2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WAS IMPACTED ON TH ESIDE YET THE SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR *TT *NM

NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V584000; VOLKSWAGEN ISSUED A HAZARD SWITCH RECALL. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH THE HAZARD SWITCH NOT FUNCTIONING. *AK

PARKING ON A CURB STONE OR PARKING CEMENT BLOCK WITH FRONT OF CAR NEAR THE CEMENT STOP. (2) PLASTIC FRONT BUMBER CLIPS OVER ANY BLOCK HIGHER THAN 4 INCHES AND LIKE A LOBSTER TRAP, WHEN REVERSING, RIPS THE BUMPER FROM IT'S FASTENING. BUMPER COULD FALL OFF AND GO UNDER THE MOVING CAR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. (3) REMOVE FRONT BUMPER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE FILLED IN CAR, FLAMES APPEARED BETWEEN DRIVER SEAT & COUNSEL. MY 17 Y/O GOT 2ND DEGREE BURNS PUTTING OUT FLAME. AIRBAG, DRIVER SIDE DEPLOYED WHILE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND SEAT WAS BEING MOVED BACK. THIS CAUSED PAIN TO MY HUSBAND'S ARM.*AK

CLUTCH MECHANISM SUDDENLY BEGAN ENGAGING ONLY AT THE UPPER END OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL TRAVEL WHILE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROX. 39,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. THE RESULT WAS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL WHILE STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP, EITHER ROLLING BACKWARDS ON AN INCLINE, LURCHING AHEAD OR STALLING. ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO AN ACCIDENT, PARTICULARLY IN AN INTERSECTION OR IN CROWDED STOP AND GO CONDITIONS. INCLEMENT WEATHER WOULD COMPOUND THE SAFETY RISKS. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE DEALER REPORTED A CLUTCH FAILURE, THAT THE CLUTCH IS A WEAR ITEM AND THAT NO WARRANTY IS OFFERED. AS I HAVE NEVER HAD A CLUTCH WEAR OUT IN 30 YEARS OF DRIVING , I RESEARCHED VIA THE INTERNET AND FOUND THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON AMONGST SIMILAR VW VEHICLES WITH THE 1.8T ENGINE AND THAT MANY SIMILAR FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT EVEN MUCH LOWER MILEAGE. I CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE AND VW DENIES THERE ARE ANY INHERENT DESIGN PROBLEMS, CITE DRIVER ERROR AND CONFIRMED WITH A RETURN CALL THAT NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE. OTHER SOURCES, INCLUDING A VW MECHANIC HAVE INDEPENDENTLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT VW HAVE SELECTED THE SAME FLYWHEEL, PRESSURE PLATE AND CLUTCH COMPONENTS AS ARE USED ON THE BASE NON-TURBOCHARGED ENGINE, AND THIS ARRANGEMENT IS UNDER DESIGNED FOR THE MORE POWERFUL 1.8T. I WAS ALSO ADVISED THE REPORTED FAILURE IS MORE CONSISTENT WITH A PRESSURE PLATE FAILURE THAN CLUTCH WEAR. ONE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THEY ARE REPLACING AT LEAST ONE OF THESE CLUTCH ASSEMBLIES PER WEEK, OFTEN ON LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES. SO FAR I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AND IT SITS IDLE WHILE I INVESTIGATE THE APPLICABILITY OF AFTERMARKET, HEAVIER DUTY COMPONENTS. *NM

THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THIS CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO SUSTAIN MAJOR INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

2001 JETTA ORIGINAL OWNER THE OIL PAN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS MADE OUT OF ALUMINUM AND THE PLUG IS MADE OUT OF STEEL .SINCE THE PLUG IS MADE OUT OF A HARDER MATERIAL IT STRIPPED THE PAN. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO KNOW I WILL HAVE TO PAY 600 DOLLARS. *NM

VW JETTA 2001 1.8T 5-SPD HAD A CLUTCH FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP TO 6000 RPM BUT THE CAR SLOWED DOWN DRAMATICALLY. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS IN THE LANE. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE CAR WITH A CLUTCH PLATE FAILURE AND HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY ($1200). INSPITE OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PURCHASE, VW DOES NOT COVER THIS AS IT RELATES IT TO "WEAR AND TEAR". THE CAR ONLY HAS 68K MILES ON IT, AND MOST OF IT IS HIGHWAY DRIVING (80%). AFTER SOME RESEARCH, IT LOOKS LIKE VW USES INFERIOR PARTS THAT CAUSE CLUTCH FAILURE IN MOST OF THEIR JETTAS. THIS IS A BIG CONCERN. VW PUTS THE BLAME ON THE DRIVER, BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE FAULTY PARTS. CHECK OUT WWW.MYVWLEMON.COM. *JB

NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V096000; VOLKSWAGEN ISSUED A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH RECALL. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT OPERATING. THE VIN WAS OUTSIDE THE REMEDY SCOPE. *JB

I OWN A 2001 VW JETTA WITH THE 1.9L TDI DIESEL ENGINE. THIS VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED BY MY LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP. DURING COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS BELOW 30 DEGREES F MY VEHICLE WOULD STOP RUNNING STRANDING ME AT NIGHT IN LOCATIONS WITH LITTLE ROAD TRAFFIC OR CELL PHONE SERVICE. THIS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES REQUIRING THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. EACH TIME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS THAWED IN THEIR SHOP AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH "IMPROPERLY TREATED DIESEL FUEL". I METICULOUSLY PUT IN THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF VW ANTI-GEL ADDITIVE TO ALL TANK FULLS OF FUEL. I ALSO CONSISTENTLY PURCHASE MY DIESEL FUEL FROM THE SAME HIGH VOLUME SUPPLIER WHO HAS NUMEROUS FLEET ACCOUNTS. I HAD BEGUN TO TRIPLE DOSE THE DIESEL FUEL ADDITIVE IN ATTEMPTS TO AVOID THIS SITUATION. AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES OF BEING STRANDED IN SINGLE DIGIT CONDITIONS AND HAVING THE SAME SITUATION OCCUR I CHECKED A TDI OWNERS WEBSITE TDICLU.COM IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE FUEL TANK PICK UP WHICH HAS A RESTRICTION THAT ONLY SURFACES WHEN THE FUEL THICKENS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. THE FUEL PICKUP/SENDING UNIT COMES IN A C, D, AND AN H MODEL. MY VEHICLE HAD THE C MODEL. APPARENTLY VW OF CANADA IS AWARE OF THIS SITUATION AND WITHOUT QUESTION OR CHARGE WOULD REPLACE THEIR CUSTOMERS CARS WITH THE H MODEL. I PURCHASED THE H MODEL PICKUP/SENDER AND REPLACED IT MYSELF AND THE PROBLEM HAS DISAPPEARED. TO DATE I HAVE INCURRED MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN TOWING AND REPAIR CHARGES FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT IS CLEARLY A VW DESIGN FLAW AND ONE THAT IS ACKNOWLEDGED BY VW OF CANADA. *NM