. IF I PARK THE VEHICLE FACING UPHILL, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN, NOR IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A LEVEL SURFACE, ONLY WHEN FACING A DOWNHILL SLOPE. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS ISSUE CANNOT BE RESOLVED BY VW, BUT THE PAST 10 TIMES I'VE HAD MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE, IT HAS NEVER BEEN RESOLVED. *JB