2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

ALL CARS HAVE SAFETY LATCHES ON THE FRONT HOODS. THE SAFETY LATCH DID NOT WORK ON MY 2001 VW JETTA. THE INSIDE LATCH HAD BEEN RELEASED AND THEN INADVERTENTLY, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN AROUND THE CORNER. THERE IS NO IDIOT LIGHT ON DASH TO INDICATE HOOD WAS NOT FULLY LOCKED. AT 40 MPH, THE HOOD FLEW UP AND ALMOST RESULTED IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO CAR AND FENDERS. 1) WHY ARE THERE NO IDIOT LIGHTS ON DASH TO INDICATE HOOD IS NOT CLOSED WHEN SUCH LIGHTS EXIST FOR TRUCK AND THIS IS FAR LESS DANGEROUS? 2) WHY DID SAFETY LATCH ON FRONT NOT WORK---IS THIS A DEFECT IN ALL VWS?. *AK

AT NO TIME DO THE HAZARD LIGHTS OR THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WORK. AT FIRST, THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT SOON BECAME PERMANENT. DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER TO CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS. *AK *NM

2001 JETTA 1.8T CLUTCH BEGAN SLIPPING AT 34,600 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE FRICTION MATERIAL WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY WORN OFF OF THE CLUTCH DISC, MOST LIKELY DUE TO THE WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN. WE HAVE DRIVEN OVER 80K MILES IN ANOTHER MANUAL VEHICLE WITH NO PROBLEMS, SO I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS RATIONALE. THE CAR WENT IN FOR SERVICE AT 16,000 MILES FOR A STICKING CLUTCH. THE DEALER DID NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS AT THAT TIME. THE CLUTCH MAY NOT HAVE FULLY ENGAGED EVEN WHEN THE PEDAL FINALLY RELEASED DUE TO FAULTY HYDRAULICS, SO THE CLUTCH PLATE WAS LIKELY WORN PREMATURELY BECAUSE IT WASN'T PROPERLY ENGAGING WITH THE FLYWHEEL. THE DEALER'S REPAIR ESTIMATE WAS $2100, INCLUDING $1200 FOR A REPLACEMENT CLUTCH KIT PLUS 10 HOURS OF LABOR. I THEN CALLED A SECOND LOCAL DEALER AND WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $753.94 FOR THE SAME CLUTCH KIT. WHEN I DECLINED THE DEALER'S REPAIR, I WAS CHARGED AN $83 DIAGNOSTIC FEE JUST TO GET MY CAR BACK. I THEN SPOKE WITH THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER AND A VW OF AMERICA REP ABOUT THE CYLINDER PROBLEM AND THE APPARENTLY HIGH RATE OF 1.8T CLUTCH FAILURES. BOTH CLAIMED THAT TOO MANY MILES HAD PASSED SINCE THAT FIRST REPAIR AND REITERATED THAT 1) THE CLUTCH IS A WEAR ITEM ONLY COVERED TO 12,000 MILES BY THE WARRANTY AND 2) I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FIXED THE VEHICLE FOR $1038 WITH A NON-OEM CLUTCH KIT. THIS PRICE ALSO INCLUDED NEW MASTER AND SLAVE CYLINDERS, WHICH HE FELT WERE LIKELY THE CAUSE THE ORIGINAL CLUTCH FAILURE. INCIDENTALLY, HE SAID THAT VW'S OWN SERVICE DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED TO MECHANICS INDICATED THAT A CLUTCH OVERHAUL SHOULD TAKE 4-5 HOURS (AS OPPOSED TO THE 10 HOURS QUOTED BY MY DEALER).

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY FOR NO VISABLE REASON, AIRBAGS ON PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED. SIDE SEAT AIRBAGS AND ALL THE CELLING AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING IN THE ROAD AND NO PHYSICALL DAMAGE WAS DONR TO MY CAR. VW SAID TO CONTACT MY INS AND TELL THEM I HAD A RECK. I DID NOT AND WOULD NOT LIE TO THEM. AT THIS TIME NOTHING HAS BEEN FIXED. *AK

I WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON MY PASSENGER SIDE AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I HAD MY 2001 JETTA TOWED TO MY LOCAL VW DEALER AND THEY'RE RESPONSE IT THAT I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. HOWEVER, I HAVE NO BODY DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF IMPACT ANYWHERE TO BE SEEN. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT HELPFUL AND TOLD ME TO FILE THE ISSUE WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY AS AN ACCIDENT. THIS SEEMS TO BE INSURANCE FRAUD.*AK

LOSS OF 3.5 QUARTS OF OIL IN 17 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. OIL CONSUMPTION TEST SHOWED NOTHING. THIS VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2001 IS USING ABOUT A QUART OF OIL UNDER 1,000 MILES OF DRIVING. I AM TOLD THIS IS "NORMAL". MY QUESTION TO THE SERVICE PEOPLE, WHERE HAS THE OIL GONE, IT'S NOT ON THE GROUND. IT IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE THIRD TIME FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. I WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THE OIL CONSUMPTION TSB BULLETIN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ENGINE DAMAGE.*AK

THE MAF SENSOR WAS REPLACED ON MY VEHICLE ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. I REPLACED PART MYSELF AFTER THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS PART WAS BAD. I DID NOT RECEIVE A SERVICE REPORT FOR THIS TROUBLESHOOTING. I PURCHASED AND REPLACED THE PART MYSELF. 1.5 YEARS LATER I RECEIVED A WARRENTY EXTENSION LETTER FROM VW, STATING REIMBURSMENT WITH RECEIPT OF CHARGES, INCLUDING VIN # AND MILEAGE. AT THE TIME I PURCHASED THE PART, FROM A VW DEALER, THIS INFO WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE ON A PART ORDER. I SUPMITTED THIS INFO IN DEC 2003. IN JUNE 2004, I RECEIVED A REJECT FOR CLAIM BECAUSE THE RECEIPT DID NOT HAVE THIS INFO ON IT. I BELIEVE THAT VW HAS DONE THE WARRENTY EXTENSION TO PREVENT AN OFFICAL RECALL, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE IN GOOD FAITH. THEY SET A REQUIREMENT THAT THEIR OWN DEALERS DID NOT START ON VIN AND MILEAGE ON PART ORDERS, ONLY ON SERVICE ORDERS, AT THE TIME. THEY HAVE DESIGNED THE SYSTEM TO FAIL. UNDER A WARRANTY EXTENSION THEY DO NOT HAVE TO REPORT THE NUMBER OF REJECTED CLAIMS TO YOU AND IT CAN APPEAR THAT THEY ARE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. I CAN UNDERSTAND THIS REQUIREMENT FOR CLAIMS DATED AFTER THE LETTER, BUT NOT 1.5. YEARS BEFORE. *AK

I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AFTER PURCHASING MY BRAND NEW 2001 V.W JETTA. I HAD VEHICLE ONLY 6 MONTHS AND IT LEFT ME STRANDED DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF EMISSION CONTROL SENSOR. 5 MONTHS AFTER THAT, IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER WAS INOPERABLE, NEEDING THEM TO REPAIR. 2 MONTHS LATER, OWNED FOR 1 YR 1 MONTH, CAR WAS BURNING A LOT OF OIL SO CONSUMPTION TEST WAS DONE AND DETERMINED TO BE TRUE,THAT THE CAR WAS IN FACT CONSUMING ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF OIL. AS "A COURTESY TO ME, THE CUSTOMER" VOLKSWAGEN REPLACED PISTON RINGS, ROD BEARINGS AND DEGLAZED CYLYNDER WALLS. THEY HAD MY CAR 6 DAYS TO REBUILD ENGINE. 6 MONTHS LATER CAR WAS SHAKING REALLY BAD WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, TOOK IT IN AND SERVICE TECHNITION DISCOVERED THAT REAR BRAKES WERE WARPED AND REAR BRAKE PADS HAD "PREMATURE WEAR." THOSE WERE REPLACED. THROUGHOUT THIS COURSE OF TIME THE PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHT HAD BEEN REPLACE 2 TIMES,AIR CONDITION VENT WAS NOT WORKING AND HAD TO BE REMOVE AND INSTALL NEW CENTER AIR OUTLET,ARMREST BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, GLOVE COMPARTMENT LATCH BROKE, AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT AND BEEN REPAIRED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT ARE STILL FAULTY,NOT WORKING AT THIS TIME. VOLKSWAGEN HAS TREATED ME AS THOUGH I WAS THE ONE INCONVIENCING THEM!! I REGRET PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE AND WILL CONTINUE DISCOURAGING ANYONE FROM EVER BUYING A VOLKSWAGEN! I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR!! AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEE NOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE. KNOWING THERE ARE MANY OTHER VW'S ON THE ROAD WITH THE SAME MECHANICAL PROBLEMS MY CAR, I'M CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AS WELL AS MYSELF! *LA

THE 2001 VW JETTA I PURCHASED IN APRIL 2003 SEEMED TO BE A GREAT CAR UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND HAS BEEN ON SINCE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF DEALERSHIPS OR "SPECIALTY" VOLKSWAGEN AUTO SHOPS AND NOONE IS ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE LIGHT IS ON UNLESS I PAY THEM $600-$1500 TO GO IN AND DIAGNOSE MORE THOUROUGHLY. THE COMPUTER ON THE JETTA PUTOUT A "FUEL-INJUECTION" PROBLEM AND NOONE IS ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT EXACTLY THIS COULD BE. I CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITH THE LIGHT ON AND WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE WITH THE LIGHT ON IF IT BEGINS TO FLASH. VERY FRUSTRATING.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE WITHIN THE PAST 4 YEARS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON EVERY OTHER WEEK. DEALER WAS NOT HELPING WITH THE EXISTING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW. BUT, IT WAS ONE ISSUE AFTER ANOTHER, AND VOLKSWAGEN WAS VERY EVASIVE IN RESPONDING TO THE PROBLEMS AT HAND. *AK