2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

THE POWER ASSIST FOR THIS TDI VEHICLE HAS FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES UNDER SEVERAL DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. MOST OFTEN, IT OCCURS WHEN APPLYING THE CRUISE CONTROL AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 70MPH AND ALSO WHEN HAVING TO RAPIDLY DECELLERATE OR MOVE ALONG WITH CITY RELATED TRAFFIC. MOST OFTEN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT BY THE TIME IT DOES, I ALREADY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE NO PASSING GEAR, AND TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP TO 60 MPH TAKES A MINUTE OR MORE. TYPICALLY, WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, IF I STOP THE VEHICLE, TURN IT OFF, AND CRANK IT AGAIN, THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED UNTIL THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH BRING ABOUT THE PROBLEM ARE RE-ENACTED. IT WILL USUALLY TAKE SEVERAL CYCLES OF THE ENGINE BEING CRANKED AND TURNED OFF BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL TURN ITSELF OFF. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED WITH ABOUT 35,000 MILES ON IT AND THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ABOUT 100 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPEATED REPAIRS, I'VE SINCE COME TO LEARN THAT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WERE OCCURRING WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY PURCHASING IT (WERE NOT DISCLOSED AT PURCHASE), ACCORDING TO SERVICE RECORDS.*AK

I HAVE A VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2002 WAGON. TWICE I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THE FACTORY INSTALLED RADIO HAD STOPPED WORKING. TWICE THEY REPAIRED THE RADIO BY READJUSTING THE WIRING. I WAS TOLD IF IT HAPPENS A THIRD TIME, THEY WILL REPLACE THE RADIO.*AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR.. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO BE INSPECTED, HOWEVER THEY WERE UNABLE DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

2002 VW JETTA TDI WITH HEATED CLOTH SEATS. DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER OVERHEATS IN A SMALL SPOT, CAUSING BURNING (BROWN COLORATION) OF THE SEAT AND THE START OF A BURNT LEG ON THE WIFE (JUST WHAT I NEED...ONE MORE THING TO HEAR ABOUT...). PASSENGER SEAT WORKS FINE. DRIVER SEAT HEATER NO LONGER USED AS PROBLEM IS REPEATABLE. *NM

REPEATED FAILURE OF BREAK LIGHTS IN 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA OVER 2 AND 1/2 YEAR PERIOD. INCIDENT #1 ? DATE: 10.29.02 OD READING 5226 MILES RO# 776322 INCIDENT #2 ? DATE: 07.18.03 OD READING 15765 MILES RO# 817328 * INCIDENT #3 ? DATE: 12.15.03 OD READING 19219 MILES RO# 843079 INCIDENT #4 ? DATE: 07.14.04 OD READING 24000 MILES RO# 877075 INCIDENT #5 ? DATE: 01.13.05 OD READING 31291 MILES RO# 26004548/1 * THIS WAS WHEN THE RECALL BREAK LIGHT SWITCH WAS INSTALLED PER NHTSA RECALL NO. 04VO96. WE HAVE NARROWLY AVOIDED COLLISIONS IN THE LAST TWO OF THESE INCIDENTS OF FAILURES AND HAVE ASKED THAT VOLKSWAGEN TAKE THE CAR BACK FROM US AS AFTER THE FOURTH ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM THEY CANNOT ENSURE OUR SAFETY IN THE VEHICLE. VOLKSWAGEN HAS REFUSED OUR REQUEST AND INSISTED THAT THEY REPAIR THE CAR UNDER THE TERMS OF THE WARRANTY FOR THE FIFTH TIME DESPITE THE TRACK RECORD OF FAILURES. THE COMMENT MADE TO ME IS IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN TO BE SURE TO CONTACT THEM WITH MY CONCERNS? *NM

2002 VW JETTA TDI WITH LEATHER HEATED SEATS. GOT SO HOT IN LEFT HIP CORNER THAT I ALMOST WAS BURNED THROUGH MY CLOTHES. BURNING SMELL ALSO NOTED. IMMEDIATELY SHUT SEAT HEATER TO OFF. *NM

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER CAUGHT SEAT CUSHION ON FIRE. BURNED MY PANTS AND BUTTOCKS. DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT TIME OF INCIDENCE. HAVE NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET. WILL DO SO TOMORROW.*AK

MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLS TURBO, 26,000 MILES CAUGHT ON FIRE IN WASHINGTON STATE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. I SMELLED GAS WHILE DRIVING AND PULLED OVER OPNED HOOD AND A FE SECONDS LATER A FIRE STARTED. WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH 911 THERE WAS A MINOR EXPLOSION AND I RECEIVED MINOR BURNS TO THE FACE AND HANDS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED 20 MILES TO KARMART VW IN BURLINGTON, WA. THE NEXT VW OF AMERICA CALLED AND SAID THEY WERE INVESTIGATING IT. THREE WEEKS LATER THEY CALLED AND DENIED THE CLAIM FOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. ABOUT $10,000 IN DAMAGES. MY INSURANCE COMPANY ALLSTATE IS INVOLVED AND HIRED AN ENGINEER TO INVESTIGATE IT. HE DETERMINED IT IS MOST LIKELY A FACTORY DEFECT. VW DENIED TO FIX OR REPLACE THE CAR BECUASE THERE NO CLAMPS PRESENT WHERE THE FIRE OCURED. THE HOSES BURNED OFF ABOUT 3-6 INCHES. ALLSTATE FOUND THE ONE OF THE CLAMPS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I THINK IT REDICULOUS THAT VW WILL NOT COVER THE DAMGES OR REPLACE THE CAR. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO WITH A 2 YEAR CAR WITH MAJOR FIRE DAMAGE. I HAVE LOST TOTAL FAITH IN THE VEHICLE AND DON'T WANT. I WILL HAVE A HARD TIME SELLING IT WITH THIS KIND OF PROBLEM, WHO WOULD WANT TO BUY CAR TWO OLDS KNOWING IT WAS IN A SERIOUS FIRE? WHAT PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE DUE TO THIS? I FEEL WITH MY MINOR INJURY AND BEING A NEW CAR VW SHOULD DO SOMETHING. *AK

ON THE MORNING OF 12/15/04, BEFORE GOING TO WORK, I STARTED MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TO WARM UP. I ALSO TURNED ON THE SEAT WARMER TO ITS HIGHEST SETTING (5). ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER I GOT IN THE CAR TO GO TO WORK. I WAS ABOUT 1.5 MILES FROM MY HOUSE WHEN I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THEN I FELT A SHARP PAIN IN MY LEFT LEG. WHEN I PUT MY HAND IN BETWEEN MY LEG AND THE CAR SEAT, I GOT A TAR-LIKE SUBSTANCE ON MY HAND. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE SEAT WARMER MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS MELTING MY SEAT! IT MELTED SYNTHENTIC ONTO MY WOOL COAT AND PANTS, AS WELL AS MY SKIN. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO THE ER. I CONTACTED A SERVICE MANAGER AT METRO VW IN IRVING TX. HE SAID HE COULD HELP ME FIX THE SEAT, BUT TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE REGARDING THE OTHER DAMAGES. HE ADDED THAT C.S. WOULD ACT LIKE THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, BUT HE KNEW IT WAS A REGULAR PROBLEM. C.S. DID OFFER TO HAVE MY SEAT FIXED AS WELL AS REPLACE MY COAT, BUT WHEN I MENTIONED A RECALL SO THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO OTHERS, THEY SAID IT WAS NOT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE, AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT MANDATING A RECALL, SO THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT AROUND 2:00P.M. IN THE AFTERNOON AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG,SIDE SEAT AIR BAG AND THE REAR AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY COLLISION. MY CAR WAS NOT DAMAGED AT ALL. THE SUPERVISOR TECHNICIAN AT TRANS OCEAN VW REFUSED TO COVER THE COST TO REPAIR THREE OF THE AIRBAGS EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE COMPUTER SENSOR DETECTED AN IMPACT WHICH TRIGGERED THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS. IT WAS LUCKY THAT THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS WASN'T ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, OTHERWISE, I WOULD HAVE LOST MY CONTROL ON THE STEERING WHEEL LEADING TO MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. I WAS JUST IN SHOCK AT THAT TIME BUT THE HIGHWAY PATROL WAS MANAGED TO GUIDE ME OFF THE FREEWAY. AT LAST I CLAIMED MY INSURANCE AND PAID $500 DEDUCTIBLE FROM MY POCKET TO FIX THE AIRBAGS. THE INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASED A LOT AFTER THIS SO-CALLED "ACCIDENT". I HEREBY ASK VW OF AMERICA TO RECALL ALL DEFECTIVE VEHICLES TO PREVENT FUTURE ACCIDENTS FROM HAPPENING. *NM