1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLS, FROM THE STORE, I NOTICE THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN MY THERMOSTAT STARTED TO GO BACK AND FORWARD LIKE IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL, THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF MY VENTS INSIDE OF MY CAR. I THOUGHT THIS WAS STRANGE, THAT SMOKE(WHITE SMOKE) CAME FROM INSIDE MY CAR, SO I STOPPED THE CAR AND OPENED THE HOOD, BUT NOTHING WAS BURNING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I TOLD MY HUSBAND ABOUT THIS AND WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS GONE OR WAS BURNED OUT. I THEN ASKED HIM HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO GET IT FIXED AND HE STATED THAT THIS COULD BE A COSTLY JOB. I NEEDED MY CAR FIXED SO I TOOK IT TO A EUROPEAN SPECIALIST AUTO SHOP AND THEY FIXED IT FOR A COST OF $800.00 PLUS TAX!!!!! THIS WAS OUTRAGEOUS, BUT I NEEDED TO GET IT FIXED. WHERE CAN I CALL TO GET MY REFUND??? THIS IS ENTIRELY A LOT OF MONEY!!!!! *NLM

CONSUMER PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE FROM DEALER AND VEHICLE NEEDED REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS AND BRAKE SHOES. THE WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING, AND THE BRAKE SHOES CRUMBLED WHEN REMOVED FOR REPAIR DONE BY CONSUMER SINCE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR FLEW OPEN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

ALL FOUR WINDOWS BROKE IN MY VW JETTA GLS. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED, AS THAT WAS WHAT I COULD AFFORD. WHEN THE FIRST TWO BROKE, I CALLED VW USA (NOT THE DEALERSHIP) TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. I TOLD THEM I FOUND THE TECHNICAL BULLETINS DESCRIBING THE EXACT ISSUE I WAS EXPERIENCING. THEY TOLD ME SPECIFICALLY "MA'AM, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO THE CAR, THEREFORE WE CAN ONLY PAY FOR 1/2 OF THE COST OF REPAIR". I WAS FURIOUS AT THE SUGGESTION THAT ALL I DO ALL DAY IS SIT IN MY CAR AND BURN OUT THE WINDOW MOTORS. I IGNORED IT UNTIL A FEW MONTHS LATER WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR AS I WAS ENTERING THE PARKING GARAGE AT MY PLACE OF BUSINESS. I CALLED VW AGAIN AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE I WAS A 2ND OWNER AND THERE WAS NO WARRANTY FOR ME. I GOT TWO OF THE THREE FIXED TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $900 (WHICH WAS HALF OFF) AND LEFT THE 3RD (IN THE REAR) BROKEN. NOW, ALL FOUR WINDOWS HAVE BROKEN AND I REFUSE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE TWO REMAINING BROKEN WINDOWS SINCE IT IS NOW A 100% FAILURE RATE. 50% IS UNACCEPTABLE, BUT 100% IS DOWNRIGHT RIDICULOUS AND NO CONSUMER SHOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS FRUSTRATION OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ALSO, I KNOW TWO OTHER JETTA OWNERS (BOTH OWN 1997 MODELS) AND BOTH OF THEM HAVE HAD AT LEAST 2 WINDOWS BREAK. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE, EVEN FOR 2ND OWNERS OF THIS PARTICULAR BRAND OF AUTOMOBILES.*AK

I HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN MY ONE OWNER AUTOMATIC JETTA, THREE TIMES. MY LAST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 35,000 MILES AGO, AND I NOW NEED TO SPEND 1,700 DOLLARS TO REPLACE IT. *NLM

MY CAR WAS A LEMON THE ENGINE SEIZED WHEN THE CAR HAD NOT EVEN REACHED 60,000 MILES DESPITE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS.*JB

EACH TIME IT RAINS HEAVY ENOUGH FOR WATER TO SPLASH UNDERNEATH THE CAR WHEN DRIVING (IE A PUDDLE; SPLASH FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING BY; CAR WASH) - THE CAR STALLS, HAS TO BE TOWED AND ENDS UP HAVING THE IGNITION WIRES REPLACED. THIS HAS AVERAGED ABOUT 1-2X PER YEAR SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUGUST OF 1996

3 OF 4 WINDOWS DON'T WORK. MOTOR BURNED OUT ON RT FRONT, REGULATOR BURNED ON LFT FRONT, RT REAR DOES NOTHING. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WOULD COST UPWARD OF $800 TO FIX. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734295