2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

ON OUR 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA MODEL, THE DRIVER DOOR LATCH FAILED WHICH IS TIED INTO THE ALARM, THE CABIN INTERIOR LIGHTS, OPEN DOOR WARNING CHIME, ETC. ON MOST AUTOMOBILES, THIS IS A SIMPLE SWITCH BUILT INTO THE DOOR JAMB. BUT ON THIS POORLY ENGINEERED VEHICLE, IT'S BUILT INTO THE DOOR LATCH IN THE DOOR, RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE DOOR HAVING TO BE TAKEN APART TO GET TO THIS PART, A $250-350 REPAIR BILL. I CALLED 3 VW DEALERSHIPS TO GET ESTIMATES, AND ALL THREE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TOLD ME WITHIN THE FIRST MINUTE ON THE PHONE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND THAT IT WAS FAIRLY COMMON. THREE YEAR OLD VEHICLES SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS, NOR SHOULD THIS MECHANISM HAVE EVER BEEN ENGINEERED INTO A PART THAT GETS SLAMMED SHUT REPEATEDLY DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AMAZING! WE ARE UNSURE IF THE LATCH ITSELF IS SAFE OR NOT AND HAVE DECIDED TO PARK THE VEHICLE. AS I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I CALLED VW SERVICE REPS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT TO NO AVAIL. ANY HELP YOUR AGENCY CAN BE IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE HELPFUL. THIS ISN'T MY FIRST UNUSUAL PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. SINCERELY, TODD & GWEN WHATLEY TRI-CITIES, WA. *NM

ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASING MY 2001 JETTA, MY FRONT BUMPER WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY RIPPED OFF AFTER BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. IT CAUGHT ON THE PARKING CURB AND SUBSEQUENTLY RIPPED OFF. UPON CONTACTING VW I WAS TOLD IT WAS MY DRIVING AND IT WOULD COST OVER $300 TO REPAIR. IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES. TWO YEARS LATER, NOW MY CAR IS PAID OFF AND I WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER VW DEALERSHIP TO BRING IT IN AND THEY WOULD FIX THE BUMPER. I DID AND TO MY SURPRISE THEY WANTED $237.00 TO FIX IT. THEN THEY ASKED WHAT I DID TO IT. I EXPLAINED THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES. THEY STATED THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. UPON PICKING UP MY CAR I BROUGHT AN ARTICLE REGARDING THE BUMPERS, THEY DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT, THEY STATED, "WE KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN ALL THE ARTICLES, BUT WE HAVE NO CLOUT WITH VW, ONLY THE CONSUMER". SO, I NEED TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER DEFECTS, BUT THIS IS A MAJOR ONE THAT VW IS NOT WILLING TO REPAIR. THE OTHERS THEY HAVE AT LEAST ATTEMPTED TO FIX. *NM

UPON EXITING THE HIGHWAY MY CAR SUDDENLY TURNED OFF. I HAD TO COAST AND VEER OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, JUST NARROWLY AVOIDING BEING HIT BY TWO CARS. I WAS ABLE TO START MY CAR AGAIN, BUT WAS ONLY ABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING BY REVVING IT SO THAT IT HAD A HIGH RPM. THE ONLY WAY THAT I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING WHENEVER I REACHED TRAFFIC, A STOP SIGN, OR A STOP LIGHT WAS TO SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL AND REVVING MY ENGINE. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO VOLKSWAGEN, AND THE PROBLEM WAS AN IGNITION COIL FAILURE. THIS IS THE SAME PART THAT THE SIX CYLINDER JETTAS WERE RECALLED BY VOLKSWAGEN FOR, BUT WAS ONLY GIVEN A 10,000 MILE EXTENSION ON THE FOUR CYLINDER JETTAS. THIS IS PARTICULARLY TROUBLING BECAUSE THE PART "GOES" WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 18 MONTH OLD SON SEATED IN THE BACK OF THE CAR. VW CHARGED ME A LITTLE OVER $1,000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I WAS, AND REMAIN, EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED, AND HAVE REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO VW'S 1-800 NUMBER. THE REPRESENTATIVE AGREED THAT THE FOUR CYLINDER JETTAS SHOULD BE RECALLED AS THE SIX CYLINDERS HAVE, BUT THAT VW ONLY OFFERS THE 10,000 MILE IGNITION COIL EXTENSION FOR THE FOUR CYLINDER JETTAS IN THE MEAN TIME.*AK

I JUST RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE MY CATALYST SYSTEM ON MY 2001 VW JETTA. THE CAR STAULED ON MY WAY TO WORK, SO I HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST VW DEALER - COOLEY VOLKSWAGEN, IN N. GREENBUSH NY. THEY FOUND MISFIRE CODES AND CATALYST SYSTEM. THEY ALSO ADVISED ME THAT THE COIL PACK AND TUNE UP WERE NEEDED TO CORRECT MISFIRES. MY QUESTION AND CONCERN IS: WHY DID I NOT RECEIVE A WARNING LIGHT ON SOME SIGNAL TO ADVISE ME OF ANY PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT BE OCCURING. THIS WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY ALERTED ME TO GET THE CAR INTO A VW SERVICE SHOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON, AND VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR A TOTAL OF 14 DAYS IN DIAGNOSTIC. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN IT TO A INDEPENDANT VW MECHANIC TWICE WHO TELLS ME THIS IS COMMON. NOBODY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE IS FOR GLOW PLUG MALFUNCTION. I HAVE HAD REPLACED THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR, THE GLOW PLUG RELAY, ALL 4 GLOW PLUGS AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL COSTS OF DIAGNOSTIC. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON, IT IS STILL A GLOW PLUG MALFUNCTION. I HAVE PAID $800 FOR UNNECESARY REPAIRS THAT THE DEALER TELLS ME IS THE PROBLEM. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE REPAIRS ON THE DOOR LOCKS AND WONDOW REGULATORS, AS WELL AS THE AC MODULATOR, MIDDLE CONSUL LATCH,GLOVE BOX HINGE, REAR SEAT ASH TRAY. THIS YEAR OF JETTA IS A TRUE LEMON! IF VW IS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEN LEGAL ACTION WILL BE REQUIRED TO RECOVER MY LOSSES.*AK

1 ) WHILE DRIVING WITH THE SEAT HEATER ON, THE SEAT BECAME BURNING HOT, TO A POINT WHERE I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE SEAT. THIS IS WHILE I AM DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE I-580. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO VW WITH NO AVAIL. I HAVE ALSO FOUND FROM OTHER REPORTS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER VEHICLES, TO A POINT WHERE SOME CAUGHT ON FIRE. VW REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, AND THE SERVICE DEPT EVEN WENT AS FAR AS RECOMMENDING ME JUST SWAPPING THE PASSENGER TO DRIVER SIDE HEAT CONTROL. *JB 2) THE FAILURE OF THE SEAT HEATER ALMOST LED TO A ACCIDENT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE WHILE NOT COMPLETELY SEATED TO PULL OVER . 3). VW HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE SINCE THEY STATE MY VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB

A 2001 VW JETTA HAS AN ISSUE WITH A METAL SPRING THAT IS PART OF THE DRIVER SEAT. THE SPRING SEPARATES FROM THE MECHANISM THAT KEEPS THE SEAT FROM SLIDING FORWARD. THERE IS NO SPECIFIC REASON THE SPRING BECOMES LOOSE FROM THE CAR SEAT AND ONE WOULD NEVER KNOW IF THE SPRING IS NOT ATTACHED, IT COULD CAUSE MAJOR HARM TO THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE SEAT REMAINS LOCKED IN A POSITION, BUT IF THE CAR IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THE SEAT COULD SLIDE FORWARD, CAUSING INJURY. VW REFUSES TO COVER THE PART AS A SAFETY RECALL AND IS CHARGING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I KNOW OF 2 INSTANCES WHERE THIS SAME ISSUE HAS OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE DRIVER SEATS IN A 2001 VW JETTA. *JB

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD BECOME UNUSUALLY HOTTER THAN NORMAL. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK THE DEALER WANTED A NON REFUNDABLE FEE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM SO THE CONSUMER DID NOT TAKE IT IN FOR SERVICE. *TC THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD A FAINT BURNING SMELL. *SC *JB

A LARGE SPRING FELL FROM UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VW SERVICE STATED THE SPRING HELD THE SEAT TO THE RAIL AND WAS AN EXTEME SAFETY HAZARD; IF INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE SEAT WOULD COME LOOSE FROM THE RAIL. VW STATED SINCE OUR CAR WAS OUT OF WARRENTY THEY COULD NOT FIX IT ON THEIR COSTS (2001 VOLKSWAGON JETTA). THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AND SINCE IT IS SUCH AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD I FEEL VW SHOULD TAKE THIS RESPONSIBILITY. THE EXACT SAME SPRING HAS COME LOOSE FROM MY SONS 2001 JETTA AS WELL. THIS INDICATES TO US THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED SITUATION.*AK