1995 Volkswagen Jetta GL III review from North America
"A drain on my pocket book from day one."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
My car has the following wiring problems (in order of appearance) :
The fuse to the radio and trunk blows if anything is plugged into the cigarette lighter.
The headlights come on full beam even when set on parking (and no, I don't have daytime running lights). In one instance, the lights went completely off when I cut my left blinker on.
Occasionally, the blinkers will stay on even after I have turned them off.
I have to replace the fuse to the windshield wipers every time it rains (which is at least weekly during the summer time).
The main fuse to the air conditioner has had to be replaced.
The wiring to a second-party CD changer failed.
Other problems include:
The instrument cluster is defective, causing the speedometer to cease working more often than it works.
The door impact strips keep peeling off.
The timing belt went out at around 50,000 miles, well before the recommended service time of 90,000 miles.
It burns through oil much faster than it should, although there is no evidence of a leak.
It has had a coolant leak.
Nearly all of the internal lights have gone out. I still have dash lights for my speedometer, but the lights for the air conditioner/heater have gone out, as have the lights on the gearshift.
The volume knob on the radio broke in half and fell off.
The plastic guard around the antenna is disintegrating.
The clear-coat is peeling/chipping off on the hood, top and trunk.
The black metal window trims are rusting.
I have so far had to replace the motors for 3 of 4 power windows.
The driver's side seat warmer has not worked since I've owned the car.
General comments?
The car does run (for the most part).
However, some of the wiring problems could be potentially dangerous. The wipers often go out while driving.
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![]() ![]() | I love my car |
![]() ![]() | Comfortable, Cute, Mechanical Money Pit |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 4/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 20000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 125000 miles |
| Previous car | Plymouth Sundance |
| Date of Entry | 6th February, 2004 |

