2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

I HAVE 2 WHEELS THAT KEEP LOSING AIR, I KEEP BRINGING IT BACK TO PEP BOYS THINKING THEY WERE SELLING ME DEFECTIVE TIRES. MY LAST INCIDENT WAS IN WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, ON THE WAY BACK FROM SAN DIEGO I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE AND ALMOST CRASHED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME ITS THE VW WHEELS AND THEY ARE UNSAFE.

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY, THE TURN SIGNALS BEGAN TO ACT ERRATICALLY. INITIALLY ONLY THE LEFT TURN SIGNALING APPEARED TO BE AFFECTED, AND WOULD FAIL TO MAKE ANY INDICATION ON THE DASH OR ILLUMINATE THE LIGHTS. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, ATTEMPTING TO SIGNAL A RIGHT TURN WOULD ACTUALLY RESULT IN THE LEFT TURN INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATING (YES, THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WAS INTENDED). AS I AM ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS DEALING WITH THE DOOR CONTROL ISSUE, I AM UNABLE TO USE MY WINDOW. I COULD NOT USE ARM SIGNALLING TO MAKE MY INTENTIONS CLEAR TO OTHER DRIVERS. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE LANES ON THE HIGHWAY. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR ISSUE, AND ASSOCIATED RECALL, WITH THE 2002 JETTA TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR/SWITCH.

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIPSTICK.NO OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC HE STATED THAT THE REAR SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 120,000 MILES ON IT WHEN I CALLED THE VW DEALER IN SACO MAINE I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN IT IS REPAIRED I SHOULD ALSO HAS THE PVB VALVE CHANGED THAT IT IS NOW MADE OUT OF A BETTER MATERIAL- HE STATED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THAT SPECIFIC MOTOR THAT WHEN THE PVB VALVE PUTS TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THE SEAL CAUSING IT TO BREAK BUT STATED THERE IS NO WARRANTY COVERAGE OR RECALL. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR AS THEY NEED TO COMPLETELY REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION.

VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO DISPLAY SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTIC SLIPPING AND LURCHING DSG ISSUES THAT VW KNOWS ABOUT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WHEN THE TECH TOOK IT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE, HE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE HIMSELF. UNFORTUNATELY, THE COMPUTERS AREN'T THROWING ANY CODES SO THEIR ONLY ADVICE WAS TO KEEP DRIVING IT UNTIL IT GETS WORSE AND I CAN BRING IT BACK AND THEY CAN MORE EASILY DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SO BASICALLY I'M DRIVING A TIME BOMB. VW KNOWS THERE'S ISSUES WITH THIS TRANSMISSION, THE VW DEALERSHIP TECH EXPERIENCED THE ACTUAL ISSUE HIMSELF, BUT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL IT GETS WORSE.

I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND TRIED TO TURN OFF ENGINE TO FUEL THE CAR. AN IGNITION MALFUNCTION WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO TURN ENGINE OFF OR REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION.

THE CAR STALL IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING, THEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS THE ISSUE AS CAR DOES NOT MOVE TO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THE ISSUE CAN CAUSE THE SEVERE ACCIDENT. THIS NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS. I BELIEVE SIMILAR INSTANCES HAVE REPORTED: HTTP://ABCNEWS.GO.COM/GMA/STORY?ID=8378724

THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT IS ON. I CHECKED AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING THAT CAN BE CONTAMINATED BY DEBRIS, WHICH MOVES THE PART'S GUIDE LOOPS OUT OF POSITION. THIS CAN CAUSE A TEAR IN THE ELECTRICAL CABLE THAT CONTROLS THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG. IF THIS HAPPENS, A WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, BUT THE SAFETY DEVICE WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. VW IS STILL IDENTIFYING ALL OF THE AFFECTED VINS AND DEVELOPING A FIX. I SOW THAT THE 2010 JETTA ARE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

DRIVER HEATED LEATHER SEAT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER CAR WAS TURNED ON AND THE HEATED SEAT BUTTON WAS TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.

REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK INOPERABLE. LOCK MECHANISM FAILED CAUSING THE DOOR TO NOT LOCK MANUALLY OR WITH REMOTE. ALSO, THE ALARM SYSTEM FAILED TO "CHIRP" WHEN PRESSING REMOTE. TOOK TO DEALER AND SPENT $500 ON A LOCK MECHANISM IN THE DOOR. I HEAR THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THIS MODEL. BUYER BEWARE.

DRIVERS SAFETY BELT FRAYING AND SHOULD BE REPLACED, POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE DESIGN OR FLAW IN THE CLIP WHERE THE BELT PASSES THROUGH, SHARP METAL IS PROTRUDING FROM PLASTIC BUCKLE CAUSING THE BELT TO FRAY. MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN.