2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

I HAVE NOW REPLACED BY BRAKE SWITCH AND BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY ARE THE SAME THING BUT I HAVE REPLACED THEM BOTH. THE FIRST ONE WAS THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THIS WAS REPLACED BECAUSE MY LIGHTS WOULD RANDOMLY TURN ON. EVEN WHEN PARKED THE LIGHTS WOULD REMAIN ON. I GOT IT TO TURN OFF BY WEDGING SOMETHING BEHIND THE BRAKE SO IT WOULD NOT GO ON. HOWEVER, I PAID $59 FOR IT TO GET FIXED. THE OTHER SWITCH, THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS REPLACED TODAY. THE CHARGE WAS $137. THIS REPAIR WAS DUE TO THE SHIFTER BEING STUCK IN PARK. I HAVE SPENT DAYS WITH THIS PROBLEM AND I FEEL MY CAR SHOULD BE UNDER THE RECALL. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT MY CAR DID NOT COME UP AS A RECALL VEHICLE. IF SO MANY JETTAS NEED REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM WHY IS NOT MY CAR INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. I EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS OTHERS AND I AM NOT BEING TREATED FAIRLY. IF VW IS TO KEEP ITS GOOD REPUTATION THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE EVERYONE WHO HAS SIMILAR OR EXACT PROBLEMS. IN BOTH INSTANCES THE BRAKE SWITCH AND BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WERE REPLACED. IF THESE ARE THE SAME ITEM THEN PEOPLE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE LIABLE TO PAY FOR SERVICE ON THEIR VEHICLES! *AK

IN JANUARY OF 2003 WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT MY CAR WAS REAR-ENDED. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE DONE TO MY BUMPER AND THAT WAS REPLACED. IN APRIL 2004 MY CAR WAS AGAIN REAR-ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. IN THIS INCIDENT THE LADY BEHIND ME WAS ALSO STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT AND SHE SAID HER FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE BRAKE AND SHE HIT ME. WE THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS SHE SAW THE TURN LANE LIGHT TURN GREEN AND SHE WENT. BECAUSE THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR THIS TIME WAS 4000 DOLLARS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I FOUND OUT THAT NONE OF MY BRAKE LIGHTS WORKED, EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE TAIL LIGHT HAD BEEN BUSTED. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND ALL WORKED PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY CAUSING THE ACCIDENTS. I HADNT THOUGHT OF THIS POSSIBILITY UNTIL I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE IN MAY 2004. I HAVE LOST TIME AT WORK, MINOR INJURIES & MY CAR WILL NEVER BE AS IT WAS PRIOR TO THIS. AS OF THIS TIME NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AS I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS RELATED TO MY 2 ACCIDENTS. *AK

CAR HAS JUST HAD THE SECOND TRANSMISSION PLACED IN LESS THAN 11,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN THE SHOP 17 TIMES LOSING IT EACH TIME AT THE LEAST FOR 2 DAYS AND AT THE MOST FOR A WEEK AND A HALF. THE DEALERSHIP AND VW REFUSE TO PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE WITH A RENTAL CAR LEAVING ME TO RELY ON OTHERS FOR TRANSPORTATION OR PAY HIGH RENTAL COSTS. EVERY TIME THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT IT BEGINS TO SLIP WHEN GOING INTO GEARS AND POUNDS INTO GEARS OTHER TIMES. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED SEVERAL EMISSION SENSORS AND COMPLETELY REBUILT THE BACK BRAKE SYSTEM. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. SO FAR MOST OF THE PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL THAT I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. I BOUGHT A VW FOR ITS SUPPOSED EXCELLENT QUALITY, BUT HAVE OBVIOUSLY PURCHASED A LEMON.*AK

WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED CLEANING DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD BEING CLOGGED WITH CARBON. *AK

1.I AM AN 8 MONTH PREGNANT MOTHER WHO WAS DRIVING A VW JETTA WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT, NOR DID I HIT ANYTHING WHEN I MADE A LEFT TURN OFF THE LINCOLN TUNNEL ON THE WAY TO DROP MY DOG OFF TO HIS NEW HOME 3/21/04. 2.TOOK IT TO BAYSIDE VW DEALER ON 3/22/04, WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER READS THAT IT WAS AN OUTSIDE INFLUENCE THAT SET THE AIRBAG OFF, AND WAS TOLD THAT I MUST HAVE HIT A POTHOLE. SINCE THE BAYSIDE MANAGER SAW A BUBBLE ON MY TIRE, HE MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE AIRBAG WENT OFF BECAUSE OF A POTHOLE. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT HIT, NOR DID I HIT ANYBODY, AND THAT THE INSURANCE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. CAME HOME AND CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE @ 1-800-822-8987 AND PUT IN A COMPLAINT. DO AIRBAGS NORMALLY GO OFF BECAUSE FOR SOMETHING SO EASILY AS A POTHOLE ? WE LIVE IN NY CITY, AND POTHOLES ARE EVERYWHERE ESPECIALLY AFTER THE WINTER WE HAD! 3.FINALLY SPOKE TO JIM MEYERS FROM VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AIRBAG DEPT, AND ALL HE COULD SAY WAS SORRY THE COMPUTER SAYS IT WAS AN OUTSIDE INFLUENCE SO VW WILL NOT DO ANYTHING, SEE YOUR INSURANCE AGENCY!*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER WHEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. A TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY CLUTCH ON MY 1.8T FAILED AT 30K MILES. LOCAL DEALER & VOA STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS WEAR & TEAR I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY INCLUDING THE FLYWHEEL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE, AND THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF WEAR LEFT ON THE CLUTCH. WE WERE FORCED TO USE VW REPLACEMENT PARTS AS WELL.

THE CLUTCH IN MY 2001 JETTA 1.8T DIED AT ONLY 28,000 MILES. DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS "WEAR AND TEAR" - SERVICE MANAGER WHISPERED THAT THE DMF CLUTCH IS DEFECTIVE ON THESE MODELS. VW WAS UNRESPONSIVE AFTER REPEATED LETTERS AND CALLS. HAD LOANER FOR 40 DAYS. DEALER AGREED TO PAY LABOR - I PAID FOR THE PART. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED PREMATURELY WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP PROCESSED THE INFORMATION FROM THE ON ROAD COMPUTER, WHICH INDICATED AN IMPACT DISCHARGED THE SIDE AIR BAG, AND LOCKED UP THE SEAT BELT REEL AND HIGH RESISTANCE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT.*AK

WHILE SHIFTING GEAR INTO REVERSE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE ON IT'S OWN. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *LA