2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2003 VW JETTA HAS NOT WORKED RIGHT SINCE THE 1ST WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. IT SHIFTS INAPPROPRIATLEY AND HESITATES WHEN PULLING INTO ON ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE BEEN NEARLY HIT BY CARS AND TRUCKS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WHEN GOING UP A HILL THE CAR SEEMS TO DOWNSHIFT OR SKIP A GEAR, THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. GOING 75 MILES AN HOUR RECENTLY THE CAR SEEMED TO DOWN SHIFT AND I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS GOING TO SPIN AROUND IN THE ROAD. I WAS ON THE TRANS CANADA HIGHWAY. VERY SCARY. WHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR ACCELERATES EXTREMLEY FAST. THE CAR HAS BEEN FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIR 6 OR MORE TIMES. VOLKSWAGON IS AWARE. *AK

WHOOPING NOISE FROM BRAKES OF NEW VW JETTTA WITH POOR COMPRESSION AND BRAKING. CLUNKING FORM GEAR BOX. FAILURE OF BRAKE MAY LEAD TO AVOIDABLE ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE DEALER CHANGED BRAKE BOOSTER BUT THIS DID NOT HELP. DEALER UNABLE TO FIX AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. *JB

COMPLETE CLUTCH FAILURE, (THE CAR WILL IDLE IN ALL 5 GEARS) SUDDENLY THAT LEFT MY CAR DISABLED ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY 2 Y/O SON IN HIS CAR SEAT 30 MILES AWAY FROM ANYWHERE.*AK

MY 2003 VW JETTA TDI GLS SEDAN WAS PARKED ON A SUMMER DAY (APPROX. 100 DEGREES F). UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A WAXY, GREASY, YELLOW SUBSTANCE LEAKING FROM BELOW THE DOORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBSTANCE WAS LEAKING FROM BETWEEN THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE DOOR AND THE RUBBER WEATHER STRIPPING. CONTACTED MY VW SERVICE DEALER (DANA MOTORS, BILLINGS, MT), AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VWS DURING HOT MONTHS, THAT THE SUBSTANCE WAS AN UNDERCOATING PROTECTANT THAT WAS SPRAYED ON AT THE FACTORY. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THIS PROTECTANT REPLACED. THE STUFF HAS CONTINUED LEAKING OUT ON VERY HOT DAYS, USUALLY ONLY 95+ DEGREES. IT IS HARD TO REMOVE BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE DONE ANY DAMAGE TO THE PAINT. I WANT TO KNOW IF IT'S TRUE THAT THIS STUFF DOESN'T NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHAT IF IT'S A NECESSARY LUBRICATION AND BY LEAKING OUT WILL HARM A PART OF THE DOOR ASSEMBLY?*AK

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A TREE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

I HIT A POTHOLE AND MY SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VW STATES THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS SITUATION AND THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS ($2196.85 IN PARTS PLUS WHATEVER THEY CHARGE FOR LABOR). *AK

I GOT MY 2003 VW JETTA IN FEBRUARY OF '03. NOW NOT EVEN A YEAR AND A HALF LATER I HAVE HUGE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. MY BRAKE LIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY STAY ON EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. MY WINDOWS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK PROPERLY. FINALLY THE WORST WAS THAT I WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY, IT IS STEEP BUT THE SAME PLACE I HAVE PARKED DOZENS OF TIMES, WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LET GO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND MY CAR ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVE WAY EVENTUALLY CRASHING INTO TREES. I READ ON OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT THERE WAS ONE OTHER PERSON WHO HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND MANY OTHERS WHO HAD SIMILAR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WELL I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN ABOUT MY BRAKE LIGHTS AND THEY SAID THAT INDEED THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR AS A RESULT OF A FAILING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. TURNS OUT THEY HAD FAILED TO INFORM ME. I WONDER WHAT OTHER RECALLS THEY HAVE FAILED TO INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT. *JB

INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN THE 2002-2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA AND 2003 HONDA ACCORD. *MR *NM *TC

IN DECEMBER 2003, I WAS DRIVING ON I-495 IN THE DC AREA AND HIT A SMALL ROCK (FELT SIMILAR TO HITTING A POTHOLE). MY PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED...AFTER INSPECTION, THE DEALER SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, THERE WAS A SMALL SCRATCH ON THE AIRBAG SENSOR. IT WAS CONSIDERED A COLLISION AND MY INSURANCE HAD TO COVER THE BILL (AROUND $2500). SIX MONTHS LATER (JUNE 2004), I WAS DRIVING DOWN JOPLIN RD NEAR QUANTICO, VA AND DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYS. WHILE ITS A WINDING ROAD, I DIDN'T FEEL ANY IMPACT. I JUST GOT A CALL FROM THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. SAYING THAT (AGAIN) WHILE THERE IS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, IT APPEARS THAT SOMETHING HIT THE INSIDE OF THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TELLING THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. AGAIN, THEY SAID MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL HAVE TO COVER THE AIRBAG/SEAT REPLACEMENT. *NM

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE WAS A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. *MR THIS RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOST OF POWER AND A REPLACEMENT OF THE INJECTOR SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS MUDDY DIESEL FUEL BUT COULDN'T PRODUCE THE FUEL FILTER TO BACK UP THE CLAIM. THERE WAS ANOTHER INCIDENT WHERE THERE WAS A PUFF OF SMOKE AND A LOST OF POWER DOWN TO 25 MPH ON THE ROAD. THE ENGINE HAD A #3 VALVE GO THROUGH THE PISTON AND RUN UP AND DOWN THE CRANKSHAFT. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH ANOTHER INJECTOR SYSTEM AND FUEL PUMP WAS ADDED. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, A HIGH PRESSURE OIL LINE BROKE FROM THE WELD AND SPEWED OIL EVERYWHERE. THE AXLE ASSEMBLY AND THE TRANSMISSION SLAVE CYLINDER WERE REPLACED AS WELL. *SC *JB